Red and Her Wolf (Kingdom, #3)

“Absolutely nothing. Now take my hand.” She reached for him.

The moment their hands interlocked, she stepped through the tilted tea pot and a wave of vertigo slammed into him, making him lose his bearings. Everything was pitch black, and save for the tiny hand in his, he felt anchorless. An overwhelming desire to flail and find some sort of footing overcame him, but he clamped down on it, knowing this blackness to be merely illusion; though the knowledge didn’t keep the sweat from beading on his forehead.

“I know this is kind of freaky. Just a little bit longer.”

Her soft voice helped to calm the animal’s natural instinct in him. He was not alone in this nothingness.

“Where’s Red?” He finally asked.

“With Hatter.”

He snarled and a small fist punched his arm.

“Not that Violet’s not beautiful, but he’s got me, Ewan. She’s perfectly safe.”

“So long as it’s understood she belongs to me and me alone.”

“Yes, yes,” her voice was mollifying, “she’s all yours. But just so you know, the caveman act really doesn’t work for girls anymore. Just sayin’.”

“Caveman?”

He was unprepared for the jarring transition from darkness to light and blinked back tears as a bright shaft of sunlight suddenly pierced his eyes, momentarily blinding him. A meadow spread out for miles in every direction. A placid pond sat next to a small thatched roof cottage. Dropping his hand, Alice gathered her skirts and started jogging toward the home. He kept pace beside her.

“It all looks so normal,” he muttered. “I expected madness.”

She looked at him, a fond smile on her lips. “Oh, it is, usually. But I told Hatter that we needed to make her as comfortable as possible. I wasn’t too sure what she’d think of my fifty foot toad, so he made it all conform.”

Ewan wasn’t certain she was entirely kidding.

The bright red door was thrown open and Hatter--dressed in his customary suit brimming with pocket watches--stepped out.

Alice cried, and he smiled. Then she was in his arms and he was bending her over, giving her a passionate kiss, and suddenly Ewan knew Violet had been very safe. It was obvious, even to the deaf and blind, the passion that brewed between the two.

“I worried,” Hatter whispered against Alice’s lips after a while. “Did you have any trouble?”

She nuzzled his neck as he helped her stand, readjusting her skirts.

“No, but I think we gave Ewan a fright.”

Dark eyes zeroed in on him. “Wolf,” Hatter extended his free hand, the other was still firmly clamped around Alice’s waist. “Forgive us for the necessity of it, but Malvena’s spies are everywhere.”

He nodded. “She explained. Was Red harmed at all?”

Hatter flashed bright white teeth. “No, though I think Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum gave her a terrible fright. She was reluctant to enjoy one of my wife’s cupcakes, or even talk for that matter.”

Alice touched the tip of his nose. “I think the poor thing needs a hot meal before a cupcake, Hatter. Ewan?” She glanced at him and gestured toward the door. “She’s inside.”

“Thank ye.” He stepped in, taking a brief moment to adjust his eyes to the dim lighting within.

“Ewan?”

Her melodic voice made him weak in the knees and he wondered if she could hear the stutter of his heart.

“Red?”

Then she was in his arms, flinging herself into his body the way Alice had into her Hatter’s. A wave of sunshine and wild magic engulfed him, and heat spiraled through his veins. She felt so good, so small, and perfect, and safe. Rubbing her back, he was reluctant to ever let her go.

She pressed her cheek against his chest, small fingers curling into the back of his shirt.

“I’m so sorry. I got tricked by that awful cat--”

“Cheshire?” His deep voice rumbled.

She shuddered. “Yes, he looked so fluffy and let me pet him--”

“He let ye pet him?” Ewan pulled back, chuckling. “The cat? That vile rodent? He never lets anyone pet him.”

“He tricked me.”

He kissed the pulse at her temple, wishing he could do so much more. Wishing he could taste her as passionately as Hatter had Alice. “It was a ruse Hatter and Alice orchestrated.”

Blue eyes filled with confusion. “Why?”

“Because,” Hatter’s deep voice answered behind them, “Malvena’s crows were spotted within these woods not two nights ago. We’ve much to discuss.”

Alice kissed his cheek. “But not before dinner.” She glanced at Violet. “And a bath. Jeez, Ewan… what in the world did you do to the poor thing?”

“Don’t ask,” he grumbled.

Red winced. “Can I take my bath alone?”

Alice laughed. “Of course. Did you think I was going to bathe you? Come on.”

Violet turned to follow, and then stopping, took a deep breath and quickly pecked his whisker roughened cheek.

“I’m glad to see you,” she whispered, and he swore the ground shifted beneath his feet.

Chapter 12