Freya impatiently rocked in her favorite Adirondack style rocking chair while she watched Joseph climb the steps that led to her wrap around porch.
“Well?” she said through pursed lips.
Joseph slowly shook his head, “I looked, but found no sign of him.”
“Just how did you look?” she asked. “He’s your pack master. You should know his scent by heart. Did you trace his scent?”
Giving her a look like she suddenly developed two heads, Joseph said, “You want me to sniff him out like a hound dog?”
Filling her lungs with air in an effort to keep her irritability in check, she asked, “Is it normal for Marcus to go ghost like this?”
Shaking his head, Joseph said, “It never happened before.”
“”Would it make sense that something might have happened to him?” she asked with as much patience as she could muster.
“It isn’t like him to disappear like this,” Joseph mused. “I was thinking the same thing. Maybe something happened to him, but I can’t imagine what.”
“Vampires, perhaps?” Freya offered with a hint of angst.
“I saw no signs of vampires,” Joseph informed her. He could tell that she was trying hard to keep calm and patient with him.
Werewolves had a strong sex drive, but it was well known within the pack that hers was abnormally high. In fact, there was already speculation as to who would replace Marcus in the bedroom should he not return soon. He wondered if the queen was as worried about Marcus’s welfare as she let on or if it was his absence in her bed that upset her.
Realizing that whatever the reason, the ancient wolf was already on edge. Knowing how easily she angered, he did his best to appease her by sharing all that he knew.
“My source from inside the castle tells me that they’re still licking their wounds and repairing the building after Jasper’s recent raid,” he offered.
“That does not mean they could not have stumbled upon Marcus while out hunting for blood victims,” she snipped. “They may be licking their wounds, but they still have to eat.”
“He said that he was going to go to the witch cave to see if they’d help him find Jasper,” Joseph offered. “The warlock, Ben, and Jasper are friends. It’s how he came to us. Ben brought him here because his werewolf side needed to be tamed.”
“So, Marcus is friends with the warlock as well?” Freya said with surprise. “Are the witches no longer enemy of the wolves?”
Joseph vigorously shook his head.
“He’s friendly, but not friends,” he said. “At least, I don’t think they’re friends. I only saw Ben here that time he brought Jasper and Lila to us. Not since.”
“Maybe it was not the vampires,” she speculated. “Perhaps the witches have done something with him.”
“Why would they do that?” Joseph asked with concern.
“We did not lift a finger to help rescue the witches from the vampires,” she explained. “That in itself would be enough. If you have spies, then, I have no doubt that he does as well. He has probably learned of my intention of killing those babies.”
“Jasper was pretty adamant that you wouldn’t be allowed to do that,” he said.
Emitting a loud snort that was combined with a chuckle, she asked, “Since when does Jasper dictate what I can and cannot do?”
“He’s pretty protective of Lila and her baby,” he said. “If you want him to help us and finish that serum, you might want to rethink killing her child.”
His last remark was too much. She could no longer hold her temper with this lowly imbecilic who had clearly forgotten his place.
“So, now you think to tell me what to do?” she screeched. “Are you suddenly the queen’s advisor?”
“Forgive me,” he quickly apologized. “I was just pointing out the obvious.”
“Instead of pointing out the obvious, perhaps you could actually do the obvious; which is to track down your pack master,” she snarled. “Or are you not up to it?”
With an embarrassed expression, he admitted, “I don’t know how to sniff him out when I’m not in wolf form. My smeller doesn’t work like that.”
Jumping to her feet, she planted her hands on her hips and huffed, “That is just dandy.” Then after heaving a heavy sigh, she added, “I suppose I must do it myself.”
“I can join you,” he offered.
“I prefer to do it alone,” she growled. “I have no patience for bumbling idiots.” Walking into the house, she called over her shoulder, “Come inside and draw me a map of where you have already looked.”
Freya was not in the habit of allowing those who she considered beneath her into her private domain. Joseph had only been allowed to stand in the doorway to share his news with her or Marcus prior to that day. As he stepped over the threshold and walked deep into the foyer, he couldn’t help feel a sense of trespassing.
When he hesitated at the doorway of the den where she awaited him, she bellowed, “Is that how you always move? Are you helpless without Marcus? Or, are you just slow?”
“I am neither,” he protested with reddened face. “I was pausing to enjoy the feel of your home,” he lied. “It is inviting.”
Surprised by his unexpected complement, she was silent for a moment. Then, after a quick recovery, she motioned him into the room and pointed to a chair at the long, rectangular oak table where she stood. Seating herself at the head of it, she pulled a map of the area from the center of the table and positioned it in front of them.
Joseph cautiously sat in the chair next to her. He’d never been as close to her before. He could feel the heat of her body. His natural reaction to her pheromones made him involuntarily jolt before he could force himself to regain control. Holding his breath, he watched to see if she’d noticed. When she didn’t remove her attention from the oversized paper or make a reference to it, he breathed easy and let his eyes settle on the circle she’d drawn on the map.
“Is this where you looked for him?” she asked as she pointed to the area that she’d circled.
“Some,” he said. Picking up a pencil that she’d set in front of him, he drew a new circle that encompassed a section that she hadn’t considered along with most of the area that she had. “I looked here.” Pointing to the part of the circle that he hadn’t searched, he added, “I didn’t check here because it made no sense for him to go there. He was clear that he planned on visiting the witch’s cave. That’s off in the opposite direction.”
“We should still check it,” she pointed out.
“It’s heavy with vampires,” he replied. Pointing out a spot just beyond the edge of the area in question, he added, “Their castle is just about here.”
“I see,” she mused.
“If we are to check there, we should go in numbers,” he insisted. “Licking their wounds and rebuilding or not, I can guarantee we’ll run into vampires.”
Although she knew that he was right about the vampires, it didn’t stop her from being annoyed that a wolf of his station felt comfortable giving her any type of advice. Especially with the confidence and borderline familiarity that he displayed. This was twice now that he’d forgotten himself in her presence. When things were more settled, she fully intended on making sure that he was reinstated to his rightful position; which was below her boots!
Standing up, she abruptly walked to a door that led to an adjacent room while tossing over her shoulder, “I shall think on it. Go now.”