Gavin looked at me with an expression Icouldn’t read. “Can you blame them, Anya? If it was you that was sick, I woulddo anything to make you well again.”
His words chilled me. I would go far forthe ones I loved, but I wouldn’t torture other people or keep them as pets.“It’s wrong and we have to stop it.” It wasn’t so long ago that Gavin was theone sick and I was trying to help him but I had my limits. This I would not do.Right? What if the witches had told me that a vial of vampire blood could healGavin? Would I have kidnapped a vampire and stolen their blood? I shook my headclearing those thoughts. I couldn’t go there, this was different.
Jaxon spread his hands wide as ifthinking. “We need to find a way to get a cure to the humans without hurtingour kind. It’s the only way to stop them now.”
I huffed. “We aren’t scientists! It’s notour place to find a cure for their ailments. Screw the humans!”
Nahuel’s presence came into view and Inearly groaned just knowing he was going to say something annoying. “Anya, thehumans must be treated with the same respect in your heart as the wolves. Thinkof the little girl you held, her cancer. The way her mother was desperate forhealing. Think of them.”
Dammit, he was throwing my vision in myface. I wished I hadn’t told him now. Yeah well, when it was sick kids my heartwas a bit softer but still. This was so wrong. My first vision I had where thehumans were caging wolves was a lot stronger in my mind right now. What if thatbecame my mother, my father, me? It made me feel sick. My bear was rumbling inmy chest, wanting to break free.
“Little girl with cancer? What have youguys been up to while we were gone?” Jaxon furrowed his brow.
‘Vision,’ I told him, dismissing hisconcern.
“We need a place we can think, and make aplan. Nahuel, is there a hotel or something nearby?” I called out to the shaman.
Nahuel’s normally reserved expression litup into a full-blown smile. “Nonsense, you can stay at my cabin.”
My jaw dropped. “You have a cabin? Likewith electricity?”
He just chuckled and started walking tohis truck.
“No wait, seriously, I thought you livedin a tent and bathed in the creek.” I stormed after him with Gavin’s handclutched tightly in mine.
Why had I been camping in teepees everytime we came here when he had a cabin nearby? But I knew the answer… this placewas special. I turned over my shoulder and looked at the smoking wreckage ofwhat used to be a beautiful and special place.
As if Nahuel heard my thought, he calledout to me. “It is the land that’s beautiful. Not the stuff. We will rebuild.”
I liked that sentiment and I think itwent for a few things in my life. I just imagined my father gathering thewolves on Mount Hood. The mountain was what held the magic and if the humanstore us down. We too would rebuild. I just hoped it wasn’t going to get tothat.
Chapter Three
WE FOLLOWED NAHUEL’S old pick-up truck fartherup the mountain for a short ten minutes until we came upon a tree-lined sideroad. Nahuel turned left following the road and ahuge,gorgeous logcabin came into view.
“What the?” Gavin said what we were allthinking. Nahuel, my elusive shaman lived in this nice place? Nahuel, who drovethis beat up truck and slept in tents, had this beautiful place to come back to?I never would have thought.
The gravel crunched under the tires asNahuel parked the truck in front of the cabin and we pulled in behind him. Nowthat we were closer, I noticed the stairway leading up to the door had roughlyhewn wood. It was lacquered in a thick tan glaze and some parts had beautifulcarvings of different animals on them. We all stepped out of the car and stoodgaping at the cabin. Gavin stepped up next to me and I saw his features cloudover.
‘What’s wrong?’I asked him through our matebond.
He shook the look off of his face andpulled a tight smile.‘Nothing.’
Okay. I decided not to pry. This was amessed up day for everyone.
Looking back at the house, I saw it had ahuge wraparound front porch and was absolutely breathtaking.
Nahuel walked around the side of histruck and turned to face us, putting his hands in prayer pose. “Welcome. Myhome is your home.”
As my eyes flitted over the detailing––carvingsin the wood, a mandala stain over the porch, a signature carved into the wood––ithit me. “Nahuel! Did you build this cabin?”
He smiled genuinely. “Yes, with help fromfriends, of course.”
Of course. Because we all had friends whohelped build us a house. Wow. How amazing would it be to build a home with yourbare hands?
Avery hadn’t spoken much since shearrived, but now she was running her hands over the detailing and asking Nahuelquestions about building it. Mason and Jax trailed behind us as we all movedinside the large open doorway.Wow.A stunning carved totem pole greetedus as we entered. I noticed the top was a jaguar, Nahuel’s shifter animal. Butbear and wolf were also represented. The house smelled of freshly burned sageand lavender. But more than the smell, this place had a good energy here. Youfelt lighter the moment you walked in. Gretchen would approve.
Off to the left, a large spiral staircaseled to the upstairs while the kitchen and living room opened up before us. Offto the right was an open study with tons and tons of books. I was dying to peekinside and see what kind of books my shaman read for leisure. They wereprobably all about plant medicine or something, but I could swear from thisdistance I recognized a steamy romance cover. A grin tugged at my lips and Ikept moving through the house tour. Other than the books, everything was verybare and earthy in design. Raw wood, leather, and no knickknacks. It was clearthat Nahuel owned the bare minimum of possessions.
