“No.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be a Debbie Downer and ruin your night.”
“At least I finally know what I’m up against,” I replied, although I wasn’t sure I trusted everything she’d said. “Your brother has some explaining to do.”
“Great. Another reason for him to be pissed at me.” She pointed to Garrett, who stood by the pool talking to Wendy. “What’s that warlock doing here?”
“He and Wendy met at the café. She must’ve invited him.” I looked at Garrett, surprised to see him in a pair of red swimming trunks and no shirt. He wasn’t muscular like Kaleb, but Garrett must definitely spend time exercising to get those killer abs.
Carmel snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Are you checking him out? He’s a warlock. We don’t like them.”
“I’m not checking him out. I was just wondering what he and Wendy are talking about.” I laughed, trying to act casual as if I’d never check out someone like Garrett. There was no way I’d tell Carmel the truth—I thought Garrett was cute even if he was a warlock.
“They’re talking about college and stuff. Nothing important.” Her head whipped back to Garrett as Wendy pointed to us. “He just asked Wendy if you were here. Why?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “He came by the café a few days ago. We didn’t talk long. What is he saying exactly?”
“It doesn’t matter. Does he know you’re Kaleb’s mate?”
I racked my brain, trying to remember what Garrett had said. Had we talked about Kaleb? He’d said something about the wolves coming into the café. “I don’t think so.”
“Good.” Carmel pushed me toward the swimming pool. “Go talk to him. Find out why he’s in town.”
“Are you crazy?” I shook my head. “That’s the worst idea ever. I’m sure Calandra has already told him I’m Kaleb’s mate. Besides, he won’t talk to me with you guys around.”
“Then we’ll leave.” She nodded at the Norwood staff. They left the group of pretty girls and strolled into the woods. “Flirt with him, use your charm. Find out why they’re in town.”
I rolled my eyes, not liking her plan. “I can’t flirt with him. Your brother will kill me.”
“He doesn’t have to know.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be watching me? You can’t leave me alone with a warlock.”
“Don’t tell me you’re scared.” She laughed. “You’re the one who said you didn’t need a babysitter. You have nothing to be afraid of. He can’t use his magic on sacred ground.”
Carmel walked over to the woods, and after taking one last look at me, she disappeared. A few seconds later, a faint howl sounded in the early evening air.
Garrett still stood near the pool, engrossed in conversation with several girls. He had his back to me, so I couldn’t even get his attention. I sat in one of the chairs and took a deep breath. How was I supposed to get him away from those girls? Flirting with a warlock had to be one of the worst ideas I’d ever heard.
Chapter 10
Trying to get Garrett’s attention proved harder than expected. He never even looked my way, so it wasn’t like I could wave to him or use my charm. Plus, Carmel’s idea of flirting with him felt wrong. Like I would be betraying Kaleb, and I could never do that, even if I was pissed at him right now.
I closed my eyes and leaned against the blue cushions with a groan, my mind racing. Why had Kaleb not told me what he’d been doing? Would he have lied if I’d pushed harder, demanding answers? It was impossible to build a stable relationship if you couldn’t trust each other.
“I brought you a drink.”
My eyes popped open at the sound of Garrett’s voice. He stood in front of me, his killer six-pack now hidden by a white t-shirt. “Hey.”
“I thought you might be thirsty.” He held out a blue plastic cup. In his other hand, he had a can of beer.
“Thanks,” I mumbled as I cautiously took the offered cup. I was still wary of taking drinks from strangers. “What’s in it?”
“Don’t worry, there’s no alcohol. I poured it myself. It’s just cherry punch.” He sat in the chair closest to me and sipped his beer. He chuckled when I didn’t touch my drink. “C’mon. Do you really think I’d spike your punch? I’m not an idiot.”
“It’s not you.” I set the cup down on the coffee table. “It’s just that I like to get my own drinks. I swear, I don’t mean to be rude.”
“I get it. You never know if someone’s slipped a potion in your drink. So, where did your bodyguards go?”
