Griffin

Wulfric slept in later than me in the morning. He was entitled to it; after all, it had been years upon years since the last time he slept. I was also selfishly glad about it, because I finally felt like I could react to his newly-restored humanity.

Last night had obviously been the exact wrong time to be celebrating, but that didn't take away the aching relief that Wulfric was no longer immortal. From here, maybe we could finally find our way into having an actual relationship. So far, all we had shared was sex and companionship. Don't get me wrong, it was nice – great, actually – but I wanted something more like what my parents had. I wanted to feel connected to him by more than just the mate bond, but I had no idea how to navigate that.

And there went my celebratory mood.

The alarm on my phone started blaring, and Wulfric sat up and started blearily looking around for the source of the noise. His cold, dark eyes glared at my phone before he shot me a miffed look. It was adorable.

"What is that racket?" he grumbled.

"That's our cue to get moving. We're due at the magic shop in forty minutes."

Wulfric blinked a few times, and I wondered whether he was intentionally quashing his reaction to that. I was dying to know how he felt about the ritual that would be performed this morning, lifting the curse from the rest of his family. "Of course," Wulfric said after a long moment. He shifted and slid awkwardly from the bed, wobbling on sleepy legs for a moment before glaring down at them and stalking toward the bathroom.

"That went great," I muttered sarcastically under my breath. But I wasn't upset. Wulfric had a right to be grouchy or irritable or angry or miserable or whatever it was he was feeling, especially today. And I knew better than to take it personally.

Wulf and I quickly got ready and ran out the door. We swung through the kitchen to grab some fruit and toast to eat on the way there, and soon enough, we reached my car. Wulfric stood expectantly at the door to the driver's seat while I lifted an amused brow at him.

"Yes?" I asked.

"May I drive?" he asked, and I handed over my keys without question or argument. It was probably some kind of control thing. Too much of Wulfric's life was changing around him whether he wanted it to or not. If having the literal driving wheel when the metaphorical one was blocked to him made him feel better, who was I to complain?

Besides, this way I would be able to focus more on my food. Or so I thought.

Wulfric got the car running and swung out of the parking spot. He nearly hit one of my pack mates who was walking to her own car, and would have if it hadn't been for her quick reflexes.

"Wulf!" I didn't mean to yell at him, but it just came out. I waved an apology to my pack mate and made a mental note to send her flowers or something later, and to give her a proper apology.

Meanwhile, Wulfric stared through the windshield and looked about a second from throwing up, so I leaned over him to open his door. Wulfric climbed out of the car after a quick fumble with his seat belt.

"Are you okay?" I asked, joining him outside the car.

"I don't know what just happened," he said in a small voice. "I should have known that she was there."

Except that Wulfric's vision wasn't as acute as it had been just yesterday. And when I thought about it, I usually only gave parking lots a passing glance around myself. It was much more reliable to use my nose and ears to determine how close I was to other people and vehicles. Maybe Wulfric had done the same?

"You have to really look before you drive," I said. Was he truly up for driving right now? I wasn't convinced he was, but didn't want to say so since it could only make him more upset about everything that was happening.

But...

But he was a danger to people around him. Maybe. Or maybe I was overreacting to one little incident.

"Do you feel okay to drive?" I asked. I had no idea what I would do if he said yes.

"Perhaps we should switch," Wulfric conceded. "I'm not sure I can navigate eating while I drive yet, anyhow."

I let out a breath of relief and took the keys from Wulfric's offering hand. He got into the passenger side and sheepishly handed me the apple that had flown out of my hand when his almost-accident happened, and we didn't talk any more about it.

Would normal partners talk about these things? About what had just happened and how it made Wulfric feel? I thought so, but it felt impossible to open my mouth and start the conversation. Instead, I started the quick, quiet drive to Glenna and Safiya's magic shop.

