Those were two different answers, but nonetheless, I reluctantly move aside to let her pass, completely aware letting her go is a mistake. She’s a bargaining chip to later use, but I’m gambling with the fact that kidnapping her might destroy my sanity. If a five-minute meeting has both myself and my wolf feeling unusual things, I need away from her spell; not to bring the caster further into my life.
As she passes me, walking like a bunny trying to sneak away from a predator, the wind catches strands of her hair, highlighting the subtle streaks of blonde intermingled with the brown that glows in the afternoon sun.
By instinct, my hand lifts to touch.
Only to drop, unsure where exactly those instincts came from.
“What’s your name?” I demand before blocking her path again and breaking my own deal.
She moves quickly, going to dart around me, but I’m faster, and stretch my arm out. In her attempt to escape, the movement draws her shirt up by a few inches and as my hand comes up to block, fingers land on bare skin.
Electricity zaps through her to me. Pressure—weight—slams into my chest, breaking any chance of ever breathing normally again.
I dart backwards with a hiss, pulling my hand close while glaring at her for daring to curse me like that when all I asked was for her name.
“What the fuck was that for?”
Instead of responding, she scowls at my palm likeI’mat fault. As if I’m the one with the magick abilities. Her eyes trail up my body, confusion deepening by the time she reaches my face,and her head shake splatters her scent around me all over again. Just when I pretended to not notice it as much.
“I-I didn’t…I don’t know.”
“You mean, you felt?—”
My question goes unfinished and thus answered when she takes off into the woods again.
This time, I let her go.
Follow.
Take.
She moves quickly, reaching the other side of the patch of trees, and she climbs into a little black car before speeding off. Gravel kicks up at her exit.
Deep in my chest, my wolf whimpers, begging her to return.
I wonder if she’ll be attending the treaty meeting tonight.
And why I care.
Four
CARINA
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,fuck.”
It becomes my mantra the entire drive home because, if for any reason that shifter tells Mom, I’mfucked.Like, next-level bury-me-now fucked. She’d kill me herself, then resurrect me to let the coven at me for breaking one of the most important rules.
As son of the Alpha, why wouldn’t he want to snatch this chance I’ve so nicely handed to him on a silver fucking platter, imbued with magick that’ll help him walk me straight to the Otherworld?
If I manage to skip attending tonight, I won’t be a reminder. Not that he’ll need one, but anything is a shot. By not being present,maybehe’ll ignore what happened today, and Treaty Day will go as it should.
When I arrive home, Mom’s car is in the driveway and her presence an ominous shadow clinging to the house’s exterior. She already bothered Jasper; so undoubtedly, she’s pacing the hallway, waiting.
If she learns where I’ve been, running away and changing my name is a possibility. Perhaps I’ll head down to the States to start, then catch a flight to Africa or China. Somewhere on theother side of the world. Better yet: to Florida, to hop on a rocket and visit Mars. Surely magickal signatures wouldn’t be able to travel planets.
By the time I’m reluctantly climbing out of the car, dreading the next five minutes of my life, the house’s front door swings open and Mom appears. The car beside me is still a grand possibility. At this point, I’d rather go find that shifter again and offer myself up to be bait than deal with her—especially when she has the angry Mother face. Thedo not fuck with mestance and an expression that has me mentally designing my casket.
“Carina Hargrove, where have you been? Have you not gotten my messages?”