“They’re not my bodyguards.” I glanced at the blue cup, grateful I hadn’t taken a sip. The idea of a potion had never even crossed my mind. Maybe because I’d never been around a warlock before.
“You could’ve fooled me.” He grinned. “That wolf doesn’t want anyone near you. Where is he? Shouldn’t he be here protecting you?”
“He’s busy, and I don’t need protection.”
“Of course not. A girl like you can take care of herself.” He finished his beer and set the can down next to the cup. He waved to one of the girls playing lawn darts, beckoning her over. As she approached, he smiled at her. “Can you do me a favor? I need another beer, please.”
She nodded and walked toward the cooler by the pool.
“What was that?” I tilted my head, staring at the smile on Garrett’s face. “Did you use some sort of mind control on her?”
“I’m a warlock, not a vampire.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m actually a nice guy, and the girls here know that. You would too if you weren’t always surrounded by wolves.”
The girl returned with a beer and handed it to Garrett with a smile.
“Thank you,” Garrett said. As she rejoined her friends, he opened the can. “See, I can be nice, and I have manners.”
I folded my arms, trying to come up with something flirtatious to say. Clearly, he knew about me and Kaleb, so he probably wouldn’t tell me anything. At least, nothing important. Maybe if I waited for him to drink more beer, he’d drop his guard and answer my questions. “When you’re ready for another beer, I could grab it. No need to bother that girl again.”
He looked at me, clearly suspecting my motives. “Thanks, but three’s my limit.”
“Oh,” was all I could say.
“Okay, I have a confession to make. I knew you wanted to see me, which is why I came over. I seem to have a sixth sense about these things. Whatever you want to say, spit it out.” He sipped his beer.
I shifted uncomfortably, wishing I knew more about witches. Did they all have a sixth sense or was that just one of Garrett’s abilities? “Well, I do have a few questions.”
“Ask away.”
“Why are you and Calandra in town? Are more witches coming? Are you guys looking for something? What are you looking for? When are you leaving?” the questions tumbled out of my mouth all at once.
“That’s a lot of questions.” He stared up at the canopy covering the gazebo. “Ummm…You’d have to ask Calandra. No. Maybe. I don’t know. Next week.”
I replayed my questions, matching them with his answers: Why are you and Calandra in town? You’d have to ask Calandra. Are more witches coming? No. Are you guys looking for something? Maybe. What are you looking for? I don’t know. When are you leaving? Next week.
“What do you mean I’d have to ask Calandra?” I asked. “Don’t you know why you’re in town?”
“The High Council didn’t include me in their plans. Calandra might be looking for something. I don’t know. She doesn’t like me, so she doesn’t tell me anything.” He drank the rest of his beer and set the can down. “You and I both know why I’m here.”
“Why?”
He scooted to the edge of his chair, leaning closer to whisper, “I came for you and your pretty smile.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls.” I rolled my eyes at his cheesy pickup line.
He laughed. “Sorry, you’re not my type.”
I’m not his type? H
e wasn’t my type!
“Have I hurt your feelings?” he asked.
“Of course not,” I replied, feigning nonchalance. “I’m already dating—”
“Dating? From what the locals are saying, you’re engaged to Kaleb. They call you the wolf girl.” Garrett looked me over, scratching his jawline. “Did he really claim you, or is that some lie you made up?”
I unfolded my arms. “Why would I lie?”
“If it isn’t, then prove it. Show me where he claimed you.”
“This is ridiculous.” I stood and lifted the right-hand side of my shirt. “See. It’s true.”
“Is it invisible? Because I can’t see anything.” A big smile crossed his face as he casually lay back against the cushion. “Why don’t you take off your shirt and I’ll look you over?”
