“Paige, baby. I’m sorry I left. I can make things right. I’m making things right,” he says.
Paige shakes her head, holding her small newborn son to her chest.
“Hoyt, what have you done?” she says, looking at Jonas with sad eyes.
“I did what I had to. What I need to do,” he says and I tilt my head and get on my haunches and look over his face.
I thought he was crazy before but he looks deranged right now. I couldn’t piece together why every Alpha since Atticus Collins has been a nightmare, but when I look at his gaze, something is wrong.
“Paige?” I ask, and she approaches, but doesn’t get too close with her son.
“Yes, pack leader?” she says respectfully. I’ve come to like my best friend’s mate. She is sweet and soft, just what Jonas needed.
“Have his eyes always looked like this?” I ask.
A growl erupts from Jonas and his grip tightens on the man’s neck as his mate inspects her former lover’s face. I’d be the same way, but you’d have to be obtuse not to realize the way she’s looking at him isn’t with affection but hate. He wasn’t just a terrible Alpha, but a horrible man.
“No, they changed after he became Alpha,” she says.
“Thank you. Why don’t you take the baby home?” I tell her and I can see that Jonas is filled with relief over the idea.
“That’s my son! Paige, get the fuck back here, you ungrateful fucking?—”
Jonas snaps his neck. I can’t blame him. The man’s body falls to the floor and my best friend sighs.
“Sorry about that.”
“We already got everything out of him anyway. I’m surprised no one knew he was still creeping around on the property,” I say.
“He only knows what he saw from that night, that Violet can shift, and possibly that she’s your mate.”
I have to keep my temper in check. I almost wish the hex was still plaguing me, that I could find her in that way, but there’s nothing. I know she’s still alive. I can feel that through our mating bond, but other than that, I feel hopeless.
I can’t go knocking down the High Priestess’ door or else I’ll wind up getting killed myself. I just have to follow the guidance of the witch from earlier. So that’s what I do, making my way to Goddess Apothecary.
Downtown looks slower than usual as I open the door to the business, the chime overhead dinging at my arrival. As soon as I walk through the door, Iris gives me a disgusted look.
Right, she likely doesn’t remember me.
“Can I help you?” she asks with an attitude that she absolutely does not want to help me.
“I was told to give this to you,” I say, holding out the pearl and her brows furrow.
“Who gave this to you?”
“Older woman, cane, lots of jewelry.”
Her furrow deepens as I place the pearl in her outreached hand.
“Mawmaw gave this to you?” she asks.
“She didn’t give me a name. She said to give this to you and you would know what to do—I’m praying you do. Violet’s in trouble,” I say.
“Violet?” she echoes, her fear palpable as she looks down at the small iridescent pearl.
“I fucking hope you know what to do with this thing and can help me. Might not seem like it right now, but I gotta tell you we were on the path to becoming friends,” I tell her, which makes her more suspicious.
But she puts the pearl between her two fingers, crushing it, her eyes going white for a second and she takes in a strangled breath. I watch in horror and fascination as her eyes roll and I just wait.
