Grayslake: More than Mated: Make Her Howl (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Flora Dare

  Her mouth had a wistful turn, but Magda shook her head no and whispered, "Bye, Momma," as she backed away from the house.

  Tears nearly blinded her as drove down the road. She grabbed a tissue and scrubbed at her eyes, pushing down her feelings and focusing on the road. The silence of the car was overwhelming, but she let the whir of the wheels on tarmac be the music she drove to.

  Long minutes passed and she realized she'd unconsciously chosen the same route out of town they'd used all those years ago. The same section of road she'd very carefully avoided since she came back. Her foot eased off the gas pedal and her heart beat faster.

  As she came to the stretch of road where her mate and her youthful dreams both passed away from her, Magda's throat tightened. Before she could think too hard or long, she pulled to the shoulder and stopped the car.

  A deep, shuddering moan escaped her lips and she flung the car door open. The headlights illuminated the side of the road and she walked forward. How could this ordinary, boring stretch of road bind her so tightly.

  Magda realized there was a plinth in front of her that she didn't recognize. She stepped forward and realized there were words engraved on the black stone. Her fingers traced them as it took a moment for her brain to process the words. The world fell away from her as her vision tunneled in on the simple words.

  It was a memorial. For Stuart and Lira’s father.

  A shaft of ice drilled through her heart and her ears rang. Was this something Deidre did? Why else would it be here?

  A wooden crack in the underbrush broke the mood and scared her. She shouted, "Is someone out there?"

  A dark shadow broke away from the trees and Magda growled. Fur sprouted on her arms and her claws began to push out from her hands. Her lips stretched to cover her fangs and the taste of blood combined with her fear started to push her shift out of her control. Her bones were twisting, and if he was human and saw her shift, she'd have to kill him.

  Besides not wanting to kill a potential innocent, it would force her to stay in Grayslake until she could report it to Ty. And she could face punishment.

  A scent carried to her, it was familiar, but she was starting to lose control. She growled a warning, telling the other shifter something was wrong. She still couldn't visual identify who it was, but he stopped and his scent washed over her. Reid.

  Fear and rage and the deep pain at losing Marc took hold of Magda's mind and she saw only red. He was going to force her, like they'd tried to force them years ago. Right here, where she lost Stuart, she was losing everything again.

  She gave into the blind rage and released the chains on her wolf. She shifted and leap at him, screaming out her defiance. She would not go back in chains.

  He twisted away from her, shouting words that the wind whipped away. She sprung back towards him. As he danced away, he got a hand on her ruff and suddenly she was human again. Her wolf was shoved rudely into the back of her mind and she landed heavily on the ground, the wind knocked out of her.

  His foot was on her back and she waited for his killing blow, but he stood there for a long moment before he finally said, "You done? Didn't mean to scare you, thought you would recognize my scent."

  "You'll have to kill me, you can't force me to go back."

  Reid stepped back and said, "I realize I have a fairly well deserved reputation, but why the hell would you think I would kill you? Or drag you anywhere?" He seemed insulted. "I am a happily mated wolf and even if I wasn't, I would never force a woman."

  The panic of the moment faded and Magda rolled over on her back. "I don't understand anything right now."

  His eyes were sympathetic. "I scared you, your mind was already full of the past, and I've been bugging you about pack bullshit." He extended his hand down to her. "We've all panicked before. Sorry about forcing you human. Evelyn would not have you over for dinner if you ripped my throat out."

  Magda accepted his hand up and dusted herself off. She said, "How did you find me?"

  Reid shrugged and said, "Van saw you tear away from the B&B, in tears. He was on the phone with me and worried." He swung a bag from over his shoulder, and pulled out a thermos. "Then Evelyn saw you driving away from town and told me. As to this location? I guessed."

  "But I didn't plan to come this way, I was distracted..." She trailed off, her voice getting small.

  "Yeah, the angry lizard brain takes over sometimes. At least, mine does." He hopped up on the hood of her car and cracked open the thermos. "Evelyn thought if I caught up with you, you might like some tea."

