I kissed the top of his head. “Totally.”
Mana Pack was nothing like Vita. It was a cluster of log cabins built off-road in a gated community.
We’d taken the Rover and Wren was curled up in the back seat, fast asleep by the time we parked on a gravel drive. Four wedges of cheese on toast and a packet of jammy dodgers and he was a pot-bellied, snoring heap.
I’d counted ten cabins as we’d driven up, all one-story affairs, but this main building, the alpha house, was a two-story monolith with a deep porch and lanterns hanging from the eaves. I bet it looked gorgeous at night with the lanterns lit.
Tor killed the engine. “You ready?” He glanced across at me. “Mana is smaller than Vita, more males than females for starters, but most of the menfolk will be resting in preparation for patrols.”
“Do the men always sleep during the day?”
“No, but we’re covering a wider area tonight. They’ll need to be in top form.” He unlocked the car door. “Come on.”
I checked on Wren and then followed Tor as he got out of the car and stretched his huge body.
Yeah, the Rover was a squeeze for him.
I caught movement to my left, a couple of women hovering at the windows to one of the smaller cabins. They ducked out of view when they caught me watching.
If Tor noticed them, he didn’t let on. Instead he led me up the steps to the alpha cabin. The door swung open and Sten greeted us. He’d shorn off his long golden locks and his face looked gaunter, haunted.
“Uncle,” Tor said.
“Tor, Cora.” He smiled kindly at me. “I’m glad you’ve come to visit. Bee will show you around. Tor and I need to talk.”
A woman appeared behind Sten. She was slender with dark hair and pale gray eyes that smiled warmly at me.
Tor stepped past Sten to envelop her in a hug. “Aunt Bee, how was your trip?”
“Good.” She pulled away to look up into his face. “I’m only sorry I missed your return.”
“Bee, can you take Cora to meet the potential breeders, please,” Sten said.
Wait, what? My gaze flew to meet Tor’s. “Excuse me?”
Tor frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Sten beat him to it.
“We’d like you to choose who Tor breeds with.”
What the fuck?
Chapter Eight
I must have heard wrong. “What did you say?”
Sten smiled at me as if he were offering me his last Rolo. “You’ll have the privilege of picking Tor’s breeders. Choose whoever you feel most comfortable with.”
He said it as if he was doing me a favor, like it was some kind of honor, but the fact was he wanted me to pick who Tor fucked. Naked, sweaty, and…My chest grew tight.
I looked at Tor, not even bothering to hide my what-the-fuck face.
He bit back a smile and crossed his arms across his broad chest. Okay, so no help forthcoming there. He was leaving me to deal with this, huh. Fine.
I smiled politely at Sten. “No thanks. I’ll pass.”
Bee looked at me incredulously. “Don’t you want to be involved in this? The females chosen will carry your mate’s offspring. It’s an important decision.”
“Unless you expect me to fuck them, I don’t see why I need to be involved.”
Tor made a strange sound, part chuckle, part cough.
He was finding this funny, the fucker.
Sten studied me for a long beat, his expression wistful. “Charlotte said the same thing when Arne asked her to choose his breeders. Well, not the fuck part, but the sentiment was the same.”
Bee tucked in her chin. “I thought we agreed we wouldn’t speak her name.”
Sten’s expression hardened. “You made a suggestion, Bee. I didn’t agree to anything. Charlotte is…” His jaw ticked. “Was my mate for a century.”
“Not your true mate,” Bee retorted. “We’ve finally found one another, and after what she did…” Bee stood taller, her mouth pressed in a line. “No, Sten, I won’t stand for it.”
Sten leveled her with a cool look. “Show our anchor around. Introduce her to our pack. We’ll speak about this later. In private.”
Oh boy. It seemed Sten had found his true wolfy mate in Bee, and she wasn’t happy about him harping on about Charlotte, but the fact that he was…Did that mean he still loved her? Even after what she’d done?