The place was already bustling when we arrived. Both of my dads were squeezed onto a couch with Arlo, who was chatting with them in a cheery, boisterous voice that stood out among the rest of the group. Everyone else was using hushed tones, and there was a definite tension in the air. Roderick, Glenna, and Safiya were sitting in the dining room, leaning in close to speak with each other and examining the notebook Roderick held between them. Going over the spell one last time before performing it?

When we walked in, Edmund swooped out of nowhere and pulled Wulf down the hall, probably to talk. I wasn't invited to follow, nor did I feel a need to. It was only natural that Edmund would need his brother's support right now. In fact... he was probably freaking out and could probably have used Wulfric's company last night, too. Had I been selfish to keep Wulfric all to myself? Wulf had seemed like he needed time to process and come to terms with everything, but maybe that would have gone better with his brother by his side.

My dads were watching me closely, so I shook off those glum thoughts and went to sit on the armchair near them.

"So, what's new?" Pop asked in that leading, sing-song way kids used when they knew something was up. Whaaaaat's newwwwww?

Dad bumped his shoulder into Pop's in a mildly-scolding move, but watched me for a response, too. I rolled my eyes at them, though really, I was dying to tell them all about it. I leaned in closer and so did my parents and Argo. "Wulfric is human."

Argo took in a sharp breath and leaned back, his eyes wide as he stared toward the hall where Wulfric and Edmund had disappeared. "Woah. I mean, I knew it was coming, but... woah."

"How are you holding up, kid?" Pop asked. He and Dad both looked concerned, which was interesting when they knew how much I had been wanting this. How did they know it wasn't all daisies and rainbows?

I shrugged, acutely aware of Wulf's cousin listening in. "It's an adjustment. Mostly, I'm worried about Wulfric."

"He'll be okay," Dad said reassuringly. I didn't know how he could say that so confidently, but it did make me feel better. Dad was the kind of person whose words carried weight. He could say anything and I couldn't help but believe him.

"Alright, let's get going," Roderick said, standing up and heading for the magic shop. Glenna disappeared down the hall and Safiya gestured broadly for us to join her and Roderick in the magic shop.

The massive wooden shelving units had been moved back against one wall, leaving behind strips of wood that weren't colored the same as the rest. The whole floor was sun-stained around where the shelves belonged, and I wondered just how long they'd sat in their places for it to happen to this extreme. In the space they had vacated, a great circle was drawn out with an intricate pattern filling the inside that I recognized from Roderick's magic lesson a couple days back. Held in a crystal prison in the corner sat Wulfric's dad, looking caught somewhere between rage and horror.

Wulfric and Edmund entered, followed by Glenna. The gang was all here. I nodded to Wulfric but stayed with my dads, and he nodded solemnly back.

"Alright. I only need one of you in the circle with me," Roderick begam. "Edmund, would you mind? It's you or your father, and I don't think we can count on him to be a good sport about this."

Edmund started to step out from under Wulfric's arm, but Wulfric pulled him back. "Why not me?"

Roderick frowned. "You're a human. You've already broken yourself free of the curse. It might work if we used you, but it will definitely work with Edmund at the center of the circle. And I'm not one for taking unnecessary chances."

Now Wulfric frowned, too, but he let Edmund step into the circle without further protest. The three witches stood around the circle, evenly spaced away from each other, and a hush fell over the room. I waited for them to start chanting or something, but they just stood there with their arms outstretched toward each other and their eyes shut for a good few minutes. I opened my mouth to ask if something was wrong before thinking better of it and biting back the words.

Finally, a warm glow filled the room, emanating from Edmund. That part of my mind that always tracked Wulfric when he was nearby noticed that he stiffened, but I was too caught up in watching magic unfolding before me to go to him. The glow grew stronger and stronger until Edmund was too bright to look at. Then, all at once, it stopped. Edmund fell to the ground like a doll, too weak to even put his arms out to catch himself. Wulfric sprinted into the circle before I could stop him to scoop up his little brother. Meanwhile, the three witches were visibly drained. Glenna sat down right where she was, while Safiya shuffled over to sit against her sister.

