He approached Kai and extended hishand. “Thank you for allowing Sadie to join my pack. I will take care of her.”
Kai shook his hand briskly andnodded.
Shamus, Petra and Brett startedwalking away. I moved to go to the car and give him and Sadie privacy to saygoodbye. Kai grabbed my hand to stop me.
“Breaking pack bonds needs a witnessfrom the pack, as my second, it’s your job to witness,” Kai told me.
“Oh, okay.” I stood there frozen. Myvision didn’t play this part.
Sadie lifted her shirt to expose her belly.Her eyes ran up and down Kai’s body. It was as if she was taking one last lookof what she would never have. I had to suppress a growl.
“I’m sorry, but this will hurt,” Kaitold her and she nodded.
Kai undressed quickly and changedinto wolf form. He paused for a second and then lunged at Sadie’s abdomen,digging his teeth into her side. She whimpered a little, but didn’t scream. NowI know why Brett walked away. He wouldn’t have been able to see this. Kaipulled his jaws out of her stomach, and with her blood in his mouth he howled.It was the longest and most haunting howl I had ever heard. ‘Sadie, you areno longer a member of Mt. Hood pack. I cast you out.’Somehow I knew thathe had sent this mental message to all of Mt. Hood pack. ‘I cast you out. Icast you out. I cast you out.’I felt something tug at my chest and then itwas gone. Sadie was gone. She smelled like a foreign wolf to me now. A singletear rolled down her cheek. Kai changed into human shape and Sadie began to walkaway. When she looked back at Kai, it was the look from my vision. It wasgoodbye.
It was done. Kai let Sadie go and Sadie foundher mate. My second vision had come true.
The drive home was silent,introspective, at least for twenty minutes.
“So tell me more about your visionwith the vampire,” Kai queried with one hand on my hand and the other on thewheel.
“Tell me how to keep you out of mythoughts,” I countered.
“Aurora.” He growled.
“I’m serious! I feel invaded. I getin a horrible accident and you save my life. I wake up to find out I’m a mons—awerewolf and I have a mate. But my mate is also my Alpha, so he is inside myhead all the time! I’m also a Matefinder and so I’m hunted and I have visions.Please Kai, I need a break.” I whimpered, not planning on breaking down andexploding on him like that.
Kai pulled the car over and took myface in his hands. I stared into his yellow eyes.
“Why is your wolf out?” I asked himtrying to change the subject.
“Because you aren’t happy and he isupset about it.” Kai closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he openedthem, his warm chocolate eyes stared back at me. He kissed my forehead. “Youare right. You deserve a break. Close your eyes and think of a safe placewithin nature.”
“What? I don’t need calmingtechniques. I feel fine,” I assured him.
He growled softly. “I’m teaching youhow to close me out of your every thought.”
“Oh.” I closed my eyes quickly andthought of the creek my twin brother and I used to play at, but that was nogood because he drowned there and that was no longer a safe place. I thought ofthe woods that backed up to Kai’s house. I thought of my first run as a wolf,the bits of bark that crunched underneath my paws, the smell of cedar and Kai.That was peace now. That was my home.
“Stay there,” Kai whispered. “Nowimagine my energy as a bright ball of light sitting next to you.”
With my eyes still closed, I was lookingaround the forest in my mind’s eye and a glowing orb appeared next to my wolf.
“Good. Now bury the glowing ball,bury my essence. Not too deep, just under the surface. We will still be able tocommunicate through pack bonds and eventually through our mate bond. But thiswill make it so I won’t get your every thought unless you intend it. I willjust pick up moods and emotions or sense when you are in danger.”
I imagined my wolf digging a hole andnudged the orb into the hole with my nose, burying it loosely with dirt. Iopened my eyes slowly, seeing Kai staring at me from across the car. God, hewas so sexy.
“Did you get that thought?” I tried.
He shook his head.
‘You are sexy.’ I sent to him. A huge grin brokeout onto his face.
“Whoa, it worked!” I said excitedly.
Kai grabbed my face and gave me apassionate kiss that warmed my belly.
“Now tell me more about that vision.”He prodded.
