“I thought they were a myth, so nothing.”
“The last herd made a pact to live as humans.To hide and never reveal themselves.They thought they’d make a comeback, if they hid their scent, but they didn’t.Their numbers dwindled and now, as far as I know, there’s only one left in the world.”
“When you call Alpha Jericho, can you have him send someone to take care of Clover?She’s alone in the house.I mean, she can take care of herself but she’s only nine.”
“Of course.”He reached out and took her hand in his, threading their fingers.“Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?”
“That you love me.”
“Yes,” she replied in a small voice.
Happiness filled him.Once upon a time, hearing the L-word would’ve had him running for the hills, but with Juniper it felt right.He never thought he’d have these emotions for a woman, but now, there was no denying them.
Turning off the main road, he traveled past his own house for the one further back.The house was practically hidden and completely isolated.
“Where are we?”Juni asked.
“You’ll see.”
When the house came into view, she gasped.His was nice and big, but this one was amazing, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it.The Queen Anne style house had a regal air about it.Round towers and wrap-around porches made it feel extravagant.
After parking on the circular driveway, he cut the engine.“Stay.I’ll come around to get you.”
She watched as he rounded the front of the car.He opened her door and bent to scoop her up.As he marched up the steps, the front door opened and his best friend, Corbin Leonelli, greeted him.
“Hey, Asher.”His confused stare went from him to Juni and back.“What’s up?”
“This is Juniper, and I need you to save her.”
“Wait,” she said.“The lawyer is the unicorn?He smells like a wolf.”
Immediately, Corbin’s body language went from casual to angry in the blink of an eye.“What the fuck?You told her?”
“Not until just now.Please, Corbin.I’ve never asked you for anything, but I’m begging now.”
“I can’t believe you’d betray me like this!”he spat.
“I haven’t and I have no intentions of doing that, but, please, she can’t die.”
Corbin’s hands closed into fists.They’d been friends for years, but he’d never seen his friend this furious.
“A mob attacked him,” Juni said.She stared at Corbin.“I was on the phone with him when I heard what was going on.So, I ran to the bar and saw them trying to force him to shift into a unicorn.He kept denying he was one.Kept repeating he couldn’t help them, and now I know it was to protect you.Even in their anger, all he thought about was you.”
Some of the anger eased from Corbin’s body language.“You’re infected?”
“Yes,” she said sadly.“I decided to walk home and I saw Keegan.It was strange because she was just standing there on the sidewalk.I know Alpha Jericho told us to stay in our houses, so I was confused.I went up to her...”
Her voice broke, and it took a moment for her to regain her composure.
“She collapsed, and ...in the next moment she died in my arms.”Tears trickled down her cheeks and she fruitlessly wiped them away.“My friend is gone.”
Corbin sighed, his shoulders slumping a little.
“You don’t have to reveal yourself,” Asher told him.“And they don’t need your horn.Just some blood.I’ve kept your secret all these years, so you know I would never willingly betray you.”
“Yeah, I know about the blood.I was there when they pulled the ghost off Kadie.”
