by Leia Stone
My mom took the paste from Gretchen and hugged her for a long time.
“Thank you,” she said sincerely.
Gretchen nodded. “We’ll get him back.”
Pops. Another pang in my heart. I couldn’t feel him. Wait, I was pack again and I couldn’t feel my dad.
“Mom, I can’t feel him.” Horror flooded through me at what that meant.
But Gretchen was the one to answer me. “Dark witches have blocked the pack bonds.” She looked disappointed.
“Dark witches! I thought they died out or went into hiding?” I hadn’t meant to growl but I did and both Gretchen and my mother took a step back. Whoops. I was still learning how to control my bear.
My mom looked tired as she set the jar down on the table and rubbed her temples.
“We’ll deal with all of this in the morning, it’s been a long day and a good night’s sleep will do us all good.”
Gretchen nodded and left, squeezing my hand as she passed.
My mom pulled a set of keys out of her pocket and handed them to Gavin. “We did some shuffling around. Izzy’s kids are all grown and off at college. She and Tristan don’t need such a big house. It’s yours now. You and Anya.”
My eyes bugged out of my head. “Us … Like. Together?”
My mom smiled. “You’re mates. As much as I want you to go off to college. It’s going to have to wait until we sort this out.”
Agreed. I couldn’t go off to college while my dad had been kidnapped and humans were at war with us.
Still, it felt weird moving in with Gavin when I knew my dad wouldn’t approve.
“Dad wouldn’t allow this,” I told my mom. He would want to interrogate Gavin first and then have us do some elaborate Indian wedding ceremony.
My mother laughed. “It was his idea. The day you guys drove away with Nahuel he asked Izzy if she wanted a smaller bungalow on the mountain. Your father and I lived together before our mating ceremony. Just get over it.”
My mouth hung open in shock. Just get over it? Okay … wow, coming from my Mom. Gavin tried to hide his grin as he snatched the keys from my mom and simply slipped his hand into mine.
“Thanks,” he told her and we turned to leave.
‘Try to be happy. I know it’s hard that your dad is gone but be happy. It’s what every parent wants for their child.’ My mother’s voice echoed in my head.
Turning back, I caught one last glimpse of her. She looked lonely, scared, broken and a tiny bit proud. It brought me comfort to see that I had caused her to have that last emotion among the wreckage of emotions that my father’s absence brought.
After a ten minute walk, I led us to the porch of Izzy’s house. It was close enough that my parents could keep an eye on me but far enough for privacy. It felt weird to be walking into Izzy’s house and just taking over. It also felt weird to live without my twin; Jax and I did everything together.
Gavin fumbled with the lock before letting us in. I gasped when I saw a pair of modern brand new grey suede couches. They had thought this out, it was probably the only thing that helped them get through my absence. Gave them hope that Gavin and I would return together, alive. Walking inside, I set my backpack down and walked into the kitchen where a bunch of handpicked wildflowers stood in a vase. There was a card, I opened it and nearly cried when I saw my dad’s handwriting.
Anya,
Finding your mate is one of the most special things that will happen in your lifetime. As much as I want to protect you and make sure he doesn’t hurt you, I have let go and trust that you are in good hands. He’s your mate, your other half, the person Spirit chose for you to spend your life with and I approve.
Don’t be a stranger,
Papa
By the time I was done reading the card, tears were streaming down my cheeks. Gavin came up behind me and held me close. We stayed like that for a while not speaking, just lost in our thoughts and I liked the safety I felt with his hard, warm body pressed to mine.
Finally, I turned to him and my gaze ran over his face. Did he look older? More seasoned? We both did, we had been through a fight for our lives, changed our destinies and had come out intact, but it left a person weathered and the dark look in his eyes showed me that he still carried some pain. “I hope you can cook because if not, we will both starve,” I told him, to lighten the mood.
The rumble of his laughter made me smile. “I can cook, but I hope you can do laundry.”
My smile widened. “I can.”
