“Meaning, I’ve decided to enjoy the things I still can and not worry about everything that I have no control over.” Vague, but it was essentially what Jake and I had talked about last night. Other than our relationship, I had a job I loved most of the time and friends that I’d possibly neglected over the last few weeks. Friends that wouldn’t hesitate to help me if I asked.
Mase raised an eyebrow. “How very Zen of you. I never realised shifters could be so laid back.”
I laughed, smile widening, and fuck me I’d forgotten how freeing it was. “That’s because you spend far too much time with Rys and Talis.” Two of the most intense—in their own ways—shifters I knew.
Mase grinned back at me. “True. But don’t tell them I said that.” He stood and walked around to sit in his chair, shucking his coat off at the same time. “So,” he said, clasping his hands on top of the desk. “What’s the plan for today? It feels odd with no impending disaster looming over us.”
Oh, Mase, if only you knew. I levelled him with a glare. “You really want to jinx us like that?”
He laughed like I’d hoped he would. “Sorry. I take that back.” He shook his head, expression turning a touch more serious. “What I obviously meant to say was the last few months have been like a rollercoaster we couldn’t get off. I have absolutely no objections to a few quiet weeks where the most exciting thing we do is catch up on the reports.”
“Much better.” Except what we needed to do today wasn’t as mundane as filing reports. I clearly telegraphed it too, because Mase sat up a little straighter, eyes narrowing again as he stared at me.
“We’re not doing that today though, are we?”
“Nope.”
He groaned and rubbed at his temples, and I saw the exact moment he remembered what today was. “I’d forgotten we were doing that this week.”
Thatwas preparing Zane Collins for his release into the custody of his coven. From the moment we’d arrested him for his involvement with Caleb Tombs and the role he played in the abduction of Rys Calder and Axel Molhieth, he’d been kept in the warded cells below the police station.
His sentence had been greatly reduced due to the fact Tombs and then Yates had blackmailed him, threatening the life of Zane’s half-sister and her family. And also for his help in taking down Yate’s hunter compound.
But as his previous actions had ultimately almost cost Rys and Axel their lives, and the fact he’d used banned magical practices to alter the memories of others, Mase’s included, both the witches’ council and the paranormal police agreed that he had to serve some form of punishment.
Zane would have his magic bound for three years and be subject to regular random check-ups by the witches’ council. He’d also have to wear a tracker for the duration.
Considering he’d been facing a far worse fate before Tombs’ blackmailing had come to light, Zane had accepted his punishment without much fuss. I wasn’t a witch, so I had no idea how it would feel to have the use of magic suddenly taken away from me, but I imagined it was similar to being told I could no longer shift. Could no longer have access to the wild and feral side of me that was as much a part of my soul as my human side.
The idea alone sent an icy chill down my spine that made me shudder.
“Max?” The concern in Mase’s voice snapped me out of it, and I shook myself to get rid of the feeling.
“Sorry. I was just trying to imagine what it’s going to be like for Zane when they bind his magic. If someone bound my wolf like that…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.
“What he did…” Mase held up his hand when I opened my mouth. “I know they had his sister.Fuck, even Rys can appreciate that Zane was stuck between a rock and a hard place. But Rys and Axel almost died.” He rubbed a hand over his chest, voice catching as he said. “I can still remember what it felt like.”
Mase and Rys shared a soulbond.
That rare occurrence when fate agreed with the person you’d chosen to love. No,agreedwasn’t a strong enough word. Insisted was more fitting, because fighting the pull of a soulbond washard. It also meant the connection between them was stronger and deeper than anything else, allowing them to feel each other’s emotions even over distance. I could only imagine what Mase went through when Rys was taken.
“I know,” I said, pushing as much understanding into my tone as I could manage, because while I might not have experienced it for myself, it hurt enough being banned from touching Jake as it was. It didn’t take much to picture how much worse that would be if we were bonded, let alonesoulbonded. “If you’d rather not be involved with this, I understand. I can ask Jake to help me.” Not Dathal. He hadn’t forgiven Zane for Axel and I didn’t think he ever would.
Mase picked up a pen from his desk and twirled it between his fingers for a few seconds before replying. “No, it’s fine.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” He sat up, setting the pen back down. “I am. Zane might have his magic bound, but he won’t be imprisoned anymore. There’s a strong possibility I might run in to him at some point, so I need to get past this.”
I nodded. “Okay. I’ve scheduled a meeting with him at nine thirty this morning to go over the terms of his release. The witches’ council will perform the binding tomorrow at Ella Roach’s house.” Ella was Zane’s coven leader. I doubted she’d enjoy having to perform that rite on one of her own, but she wouldn’t have a choice. “Have you spoken to Nick lately?” I asked, as Mase’s words sparked a few questions of my own. “Do you know if Zane plans to resume his position at Midnight?”
“Fuck.” Mase winced. “I saw him yesterday, but I never thought to ask. To be honest, I completely forgot that Zane getting released could impact Nick too.” He met my gaze. “Can we ask him when we go down there later?”
I grimaced. “Strictly speaking, no, because it’s not relevant to his release. There’s nothing in his sentence that prohibits him returning to the club…”
“But?”
I grinned. “But if it happened to come up in the conversation…” I held out my hands. “He doesn’t have to answer us, of course, but I think he will.” I glanced at the time on my phone. “We’ve got just over an hour and a half before we’re due to go downstairs. I’m going to run through all the release information one last time. Make sure we have everything ready.”
