by Tamsin Ley
“Not as such, but it will hurt enough to drive her insane,” the Head of Covens replied.
Tessa added, “It’s a witch’s version of going rogue.”
Jen leaned forward and set her hand gently on top of the pet carrier. “At least allow me to keep Hamilton from suffering. Afterward you can do as you like to me.”
Councilman Dixon, the auburn-haired selkie representative, spoke. “You’ve been hiding your use of black magic for years. How can we trust you to cast anything, let alone remove your own magic?”
The Head of Covens rubbed her temple and sighed. “I along with several other coven leaders would test her, of course, and verify she had no trace of magic. We would also test her familiar and ensure it reverted to a normal animal. But I’m not recommending this sentence.”
Councilman Riordan curled his lips in a very wolfish looking snarl. “I say let her taste her own medicine. Let her suffer what it means to go rogue before she dies.”
Ashlyn swallowed, suddenly doubting her part in changing the sentence. Perhaps being burned alive wasn’t such a bad option.
The Head of Covens signaled to a witch standing at one side of the room to approach, and whispered something in her ear. The witch disappeared down a hallway, reappearing moments later carrying a small leather pouch, which she handed to the leader. Rising, the Head of Covens approached Jen’s chair, her stilettos clicking across the wooden floor. “Please bring out your familiar and rise for your sentence.”
With trembling hands, Jen opened the pet carrier and removed Hamilton, lowering her face to press her lips to the top of his head as she stood. When she looked up, her eyes glistened with tears. “We’re ready.”
“You are hereby sentenced to revoke your magical power immediately and at your own free will, upon which, you will be remanded to your sister’s custody for the duration of your life. In the event you do not revoke your power, you will be bound to a stake and burned to ash before the sun rises in the morning. Do you understand?”
Jen nodded, gulping. “Yes.”
The Head of Covens opened the leather bag and brought out a small gleaming knife and two tiny vials, one brown, one green. She offered them to Jen.
Hamilton squeaked and squirmed in her arms, burrowing against her neck as if beseeching her to reconsider.
She rubbed her cheek against him one last time before setting him on the floor. “Go, Hamilton.”
The little ferret cowered for a moment, looking up at her with his one good eye, then he turned and slunk out of the circle toward Muffy.
Jen took the items, staring stiffly at them for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and made a series of movements with her hands. She emptied the contents of the vials onto the blade, one after the other. Speaking a few shaky words Ashlyn didn’t understand, Jen plunged the point beneath her ribs.
Ashlyn gasped as Jen sank slowly to her knees, dropping forward onto one hand while keeping the other clasped around the knife’s hilt. A crimson pool grew steadily beneath her, running up to the edge of the circle of stones where it magically stopped. Light pulsed around her as if in time to a beating heart, growing dimmer with each flash until it vanished.
Taking a step forward, Ashlyn was going to try to stop the bleeding, but Kepler’s grip on her arm stopped her. “Don’t interfere.”
She watched in horror as Jen yanked the knife free and sagged onto her side, curling into a fetal position. The knife fell from her hand into the pooling blood, it’s once-gleaming metal now corroded and black.
“Is she dead?” Ashlyn whispered.
The witches in the gallery rose in a whoosh of sound and approached the circle of stones. Forming a solid wall, they faced the circle, and a hum of magic filled Ashlyn’s ears, encircling her heart until she could hardly breathe. She glanced at Muffy, who held Hamilton against her chest, tears glistening on her reddened cheeks. The ferret squirmed and writhed, but Muffy held on tightly.
Suddenly, the magic ceased, and the wall of witches parted. Jen lay where she’d fallen, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. The blood on the floor had vanished. Hamilton escaped Muffy’s grasp, scurrying under the chairs and disappearing from sight.
The Head of Covens addressed the room. “It is done. Let it be known that the covens have verified that Jennifer Lynn Elliot has revoked her magic and is now a mortal human. She is no longer under the protection of our order.”
A chorus of “Aye” rose from the witches, along with a few disgruntled words from the assembled shifters.
