"Well would you look at what the cat dragged in." Hale whistled under his breath, while Dyson looked toward the Dal's entrance. A red haired woman, whose large heels only accentuated her height, strolled into the bar. She was dressed in a professional, yet provocative, blue one-shouldered dress. She carried her clutch without a care and one could only assume she was wealthy.

"Skadi," Dyson breathed, standing beside his stool and holding out a hand for her. She smiled at him, placing her pale hand in his. He kissed her knuckles with affection. The act caught the attention of the resident succubus and her human.

"Dyson," She spoke his name in an accent that wasn't easily placed. "It is so good to see you."

"And you." He spoke in a professional manner but others could feel the tension between them. "What brings you here?"

"Some business, actually." She pulled a sleek black file from underneath her arm. "I'm in need of your detective skills."

Kenzi's ear perked. A potential client with some hella dinero. Dyson and his new friend had just sat when the human intervened. "I couldn't help but overhear you're in need of some private investigating. I have just the girl." She had dragged Bo over, despite her protests. Kenzi shoved Bo in front of Skadi, both stunned at the humans antics.

Bo smiled pleasantly, "Hi, I'm Bo." Skadi took the hand she offered politely, a tight lipped smile pasted on her features.

"The unaligned succubus. I have heard of you. Do you work with Dyson?"

Bo stumbled over her words, quite attracted to the red-head. "Ah, yes. He helps me on occasion. For whatever I'm helping a client with."

Skadi hummed her approval, her chin tipped up in the slightest. Dyson cleared his throat, moving from behind Bo. "Bo, this is Skadi SútUlfr. An old friend." Skadi flashed a smirk at Dyson, while Bo gave an uncomfortable smile.

Kenzi whispered in her ear, "Sexual tension, much?"

"Pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine, succubus. Especially if you can help me with my… problem." She bypassed Bo, handing Dyson the black file and they all sat at the bar.

Trick meandered out of his barrel room and was instantly taken aback to see Skadi. "Skadi!" He hollered, walking up to her.

She grinned, "Blóð Buðlungr! It's been a long time."

"That it has," He kissed her hand as it was extended to her. "Because no one calls me that anymore." He winked.

She laughed, a heavenly sound. "No one speaks my language anymore, that is how old I am."

"A drink, for the lady?" Trick offered, like a gentleman.

"Good, old-fashioned mead if you have any."

"For you, of course I do." He winked and she chuckled, her ever present overly polite smile on her face.

Dyson had begun looking through her file, moving aside pictures as he read. His brow furrowed. "Floki is missing?" Skadi's head snapped toward him as well as Trick's.

"Yes," she hissed lowly, "and I would prefer as few people as possible know. He is the heir."

"And it's been 3 days. Are you sure he's not hunting?" Skadi glared at Dyson. If looks could kill…

"Of course I know. I thought he was out with that Valkyrie he calls his girlfriend, but even his brothers haven't heard from him. Odetta, my best tracker, couldn't even pick up a scent."

Dyson nodded in understanding. "Odetta of all should've been able to find him," he muttered.

"If the heir to the SútUlfr empire is missing then is there a possibility this could be human?" Trick questioned.

Skadi's face suddenly morphed, much in the way Dyson's does, and her eyes turned ruby red. "How could you even think that Floki could be taken down by humans?"

Dyson laid his hand over her rather large one with long painted acrylic nails. "We'll find him. Don't worry, I'm on it."

"Us too." Bo piped up.

Skadi calmed, plastering her sweet smile on her face once more. "Thank you. All of you. And Dyson, should you need extra resources…" She put her forefinger and her thumb in her mouth and whistled. On cue, two rambunctious boys barreled into the Dal. There was a third trailing behind them with a bow and quiver slung over his shoulder. The third boy scolded them in another language. They crowded around Skadi, calming themselves.

"You remember Eric, Halvar and Gale." She pointed each one out, leaving the most mature for last.

"Of course." Dyson acknowledged.