"Edmund?" Wulfric asked, and he sounded like a scared kid. Edmund groaned in response, his eyelids fluttering but not fully opening.

"Are you okay?" Wulfric tried again.

Roderick didn't do anything to pull Wulfric out of the circle, so maybe the spell was over? He was just standing there, surveying the scene. "Is that it?" I asked.

"It's done," Roderick answered. He looked toward Wulfric's father, so I did too. The man was crumpled on the ground, curled in on himself with his face tucked away from us. I had expected some weakness and an adjustment period for Edmund and their father after seeing how the change affected Wulfric last night, but they were acting like it was much worse than Wulfric had. Was it really easier for him? Or had he just been putting on a brave face?

Wulfric helped Edmund to his feet, but Edmund was too unsteady still to walk and sank back to the ground. It all felt too private to watch, so I turned away. "Shouldn't there have been blood? It's blood magic, isn't it? Are you sure it worked?" Arlo was asking Safiya.

She smiled tiredly. "Blood magic doesn't always mean magic worked using blood. If you have enough control, you can channel through the blood that's still flowing in someone's veins. Glenna prefers to call it 'family magic' instead. Only, that's not quite right either since family isn't always blood related."

"Huh."

I glanced back toward Wulfric and his brother, and looked away again. It was definitely too private to insert myself into. I was torn between leaving to let Wulfric focus on his brother, or at least sitting in the next room so it wouldn't feel like I was hovering. I only made it two steps away before Wulfric called me.

"What is it?" I asked, turning immediately back toward him.

"Can you help me get Edmund back to Arlo's room?" Wulfric asked. It was obvious just from looking at him how much he hated having to ask for help. At least he was the type of person who would ask, anyway.

"Of course."

I gently grasped Edmund's upper arms to help him to his feet, but he swayed and almost fell down. "Um, mind if I carry you?" I asked awkwardly.

"Go ahead," he said, smiling just a bit. I had no idea what made him happy about all this, but at least he was in a better mood than Wulfric had been.

Wulfric led me to Edmund's room while I followed carrying him like he was a bride I was taking over the threshold. Then I hung back while Wulfric helped Edmund settle into bed like he was tucking in a child. "Are you alright? Would you like some company?" Wulfric whispered.

Edmund answered with a beatific smile. "I'm great, Wulf. I think... I think I might sleep." He said the word "sleep" reverently, like talking about a cherished deity.

"Alright." Wulfric started exiting the room, hesitated, and doubled back to hug Edmund as best he could while his brother was snuggled into bed. It felt too private again, so I left to wait in the hall.

I have no idea what I was expecting from Wulfric when he joined me. But what he said had me instantly on edge.

"We need to talk."

"Okay," I agreed even though my stomach suddenly roiled and burned. I followed after Wulfric as he led me out of the house and down the sidewalk. I wasn't sure if he was waiting to speak because he wanted to be out of supernatural hearing range of the magic shop, or because he was stalling. Either way, it did nothing good for my anxiety.

When he finally spoke, I wished he hadn't.

"Once the curse was removed, I stopped feeling the soulmate pull toward you."

My feet stopped working, and I stared after Wulfric in horror as it took him a couple of steps to realize I was no longer following. This was exactly how a nightmare would start, but I was sure I was awake. We didn't know each other that well yet, and hadn't started to have a real relationship. There was nothing that could hold him to me now that his bond-sense was gone. How had I not realized this would happen? He only felt it because he was part of the curse, and without the curse, he was just... human.

The thing I had been wanting him to be all along. What an idiot I had been.

"It's okay," Wulfric assured me. "This doesn't have to change anything."

But it wasn't okay, and how could things not change? No one ever stayed. No one but my dads. And losing Wulfric would hurt so much more than losing anyone else ever had. I shook my head slowly; it was the only response I was capable of. And when Wulfric wrapped me up in his arms for a tight hug, I squeezed my eyes shut to better commit the feeling to memory. I would need that memory later, when I was left alone again.