CHAPTER 5
 WATCHING OVER
 SAGE
 I was livid. More than livid. I wanted blood. I sat on the edge of the exam table while Sandra cleaned up my wounds. How dare Eric send me out of the exam room! She’s my responsibility, and he’s gonna stand there like I mean nothing! “Stop flexing your leg muscles, Sage. I can barely stitch you up when you do that.”
 I twitched at the thought. “Sorry, Sandra.” Someone knocked on the door slowly. “Come in.” Hawthorne and Zander walked in, both looking curiously at me. “I’m fine. Just a few deep scrapes. Nothing that a few stitches won’t cure.”
 “And a little salve probably,” Sandra commented as she shoved the needle through my skin. I cringed at the feeling.
 Zander turned to Hawthorne, then elbowed him. He glared at Zander, but Zander didn’t back down. With a sigh of defeat, Hawthorne looked at me. “I think it would be best if you were to take Dakota home and care for her.”
 I wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it. “I’m sorry, but how is it my responsibility to care for your sister?” I was still livid that they wouldn’t let me into the room.
 Hawthorne narrowed his eyes. “First of all, if she’s with you, she will have much more protection than if she’s out in a strange cabin in the middle of the woods. Second of all, you have women there, so she won’t feel so out of place. Third, she doesn’t even know me. She’s hasn’t seen my face since she was three. Are those enough reasons for you?”
 “She hasn’t seen my face either. At least not this one. What about Evros? Why won’t he take her?”
 Hawthorne pursed his lips and flared his nostrils, trying to regain control. “So what? My sister isn’t good enough for you to take care of?”
 “I prefer to keep my dick intact.”
 “And if she’s under your roof, you’ll try to sleep with her. Is that it?” I didn’t respond, which just pissed him off even more. “I’m having a really hard time controlling my temper right now, Sage.”
 “This is you controlling it?”
 Just as he went to say something, Zander grabbed his forearm and pulled him back.
 “There. Done.” The three of us all looked down and noticed that, during our discussion, Sandra had finished my stitches. Her tiny five-foot frame bounced up from the small stool at my feet and smiled wide at me. It made her brown eyes sparkle. “Now, Sage, as a woman, can I just say that if I had to go to some strange man’s house that I didn’t know, I would definitely feel more comfortable knowing that there were women there also. None of the other men have that. Except Trey, and do you really think she’ll be safe in his presence?”
 Hawthorne looked at her with disgust. “Ew. My sister has better taste than that.”
 Sandra laughed and turned away as a blue strand of hair slipped from her bandanna. “My apologies, babe.” With a quick glance in my direction, she added, “Be gentle with your leg over the next couple of days. I don’t want to restitch it.” I nodded my agreement before she left and headed into Dakota’s room.
 And that left me with these two. I looked to Zander. “Go find your cousin. I think he’s supposed to start back on his regular patrols tonight, but I would rather him stay here with Dakota. Keep an eye on this place in case that snake comes back.”
 “You think that’ll be enough?” Hawthorne asked with genuine concern. I preferred that, getting back to business with him. He was the only one I could count on to tell me if something was wrong with my plans. Not because he was being insubordinate, but because he cared.
 “I want two people in the sky tonight, Hawthorne. But I would rather have you here too. No one will protect her the way you will.” I turned to Zander. “I want you to take over for Pryce once he’s done with his shift. I don’t want any of you getting tired. I’ll take over for Hawthorne after his shift, but I’ll sleep here. I’ll call the house and have Denni, Corey, and the others make some food.”
 “You mean Corey, right?”
 I smirked at Zander’s concern. “Yeah, Denni doesn’t do much more than cut up vegetables for Corey when he needs her to. Rosemary’s a pretty good cook, so I’m sure she’ll help out as well.” They both nodded. I was stalling. My head was hurting, my thoughts were a jumbled mess, and my body was exhausted from being banged up against the rocks. I rubbed my temples to attempt to relieve the pain.
