"All right." The sound of his motor changed as he shifted it into gear, but he didn't drive off or roll up the window. Instead, he said hesitantly, "Something happened...I felt such..."

"Witch," said Anna firmly-and truthfully as far as it went.

If Bran wanted everyone to know about what Asil's witch had done to him, he could tell them himself. She rolled up her window and started down the road again.

She'd been worried she wouldn't be able to find Charles's house, but she made it just fine. It looked snug and safe covered with a new fall of snow.

She let them all into the house and staggered off to the bathroom, then the bedroom. She stripped off her filthy and wet clothes, then crawled under the covers in her underwear. She fell asleep while the three wolves were sorting out how they were going to fit on the bed with her.

"Is she all right?" his father asked.

Charles closed his eyes and listened. All he could tell was that the bond between him and his mate was strong and solid. He couldn't tell yet what their bond would mean, what gifts it would bring. His ears, though, told him she was singing.

"She'll do," he said.

Asil raised his cup of tea in salute. Like his father, Asil was freshly showered and dressed in an extra pair of sweats.

A car drove up his road and parked in front of the house.

"My car," said Asil, not bothering to get up.

Sage opened the door without knocking and peered cautiously through the opening. When she saw Bran, she stomped snow off her feet and came inside. "Someone needs to shovel," she told Charles. " 'Sil, I brought your car, and you can have it back if you'll drop me off at my place."

"Cleanup finished?" Bran asked mildly.

Sage nodded. "Tag says it is. He took Charles's truck to the crematorium to take care of the bodies. He told me to let you know the wolf will be scattered the usual place, and he's got four pounds of salt to mix with the witch's ashes. He'll bring the results to your house for disposal."

"Very good," Bran said. "Thank you."

While Sage had been speaking, Asil had gathered his dishes and taken them to the kitchen. "I'll head out with Sage." He took a deep breath, then bowed formally to Bran. "About the things I did not tell you-I'll expect your visit in the next few days."

Sage drew in a sharp breath, but Bran let out a sigh. "You're a little old for a spanking. I don't have anything to tell you that you don't already know"-he raised an eyebrow-"unless you have another witch or something worse after you that might endanger the pack? No? Then go home and get some rest, old friend." He took a sip of tea, and then said, "I hope this means you'll quit asking me to kill you. It gives me indigestion."

Asil smiled. "I expect I'll continue to give you indigestion-but probably not for that reason. At least not for a while yet." He turned to Charles and gave him the same formal bow. "Thank you for your help."

Charles tipped his head behind him toward the bathroom where the shower was still running. "Anna killed the witch."

Asil's smile grew sly. "I'll have to thank her properly, then."

Charles gazed coolly into his eyes. "You just do that."

Asil threw back his head and laughed. He took Sage by the shoulder and walked her out, stepping barefoot into the snow without a wince.

After the car drove off, Bran said, "You'll still have trouble with that one-but he won't mean it anymore. I think I'll head home, too. Leah will be concerned."

Charles shrugged off Asil-he was more worried about other matters. "Are you sure? You are welcome to stay here for a while more." d never forget that Other, the berserker who lurked underneath his father's easygoing facade.

His da smiled, but it only emphasized the haunted look in his eyes. "I'm fine. Take care of your mate-and let me know when you'd like to make things official. I'd like to get her formally linked with the pack as soon as possible. This week is the full moon."

"This moon is good." Charles crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head. "But you must be tired if you think you can lie to me like that."

Bran, who had been halfway to the door, turned back. This time the smile lit his eyes. "You worry too much. How about-I will be fine. Is that better?"

That was truth.

"If you run into trouble, call me, and I'll bring Anna right over."

Bran nodded once and left, leaving Charles to worry. Only when Anna, warm and damp from her shower, came into the room whistling a familiar tune did his concern for Bran subside.

"Crep, strep, venefica est mortua," she told him.

"What is dead?" he asked her, then he thought about the tune and smiled.

"Ding, dong, the witch is dead," she clarified, taking the seat next to him. "And so is a good man. Do we celebrate or mourn?"

"That's always the question," he told her.

She stretched her fingers out on the table. "He was a good man, you know? He deserved a happy ending."

He covered her fingers with his own, searching for the right words, but they didn't come.

After a moment, she leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "You could have died."

"Yes."

"Me, too."

"Yes."

"I think I'll take the happy ending he gave us and make it matter." She wrapped both arms around him fiercely. "I love you."

He turned and pulled her onto his lap. His arms were shaking, and he was very careful not to hold her so hard he might hurt her. "I love you, too."

After a long while she looked up. "Are you hungry, too?"

* * * *

Bran felt the monster stir uneasily as he left his son's house. He'd thought he'd had it caged at last-unpleasant to discover that the cage he'd devised was flawed. Very nearly more than unpleasant.

The last time he'd felt that way was when Blue Jay Woman died. He'd held on to the Beast by the finest of threads-and it had scared him. He couldn't afford to love someone like that ever again.

It was still dark when he parked in the garage. They'd slept the clock around at Charles's house, and it was a couple of hours still before dawn came. He entered his house quietly and eased up the stairs.

Leah wasn't in her room.