Chapter 114 - Wolves Are Not So Bad

What Evan learned didn't sound difficult, but it did present a few problems. While there were some things he could learn on his own in advance, Mark and Cullen assured him that for the ritual itself, both he and Rory would have to come to Manvale so they could guide them.

It was necessary to arrange this with the Alpha of their pack, a responsibility Ryan had decided to take on, while also ensuring that Rory had time to come.

The next full moon was in three weeks, and fortunately, it fell on a Saturday. It was one of the key requirements of the ritual. Apparently, that's where the legend of people turning into werewolves during the full moon came from.

Evan had learned almost more in the one hour they'd spent at Cullen and Mark's house than he had in his entire life. As Ryan commented later, some of the things they'd discovered would probably give Evan's parents a heart attack. A thought that, in turn, brought a smile to his face.

But he didn't just leave their house with information that expanded his horizons. Mark's instructions were clear: in order to give Rory a piece of his soul, he first had to connect with his own essence. Nothing more challenging could have been asked of him.

"Maybe you could try it through your art," Angie suggested after Evan filled her in on what Mark had told him. He explained that each person had their own way of connecting with their essence. Many people used meditation for that, but it wasn't the only way.

"Maybe." He'd thought about that, too, but he wasn't sure if it was the right choice. After all, he had always created art, but he had never been able to look inside his soul while doing so.

"We'll figure something out." Ryan automatically cheered him on, as he always did. Evan gave him a grateful smile and snuggled closer, laying his head on his shoulder.

"We'll help," Angie wasn't giving up on this conversation. "After all, we are the weave protection program."

At her words, Evan turned his gaze to Michael, who hadn't yet joined the conversation and hardly seemed to be listening to them. Instead, he was sitting on the floor, putting together the birdhouse Natalie had bought but couldn't assemble herself.

"Maybe Rory will have an idea," he echoed from the ground. He didn't raise his head, and his tone was monotone as he concentrated on working with the screwdriver. Even so, it was clear he was listening.

"I haven't called him yet," Evan admitted. "I'm trying to sort through everything I've heard today in my head. I may have good news, but there are still a lot of things to take care of."

"You didn't even know if that was possible before. I think it's more than good news," Michael replied.

"You're way too positive today," Evan commented. He couldn't help but point it out, since Michael was the last person he'd expected such optimism from.

The black-haired boy finally lifted his head, and their gazes met.

"I'm realistic, not optimistic," he assured him. "Not only did you find out it was possible, but you found out it was a solution that might actually help Rory. Plus, you have potential explanations for why Alex still hasn't told Rory the truth. I'm sure he'll be glad to hear them."

"Don't forget the part where Rory has potential magical powers," Angie added.

"He'll be thrilled to hear that," Ryan said. He knew Rory's situation best, as they were always texting each other, so he also understood how Rory felt about everything. Evan knew quite a bit as well, but he didn't dare predict how Rory would react to all of this. Rory had been pretty frustrated the last time they'd texted. Besides, Evan was convinced that Rory's relationship with Alex had progressed—even if his friend wasn't ready to admit it aloud. There was a bond between them that made staying apart impossible.

"I'm just glad we found out ahead of time so we can warn him before he accidentally hurts himself," Evan said, voicing what was bothering him the most.

"Maybe we can revisit the library and see if we can find any magic guides. We hadn't thought to look for something like that before, since we didn't know it was possible," Ryan suggested.

"But I'll join in this time," Angie said. Her tone made it immediately clear they had no choice—it was a done deal.

"I can help too, if you want," Michael offered, surprising not only Evan but Angie as well. The only one who wasn't surprised by his suggestion was Ryan, who immediately had a smile playing on his face.

Evan decided not to make a big deal out of it and simply replied, "Thank you."

"When do you want to call Rory?" Angie asked, drawing his attention to her.

He shrugged. Although he had originally planned to call Rory as soon as he had something new to share, now he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Instead, he had sent Rory a message to check if he'd be available that Saturday, but Rory hadn't replied yet. "He hasn't even texted me back to the message I sent him."

"I'm sure he's all right." Ryan immediately sensed the emotion behind Evan's words, though his tone remained casual.

"He would have called if something was wrong," Angie added.

"Why don't we go for a run to clear your head, and then we can try calling him?" Ryan suggested.

At the word run, Michael lifted his head, waiting for Evan's response.

"That's actually a good idea." They had a run planned for today anyway, and there was no reason they couldn't go now. "Do you think your friends will have time?" he asked, turning to his boyfriend.

