Page 35 of Predator

Know what? Lucas doesn’t need to explain it. If his bond with his packmates is anything like the mate bond we have, he would be able to tell if something was going on—or if one of his packmates needed him.

I’ll always need him, but if Jade’s in trouble?

I guess I can share him… until she’s safe with the others again, at least.

“I know. It’s fine.”

It’s not fine, but I’ll fake it.

His eyes search my face. “If you need me, tug on our bond. You know I’ll be right back for you, sucre.”

I do know that. “I will.”

If I need him.

Like Kirk, Lucas gives me a kiss, then rubs the height of my cheek with his thumb. “Love you,” he rumbles, then before I can echo the sentiment, he follows after the others.

So I don’t get the chance to say it. I shove all of my annoyance to the side, sending a rush of love and affection down our bond instead. I can feel his pleasure that I’m not that pissed at him as he moves further away from me, and I sigh.

And that’s when Eleanor scoots her way back into the kitchen.

“Looks like it’s just you and me,” she says in that overly cheery tone she adopts when she’s worried about setting me off. After seeing me in that cage, it’s probably going to take a long time before she isn’t. “You up for some more pool?”

I shake my head. “Actually, I was thinking about heading out back and doing a little shifter practice.”

It’s not safe, huh? I can’t track? My shift’s aren’t reliable? Well, all that may be true, but if I practice and get better at it, maybe next time Lucas needs help, he’ll actually let me come along.

Eleanor makes a thoughtful expression that catches my attention.

“What’s up?”

“I don’t know. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about. What if—” She cuts herself short. “Never mind. It’s silly.”

Maybe, but now I’m curious. “Tell me. Please.”

“Okay. I was just wondering… instead of doing that, why don’t you see if you can use your magic?”

CHAPTER 11

A LITTLE MAGIC

Good question, Eleanor.

To be fair, I keep forgetting I that I’m technically part witch because Jolie was or that I might even have magic deep down inside of me.

I did know that. I mean, the head witch of the local coven is her blood-related grandmother. Just because she didn’t seem to have any powers herself, that doesn’t change the fact that she’s half-witch, half-shifter.

I can turn into a wolf now. Can’t get around that one. But if Lucas’s bite triggered my hidden shifter side… did it do the same for Jolie’s witch blood?

It never occurred to me before. Most likely because I didn’t do the greatest job dealing with the reveal that I’m not human like I thought, but actually a wolf shifter. It was just easier to ignore any tie to the coven I might have. Maybe if the witches had made me feel welcome instead of a freaking sacrifice, Marie could have helped me tap into that part of my soul.

She didn’t. She sought me out, tracked me down, stole my blood, and did all of that to break a curse that never would’ve been laid over Winter Creek if Jolie had survived. But because she didn’t… because Lucas was willing to do anything to bring his mate back… all of the pressure is on my shoulders now.

It’s not quite done yet. Why? No idea, and if the two weeks as a feral, broken Fallon trapped inside of her wolf taught me anything, it’s a tiny bit more patience. I’m sure I’m still reckless and impulsive as I ever was given the right opportunities, but I’ve learned my lesson. I’m not going to willingly approach the witches just because they might have the answers that the wolves don’t.

For one, who knows if Marie would even tell me the truth? For another, Remy zapping me in the back with magic after he injured Tristan with the silver knife definitely makes him my enemy.

Lucas told me all about Jolie. And, yeah, if he’d done that in the beginning, I wouldn’t have taken off when Jade slipped the envelope with Jolie’s pictures in it under my door. Same thing with his beastly side. I know why he tried to keep me in the dark as long as he did, but now that we’re mated, he’s an open book.

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