“You were also not particularly thrilled by the idea of us being together.”
Mom shrugs a shoulder with as much warmth as she warned Jasper away from Adalyn. “As a mom, I want the best for you. As a mom, I also want to believe that’d be here, not with the pack. But as a mom, I want you happy, which is with Ryder.”
“Backwards psychology, yet again,” Ryder mumbles from across the room.
“I’m not becoming High Priestess.”
“No, I figured as much based on last night’s ceremony that I took over. You never wanted it, so it’s not surprising. Took a while for you to speak up.”
“Who’ll it be then?”
“I’m still young and won’t be going anywhere for a while, so it’s nothing you need to worry about.”
But I do, because it should have been my role, and thus my responsibility to fill it. “Jasper makes the most sense.”
“Jasper has less interest than even you, and right now, he’s angry. Besides, it’s uncommon for a High Priest to take over. You know that.”
“Uncommon but not impossible.” Hecate’s covens were always designed to be female-driven, where warlocks are more or less just present. “What about giving it back to the Sinclairs? It was originally their coven.”
“Harlow.” Mom blinks, readjusting her arms to her side as she considers it with pursed lips. “Her vampirism would make it tricky, but not impossible. The coven’s accepted her as is. It’s an idea for the future certainly. If it’s something she’d want. For now, I’m interested in your future and what it’ll look like.”
Ryder gives me an encouraging nod, accepting whatever decision I make. “I’ll live with him, but I’d like to return every full moon. I’d like to still do circles with you when needed and come by for dinner occasionally. I’d like to keep working here, part-time, to fill my days. I’ll have two homes instead of one.”
She pushes off the desk to embrace me. “Being mated to a wolf doesn’t make you any less of a member of Highridge, nor my daughter. I’m pleased you’ve chosen the path you feel most suited for.”
“Thanks, Mom. For everything.”
She releases me and crosses to Ryder, who straightens. A tension-filled moment passes before she offers him her hand. “Take care of her. It’s all I ask.”
“Always. Easiest promise I’ll ever make.”
“Come for dinner next week, both of you. I’d like us to have an actual conversation one of these days.”
His eyes flick over her head to me, and I bite the inside of my cheek from laughing over the absolute horror in his expression at the thought of her offer. It fades quickly for a cough as he pulls at the edge of his shirt.
“We will, thanks. Also, as Alpha, I’d like to nullify the treaty. No more accords, no more annual deals. While we’d prefer each side stick to their respective territory as we’ve been doing, we will not attack any Highridge witch found on our lands. The coven is safe from us from here on out. Carina’s family is under my protection. This is the new agreement I make to you, High Priestess.”
Hormones can affect any woman, witch or human, and oh Goddess, mine are whimpering with love for him, while also holding my breath for Mom’s response.
She reaches to shake his hand. “In turn, any wolf from Coldcrest is welcome within the town, provided they dress the part and can fit in with the mortals. We thank you, Ryder, and accept.”
I once believed not being torn apart when discovered on their territory was a miracle.
Turns out, this is the true miracle.
Seventy-Five
RYDER
“You sure about this?”Xander checks, giving Carina his back so the question remains between us. “What if he wants her to go with him?”
“Then he has himself a fight. Besides, the bite on her neck will supersede parentage.”
Our conversation ends when Carina approaches and takes my offered hand as we depart the caves to where she’s “dying”—to use her words—to know where we’re headed, a place I’ve been teasing her for the past few days, since getting it all sorted.
After stripping, I toss her my clothes to store in a bag that she slips over her shoulders, then shifts. She climbs onto my back and settles into place, preparing for the trip that’ll take a few hours.
She presses down against my back as I run us along the stretch from Banff to the British Columbia border, turning off near the village of Valemount and heading to the agreed upon location. The sun has set in the hours of our trip, and the moon is bright above, leaving the air frost and crisp and the layers I ensured she dressed in feeling much less.