"Ykkarr nipt?" Skadi spoke to Gale. He jerked his head towards the door where they all turned to notice a smaller blonde girl walk in. She seemed delicate yet deadly at the same time. She wore a white dress, more modest than her mother's but still showing a fair bit of skin.

Dyson immediately jerked out of his chair, startling Bo. Odetta spotted him and smiled, offering her hand to him once she had approached. Bo could sense a connection between them but it was different from the sexual tension he had had with Skadi. She couldn't put a finger on it.

"Odetta," he kissed her hand.

"Detective Thornwood." She addressed him formally.

"Please, just Dyson." She smiled but didn't reply. He turned to Skadi who had been watching the interaction with extreme interest. "Where will you be staying?"

"An upper class hotel in the city. The Morrigan has provided the finest accommodations."

"Will it be just the 5 of you?" He asked innocently.

Skadi pursed her lips. "No. The twins will be arriving with their father later this week. He was finishing up some business at the resort." Dyson inclined his head.

Skadi finished the mead she had been sipping that was secretly being gulped by her sons. "Koma!" She summoned her brood. "I look forward to hearing from you Detective." The boys followed her out while Odetta lingered by the bar.

Dyson smiled fondly at her. "Are you alright?" She nodded quickly.

"Líka leita minn bródir," She whispered, much to Bo's confusion. Dyson only nodded and squeezed her hand before she trailed off behind her family.

"Alright," Kenzi announced, motioning toward Trick and Dyson. "You two have some serious s'plaining to do."

"Yeah, like what the hell was that? And why is the Morrigan providing their accommodations?"

"They're dark fae, Bo." Dyson spoke, while Trick dished out beers. "All Jötunn are."

"Jo, whatta?" Kenzi balked.

"Jötunn," Trick began to explain, "They're from Old Norse mythology. They're considered giants but it is rumored they came from a sort of elven clan."

"That's why she was freakishly tall," Kenzi muttered.

"Yeah but she was a shifter; I saw her face." Bo interjected.

"Yes she and her children are wolf shifters, Bo." Dyson cut in.

"Yeah, what was with the 10 kids?"

"She only has 7, Kenzi."

"Jötunn shifters together give birth in litters, never singletons. She has all twins: Floki and Eric, Halvar and Gale, Gunnolf and Hrolleif are the two you haven't met."

"Then the blonde wasn't her daughter?" Bo asked, noticing how Dyson and Trick tensed.

"It's complicated." They spoke in unison, clearly hiding a secret.

"So," Bo started, "How are we supposed to find this mysterious heir?"

"Trick, you thought it could be human?"

Trick half rolled his eyes. "Well, yes it was a thought. The SútUlfr family has quite a bit of money and it would make sense to hold the heir for ransom. They don't exactly service fae exclusively."

"What's that mean?" Kenzi asked.

"The SútUlfr's run the largest chain of winter ski resorts in the country. They have one in almost any place you can put one. Some luxury, some not so much. Needless to say, its a popular tourist attraction for humans and fae." Dyson started.

"Skadi is the goddess of winter and snow and skiing. She feeds off the resorts; everything about them. She can even create the snow." Trick added.

"Wait, you just said she's a Jötunn, but now she's a goddess?"

"No, she was a goddess by marriage when she married the Norse sea god Njord. But now that she is married to Garmr, she's technically only a Jötunn shifter."

"Her wolf was Njord's last gift to her. It allowed her to explore and have a closer connection to the land she loved."

"My head is going to explode." Kenzi muttered.

"Who is Garmr?" Bo asked.

"The blood-stained guardian wolf of Hel." Dyson shrugged.

"What?!"

"Wait, hell is a thing?"

"Not a thing; a person. One of Loki's children, and according to lore, Garmr is her warg and gatekeeper."

"What's a warg?" Que Kenzi.

"An evil wolf spirit."

"So why isn't he there?" Que Bo.

"Supposedly, Hel will only need that kind of protection during Ragnarok. When the Gods try to get her to release Baldur from the underworld and she refuses."

