I was relieved to be returning to Serge's house.

I had not known it until I had been forced to stay with Doctor Fischer while Serge had recovered, but in the six weeks since Serge had cursed me, this place of terror had also become my refuge, my home away from home.

Matthias and then Karen had brought me whatever I needed, but it was not the same as being here.

The curse raged against my realization, but I pushed it to the back of my mind and ignored it.  The irrational fears of magic were just that, a perception that affected me, but not the world around me.

It did not like that thought, either, and I felt a rush of magic over my skin before it dived into my flesh.

Serge exhaled deeply as he opened the door.  I could tell my non-hostile ally was happy and I was glad.  He seemed less beaten down now that the challenge was over.  It had to hurt that the majority of his people voted against him, but it was better for everyone that he had won whether they knew it or not.

I had not seen Landon since Matthias and I had followed in the wake of the rush to get Serge to Doctor Fischer's clinic, but he loomed in my mind like the dark shadow of a predator stalking its prey.

Even if Landon was to cause no more trouble, I still felt unsettled as I made my way to my room.  He was the personification of the troubles of the Trifecta, of which I was firmly lost in the centre.

I put my bag on the bed and unpacked my things and put them away neatly, then I sat down and shot off a couple of texts to my dad, and then I finally sent one to Ruth.

Hey, Ruth.  Could you tell Matt that I'm home now?  Does he still want to hang out this Saturday?  Thx

I dropped the phone down beside me and I lay back on my bed.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

Karen came over shortly after we got home.  She knocked on my door lightly.

"Come in," I called.

She pushed open the door.  "How are you feeling?" she asked, like she had every day since Serge had been challenged.

"I'm fine," I told her.

"I'll be around a lot again until Serge is back to one hundred percent," she told me.

I nodded.  I did not want to attempt cooking and burn down the house just yet.

"Let me know if you need anything," she said as she swept out of the room.

The rest of the day went by smoothly and I went out for an evening run in my wolf form.  It felt good to resume tracing the familiar path around Serge's house.

I had gone outside a couple of times around the doctor's home, but I had stayed close due to my fear of ranging too far and seizing up.

I ran hard and felt exhilarated under the chains restricting my emotions.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

My pounding heart greeted me when I woke in my familiar bed the next morning.  I was glad to be there as I greeted the anxiety of a new day.

I pulled on my robe and made my way to the kitchen.  Coffee and pancakes met my nose and I greeted Karen without looking at her.

"Good morning," she said.  She had shed her concern now that the challenge was over and sounded like her old self again.

I took my usual seat and Karen handed me my medication and a glass of milk and then finally a plate of pancakes.  My hand trembled as I poured syrup and I set to eating my breakfast.  It tasted bland, but good.

I went outside and ran by myself.  Serge had strict orders not to transform until he healed.  I realized I preferred running with him and hoped he would be up to it again soon.

I resumed my former routines and my day moved by evenly.  I joined Karen for supper and Serge decided he was up to sitting for  a while.  I could tell he was restless.

The conversation around the table was sparing and light, but I did not mind.  The prickling at the back of my neck was something I could mostly ignore now, but it gave me time for my own musings.

"How are you feeling?" Karen asked Serge halfway through the meal.

"Fine," he assured her.  "I'm almost back to normal already."

"You lost a lot of blood," she said, clearly worried.

"Which is why I'm eating so much," he responded.  He was on his third plate of food while I was barely half done my first.

I glanced at Karen's face and saw she had the same longsuffering expression she wore as when her husband started making terrible wolf jokes.

"While I'm thinking about it, did Dan mention the interpack meeting next week?" Serge asked.

"Is it still on?" she asked disapprovingly.

"Yes, of course."

"Even with your injuries?"

"Of course.  I'm almost entirely better.  And Dan will be there, too."

"When is it?"

"Tuesday."

"And I feel like Dan mentioned that Austin is hosting it?" Karen asked, still not sounding very pleased about the whole matter.  Karen was a momma bear, sweet and understanding until she thought someone needed protection.

"He is," Serge agreed.

I  suddenly recalled that Austin had mentioned the pastor's historical leanings to me when I had spoken with him after the interpack meeting.

"Um, Austin mentioned s-something to me last week," I said.

"Oh?  What's that?" Serge asked encouragingly.

"He told me that Pastor Jensen is a h-huge h-history buff, including h-history of werewolves and m-maybe I should t-talk to him."

