At the words ‘Skin Walkers,’ the sage in Lina’s hands burst into flames. Suddenly, the warriors beat the drums loudly and thunder cracked overhead.
But Lina continued. “Some fear to even speak the name Skin Walker! But fear is what their evil magic feeds on, and so I say the name with ease.”
The firelight was dancing in her eyes and she looked absolutely stunning, fearless, an Alpha for sure. I was lying if I said this shit wasn’t freaking me out.
Nahuel stood and took the decorated stick from Lina. “Around the time that my people cursed the werewolves with infertility, there was a great war between the Light Keepers and the Skin Walkers. Such a catastrophic war it was, that today, only one of each remain. One Walker. One Keeper,” Nahuel stated and the flames danced higher. I slipped my hand into Gavin’s and squeezed, seeking his warmth and comfort.
Nahuel squatted in front of Gavin, meeting his steady gaze. “Until you.”
Gavin’s chest was rising and falling but he stayed completely silent. I was burning with questions, but this was my mate’s journey and I didn’t want to intervene. So of course Jaxon did.
“So, which is he? Walker or Keeper? Because if you say Walker, I’m sleeping with one eye open tonight,” Jax joked.
‘Inappropriate timing, brother,’I scolded.
‘Well, this silent stare down shit isn’t getting answers,’Jax told me.
Nahuel looked sad for a moment. “Both.”
My blood chilled and I nearly pulled my hand out of Gavin’s but forced myself not to. Finally, Gavin let go of my hand, and stood.
“Explain everything now or I’ll go mad,” he instructed.
My heart ached for him then and I was about to stand and demand the same when Nahuel nodded and spoke.
“Many, many years ago, I fell in love with a human. She had hair the color of corn silk, eyes the color of the sky. She bore me my first and only child, Haseya, a daughter. A Light Keeper like myself and my heart had never been so full. Light Keepers do not age unless we want to. I chose to age with my wife … until she was killed by Mukesh, Skin Walker.”
My hand flew to my mouth as my heart hurt for Nahuel. Gavin’s features immediately softened. Nahuel continued as Lina fanned the smoke in the circle.
“Shortly after my wife’s death, Haseya turned thirteen and went on her vision quest to claim her power and meet her animal. She was sent alone, with no food as all young Light Keepers are.”
No. I had a bad feeling about how this story was going to end. Gavin just stood there, facing Nahuel, taking it all in. Nahuel’s face suddenly constricted with emotion as he held out the stick to Lina and turned away. Lina nodded and took the stick from Nahuel, trying not to show emotion but her voice wavered.
“Haseya returned from her vision quest with her full power and a child in her belly. The Skin Walker followed her and raped her, then left her alive.”
“No!” I stood as tears lined my eyes. This was majorly fricked up storytelling and I had a feeling we were talking about my mate’s mother. My mate’s evil father. I wanted to protect him from this shit. I didn’t want him to hear the rest. Raped and pregnant at thirteen? Jesus.
Gavin stared at his feet and then Lina said what I expected. “Haseya, carried the baby to term but the night before her labor began, she ran away. Used her powers to cloak herself from Nahuel and everyone trying to help her. She killed herself. We later found her body and the baby was gone.”
Gavin took off running and burst through the warriors holding the circle tight, knocking one of them clean over. He ran, full speed into the forest as thunder shook the sky and rain fell down in clumps.
“Gavin!” I tore off after him, but Lina caught my upper arm. “Some things need to be worked out alone.”
My wolf rose to the surface then and a growl ripped from my throat. Lina smirked, letting me go. I liked the bitch, but if she ever laid a hand on me to stop me again, we were going to have big problems. My feet pounded the ground, smashing through the muddy water-logged forest floor as I searched for him. Darkness had fallen and the rain was messing with his scent trail. Then I heard a twig snap and altered my direction to follow the sound.
Soaking wet, standing like a broken child staring at his feet, was Gavin. Part of me didn’t want to deal with this shit. This was serious and heavy, and I didn’t want to grow up this fast. But this was my mate and the tumult of emotions that were coursing through the matebond scared me to my core. I barely knew him, kissed him once and here I was in his darkest hour just as I should be.
The right thing to say just fell from my lips. “None of this changes how I feel about you. How anyone will feel about you.”
He looked up and met my gaze, his eyes glowing an eerie shade of yellowish red. “I’m part evil, a product of rape. She should have killed me, too.”
No! I crossed the distance between us in record time but he flinched.
“Don’t touch me.” His voice cracked with vulnerability. “I’m sorry I got you into this mess.”
I barked out a sarcastic laugh and the rain lessened, with it Gavin’s eyes threaded back to their normal green. The fever was raging inside of me, but I ignored it.
“Got me into this mess? As if either of us had a choice. Gavin, you’re my mate. My True Mate. I’ve seen it, I feel it, I want it.” I growled the last part because my wolf was angry that he wasn’t happy.