And just like that we had found our place. Gavin placed a small kiss on my lips before turning to tinker in the kitchen. The fridge was fully stocked, the pantry too, and we were both starved from the long drive. I went in search of the four bedrooms and found that they were all empty except for two. One was plain with just a guest bed and no other furnishings. The other had my entire bedroom furniture, clothes, pictures and everything moved into it. Dad. I hoped in the morning we could find him and I wouldn’t have this awful feeling in my chest any longer.
After showering off the grime from the trip, I put on short sleep shorts and a Tool band t-shirt.
Turning the corner, I saw Gavin had set the table. A huge steaming bowl of pasta sat in the center with the wildflowers and two glasses of water. Smiling, I walked over to pull out a chair, Gavin looked up from the kitchen where he was tossing a salad and his eyes glowed yellow.
When he spoke his voice was gruff. “Okay, honestly, I wasn’t sure if you were my mate but now I’m one hundred percent certain. I love Tool.”
I pulled on my t-shirt and smiled. “I’m pretty sure mates mean same taste in music, in the werewolf dictionary.”
He grinned, bringing over the bowl of salad and joining me at the table. I dished out a huge helping of pasta and salad. Gavin looked a little lost, staring at his plate of food. I probed his feelings with the matebond and I could see he was struggling with anxiety over this new life … and guilt. Why so much guilt? Oh God, it was eating at him. I could feel it.
I knew from experience that it was easier to get a serious conversation started when talking through the pack bond. Somethings were just harder to say out loud. So even though I was starving, I set down my fork and reached for his hand.
‘Tell me what’s bothering you,’ I prompted him.
His eyes flicked up to meet mine. They were the color of mint leaves being ignited with lightning. His wolf was raging.
‘You’re my mate. I’m supposed to protect you! Instead, I stole your wolf and let you go out into the woods alone, unarmed and that Skin Walker found you.’
Oh shit. This again. “He didn’t touch me,” I assured him, although that technically wasn’t true, he bit a huge ass hole in me but he didn’t touch me in that way.
“But he could have!” He raged, banging the table with his free hand. I squeezed his other hand tight.
“Life can be complicated. Shit happens. Yes, you stole my wolf. Yes, you’re the Matefinder now. But I’m a bad-ass huge bear and I’m a Light Keeper. I stole things from you too. We just need to accept it and move on.” I fully opened my feelings to him through the matebond so he could feel that I wasn’t just saying this. It was true and I cared so much for him, it didn’t matter to me.
He let out the breath he was holding, his eyes losing the lightning and I could see that my words settled him. “I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.”
I nodded and tried to suppress my smile. It was sweet, that he thought he could protect me better than I could protect myself. He grew up in the human world, had been a wolf only a few days. Granted he did have some martial arts skills, but I was hardly a damsel in distress.
Letting go of his hand, I shoved a bite of pasta in my mouth. “Mmm,” I groaned.
Looking up, he gave me a look that could cut glass. I could see that he was pleased with my food whore moaning. I smiled. Guys. So easy.
After scarfing our meal, and damn, could my man cook, I took the plates to the kitchen to wash while
he showered. After cleaning up, I realized the exhaustion of the past few days was catching up with me. I shuffled into the hallway on the way to my bedroom just as Gavin was coming out of the bathroom.
His towel hung low on his hips, giving me a glimpse of the V-shaped muscles on his abdomen. Suddenly, I wasn’t tired. Gavin saw me looking and smiled.
“I can’t find where they put my clothes,” he admitted.
I smiled. “Clothes are overrated,” I joked.
He chuckled and I tore myself away from staring at his beautiful form to go into my bedroom. Opening the doors to my dresser, I smiled when I reached the last one.
“They’re in here!” I called out and turned to see he was right behind me.
“Oh, sorry. They’re in here,” I said softer this time.
He didn’t move, didn’t even look in the drawer. Instead, his yellow eyes were roaming my body.
‘Mate,’ my bear said and I shivered as the possessive need uncoiled in my stomach.
I stood facing him as his eyes suddenly lost their yellow and he gave me a look of vulnerability.