"I'll text them," Ryan assured him, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

As it turned out, all of Ryan's friends had cleared their schedules to make time for him since he was home for the weekend. It took less than ten minutes for all of them to show up at his front door.

They were all dressed in comfortable clothes, as they planned to take them off a few minutes later anyway. Emma swapped her dress for leggings, and Lia swapped her overalls for sweatpants. Cora, Tommy, and Bradley looked essentially the same as before.

They went inside, exchanged greetings, and then headed to different rooms to undress and shift into their wolves. Ryan, Michael, Angie, and Evan did the same. The boys went to Ryan's room, while Angie used the privacy of Natalie and Oscar's room.

Moments later, a small pack of wolves gathered in the living room. It took Evan a moment to discern who was who, but thankfully, their wolves bore strong resemblances to their human counterparts. Bradley's wolf was the largest, though Michael's came a close second in size. Lia's wolf, on the other hand, was the smallest, but Evan had no doubt her size translated into agility, making her one of the fastest members of the pack.

Evan stayed close to his mate, even though they were all sticking together. Bradley led their makeshift pack into the woods, with Cora at his side and Emma a few paces away. Michael followed next, flanked by a she-wolf on either side, while Evan and Ryan brought up the rear.

They were in no hurry to get anywhere—at least not while they were walking through the forest, weaving between trees and bushes that rustled whenever a wolf's fur brushed against them.

Evan's senses were on overdrive. His nose caught the tracks of various animals, reassuring him that he was deep in the wild, while his ears flicked at every new sound.

He could have sworn he heard the chirp of a bird either not native back in North Hallson or one he simply hadn't encountered in all these years. There was so much to explore, and he was certain he wouldn't be able to see it all in one weekend. Another reason to plan another visit.

From the sounds around him, Evan guessed they were heading toward the creek, which seemed to grow closer with each step. But then Bradley veered right, changing their path. Suddenly, the pack sped up—not out of fear, Evan could tell from their stance, but with the glee of children running toward an empty playground.

Ryan picked up the pace as well, and Evan was immediately at his side. The black wolf rubbed against him playfully, and whenever nothing blocked his way, he nudged him gently to show his affection. Evan, of course, returned the gesture.

Paying more attention to his boyfriend than to his surroundings, Evan nearly missed the vast meadow stretching out before them. The key word was nearly. It was impossible to overlook—not only did the blooming meadow carry its fragrance from afar, but the colorful flowers swayed in the breeze, drawing all eyes to them.

As a wolf, he couldn't express his amazement out loud, so he did what the other wolves did—he ran headfirst into the flowers, landing among them and rolling in them as if they were fresh snow.

Pollen tickled his muzzle, but that was the last thing he focused on. For before him lay an amused black wolf, its eyes following his gleeful antics.

Evan mimicked Ryan and lay down across from him, lowering his head to the ground. Their wet noses touched in a tender imitation of a kiss.

However, this was no time for romance, as they quickly discovered when a wolf, resembling a log tumbling down a hill rather than a supernatural creature, rolled beside them. The moment it stopped, it shuddered, letting flowers and yellowish pollen fall from its fur, before scampering back up the hill. Evan was amused to discover that it was Angie.

Since Evan was in such a good mood, as he hadn't been in a long time, he decided to follow her example and try it too. It ended up becoming a group activity, and they competed to see who could roll the furthest without inadvertently stopping.

Michael, being his competitive self, eventually found a way to use his tail to roll more smoothly and win.

A few hours later, the wolves were returning to Ryan's house in good spirits, but by a different route so they could wash the remnants of grass, flowers, and dirt off themselves in the creek.

Natalie welcomed them in the kitchen with homemade iced tea and cupcakes that had been left over from the celebration the day before. Not even a crumb was left as the wolves, exhausted from their run, pounced on them.

Although the original plan was just a run, as Evan had mentioned, Ryan's friends kept their schedules free so they could spend time with him and stayed afterwards. Right now, they were all sitting on the grass in the backyard, cuddling with the dogs that had decided to join them.

"Apparently Cassidy is pregnant. But Jackson cheated on her, and you won't believe what happened after that. Cassidy hooked up with Stella—the same Stella Jackson cheated on Cassidy with." Since Ryan no longer went to the same school as them and couldn't always be there when something shocking happened, the girls decided to bring him up to speed.

"What about the baby?" Angie was more interested in the gossip than Ryan, even though she didn't know any of the people mentioned.

