Balance

by Leia Stone

  Balance

  By: Leia Stone

  Copyright © 2016 by Leia Stone. All rights reserved.

  Cover Art by Adithya Kaushik, Copyright © 2016 by Leia Stone

  Matefinder Series characters, names and related items are trademarks owned by Leia Stone.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced. Stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, live or dead are purely coincidental.

  Stone, Leia

  Balance

  Portland, Oregon 97229

  1. Fantasy Fiction

  For information on reproducing sections of this book or sales of this book go to www.facebook.com/leia.stone

  www.leiastone.com

  To my husband, for being an amazing father to our children and a wonderful partner in life. This is for you.

  Contents

  A New Era

  Old Friend

  Blood

  Avery

  Permanent

  Witches’ Ball

  Witches’ Wine

  Practice

  Headache

  Sulk

  Meeting

  Mom

  Healing

  Rebel

  Alone

  Water

  Trapped

  Epilogue

  A New Era

  Life would never be the same for humanity. Four months ago, Kai revealed the werewolf race to the humans. Since then, we had to fight a lot of fires. Militias had popped up all over the world; rebel humans that didn’t stand with their government or the police. They joined with the werewolves and sought out vampire dens and nightclubs, slaughtering vampires that put humans in harm’s way. But race protectors had also become a problem, humans that thought vampires and werewolves didn’t deserve to be here, that it was unnatural and Earth was for humans only. The result was a blood bath, calmed only by reports that the werewolves were a small species that was naturally dying out and were harmless to humans in comparison to vampires that needed humans as a food source. Sort of a lie because more and more mated couples were having children, thanks to my gift of finding mates. Kai couldn’t go out in public like he used to and our lives on the mountain had changed. All human residents of Mount Hood who didn’t agree with the werewolves, had left. They abandoned homes, shops, everything. It was creepy. The other werewolves were able to keep under the radar, but Kai’s face was all over the news.

  I was itching to find Layla, but every lead we had went dry. I was desperate to know if she was pregnant or not. The clock was ticking from when she bit me four months ago and had become fertile. Now, I had Emma on bed rest preparing to give birth and it racked my nerves. Werewolf pregnancy was dangerous and I tried not to think about it as I sat at Kai’s office desk tinkering with some dried herbs, learning to make spells. I wasn’t able to get over to see the witches as often as I wanted. They had managed to escape the limelight and wanted to keep their race a secret. The door creaked and I looked up smiling, sensing Kai. He walked in and gave me a look. His chestnut eyes were hooded, his wild brown hair fell in tousled waves across his forehead.

  ‘You’re stressing,’ he told me.

  I sighed. ‘Not really,’ I lied.

  He came up behind me and slowly massaged my shoulders. Mmmm. Then he spun the chair around and faced me. Reaching my hand out, I rubbed the stubble of his strong jaw and he kissed my nose.

  “We will find Layla, and Emma will be fine,” he declared out loud. As if that would make it true.

  “Okay,” I said, because he was trying to make me feel better. Nothing would make me feel better until Layla was a pile of ash.

  His phone buzzed with a text. “It’s Emma. She wants us to come over.”

  I jumped up, heart pounding. “Is she okay? Is it labor?” I wiped my palms on my jeans. I was ready; I had read all the books, taken all the classes.

  Kai placed two hands on my shoulders. “She’s fine. She said she just wants to talk.”

  I released a shaky breath as Kai watched me in anxiety.

  We walked to Emma’s, hand in hand. The weather was perfect. Summer. Everything was in bloom. The trees stood tall and thick around our property on Mount Hood. I inhaled. God, I loved this mountain. Kai knocked before letting himself in. Emma was not to leave the couch. Even at thirty-six weeks along, Diya didn’t want her to go into early labor if she could help it.

  Diya, Kai’s sister and the pack midwife, was tending to Emma on the couch. Diya’s own pregnant bump was showing. How far along was she now? Nearly four months. Almost every mated couple I had brought together was pregnant. Ten, twenty years from now, our numbers would be stronger. Diya gave us a quick hug and then left.