 “Sage, why don’t I worry about the rest of the details?” I hadn’t realized that I closed my eyes until he spoke. I looked up at Hawthorne. “I’ll get a couple of the birds up tonight. Zander can make sure to get a little foot patrol going. I’m sure that I could get my brother James to help too.” I doubted that. His brother still wasn’t better, and a reclusive Zeotheon would eventually become a dead Zeotheon. Still, I nodded with appreciation. “I’ll get some cots set up in the back room. You and Zander can sleep for a while.”
 He moved in a little closer to me, staring intently into my eyes as he spoke. “Sage, I can’t tell you details. I’m sorry, but I can’t. But believe me when I say that we can’t let that guy get her. If he’s possessed like you say or in league with the vampires … they have been looking for Dakota her entire life. Whatever you do, don’t let them have her. This is not me speaking as a brother. This is me speaking as a person that doesn’t want to see an entire world destroyed.”
 Please tell me he’s being dramatic. “What’d you just say?”
 He shook his head. “I can’t tell you more, Sage. Just promise me that you won’t let them get her.”
 “How can I possibly promise that, Hawthorne? What if they get her when I have my back turned? What then?”
 “Then teach her how to fight. Don’t leave her defenseless. She’s a quick learner despite what she thinks. She’s a strong woman. She’ll survive if you give her the tools to do so, okay?”
 “Hawthorne, you’re scaring me. My family lives there with me. My brother and sister, their spouses, their children … What if something happens to them?”
 He sighed heavily. “If the vampires get a hold of her, that will be the least of your concerns.” Tears began to fill his eyes as he reached out and rested a hand on my shoulder. “Please, Sage. Please protect her. Please. I don’t want to lose my little sister.”
 Zander came up behind Hawthorne and grabbed his shoulders. “Come on, hawk. Let’s get you something to drink and check on Dakota, okay?”
 He and Zander turned to leave when I called out for him. Hawthorne stopped and turned, waiting for me. It was hard to say this for some reason. “Thanks …” I smiled shyly at him and looked away before continuing, “I promise.”
 “I know.”

​

HAWTH ORNE
 Night had fallen in our little town just as Corey had dropped off the food. I stayed as close to Dakota as I possibly could. Fear had been eating at me since all of this started. Not just for Dakota, but for Tammy as well. I had tried to contact her so many times I couldn’t count, but now she really had me worried. She always answered my calls. Especially when I kept calling her like this.
 “All right. That’s all I got.” Corey came to stand beside me by Dakota’s door, resting his weight against the wall. “Tomorrow is Rosemary’s turn to feed you guys, so here’s hoping she hasn’t forgotten how to cook.”
 I smiled slightly despite the turmoil in my heart. “I’m sure her cooking will be as superb as she is.”
 Corey smiled and gave me a wink. Everyone thought I had a thing for Rosemary, believing that was why I never dated. I wasn’t about to disillusion them. I was all up for them believing I was attracted to women. As long as they thought that, they would never suspect anything between Zander and me. Although I wasn’t sure how long I could go hiding it from everyone. Eventually, the truth would come out, and only then would I know for sure if they would accept me with open arms or shun me like the last flock did. Yeah, I definitely wasn’t ready to find that out just yet. Thank the gods that Zander was understanding and patient about it all.
 “All right, I gotta get back. I promised Anise that I would read with her tonight.” He gave me a slight wave and continued off. I nodded and wished him well, thanking him again for the food before he stepped into the waiting area and out to the street.
 “Mornin’.” I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Zander’s voice was far too unique. I laughed at him and turned around. “Can you believe I got a few hours o’ sleep? Dannae tink I was gonnae gait ev’n a wink.”
 “You really did fall asleep, didn’t you?” He rubbed his eyes, his strawberry-blond hair matted to one side as his hazel eyes pierced me with curiosity. “Your accent’s showing.”
 He laughed loudly at me. “You love it, and you know it.” Zander stretched wide, looked both ways, and then leaned in to give me a quick kiss. “You look tired. You need to get some food and a rest too.”
