“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Daddy Coy Wolf said, pulling out his phone. He tapped the screen and the call went to speakerphone, each number he hit loud in the quiet room.
“Problems?” another voice said, young and male.
“We got the Trickster,” Daddy Coy Wolf said. “Bring the witch.”
“Got it,” the other voice said.
Daddy Coy Wolf picked up a matching captain’s chair and placed it near the fireplace. A few minutes later two men dragged his mother through the French doors. Her head lolled. Her blood-matted hair hung over her face, but he could see that her eyes were swollen shut and turning black. Cuts and rips and bites.
“Mom?” Jared said. “Mom?”
When she didn’t respond, someone kicked her and she moaned.
“No!” Jared said. “Mom?”
“Mom?” someone in the room imitated.
“Shut it,” Daddy Coy Wolf said to the anonymous mocker. He walked over and zip-tied her good wrist to the arm of the chair.
“I’m here,” Jared said. “Mom?”
“You dumb shit,” his mom said, her voice hoarse.
The door opened behind Jared and he heard footsteps coming towards him.
“Miss me?” Mallory said, pecking his cheek. She grabbed a chair and dragged it close to him so their knees touched when she sat. She spread his legs so she could get closer, stroking his thigh. She smiled as if this was the most normal thing in the world, as if they’d known each other forever. She leaned in close.
“You reek of fear,” she whispered. “Mmm.”
“Did the raven spot you?” Daddy Coy Wolf said.
“No,” one of his sons said. “We made sure.”
“We drove around and around,” Mallory said. “It was boring.”
“Stop touching me,” Jared said.
“Don’t be silly,” she said. “We need some pet names for each other. Let’s call you my Puppy. My sweet, sweet Puppy.”
“Get off me.”
“Puppy sounds hungry. Does Puppy want a snack?”
“We need him,” Daddy Coy Wolf said. “We don’t need you, Mallory. Back off.”
“He’s mine,” Mallory said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Daddy Coy Wolf grabbed her chair and dragged it noisily back to the table. Mallory hopped off and gave him a roundhouse kick. He backhanded her. She touched the place he’d hit her, smiling.
“You hit me. Me, the mother of Tricksters who will bring us to new worlds.”
“I’m done with you,” Daddy Coy Wolf said. “The only protection you have is Granny G. Keep pushing and watch how fast I cross that line.”
Mallory smiled and smiled, her smile never faltering as she pulled a Glock out from under her leather jacket, a Glock 19 with the telltale gold magazine well that meant it was his mom’s. Rage surged through him, although he had to ask why he was feeling it now, when he could do absolutely nothing. Daddy Coy Wolf stared her down, but Jared heard metal whispering against clothes as his sons drew their guns and then the other coy wolves in human form drew their guns, one of them waving an AK-15, probably his mom’s as well.
“Aim your weapons at the Trickster’s head,” Daddy Coy Wolf said to his boys.
Show no fear, show no fear, make everything flat, give them nothing to feed on, he told himself, but his shaking betrayed him, even though he willed himself to not shake. Mallory lowered his mom’s Glock and then everyone else lowered theirs.
“So that’s how it’s going to be,” Daddy Coy Wolf said to them all. “You’re going to dance to her tune.”
The other coy wolves said nothing.
“Good to know,” he said. “I like it when things are clear.”
—
Daddy Coy Wolf’s sons formed a ring around him, weapons lowered, heads swivelling. Their father found a grimy first aid kit and brought it over to Maggie. He popped some pills in her mouth and held a water bottle up so she could swallow. He wrapped the bloody stump in fresh compression bandages.
“Nothing personal,” Daddy Coy Wolf said.
“You ate my boyfriend. It doesn’t get more personal.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I told Granny G it was overkill. She’s pissed and grieving and not thinking clearly. To be fair, you and your son did get her pack slaughtered.”
“You can’t trust the ogress,” Jared said.
Daddy Coy Wolf turned to him. “I know you’re new to being one of us, so maybe you can’t feel it yet. The end of us all. Like a wildfire on the horizon. We can see the end glowing brighter every day. We can hear other voices going silent. I just want to keep my pack alive. I don’t know how to do that. I’m doing my best with what I’ve got.”
Mallory came back into the room carrying a tray of sandwiches, and headed towards them. The boys all raised their guns, pointing at Jared’s head. Daddy Coy Wolf straightened.
“Stop,” he said.
“He needs to eat,” she said.
“Let’s see you take a bite,” Daddy Coy Wolf said.
Mallory smiled sweetly. “I’d never hurt my Puppy.”
“Did anyone watch her make the food?” he said. “Anyone care to sample the sandwiches?”
The other coy wolves didn’t move or say a word.
“I can smell the chemicals from here,” Daddy Coy Wolf said. “What the hell are you thinking?”
“Puppy’s upset. We need to calm Puppy down.”
“You don’t make that call.”
Mallory dropped the tray. It clattered and the plate cracked as it hit the floor. Mallory stomped away, slamming the door behind her.
“Come on, Granny G,” Daddy Coy Wolf said. “What’s taking you so fucking long?”
—
Jared quietly tested the zip ties. He couldn’t pull his arm back far enough to wiggle out of them. His body was stiffening from sitting in the same position. He closed his eyes and tried to reach his mother, but he was alone in his head. Wiry stood behind him, sighing. Nervous tick? Boredom? Irritation? Zip Tie sat in her chair near the table, studying Jared. Daddy Coy Wolf had left the building. The other coy wolves had positioned themselves at the other side of the living room, and watched.
Everyone suddenly tensed, their eyes unfocusing. Someone was speaking to all of them at once, and it could only be Georgina, Jwasins,