"What is Ragnarok? Or do I even want to know."

"The end of days." Dyson said into his pint.

"The warg Skoll will consume the sun, Sol. The warg Hati will consume the moon, Mani. Jörmungandr will break his ouroboros around the world. Fenrir the Jötunn warg, will break free of his bindings and kill the allfather, Odin. The world will erupt in chaos and darkness." Trick spoke casually, yet Bo and Kenzi sat open mouthed. He chuckled, "It's just a story."

Bo slapped the table playfully, "Alright, Kenz. Let's go see what we can dig up about this Floki."

"That name sounds like some kind of fish," Kenzi turned her nose up and Bo laughed.

"Finding Floki?" She joked.

"Yeah!"

Dyson shook his head. "Be careful Bo. Call if you need backup."

"Of course." She smiled sweetly. She and Kenzi made their way out the door and began to speculate. "So if I was a rich dark fae hiding from my parents where would I go?"

"Seems like a question for a dark fae," Kenzi smirked and Bo caught on just as quickly.

"Oi! Why the tough love?" Vex complained as succubus and human threw him on the couch, blocking any path of escape.

"What do you know about Floki SútUlfr?"

"Why are you poking around in dark fae business?" He shot back and Bo pushed his shoulder roughly. "Ow!"

"His mother is my client. Apparently he's missing. Dyson thinks he ran off with his girlfriend, his mother thinks he's been kidnapped. Any input?"

"Yeah, you shouldn't be helping the crazy bitch." He scoffed and Kenzi punched his mostly healed arm. "For fucks sake!"

"Start talking."

"I don't know anything about it. I try to stay away from them. Everyone does." Kenzi raised her fist again. "Alright, alright!" He relented. "Look, all I know is he's dating some Valkyrie and his parents would go apeshit if they found out. They sneak around sometimes. Though I suppose they're not really a secret anymore."

"You got a name?"

"No." Kenzi glared. "Look I don't know her name but I know where her apartment is. The Morrigan keeps her close. Uses her for bounty hunting."

"Great. Show us."

"I got a bad feeling about this Bo-Bo." Kenzi grumbled.

"We're just here to talk. It'll be fine." Bo hit the buzzer to the apartment, receiving no response. She hit it a few more times before the door unlocked. They furrowed their brows but shrugged it off.

They had expected a not so friendly greeting. Before Bo could even knock on the door a crossbow was pointed between her eyes. "Who are you and what do you want?" A woman's voice hissed.

"Holy shit!" Kenzi whispered, frozen to her spot.

"Um, hi. I'm Bo, this is Kenzi. We just came to talk." Bo tried to appease. The woman curled her lips.

"About what?"

"Um, Floki. Floki SútUlfr. Know him?"

"What about him?" The woman spat towards the floor.

"Well, he's missing. And we were told you might know him. Intimately." Bo pressed. Finally, with a huff, the Valkyrie put down the crossbow. She ushered them inside the apartment and slamming the door behind them.

"Floki is - was - my boyfriend."

"Was?" Kenzi prodded.

"Yes, was! He stood me up 2 nights ago! We had a date planned and he never even bother to show up!"

"Well…"

"Brunhilda."

"Well, Brunhilda, Floki has been missing for almost 3 days. It could have something to do with why you haven't seen him." Bo provided.

"Bah!" She waved them off. "I would know if something happened to him."

"How?"

Brunhilda caressed a purple crystal hanging from her necklace. "The crystal. He has one too. If any harm comes to one another, it heats up. Burns your skin. I would know if he was in danger."

"Unless he didn't know he was in danger until it was too late." Bo murmured.

"What?"

"What happens to the crystal if one of you takes it off?"

"Well, it's supposed to turn clear. Body heat makes it colored and if one takes it off it's supposed to be devoid of color."

"Has it turned clear at all?"

"Only for a few minutes here and there. He has busy life. He never takes it off for more than 10 minutes or so. I count every time."

