Okay … creepy. Not sure I was up for this task.
“Is it possible to switch back with Gavin? We’re True Mates, can we … do some ceremony?” Yeah, okay I was being a wuss here, but I was curious.
The warrior huffed, looking offended. “I would give anything to be chosen as a Keeper,” he exclaimed.
Nahuel quieted him with a steady gaze but my bear rose up in anger.
“Oh yeah? Would you give anything to have half of your soul ripped away and taken, then be burning with fever and tossed out into the woods to be stalked by a raping Skin Walker? Only to be attacked and become one with a bear?”
He lowered his eyes in submission. Okay, that might have been a bit too much. Maybe my period was coming up soon because I felt like I was stuck in bitchville right now.
“Sorry,” I muttered, sighing in exasperation.
Nahuel smiled and clapped his hand on my back. “You’re doing very well, considering. This can all come in time, nothing needs to be handled tonight. Go back to see your mother, I’m sure she will be happy to see you both and to see that you and Gavin are right as rain.”
I nodded, meeting their eyes. They saved my life, there was no doubt about that.
“Thank you all very much.” I bowed low, which my dominant wolf would never have allowed.
Lina stood, smiling and looking fulfilled. “It’s an honor to be present during the next generation of the Keeper.”
Nahuel chuckled. “I thought I was going to have to live forever.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Can we live forever?” Because it just dawned on me that I wasn’t an ageless werewolf anymore.
Nahuel nodded. “Unless killed, yes we can.”
Okay, cool. I was on information overload here. I waved and turned to leave when Nahuel caught my hand and spun me to face him. He was holding between his outstretched hands, a brown suede medicine pouch necklace, it was new, not my mother’s. I grinned and he returned my enthusiasm with a smile of his own.
“You earned this. If you need to reach me, just sit in a quiet place, close your eyes and open your mind. We are connected now, little bear.”
I wanted to argue the little bear comment because I was actually a big-ass bear but instead I acted on impulse and closed the small gap between us, pulling Nahuel into a big hug. He seemed startled at first but returned my hug, filling my nose with scents of fresh earth, sage and juniper.
‘Anya, get outside! Gavin fainted.’Jaxon’s panicked voice tore through my thoughts and I was grateful to see my twin bond was still working.
I burst out of the tent, taking quick strides across the lawn to where Mason, Jaxon, and Avery were huddled over Gavin. He lay there calmly like he was sleeping.
“What happened?!” I fell to my knees to feel his forehead, we were supposed to be healed now. If I felt a fever, I was going to rage, but as my hand brushed his forehead he felt cool.
Mason shrugged. “We were wrestling and he spaced out then.”
Suddenly Gavin’s eyes opened wide, startling me.
“What happened? Are you sick again?” My eyes roamed over his body looking for any sign of pain but then Gavin looked up at Mason.
“I found your mate,” Gavin said with surety.
I stumbled back in shock at his words. Oh my God. I wasn’t the Matefinder anymore. This was the concrete proof. The thing I had aspired to be my whole life, my mother had coached me for hours about what it would be like, what an honor it was, how special and important I was. Now I wasn’t. Gavin’s yellow eyes met mine.
‘Tell me you’re okay.’He used the matebond and with it I picked up on his emotions. He felt pride and excitement over having an important purpose, but it was all shadowed by his guilt and fear that he had taken this from me. That we had somehow magically switched life paths.
‘True Mates,’my bear told me.
I reined in my emotions and took a step toward him as he did the same. This was my mate and I was just glad that we were both alive. It would take some getting used to but I was okay.
‘I’m okay,’I told him.
Mason was standing there dumbfounded with Jaxon and Avery on either side of him. His dark hair had fallen in front of his face making him look extra bewildered.
