Wolf Shifter Diaries: Lies Tamed (Sweet Paranormal Wolf & Fae Fantasy Romance Series Book 2) by E. Hall (books for men to read TXT) 📗

wondering what was going on. You can imagine how upset he was to have missed Greyson. I explained about the scepter. He seemed to brighten, almost taking on his regular form. It turned out, in his years here in the empty house, he’d found it. The scepter was at Lonsdale all along, but instead of it being in the box Clove showed us, it was glamoured as an antique lamp that belonged to Greyson’s parents.”

“It was right under his nose all along.”

“Then I found you. I assume my dad came back, met with Alister, and got ahold of the scepter. You know the rest.” Emotion threatens to overwhelm me.

Corbin draws me into his arms. I rest there, feeling grounded, connected, so close to his wolf.

When we part, I say, “My father’s last words were an instruction to break the curse.”

“What curse?”

I shrug. “That’s what we have to find out, and I think I know where to start.”

Corbin lifts his eyebrows in question.

“The diary.”

“It’s blank.”

“It has missing pages.”

We spend the next hours carefully tearing apart the room, but no random pages appear. My mind skips from possibility to possibility. It could all mean something or nothing at all. But we don’t have any clearer picture.

I lose myself in an old sepia map. The thick and dotted lines divide the land and countries differently than they are now. Old world images and warnings of pirate-filled waters and mermaids mark the paper. A dragon fills a corner of uncharted territory.

I chuckle at how very strange and unbelievable my life has become. Corbin takes my hand and squeezes it. There’s nothing for me to say other than whoa or wow or why. Instead, I say nothing. But I squeeze back.

He plants his lips on my cheek then my temple, then my lips. The maps fade from view as my eyes blink closed. Now, I lose myself in his kiss.

In the following days, the weather fluctuates between frenzied rainstorms and calm skies. Various members of the pack talk about how winter comes early to that part of the world.

I’m in my room at the lodge, finishing a diary entry as I process everything that’s happened.

Mom returned to the states but is considering tying up her loose ends and coming to Concordia permanently now that she knows I pledged myself to the pack. She was apologetic about drawing out my vampire energy. She also gave me the cloak back. To be honest, having slain the vampire, I feel less restless inside. It’s weird. I guess I’m weird, but I’m okay with that.

Corbin said he’s going to deal with Melchior. The fae king is a Council member and charged with the duty to kill the MMW aka me, but according to my mate, that doesn’t excuse his behavior.

Clove is missing. At least the werewolf is no longer a problem. Still, my heart breaks for all the loss.

Corbin and I are mending things between us. All he wanted was to protect me, but he can’t lie to me even if the truth is hard to bear. If we’re going to be true Alphas, true mates, we have to trust each other.

When I’m done writing, I flip through each of the pages in the diary my brother sought, searching for words. I try a black light in case invisible ink hides the script. I summon fae magic to reveal the contents of the pages. No luck.

From the kitchen, the savory scent of fried peppers, onions, garlic along with sausage tells me that it’s pizza night. My stomach rumbles. Before I can get my paws on dinner, Inga and Camilla intercept me in the hallway.

“The pack knows you’re awesome, especially for defending us and trying to eliminate the werewolf, but, um, you know, if you want to get back at Avril, Heather, Harper, and Hannah...” Camilla says with a glint in her eye.

I lean in. “I’m intrigued.”

Inga passes me a piece of paper and leans over my shoulder, reading the list. “You’ll need to supply the duct tape, blank paper, and a pink pen. Also an assortment of permanent markers, mint-flavored Mentos, dental floss, a sixteen-ounce bottle of Dr. Pepper, and a package of cream cheese.”

“This is the kind of shopping list that suggests I not ask questions.”

They both lift and lower their eyebrows.

Camilla rubs her hands together. “We’re the diabolical duo when it comes to pranks—it’s common for pack mates to prank each other. It’s harmless but totally hilarious.”

“We’d like to invite you in to make it a trio.”

“Consider I’m missing one of my three forms of magic, count me in,” I say with a laugh. I glance at the list. “Oh, do you want the whipped kind of cream cheese or a brick? I ask only because my mom prefers the whipped.”

Camilla nods approvingly. “Attention to detail. We like that. Get the brick and keep it cold.”

“We’ll bring those girls to their knees,” Camilla says and then adds, “In a harmless and non-confrontational way, of course.”

“Actually, that depends on what you consider harmless. Humiliation? Check. Confusion? Definitely. Aggravation? For sure.” Inga laughs diabolically.

We all start giggling.

“Meet us out here at seven-hundred hours.”

I salute them in affirmation.

Corbin isn’t at dinner so I wolf down a few slices of pizza before heading over to his cottage with a plate. He’s been working a lot, assuring the local officials that the problem aka werewolf is resolved as well as trying to get in touch with the vampire Council representative, Ivan.

Melchior is MIA, and I can tell Corbin is seething to get revenge on the fae king for stabbing me. I have a feeling more than cream cheese will be involved.

Lanterns line the walkway. I knock lightly on the door then go in.

Corbin bows over the