by Leia Stone
Crossing the space, I sat next to her and met the eyes of my wise council. My stomach was in knots; things like this are what shook a person to their core. I wasn’t good with change, my whole life was pretty much planned out. I was the Alpha’s daughter, shared the same gift as my mother of finding werewolf mates. I would spend my life on Mount Hood finding mates like my mother and maybe one day take over the pack. But not now, so I decided to just launch right into it.
“Why can’t I communicate with my pack? My Alpha.” I tried to keep my voice strong but it wavered with emotion.
Nahuel gave me a look of sympathy. “When you lost your wolf, your pack bonds re-wired somehow. Bears are solitary creatures. They don’t need a pack.”
My face fell at his revelation that he thought I didn’t need a pack. No. I would always need my pack! Before I could respond the warrior spoke.
“When you go home, your Alpha can bring you back into the pack, no problem. What Nahuel means is that wolf hierarchy and pack mentality mean nothing to your bear. You are a pack of your own, the most dominant member.”
Okay … I think I’d let that one digest for a bit. Next question. BIG, huge, scary-ass question.
“What am I? And I don’t mean a bear.” For some reason I knew that this question should be directed at Lina. She nodded knowingly as if she expected to be answering this question for me.
“A Light Keeper isn’t always a genetic calling. Being a Keeper can be bestowed upon anyone, although it’s rare, Spirit chooses very wisely. Gavin was born a Keeper but you were made one. You’ve switched. It’s possible with True Mates.”
Each word pelted into me like a heavy rain, but the revelation settled into my bones and it felt good, my bear approved. “So … I’m a Keeper … a witch, but …”
Nahuel stood then and crossed the small space between us. “You’re no longer a werewolf or the Matefinder, Gavin is.”
My breath stopped. What the freaking hell?! It really hit me then, my entire life I had been living in my mother’s shadow. The great and wonderful Matefinder. The savior of our race, the one who brought our population’s numbers up. I had the coaching and pressure my entire life to take up this precious gift of finding mates for my kind but now … I laughed and drew some odd stares from the group. It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I didn’t have to live up to that standard anymore, I could be something else.
“She’s taking this well,” Lina observed.
The warrior chuckled. “Because she doesn’t know what a Keeper does yet.”
Fear tightened my belly and I swallowed hard as Nahuel gave the warrior a disapproving look.
“I get to stop time like Nahuel and do werewolf mating ceremonies and … other cool stuff?” Now I wasn’t so sure.
Nahuel gave me a half smile. “There are many shamans that assist in mating ceremonies and in the past I would too, but times have changed. The Keepers have changed.”
The silence settled over the tent to the point of being uncomfortable.
“So … there’s multiple shamans who have some type of magic but only two Keepers?” I realized stupidly that I literally knew nothing about them.
Nahuel smiled. “Yes, you and me.”
But Gavin was Haseya’s son, I wasn’t even related to her or Nahuel. “Does that mean I am part Walker like Gavin was … is?” I was starting to really get turned around here.
Lina frowned and seemed to be scanning my energy, piercing me with a steady gaze. “It’s possible. That’s all I can say. With you and Gavin anything is possible. It’s not you and him … it’s us. We. You’re one. More than any other mated pair alive.”
Jesus. Again with the heavy. I really needed to get around to asking Gavin’s middle name.
I decided to just move on from this topic and focus on the one thing I really needed to know.
“What does a Keeper do?” I asked tentatively.
Nahuel sighed, looking decades older in that moment. “You will have to look out for the fate of all kind and you and Gavin have the power to end the reign of the Skin Walker.”
Chills spread up my arms as I was assaulted with memories of my attack from him. His naked muddy body, all scarred. The skin he wore so comfortably, the evil that leaked from his eyes.
“Look out for the fate of all kind … that’s like … a metaphor, right?” I queried.
Nahuel smiled sadly. “I’m afraid not, and hard times are coming. It will be a lot of work to keep the races from killing each other off.”