  I gazed at Emma on the couch. Her bright red pixie hair and vibrant green eyes were the unique marker of my best friend. So beautiful but so broken after losing her mate. My stomach dropped at the thought of Devon’s death, sacrificing himself to save me. I don’t think the pack will ever truly heal from that loss. Emma’s hands were rested upon her giant belly. She was huge. I know you weren’t supposed to say that to a pregnant woman, but it was okay to think it, right? Her belly looked so swollen, like she would pop at any moment. I leaned down and placed a small kiss on her cheek. My best friend’s happiness was everything to me.

  “Hey, pretty mama,” I peppered her with a compliment.

  She rolled her eyes. “Shut up. I’m gigantic.”

  I shared a look with Kai.

  “You’re not gigantic. You’re just really pregnant,” I told her.

  She waved me away. “Whatever. I wanted to talk to you both about something serious. Please sit down.”

  I sat down with unease and prepared myself. Had Diya found a placental abruption? Low amniotic fluid? I had researched it all. I was Emma’s birthing partner and I wanted to be ready for anything.

  Kai gently took her small, pale hand in his. “What is it, sweetie?” he asked with concern. Kai had never said it out loud but Emma was his favorite, most cherished pack member. I knew it; I could feel it.

  Emma’s eyes filled with tears, her lips pursed. Turning to me, she met my eyes. “Before Devon died, we had a talk. We agreed that if anything happened to us, we wanted you and Kai to take care of the baby.”

  Tears lined my eyes. “Nothing is going to happen,” I said as emotion constricted my voice. Why was she saying this? Kai kept it together for the both of us, gazing at her with a strong and loving look.

  “Devon’s gone now, Aurora. I have to be practical.” She pulled out some papers from under her pillow. “Sign these and if I die, it gives you full legal custody. Devon signed them before he …”

  I stood up. “No! You’re not dying. Do you understand me?” A mirror on the wall rattled as mist leaked from my skin. “Life won’t be that cruel. It won’t,” I stated to the universe. I could feel the Devi stirring inside of me. The witches had discovered that I had two affinities, healing and future sight. They also discovered I was a Devi. A soul had attached to mine to help with a big life purpose. They compared the soul to an angel but it still freaked me out. She had awoken with my anger and now I struggled to calm her.

  “Calm down,” Kai told me firmly and put his Alpha power into the words. My mist stopped immediately and I took a deep breath.

  Emma reached for my hand. “Aurora, you don’t understand. You’re not a mother. You don’t get it. I have this life inside of me. This helpless thing that depends on me for survival. I need to make plans just in case. If you don’t agree, I’ll choose D
iya and Trent.”

  My heart crushed. “Of course, I agree.” I dropped to my knees and hugged her.

  Emma nodded. “Going into labor, I need to know that everything is set up.”

  Kai laid the papers down on the coffee table and pulled a pen from his back pocket, signing his name, then he handed it to me. My mate was an Alpha but he was different with me. He never pushed me or threatened me, but the look he gave me now sent chills up my arms.

  ‘She won’t die,’ I told him.

  ‘Sign it, now,’ he commanded and gave me a look that scared me. I took the pen and signed my name. Emma needed me to do this, so I would, but my best friend wasn’t going anywhere.

  Emma sighed in relief and I squeezed her hand. “You’re best friend and birthing partner is a badass witch with healing powers. Don’t forget that,” I told her. You better believe that if anything went wrong I was calling on every power I had to help her.

  She smiled and I saw that a weight had lifted off of her. She must have been carrying this a while.

  Kai rubbed her belly. “Emma, don’t worry. This baby will be well taken care of and loved, no matter what. She will know how courageous her father was and how loving her mother is and I will make sure she has a long and happy life.”

  She looked more at peace. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” She lay back and relaxed on the couch. “So, you think it’s a girl?” she asked Kai. She was keeping the sex a surprise, even from herself.

