For a few minutes, Callie and I are quiet as we stand in the puddles of her cooling rage.
“Sorry for the mess,” she says, breaking the silence as she takes in the dripping walls and pooling water. “I’ll clean it up.” Closing her eyes, she stretches her hand out. Magic tickles my nose as the excess water floats into the air and funnels its way into the sink. In a matter of seconds, all signs of the encounter in the kitchen are gone.
I run my hand down her loose hair, enjoying the feeling of her silken tresses against my fingers. “Mi reina, why were you out here?”
“I wanted to treat you to breakfast in bed.” She snuggles against my side, her icy fingers sliding beneath my shredded shirt. “Nothing fancy that might burn down the kitchen or anything.”
Kissing the top of her head, I resist pointing out that we have someone who does the cooking, and she could burn down the kitchen by attempting to make scrambled eggs.
“I was making toast and coffee, okay?” she grumbles, my silence apparently clue enough to my hidden thoughts. “Then, after breakfast, I planned to show you what I did to the alpha suite.”
“Is it still standing?” I tease, smirking down at her.
“Only because you asked me not to burn it down,” she counters, and then she starts pulling on my arm. “Come on. I think you’ll like what I did.”
I allow her to lead me away, trying to let her love and enthusiasm drown the apprehension growing inside my chest. Callie would never intentionally hurt me or lead me into something that would cause me pain. She knows what these rooms mean, what they represent, so I trust whatever she’s done will offset the memories.
When we reach the door that leads to the alpha suite, she stops and faces me. “I promise you are safe here, and I will be right by your side.”
Swallowing heavily, I gather my courage and motion for her to open the door.
She holds my hand firmly, a promise not to let go, as we enter what were once my father’s private rooms. The anticipation of past pain climbs to the surface, and my whole body tenses, waiting for it to crush me… except it never comes. All I feel is the safety and love of my mate.
Standing in the middle of the bedroom, I no longer see the shadows of the old alpha. I notice all the changes I was blinded to before. Everything from the furniture, rugs, and linens to thepaint on the walls is different. I can now take in the care my pack put in to make this space for me. Even though nothing visually changed from the day before, it suddenly feels like everything has changed.
“I did what you asked.” Callie wraps her arms around my bicep while still holding my hand. “The walls are infused with my magic. This room will forever hold my mark and my protection.”
Confused, I frown down at her, my expression asking for clarification.
She smiles up at me with a loving and proud look in her gaze. “I asked my nan for help with the spell, and let me tell you, she was not thrilled about being woken up so early, but I couldn’t wait, and I wanted it to be perfect.” She motions with one hand to the room that no longer looms with the darkness of the past. “When I promised your safety, I meant it literally. Within these walls and the walls of my suite too, no one can harm you. If they intend to, they’ll run into a literal barrier as well as forget why they were there in the first place. If someone gets into these rooms and then decides they want to hurt you, they’ll be ejected out of the rooms.”
“Ejected?” I echo, looking around at the windows that line one wall of the bedroom.
A hint of the warrior inside shows on Callie’s features. “I reduced the power of the necklace because you asked me to, but you need a place where you’re completely safe, where you can really rest and let go. This is your safe haven now. My magic will protect you, and my presence will always be felt here.”
Breathing in the magic-infused air, I scent more than the elements that make up the unique odor of her power. “I smell you.”
She blushes as she points to the white orchids growing in a pot in the sitting area off to the side and then the magenta burning candle on the bedside table. “It’s not the same, but I thought it might help when I’m not around. Some of my sweaters are also in your closet.”
Tears burn in my eyes as my throat tightens around the emotions crawling up within me. “Thank you,mi reina. I… This is…”
“I know,mi lobo,” she responds gently when my words refuse to express how I feel. “Welcome home.”
Chapter 13
Callie
At least for now, my supernatural life is stuck in a holding pattern. Felix’s thrall status is up in the air as the Yanu matriarch waits for the vampire queen’s response before making a decision. I haven’t had any more visits from the goddess, which has left me a bit annoyed. How am I supposed to find my fellow spirit witches? It’s not like there’s a social networking site we all join or something. And is there a timetable on this? I really should have asked more questions.
Since there’s nothing I can actively do, I’ve tried to focus more on the excitement of being a senior. There’s an everyday lull to going to classes, but also a kind of bittersweetness that after this year, my whole life is going to change. My time in Twin Cedar Pass will end as I take my first steps toward my future. It makes me want to slow down and appreciate this town that, despite all the craziness, has become my home and shelter.
Breathing in the cool morning air as I walk toward the front of the school, I decide I’m going to do better about savoring my time here. Maybe I’ll even join a school club or something and carve out a little bit of time not related to my magic or my destiny.
Inside the school, the hallways are alive with chatter and excitement instead of the usual sleepy students zombie walking their way to their lockers. It isn’t until I spot Rand and Mei together that I understand what everyone is going on about. He’s holding a box with one of those giant cookies in it. On the top of the cookie, written in purple icing, is the question, “Will you go to homecoming with me?”
He looks nervous but determined, like he has all of the counter points ready in case Mei comes up with some excuse as to why they shouldn’t go together. I have no doubt he’d accept no as an answer, but I can understand wanting to be prepared to assuage her insecurities.
Mei chuckles with an amused sparkle in her eyes. “You know everything we do together doesn’t have to relate to baked goods, right?”
