Page 34 of Wolves' Midlife Reunion
Tina shot her a look before hanging the windchime. She climbed back down the ladder, moving it a little further across the floor before she climbed up again. “It was really nice to have Dex and Sage at the covenstead. I think they fit in pretty well, and I admit it makes me think about the future. But you know by now what my history with him is like. I wanted this to work out for such a long time, and then I’d resigned myself to the fact that my mate was unattainable. It makes it hard to believe it could be true.”
The next windchime that went up had seven stones, one in each of the colors of the rainbow, hanging from the center to represent the chakras. “Amanda might like this one,” Tina noted.
“Speaking of Dex, isn’t that him crossing the street?” Nia nodded toward the window.
As Tina stepped back down onto the floor, she spotted Dex charging toward the front of the store, his strides long and firm. His fists were curled at his sides, and his mouth was a short, hard line. “Yeah, but he doesn’t look too pleased.”
“I’ve got this.” Nia held her hand out for the hooks.
“No rush.” She turned to the door just as Dex walked in. “Hey!”
“I need to talk to you.”
She took half a step back. His aura flamed out from him in dark red with flashes of black. He was angry, but there was also some sort of emotional struggle going on inside him. “We can go back here.”
Tina brought him through a side door and into a private room separated from the stock area. This space was small, but it made her think of an old library with its numerous shelves and cabinets that lined the walls. She gestured toward a chair at the long table in the center of the room. “Have a seat.”
“I don’t know if I can.” He glanced around. “What is this room?”
“It’s where I keep all the serious stuff,” she explained. Even if he wasn’t going to sit, she did. “Grimoires, records, supplies that are rare or potent. Anything out front would be harmless for someone who’s just a beginner. Not so much in here.”
“Mm,” he grunted as he gripped the back of the chair so hard, his knuckles turned white. “Magic is just what I came here to talk to you about.”
“Dex, just tell me what’s wrong,” she encouraged gently.
He pulled in a deep breath. “Sage got angry last night over a broken toy. She used her magic to throw it against the wall.”
Tina clucked her tongue. “I see.”
“I don’t think you do,” he countered. “She’s only been getting lessons for about a week, and already, she’s used her magic in anger. I can’t have this, Tina.”
“I get it,” she replied, folding her hands on the table. “I’ll have a talk with her.”
“Youdon’tget it. Sage won’t be coming to you for lessons anymore,” he announced. His jaw was set, and his eyes sparked with anger.
Tina felt her own anger rising inside her. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”
“I didn’t ask you what you think. I’m telling you that this is all wrong. If Sage is already this destructive, then she’s better off not learning anything else. If it’s a junky, plastic toy today, what’s it going to be tomorrow?”
“Possibly nothing. Like I told you before, this is all about emotional control and awareness. It’s also knowledge and experimentation. Sage will understand that what she did last night was wrong. Maybe she needed to make that mistake in order to learn from it, and then she’ll have that much more experience to build on as she continues her journey.” She searched for all the right words, wanting to really make him understand how important it was that Sage kept learning.
“She can make a mistake when she’s learning her multiplication tables or when she starts learning how to cook. And what are the repercussions? A few missed points? Some burned brownies? Big deal. But we’re talking about something far more serious, Tina.”
“I’m well aware of that.” The anger was vibrating in her bones now. “That’s precisely why she needs to get a hold of it now.”
“What makes you think you’re qualified to be the one who teaches her?” he snapped.
“May I remind you that you felt I was perfectly qualified when this whole thing started?” she whipped back. “You asked me to.”
“I guess I was wrong.” He slapped his palm on the back of the chair. “I guess I was wrong about a lot of things.”
“So, Sage isn’t the only one who makes mistakes sometimes,” Tina pointed out.
“I’m her father, all right? I’m the one who calls the shots. Not you or anyone else.”
“Then I guess you can go call the shots somewhere else.” She rose from her seat, but she kept her hands on the table for a moment so he couldn’t see how unsteady they were. Her gaze, at least, was focused like a laser on him. “I’m not going to listen to any more of this. You know where to find me when you’re ready to listen and look for a solution. Bye, Dex.”
He turned and left without even saying goodbye.