"Can't hurt.  We can go there after the meeting if you want.  I'll have it set up."

"Thanks, S-Ser..."

"You're welcome," he said, but I thought I noticed disappointment under his  words.  I wondered why, but I did not dare ask.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

I went through the motions of my day and after supper there was a expected knock at the door.

I opened it to find Tabitha and Jodi standing outside.  I glanced at Jodi, then I looked, really looked at Tabitha's face.

It still scared me a little, but it was in a thrilling way, like a roller coaster.  The important part was I could manage it.

"What should we watch tonight?" Tabitha asked.

"The next episode, until we've finished it," Jodi said.

Tabitha rolled her eyes as she went and grabbed popcorn off the stove.  She thrust a bowl in my hand on her way by, and I followed her.

Jodi also went to the couch and hit the remote, starting the program.  We settled in and watched interrupted only by Tabitha and Jodi's periodic comments.  I did not mind.

"What?  She's never even touched a gun before and she's got instant perfect aim?  Also, how the heck is she not being affected by the recoil at all?  She weighs like sixty pounds soaking wet.  Seriously?"

I had long since noticed Tabitha had a bit of a gun inconsistencies in entertainment media pet peeve.

"But look how good they look missing everything.  Especially that one," Jodi said, pointing at the television.

"Yeah, he is pretty hot, but there's something with his nose..." Tabitha agreed.

I smiled at their interplay.  The actors were certainly not unattractive, but I was pretty certain quite a few male werewolves topped the hotness charts, and a couple in particular, not that I was going to think about that right now.  The curse agreed. It bit into my nape and jolted along my nerves for my errant thought.  I shivered.

Apparently I had almost been enjoying something just a little too much.  The curse was such a miserable spoilsport. I shivered again.

"Okay now, why is it that she's totally new to weaponry and can hit everyone even though she's being shot at, but all the bad guys who have presumably had hours of training and practice can't hit one little neophyte?"

"B-beginner's luck?" I offered.

The curse reared up to crush me for my insolence and at the same time I saw both their heads swivel towards me.  I suppose it was surprising that I had joined the conversation voluntarily.

I probably should record this in my journal.

"Yeah, beginner's luck," Tabitha agreed with a smile.  "Plus, she's a small target."

"Or maybe they're being sidetracked by her boobs.  They're half falling out."

"Distraction.  That actually might be a decent strategy," Tabitha joked.

Jodi chuckled.  "You should try that. I'd like to see Bobby's reaction."

"Pfft, he's on my leash, not vice versa.  I'm the tabby, not the canine in the relationship," Tabitha joked and they laughed.  I cracked a smile.

We settled back and watched in silence for a while until the episode was over, then we watched another one.  Our heroine switched to swords which she also mastered with ridiculous ease, Tabitha was quick to note.

Finally, popcorn had been consumed and Jodi and Tabitha decided to head out.  Tabitha was still ranting about the treatment of weaponry in movies.  "Seriously, how are they not all deaf after shooting in such a small space?"

"See you, next week?" Jodi asked, interrupting Tabitha's rant.

"Sure," I agreed.

It was nice to hang out with non-hostile allies of my pack.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

The weekend went by quickly.  Serge seemed to be feeling better every day, which made me feel relieved and also seemed to take the worst of the edge off the curse.  It was deeply uneasy with the idea that it might be forced to let go of my suffering so I was soothed the more his condition improved.

Monday dawned dreary and rainy, which was the perfect way to celebrate my seventh week as a thrall.  I pushed myself out of bed.

Serge was sitting in the kitchen with his coffee.  He paused for a long moment.  "Elise, I have a request, but I want you to say no if you don't want to."

I nodded, keeping my eyes studiously away from him.

"Would you be willing to come into the office again?  I know you came before because of the challenge, but there's a lot to catch up on.  I can make do from here, if you want," he said.

Of course the idea of going to the pack offices was terrifying, but at the same time I did want to be helpful to him.  "I'll come.  B-but did D-Doctor F-Fischer say y-you could?"

I risked a glance.  He was smiling wide enough to show his teeth.  "I can go in if I take it easy, he tells me.  Thanks, Elise."

"Y-you're welcome," I replied, but I was not sure what for, perhaps for saying I would go with him.  It had been my idea in the first place, after all, and magic, or no magic, I wanted to make his life a bit easier.  I bit my lip and then began to eat my breakfast.