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Clay’s hand clamped on the back of Baer’s neck. “No, we just got to figure out how to kill her before she can launch another attack.”
And Baer needed to find a way to break her magical hold on animals. It was going to be the only way they could get close to her. Fuck, let there be something in those damn books they found in the storage unit. He was going to be spending a lot more time with Wiley, but it wasn’t going to be doing the fun stuff. Baer had to get better with his powers, or they were all dead.Chapter 21Wiley joined Dane and Clay in the kitchen as they worked on that night’s dinner. He was in charge of the Spanish rice, while Dane and Clay made enchiladas. He chopped up tomatoes to add to the rice, his mind turning over everything Baer had told them about the witch’s visit.
He still couldn’t believe she’d boldly come up to the barrier of the plantation. He hadn’t realized how much he’d been lying to himself about the safety of the plantation.
Sure, the barrier was great, but was it really surprising the pestilents knew exactly where it was? If the Weavers have been using it for a long time, didn’t it stand to reason that the pestilents had found it before?
It definitely made him more cautious about wanting to leave the grounds. Thank goodness they’d made a hefty grocery run just the other day, and he had no intention of going to that therapy visit. He had plenty of meds, and he was feeling mentally sound. If things went bad, he could always call his therapist, but he didn’t think it would come to that. Baer would just have to deal. Wiley could be stubborn.
For now, he was glad for the break from the books. He’d been slowly working through the old, yellowed pages for hours, logging each bit of valuable information in the spreadsheet he’d created. Still, he’d not found anything that would help fight a witch who could compel animals.
In his heart, he knew exactly what they needed, but the thought made him want to curl up into a ball and hide under Baer’s bed. He couldn’t breathe when he contemplated the one real option they had.
Baer needed his soul mate.
Dane’s powers were an offshoot of Clay’s. Then it stood to reason, that Baer’s soul mate would get his powers for Baer. It was likely they’d be helpful in battling this witch who controlled animals.
Wiley wanted to belong to Baer.
He glanced over to find Clay kissing Dane softly, both of them hardly paying attention to the enchilada construction.
Fuck, he was jealous.
Wiley wanted what they had so badly, his heart ached with it. But it wasn’t enough to find love and a soul mate. He wanted to be Baer’s soul mate. He wanted to spend the rest of his life listening to that man’s laugh and to feel the reassuring strength of his arms. He wanted the man who didn’t see him as broken or more trouble than he was worth. He wanted the man who saw everything that made Wiley who he was and still desired him.
But whoever was handing out soul mates decided he and Baer weren’t a match.
Instead of watching them, Wiley went back to chopping. He picked up an onion, hoping he’d be able to use it as an excuse for the tears currently pricking his eyes.
Once dinner was ready, they carried the dishes outside to the patio next to the pool. As long as the weather was nice, they all agreed they preferred eating outside. With the trees just starting to turn colors and the warm sun, the backyard was just too pleasant. Plus, Wiley had gotten so attached to the pool. He was going to miss it when he left.
Not as much as he’d miss Baer, who was currently walking out of the woods with Ruby by his side. He wore jeans and a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his thick forearms. His hair was pulled in a tail, and his beard shone bright red in the waning light. Wiley couldn’t wait to feel that beard against his skin.
Damn, he was just too sexy to be real.
But it was more than Baer’s attractiveness. He was kind and thoughtful. He was funny and compassionate. He was this crazy package of awesome, and Wiley had let his heart get involved. He was one hundred percent in love with Baer. Leaving was gonna kill him.
There was no getting over Baer, and he couldn’t help but resent whoever would be taking his place. He set the rice down and went inside for plates, his chest hurting so much, he was worried he wouldn’t be able to hide it.
Inside, he leaned against the counter and swiped away the lone tear that had escaped. Enough! There was nothing he could do about this and there were far more important things at stake. If Baer found his soul mate, the Weavers Circle had a chance at beating the pestilents once and for all. They could save the entire world.