  Kai smiled. “I do, I sense it.”

  “It’s a boy,” I told them both, rolling my eyes.

  I didn’t sense it but I could totally imagine a feisty boy with red hair and green eyes.

  Emma laughed. “I think it’s a boy, too. Devon wanted a girl. We will see.”

  She closed her eyes then, looking utterly exhausted. I kissed her cheek and went back to the nursery. Diya and I had set everything up, but I wanted to add one more thing. I pulled a small wooden wolf carving from my pocket. It was a protection charm, from Nahuel, my shaman spirit guide who was also my brother in a past life. He had been trying to help us find Layla, too, with no success. I set the polished wood figurine on the white dresser and looked around. Baby stuff was cute. I told Kai I wanted to wait five years and then after two babies I would let the witches do a spell on me to make me infertile. That way, the vampires and RAIDOS would leave me alone. I held a tiny white onesie and smiled. Who knows, maybe we would only wait a year.

  Kai came up behind me and patted my belly. “I heard that thought,” he told me.

  I spun around and shook an accusatory finger at him. “Hey! Privacy please.” I tapped my head.

  He smiled and looked around the nursery and then at my belly. “I’m ready when you are.”

  I rolled my eyes and walked past him. “Good to know.”

  Old Friend

  I wanted to stop by Safe Haven and see how all the women were doing, but I knew Kai wouldn’t allow me to leave the mountain. Our wolves were working full-time security detail protecting Safe Haven and running check points all along the mountain, as well as trying to hold down their day jobs and fight alongside the militias. The 600-strong militia that had aligned with us was helping, but Kai wanted to make sure the workload was equal. I decided to spend the rest of the day hanging around with Emma and the girls. As it was starting to get dark, I said my goodbyes and ran home to do some quick gardening before the light was completely gone. I had planted some veggies and I needed to water them daily. I was becoming aware of how domesticated I had become. Gardening, cooking, and I had a cat. Next would be knitting at this rate.

  I was hunched over a strawberry bush when Kai came out the front door and started stretching, getting ready for a run. He was inspecting some cuts on his arms.

  “That damn cat! She’s psycho,” he exclaimed.

  I stifled a laugh. Luna was gifted to me by Gretchen, my healing witch mentor. She was white, tiny, and utterly harmless. She also hated werewolves and only liked me because I smelled of witch.

  “Aww, she scratch you again?” I asked in a baby voice. Kai had originally locked her in one bedroom, but after a couple weeks of my begging, he allowed me to let her roam the house free.

  Kai gave me a glare. “She was hiding in a drawer in my filing cabinet. Took five years off of my life!” he exclaimed.

  I busted up laughing. “Breaking news! Tiny white kitten gives big, bad Alpha a heart attack.”

  Kai grinned, flashing his bright white teeth and dimples and looked me up and down. I was wearing cut-off jean shorts, rain boots, and gardening gloves. The sun was setting and my long blonde hair fell halfway down my back.

  Kai sighed. ‘It’s hard to concentrate on anything when you’re wearing those tiny shorts.’

  I grinned and bent over to grab the watering can, giving him full view of my rear. Hearing his growl made me laugh.

  ‘Have a nice run,’ I told him.

  ‘I will. Get nice and dirty so we can shower later,’ he told me and winked.

  I smiled again. Married life suited us. I heard the snapping of twigs as Kai jogged off into the woods.

  “Aurora!” Kai suddenly turned and yelled at me. I broke out of my thoughts and ran over to him. Concern etched across his face, his nostrils flaring.

  “Do you smell that?” he quizzed me.

  I froze and inhaled. “Alek?” What was he doing here? Alek was the only vampire I had met that was good. He drank exclusively from blood banks and lived with a human wife.

  Kai grabbed my hand and we jogged around to the front of our house. Tossing my gardening gloves on the ground, we ran down the main road and towards the smell. The road was lined with densely packed trees and as we rounded the corner, I saw that the headlights of a car showed that Alek was being pinned to the hood, Max’s elbow at his throat. Jai had pinned a young teenage vampire face down on the ground and had a stake in one hand.

