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“Are you sure?” Her blue gaze finally moves away from her hands and settles on mine. “Maybe we need a plan that doesn’t include any of the packs. Maybe you could take Dare to get help with your pack, and Ridge or Trystan could take me somewhere else safe that won’t break any of your laws…”
I reach over and take both her hands, tugging her fingertips to my lips. Her skin is soft and cool as I press a resolute kiss to every knuckle. Finally, I tuck her hands against my chest and smile. “Sable, we’re sure. We all care about you. It’s not even about the bond anymore—it’s just you. You’re our friend, our companion, and possibly, one day, someone’s mate. Wolves don’t leave their own behind.”
“But I’m not a wolf.” Her voice cracks, and tears well in her already bloodshot eyes.
Fuck.
I usually know what to say. My ability to use reason and logic and to put things into the right words is something I’m proud of. But Sable disarms me in a way that leaves me scrambling for the right thing to say. She’s not taking this transition into being a witch well.
Honestly, none of us are, even when we’re trying to keep up the appearance that everything is fine.
I can’t speak for the other men, but Sable being a witch changes nothing for me. I just don’t know how to assure her of that truth. She was mistreated, abused, and lied to by her uncle for so many years. Being conditioned to expect pain and dishonesty is not something a person can easily overcome.
Still holding her hands against my heart, I lean in and kiss her.
The sensation of her lips on mine makes me want to throw all caution to the wind. The wolf inside me wants to push her back onto the blankets and make her his, while my head is screaming at me to go slow—don’t scare her, keep it gentle and restrained. The two warring sides are enough to drive me insane. Especially when her fingertips slide into my hair and she pulls me closer, her curves settling against me.
I pull away before the kiss can go farther. I want her more than anything, but not right now, when we need to be fleeing the area.
“Maybe you are a witch,” I murmur. “But that’s not what my heart says. My heart says you are a wolf, and you belong with us.”
Sable smiles, her blue eyes sparkling. She seems a little buoyed by my short and sweet pep talk, so hopefully I was able to do some good here. She squeezes my hands, then gently extricates her fingers from mine before she reaches over to zip up the backpack, avoiding my gaze. “Thank you.”
Her voice is too small, like she’s trying to hide her emotions behind her gratitude. Our time together here at the cabin hasn’t been that long, but it’s been long enough that I’ve learned to read her well.
“What is it?” I ask softly. I slide my fingers into her silken hair and push it away from her face so she can’t hide from me behind a curtain of gold. “The idea of hiding your witch from my pack isn’t the only thing bothering you, is it?”
She bites her lip, keeping her gaze on the bag as she shrugs. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s obviously something.”
“Fine.” Sable sighs, her black lashes stark against her cheeks as she closes her eyes. “I’m terrified of what being a witch means. I barely understand what witches even are, much less how being one will affect my life.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Oh. Well, I can help you there.”
The words come out a little more enthusiastic than I was going for, and her startled gaze bounces back up to my face. I dial my energy back a notch before continuing.
“None of us are experts on witches, but I do have a little experience. Being held captive by them for so long, I like to think I gained a bett
er understanding of how their magic works. So maybe I could help you try to understand your powers better.”
Sable brightens like a miniature sun. “Really?”
“Yeah, definitely.” I nod. “There’s a lot I don’t know, but I’ll tell you everything I can. We might have a learning curve, but we can figure it out together.”
There’s a beat of silence as she stares at me, then Sable throws her arms around my neck, colliding with my chest with some major force for such a small woman. “You would do that for me?”
I snake my arms around her back, holding her close. “I would do anything for you.”
“Thank you,” she whispers again.
The soft scent of her skin fills my nostrils as her heart beats against mine. Everything about having her here against me feels so right. Like we’re meant to be, and I never want to let her go.
Even so, a shiver runs down my spine at the idea of revisiting memories from the worst period in my life. Being held captive by the witches is something I’ve worked hard to bury. I was never sure I’d even survive those years in captivity. Once I got away and returned home, it took over a decade before I finally believed I was safe, that no one was coming for me, and I’ve made damn sure that my memories can’t resurface and haunt me every hour of the day.
But if drawing on those old memories and my dusty understanding of witch magic can lighten her load a little, I’ll do it. Sable’s hesitancy and worry right now aren’t just about being a witch—it’s also a fear of the unknown. It’s harder to be afraid of things you can understand and control, so with a little training, I think I could help her conquer this.
At the very least, I’ll give it my best shot.