  Magda's confusion left her silent and she simply accept the hot tea from Reid. The warmth of the cup felt good against her chilled hands. She wanted Marc to show up and pull her against his chest. But that wasn't what was going to happen.

  "This is where the accident happened."

  Reid's bald statement made Magda flinch. "It was no accident. We were run off the road and they were killed."

  "Was it intentional?" He was very matter of fact.

  "Yes. No. I don't know." She sighed, she did know. "No, he was trying to get in front of us. To stop us from leaving. Reid, you don't understand, they weren't going to let us be mates and have a happily ever after. They were going to kill the humans who knew our secrets." Her long suppressed rage and fear started burbling out again. "He thought he could beat me into submission."

  He leaned back and looked at the stars. "But you left again."

  She stared up at the cold moon. "After the accident, the alpha came to the hospital. Said he was only sorry he hadn't gotten to do it himself." She flinched from Reid's growl. "Deidre heard, we were still together. We left that night, no one expected us to have any fight left."

  "But Deirdre was pregnant."

  "Reid, we were both pregnant with half shifter babies."

  "There's another kid?"

  "No, in the aftermath of the accident, I lost the pregnancy. My heart broke all over again. That's when I swore I would never, ever come back here."

  "How'd that work out for you?"

  She had to laugh at his laconic drawl. "Well, Deirdre was very, very good at getting her way."

  "So, what does all of this have to do with you and the good doctor? Did he hurt you?"

  "Did he hurt me?" Magda was confused by the question and by Reid being, perhaps not gentle but as gentle as she thought was possible for him. She shook her head, "No, but you don't understand. I can't stay here, not without hurting him."

  "Hurting him or you?"

  "Does it matter?"

  "Sure, cause you're fleeing town like you robbed a bank."

  "He's devoted to the pack. And it won't be right away, but eventually, he'll have to choose the pack over me. Over something important."

  "So you think he'll love the pack more than his mate?"

  She flinched away from the truth of his words. "In a word, yes. The alpha's word is law and must be obeyed. If he wants something bad enough, his strength overrules everything. And I can't, I won't accept that."

  Silence hung between them before Reid rubbed his hand across his forehead. "Magda, I can't lie and say that doesn't happen, but the pack isn't about the Alpha being a dictator in charge of everything. Sure, one person makes the decisions, but a good Alpha will take everyone into account."

  "It's still the whim of one man."

  "Not really. Bates answers to Southeast Alpha and have you met your mother? Whatever she learned from the old Alpha, she has a spine of steel now. Besides, the pack is there to help everyone. We're supposed to work together, to help each other."

  "Like how?"

  "Magda, the Southeast Alpha no longer recognizes me as pack. I’m clan now. And the Southeast Itan took me in and forced me to take over Evelyn’s clan. Forced. You think I wanna lead a bunch of pussy, whining bears?” His expression showed disgust but she heard a thread of pride in his tone. “If I was a power hungry despot, don’t you think I would have killed my way to the top by now? I could. But I haven’t. Might be fun
though.” He murmured the last words and she wasn’t sure if he was joking or not.

  "No, I guess not. But, regardless, he can't be my mate."

  "You stink of lies when you say that. Does he feel like your mate?"

  She nodded miserably.

  "And you think if he's your mate, you have to be in the pack."

  Magda nodded again.

  "Well, since you’re mates, you're gonna want to be part of his life."

  "Exactly, and the pack is his life. And the pack will side with him against me, if something happens."

  "The pack whose Alpha said he was not going to make you join.” He quirked a brow. “Seriously, has anyone in the current pack acted badly?"

  "Besides you?"

  "Yes, besides me," Reid said, testily. “And I’m clan now.” He said the words with disgust, but there was no missing the underlying thread of happiness.

  Calm now, Magda ran through her time in Grayslake. Everyone had been kind and welcoming. Bates and Zoey had helped make sure Lira's wedding was pulled off without a hitch.