 I shook my head. “I need to go see James. See if he’ll help me.”
 “When was the last time you saw him in human form?” I shook my head. “Go see if he’ll help you. Maybe having a task like this will get him out of this a bit, and he’ll take to gettin’ a little treatment.”
 “Yeah, maybe.” I rubbed the stubble that had started to form on my face. “I sure as fuck hope so.” I didn’t want to voice my fears. They were too horrible to fathom. “I’ll grab a plate and eat real quick before I go. Corey took the food to the basement?” Zander nodded, still sleepily stretching and moaning his disagreement to being awake. “I’ll say goodbye before I leave.” I kissed him and headed for the food.
 After being sufficiently sated, I headed out to the woods. I stepped lightly in my fox form, sniffing the air for hints of my oldest brother. I had sensed him earlier, that scent that was uniquely Poulitheon and James—hawk mixed with what could only be compared to sandalwood and the stench of months of solitude. The sandalwood was what distinguished him, as well as any Zeotheon, from real animals. The stench distinguished him as a man on the verge of nothingness.
 I stopped midstep and crouched low in the grass. The hot, balmy night made the air thick and sticky. Still, I could feel the electric tingles of awareness trail my spine. Someone, or something, was watching me. Hopefully, it was James. And hopefully, he recognized my fox.
 Huddling closer to the ground, I opened my mind just a fraction, letting him see me, to know I wasn’t a threat. My inner guardian began guiding me toward him, as if he were fitted with a homing beacon that only I could read. Once I felt his mind, I smiled at the familiarity of it. I sent him the usual memory. That moment when I lost my shit after finding out Lewis was my real father, when I had lashed out at James and attacked him, and when he held me tight afterward while I bawled my eyes out.
 A nudge came into my mind. No words, no humanlike recognition. His response was guarded and animalistic. I sighed. Zander was right. James had been in his animal form for far too long. Hey, big brother. Can I see you? Seconds later, a massive Cooper’s hawk landed in front of me. His belly was a rich rusty red, spotted beautifully with white dots that faded into thick, plush white feathers and extended into his gray and black tail feathers that were currently spread out and defensive.
 I pulled back from him and changed to my human form in an instant. I didn’t bother trying to make clothes for myself. It would probably have come out wrong anyway. Besides, the more civilized I looked, the more apprehensive James was with me. I sat down in the grass before him and smiled, holding my arm out for him.
 At first, I didn’t think he would come to me. I was worried that he might be too far gone, and a part of me craved his touch, craved affection from my big brother. It was getting harder and harder to pull from him lately. I almost pulled my arm back to my side, but his wings fluffed, then expanded wide enough to lift himself up to my arm.
 My heart sang with the action, with the love that this one small action displayed. For James, in his current state, this was about as good as it got. “Sorry to surprise you like this, James, but I’m desperate for help.” He cocked his head to the side and let out a whisper of a squawk. “Dakota, my little sister, do you remember her?” Again, he let out the tiniest squawk. I took that as a “yes.” I asked him that every time. I wondered if he got tired of me asking the same questions over and over again. If he were himself, yes. I smiled at the thought before sobering with the weight of my news. “She was attacked today. I know I’ve talked to you about all this shit so much over the years, and you’re tired of hearing about it, but I’m worried.”
 I reached out slowly and touched his left wing with my free hand as his claws dug heavier into my arm. “The guy that attacked her, we think he was an Erpetheon guardian. But Sage said he smelled like sulfur. If he’s been around the vampires, he could be working for them. And if the vampires get her …” I closed my eyes as fear welled up inside me. My stomach churned at the idea of what they would do to her. “She doesn’t even know what she is, what she’s capable of. If she knew how to use her powers to protect herself, maybe it would be better. But then I’d have to tell her what she really is.”
