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“We know you and we trust you,” I rush to add, feeling like a broken record. They’re just words, and I wish I could prove to her that my assurances aren’t empty promises. “But if anybody here—or in any pack—finds out…”
Silence stretches between us all as they fill in the blanks.
“So we figure out how to keep the magic at bay,” Archer says simply. “I know it’s still new, Sable, but have you noticed any common denominators with the magic? Like can you feel it coming on? Does anything make it happen?”
“My emotions seem to make the magic stir.” She chews on her lip, her food forgotten. “When I’m scared or panicked, it’s like it reacts to those feelings. That’s when the scars turn black.”
“That’s a good start,” I tell her with a reassuring smile. “If we can manage to keep your emotions in check, we’ll not only keep you safe and keep your secret silent, but by default, we’ll protect the packs too. Win, win.”
“So we have to work on keeping your emotions at bay,” Archer muses. “That’s doable.”
“Is it?” Sable stares forlornly at her plate instead of looking at us. “I’m a constant ball of panic at the littlest instigation. This is a disaster waiting to happen.”
“No, it’s not.” Trystan speaks up, dropping his fork to his plate with a loud clatter. “You’re much stronger than you were when I met you. You can do this.”
A flicker of irritation sets my nerves on edge, and I fight the urge to punch the alpha in his face. Sable, on the other hand, doesn’t react to his stern rebuke the way I expect. She stares at Trystan, her blue eyes wide, and then nods.
“You’re absolutely right,” she says. “Thank you. I’m not the girl I was before.”
Okay, so I’m not fully on board with his hard-assed methods, but fuck if that didn’t work.
“I also need to figure out what this means,” Sable goes on, lifting her fork to spear a hunk of potato. “Why am I a witch? How does this affect me? Or how does this affect us and the mate bond?”
“We need to figure it out,” I add, putting emphasis on the we. “You’re not in this alone, nor should you feel like you are.”
She grins—probably the first real smile I’ve seen on her face since we arrived here. “Right. We.”
The rest of dinner passes with lighter conversation, but by the time we’ve all cleaned our plates, I can tell Sable is dead on her feet. Archer is itching to go join his pack for a hunt after sunset, and Trystan is surprisingly interested in tagging along with him. He probably needs to blow off some steam. I send them both away with the promise that I’ll clean up our mess while they’re gone.
I make quick work of the backyard, scraping the grill clean and putting away our supplies. Then Sable helps me carry all our dishes and condiments back into the house, even though she’s so exhausted she’s swaying where she stands.
To be honest, I’m pretty tired myself. Today might have been the longest day of my life.
After she slides the last of the dishes into the warm, soapy water waiting in the sink, I take her carefully by the elbow and steer her out of the kitchen. “You need to lie down before you fall down.”
“I’m fine!” Sable insists, planting her feet on the linoleum and tugging back against my grasp. “I can wash dishes.”
“You can lie down,” I correct her and pull harder.
She’s too tired to fight very hard. Her tense muscles loosen, and she allows me to lead her down the narrow hallway and into the only bedroom. A small lamp casts a glow beside Archer’s bed, which is a queen-size that dominates the room, leaving barely a few inches of space between the dresser and the mattress. I help Sable shed her jeans, then pull back the covers so that she can slip between the soft, cool sheets.
“Do you need anything before I go finish cleaning?” I ask her. I don’t want to walk away. She looks stunning with her golden hair splayed over the maroon pillow case and her eyes half-closed with exhaustion.
“You,” she says, gripping my arm and tugging me toward the bed. “I need you.”
“I should wash the dishes.”
“You wouldn’t let me do that,” she says sleepily, lifting the cover and patting the sheet beside her. “Stay. Don’t leave me. The dishes won’t go anywhere.”
I have to admit, the sight of her snug in the sheets in nothing but a t-shirt and panties is very inviting. It reminds me of the night I found her in the ravine, when I had to undress her and had to physically drag my gaze away from the sight of her perfect body. I’ve wanted her every minute since that night.
But this isn’t a sexual invitation. The earnest look on her face is shrouded by a hint of fear, and I can tell she doesn’t want to be alone. So I laugh and crawl in beside her. “You’re a bad influence.”
“Hey, you’re the one that made me come to bed.” She snuggles against my chest, her small han
d coming to rest over my heart.
I settle onto the soft sheet and wrap my arms around her, pulling her close to my side. I can’t deny her anything. I know damn good and well I should get back up and go finish cleaning because I told Archer I would, but there’s no force on earth that could make me walk away from her when she asks me to stay.