  So why didn't she want to accept Marc? She stared at the memorial and stood abruptly. Magda strode over to the somber black plinth and rested her hand on Stuart's name.

  "I'm afraid I'll be dishonoring him."

  Reid didn’t ask which him she was talking about. "Didn't know the guy, can't say what he would of thought, but I know how I feel about Evelyn. If I kicked it? I'd hate to think she spent decades miserable and alone when she could have found happiness again."

  "You would be okay with her being with another man?"

  "Fuck no. I'd hate it. If I were alive, I'd fucking kill him for even looking at her. But the point is, I wouldn’t be alive. She would be and I love her more than I hate. Plus, I’d haunt them."

  "I hadn't thought of it like that."

  "Don't let your past destroy your future. You can thank my fifth therapist for that one. At a certain point, you have to live for you."

  Magda dropped her head to her hands. Thoughts tumbled and twirled in her mind. "I have to think about it, I don't know what to do."

  "I'm just an asshole trying to reform for my mate and I’d fucking kill for a cigarette right now. You probably shouldn't listen to me. But how will you feel if you run because you are scared?"

  "I'm not running away."

  Reid grunted. "You were driving away in a car full of suitcases for fun?"

  "I guess I was running away."

  "Finding your mate makes you do crazy shit, even in the best of times. Maybe you should sleep on it."

  Magda nodded. "Yeah, maybe that's a better idea than whatever I was doing."

  He held his hand out to her, "Gimme your keys." She hesitated and he rolled his eyes. "Or drive yourself. Except you said you've had a lot of day. I feel it will be safer if I drive."

  She handed him the keys.

  Chapter Eighteen

  He'd gotten home as soon as he could, and Magda was gone. Just the faintest whiff of her perfume on his pillows. His wolf went from a contented puppy to a raging beast, howling that he needed to find his mate, now.

  He sat on the edge of the bed, exhaustion making him dizzy. She was skittish, it had been intense, she might have needed to go home, to get some space. He stripped and crawled into bed, pulling the pillow she'd rested her head on towards him, her scent lingering and soothing him as he drifted back to sleep.

  He woke abruptly to his phone's vibrations. Magda. He fumbled with the device, but the newest text was from an unknown number.

  "Please come to the B&B as soon as possible."

  What the hell was going on?

  ***

  Marc stood on the porch, nervously. Something felt off, like the world was skewed a few degrees from center. He couldn't actually see anything wrong, but things felt strange. The air was slippery, like lightning was about to strike, despite the clear summer sky.

  He was about to knock on the door when Nancy pulled it open, grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him inside. She put her finger to her lips and shushed him when he tried to say something. She let go of his shirt, but grabbed his hand and drug him into the kitchen.

  Grace looked relieved to see him. "How did you know to come here?"

  Her back pressed against the wall, Nancy shrugged at both of them. "You promised, Memaw, not me. Magda wasn't exactly quiet when she came home last night, okay?" She rolled her eyes. "I listened at the door. And I didn't text him until she came back."

  Marc furrowed his brow and slowly shook his head. "Well, of course she came back from our date, she lives here. And I had to go to the hospital."

  "Just sit. Lemme make sure she didn’t hear us." Nancy peeked out into the hallway. "All clear. Let me fill you in, because it seems like you have no idea what is happening.” Nancy plopped in a chair. “Magda went on date. Magda came home, in tears. Magda packed her suitcases, hugged Memaw, who, by the by, then also wept hysterically, then roared down the drive out into the night."

  She paused for a sip of water, while Marc mentally ran through every horrible thing that could have happened to Magda. “Then, of all freaking things, like, an hour later, she drives back to the house. Her car? Driven by Reid. Reid, the one asshole who keeps hassling her. They shook hands, then he loped off into the woods."

  Marc felt his temper slipping. She'd left. That was what that last frantic coupling had been. It was goodbye. His hands clenched and he felt fur starting to lift his shirt. He wanted to shift and run, to catch her. Claim her with his bite. She ran. A sudden sharp slap broke his thought spiral.

