Chapter Eighteen
It was an early afternoon on a humid August day when Austin strode through the door of Pistols and Purses, Savannah’s favorite shop, in downtown Foxhaven.
He’d spent the morning talking to Seers from different packs around the country. He’d found one in Oregon, not too far from where he lived, who would be willing to work with him and train him to harness his power and use it safely, in a way that didn’t make his head explode. He’d have to travel a few hours to get to his pack, and and spend a week at a time there, but it would be worth it. He could use his power to keep his family safe.
So far, he hadn’t tried to summon up any more visions, and he hadn’t been visited by any. He wanted to wait until he knew how to use his gift properly before he ventured into that territory again.
He had a few hours to kill before he and Savannah had their rehearsal dinner at the restaurant that evening. The restaurant had been closed for the day. Grant and his mate would be there in a couple of hours. Cliff couldn’t make it to the rehearsal dinner, but he’d be there at the mating ceremony.
He’d come to this particular shop because he knew they had specially designed handbags that would conceal a pistol. Savannah would love it.
“Oh my God,” a familiar voice growled behind him. “You really are a pussy. You are an actual vagina.”
He turned around to glare at Roy, who was standing there with a smirk on his face. He barely recognized him. Roy had trimmed his hair and beard, and he was wearing clean jeans, new hiking boots, and a red checked button-down shirt. He smelled faintly of cologne. He’d gone from the wild-haired lunatic of the mountains to a clean, well-groomed man who could have stepped out of an advertisement forOutdoor Living Magazine.
“What are you doing here?” Austin demanded.
“I hear they make the best roast beef sandwiches in the Northwest here, at a little restaurant called To Dine For,” Roy said. “Oh, I like that one for you.” He pointed at a pink, frilly little purse that dangled off the arm of a mannequin. “Although it might be a little too butch.”
Austin snorted. “I’m here to buy a present for my mate, ass-face. Where have you been for the last few weeks? Savannah was worried about you.” Then he scowled. “And I wasn’t, by the way.”
Roy smiled, as if Austin’s insult hadn’t bothered him in the least. “Well, I’ve been thinking about courting Miss Laurel, but I wanted to hang out and see if I could act sane for a little while first. Talk to people without killing them. Doesn’t seem to be an issue. Now that I have something I’m actually looking forward to, I’m finding it easier to be reasonably civilized.”
“Laurel might have mentioned you from time to time,” Austin said. Roy’s face lit up. “Mostly complaining about how rude you were.” And Roy’s face fell again. Austin sighed. “But honestly, she wouldn’t have been talking about you that much if she didn’t like you. I would just suggest taking it slow. Show up and apologize again. Just hang around, come back for lunch every day, and she’ll warm up to you after a while.”
Roy nodded thoughtfully. “Take it slow. I can do that,” he said.
A sudden icy sensation washed over Austin, coming from nowhere, and he shuddered.
“Now what? You upset about the idea of me being an in-law?” Roy scoffed. “Believe me, I don’t love the idea either, you little peckerwood.”
“Nah, I don’t know. Just a chill. I get them sometimes. Air conditioning?” He looked around but didn’t see an A.C. unit or a fan.
Roy’s face went from joking to dead serious. “It’s hot as hell in here, dude. My balls are sweating. There’s no chill – it’s your Seer power. Call your mate.”
Once upon a time, Austin would have argued. Not anymore.
He called, his heart starting to hammer in his chest, and breathed a sigh of relief when she answered.
He smiled at the sound of her voice. “Hey, trouble-maker, what are you up to?”
“Oh, you know, just spending time with my adorable bestie Jessamine,” she cooed at him. “Can’t get enough time with my favorite sister. She let me borrow her shirt this morning.”
His smile vanished. His heart sped up in his chest. “I see,” Austin said tightly. “Hey, can you put your mom on the phone?” He started running for the door as he talked, with Roy right on his heels.
“Oh, she’s a little busy at the moment. She can call you back, though.”
“Sure thing. I’ll be there in a couple hours. You give Jessamine all my love, won’t you?”
He hung up before she could answer, dashing across the parking lot. Panic choked him, and his heartbeat thundered in his ears.
Who was threatening her? Algernon? Jason?
He’d kill them.
How fast could he get back to the house?
No, no, no…he couldn’t lose her…