Bo sighed deeply. "There goes that idea."

"Do you really think something happened?" Brunhilda questioned, suddenly seeming worried.

"That's what we're trying to find out."

"Nothing?" Dyson questioned.

"No, unfortunately. The girlfriend was a dead end. She would know if something happened to him because of some kind of crystal they each have."

"An amethyst. Secret lovers will sometimes adorn them. I'm not surprised they have one. But she says he's fine?"

"Yeah. Supports our runaway theory."

"Or the human one." Trick put in. "He wouldn't feel threatened by humans. It may not have triggered enough of a fear response to alert the crystal."

"Maybe I can be helpful?" The small blonde, now dressed in blue jeans and a white fringe top, sauntered over to the group.

"Odetta," Dyson breathed, that same look of adoration covering his features. The girl blushed, clearing her throat.

"My brother always walks a specific route to meet Brunhilda. It has the least exposure to ensure his secret stays mildly secret. I believe it's possible someone could have been watching him and laid out an attack." She pulled out a map, displaying it in front of Dyson.

"He always walks this way?" Odetta nodded in confirmation. "Well. Seems we have something to sniff out."

"I've been up and down his path and I can't pick up anything." Her light and delicate accent sounded strained. Dyson placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

"We'll find him, O."

As the group walked along the alleyways, they understood why Floki would choose to come this way. There were many abandoned buildings perfect for hiding. Homeless littered the street and it stunk of garbage and urine. No wonder he was well hidden.

"I'm starting to understand why the best tracker couldn't pick up a scent." Dyson muttered more to himself than Odetta.

Kenzi carefully stepped over garbage and people's legs, gagging. Bo was ever vigilant; scanning people's faces, looking through doors and windows. That's when it caught her eye. A small homeless man was pushing his shopping cart of belongings. A necklace dangled from his neck, and something glittered when it caught the sun.

Bo stopped the man, placing her hand on his and smiling gently. "Hey there," she purred. He grinned a toothless grin, giving her his full attention as she "succubused" him. "I was wondering," she fondled the crystal, making certain it was the one she was looking for. "Where you might've gotten something so beautiful? You see, my friend has one just like it and they come in pairs."

"Oh? This?" The man touched his newfound necklace. "I found it on the ground I did. It didn't belong to no one. Just laying there, shining in the sun. And when I put it on meself, it glowed this pretty purple." He looked down at it, as if mesmerized by it.

Bo smiled again, "Could you possibly show me where you found it lying? It would really make me happy."

"Oh, yes. Anything for you." He hobbled off, Bo trailing behind.

"Neat trick," Odetta mumbled and Dyson chuckled.

"She's certainly unique."

"I found it right here, ya see." The man pointed to the ground. The location was at the edge of a building. If you had turned the corner you could see the backside of Brunhilda's apartment building. Bo thanked the man for his help and he meandered back to his cart.

"He got jumped. I knew it!" Odetta growled.

"We don't know that yet."

"She has a point, D. It's the perfect spot. If someone knew this was the way he always walked, they could've been hiding from around the corner. They could've jumped him and even torn the necklace off so he couldn't alert his badass naked cuddle buddy." Kenzi announced.

"So we're still at a loss," Bo huffed. "We know he's officially missing but not who could've taken him."

"Always so quick to dismiss the clues," A sultry voice spoke in the darkness. The boy with the bow slung over his shoulder, emerged from the building beside them. Bo had never realized just how tall he was, due to the fact that he slunk behind in the shadows. But when he emerged from the building beside Dyson, she saw that the boy was his height, if not an inch or so taller.

"Gale? What the bloody hell are you doing out here?" Odetta scolded.

Her brother smirked, "Waiting for you and the succu squad to catch up."

"You've known the whole time?" Bo folded her arms over her chest.

Gale's hand flitted side to side in a so-so guesture. "Sort of. I may or may not have followed Floki that night."

"What?! And you didn't tell mum?! Do you know what happened to him? Who took him?" Odetta flayed her brother.