Councilman Riordan stood, his piercing gaze silencing the crowd. “The witch has served her sentence. Although she no longer falls under the protection of the witches, be warned that anyone who harms her will be held accountable for harming a human without cause.”
The shifters in the gallery muttered their reluctant acceptance of his announcement. Ashlyn got the feeling Jen might not have long to live, anyway. Muffy was on her knees next to her sister, encouraging her to stand. Although Jen’s eyes were open and her chest moved with rapid breaths, there was a deadness to her gaze that Ashlyn recognized. She’d felt it herself when she lost her wolf.
She almost felt sorry for the witch.
Almost.
Kepler leaned against the countertop and sipped his coffee, watching Ashlyn as she moved around the bakery kitchen with her cousin, Lana. He needed to get to work, but hated leaving his mate’s side for even a few hours after everything they’d been through. Plus, she fed him muffins when he came to the bakery, so he spent his mornings there before going to the office.
Lana hefted a tray of doughnuts and carried it to the front customer area, shoving it into the glass case near the register before returning to the kitchen. He liked Ashlyn’s cousin, but she put a bit of a damper on his ability to be frisky with his new mate. She kept glancing out the front windows, and he had the feeling there was more to her hanging around the bakery these last few days than having her boat dry-docked for repairs.
The bell over the door jingled, and Cal’s voice carried into the kitchen. “It’s just me!”
Lana’s face brightened, and she tucked a loose strand of unruly blonde hair under her baseball cap before rearranging the bear claws on a tray for what had to be the dozenth time.
Kepler shot a glance at Ashlyn, raising one eyebrow in an “I told you so,” fashion.
Ashlyn’s eyes twinkled, and she sent, She has a crush.
It can’t go anywhere. He shook his head. She’s not his mate, or he would’ve said something.
Her face fell. Crap. Lana had lost her husband a while back, and Ashlyn was super protective of her.
Cal strutted into the kitchen wearing his new brown Wildlife Trooper uniform. After the hearing, Finch had finagled Cal an entry level position. Kepler’d never seen his friend this happy.
Glancing at Kepler’s maroon tee shirt as he bee-lined it toward the bear claws, Cal said, “Nice shirt, man.”
“Thanks,” Kepler replied. The shirt said stop looking at my wife’s cookies, and Ashlyn had giggled about it for hours after he’d put it on it.
Cal nodded at Lana as he helped himself to a pastry. “Hey, how’s it going?” Without waiting for her reply, he pulled a stool out and sat facing Kepler. “So, you decide yet?”
Lana’s cheeks flushed, and she dusted imaginary flour off her jeans. “Um, yeah, good. I’m good. I need to go.”
She rushed out of the kitchen and through the front door, the cold smell of snow driving away the smell of baked goods for a moment.
Ashlyn frowned. “What was that all about?”
Cal looked just as confused, speaking around a mouthful of bear claw. “No idea. I thought we had a good time last night.”
Kepler narrowed his eyes and stared his friend down. “You didn’t.”
“What? Yeah, we did.” He polished off the bear claw.
Throwing her oven mitt aside, Ashlyn peeked into the customer area before rounding on Cal. “You shouldn’t lead her on.”
“I’m not. She came over last night to chill, you know?” He shrugged.
Kepler set his coffee aside and put his hands on his hips. Shifters often dallied with humans on a casual basis, knowing it wouldn’t lead to anything permanent. But Kepler’d never really thought about how a human might hope differently. “Lana is off limits.”
Cal frowned. “She’s a grown woman. She’s got needs the same as the rest of us.”
“She’s fragile, Cal.” Ashlyn sighed. “Just leave her alone, okay?”
Cal’s face fell, and he nodded. “Fine.” He reached for a second bear claw. “But we did have fun.”
Ashlyn smacked his hand with a scowl. “Paws off the claws. Those are for customers.”
“I like it better when Lana’s in charge.” He licked his fingers. “Don’t I at least get a pack discount or something?”