"Cassidy decided to keep it, and Stella wants to help raise it," Emma explained.

"That's so romantic," Angie commented with a huge smile.

Evan had a different opinion about teen pregnancy and expressed it simply by leaning closer to Ryan and saying in a low tone, "Luckily, we can't get pregnant."

Instead of Ryan, however, someone else answered him. "Not that you haven't tried hard enough," Michael quipped.

Evan was so used to his friends being human—and the fact that he was always surrounded by humans at school—that he didn't realize anyone could overhear him, despite not speaking loudly.

As his cheeks turned a deep shade of red, the others burst out laughing.

Ryan leaned in and pressed a kiss to Evan's cheek, a smile playing on his face as well. He didn't seem to mind the revelation in front of all his friends.

"I can't believe how much you've changed him. You're a good influence on him, Evan," Lia said, her voice still carrying a hint of humor. However, the smile on her face reassured Evan that her words were sincere.

Before Evan could answer her, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, followed by the annoying sound of an incoming video call from a social media app.

The moment Evan saw who was calling, he changed his mind about it being annoying. "I need to pick this up," he told the friends around him.

"I'll come with you." Ryan made up his mind in a second and stood up first, lifting his mate off the ground by the hand.

Their friends didn't protest, and the moment the pair crossed the threshold of the house, Evan picked up the incoming video call. "Hey, Rory."

"Hey, guys." Compared to the last video call, when he'd sounded dejected, this time a smile played on his lips, and he looked relaxed.

"How are you?" Evan asked.

"Good." It sounded sincere, and Evan was relieved. "I'm glad to see you both. I've missed you."

"We miss you," Ryan responded immediately, and Evan held up his phone so they could both be seen on the screen.

"How is Manvale?" Rory directed his question to Evan, as both had kept him informed about their plans beforehand. Now all that remained was to share the results.

"Awesome." Evan didn't hide his excitement. "Ryan's family is great, and his friends are too. And I can't even begin to tell you all the new things I've learned about the supernatural world."

Rory reacted exactly as Evan had anticipated. "I want to hear everything."

"That's great, since it's about you, too," Evan revealed. "Turns out Ryan arranged a meeting with the vampire in their pack, Cullen, and he not only told us about Shadow Wolf but also shared information about weaves that we haven't found in any books."

"You might want to sit down," Ryan added, making it clear how big the news was.

Rory wasn't the only one who needed to sit down. Ryan and Evan had already moved to the living room, knowing this conversation wasn't going to be brief.

"What did you find out?" Rory prompted once they were all settled and ready.

"There are three main things you need to know," Evan began. "Alex might have a good reason for not telling you that you're his weave. We both need to be in Manvale to perform the Shadow Wolf ritual. And there's a pretty good chance you'll have magical abilities."

"Excuse me?"

Rory's face cycled through every possible emotion—shock, confusion, disbelief, and what even seemed like anger. The last one, however, wasn't directed at the messengers of this news.

"Magical abilities?" he finally repeated, steering the conversation to the topic that interested him most. If it had been up to Evan, he'd have started with the ritual, but Rory's curiosity clearly lay elsewhere.

"Apparently, the weaves of witches can use their magic," Evan explained. "Just like witches can draw essence from their weaves, the reverse is also true. Since your soul is connected to Alex's, it's also connected to his magic. Cullen thinks Alex might not just be showing you his magic, but also teaching you how to use it."

"If he's teaching me, he definitely doesn't have a good approach," Rory replied skeptically, and understandably so.

"Cullen also warned us that it could be dangerous if you don't learn to control his magic. You might end up using it unintentionally," Ryan added. Seeing Rory frown deeper with each word, he quickly offered reassurance. "But don't worry. If Alex doesn't teach you, we'll find a book in the library to help."

"Plus, you'll be protected by Shadow Wolf soon enough," Evan chimed in.

"You said there was a third thing—the reason Alex isn't telling me the truth," Rory prompted.

"Cullen said he's either not telling you about his identity because he doesn't want to be with you—which we all know is ridiculous—or because he simply can't. Something about wars between witch covens and curses," Evan explained as best he could. He didn't know everything about werewolves, let alone witches, so this wasn't exactly his area of expertise.

"Why do I feel like all the possible options lead to a bad ending for me?" Rory's tone was a mix of disbelief and resignation, tinged with a wry sense of irony.

Evan and Ryan didn't answer immediately, both realizing that the news they brought wasn't exactly uplifting.

