Matthias' POV

I had Saturday off of both patrols and training and I was absolutely grateful. I had been gnawing at the bit to get back to Elise.

It felt like half a lifetime since I had left my vulnerable best friend at the bastard's home last Monday, but my anger was still burning strong.

I borrowed my oldest brother's truck and packed everything I could think of to keep Elise's mind off her new circumstances for a few hours. Isaac had been very specific about how I was to use his crappy old baby, but once I was out of sight I would do whatever I pleased.

I did not tell him that, though.

I jumped in the truck and began to drive over to the bastard's house.

Nick had told Serge I was coming this time. It annoyed me that I had his permission. He certainly had not stopped to ask permission when he had stolen Elise from us. Truthfully, I would have felt more satisfied if I were barging into his territory again.

But no, this was not the time for that. I needed to keep a cool head. I was going to do my best to ensure that she would have a normal day with me.

On normal days I was not filled with rage and did not get into violent confrontations with that bastard. Though it felt far away now, I once had a little more than a vague awareness of him and maybe a small amount of respect.

That vague respect had melted in my fury.

Instead, I turned my mind to her. I could not think about the future I once hoped we might have if we could finally push back the eastern wolves because that only made me as furious as thinking about the bastard.

The present did not calm my ire either, because she was surely suffering right now as I drove.

And the past reminded me of what she had lost and I felt like smashing his face in all the more.

I gritted my teeth and focused on keeping the truck on the dirt road that connected our territories.

* * * * * * * * *

A little more than a half hour later I pulled the truck into Serge's driveway. I jumped out and strode to the door and banged on it with only slightly more force than was necessary.

A minute passed and the door opened to reveal Serge. I liked dealing with Karen better, but I did not mind the opportunity to remind him that I was keeping an eye on him.

His face was completely indifferent, but I was certain I got under his skin even if I could not see the evidence of it.

"She's in her room."

I nodded. "I'll just go get her then," I said.

"No, I will."

"I've been in her room at home a thousand times, I can get her," I pointed out. This house was not that big and I could probably find her by faint scent alone if I tried. "I'm sure you have plenty of pack matters that require your attention."

"Wait in the living room," he said and he turned around without waiting for my response.

I considered ignoring him, but I decided to let it be this time. Aggravating him gave me pleasure, but it might also cause trouble. Elise's father would not tolerate her being kept from her friends and people I was certain, but if the bastard made trouble it would only make life more difficult for everyone.

I sauntered over to one of the couches and flopped down on it.

Elise came out, her pretty face a mask of weary nervousness. She smiled when she saw me, but it did not completely banish the look of concern from her eyes.

"Matt, I didn't know you would be here," she said.

"Surprise."

"It's great to see you, but—"

I pushed aside the anger that flared up every time I spotted how the curse was restraining her and explained, "Nick asked Serge to keep my visit a surprise."

She really smiled then, but it faded as quickly as it had come.

I rallied myself. "I've got the day off."

She frowned. "Doesn't dad need you?"

"I need days off, too," I pointed out dryly.

"And you're wasting it here because of me." She hovered, standing nervously by a leather easy chair.

I shook my head. She was not to blame, but I remembered her reaction when I badmouthed Serge. "I probably would have been spending the day with you either way. It's not that different. And I borrowed Isaac's truck and brought you a surprise."

"Oh," she responded with a flat voice and an unenthusiastic smile.

"Don't worry, Elise. You've got permission from that bas—" I stopped and corrected myself for her comfort. "That new leader of yours."

He had given general permission, so I was more than comfortable doing whatever I wanted. A lack of permission would not stop me, but this way was easier on her. She did not need to know about the lack of specificity, though.

"Okay, then," she allowed.

"Come outside with me."

She looked hesitant so I added, "Just to Isaac's truck, it's just in the driveway."

She nodded and we walked out of the house. I walked ahead and opened the passenger side door, showing her what I had brought.

She smiled something that looked very much like her true smile and all my efforts were worth it.

* * * * * * * * *

Twenty minutes later we were set up in the bastard's living room, my console hooked up to the television and all of our favourite snacks in bowls on the coffee table or piled on the floor awaiting future consumption.

She was sitting next to me, close enough we were almost touching. I reminded myself to keep my mind where it was supposed to be.

It was nice to be with her again after long days and nights of worry. It had not helped that she had not answered my call. The only thing that had kept me from abandoning my duties and rushing over to discover what was wrong was Nick's assurances that Sean had seen her and she had been texting Moramay.

I wonder what had stopped her. Was Serge keeping her from contact with her people?

"How are you liking the new phone?" I asked her in an attempt to find out the answer without upsetting her.

She glanced at me. "It's great."

"I know you wanted one," I urged her to say more.

"Yeah, I do love it," she told me unenthusiastically.

"But?"

"It's hard to use... It feels like I shouldn't have it. The c-curse, you know...?"

I kept my anger tamped down. I considered her words and wondered if I should distract her, or find out more.

My curiosity won out. "What's the curse like?"

She paused. "I-it's like a c-constant presence in my mind, like i-it knows what I'm thinking and wants to p-punish me for thinking the wrong things, d-doing the wrong things. I think i-it..."

I held my breath while I waited to see if she would continue.

"I-i-it feels conscious, almost like i-it has a mind of i-i-its own and i-it's l-living in m-my head," she stuttered out.

I could her shaking so I dragged my arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to me in an awkward sideways hug. She was a natural impulsive hugger so I knew it would give her comfort.

She felt colder than I had ever known her to feel. I held on, trying to let my heat diffuse into her.

"S-sorry," she said quickly. She snuggled closer to me and I held myself perfectly still. I could not help but feel satisfaction at her action. Elise was still Elise, regardless of what the bastard's magic was doing to her.

"No need, you've done nothing wrong," I assured her.

"I am getting a bit better at dealing with it most of the time," she told me, although I felt her shake at the end of her own assertion.

"That's great, maybe you could come home then," I said hopefully. We all would be more comfortable if she was back in Nick's house.

She shook her head. "N-not yet."

I withheld my disappointed sigh.

She continued. "I've been running in the forest the last few mornings, but if I get too far from h-him the m-magic attacks me."

Again I wished we could simply deal with him so she would be free, but I was a slave both to the good of the Trifecta and to her preferences and needs.

* * * * * * * * *

Once Elise had warmed and calmed, we started playing. I let her choose the games and we played both competitively in some and cooperatively in others.

I preferred working together right now, because I could not fail to notice that her gaming skills were far below what I was used to when playing with her. She still did okay, but her reflexes were slower and she would occasionally mess something up that I knew she should be able to do in her sleep.

Surely she also knew that her playing was subpar, but I did not say anything about it since she seemed to be enjoying herself nonetheless. At times she seemed completely absorbed in our games; perhaps even forgetting about the weight of the curse on her. I was pleased.

She did not have much of a chance against me in the state she was in, but I went as easy on her as I could manage without making it too obvious.

She was also at least eating, not nearly as much as she normally would, but at least more than she had on that first day the bastard had cursed her.

"Ha ha! Sucker!" she laughed triumphantly as she shot me in the head. I realized I had been letting my character wander around aimlessly while I worried and had walked right into line of sight in front of the spot where she had been camping out.

"Hey!" I protested, trying to sound like I really, truly had wanted to win the round. She grinned at me and I was simply satisfied she looked happy again for one moment without the need to resort back to those excruciating grandma insults.

I grinned back at her and tossed another nacho in my mouth.

* * * * * * * * *