Cal had been bugging him since the honeymoon to register their new pack with the Council, but Kepler wasn’t sure he was ready. He was still focused on spending time with Ashlyn. “Stop bugging me about the pack thing. I haven’t decided.”
“Let Ashlyn do it. She’s as Alpha as you are.” Cal licked his finger and used it to pick up crumbs from an empty baking tray. “More Alpha, maybe.”
Ashlyn’s scowl dissolved into a smirk. “Kepler’s right about you being a suck up, Cal.” She shook her head. “But I kinda like it.”
Cal grinned in triumph. “See, Kep? Listen to your better half.” He snagged a bear claw and scooted past Ashlyn before she could stop him. “Gotta go. Finch wants me to find out who’s been harassing moose around Skilak Lake. See ya!”
Kepler looked at his phone. It was seven thirty. “I should go, too.”
Ashlyn put a hand on his chest. “We really should talk.”
He sighed. She was less opposed to forming a pack than he was. Covering her hand with his, he looked into her eyes. “It’s a tremendous responsibility.”
She wrapped her other arm around his waist, tilting her head to look up at him. “Cal’s a worthy pack mate, even if he is a pastry thief. It’s good to have friends who’ll watch your back.”
He hated to admit it, but she was right. Cal had pulled through for him, even when he’d doubted. “What about Finch?”
She made a confused face. “Isn’t it weird for a bear to join a pack?”
“My point exactly. And Finch is my boss. How’s it going to work if I’m his Alpha?”
Her eyes narrowed to crescents as she grinned. “You get to tell him to give you a raise, I guess.”
He laughed. “Always the jokes.”
“You thought I was joking?” She raised her eyebrows. “Seriously, though, it’ll all work out. I know it will. And we’ll all live happily ever after.”
Pulling her closer, he inhaled her wildflower honey scent. “I already am.”
He’d never imagined feeling this content. He’d found his mate, nearly lost her, and got her back stronger than ever. Lowering his head, he kissed her, savoring her taste and softness. By the time they stopped, he was breathing hard and ready to plunder her right there.
She nuzzled his chin, a naughty grin lighting her glowing blue eyes. “Go to work, my love. But don’t wear yourself out. I have plans for you tonight.”
He grinned and kissed her forehead. They had years together—centuries. And he could hardly wait.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Kepler and Ashlyn’s story! I love imagining the paranormal exists near my home in Alaska. My next Alaska Alpha features Ashlyn’s cousin Lana and a surly selkie shifter!
She’s stranded on an island with her worst enemy - and he has a secret she never suspected...
Tap the cover to get it now or keep reading for an excerpt!
XOXO,
Tamsin
P.S. Be sure to check out all the Alaska Alphas books at:
< https://books2read.com/rl/aurorashifters >
Excerpt from Midnight Heat
The sound of fiddling pierced the cold November air as Captain Elias Sobol hesitated outside the bar’s heavy wooden door. The flickering neon sign in the bar’s window was making his head swim, and the air had a crackly feel that told him a storm was coming. Even his inner seal was jittery, vibrating with anticipation like that moment right before he plunged into the ocean. It’s just being in a new town. He didn’t like encroaching on another selkie clan’s territory. But the entire crew of the Utkin was gathering to support Bobby’s first band gig, and Elias didn’t want to let him down.
His first mate, Jacob, pushed open the door from inside. “You coming? We’ve got seats up front.”
“Yeah, be right there.” Elias adjusted his pelt—to humans it appeared as a duster-length sealskin vest—and stepped inside. Warmth hit his face, carrying with it the overwhelming scent of humanity and spilled beer. Despite it being past the season for tourists, the bar was packed with people, faces lit by strings of Christmas lights criss-crossing the ceiling. Elias immediately spotted Walton’s sealskin hat at the front near the low platform where Bobby and his band stood belting out a fast-paced tune.
Turning, he slid sideways through the crowd, weaving between bodies like swimming through long fronds of kelp. Maybe after the band finished playing, he’d go to the beach and shift. Letting his seal out to swim would help clear his mind. As he approached the long bar, a delicious scent reached him—cinnamon and mocha with an underlying hint of what he could only describe as sex.
