Page 16 of Forgotten Mate

He didn’t offer his hand, knowing Zenia’swolf wouldn’t like that at all.

Layton cocked her head and her browfurrowed. “Wait. Aren’t you the alpha’s son from Kaudiff Pack?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“My uncle is on the planning committee. I’mLayton, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Layton looked at Zenia. “Are we still goingto the dance tonight?”

“I kind of thought I’d go with Greyden,”Zenia replied. “I’m sorry, but you know how it is...”

Her voice trailed off, knowing she didn’tneed to explain. Shifters who hadn’t found their moon-fated matesyearned every day to find each other. There was nothing moresacred. Didn’t matter if it was an alpha or omega, all hoped tofeel the love for a mate. It was one reason why there was an annualmeet-up, to give shifters a chance to meet theirs.

“Of course,” Layton said sweetly, lookingbetween them.

Zenia saw something that looked a lot likeanger flash in her eyes, but it was gone so quickly she figuredshe’d been mistaken. Greyden squeezed her hand and smiled down ather, and all thoughts of Layton faded away.

Chapter Ten

“Welcome back,” Savannah said. “Thanks formeeting here at the packhouse. I thought this place was better thanmy small apartment.”

Beside her stood a man Zenia had never seenbefore. His legs were spaced out, and he had his arms crossed overhis chest. His silky black hair had a sheen of blue in thesunlight. Scruff lined his square jaw. Dark-brown eyes stared ateach of us in an assessing way. A shimmer of gold hoops hung in hisearlobes, and tattoos traveled up each arm. At first Zenia thoughtthey were abstract designs, but the longer she looked she realizedthey were runes.

She pulled her gaze away from his body andsaw that he watched her. Suddenly, Greyden’s arm curled around herwaist, and she saw he stared angrily at the handsome stranger. Theman winked at her and gave a mocking grin before turning back toSavannah. Greyden took a step closer, but she placed a hand on hisarm to halt him.

“Alpha Jericho, Beta Ledger, this is Niall,”she said, gesturing to him. “He’s a warlock. I asked him to help meremove the remaining dark magic from Greyden.”

“A warlock?” Jericho asked.

Ledger looked back and forth betweenSavannah and Niall. “Like in Harry Potter?”

“Those are wizards,” Niall said dryly.“There are many different types of casters. Enchanters, likeSavannah, do mostly harmless spells. Warlocks tend to deal with thedarker side of magic.”

“Does that make you evil?” Ledger asked.

He grinned. “Yes, and no. Nothing is evertruly good or truly evil. Every person is a mixture of both.”

Niall walked over to Greyden to study him.The two men had a contest of wills, staring one another down,before Niall took a step back and turned to Savannah.

“The spell on him was illegally cast,” hesaid, his voice deep and rich.

“We figured that,” Savannah said.

Zenia took a step closer. “Can you breakit?”

“I can.” He glanced at her. “For you toentirely forget about your real mate, a very dark warlock had tocome into play. Someone who was very near you, and I’m not talkingabout an acquaintance. I’m talking proximity.”

Greyden frowned. “You’re the only warlock Iknow.”

He slipped off his leather jacket, revealinga muscular body, and she couldn’t help but ogle him.

“Hey,” Greyden muttered. She glanced at himand smiled sheepishly.

Niall had Greyden sit in a chair and closehis eyes. As Savannah lit up a sage stick and walked around theroom, the warlock took a bag of black powder and walked around him,muttering some type of incantation. He placed five smokey crystalsaround Greyden’s chair, saying some type of warding word as eachwere placed. He came to stand in front of Greyden.

“Your hand, please.”

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