Page 83 of Wolf's Endgame

“Yes?” Was I? The more I thought about it, the more I realized I was. “Yes. Can you do that?”

The shaman laughed. “You ask it like it is as simple as plucking a dead leaf from a branch.” He crushed the bud between his fingers. “However, replacing the vessel may be easier than eradicating the spirit completely.”

“I don’t want her to be eradicated,” Kezia spoke up. “She’s only ever been my ally.” She walked across the kitchen to stand with me. “I want her gone but not gone forever.” Kezia slipped her hand into mine. “I want her to be free.”

“I’ll need a rabbit.”

Kezia was already nodding, kicking off her shoes. “Dead or alive?”

“What’s going on?” I asked as my mate pulled her jeans off.

“The shaman needs a rabbit.”

As I looked between the two of them, the complete bizarreness of the whole thing struck me, and I started to laugh. I laughed so hard I cried.

“What is wrong with your mate?” the shaman asked Kezia.

“I think he’s freaked out,” she told him thoughtfully. “The bond feels…confused.” I saw her shrug. “I don’t think he was expecting the sacrifice to be real.”

Being talked about like I wasn’t in the same room as them made me laugh more.

“Fix him,” she said.

“He isn’t broken, pup.” The shaman continued to make his potions. He spilled some herbs into a cup of water and then handed it to Kezia. “Make him drink this.”

I downed the concoction without even asking what it was. My laughter disappeared as my mouth swallowed the pungent potion.

“What was that?” I gasped, downing my beer to get rid of the foul taste.

“Nothing but a horrible drink of water,” the shaman told me smugly. He handed another drink to Kezia. “You need to drink this.”

“Why?” She was still half-dressed, but she took the drink.

“I seek a white rabbit with red eyes. This will help you find it.” I watched as she drank the potion in one go, my protest dying on my tongue. “Alpha Cannon, she should not go alone.”

For the first time, I wanted to snap at the old shifter. “She was never going alone.”

“Just checking.” He smiled serenely, and I wasn’t sure if he was teasing me or not.

Cass walked into the kitchen, eyeing me with distrust. “Alpha. Kezia.” She leaned against the counter, watching the shaman. “Is my drink ready?”

The shaman had lost his easy laid-back way and pushed a packet of herbs over to the young female.

“It’s not mixed?”

“Two spoonful’s in a half cup of water,” he told her.

Cass sighed dramatically, and I saw Kezia dip her head to hide her frown. “You couldn’t make this for me?”

“You can’t make it yourself?” I asked, ignoring the jab in my ribs from my mate.

Cass looked flustered. “Well, the shaman’s here; he’s the shaman.”

“I’m aware of who he is.”

“The shaman makes the potions.” Cass looked at Kezia for support, but my mate was suddenly very interested in her nails. “Kezia?”

“Mm-hmm?” Kezia looked up. “Just add it to water yourself, it’s no big deal.”

---