James cawed loudly at me. I snarled a lip at him. “I know I’m not supposed to tell her, okay? Do you think I wanna be on a god’s bad side? Besides, even when we don’t understand it, Moiragetes always has his reasons.” I shook my head and looked away. “It doesn’t change the fact that she would do better if she knew.”
 We sat there in silence for what seemed like hours instead of mere minutes before I spoke up again. I hesitated to ask, but I knew I would feel more confident about her safety knowing that he was out there, watching. I cleared my throat. “Would you keep an eye out for her? In the distance, nothing too close. For my peace of mind?” He squawked again. “She’s in town. We’re looking after her right now. Sage is gonna take her to his house, and we’re gonna put some extra security out. The bears should be home next week, so they can join in with the security when they do. Until then—”
 Before I could finish, James pushed off my arm and flew away. Cursing, I wiped the blood from my arm and turned into my own hawk to follow suit. I hated myself for asking, but I needed him. I needed my big brother back. I would do just about anything shy of sacrificing another sibling for him … Except Mike. I’d probably be fine sacrificing him.
 James, wait up! Just hear me out! A loud angry caw sounded in the distance toward town. I hurriedly changed my course and searched my mind for him. James! Where are you g oing?
 A few minutes later, I found myself on the outskirts of town, gliding along a delicate stream of wind as I searched for him. I let out a soft sound, nothing too loud. But as the sound ricocheted around the buildings below me, a thin, frail man walked naked down the alley. It took me only seconds to sense him, to realize that he was James. That my brother had just turned into his human form for the first time in a year.
 I slipped down to the ground, changing inches before impact, and joined him stride for stride. I didn’t say anything, though. His stench was stronger in his human form, his body covered in dirt and grime, as if he had never seen water. His walk was wobbly, clearly not used to his human legs anymore. “Why would you leave her alone?” His voice was racked with months of uselessness. Each syllable sounded as if it were spoken through grains of sand.
 “I left her to go find you.” I stepped a little closer to him. “James, please.” I stopped walking as tears burned my eyes. “I miss you.” He stopped walking but didn’t turn to face me, so I continued, “I miss your laugh, your crazy anecdotes, your wild imagination … I miss you. I need you.”
 His head fell low, his hands running frantically through his long dirty hair. “I can’t, Thorn. I just …” His shoulders hunched in defeat. “I can’t … get those memories out of my head. They haunt me. They terrorize me every day.”
 “Let me help you! I can try and heal you, James. I have the ability if you just—”
 “No!” He turned toward me to show a bony, hairy face covered in filth. His eyes were haunted so much with his past that his soul seemed dead. “I will not let you live through what happened to me. I would rather die than have you experience what I experienced, Thorn.” Tears fell down his cheeks, leaving streaks in the dirt. “I’m sorry I can’t be your brother anymore, but I refuse to hurt you like that.”
 I smiled as similar tears fell down my face. For almost fifteen years now, I have watched my brother fade further and further into the memories that haunted him. Every fear he’d ever had, they brought to life for him. If I could, I would go and find that commanding officer of his and butcher him myself. Unfortunately, I couldn’t. I’ve had Dakota to watch after since she was little. Not that killing the man would make things better for James.
 I licked my dry lips as I shuffled my feet anxiously. “James, I know that you’re not the same man you used to be, but you’re still my brother. You still care. You still love. If you didn’t, you would have taken me up on the offer years ago. And the fact that you see Dakota as your sister too even though she’s not biologically … You’re still in there, James. The memories are just clouding it. And one day, I’m going to find a way to pull you back to the surface.” I looked up into his eyes and saw fear in them. “I don’t care what I have to do. I will save you both. Dakota will not die, and neither will you.”
 “My affection for her is not that of a sibling, Thorn. Never has been.” I opened myself slightly to allow his emotions to seep through and sensed so many at once. It made me a little dizzy. Before I could sort through all of the emotions, to even have a chance to try to soothe some of his pain, he turned and headed toward Eric’s office. The tiniest doctor’s office I’d ever seen in my life. It also doubled as an ER on several occasions. “Which room is she in?”