“I’ll find you in a little while,” Tor said to me. “You don’t need to choose a breeder. I’ve no intention of fulfilling that duty just yet. There’s time.”
Well, he could have said that sooner.
And why was that a weight off my chest? I shrugged. “Don’t hold off on my account. You do what you got to do.”
He studied me with narrow eyes, as if he could see right through me, and in that moment, I would have sworn he could.
He leaned in so his lips brushed my ear. “You’re my mate, remember. I can feel your emotions.” He stepped back. “I’ll find you in a bit.”
Shit. So much for my poker face.
Tor stepped into the house with Sten, and Bee joined me on the decking. She exhaled and I noted how her hands were trembling.
“You okay?”
She looked surprised by the question. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
I arched a brow.
She pressed her lips together. “This isn’t easy for any of us. Least of all for you.” She smiled slightly. “I’m sorry that this is how it has to be, but it would make life easier for you to choose the wolves who might bear Tor’s offspring. It might give you some control.”
“I don’t need control. I trust Tor will make the right decisions.”
And I didn’t want to dwell on it. Best to keep that aspect of the deal separate from our relationship. From our friendship.
“You say that now,” Bee said. “But it’s not easy knowing the man you love is lying with another female, even if it is just to procreate.”
“I’m not in love with Tor. I don’t intend to have that kind of relationship with him, Leif, or Rune.”
Her mouth tightened at the mention of Rune’s name. “You say that now, but—"
Urgh, enough already. “Yes. I’ve heard. But I’m a stubborn bitch, Bee. I’m not a slave to any mystical bonds. I’m my own woman.”
Bee’s smile widened. “I wasn’t referring to the mating bond, Cora.”
Okay, now I was confused. “You weren’t?”
“No. If you have no interest in meeting the potential breeders, I suggest we talk over a spot of tea.”
Oh, thank God. “Got any cake?”
Bee was Tor’s aunt on his mother’s side, and now that the mate bond between Sten and Charlotte was gone, it turned out Bee was his wolf mate. Yep, I’d been right as usual.
“He still has feelings for Charlotte.” Bee sipped her tea. “As I’m sure you surmised. I’m afraid there may not be room in his heart for me.”
“But you’re his mate.”
“Yes, I am. But love and the mate bond are two entirely separate entities. You can have both, but you can also have one without the other.”
“But the mate bond attracts you to someone and makes you develop feelings for them.”
“Yes, it attracts you sexually, but emotions like love don’t always come into it. I’ve known mated wolves who have hated each other every hour of the day aside from when they were rutting.”
Heather’s words came back to me. She’d tried to explain this to me too.
“Not every anchor has been in love with her mates,” Bee said.
“What?”
“History tells us of two such cases.”
Had Charlotte known this? She must have.
“The bond can’t compel you to love your mates,” Bee said. “That’s entirely up to you. If you weren’t attracted to them before, the mating bond will make you want them sexually, but that’s all it will do.”
But I had been attracted to them before. It was okay, I still had control over my emotions. All
I needed to do was avoid deep, meaningful conversations and bonding-type activities for a whole fucking century.
Oh boy.
No. Do not despair. You got this. Friend zone could be a loving place. A platonic loving place.
Bee was studying me with a shrewd expression that instantly had my back up. I was starting to get sick of people trying to read me. I took a gulp of tea and slipped on my poker face.
“Bee!” A child ran into the kitchen. “The post van is here.”
She sighed and pushed back her chair. “We order supplies once a month and the van never comes past the gates. I’ll be right back.”
Long minutes ticked by, and I was done sitting about. I headed into the hallway. Maybe Bee needed help with these parcels?
“Not gonna happen.” Tor’s irate voice drifted out from a door beyond the stairs, drawing me into eavesdrop mode.
“We don’t have a choice,” Sten said. “They’ll want him. He’s the perfect bait.”
“He’s not bait.”