"Down, princess. He was kidnapped. In an odd way."

"How do you mean odd?" Bo asked. He crouched next to the ground, picking up a yellowish substance on his fingers.

"Floki was walking along and poof. The ground opened up and swallowed him whole, leaving behind nothing but a trace of…"

His sister caught a whiff of the scent. "Sulfur." Gale hummed in conformation.

"What the hell could that be?" Bo looked to Dyson.

"I have no idea. That's a Trick question."

"I think it was our aunt." Gale spoke to Odetta.

"What? Why?"

"Think about it. The weird weather. Hurricanes hitting the east coast one after another. Sweltering hot summers above average temperatures. And in the same year, frigid winters with record breaking lows. It's coming. The time for Ragnarok is here. Hel took Floki to get father to reveal himself and help her."

"Oh god I hope not." Kenzi gulped.

"I'm sure if Hel did take Floki, it doesn't mean the coming of Ragnarok." Dyson tried to appease but Odetta's face had a slight green tint.

"Gale is right. Ragnarok has come." She looked toward her brother. "Come on! We must tell mother!"

"Good luck getting her alone now." Gale scoffed. "Dad is here with the twins." Now it was Dyson's turn to gulp.

"O, you should get back with Gale before he figures out you're gone. Let Bo and I break this to your mother."

"Of course, fa-Dyson." She cleared her throat over her slip up. Gale rolled his eyes, already ten steps ahead of her.

"What was that?" Bo questioned.

"Nothing. Lets go."

When Dyson called Skadi back to the Dal he had been hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Unfortunately the latter came true. Skadi walked back into the Dal with a man a few inches taller than Dyson himself. Her husband: Garmr.

"Garm, how nice to see you again." Trick greeted from behind the bar, dishing pints of mead.

Garmr smirked, "And you Fitzpatrick. I thank you," he raised his pitcher as he sat on the barstool.

The first thing Bo noticed was that Skadi was silent. And visibly uncomfortable - a drastic change from their last meeting. "So what has your dog found out about Floki?" Garmr continued to address Trick, who stiffened uncomfortably.

"I'm no ones dog, Garmr." Dyson growled.

"Oh? My apologies, I had thought you were pledged to him."

"I do as Trick asks because he is my friend and I have a great respect for him."

"Ah, yes. The Blóð Buðlungr." Garmr gave a somewhat fake half bow.

Bo decided it was time to interrupt. She slapped the file down on the table in front of Skadi. Bo began to go through it, showing them the map of his path and where he was abducted from. She then showed Skadi the sulfur that they found. She explained that they think it might be connected to Hel in some way, seeing as Garmr is her sworn protector. Garmr grunted at this. Dyson also added how the conditions seemed to be perfect for Ragnarok or the events leading up to it.

"Give it here, woman." Skadi silently slid the file over to her husband. He read through their notes and grunted again, polishing off his mead. Skadi hadn't touched hers. "Well if it is her than I suppose a summoning should be arranged." He stood and Skadi was quick to follow.

"Hold up there, Papa Midnight," Kenzi blurted out.

"Kenzi don't!" Trick hissed.

"Bo-bo here is a paid investigator. She got you your information, now let's talk price." She folded her arm across her chest, standing beside Bo.

Garmr cocked his head to the side - a predator sizing up his prey. "My, my. What a pretty human you keep around, succubus. Do you ever tire of her mouth?"

Bo took a step in front of Kenzi. "No, actually."

Garmr chuckled deeply, deciding the fight was not worth it. "I will pay you if you find my son. Alive. $900. Half now, half after he is brought to me."

But Kenzi never learns. "Um, Bo is worth at least $1200. Cough up the mula."

"Kenzi!" Bo hissed.

Garmr took a step toward the human. Inhaling her scent for future reference. "$1000. No more. Skadi, see to the payment. And Trick - I'm sure you have full capability to summon Hel? Lovely. 10 minutes, Wife."

