Zahara was always doing something. Zoey rolled her eyes. “What else is new?”
The most reclusive Witch Doctor of Encantado smiled up at Zoey. Looking at her never failed to take Zoey’s breath away. Even though her hair was gray and she sometimes groaned with pain when she stood, Zahara was still one of the most beautiful women Zoey had ever seen.
And to know she’d given up some of her life force to save Kalinda and Silva only made her more important.
That wasn’t to say Zoey was comfortable with said Witch Doctor placing her house in a dimensional pocket—who the fuck thought that was possible?—above Zoey and Dominic’s. It for some odd moments when Zahara suddenly showed up while Dominic had been making Zoey, ehm, comfortable.
The bell system helped with that.
“So … are you going to tell me what you did, or leave me in suspense?”
Isadora was still playing with the stones and had added her stuffed wolf too. The thing floated in figure eights around the rocks like it was on ice.
That’s cool. I want to do that.
“I made a Blood Pact.”
That got Zoey’s attention. “What?”
Zahara sighed. “Can you tell me where Dominic is?”
“Um, taking some of the wolves for a run. He’s been worried sick about me, and I wanted to give him a break if I could.”
“No, Zoey. Tell me exa’tly where your man is, chile.”
Maybe Zahara had given more of herself when she’d healed Kalinda and Silva than they all thought.
“Close your eyes and reach for him.”
Humoring her, not quite sure what the hell this had to do with Isadora, Zoey closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“In your min’ only t’ink about him.”
Since giving up her life force, Zahara’s way of speaking had slipped further and further to her island roots.
“You not t’inking ‘bout him, chile.”
Zoey shook her head and took another breath before picturing her husband. Deciding not to imagine him naked and pumping his cock—oops, thought about it—with his grandmother in the same room, Zoey just wanted to see him.
She loved how his large wolf raced through the woods, scenting out game and scaring her silly with secret “ambushes.” She’d come to know his wolf as much as the man. His conscience was in the beast, to be sure, but there was something more animalistic and direct when he was in that form.
Woods. Game to the right. Go! Rabbit!
Zoey squeaked as her vision shifted, melded, and reformed to a haze of green and brown. The woods went by too quickly for her to see clearly, but if she didn’t try, her nose gave her all the information she needed. Follow the nose.
A howl twisted up through her chest, and the elation she sensed was overwhelming. It swelled, stronger and stronger, until it blasted out of her and filled the night sky. Crickets chirped, birds took flight.
The night was alive.
Mate.
Warmth. Love. Protection. It all slid through her at once. She was in awe but present in the forest at the same time, her paws spreading to take heavy weight. She could smell the rabbit and the fresh powder from her daughter. She loved and was loved.
“Dominic.”
The wolf howled again, sliding to a stop as the other wolves joined in. The song made her heart race in her chest, and her blood heated. Here, the night spoke to her and she was one with the moon. It hung heavy and buttery yellow in the night sky, guiding the wolves with its soft light.
Mate.
