“And I have loved you oh so long, delighting in your company, hmm, hmm.” After dinner, Thorin and Imara sat on the front porch and relaxed to the sounds of Thorin’s clumsy guitar playing and the serenade of the frogs at the pond on the Logan’s farm across the road. 

Thorin strummed along and sang the words that he could still remember as Imara sat on the edge of the porch and swayed to the sounds of summertime. “I like that tune, it’s real pretty. Can you play it one more time for me?”

“Why yes, of course, sweet girl, anything for you.” Thorin restarted the ballad and hummed along.

“What’s that one called anyways? Was it Green Trees?” Imara asked as she looked back over her shoulder.

As he laughed to himself at her mistake, Thorin shook his head. “I believe you mean Greensleeves. It was written by a right nasty man named Henry a long, long time ago.”

Imara sighed and knitted her dark brows together as she imagined how a horrible person could make something so beautiful. “Are you serious? But it’s so dreamy, though. Was he a friend of yours or something?” 

Thorin laughed out a deep roar from his belly. “Oh, good heavens no, Imara. I’m not quite that old yet. Henry the Eighth was a king about 400 years ago over there in England.”

“Well, what did he do that was so bad?” asked Imara as she stared off into the stars above her. Imara didn’t know much about life or the world going on around her, but she loved to read about the stars and the stories behind them. Her parents and Shaw had kept her under lock and key her whole childhood, but when she read about the stars, Imara’s imagination took her places that her family couldn’t even prevent her from reaching.

Thorin contemplated how to condense it all for an innocent soul like his sister. “He had kind of a penchant for chopping off his wive’s heads or throwing them in prison to get rid of them when he got a hankering for a new one.”

Imara made a face of disgust and shook her head. “I’m sorry I asked. He doesn’t sound like much of a king or a husband.”

Thorin chuckled at her response. “Yes, humans aren’t much into fidelity, I don’t believe. You know, they’re just different. They don’t have mates like we do, they get to choose who they spend their lives with and, well, sometimes they like to change their minds. They just toss out the old one and move in the new one like a piece of furniture they bought.”

Imara fidgeted with her chain and swayed to the melody as it echoed out into the darkness. “What a bunch of fools they are. That just doesn’t seem right at all.”

Thorin closed his eyes and nodded. “Yes, you are correct about that. They don’t appreciate at all the fact that their creator gave them the option of free will. Those twisted old Fates of ours would never be so kind. A jealous bunch of wretches they are.” Thorin was a well-educated man and knew the old religion better than probably anyone. His blasphemy was within reason, though. 

His family had been dealt a terrible hand by the old gods of their kind and the cruelest card of all had Imara’s name written all over it.

Seeing a glimmer of light behind a tree, Imara looked into the darkness and squinted as she tried to focus on the outline of the large dark animal watching them. 

“There’s something out there watching us Thorin. It’s a dog, I think.” She stood as the animal shifted to another tree closer to her and slyly peeked around the side. Imara stepped barefoot into the cool summer grass as Thorin stopped playing. 

He furrowed his brows as he tried to see into the darkness. “Careful, dear. You don’t know what’s out there, I hear they got gators down here and such. You don’t want it to bite your toes off.”

“Stop trying to scare me, Thorin.” Imara lifted her hand and snapped her fingers, then a ball of green light emerged from her hand. She held it out in front of her and saw a large black wolf come out from behind the tree. “It’s a wolf, Thorin.”

Thorin stood and looked out across the yard. “Nah, it’s just a big ole dog. They don’t have wolves in the South, Imara. They like the cold and snow.”

Imara walked closer then knelt down on one knee as she put the glowing ball on the ground beside her. “Are you hungry boy?” She put out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “It’s alright. We won’t harm you. We’re the good sort of witches, I promise.”

The wolf came closer then lowered his head as he approached Imara. She touched his soft furry head and smiled at his good demeanor. 

“Oh, look what a handsome beast you are! You must have a pile of ladies in your back pocket.” She stroked his head and he laid down before her then licked her hand. “Oh, look at you getting fresh with me. You’re just the biggest flirt I ever did see. I bet there will be a bunch of jealous she-wolves barking outside my door later when they find out you’ve been catting around with me tonight.”

Thorin came to her side and said, “I think you made yourself a new friend, sugar.”

