* * *
Costin could feelher fear and alarm, and he followed it like a beacon. He’d told Sally’s dad that he was going to go for a run. He failed to mention that he would be running as a large, ticked offwolf.
The Beta tried to stick to back roads, but he had to follow the direction of the bond’s pull, and that required traveling on a few major thoroughfares. He just hoped people would mistake him for a very, very large dog. Perhaps pack magic would help him out by giving his body such an illusion. He pulled on his Beta power and directed the magic to do his bidding. It was all he could do at the moment, speeding down the roadway. He also prayed to the Great Luna he wouldn’t get shot by an overzealoushunter.
He’d run only a few miles when he found Cindy’s car. Costin walked around it, nose to the ground, hoping to sniff out which way his Sally had gone. All of a sudden, he caught the scent of the real thing. His head whipped around just in time to see his mate walk out of a massive tree trunk. She’d been telling the truth. Sallyhadbeen in a tree trunk. What the hell was she doing walking out of a treetrunk?
And he asked her just that.“Why in the world are you walking out of a treetrunk?”
“Why does anyone walk out of a tree trunk, dimple boy? Coming from another realm,duh.”
He growled at her. Mouthy little thing.“You were in another realm?”He was going to stay calm, that’s what he kept telling himself. Just stay calm.“I thought you werejoking.”
“I’ll tell you everything,”Sally assured him.“Just give me a minute to get mybearings.”
He was about to phase when Cindy materialized out of the tree. Guessing that standing stark naked in front of his mate’s mother wasn’t the best idea, Costin stayed in his wolfform.
“Are you okay?”he asked Sally as he walked over to her and brushed up against her hip andleg.
“I’m fine. There was no need for you to come,” his mate responded then looked over at her mom. “Mom, do you happen to have a blanket in your car?” she asked while still looking athim.
“I think there’s an emergency blanket in thetrunk.”
“Could you get it please? Costin’s going to need it after he phases back. Pretty sure you don’t want to see my matenaked.”
“Why is your mom not shocked that I’m a werewolf? I mean considering she just walked out of a tree from another realm, she obviously knows something about the supernatural world, but she’s never acted like she knew what I was before?”Costinasked.
“I’ll explain everything in a sec,”she toldhim.
Her mom scurried to get the blanket, a look of horror on her face. It made Costin want tolaugh.
When Cindy returned with the blanket, she handed it to Sally and then turned around, giving them her back. His mate began unfolding the unwieldy blanket, and Costin phased. Before Sally could get the fabric completely spread out, he stepped forward and ran the back of his hand across her cheek. A lovely blush spread across her beautiful face. She hurriedly started yanking at the blanket, only causing the cumbersome object to further resist her clumsyefforts.
Deciding not to torture her longer, Costin took the blanket from her fumbling hands, shook it open, and then wrapped it around his waist. Holding it with one hand, he reached out with his other and wrapped it around Sally’s neck and pulled her to him. He buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes as he took in the scent only he couldsmell.
“This is what I need,”he murmured into hermind.
“I’m sorry that I didn’t keep the bond completely open. I panicked. And you might too when you hear what my mom and Lilly toldme.”
He pulled back to look down at her. “You were in another realm,andLilly washere?”
Shenodded.
“Can I turn back around?” Cindyasked.
“Yes,” they said at the same time but kept looking at oneanother.
“What realm? What was Lilly doing here? How’d she get here?” he asked, his mind moving a million miles a minute trying to puzzle out why on earth Jacque’s mom had beenthere.
“She came because I asked her to,” Cindy answered before Sally could. “Her story intertwines with mine and, when it became apparent I would need to tell Sally of her heritage, I decided she needed to know itall.”
“Sally’sheritage?”
Cindy nodded. “She is more than just a gypsy healer, and she is more than just your mate,wolf.”
Costin looked from his mate to Cindy. “And I’m guessing you’re more than just ahuman?”
“How about we go home,and we can discuss it on the way?” Cindyasked.