My jaw dropped open. “That’s the Keeper’s job? Keep all the races happy and not fighting?”
Nahuel shared a smile with Lina. “No, No. That would be impossible. There will always be unhappiness and fighting between the races but never should one race be wiped out. Otherwise, we will all go out. It will be the end of life on this planet.”
Holy shit. Chills ran up my arms. No big deal, right? No pressure. Was it too late to go back to being the Matefinder again?
Nahuel met my gaze. “Your mother understood this. Not all vampires were purged from this planet in the war, just the evil ones. The ones that remained, conformed into a peaceful existence. But what you must now understand is that you are no longer an ambassador to the werewolves like your mother is. You are now a Keeper, a messenger for all kind. A direct channel of Spirit.”
My eyes widened and my breathing was heavy as I let this information wash over me.
“That’s a lot to take on,” I confessed.
Lina looked sympathetically at me. “It is, but we will be here to guide you. From now on, when you sleep, you will be downloaded with information to widen your perspective and give you the knowledge that you will need to act in the times ahead.”
Okay … creepy. Not sure I was up for this task.
“Is it possible to switch back with Gavin? We’re True Mates, can we … do some ceremony?” Yeah, okay I was being a wuss here, but I was curious.
The warrior huffed, looking offended. “I would give anything to be chosen as a Keeper,” he exclaimed.
Nahuel quieted him with a steady gaze but my bear rose up in anger.
“Oh yeah? Would you give anything to have half of your soul ripped away and taken, then be burning with fever and tossed out into the woods to be stalked by a raping Skin Walker? Only to be attacked and become one with a bear?”
He lowered his eyes in submission. Okay, that might have been a bit too much. Maybe my period was coming up soon because I felt like I was stuck in bitchville right now.
“Sorry,” I muttered, sighing in exasperation.
Nahuel smiled and clapped his hand on my back. “You’re doing very well, considering. This can all come in time, nothing needs to be handled tonight. Go back to see your mother, I’m sure she will be happy to see you both and to see that you and Gavin are right as rain.”
I nodded, meeting their eyes. They saved my life, there was no doubt about that.
“Thank you all very much.” I bowed low, which my dominant wolf would never have allowed.
Lina stood, smiling and looking fulfilled. “It’s an honor to be present during the next generation of the Keeper.”
Nahuel chuckled. “I thought I was going to have to live forever.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Can we live forever?” Because it just dawned on me that I wasn’t an ageless werewolf anymore.
Nahuel nodded. “Unless killed, yes we can.”
Okay, cool. I was on information overload here. I waved and turned to leave when Nahuel caught my hand and spun me to face him. He was holding between his outstretched hands, a brown suede medicine pouch necklace, it was new, not my mother’s. I grinned and he returned my enthusiasm with a smile of his own.
“You earned this. If you need to reach me, just sit in a quiet place, close your eyes and open your mind. We are connected now, little bear.”
I wanted to argue the little bear comment because I was actually a big-ass bear but instead I acted on impulse and closed the small gap betw
een us, pulling Nahuel into a big hug. He seemed startled at first but returned my hug, filling my nose with scents of fresh earth, sage and juniper.
‘Anya, get outside! Gavin fainted.’ Jaxon’s panicked voice tore through my thoughts and I was grateful to see my twin bond was still working.
I burst out of the tent, taking quick strides across the lawn to where Mason, Jaxon, and Avery were huddled over Gavin. He lay there calmly like he was sleeping.
“What happened?!” I fell to my knees to feel his forehead, we were supposed to be healed now. If I felt a fever, I was going to rage, but as my hand brushed his forehead he felt cool.
Mason shrugged. “We were wrestling and he spaced out then.”
Suddenly Gavin’s eyes opened wide, startling me.
“What happened? Are you sick again?” My eyes roamed over his body looking for any sign of pain but then Gavin looked up at Mason.
“I found your mate,” Gavin said with surety.