Skadi opened her clutch, pulling out a roll of cash and dishing out $500 to Bo. The succubus grabbed her wrist and she looked up at her, alarmed. "Why do you let him treat you like that?" Bo's power seeped into Skadi's skin, making her eyes flutter with pleasure.

"There are things you don't understand. I love my children, they are all I have. Please find my son." She broke her contact with Bo, skittering out the door after her husband.

"Well he's a royal douchebag." Kenzi stated.

Dyson shook his head. "You shouldn't have said those things to him, Kenz."

"Please. I'm claimed. What's he gonna do?"

"Garmr is a very patient man in the right circumstances." Trick warned. "Come, this is not one of them."

The summoning spell was relatively easy. Except for the fact that it didn't actually summon Hel, but send those in the summoning circle to her. Entering the underworld was mostly what one would expect it to be. Dark, dripping stone walls lined with skulls of the damned. A fiery red glow at the end of the tunnel. Various disturbing noises echoing off the walls and chilling you to the bone. Just a typical day at work for Bo and her friends.
Bo had wanted to go alone. But after some very convincing advice from Trick, she relented to Dyson joining her. And as for Kenzi, no one can talk her out of anything so Bo didn't even try.

"This is starting to feel too easy…" Kenzi mumbled.

"Way to jinxx us, Kenz," Bo shot back and a quiet sorry was muttered.

They soon heard mumbling, but couldn't find the source. Everyone was prepared for a fight at the end of that tunnel. What they found was exactly what they were looking for.

Floki laid on a stone table, and didn't seem to be bound. He was muttering nonsense, eyes closed as if he were dreaming. "Floki?" Bo whispered. "Hey," She shook his shoulders. He didn't respond, only the continuous muttering.

"I've been expecting you," A dark female voice sounded in the cave. The way they had entered had all of the sudden become condemned with rock, leaving only one escape route. A tall woman, dressed somewhat like a gypsy, stood in front of the doorway. Dark colored jewels dangled from every part of her being. "Come to take away my prize?"

"He wasn't yours to take lady." Bo glared. Behind her, Dyson was desperate to wake Floki.

"Is that so? He is my family after all. My darling nephew." She began to walk around the group, freeing up the exit. "He doesn't look anything like his father. Not in the way the archer does. But his wolf on the other hand, now that is something powerful.

"I've been watching them for some time now. Waiting for the day my brother acknowledges his true self. But he hasn't yet. I was hoping a little bait would provoke him but it seems he just keeps sending other people to do his dirty work."

"Garmr isn't your brother, lady. He's your guard dog. You can't really blame him for not wanting to be apart of your death fun fest." Kenzi spit out.

Hel laughed with an uncanny elegance. "My, my. He has you all fooled. Yes he is my brother, and my guardian wolf. They are one in the same, as so few humans who worshipped the gods understood."

"What do you mean one in the same?" Bo questioned, stalling for Dyson.

Hel smirked, "Why don't you ask his lovely little wife? Ask her who Garmr really is?" Hel sighed. "Well, it really does me no good to keep my nephew around if his father won't bother to come save him himself." She flicked her wrist, Floki awakening with a gasping breath. Dyson tried to calm him.

"So you're letting us go?" Bo asked, confused.

"Yes, my child. I am. What's coming next will be so much more fun." And with that and a cloud of black smoke, they all arrived back in the same summoning circle they started in.

"Well?" Trick questioned. Dyson moved his large body to reveal Floki underneath him and Trick breathed out a sigh of relief. Dyson placed Floki on the couch. He had lost consciousness again but was no longer mumbling or sweating.

"I've gotta call Lauren. Make sure he's alright. Trick? Do you think you could get Skadi to come alone? I have some questions for her."

"I'll see what I can do. Why did Hel let you go?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Lauren came as always when Bo called but Skadi coming in two steps behind her was a welcomed surprise. "Is he here?" They both questioned.

"He's downstairs. Skadi, I need to talk to you."

"No, I need to see him." She pressed but Dyson blocked her path.