  He stared, shocked, at Memaw. "You hit me a spoon?"

  "Goddamn right I did. You start to shift at my kitchen table again and I will put you over my knee." She set the utensil back on the table. "Magda is here. She is here, back in Grayslake because she wants to be. Because whatever sent her running, she got past that and turned around and came back. Are you going to figure it out, or let your stupid wolf rule you?"

  Marc was suitably chastened. "I'm going to figure it out." Licks of jealousy still curled around his midsection, but he tamped them down. He should be grateful Reid was there to bring her home, even if he did want to rip the man's face off with his bare hands. He shook his head, trying to knock the irrational thoughts out.

  Memaw rubbed her fingers between her eyes, shaking her head. "Do you think you can pull it together before you see her?"

  He nodded. "Sorry, I've never had reason to be jealous, before. Not my usual experience. It's hard to shake off."

  They heard movement overhead and the sound of the shower. Nancy swung into action. She grabbed Marc and pulled him to the back door. She said, "Take this, follow the directions inside. She'll catch up soon enough and will know where you need to go if you get lost."

  "What? She's going to see my car and know I'm here."

  But her shove into the small of his back sent him sprawling out the door and he headed the direction she indicated. He looked at his arm, dangling from it was an old fashioned picnic basket.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The warm water cascaded over her shoulders. Magda leaned forward, letting the water pressure pound at the knots. Sleeping had helped, but her thoughts were still a crazed jumble.

  Reid's words tumbled and kept popping up. Mate. Was it even possible to have another mate? Couldn't she like the guy without it being a whole mate situation? Except merely thinking about him made her hot and bothered in a way only one other man had done: Stuart.

  Don't let your past destroy your future.

  Magda pulled up every moment she'd had with Stuart, every scrap of conversation she could remember. Every emotion and feeling she'd had with him.

  It matched. What I feel for Marc matches what I felt for Stuart. Her legs wobbly, Magda sank to the floor of the shower. Holy crap, he's my mate?

  And she’d left him without bothering to leave a note. Just a panic-stricken run that apparently half the town saw. He might never forgive me.

  Her wolf
whimpered, then growled. At least part of her wasn't giving up without a fight. Magda stood up and got out of the shower. Maybe he hadn't even left the hospital yet. Maybe he didn't know.

  And if he did? She was going to hold him down until he gave in.

  She threw clothes on and ran down the stairs, slamming directly into Nancy as she did.

  "Geez, Magda, you'd think you just realized that running away from your mate was really stupid or something."

  Magda winced. "So, everyone knows?"

  "Auntie Mags, I think dogs know it at this point."

  "Well, frick." What she wanted to do was cuss the air blue.

  "You can cuss in front of me."

  "Yeah, and if Memaw heard me? I need to go, you're blocking the door."

  Nancy said, "You running to find Marc?"

  "That obvious?"

  "Again, dogs know. But since I know where he is, you should maybe not run off like a bitch in heat." Nancy immediately looked around for Memaw.

  From the kitchen came a voice, "I heard that! Tell her already and get in here. I have more than enough soap for that sassy mouth."

  Nancy winced and shrugged, "Oh well, I kind of had that coming. Anyways, she didn't rat you out, but I did. Y'all are loud and woke me up with all your drama. So I texted Marc a message to get over here."

  "He's here?" Magda spun around, sniffing the air, trying to track him, until Nancy grabbed her arm.

  "Wow, you have no chill. Just…none. I sent him off to the big rock with a picnic basket. He's probably lost, so go find him already."

  Magda grabbed her niece and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Thanks, kiddo. You are shockingly like Memaw."

  "What can I say, I enjoy a good meddle. Plus, if you and the doc hook up, he can introduce me and Helen to all the cuties at the hospital."

  Magda stepped out of the house and sniffed the air. She shifted as she broke into a run, her wolf had a much better nose and Nancy hadn't been entirely incorrect. She was kind of a bitch in heat. The second Magda's sensitive nose caught the most recent scent trail she was off like a shot, her pace devouring the space between her and her mate.