Rory took their silence as an opening to continue. "So, either Alex doesn't want to be with me and is just messing with me, or he's in danger—which means I'm in danger too, being his weave. And let's not forget the third possibility: if he doesn't hurt me, I might end up hurting myself—like setting myself on fire or something." Rory let out a snort, though it sounded more bitter than amused.

"Maybe you should stay away from him until we're done with the ritual," Evan suggested, though he knew better than anyone how hard it was to avoid being at home when circumstances pushed you away.

"Where would I even go, E? You know damn well you couldn't stay away from Ryan, even when you were dating Kieran." It was a low blow, but Evan chose to let it slide for now.

"There are three weeks left. Do you think your parents might let you spend every weekend with one of us?" Ryan asked, trying to focus on practical solutions.

"I doubt it," Rory said, shaking his head immediately. "Maybe two weekends. They know I call Ryan often, so convincing them to let me spend one weekend in Manvale shouldn't be a problem. I might ask if they'd let me go to Marwell the next weekend, since they know I still have friends there." But that still left one weekend in between.

"It's better than nothing," Evan said, trying to sound optimistic.

Rory bit his lip, looking away from the screen. "I'll try texting Lola or Josh, see if I can crash at one of their places," he said after a moment.

"We can turn it into a training weekend," Ryan suggested. "Evan and I will check the library for books about weaves and witches. If more of us are involved, we'll go through them faster."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"In the meantime, try to find something to keep yourself occupied—and away from Alex," Evan added. "Maybe a hobby or a part-time job."

Rory snorted, the faintest smile tugging at his lips. "After this news, I'm signing up for yoga. Maybe I'll find some inner peace and avoid burning the house down in my sleep."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Ryan and Evan couldn't help but laugh at his words.

"If yoga doesn't do it, you could try boxing in a few weeks," Evan offered with a soft smile. "Cullen gave us some good news, too. Once we're bonded, you'll have my healing abilities. You won't have to worry about accidentally hurting yourself anymore."

"Don't forget one more piece of good news – in three weeks, you're going to meet a vampire," Ryan added, giving Rory something else to look forward to.

Their words worked, as Rory's wide grin was proof. "I can't wait."

"Oh, wow," Evan said in a mock offended tone. "And here I thought you were most looking forward to seeing me. You know, future bonding and all."

"I'm looking forward to seeing you. Especially after the way Alex reacted the last time I came back with a hickey from visiting you." Rory chuckled contentedly at the memory, and Evan followed suit.

From what Rory had told him, it was more than just an amusing story. Rory had given Alex a taste of his own medicine, as every time Alex tried to ask about the hickey, Rory had diverted his attention elsewhere or simply ignored him.

"I would have offered another one, but it was a one-time deal," Evan assured him.

"I'll live with that," Rory replied.

Evan knew this was the moment he could have used to check in on how Rory's relationship with Alex was progressing, but in the end, he decided not to ask. If Rory wanted to talk about it, he'd bring it up himself. Plus, if their plans worked out, they'd have a chance to discuss it face-to-face next weekend.

As they had managed to get through the most important stuff, their conversation turned casual, chatting about what they and their friends from Marwell had been up to. The tense atmosphere had faded, but Evan was sure that once Rory had properly processed all the information he'd learned today, more worries would arise. Fortunately, they were always just a phone call away.

"Alright, I'll let you enjoy your weekend in Manvale now, though I assume since Ryan's parents are home, you're not enjoying it to the fullest," Rory said, his smile making it clear where he was going with this.

Evan rolled his eyes. "We're not all horny teenagers like you."

"I'm sure if you look up the term 'horny teenagers' in the dictionary, there'll be a picture of the two of you," Rory replied in a deadpan tone.

"I highly doubt it," Evan replied. "All teenagers are horny; we're just not ashamed of it."

"We've gotten used to everyone saying that whenever they have nothing better to say," Ryan added.

"Oh, wow." Rory's tone showed he wasn't offended by Ryan's words, even though they were indirectly aimed at him; in fact, it was quite the opposite. His serious expression shifted to laughter.

"We miss you, Ro." Evan said, returning to saying goodbye.

"I miss you, E." Rory smiled, but there was a hint of sadness hidden in his smile. "I miss you, Ry."

"Looking forward to finally seeing you in person," Ryan assured him.

"Same here," Rory agreed. "Enjoy Manvale."

"Take care, Rory."

"Bye, guys."

The screen on Evan's phone showed that their video call had ended.

"Think he'll be okay?" Evan turned to his mate, hoping he'd cheer him up with his words like he usually did.