 “Last one on the west side of the building.”
 We reached the window, the slightest of breezes brushing against the curtains to allow small glimpses of her body tucked deep into a hospital bed. I could sense Zander not far from us, keeping his distance for my sake. He just didn’t realize that I needed his presence at that moment. And apparently, my mind was more open to him than I realized because, seconds later, Zander came around the back of the building with a smile spread wide on his face. If we weren’t somewhere that others could see us, I would have reached out and held him close. As it was, this small town had far too many nocturnal animals to feel safe at night … ever.
 “You know,” Zander started, his voice low, “if you wanted to go in and see her, you could. She won’t wake up. She woke up about half an hour ago and was in so much pain that Eric gave her some medicine to put her under until her bones and head had time to heal.” My heart lurched at that information. I turned to Zander with tears welling inside them. His hazel eyes smiled kindly at me. “She’s fine. Her ankle was just shattered badly. It’s gonna take a while for it to heal. He just didn’t want her to be in pain.”
 I nodded quietly as a tear escaped. I wiped it away gently before reaching out to touch James’s shoulder. I wanted to smack myself as soon as I did. He cringed and jumped away from me, cowering slightly. If it were anyone else, I knew James would have attacked, but he knew it was me. Instead, he cowered and did everything he could to keep himself from reacting naturally. “Don’t. Touch.”
 “I’m sorry, James. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
 His frail body was shaking anxiously. “It’s fine. I’m fine. I just … I need to put clothes on if I’m going inside.”
 Zander laid a set of clothes on the ground beside him, conjuring a couple for me as well and handing them to me. Damn, he was really good at that. James looked down at the clothes curiously. “How do you do that?”
 Zander shrugged. “It’s a gift. I barely have to think about it like most Zeos do. For me, I just want something, and it appears in my hands.” He gave me a wicked smile. “I always get what I want.” I couldn’t help but smile at him when he made little comments like that. Damn him for making me love him.
 A few moments later, we were in Dakota’s room, Sage standing there quietly as he assessed my brother. He wasn’t being defensive. On the contrary, Sage always cared about everyone in our flock—er, pack. Whatever. Honestly, I sometimes wondered who the alpha was—him or Evros, although I would never tell Evros that. Sage was looking at James with concern. Although James didn’t involve himself with the pack, he was still part of it, and Sage always cared about his well-being. Sage caught me staring at him. His intense mismatched eyes pierced me with sincerity. With understanding of how close James was to the edge. Maybe this Dakota thing would bring him out of the darkness. One could only hope.
 “She’s grown up so much since she sneaked off and went backpacking in Colorado, hasn’t she?” James’s voice was still gravelly, but a tenderness inside him had escaped in those words. I smiled, remembering how intense James had been during that time, how seriously he had taken to the task of watching over her.
 “She’s strong, but she knows nothing of this world. She has a lot to learn over the course of the next few days.” I conjured my phone, the only thing I was good at conjuring anymore, and dialed my sister again. Still nothing. “Tammy’s not answering my calls.”
 “I’m sure she’s been told not to answer your calls. She’s fine, Thorn,” James reassured, still not taking his eyes off Dakota.
 Seconds later, my phone dinged. I looked down and felt a well of relief course through me. The first sentence alone told me she was not only safe but also still very much in control. “First thing, I’m not supposed to talk to you or Dakota, per asshole god’s orders. Second, is Dakota safe?”
 Of course James was right. “She’s alive and in our custody. James is here too.”
 I looked up at James, who was still staring at Dakota. “I remember when we found her in Colorado. She looked so much like Tammy that I almost thought she was until she turned toward us, and I could see her eyes.” He swallowed hard before turning to Sage. “Is she going to be okay?” Sage nodded, and it seemed to be enough to put James to rest on the subject. “I don’t want her to see me. Not like this. But I will be there. I will do my best to keep an eye on her.”
 Sage stood up straighter with the smallest of grins on his face. “I didn’t doubt you for a second.”