Chapter 75

Chapter 75

“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might’ve been.’”

Kurt Vonnegut

*Joseph’s POV*

Joseph should’ve been happy to get the hell out of dodge, and away from those crazy werewolves. After all, they’d only caused chaos from the moment they entered his life. Knocking him unconscious, forcing him to leave his hospital behind…and for what? Because one of them thought he was her mate?

As he thought it, Rae’s face came to mind. Her sharp jawline, her big, dark eyes staring at him softly, her lean, tight –

Okay.

That was enough thinking.

Joseph busied himself with medical records at his desk, although he couldn’t shake the thought of…her. He wouldn’t think her name. That only caused more unwanted thoughts, and really, he just needed to distance himself from her.

Maybe he could even do some research on mate bonds, how long he’d feel the effects of the rejection before things could go back to normal.

That’s all he wanted: a normal life.

No power-hungry witches, no wolves, no soulmates trying to trap him with a magical bond – just regular humans with sick pets that needed his help.

🪄🪄🪄

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re still working after hours.”

Joseph didn’t bother looking up from his computer screen at the only other doctor who worked in the small hospital, Dr. Hart. She was a tall woman with pale skin and hair that never left its updo.

“I’m just catching up on some records,” he said, “Need to make up for lost time.” It wasn’t even a lie – a couple of days off the grid, and there had been a pile up of paperwork at his desk when he returned. That was another thing he could thank her for. She hadn’t given any consideration for his human life, had she? Wolves were selfish like that. Nothing mattered to them beyond their own impulses.

“You know,” Dr. Hart said, and from the corner of his eye, he saw her lean against the doorframe in her white coat. “I was pretty shocked when you called out sick last week. In the two years you’ve been working here, I don’t think you’ve ever taken a sick day.”

Annoyance flared in his chest. He wasn’t particularly close to Dr. Hart – or anyone in this ghost of a town – and that’s how he liked it. And he certainly didn’t need her meddling in his private business now.

“Special circumstances,” he muttered back.

She stared at him for a moment before saying, “Right…anyway, there’s two visitors for you in the lobby.”

That got his attention.

His eyebrows shot to his hairline as he said, “Visitors?”

“Yep,” she nodded, “Two girls. They say they need to see you immediately.”

Oh, of course, the wolves couldn’t stay away. He should’ve known better than to think *she* would’ve respected his wishes that he wanted nothing to do with her or their so-called mate bond. She must’ve come here – and with that curly-haired friend of hers – to try and convince him to come back to their castle.

As if it’d be that easy. He might not have had any magic anymore, but there was no way in hell he was going to just let them drag him back to the castle to live with a bunch of wolves.

Shouldering past Dr. Hart without a thought, Joseph marched to the lobby, prepared to give his “mate” a piece of his mind. However, just as he reached the entrance, he stopped dead in his tracks and his stomach sunk.

It wasn’t Rae or Ollie sitting in the lobby, flipping through expired magazines, but two other familiar faces. Or face, he should say – they were identical twins.

“Elra, Alra…what are you two doing here?”

Elra, who didn’t bother closing her magazine or looking him in the eye, still had the hint of a smirk on her face as she said, “I think you know why we came, Joseph.” Her voice was just as high, tinkling, and as grating as per usual.

Both were petite, thin girls, barely more than teenagers, with big dark eyes that always seemed to be looking through you, not at you. The only difference between them was their hair: both kept their chestnut brown hair styled in a bob, but Alra had bangs and Elra did not.

“It hasn’t been a month yet,” he said, “You came to collect your herbs for Elder Marjorie only a week ago.” He couldn’t help himself from adding sarcastically, “I don’t need to get you two a calendar, do I?”

Alra rolled her eyes at that, but otherwise, didn’t give any kind of response. That wasn’t unusual. In two years, Joseph wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her smile.

Joseph glanced behind him to make sure Dr. Hart wasn’t eavesdropping on their conversation. Usually, she wasn’t here when members of his old coven stopped by – and the last thing he needed was for her to hear something that didn’t sound very human. So far, he’d been able to keep his herb garden in the basement off her radar.

“Don’t bother,” Elra said, and she flipped her magazine closed, “I cast a privacy spell the moment we walked in. Wouldn’t want the human overhearing us, do we?” Joseph met her unsettling gaze, and as much as he didn’t want to, held eye contact with her. No matter how many visits these two made in service of Elder Marjorie, he’d never get used to them. There was something just…off.

“So much work,” Alra sighed, “But I suppose we’ve got to do the heavy-lifting now that you’re unable to.”

Joseph swallowed back the wave of anger at that comment. Alra had meant it to sting. They knew his history, why he’d left the coven…what Elder Marjorie had taken from him when he did.

“Don’t be mean, Alra,” Elra pouted, but there was plenty of amusement in her tone.

Joseph grit his teeth. The sooner he got this over with, the sooner these two would get out of his hospital. “You never told me what you’re here for,” he said, “I can show you my supply, but it’ll be low. You’ll need to wait till next month.”

This time, it was Elra who rolled her eyes.

“That’s not what we’re here for, Joseph.”

Something in him, some gut instinct, flared to life and he took a step back. For a moment, he wished he’d grabbed something from the basement to protect himself with – a little hemlock or aconite. Anything he could weaponize, if only to get away.

Elra took a tiny step forward, her eyes flashing with amusement.

“There’s been rumors recently,” she said, “That the Moon God has returned. I don’t suppose you’d know anything about that, would you, Joseph?”

He stiffened. That’s what this was about? How could Elder Marjorie have known about the Moon God’s return?

“Why would I?” He retorted, “I don’t hang around witches, let alone wolves.” For good measure, he added, “And even so, that’s ridiculous. The Moon God’s entire existence has been nothing but a rumor.” Elra continued to look at him with her big, dark eyes, and he prayed she wouldn’t see through his lies.

Finally, she sighed and said, “I suppose you’re right. The Lupus Deum awakening after thousands of years? It does sound ridiculous, doesn’t it?”

It took everything in him not to visibly exhale with relief. He couldn’t imagine how Elder Marjorie or the coven had learned of the Moon God’s return, but maybe he’d bought them some time.

*Them?* He thought. No, there was no them – it was just him. He’d lied about the Moon God to protect himself, not them. Not the wolves or the Moon God and certainly not *her.* She didn’t matter. She didn’t need his protection.

And yet, as he thought it, the very thought of Elder Marjorie finding the hideout and hurting Rae…it chilled him to the bone.

“You know what’s even more ridiculous, Joseph?” Elra’s voice suddenly cut through his thoughts. She was no longer smiling.

He had the sudden urge to run, like prey who’d wandered into a predator’s eyeline.

“I think it’s ridiculous that you think we’d believe that half-hearted lie,” she said, “You don’t think Elder Marjorie knows where you’ve been? We know you’ve been with the wolves…that you’ve seen him. In the flesh.”

Joseph turned to run, but as he pivoted, he came face to face with Alra, who’d he forgotten completely about.

In one swift movement, she pressed two fingers to his forehead and muttered a familiar sleeping spell.

The effects were immediate, but as he closed his eyes, the last thing he thought about was Rae’s face.