“But at what cost?” Mac asked. “Are you willing to destroy him to save him?”
“What the fuck? Didn’t you hear me…I’m saving him,” growled Glenn.
“No you aren’t, tiger mate,” Alex said. “What you’re doing is putting him in a cage, very much like the one my father made for me. Our mate is in pain…pain caused by your decision to keep him in the dark. I know how it feels to be treated like that…all in the name of protecting someone. Trust me when I say it’s not a good way to live.
“There are three of us in this relationship, but you’re treating me and Sawyer like children…making all the decisions for us. Can’t you see…it’s hurting our wolf mate when you do that. I know his animal isn’t as strong as yours but heisan Alpha and you’re not respecting that. And if you keep it up, in the end it’ll destroy all of us.”
Pain lanced through Glenn’s body at the thought of losing the two people that meant the world to him. That was simply unacceptable; if it meant changing, that’s what would happen. “Buttercup…”
Wrapping his arms around Glenn’s neck, Alex kissed him before murmuring, “I know, tiger mate. Let’s go find our mate so we can give him some love.”
Holding Alex tight to his chest, Glenn whispered, “I’m sorry, buttercup.” Then, kissing his forehead, he sent a wave of love through their mind link to both his mates. No matter what it took, Glenn vowed he’d do it.
~/~/~/~/~
Exiting the pack house, Sawyer stood on the porch, looking at the motorhome still parked in the same place after arriving yesterday. Frowning, his mind went back to the day he left. It was just supposed to be a fun trip to LA with some sun, surfing, and sex; instead he ended up with two mates and a shit ton of power, something he could well have done without, just another problem for him to handle.
And now he found himself in the same position he spent his whole life trying to escape from, except this time, it was one of his mates who found him lacking.It’s my curse…and I guess it always will be.Once he accepted that as truth, the question was how to deal with the feelings that always agitated him. Before a solution came to mind, he felt a whisper of air across his neck and a small hand grasping his. Turning, he smiled at the witch who’d stepped in to help his cousins after the massacre. “Hi Mystia.”
“Hello Sawyer,” Mystia said softly. “I need your help.”
“Sure…what do you want me to do?”
“Cloak me, please.”
Startled, Sawyer said, “Uhmm, why?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Why don’t you just give me the highlights.”
“By now, the Witches’ Council knows of my involvement in protecting Remy…the Keeper of All Magic, and his mate, Carson, so I can’t be seen walking the halls of the Council’s building, but I must find out what the members are planning if there’s any chance of thwarting it before it’s put into action.”
“Okay, but why don’t you use magic to hide yourself? Isn’t there a spell or something that would make you invisible?”
“It would leave a magical signature and alert the guards.”
“Yeah, I can see that could be a problem. Okay, I’ll cloak you,” Sawyer said. “Are you ready right now?”
“Yes…and thank you.”
Looking at Mystia, Sawyer uttered the words Oracle gave him. “You should be cloaked, but I can’t guarantee it since I can still see you. You might check it out with another magic user to make sure you can’t be seen…just to be on the safe side.”
“I will,mon petit loulou...and thank you,” Mystia murmured, before disappearing.
Second thoughts suddenly swept over Sawyer. What if someone discovered she was cloaked? How would she explain it? Could they force the truth from her using magic and if so, what did that mean for Hunter and his cousins? Did he just put them all in danger?Dammit…that’s why the Fates made a huge fucking mistake giving me these powers. I’m a fucking fuck up!
Biting his lower lip, Sawyer debated whether he should tell Jackson about it…or maybe Hunter—just in case he shouldn’t have done it.But then, my cousin and mate are in danger and isn’t that why the Fates wanted me to have the gift? To help others? And certainly if Mystia was correct, shouldn’t everyone be happy I helped?But a lifetime of doubting himself wasn’t going to be pushed aside by his small pep talk, especially since one of his own mates didn’t think he was capable of making the right choices. Needing a break from the demons of doubt that were threatening to overwhelm him, Sawyer removed his clothes and folded them before setting them down on the porch. Then, calling forth his wolf, he shifted before heading into the forest.
~/~/~/~/~
Mystia transported herself to a spot in the woods surrounding the grounds of the Council’s building where she could stay hidden. After consulting Oracle, she knew the cloak concealed her, but still wasn’t sure if her magic signature would set off alarms once she was on the Council’s grounds. Making her way to the edge of the forest, she peered out, hoping to spot a magic user heading to the closed, iron gates. Fortune favored her when she spied a large group made up of thirty or so young witches and warlocks, along with several adults, heading her way. Smiling, she couldn’t have conjured up a better diversion than a class trip.
Stepping into the road behind them, Mystia followed along, keeping close enough so her magic signature merged with theirs. She held her breath as a guard approached one of the adults, asking to see each visitor’s identification card. It was the moment of truth: Would the cloak conceal everything, including her magic, as Oracle had assured her? One by one the names were called, verified, and crossed off the master list in the guard’s hand after which he gave the signal to open the gates, letting the group pass through onto the grounds.
Once inside, Mystia silently exhaled as she parted ways with them; her destination was not theirs. Heading to the back of the structure, she searched for the back entry, usually left unguarded. Once when she questioned Brady about it, he told her it allowed members to leave surreptitiously without a guard recording the time they left. Locating it, she smiled at finding it as she hoped it would be. Shaking her head slightly at the deviousness of the Council’s members, she pulled open the door, then slipped inside.
Slowly gliding down the dimly lit hallway, Mystia noted the changes made since she was last there. Stopping for a moment, her fingers touched one of the new locks on several of the doors. Just as she suspected, it was protected with strong magic. As much as she wanted to see what was hidden inside, the risk was too great without knowing what other spells might have been cast to keep prying eyes out.