“I’m not taking off my shirt.” I ran my hand down my side, annoyed at his suggestion. Considering I wasn’t his type, he seemed awfully interested in seeing me naked. “You can’t miss it. It’s right here…right…”
I frantically ran my hand up and down the side of my waist several times, even checking the other side as well. Was I losing my mind? Kaleb had claimed me on my right side, and Lexi had bitten me on the left shoulder. I saw both scars every morning when I got out of the shower.
I touched my left shoulder and felt a rough patch—the constant reminder of my fight with Lexi was still there, but Kaleb’s claim mark had disappeared. How could that be?
“Don’t worry.” Garrett winked at me. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
“I’m not lying,” I insisted as I straightened my shirt. Had Kaleb’s claim been revoked? Was that even possible?
“I guess you were wrong about him being busy.” He stood and walked backward toward the pool, keeping his gaze fixed on me. “It’s been fun. Maybe I’ll stop by the café, and we can talk again.”
He smiled and waved to someone by the lawn darts. Then he turned and strolled toward a group of girls.
I looked over to see which girl he’d waved to. Probably the one who brought him a beer. But the only person I saw was Kaleb and he looked furious as he stormed in Garrett’s direction.
“Kaleb!” I ran toward him, but he didn’t pause or even look at me. He was focused on Garrett, and not in a ‘nice to meet you’ kind of way. More like ‘I’m going to kill you’, which I couldn’t let happen.
“Get out of my way,” Kaleb said as I stopped in front of him, refusing to move. Another thirty feet and he’d be right on top of Garrett.
“What are you doing? You can’t—”
“I warned that warlock to stay away, and now he’s harassing you.”
“Kaleb, please, stop.” I placed a hand on his chest as he glared over my shoulder. “He wasn’t harassing me. Carmel asked me to talk to him and find out why they’re in town. It’s not a big deal.”
“My sister told you to talk to a warlock?” Kaleb’s gaze rested on me as he backed away, letting my hand fall to my side. He scanned the nearby woods. “Where the hell is she? And the other wolves? They’re supposed to be here.”
“I sent them away.”
His lips twisted. “What do you mean you sent them away?”
“I can take care of myself.” I folded my arms defensively, not liking the way he looked at me. Like I’d done something wrong. “I don’t need their protection.”
“Are you crazy?” His voice sounded angry and loud. “There are two witches in town and who knows if more are coming.”
“But Garrett said…” I glanced around as I realized people were watching us argue. I couldn’t remember if Kaleb and I had ever argued before. Sure, we’d disagreed on things, but I couldn’t recall him raising his voice at me.
Great. We were having our first argument, and it had to be in front of all the locals. In a few hours, the gossip would be swirling around town like fireflies.
“What did he say?” Kaleb wiped the sweat off his forehead and grunted.
“He said no more witches are coming and they’re leaving town next week.” I unfolded my arms and lowered my voice, attempting to look less upset. “Everyone’s watching us. Can we go for a walk?”
He looked around, scratching his jaw. Several people turned away as soon as his gaze met theirs. “It won’t look good if we leave the party. Why don’t we go inside?”
I turned around and walked toward the house.
Kaleb slid in next to me, clasping my hand in his. A few of the guys greeted him with a hello, but his response was nothing more than a nod. Thankfully, Garrett was nowhere to be seen.
We entered the house, passing three girls waiting in line for the bathroom as Kaleb led us through to the front hallway. They smiled at me, and I blushed, realizing they thought we were going to make out. How I wished that were true.
He opened a door at the end of the hallway, stepping aside to allow me to enter first. It seemed he’d been here before, as we’d passed several other doors and he hadn’t opened any of them.
I entered the room, surprised to see he’d led me to an office. A large oak desk faced a window, and off to the right was a brown leather couch and a fireplace. A wooden cabinet with glass panes stood against the wall, displaying several rifles. Next to the gun cabinet was a cart filled with glasses and several bottles of liquor.
Movement from the couch caught my eye. Two teenagers scrambled to their feet, looking embarrassed. One of them nudged the other, muttering something about not locking the door.