Imara sighed as she played in the soft, wavy black hair on the top of the wolf’s head. “He seems lonely. Poor fella. Do you think he’s lost?”

Thorin crossed his arms and shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s feral. Shaw would tan your backside, though, if he knew you were playing with a stray animal, Imara. Even one as nice as this one.”

She continued petting his head and back as his loving aura radiated off of him and made her fingers tingle. “Well, then don’t tell him, please. He isn’t bothering anybody. He just wants someone to love him.”

Imara sat down in the grass beside the wolf and ran her hand in long strokes against the length of his back making him groan and shake his leg. Imara grinned at his amorous behavior. “You just have no shame at all, do you?” Thorin went back to the porch swing then picked up his guitar and continued to play.

As the animal seeked out more of Imara’s touch by rolling onto his back, Thorin chuckled to himself. “I think that critters in love with you.”

Imara smiled and laughed through her nose as she scratched his belly. “Oh yes, I think I am too. He’s just the nicest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Imara hummed along with the tune as she laid down next to the wolf and placed her head in her hand while she rested on her elbow. “Don’t you pay any attention to my brother now. I know exactly what you are and you’re no scruffy old mutt, I can tell you that. You know, witches are supposed to have black cats, but I suppose a big black wolf would be better for a big sissy like me. I need someone who can look after me. What’s your name handsome? Hmm...let’s see. What shall we call you? I’m so terrible at this, you know I’ve never had a pet before. I suppose I’ll just call you sweetheart for now.” 

She poked her finger gently into his side. “Because you are a sweetheart, aren’t you?” 

Thorin stood and stretched out his arms as he yawned. “Time for bed, Imara. You can invite Mr. Loverboy back to come see you tomorrow night.”

Imara waved her hand at Thorin. “I’ll be in in a few minutes. I want to say goodbye to my boyfriend here.” 

As the door shut behind Thorin, Imara kissed the wolf on the top of his head. “Thank you for coming to see me, I’ve been so terribly lonely, and this was just what I needed.” 

As she pushed herself up and dusted off her clothes, the wolf growled low in his chest at the sudden loss of her touch. “Yes, I know. But you can come back to visit me whenever you wish, my love. Now run along before they send a search party after me.” She waved her hand to usher him away and he whimpered quietly as he turned to leave. 

As he walked off, Imara watched the wolf trot along the driveway. “See you tomorrow, sweetheart.” When she turned away, the wolf looked back and saw the orb of light follow Imara onto the porch before she snapped it away and went inside. 

The wolf sprinted down the road until it came to the next lane and went to the door of the farmhouse then howled. “Owooo!” A black-haired woman answered the door, then stood aside as the animal came through and went upstairs.

A few moments later, Ben came downstairs buttoning up his pants. He walked into the living room and slumped down in a chair across from the couch his parents were sitting on. “You’re right, Momma. They’re witches, both of them. She’s a lighter. I didn’t think they even existed anymore.”

Anna smiled and said, “I knew that I remembered that name. Thorin’s a very decent man as I recall. Their family is quite high in the Order, or at least they were. I highly doubt they’d be living all the way out here with us if they were still in the Order’s good graces.”

Ben licked his lips and nodded his head. “She’s it, Momma. I can feel it.”

Anna leaned forward in her seat. “You need to make sure, Ben. Try to find out more about what brought them here. We have to be careful; they may be running from something as well.”

Ben wiped his mouth with his hand. “Yeah, I will. We’re heading back over there tomorrow. I’ll talk to her if those two will let her out of their sight for a damn minute.” Ben bit his lip as he knocked his fist against the arm of his chair. “They treat her like a goddamn child. That shits about to come to a stop.”

As Ben pulled his pants off and sat down in his bed that night, he smirked as he thought back about Imara lying beside him in the grass then chuckled out through his nose as he thought about her kissing him. As he clasped his hands behind his head, he closed his eyes as the warmth of his skin against the humid air around him made Imara’s scent fill his nostrils once again. She smelled like warm apple pie cooling on the windowsill and his mouth watered as it fanned out through the room.

He ran his hands through his hair then brought them to his nose and took in every molecule that remained of her on his body. From the instant he saw Imara standing in the yard by her house, he knew without a doubt that she was his Fated mate. Witches don’t feel the pull like Lycan’s do, but every atom in his body cried out for Imara. He craved her scent like the air that filled his lungs. “Soon, baby.”