Page 18 of Berserker Devotion
Her uncle stepped out and grabbed her, engulfing her in his arms in a big hug. “You stupid she-wolf. Never do that again.” Tears formed in his eyes. When he noticed Ulf looking at him, he glared back. “What are you staring at? And what the fuck is all this talk about special Vikings and soulmates?”
Ulf met the angry man’s glare. “The witch is obviously out of her mind.” Not a lie exactly. He needed time to process what was going on before he could talk about the bond Nora and him would have to complete. But maybe they didn’t. The serpent tail hadn’t appeared when it should have so it could be completely unrelated to meeting Nora.
Besides, she wanted nothing serious with him. So he was shit out of luck, even if she was his själsfrände.
Nora shot Ulf a strange look and then freed herself from her uncle’s arms. She dug out her cell phone. “I better call Arek and Bolt to let them know we’re okay.
* * *
A few hours later, Ulf finally found a moment alone with Nora.
Bolt had shown up quickly after he received their call. He’d investigated the warehouse while talking on the phone with someone called Laney, who was apparently the alpha’s wife, or true mate, or whatever.
She was also a witch, but not a dark magic one, and she wanted samples from all over the warehouse. Nora, Ulf, and Karl had collected dirt and small objects for her.
And then they had to tell Karl the entire story of how Ulf and Nora had met and what they’d pieced together about einherjar and ulfhednar.
“Okay,” Karl said. “So we’re both groups of elite soldiers serving Odin and Freya. But they never told us about each other?”
Nora nodded. “As far as we can tell. Or maybe they did, but the wolves and the Vikings lost that knowledge somehow?”
Karl scoffed. “This is why I pledge allegiance to no pack and no gods. Too much politics and stupidity involved.”
His niece sighed. “I’m well aware of what you think about politics, but now that Inessa knows about the Vikings and will probably tell her husband and the rest of the Eastern Packs, Arek is going to have to figure out what to do within the Western Coalition.”
“Above my paygrade.” Karl waved a hand in the air as he walked off.
“But not above mine,” Nora yelled after him. “I’m the pack’s lawyer, remember? It wouldn’t kill you to help me figure this out.”
“That’s your problem,” Karl yelled over his shoulder as he continued walking away. “Nobody told you to go to law school.”
“That’s exactly what he told me to do,” Nora muttered. “He said I should put my argumentative brain to use and showed me a bunch of brochures for law schools. He used to be a lawyer himself before he decided to retire to be a freaking wood-carver.”
Ulf silently agreed with her uncle. He happily avoided politics. He made a habit of never getting involved in anything that involved powerful emotions, which brought him back to what to do about Nora and their relationship. Having no idea how to handle that, his brain sort of stuttered whenever he tried to think about what the two of them should do now.
At least his quest to the Sierra Mountains had been completed. Nora’s uncle promised to make a special commission for the queen.
He looked at Nora where she leaned against the car that Bolt had driven. She was staying with her uncle through the holidays, but then she’d return to the Pack House in the San Francisco Bay Area to consult with Arek as he and Leif negotiated what sort of coalition—if any—the Vikings and the wolves would have. “I guess this is goodbye, at least for now,” Ulf said. Leif had ordered him home on the next plane which left from Reno in an hour and a half. Just enough time to return the rental car and sprint to the plane.
Nora quickly glanced at his hand, and then slowly nodded.
“If you’re ever in Eastern Washington, look me up.” He smiled, but it felt fake. He wanted to hug her, to tell her—fuck, what could he tell her? That he’d never been able to maintain a relationship for more than a month? That outside of the bedroom, he was shit at just about everything that had to do with how to treat women? She was better off without him.
Besides, she wanted nothing beyond casual. She’d said so.
“Same.” She smiled back at him. “Get in touch if you’re ever out my way.” She pushed away from the car. “I know you have a plane to catch. I won’t keep you.” With one last smile, she walked over to where her uncle now stood, chatting with Bolt.
Karl opened his arms and hugged his niece. He threw Ulf a look that wasn’t exactly hostile, but definitely not friendly.
Bolt’s gaze wasn’t any better. His eyes narrowed as he studied Ulf and then turned away.
That was good, Ulf told himself. Nora had two powerful males to look after her. He knew she could hold her own without their help, but it was good that they were there, should she need backup.
Yep, she was much better off without him.
The berserker growled its displeasure.
Ulf told it to shut up, got in the car, and drove to the Reno airport.