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His gaze flicks to me, and I nod. He scurries out without a backward glance.

“Alpha.” She straightens as much as her bones allow. “How can I help you?”

“Do you have anything already made that doesn’t have much meat?” I grimace. “A certain witch has decided now is a good time to have particular taste.”

The elder chuckles. “Some witch covens are strictly vegetarian or pescetarian. It’s not odd to consider that this one would carry on one of those traditions.”

I frown. “Even if she’s covenless?”

“Well, all the more curious.”

She shuffles back toward the walk-in fridge, and I follow at her pace. I hold open the door for her, pushing through the plastic flaps.

“Why is that curious?” I ask.

“Covenless witches aren’t protected.” She glances over and elaborates, “Covens can join their powers together when there’s need. For big spells or wards, for example. If this witch is on her own, then she’s truly alone.”

“She visited a coven, but they made her leave.”

Witches within covens aren’t protected either. Not when we tear them apart.

She pokes my chest. “Have you asked her?”

“No. I didn’t think that was important.”

Something crackles in me. A static that just seems to get louder. My would-be mate is covenless, unprotected, as Marjorie says. My wolf wants to know. I feel his interest in my chest.

“If she’s going to help you, then I think all of her is important. Don’t you?”

I sigh. “It would be easier to use her and be done with it.”

Her amusement is clear, even if she doesn’t outwardly laugh at me. I take the plastic container from her and follow her back into the kitchen. She motions for me to remove the lid, and I dump it into her waiting pan.

She adds rice and a different sauce, tossing the vegetables in it, then plates it for me.

“Thank you, Marjorie.” I cover her hand.

“Good luck, Alpha,” she calls.

Chapter 13

Kian

Astra emerges from the cabin with her bag slung over her shoulder.

I narrow my eyes. “Where did you find that?”

“It was empty and stashed under your bed.” She makes a face. “You expect me to just hold all my clothes in my lap? Don’t worry–I noticed you did something else with my wallet.”

I pull her slim leather wallet from my pocket. That, I was planning on returning. Not her phone, though. I don’t need her calling in reinforcements and screwing me over. Her wallet unfortunately had nothing of interest inside.

Her driver’s license had a boring black and white photo from a few years ago, which we analyzed for far too long, the credit cards were of no use to me. I’m not in need of her money.

What was interesting was the faintest hint of lavender caught in the leather. From her mother, I imagine.

Astra comes down the steps and stops beside me. She seems more comfortable in her own clothes—the boots, jeans. Different from earlier: she’s wearing an oversized hoodie that definitely doesn’t belong to her.

She took that from my closet.