I stumbled back in shock at his words. Oh my God. I wasn’t the Matefinder anymore. This was the concrete proof. The thing I had aspired to be my whole life, my mother had coached me for hours about what it would be like, what an honor it was, how special and important I was. Now I wasn’t. Gavin’s yellow eyes met mine.
‘Tell me you’re okay.’ He used the matebond and with it I picked up on his emotions. He felt pride and excitement over having an important purpose, but it was all shadowed by his guilt and fear that he had taken this from me. That we had somehow magically switched life paths.
‘True Mates,’ my bear told me.
I reined in my emotions and took a step toward him as he did the same. This was my mate and I was just glad that we were both alive. It would take some getting used to but I was okay.
‘I’m okay,’ I told him.
Mason was standing there dumbfounded with Jaxon and Avery on either side of him. His dark hair had fallen in front of his face making him look extra bewildered.
“Well? Who is she? Is she hot?” Of all the stupid questions!
Gavin gave me a quick look before nodding and I grinned. Men.
“But there’s a problem … She’s … been kidnapped. She was in a jail or something with other werewolves. A cage,” Gavin exclaimed.
We all stepped a little closer then and Mason’s eyes went yellow. Mason was the biggest goofball I knew and couldn’t have a serious relationship to save his life but now, in this moment, he looked ready to kill for his mate. I think he just grew up in record time.
Gavin seemed to be stepping into this role with ease and I had to tamp down my jealousy again. What was the vision like? How special for Mason and it wasn’t me giving him this special news … but I told myself that I now had my own destiny. I was a Keeper and even though I was still learning what the hell that was, if it meant I could kill that raping Skin Walker, it was worth it.
“There’s more …” Gavin looked nervously at Jaxon and then to me. “Your dad was there.”
My body went numb but at the same time excitement thrummed through me. If we could find Mason’s mate, we could find my dad!
“Where are they?” My voice was demanding.
Gavin pursed his lips, looking anxious again. “I don’t know, some kind of government site. I got nervous and kind of … backed out of the vision.”
Mason let a curse word fly but I gave my mate a reassuring look. My mother had prepared me for years for the visions. I could understand how scary it might be to someone ill prepared.
“Let’s go home. My mom will know what to do,” I told the group.
After saying a quick goodbye, we piled into two cars and made our way back home. I could only hope that my mother wouldn’t completely flip out that I was now a bear and more importantly not the Matefinder. But at that thought, Gavin’s hand took mine and I turned over to meet his eyes. They were full of strength and I knew that together we could get through anything.
Chapter Eight
As we reached the base of Mount Hood, I was shocked to see two cars had parked sideways to barricade our entrance. Jaxon, Gavin, and I were in one car while Mason and Avery followed behind us.
“There’s check points now. Avery said no humans are allowed until we figure this out,” Jaxon said.
No. It felt so wrong. We had worked so hard to build a relationship with the humans. The evil bloodsucker vampires had been shooting up human teens with heroin and drinking off of them in an effort to get high. But my mom and dad had stopped all that, and the humans should be grateful. This is how they repay us?
Jaxon rolled down his window and I saw Max walk out from behind the car holding a semi-automatic assault rifle. Anna was with him. Holy shit, this was serious. Max looked tired and lethal, his blue eyes were threading with yellow, his bulking physique and scarred arms gave an air of ‘Don’t mess with me.’
“Thank God, you kids are okay. Your mother will be glad to see you,” he told us and waved us through the barricade.
I could only nod, as Jaxon wove the Land Rover through the barricade. Avery and Mason were right behind us. I felt like my innocent childhood was over. The mountain I once grew up on had turned into something else. Something … dangerous.
My stomach was in knots as Jaxon pulled our car up to my house. I recognized Gretchen’s car in the driveway and was shocked to see two armed pack members standing guard in front of my door with automatic rifles.
As I opened the car door to step out, my mother flung open the front door and charged toward us.
“Anya!” She crashed into me hugging me tightly. I squeezed her hard, relishing in the scent of her orange mint shampoo. Mom. Home.
