Bastard. Trying to protect me was onlymaking me mad. We were better together. When was he going to realize that?
“How can he lock down the matebond like that?We’re True Mates, isn’t it impossible or something?”
Nahuel chuckled a bit. “Your matebond isstrong, yes, but if one person closes it of their own freewill.” He shrugged.
My wolf growled and it felt nice to haveher back. She was protective over Gavin and I liked it. We were going to findhim. We had to.
“But your matebond being closed doesn’tmean you can’t find your mate,” Nahuel added.
I whipped around to face him as he tiedoff the boat and reached a hand to pull me up onto the dock.
“You’re a witch,” he informed me, pullingme up onto the dock and a lightbulb went off.
“Finder spell!” I shouted, feelingstupid. Why did I always forget about my magic? I really needed to focus on mywitch half more. Assuming it was still there. That thought scared the hell outof me.
“Get us a car! I’ll get a map,” I toldhim and ran to the harbor tourist center.
After purchasing a map, I crossed theparking lot to begin searching for Nahuel when a horn honked. Turning around, Isaw a sleek Mercedes pull up beside me. It was electric blue and had a logo onthe side indicating it was one of the city cars you could rent right off thestreet if you had a credit card. The window rolled down and Nahuel popped hishead out.
“Get in,” he said.
My mouth popped open at the sight of myold shaman driving a brand new Mercedes. After sliding in beside him, Igrinned. “Nice choice.”
He chuckled. “It was all they had.”
Nahuel pulled the car to the side of theparking lot, taking up a shaded space. I retrieved the Pacific Northwest map Ihad bought and laid it flat across my lap. Next, I reached into the bottom ofmy bag.
Pulling the pendulum out and letting ithover over the map, I took in a deep breath and let my magic rise up. The magictingled along my spine and I was about to start the incantation when Nahuel’sarm snaked out and stilled my hand midair.
“Stop. Spirit is guiding me,” he said ina weird deep throaty voice. I turned to look at him and recoiled a bit at the silverspinning in his eyes. Lowering my hand that was holding the pendulum, I finallyfelt his grip relax, but he still held his closed hand over mine. As if hefeared I might still do the spell. We sat there awkwardly for a few minutesuntil finally he sighed and let go of my hand.
“That was close,” he breathed.
I widened my eyes. “What was close? Whereis Gavin?” Come on, buddy, don’t you know time is of the essence, I wanted tosay.
Nahuel gestured to my map and pendulum. “Itwas close that we almost did a spell that would have led Mukesh right to us. Heis waiting for you to do a finder spell so he can find you.”
Sheer terror crept up my spine atNahuel’s declaration. “Why?”
Nahuel’s hands gripped the steeringwheel. “He won’t stop until you’re dead and Gavin has been initiated.”
The part about me being dead didn’t even fazeme but the word initiated, that had my food threatening to come back up.
“What? What do you mean?” I asked,panicked.
Nahuel just looked over at me and gave mea small sad smile. “It’s been an honor to be a part of your journey,” he toldme.
“Stop that,” I scolded him. “Don’t saygoodbye. Why are you doing that?”
But he just started the car and pulledout of the shaded spot and into the small patch of sunlight. The darkened skyabove us was pretty much a metaphor for my life right now. I didn’t even askwhere we were going, I just sat back and watched the trees speed by as Iprepared myself to lose my mate or my mentor, or both.
I didn’t know how long the drive was butI needed something to keep my mind off of my dark thoughts so I flipped on theradio. Instead of a song, a woman’s strong but slightly panicked voice cameover the speakers.
“Breaking news alert. Thousands ofwerewolves that were previously held in captivity have been let go. People aretaking to the streets with signs and t-shirts asking to be turned into awerewolf. It looks like the Mount Hood alpha’s condition has been accepted bythe general public. We have received no word on the government’s response butcan only assume they will have to get involved to help vet the truly sick casesfrom the fanatics.”
A man’s voice broke in. “Here’s what Iwant to know, Wendy. All of a sudden witches are real too? What other kinds ofcreatures are just lurking in our society waiting to come out?”
I grinned. There were no more. But Iwasn’t going to tell him that. Let him think the humans were outnumbered. Iflipped off the channel just as Nahuel took a left into a thick stretch ofwoods nearSnoqualmie.