"I have no doubt," Ryan nodded without hesitation. "It's Rory. He's got all the information we could give him right now. Plus, he's managed even without them before."

Evan had to admit he was right. Rory was definitely handling finding out he was a witch's weave better than Evan had when he found out he was the mate of a werewolf, even though he was a wolf himself.

"We'll help him. You don't have to worry." Ryan sensed his mate's lingering concern, so he pulled him into his arms, pressing a soft kiss into his hair.

"Thank you." Evan turned his head, and so the next gentle kiss was given to his lips.

"Always," his boyfriend assured him with a smile. "Lightwood."

The nickname immediately brought a smile to Evan's lips as well, and he automatically responded with "Bane".

"Let's get back to your friends." Reluctantly, Evan pulled away from the warm embrace and stood, extending a hand to Ryan, gently pulling him to his feet as well.

The moment they stepped back into the garden, Lia greeted them with a teasing remark: "We were beginning to worry you had forgotten about us." The playful wiggle of her eyebrows suggested she had a pretty vivid idea of what they had been up to.

She couldn't have been more off the mark.

Evan rolled his eyes as she was the second person in a few minutes to think they were so horny they could think of nothing else but sex.

"Our friend Rory called," Ryan explained. "We had some news to share with him, so it took a little longer."

At that, Angie and Michael exchanged glances, their expressions shifting to something more serious as they realized the situation's weight. Angie was the first to speak up. "Is everything okay?"

Ryan nodded without hesitation. "You don't need to worry. There's a good chance he'll visit next weekend."

The worried look on Angie's face quickly morphed into an eager smile. "I can't wait."

"Neither can we," Ryan assured her.

"Rory's also coming to Manvale in three weeks. We can introduce you," Evan added, looking at Ryan's friends.

"The more the merrier." Cora was the first to respond.

"Ryan's got a good nose for picking friends," Lia teased, tapping the side of her nose with a wink.

Evan couldn't agree more. Though he hadn't spent much time with Ryan's friends, he hadn't found anything to dislike about them. And that was saying something—he was usually skeptical when it came to wolves. But Ryan's friends had been welcoming, and they'd made sure he never felt out of place in their group.

Unable to banish these thoughts from his mind, he kept weighing his options. Maybe that was why he'd pulled Emma aside when they were all on their way out.

"I'm sure you're aware of our situation, and while I didn't tell Ryan because I didn't want to make promises in advance, I didn't want to visit Manvale just because it was his birthday," he admitted, starting the conversation a bit chaotically due to his nerves.

His hands automatically moved in front of him, fidgeting with his fingers.

Fortunately, Emma immediately understood where he was going with this. "Are you thinking about moving to Manvale?"

Evan nodded, though not entirely sure. "Ever since we got here. Seeing Ryan with his family and friends... He's so happy. I don't know if he's mentioned it, but at my house, my parents definitely don't greet me with a smile like his do. I think it would be easier for me to move away from North Hallson." He didn't hold back, saying everything that was on his mind, needing someone to confide in. Normally, he'd talk to Angie, but this decision indirectly involved her, and he didn't want to talk to her about the possibility of leaving—not until he was absolutely sure.

"I understand," Emma said sympathetically, her kind smile reassuring him. "I'm sure Ryan would be thrilled if you decided to stay in Manvale. He adores you. But I'm sure he'd understand if you chose otherwise. It's up to you. I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you that, on behalf of all of Ryan's friends, you're always welcome here."

Evan returned her smile. "Thank you." Then another thought came to him, and he decided to take the chance while he had it. "Actually, can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure." Emma nodded, though her eyebrows raised in surprise, as she hadn't expected it.

"My goal is to study art, so I need to improve my skills. There are different options and opportunities at my school." He didn't elaborate, but Emma understood immediately.

"I'll find out everything about the options at our school and send it to you," she assured him.

"Thank you."

The brunette waved her hand like it was no big deal. "Don't even mention it. If it helps your happiness with Ryan, it's no big deal."

Happiness and Ryan in the same sentence was exactly what Evan needed to hear.

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Thoughts?

I think this chapter perfectly reflects Evan's character development. He has grown so much as a person since the beginning. What do you think?

It also finally brings up a big decision that has been taboo until now. Who do you think will make the big decision in the end? Will Ryan stay in North Hallson or will Evan move to Manvale?

In the next chapter, Evan and his friends will return to North Hallson and the whole atmosphere of the story will change again. We've focused on the highs, now it's time for the lows.