~

 

“They have a point. I don’t like that idea, brother,” Jonathan said before sneezing again.

“The three of you,” the alpha said with a small shake of his head, berating each one of them in turn with just a look. “Get your minds out of the gutter.”

“When in Rome…” Saffy offered back.

“She has a point, brother,” Jonathan said and sneezed once more. “Damn it! Every time I talk I sneeze.” He sneezed again.

“Then shut your yapping,” Doug offered back.

“I second that,” Natalie said.

“Me three,” Saffy offered as she arched just one eyebrow at the beta and offered him a smug grin.

Jonathan didn’t say a word. He did, however, grunt in annoyance.

“Touching,” the alpha said.

Both witches eyed him with contempt.

“Pass,” Natalie said.

“I wouldn’t touch you with his,” Saffy shrugged.

“Oh.” The alpha started towards them. His chin was down, his eyes were dark, and he looked menacing. “Who says you have a choice?”

“Me!” Saffy snapped her fingers, and the alpha was on his backside on the floor before he knew what hit him.

“Nicely done,” Natalie grinned.

“Thank you,” Saffy offered the alpha a victorious grin.

“And the alpha falls over his feet,” Jonathan chuckled before sneezing again. “God damn it!” He sneezed.

“I’m warning you!” The alpha growled as he pulled himself back up to his full height and glared at the women.

“Did you hear something, Saffy?” Natalie asked as she spun her hand on her wrist and the alpha flipped in the air and landed on his backside once more.

“Hark, the sound of someone landing on their brain,” Saffy offered back and cupped her ear for good measure.

Doug growled long and hard. He dragged his body back to his feet, lowered his chin once more, and offered another long growl.

Both witches looked down at his feet. Doug resisted the urge to do the same, it would feel like a victory for them if he did, and he refused to give them the satisfaction.

He lifted one foot just slightly from the floor — and he didn’t just find himself on his backside again — but tossed across the room where he landed against the wall — upside down, and staring at his feet.

The sound of Jonathan’s deep laughter roared through the air like a taunting red rag to a bull. Doug grunted in annoyance, and then he fell sideways and landed against the floor.

“I was going to zap him,” Saffy said.

“But it was my turn,” Natalie offered back.

“I’ve got one for you,” the alpha growled as he flipped onto his hands and knees, before springing back to his feet. “Riddle me this – riddle me that – one or two witches are going to go splat.”

“Oh, a comedian,” Natalie folded her arms and offered him a look of pure contempt, Saffy didn’t look impressed either, but on the bright side, he’d made Jonathan chuckle.

“Now, if I thought you meant that, brother, you know I would have to stop you, right?” Jonathan chuckled and then sneezed.

“Oh, I mean it!” The alpha growled.

“The time for talking is in the past, make them sleep, and make it fast,” Natalie rushed out before either man could do or say anything to stop her.

One moment the alpha and beta were standing there, and the next they dropped to the floor like deadweight’s and started to snore like babies.

“You know that spells not going to last long, right?” Saffy said.

“That’s why we’re getting out of here now!” Natalie said as she fisted a handful of Saffy’s sweater and yanked her towards the door.

 

~

~

~

 

Rex was really enjoying himself. He’d heard the muffled thuds that had come from the alpha’s bedroom upstairs, and each one made him chuckle.

Jonathan’s continual sneezing was annoying, but he guessed the man had a reason. Maybe some fairy dust, or some such nonsense that the witches had used against his brother. Whatever it was, he was glad it had stopped for now.

The sight of the witches at the top of the staircase confused him for a long moment. Especially, when his brothers didn’t immediately appear behind them, it wasn’t normal for a mate not to follow their female around like a stray dog.

Rex shot a look at the elder, and Tom shrugged back. The witches looked guilty of something, but Rex was unsure what to do next.

“That’ll keep them chasing their tails for a little while,” Natalie said as she tossed Saffy a look to make a follow her lead.

“If they want to act like dogs then they can behave like dogs,” Saffy offered back.

“What did I miss?” Rex grinned from ear to ear. He couldn’t help but wonder what the witches had done to his brothers.

Natalie waited until they were off the stairs before she spoke again.

“Maybe, you should go and see for yourself,” she offered that tempting morsel to the beta.

“I’d recommend taking pictures,” Saffy said. “For future generations to enjoy, of course.” She added, teasing the man even more.

Rex jumped to his feet. He checked his back pocket for his mobile phone and then took off up the stairs like a rocket.

“I need some air,” Natalie said as she fanned herself with her hand.

“Not a chance in hell — obviously, I wasn’t born yesterday,” the elder grumbled.

“Looks like grandpa could use a nap,” Saffy mouthed the words.

Natalie offered up the same spell that she’d cast over the alpha and beta upstairs. One moment the elder was glaring at them with suspicion, and the next his head nodded forward, and he was snoring.

“Let’s get the hell out of here before they bloody well wake up!” Natalie said.

“Right behind you,” Saffy agreed.

 

~

~

~

 

“Whoops!” Saffy hissed out as she grabbed a handful of Natalie’s jacket and wrenched her sideways towards the trees.

Every which way they had decided to go, so they encountered a member of the pack coming in their direction. It was getting tedious.

“We can’t spell them all,” Natalie grumbled in a low whisper that was eaten up by the sound of the wind blowing through the valley.

“Well, we could…” Saffy shrugged.

“We just need to catch a break,” Natalie grumbled.

“Preferably before our so-called mates wake up,” Saffy added.

Natalie felt a tap on her shoulder and yanked her head around in shock and something closely resembling panic. Busted.

There was nothing there, only snow, trees, and darkness.

“That’s not funny,” Natalie hissed in Saffy’s direction.

“Well the spell won’t last forever,” Saffy shrugged again.

“I don’t mean that — I mean tapping me on the shoulder,” Natalie grumbled.

“I didn’t.”

“You did.”

“I think I’d know where I’m putting my fingers, and trust me; I’m not putting them anywhere near you,” Saffy grumbled back. “You’re just being paranoid,” Saffy said as she looked around behind her at the vast empty space of nothingness.

“I’m not being paranoid,” Natalie scowled at Saffy.

It was all well and good playing games at other times — just not then.

Saffy felt the tap on her shoulder and whirled around in place. She turned to look at Natalie and narrowed her eyes at her.

“Nice setup — nice try — but we have bigger problems,” Saffy hissed.

“It’s not me!” Natalie protested.

Something buzzed by her ear, and she froze in place. Her eyes widened on Saffy.

“What?” Saffy asked, but then something buzzed by her ear as well and her eyes feasted on the area around her.

“It can’t be!” Natalie groaned.

“I think it might be!” Saffy grumbled.

They both felt the sharp sting of magic against their backsides and jumped in place. Saffy narrowed her eyes on nothing at all, and her top lip twitched in annoyance.