"It's important, Skadi." He allowed Lauren past but not the Scandinavian Goddess. "Have a drink." She sat reluctantly, as he poured her some mead.

"I need to know who your husband is. The truth, Skadi."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she mumbled into the pitcher

"We met Hel." Skadi spit her mead back into her glass. "Anything you care to share?"

The goddess wiped her mouth, straightening her back to look regal. "Hel is Garmr's sister. By the god Loki. But Garmr is just one of his many names. He is also the son of Angrboða."

Dyson sucked in a breath. "How is that possible? All the wargs were born of Sigyn."

"Expect for one. Do you recall the text Völuspá?"

"Now Garm howls wildly

Before Gnipa Cave.

Chains will snap

And the wolf will run." Dyson recited. "It was an account of the events leading up to and during Ragnarok."

"But never did the text say it was Garmr who was bound. There was only one warg who was bound." She pushed him to realization to which he visibly shivered in fear.

"No…"

"I'm afraid so. I've a bleeding heart." She raised her mead glass. "Just ask Trick. He helped me save him."

"She's telling the truth, Dyson." Like magic, Trick always appears when you need him.

"Somewhere between 3000 and 4000 years ago, I was out wandering in the vast woods of my homeland. Njord and I were recently divorced and I was utilizing my last gift; my raven colored wolf. I was hunting that day, downwind of my prey. But something spooked it, and it took off. For some reason I was drawn to the noise that had spooked it. It was like a tree coming over in the forest; a loud groan.

"Like the dumb girl I was, I followed the noise and suddenly I heard laughter. Some fairy children were playing in the woods. Sick little bastards. They were shooting arrows into something chained up. I couldn't see what at the time. I made my way through the small river there. At the time, I didn't know it was the river Ván." Dyson took in a breath.

"I scolded the children and they scurried off. When I turned, though, I was filled with such fear. I knew who was chained to that rock. I knew who he was and what he could do, but…" She trailed off, eyes welling up with tears. "When I looked upon his emaciated form, his jaws struck open by a cruel sword and drool flowing from his tongue. I sought only mercy for the creature.

"I pried open his jaw gently, his throat howling at the pain. I took the sword from his maw and I could hear his bones creak from being able to close. He whimpered from the pain and I could only think about being able to get him free; to take care of him.

"I tried desperately to pull or break the chains but I couldn't. I told him I would be back. I went to Trick, begged for his help, and he gave me the Siracon to use. He was skeptical of it working but by all the gods it did. I broke the demon wolf free of his confines and brought him to Trick."

"I knew what he was, but the desperation in her eyes compelled me to help. He was dying. The chains that had held him not only kept him bound but almost cancelled out his power. And the only way we could find to heal him would be to give him a human form." Trick put in as tears slid down Skadi's cheek.

"I thought I was going to bring out the monster. But by giving him a humanoid form, he changed. And in the weeks following his recovery, we fell in love. And I chose him. He chose me. We are mated for life.

"So it goes on. We changed his identity to Garmr and we pray to our gods. We give our sacrifices and we are protected. 6 of my beautiful sons are to him, and that is a fact I cannot change. We may have changed over the years and part of that is my fault. I loved Gale too deeply to let him go. We are what we are, Dyson."

"And Odetta? How do you explain that if you two were so 'happy'?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Dyson, we were drunk. You know he and I were never shy about trying other… things. My grey wolf was an accident but never a mistake. And she loves you."

"I know. But if your husband is Fenrir, we absolutely cannot have him find out about Odetta."

"Agreed." She raised her glass to his when Lauren cleared her throat.

"He's stable. And conscious. He was asking for you." Skadi bolted out of her seat and down the stairs while Lauren stared at Dyson.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough." She replied. "This family is bad news Dyson."

Dyson glanced over at the crowd walking through the door. Bo was arm in arm with Kenzi and Gale slunk beside his beautiful blonde sister. His gaze lingered on Odetta who looked up at him with a blush and a sweet smile.

He sighed, "I know."