Page 51 of Lost Mate

“Are you saying magic did this?”

Ross heard the skepticism in Eli’s voice. He couldn’t say he blamed him. It sounded a little fantastical to Ross.

“Yes.”

“Magic,” Eli said flatly.

“Before you say you don’t believe in magic, what do you think shifting is?” Cal said. “And you didn’t believe in shifters before Milo proved it to you.”

Ross whispered in Dylan’s ear, “Milo stripped off in front of Eli and shifted. Eli called him a nice doggy.”

“Shifting is magic,” the doc said. “The ancestors have told me Dylan’s memory has been wiped by another form of magic.”

“But it is coming back slowly,” Dylan said.

“It is,” the doc agreed. “They think whoever did this wanted Dylan to forget something he’d witnessed so they wiped his mind. But they did it imperfectly.”

“Why didn’t they kill him?” Eli demanded.

Dylan flinched and Ross held him close, scowling at Eli.

“I’m sorry, Dylan,” Eli said. “I’m trying to get answers and all I get are more questions.”

“He’s not a traitor,” the doc said.

“How do you know that?”

“Our ancestors told me.”

Eli scratched at his chin. “That’s nice but I can’t accept something intangible as proof. I need physical evidence.”

The doc huffed out a breath. “I am the physical evidence.”

“Sorry, doc, I need something more.”

“You need the ancestors to talk to you direct?”

Eli’s eyes widened, looking alarmed at the prospect. “You want me to believe a bunch of long-dead wolves?”

Every wolf in the room groaned.

“Eli, you’ve got to learn to be more respectful,” Cal scolded. “I know it’s hard when you’re a human, but our ancestors are important to us.”

Eli folded his arms across his stocky chest. “I’m not trying to diss your ancestors, alpha mate, but I need to find out what happened to my operative. Dylan is important to me. The Cavalry is important to me. I need answers and so far, I know Dylan is healthy and I’m glad to hear it, but all you’ve given me is magic did this. Who else does magic? How do I find out who did this to my operative?”

The kitchen was silent. Ross held onto Dylan, needing the comfort of his mate’s strength. Dylan was looking less like he wanted to melt Eli with one of the human hunter’s bullets and more like he understood Eli’s perspective.

You don’t seem surprised by this, Ross commented.

I’m a wolf. I know magic exists. Humans tend to be very black and white. Like Eli. If it’s not physical, and we don’t get ill because shifting makes us heal, then magic makes sense.

Ross understood…as far as he was able. He was a human, after all.

You’ve accepted shifters exist. Why is it so hard for you to accept other magic exists?

Your magic is tangible. Human to wolf etc. What Eli is asking for is the proof of what happened to you. What magic exists that could have done this?

That’s the difference between us, Dylan said. I don’t need the proof because I know all kind of magic is in the world. I mean, I don’t remember it, but I’m a magical being. Of course it exists.

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