After pulling away from me, she wrinkled her nose.
“What’s that smell?” Her nose scrunched as she looked me up and down.
Gavin stepped up next to me and my mom gushed over him, giving him a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re okay. Both of you,” she told us as Jaxon made his way to her. They shared a quick hug before my mother smelled the air again.
“Anya … Why do you smell like–”
Shit, crap, frick! I decided ripping the band aid off quickly was best.
“Gavin and I are True Mates and so instead of him going on the spirit quest to find his animal, he stole mine. So I went on the quest and fought this Skin Walker and claimed my animal, which is a bear.”
My mother’s mouth dropped open as she looked to Gavin and back to me.
“And I’m the Matefinder now. I had a vision of Mason’s mate, but I got scared and backed out of it before I could figure it out. Kai was there.”
My mom sat down on the ground, just plopped right down on the ground and stared at the forest in shock.
I sat down across from her, placing my hands on her shoulders. “Mom.”
Her eyes were yellow. “You’re not pack, I can’t feel you,” she said.
“Yeah, it’s super weird. I’m hoping you can fix it,” I told her honestly.
Then she looked at me and smiled. “I’m proud of you.”
Her words settled over me, bringing tears to my eyes. Of all the things I expected her to say, it wasn’t that. “You’re not mad?”
She laughed. “Shocked as shit, yes. Mad, no. The vision I had of you and Gavin ended up with you dead. Anything is better than that.”
‘I love when mom cusses,’ Jaxon told me and I rolled my eyes.
My mom stood then and transformed her hand into a claw. “Let’s make you pack.”
Yes, thank you God. I needed to feel like pack, it was driving me crazy not to.
I extended my forearm and she swiped it, drawing blood. “Blood of my blood.” She scratched her other arm and touched ours together. Mist saturated my arm and went up my body. I immediately felt the warm fullness in my chest. Pack. But it was different, detached.
My mom frowned. ‘You feel like pack but more like a human member. Like another species.’
‘At least we can communicate with the bonds again,’ I replied and
she hugged me.
Gavin had been waiting patiently but now he cleared his throat. My mom walked over to him and looked him square in the eye. “Matefinder, huh?”
He nodded nervously and she smiled. “Welcome to the club. Come on, we have a lot to talk about.”
She slung an elegant arm over his shoulder and led us into the house. The scents of my home filled my nose but something was missing. Dad, I realized with a pang of sadness.
*
My mom made me tell her everything about the past forty-eight hours. It was awful to recount some parts and I tried to be delicate when I talked about Gavin’s mother and her situation, but I wanted my mom to know the evil lengths the Skin Walker went to. After all of it, my mother just sat there in shock for a few minutes.
Then she turned to Gavin. “Let’s catch you up.”
Over the next few hours I tried not to fall asleep as my mom taught Gavin skills of being a Matefinder. How to flow with the visions and not force them, history of their kind and other stuff I blanked out.
Mason and Avery were passed out upstairs. It had been a long drive.
Finally, Gretchen came down to the basement holding a jar that contained a stinky-ass paste. I could smell it from across the room.
“I have a theory,” Gretchen began. I perked up a little, interested in what Gretchen would have to say. “Anya was born the Matefinder, it’s a genetic gift so it will never fully be gone from her.”
Oh God, please don’t confuse me more! What the hell did that mean?!
“But he is her True Mate so it’s possible to magically swap gifts,” she concluded.
Even more confusing! Argh! I was shocked at the fear that had spiked inside of me at thinking she was going to try to take my bear away and give me my wolf back. I realized then, I didn’t want to change.
My mom’s face was drawn in concentration and it looked like wheels were spinning in her head. “What’s that?” She pointed to the jar.
Gretchen grinned. “If Anya rubs this on her arms and touches Mason, she should be able to replay the vision Gavin got.”
Gavin and I both stared in shock at Gretchen. I grew up around witches, hell I was half witch – at least I think I was still half witch – but what she said was … amazing. If this paste could really do that … wow. Just WOW.
