AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m sure he thought it was a privilege.” Holt snorted. “It was clear he didn’t count us as people anymore, only a means to an end.”
“Is it too far to ask how you bonded or tried to find the bond? I’ve only read about the wolves fated-mates’ ceremony and it involved a full moon and some runes.” He snorted at that.
“Nothing quite so fancy. We hold the hand of the person we’re testing the bond with and whisper an incantation. It’s simple and one we’re taught when we hit puberty,” he explained. “But for some reason the magic between us and wolves is chaotic and volatile and testing the bond is painful if you aren’t a match.”
“Is it rare for witches to find their mates?” He shrugged.
“They found plenty of pairs so I guess not.” That haunted look was back in his eyes.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Sorry I crashed into your little pack,” he countered. He bumped his shoulder to mine and we shared a real smile this time. I really did like Holt. He was easy to talk to and blunt, a refreshing combination. As he stared off into space, I studied him. He was adorable. His long, shaggy black hair was a bit wild from not being taken care of properly but it suited him. He had kind eyes. His skin was covered in tattoos, some runes and the rest winding vines that wound around his arms and likely his chest but I couldn’t see that. He was lean and a bit on the thin side but again, that was likely from time in captivity.
There was just one thing keeping me from getting closer. The underlying issue that could make or break my feelings for him.
“Do you plan to stay with our pack?” I asked him bluntly. “Even if I’m still coming to terms with it, you obviously mean something to Callum. I don’t want him getting super attached just for you to try to leave. As the alpha he can’t just abandon the pack.”
Holt was quiet for long enough that I second guessed if he even heard me or not. But just when I was about to question again he turned to me.
“Half of us died in the battles while trying to save ourselves. The other half is going to be so broken I couldn’t fix them if I tried. Hell, I need therapy after this. It might be selfish of me but I don’t want to rebuild that world. I’d rather see what pack life is about. Callum always talked it up and the idea of having a family like this is something I’ve always wanted. The coven felt claustrophobic. I could never be myself and had to hide my magic. It may be weird, but I know that Callum would never use my magic against me. That means a lot. So yeah, that was my long-winded answer, but I think I’d like to stick around.”
“Good,” I said. “Glad I’m no longer the newbie.”
He laughed at that. “I figured you’d been around awhile, you all get along so easily.”
“Only several months. I was in Torryn’s pack until I lost my sister. She was all I had left of my family and the traditions in that pack were barbaric. Hence the drama. So I ran. There’s a lot more to the story but I ended up at the Bluffs and eventually with the guys. But then we found out my sister didn’t die. Her picture is what started this search for the Grave Pack. Hell, I didn’t even know anything other than wolves existed when I ran.”
“Really?” He laughed. “All the separations only led us to our downfall, so it’s probably best that we blow that secrecy apart. The coven acts like they’re the only ones that matter. It’s a lonely way to live, isolating yourself from others.”
“The vampires said the same,” I added.
We fell silent and after a moment he chuckled as I fought with the lock again.
“Do you even know how to pick a lock?”
“Sure,” I lied through my teeth as I shifted the bobby pin in the lock again, but it just wasn’t strong enough to get it open.
“Are you wanting to save the cabinet?” he asked.
“Not necessarily. This was a distraction more than anything and I was just curious what was inside.”
He held his hand over the lock and after a moment the scent of burning metal filled the air. I wrinkled my nose and shifted my feet out of the way as a silver puddle started to form on the ground. When he pulled his hand away the lock was melted and hollow and the door swung open.
“It might be handy having a witch around,” I joked. Then we both burst out laughing when we noticed the contents inside.
“Well, I guess they wanted to be prepared for anything.” He laughed as he grabbed out a box of condoms. “Yup… anything.” This time he pulled out a large bottle of lube.
At this point I could barely see through the tears and breathe through the laughter. Here we were in the middle of the fucking Nevada wilderness, taking over a compound, and trying to survive, and we find what’s essentially the tools for a sex education class.
Footsteps echoed in the room and we turned around to see Callum staring down at us looking confused, but pleased. And then his eyes landed on the contents in Holt’s hands.
“Are those condoms?” His question set us off again and we were leaning into each other in an attempt to stay upright. It was the kind of crazy situation we needed to move past the tension. I didn’t know if we’d be anything beyond friends, or if he was even bisexual, but for now, at least we didn’t hate each other.
* * *
Torryn
HavingVanya back in my life was amazing. But the fact I was having to work through a past that seemed hellbent on hanging over my head, wasn’t easy. The guys hated me. Hell, I was pretty sureshehated me on some level. When I demanded her taking me on as a mate, this wasn’t at all what I pictured. But then again, she was never one for preserving the status quo. And now that my pack had fallen, I was seeing that it was a very good thing.