“He agreed to it.”
“You went behind my back?” Tor’s voice vibrated with rage. “Do I have to remind you who’s alpha now.”
“Then act like one! Your subjectiveness in this matter is a weakness.”
A growl. “Who are you calling weak, old-timer?”
“They’re opening several rifts at a time. We lost two humans last week because we were unable to fend them off effectively. Something’s changed. We need to know what, and to do that we need to capture one of them, and you know they never allow us to do that. Ever.”
“They’d rather die.”
“Yes. So we set a trap with bait. Something they want.”
“No,” Tor snapped. “We find another way… One second…”
Boot falls headed toward me. Shit.
The door to my left opened and Tor stood there, a flat expression on his face. “Seriously, Cora?”
“What? I was headed out to help Bee with the post and heard you guys arguing. What’s going on?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.” He lobbed the car keys at me. “I’ll meet you at the car.”
The dismissal in his tone was clear and annoyance flared in my chest. “No.”
“No?” He looked genuinely confused.
“You heard me. You may be an alpha and used to barking orders, but you’re not my alpha, so you don’t get to dismiss me. If there’s a threat to humanity that I’m not in the loop about, then you need to clue me in stat. I gave up my life to protect a fucking seal, for godsake, so I deserve to know what the fuck is going on.”
“She has a point,” Sten said.
Tor shot him a lethal glare. “And there are parties involved that have the right to their privacy.”
Sten pinched the bridge of his nose. “Cora, we were discussing the varga and increasing patrols.”
“You mentioned bait.”
“Enough,” Tor snapped, his cold gaze settling on me. “You’ve been anchor for five minutes, but we’ve been protectors of humanity for centuries. If there’s something you need to know, then you’ll be informed of it. I’ll meet you at the car.”
Anger and embarrassment swirled in my chest, but like hell would I let him see it.
I shrugged. “Whatever.” Then brushed past him and out the front door.
My anger melted as I got to the car and anxiety bloomed in its place. But it wasn’t my anger, it was Tor’s. His cold attitude was a façade. A front.
He was worried…scared.
What was he hiding?
And suddenly I was a dog with a bone.
I needed to find out.
Chapter Nine
A group of children were gathered around the Rover, peering in through the windows.
Wren.
Of course.
They backed away as I approached. “What is it?” the smallest of the group asked.
“Can I pet it?” another asked.
I couldn’t blame them for being intrigued by the living teddy bear in the back of the car. “His name’s Wren. He’s a mogwai and it’s up to him whether he wants to be petted or not.”
Wren stirred and sat up, eyes pinging wide open. The kids broke into a series of oohs and ahs.
Cuteness overload was a thing. I unlocked the door and Wren scrambled into my arms.
“Wren didn’t mean to fall asleep,” he said.
“So cute!”
“I want one.”
“Can I hold him?”
Wren seemed to notice the children for the first time. His body tensed and he shrank against me. “No childrensies.”
“Wren?”
He snuggled into me, body trembling. “No more childrensies.”
“Is he scared?” the little one asked. “We won’t hurt you.”
Wren peeked down at her. “Wren doesn’t want to sing.”
Oh shit. He’d spent goodness knows how long working for Merkle to capture children with his song. No doubt he’d been mistreated by Merkle too. These children were a reminder of that.
“Hey, Wren, buddy. It’s okay. You’re safe. The children are safe. Merkle’s gone forever, remember. He can’t hurt them, and he can’t hurt you. Ever.”
Wren lifted his chin and looked up at me with round, teary eyes. “Merkle’s gone.”
“Uh-huh.”
“No more childrensies to sing to.”
“Nope.”
“Is he okay?” the smallest child asked.
Wren looked down at her but kept a tight grip on me. “Wren okay, little childrensies. Maybe next time Wren play, but not today.” He shook his head. “Not today.”