“I don’t want to be too forward … or move too fast for you, but I’m having a hard time controlling my wolf. I mean, I can sleep in the guest room if–”
I grinned cutting him off. “Shut up and kiss me.”
His eyes flared yellow as he dropped the towel and slammed into me. His hands roaming over my body greedily as the pulsing warmth in my belly flared to life, until a full-blown fire raged inside of me. This was my other half, my True Mate. So close that we had actually switched life paths, switched animals. There was no one on Earth I could trust more than him. Trust was everything to girls and I trusted him with all of me.
He backed up slowly until we were at the edge of the bed and I placed my hands on each of his tightly wound biceps pushing him lightly back as he pulled me on top of him. Smiling, I pulled my shirt off and threw it on the floor as my mate’s gaze consumed me. I was struck again by the completeness I felt with Gavin. I would never be able to explain this to a human, they would say I was moving too fast, or didn’t know him well enough. That was all insecure human bullshit. My soul, his soul, we were one. I was made for this, I was born to make love to this man and I would. He smiled picking up on that thought and pulled me closer. When his lips were about to brush mine, he stopped. “Thanks for saving me,” he whispered.
I smiled. “No, you saved me.” Because I was starting to see the bigger picture here. The path I was on, was made for me. He may have taken my wolf, my Matefinder gift, but he gave me a whole new life purpose in its place, one I felt destined for. A Keeper. And I didn’t even realize that I had been lonely without him until now.
Mist crept down from the walls and saturated our love making. For the first time in months, the anxiety that had been nagging at me and pushing for space in my brain just completely disappeared. It felt like for once everything was going to be okay.
Chapter Nine
I was snuggled up to Gavin in a deep sleep when my mother’s Alpha command came blaring into my brain, jarring me awake.
‘Foreign wolf, headed your way.’ My eyes shot open, heart pounding maniacally in my chest as Gavin jumped up quickly.
She must have sent that to both of us. My whole life it was my dad in my head except for the few times mom took over as Alpha when dad was hurt or she was pissed off and felt like it. I still wasn’t use to it. Turning over, I glanced at the clock. 2AM. Ugh.
‘We’re up. We’re alert,’ I told her as I slipped into my clothes and cracked the bedroom window open. Gavin stood shirtless next to me, wearing low slung basketball shorts. I took a whiff of the air and chills ran up my arms.
“No!” The word was half human, half growl. Gavin had patches of fur on his arms as he stood next to me sniffing the air.
“Who is it?” His voice could cut paper.
I didn’t want to say it out loud. Maybe then it wouldn’t be real …
‘The Skin Walker,’ I told him through our matebond.
A howl rose from his throat as he shifted into wolf form.
‘It’s the Skin Walker,’ I told my mom.
‘The one who raped Gavin’s young mother? Oh good. I’ll wake Max and Anna and we will tear him to bits,’ she assured me.
I sighed. If what Lina and Nahuel said was right, then he couldn’t be so easily killed. He knew that and that’s why he came into a mountain crawling with werewolves. To taunt me, because he could.
Suddenly, I felt a spike of grief from my mom. It was so strong the entire pack must have felt it. My mother was very good at controlling her emotions, nothing but the death of a pack member would make her so saddened.
I threw the window open fully and leaped through it as Gavin jumped out in wolf form and we pounded the ground together, running to my mom’s house. If that Skin Walker had touched any of the pack members I would rip him in two! Blasting through the thick trees and into the clearing, I stopped suddenly as the smell hit me.
Death.
My stomach clenched in fear as I ran the last few feet to the scene of the crime.
“No!” I sobbed when I saw the mangled form of Luna, my family cat of twenty years. My mother knelt on her knees, trying to control the grief and rage ripping through her.
“Luna,” she whimpered.
Mother-effer. This cat was a family member! My mother got her when she was pregnant with us and she did hilarious stuff like hide in drawers and scare the crap out of my dad. No. Inhaling, I could smell the Walker all over the scene. Rage blasted through me and my bear pushed to the surface as my clothes tore and fur flared out on my arms and legs. My form bulked up as I went through the change until finally I was standing on all fours. Rising up on my hind legs, I let the fury blast out of my mouth in a deafening roar. The ground shook slightly as Gavin howled in tandem next to me.
