Page 60 of Predator

Damn it. Why does that make me love him more?

Because the truth is that I got a thrill when I tapped into my magic. And, sure, it seems like Marie used her own to control me so that I could. That doesn’t change the feeling inside of me that it was right.

Does that mean I’m going to jump right into leading a coven? Fuck no. I’m not even sure I want anything to do with the witches now. But if it means that things will be easier for supes in Winter Creek… I’ll think about it.

“I’ll get back to you, okay? We’ll think about it. All of us. Just. Truce for now.” I wave my hands awkwardly. “No more witches versus wolves in Winter Creek, okay?”

“We were never enemies until the night Madame’s granddaughter died. You’ve returned, dearie. Madame gave you to the Alpha as a sign of good faith, to bridge our differences.”

Is that how Armand remembers it? “She had me tied to a tree so that the beast in the woods could have me.”

The older witch glances over my head. “And I’m sure the Alpha is more than pleased with Madame’s generosity.”

Prick. He’s not wrong, but that doesn’t make him any less of a prick for pointing that out.

“Whatever.”

So my fairy tale has a happy ending. My grandmother might’ve been the villain, the big, bad wolf the hero, and Red Riding Hood a killer in disguise… but I did it. I broke the curse, Jeannie avenged Jolie’s death by tearing out Remy’s throat with her teeth, and Lucas’s possessive hum traveling down our bond tells me that my mate is two seconds away from throwing me over his shoulder, running back to pack land with me, and proving to both of us that we’re here, we’re together, we’re alive.

I’ll have to explain in further detail about just what went down. There’s no way he’ll let me brush past it—especially since, charmed or not, I did kill Marie Bordeaux—but that can wait.

Because right now? Shacking up with Lucas and showing my mate just where my loyalty lies sounds pretty good to me.

I don’t know what the hell is going on with Tristan and Jeannie. Jade probably just wants to get back to the pack house and forget what happened to her in the coven house. Though I don’t want to think about it, now that Marie and Remy are gone, the other witches have things they need to take care of… and I just want to get the hell out of here while I can.

I wrap my arms around Lucas. “I just want to go home.”

My mate stiffens—and not in the fun way. I can feel the muscles of his back go taut as he goes still.

I tilt my head back, meeting his gaze. “Luc?”

He swallows roughly. “Home? If the curse is finally broken… you want to take the train?”

Two months ago, I had every intention of being back on the train as it rolled out of Winter Creek. Once I knew the blood ward was keeping me stuck here, I gave up hope on taking it anytime soon. To be honest, I don’t even know if it’s come by at all. It must have or else Jeannie wouldn’t be here, but I stopped keeping track.

Marie is gone. If Armand and Claude are telling the truth, I’m supposed to be the new Marie. With the curse broken, I could figure out how to leave… but why the hell would I do that?

I know Eleanor and Kirk want to travel the world for a while. Jade, too. When they come back, they can bring some of the modern age with them, and with the stasis spell lifted, Winter Creek can go from the 1950s to now.

But if I had to give up things like the internet and my phone to stay here? I’m a wolf. I’m a witch, too. There’s so much to explore about my new identities… I think I can handle it. And if Jeannie Lipton can visit, there’s no reason why Lorelei can’t—and no reason at all for me to leave.

Most importantly, though, I have one big reason to stay… and I’m looking at him.

“Lucas—” I begin again.

He drops his head down, laying his forehead against the top of my hair. “Because I’ll go with you, Fallon. If that’s what you want… I’ll follow you anywhere, my mate.”

Can you imagine gruff and glowering Lucas Guidry walking around the streets of New York? His nose would probably permanently wrinkle when he got his first whiff of the city, its garbage, and all of the people who live there… I mean, mine did and I still believed I was human back then.

No. My big, bad wolf belongs in the forest. A monster out of a fairy tale, a hero out of my most fervent dream come true… he belongs in the woods of Winter Creek.

And me? I belong with him.

I lift my chin, taking a quick kiss before I grin. “Then you should follow me back through the woods to the big stone house. Who knows? I might lose my way, and there are dangerous wolves who might take advantage of me.”

Lucas lifts his hand, rubbing his thumb along the bite mark he gave me when he made me his. His shifter’s eyes flash hungrily. “And if you find yourselves in the arms of the baddest wolf of all? What happens then?”

“I say thank the Luna because that’s the only place I want to be.”

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