  Kai shouted in a deep baritone voice, “Stand down! They’re friends of mine.”

  Max looked in Kai’s direction but didn’t ease up on Alek’s windpipe. Looking closer, I saw now that Max had a silver spike in his other hand. Alek wasn’t fighting back; he was rigid and calm. Max was Kai’s second in command for a long time until I came along. He was very dominant and often times didn’t listen, now seemed to be one of those times.

  “Are you deaf, Max? Stand down!” I shouted and power oozed out of my voice. Kai gave me a side glance and I saw he was smirking. Max pulled off of Alek and gave me a glare that told me he didn’t appreciate my comment and I might be paying for it later. Well, too bad.

  I picked up my pace into super-fast mode and grabbed Alek’s elbow, helping him up. Jai pulled the teen vampire into a standing position.

  “I’m sorry, they don’t know about you,” I told Alek.

  Alek nodded, eyeing Max with a look of revenge.

  Jai pushed the other guy in our direction. “Since when are blood suckers our friends?” he addressed his brother.

  The teenage vampire hissed, making a move to attack Jai, but Alek’s hand snaked out grabbing him by the shirt, restraining him. The boy’s hair was greasy and black, his frame was thin, and his hands shook. I inhaled. He smelled of heroin. That metallic smell was familiar now. I had first smelled it in the nightclub when Kai and I discovered that vampires were getting humans high on heroin and then drinking from them. Vampires couldn’t get high themselves; they metabolized it too fast. Drinking through a human was the only way.

  “Calm down, lad, we have enough problems to worry about,” Alek told the teenager.

  His voice shook. Now that I was close to him, I could see that Alek’s normally pristine appearance was disheveled. His pupils were black, dark circles ringed his eyes, and his clothes were dirty.

  Kai picked up on it, too. “Are you guys okay?”

  Alek sighed, then he looked at Jai and Max. “Can we talk in private?”

  Max chuckled. “So you can kill our Alpha or steal Aurora? Nice try. No.”
r />   Kai glared at Max but didn’t dismiss him.

  ‘He has a point,’ Kai told me.

  I agreed, as shitty as it felt. We didn’t really know Alek that well. I motioned to Jai. “Jai, go get Alexa.”

  Jai looked disappointed at the dismissal but did as I asked. Max was staying.

  “What’s going on, Alek?” I asked him.

  He let out a shaky breath. “Where do I begin?”

  The teenager scratched his arms. “We need blood.”

  Alek fit him with a death glare and for the first time I saw just how deadly Alek could be when provoked.

  Kai had straightened his posture. To anyone else he may have looked like he was just adjusting his stance, but I knew he was getting ready for a possible fight.

  Alek put his arms up in a gesture of peace. “That’s not why we’re here. The kid is a newly-changed vampire. He’s strung out on heroin. I’m trying to help him get clean. When you’re newly changed, all you can think about is blood.”

  “But you don’t look so great either, Alek, so is it true? Do you need blood?” Kai asked him and put the power of the Alpha into his words.

  Alek swallowed as if salivating. “Yes, the blood banks have all been burned to the ground, thanks to your little shout out to my people.” He looked at me.

  I recoiled. “What shout out?”

  Alek sighed. “On social media, the footage from the barn, Kai says, ‘Kill all the vampires’ and you say, ‘No, they aren’t all bad.’ Well, Layla didn’t appreciate that. She took out all of our blood banks. But I can control myself without blood. The kid can’t.” He motioned to the teen.

  “Shit! I’m so sorry,” I told him. I had only been trying to help.

  Kai had his poker face on. I could tell he was deciding whether or not to trust him. “Where’s your wife?” Kai quizzed him. Alek’s wife was human.

  “Safe. I had her go into hiding as soon as the first blood bank went down a month ago. I don’t want her getting hurt from anyone, especially me.”