Turning around, wide eyed, my mother stared at me in shock.
“Jesus Christ, Anya, you’re terrifying.” It was pride in her voice and something else. Admiration.
Jaxon, Mason, and Avery burst out of the house. Jaxon was in wolf form, Avery and Mason looked half asleep but ready to fight. When they saw Luna, they stumbled to a stop. Jaxon bent low and growled, then he raised his head, sniffed the air, and took off running.
Jaxon was the best tracker in our pack, he had a magical nose and if the Walker was still on our mountain, Jax would find him. I took off after him, Gavin on my right, and in seconds my mother was on my left, she was vampire fast in her ability to run and she blasted past all of us and took a left up the mountain. We followed.
‘Raping thirteen year olds and killing kittens. There is a special place in hell for people like that,’ Jaxon told me.
‘Agreed,’ I fired back.
The ground vibrated with my 300-pound bear weight, but suddenly I skidded to a halt as I saw my mom stop up ahead.
Standing up on my hind legs, I had a better vantage point. Max. No!
Taking off, faster this time, I made the distance to Max in seconds. My mother was already in her human form, her hands shook as they hovered over Max’s bleeding shoulder. Oh God. It looked like his arm was sixty percent torn off. So much blood; werewolves’ ability to regenerate was in the blood. If my mom didn’t stop the bleeding soon, Max would die. A noise to my left had my head whipping around, but it was just Jaxon. He was fully shifted back into his human form and hunched next to my mom ready to empower her spell. The magical healing mist saturated Max as my mother chanted her healing spell. The second Jaxon rested his arm on her, it blasted out ten times as strong. I was torn between wanting to shift and help them heal Max and wanting to stay in bear form and protect my family.
‘I got this,’ Gavin all but growled next to me, even though his wolf had the same markings as mine used to, it was different and I needed to remember that. He had power, he was larger, more compact, and a solid build. Not the feminine traits of my long gone wolf. I had to trust that my mate wasn’t a fragile human any
more. He was a werewolf.
My muscles tingled as I began letting the shift take me back into my human form. Resting my hand on my mother’s back I whispered, “Power of three.” More mist shot out of my mother’s hands as she gasped in shock, and Max’s arm began to heal rapidly. Gretchen had trained my mother in healing spells and on top of that, Jaxon was a spell amplifier and as if that wasn’t enough, we had the power of three. The magical number needed to do almost any spell, strength was in numbers.
Max groaned, gaining consciousness again and his ice blue eyes flew to my mother. “The foreign wolf … he … after he attacked … he shifted to a bird. Flew off.”
My mother frowned and looked at me. Shit. What did Lina say? Walkers could take any animal form? Great.
I nodded at my mother, indicating it was possible and she growled.
“What the hell was he doing on our land?” Her voice shook a little but I barely caught it. I could tell Luna’s death was still raw for her.
“He’s after me,” I stated and Gavin suddenly let loose a howl that made chills run up my arms. A howl that said ‘Over my dead body.’
The corner of my mother’s lips curved into a smile; she was pleased with my mate’s reaction.
“Let’s get Max back to the pack doctor and then wake Mason. I’m bringing your father home to deal with this shit,” she stated and Jaxon caught my eye with a smirk.
‘Grow up. Mom cusses,’ I told him but the smirk stayed. Stupid goofball was obsessed with our mother’s potty mouth.
I agreed with her, we needed Dad back ASAP. My mom was a strong Alpha, but she hated pack politics and with werewolves on the brink of war with the humans, my father was the best man for the job. Max looked like he would live, but I didn’t think he could walk. His face was pale, ashy, and sweat beaded his forehead.
“From now on, we don’t attack the Walker with any less than five of us present. If there are less than five you, run. That’s an ORDER.” My mother’s words were infused with the power of the Alpha.