His heartbeat kicked up, and a single thought consumed him. Mate. His eyes came to rest on a short figure with brown curly hair sticking out beneath a pink winter cap. She sat on a bar stool with her back to him, but he could see her delicious womanly curves filling out the sweatshirt and jeans she wore. A true Alaska girl. He couldn’t hold back his seal’s low growl of approval.
She swiveled in the chair to glance at the band, revealing her profile. Her cheeks were flushed as if she’d just come in out of the cold, and her broad smile shot straight through Elias’s heart. The smile wasn’t directed at him, however. She was talking to a weathered man with shaggy, dirty-blonde surfer hair sitting beside to her.
Elias rolled his shoulders, shaking off the possessive aggression settling over him. Not all shifters found their true mates, but when they did, the physical attraction was supposed to be instantaneous and undeniable. He only hoped they had human things in common, as well.
He silently chided his inner seal, You knew she was here all along, didn’t you?
His seal responded by filling his mind with lusty thoughts.
Feeling his body respond in embarrassing ways, he shook his head but couldn’t help the smile tugging his lips. They said meeting one’s mate for the first time was something you’d never forget. I’d prefer she didn’t remember our first meeting as me being a perv who approached her at the bar. Elias straightened his shoulders, pulled his vest closed over his front, and nudged past a group standing between him and the woman.
His mate didn’t appear to have sensed him yet, and as he drew near, he understood why; her cinnamon scent grew stronger, but it also told him she was human.
Damn. That put a kink in things. Humans weren’t as in-tune with their instincts—he was going to have to woo her now and find a way to reveal his true nature later. He paused a few bar stools away, taking a moment to plan his new strategy. On stage, Bobby was playing his heart out on the fiddle, the guitarist strumming an accompanying beat while the vocalist shouted something about gambling away his heart.
Elias’s future mate bobbed her head in time to the music.
I could ask her to dance.
His seal laughed at him, knowing full well Elias didn’t dance.
Someone at a table near him reached out to tug his sleeve. “Hey, Elias,” a woman shouted above the music. “What are you doing in Kenai? Buy me a drink?”
He pulled back and it took him a second to recognize her. He’d met her in Homer last year, and they’d spent a few enjoyable nights together, but hell if he c
ould remember her name. He forced himself to smile but shook his head. “Not tonight, love.”
The woman stuck out her lip in a pout, but he moved past without another glance. At least she’d had the right idea. Start by offering to buy a drink.
He was within arms length of his mate when he spotted the metallic glint on her left hand. Married?
He glanced once more at the man next to her. She was totally out of that guy’s league. Was the ring a ploy to keep guys from hitting on her? He’d met women who did that. He started forward again. Suddenly, the man next to her grabbed her chin in one hand and kissed her. Not a peck, but a deep, satisfying, intimate kiss.
Elias’s spine stiffened. Before his brain had time to catch up, he’d grabbed the guy by the back of his collar and yanked him off his stool, tossing him onto the floor.
The crowd surged back, giving the fallen man room.
“What the hell?” the guy shouted, face dark with fury.
“The lady doesn’t appreciate being mauled,” Elias answered, peripherally aware that the woman had risen to her feet behind him.
The guy sat up, drawing his feet under him to stand. “She’s my wife, you asshole.”
A lead weight settled to the bottom of Elias’s stomach. “Shit.”
He turned to find the woman gaping at him, brown eyes wide. Then she turned her lovely face away to look at her husband on the floor. Husband. Wife. The ring wasn’t an act.
If there was one boundary Elias wouldn’t cross, this was it; he wouldn’t steal another man’s wife.
Something hard slammed into Elias’s cheek, rocking his head back. Stumbling, he turned in time to receive a second jab directly in the eye. Stars filled his vision, and his own fists flew up on instinct. The man was back on his feet, fists in front of him like a boxer. He jabbed again. This time, Elias dodged the blow.
Someone in the crowd yelled, “Fight!”