“Out.” Kaleb held the door open. “The sheriff’s office is off-limits. Tell everyone to stay out.”
“Yes, sir,” one of them mumbled as they hurried into the hallway.
Kaleb closed the door. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you. When I saw Garrett with you, I got angry.”
I stood next to the fireplace and folded my arms, determined not to let him charm his way out with an apology. Not now. Not when I had a bone to pick with him about all his secrets. “Where’s Markus?”
“He’s on Norwood Isle, packing for our trip.” Kaleb sat on the couch.
I frowned. He’d never mentioned a trip. “Where are we going?”
“You’re not going anywhere. I’m just going away for a week to take care of a few things. It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
“Don’t tell me not to worry,” I snapped. “If your trip has to do with the other packs, then you need to tell me.”
“It’s just a trip. It’s nothing—”
“Your sister told me everything. Why didn’t you tell me twenty wolves left Norwood because of me? I don’t want you forcing the wolves to protect me, and you’d better not kill any of them. I know you’re recruiting wolves from other packs. It sounds like you’re building an army.” I shook my head. “Don’t you understand? I don’t want anyone to go to war over us. You can’t just do whatever you want without thinking about the consequences.”
He growled, running a hand through his hair. “I ordered Carmel not to tell you. She knew—”
“You ordered her not to tell me?” I glared at him. “We’re supposed to be in a relationship, and that means we work together. You can’t keep me in the dark about stuff, especially when it affects the Norwood Pack. How can you expect me to marry you if you think I’m too weak to lead the wolves with you?”
His eyebrow shot up. “I never said you were weak.”
“You don’t have to. I’m constantly surrounded by wolves when there’s no need. I don’t want the wolves protecting me because you’re ordering them too.”
“They don’t have a choice. It’s their duty as Norwood wolves to protect my mate. If one of them—”
“I know it’s their duty, but can’t you ask which wolves want to spend their day watching me? Markus likes me, so finding another wolf can’t be that hard.” I took a deep breath, remembering what else Carmel had said. “Is it true the other packs want me dead?”
“Not exactly.” He cleared his throat, looking at me. “They want me to make amends with
the Rocklin alpha for Lexi’s death. Once I’ve done that, you’re safe. That’s why I’m going out of town this week—to meet with Vaughan, the Rocklin alpha.”
I swallowed hard. Did Vaughan regret not taking Lexi back after Kaleb rejected her? “I don’t like this. What if it’s a trap?”
“It’s not a trap. The other packs agreed to this meeting. If Vaughan tries anything, they’ll kill every single Rocklin wolf. Trust me—he’s not stupid.”
“Trust you?” I placed my hands on my hips. “All this time, you’ve been lying to me and keeping secrets. How can I trust anything you say?”
“It’s not what you think.” He got to his feet, walking toward me with open arms. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want you to worry. But I swear, you can trust me. I’ll tell you everything if that’s what you want. But when I have to make hard decisions, you need to support me even if you don’t agree. Can you do that?”
“Yes, but you have to promise you’ll always tell me the truth.” I took his hand, letting him lead me to the couch. The smell of leather hung in the air as we sat next to each other. “No more secrets.”
“I promise.” He pulled me closer.
“Does this mean we’re okay?” I asked as I rested my back against his chest. “The other night at the café, it felt like you were pushing me away with all that honesty talk.”
He kissed the top of my head and wrapped his arms around me. “We’re fine. I know it wasn’t easy for you to hear those things, but I needed to know you still wanted me. I didn’t want you thinking you were stuck with me because I’d claimed you. And if you changed your mind, I—”
“I’ll never change my mind about us.” I touched his arm, my heart hammering in my chest as I nervously contemplated the one question I needed to ask again. “You never answered my question.”
“Which one?”
“Do you want to have children with me?”
“Of course I do.” He sounded surprised, like I should have known the answer already. “If you’re not sure about having children, we can figure something out. I’ve always wanted a big family, but I can compromise.”
Romani Witch (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 2) Page 7