The children looked past me and then dispersed, running toward various cabins. I didn’t need to glance over my shoulder to know Tor had joined us. His scent and the frisson of excitement racing up my back told me he was there.
“On a scale of one to ten, how pissed are you right now?” he asked in his rumbling, sexy voice.
I sighed and faced him. “Zero.”
His brows shot up.
I smirked up at him. “Why? Can’t you tell?”
He studied me for a long beat and then frowned. “You’re not mad.”
“Nope.”
He looked worried.
I smiled sweetly at him. “You should be pleased. I mean, a pissed-off Cora is very difficult to live with.”
“That does not put my mind at rest.”
I shrugged. “I can’t imagine why not.”
“Because I’m coming to know you, Cora, and you’re not the kind of woman to forgive so easily.” His eyes narrowed.
I narrowed my eyes right back at him. “The mate bond works both ways, Tor.”
His brow cleared. “No. Do not dig into this.” His tone was gruff. No-nonsense. “Promise me.”
Fuck, he’d sensed my evil plan. I hated this mate-bond thing. Was this how Fee felt? There had to be a way to block it. I’d have to speak to her soon.
“Cora. Promise me.” His tone softened.
I sighed and crossed my fingers behind my back. “Fine. I promise.”
He rolled his eyes and reached around me to drag my hand into view. “Seriously?”
Urgh. “Fine. But you should tell me what’s really going on. I might be able to help.”
His gaze darkened with sorrow. “Trust me, Cora, if I thought you could help, I’d tell you. But you can’t. Please drop it.”
Damn, he’d said please. “Okay. I won’t dig, but you need to promise me you’ll come to me for help if there’s anything I can do. I’m no damsel, Tor. And I have power. A ton of it.”
He nodded. “I promise. Now let’s get back to the cabin.” He looked down at Wren. “We’ll need to prepare a room for you.”
Wren sat up in my arms. “My own room?” He looked to me. “Cora, can Wren really have his own room?”
I’d missed snuggling with him, but he looked so excited about the prospect of his own space; no way was I spoiling that.
“Sure you can.”
“It’ll be temporary,” Tor said as he unlocked the driver’s side door. “Because we move to the big house in a few days.”
Wren hopped onto Tor’s shoulder. “Can Wren have a fluffy pillow and blue sheets?”
Tor chuckled. “I think that can be arranged.”
“Wren like Tor.”
Wait, had my mate just stolen my mogwai with the promise of fluffy pillows and blue sheets?
Damn.
I hugged the phone to my ear, reveling in the sound of my best friend’s voice. “How do you do it?”
“It gets easier,” Fee said. “But then I’m not trying to fight my mate bond.”
I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I’d received a text message an hour ago from Sloane asking me to meet her in the atrium at nine p.m. Lauris would be escorting me there. Yep. Bador had agreed to let me have the half-human gargoyle and I was sure Anna’s persuasive power had been largely to thank for that.
“I don’t have a choice, Fee.”
“I know, babe. I know.”
“I wish I had a mental wall like you.”
“You could.”
“I don’t have an Azazel to train me.”
“Does it bother you that much?” she asked softly.
Oh, God, it totally did. “I don’t like having my emotions on display all the time, and honestly, I don’t want to feel what they’re feeling all the time either.”
“You mean you can’t go off and do crazy shit without them finding out. Fuck it, no mental wall for you. That way they can keep you safe.”
“I can take care of myself and I don’t want my decisions being preempted.”
She sighed. “I know. You’re used to making your decisions and flying solo. I get it, but you’re in a unit now, a team. You need to consider their feelings and they…they need to consider yours. Set some boundaries, and if they care about you, they’ll respect them. The bond could save your life, especially with this trio of vamps that’s after you.”
I’d filled her in on the Sons of Adam, but she had no clue who they were. She had contacts in the Underealm. If anyone could get me more detailed information on the vampy threat, it was Fee.
Witch Undecided: The Thirteenth Sign Book 2 Page 6
