Chapter Forty-three
The four of us sailed across the channel in The Spotted Lady, tying up at the dock where Rob had kept his boat weeks before. We hiked along the path to an open area cleared of debris by volunteers, Garrett and I holding hands but not speaking. Maya, Sylvia, and Brad were standing by a large tent set up on the far side and we greeted them warmly.
Brad turned to me. “On Maya’s recommendation you are officially welcome to join the shifter community of Crescent City. No further testing is necessary. Congratulations, Jackie.” Brad held out his hand and I shook it, a little amused at the circumstances. If Antoine had his way tonight, I’d be the shortest-lived community member ever.
Garrett’s cousin Aaron, his mate Catherine and his second in command, Franklin, had already arrived, along with ten other pack members. Aaron introduced us around, gave me a hug, and clapped Garrett on the back. “Cuz, you two attract trouble like a black hole sucks in galaxies.” He laughed and winked at me. “You’re perfect for each other.” He gave me a good sniff. “Why do I smell fae magic?”
“We had a little help from a friend,” Garrett said.
Now that I was here where the actual duels were going to take place, my mind and stomach had decided to torture me. An icy knot had formed low in my belly, expanding as each moment passed. This might be the last time … kept looping through my overloaded brain, as precious memories of my short time with Garrett dissolved, perhaps never to be recalled again. I sidled closer to my mate, not wanting to leave any space between us, needing his warmth to melt the cold dread.
“Nice matching tats,” Catherine said. I looked up, surprised to hear conversations still continuing around me. Garrett squeezed my shoulder, sending, “We’ll survive this day, my love, and begin our life anew when our enemies are dead.” He raised my hand so everyone could admire our mating marks, but kept his arm tightly around my shoulders, as if he knew I needed the physical as well as the emotional support.
“Thank you.” I’d managed to pull off a pretty good smile, despite my growing terror.
“Congrats, guys!” bellowed Aaron. He kissed me on the cheek while clasping Garrett’s hand. “So when’s the party? The holiday party you had a year and a half ago was awesome!”
“I had to replace three windows and several pieces of furniture,” Garrett replied, giving him a playful shove.
“Wolves are enthusiastic, what can I tell you?” His grin was so much like Garrett’s, they looked more like brothers than cousins, and even in these tense circumstances, I laughed at their antics. I wondered what they’d been like growing up together. The dynamics of their relationship was so much fun to watch. A part of me was envious. It would’ve been amazing to have a brother or a sister or even a cousin to confide in.
The thought of planning a party to mark our mating took my mind to a happier place and away from the duels. “We’ll have a party next weekend, Aaron, and you’re all invited.” I’d included the rest of the pack, who thanked me and started talking and laughing about the last party and what had caused all the damage. Apparently one of the drunker wolves had been thrown through a window. “We can have it somewhere outside,” I sent to Garrett.
“Good plan.” He hugged me and we heard a few awww’s. I didn’t mind at all.
I recognized other faces in the crowd: Peter and Kyle, Chloe, the waitress from the diner, Joe Rinaldi, our mechanic, and Denis, the gas station owner. Garrett introduced me to Elizabeth, a young woman who smelled like thyme. She grabbed my hands and said, “It’s wonderful to meet you, Jackie. A healer in the community will be an enormous blessing. I’ve done what I can to protect you, but your auras are already very strong.” She smiled and walked away.
“Let me guess. A witch?”
“Yes, a hedge witch. She’s powerful without using dark magic.”
Finally, after making their own rounds through the crowds, Ethan, Kyle, and Sinc made it back to us, followed closely by Rob. They hugged me and wished me luck, Ethan clinging to me the longest.
“You’ll be great. Everything’s set in case the vamps ignore the rules. Maya or Garrett will send you a signal.” He kissed my cheek.
Maya got our attention. “You two can rest in the tent for a while. Eleanor and Antoine are expected to arrive within the next twenty minutes.”
Garrett and I walked into the extremely large tent and eased our tense bodies down on the small couch I recognized from the cabin. Wordlessly we took in breath after breath of our combined scents as we wrapped our arms tightly around each other, lost in our own thoughts. It was warm and stuffy under the nylon roof, but I ignored the sweat beading along my hairline and continued to lean against his chest and just breathe, and breathe. Garrett shifted position, putting his head on my chest so he could listen more closely to my heartbeat while I stroked his auburn hair, the steady rhythms calming us both.
I wondered again if this would be my last few minutes alone with him for all time and what I should say or do if that were true. I could smell his fear, not for himself, but for me.
I sent, “Promise me you won’t blame yourself.”
“I can’t. I—”
“Shhh.” I leaned down and we kissed.
I teased him to lighten the mood. “The fae magic is still messing with me. If we didn’t have a couple of vampires to kill I’d rip your clothes off and jump you right here.”
He didn’t laugh, but he managed to sound deeply sexy. “I’ll remind you later tonight.” Later tonight hung in the air between us.
I was desperate to continue to hear his voice, so I thought up another question. “Besides me fighting Antoine, what would you change?”
He was silent for a few beats of my heart. “I’d protect you from your attackers when you were younger.” He kissed my hands and arms where the old scars used to be. “I’d tell you more often how precious you are to me and I’d work on being more patient with you and the team.”
“We needed you to kick us in the butt that night. And if I hadn’t been attacked, you wouldn’t have given me your blood.”
“I’d still have claimed you. I believe we’re together for a reason—this is our path—we’re meant to make this journey together, wherever it leads us.”
I smiled, even though my heart was breaking. “I believe the same.”
“But you haven’t told me what you would change, my love.”
I tried to make it simple, knowing if went too deep I’d end up sobbing. “I’d ask you to play the violin or the guitar for me. I never got to hear you play. And I’d make sure we had more time for fun stuff, like hunting together. Besides that, I’d do everything the same—except for the day with Lily. I’d listen to Liam.” We were smiling at each other when Garrett tensed up.
“They’re here.”
Rebirth - Book 1 Rogues Shifter Series Page 43
