““Charles had tried to open the pond and called up for wolf to defeat the black magic and hadn't been able to. Brother Wolf had panicked because Charles had somehow mess up their bond—and then Anna threatened to leave them and Charles had panicked, too. If she hadn't allowed them to make love to her, to reestablish they're claim, things might have gotten... interesting, in the same way that a grizzly attack is interesting. Because neither he nor Brother Wolf was capable of letting her go. It had been a revelation. The bottom line was that he was selfish creature, Charles decided more cheerfully than he'd been about anything in a long time. He guided Anna around a hole in the ground with a subtle push of his hand on her hip. She probably had seen the hole, but it please him to take care of her in such a small way. He was willing to pay any price to keep safe...any price except for losing her.””
