Page 16 of Called By Fate

His wolf seems to pout and huffs a breath in my face then his eyes return to their normal golden color, one I know well. Vinson is in control. Our mate bond sizzles between us, stronger than ever, like it’s reminding us it’s there. The feeling is intoxicating.

There's another bright flash of light and a totally naked—totally human—Vinson now rests on top of me in all his glory. And damn if it isn’t glorious. Abs on display for days, giant… ahem, package dangling, ripe for ogling.

Am I drooling?

Eh, wouldn't be the first time I'd drooled over a man. No shame.

"Hey, wolf," I say to him playfully.

He leans his body weight off me with one hand and with the other he reaches up to caress my cheek. A spot on his wrist captures my attention and I pull it toward me to get a better view. “Holy shit,” I breathe. “You have my mark!”

He looks down in confusion, but when he sees my mate mark on his wrist, complete with a wolf connecting my moons, his entire face lights up like it’s Christmas morning and I’m his present he’s been dying to have all year. I wonder when he’ll unwrap me…

“This is amazing,” Vin says in astonishment. “I wonder if you’ll have a wolf too...”

But I’m no longer focused on our mate mark. Nope, something larger, quite naked, and at full mast has captured my attention.

Godsdamn, he is packing. Is that thing even legal? There’s no way it’s fitting inside me, though I do love a challenge…

I must project my thoughts to him because he looks from me to his package, to the others around us and smirks. “Shifters are normally okay with nudity, but I'll uh, go put some clothes on for everyone else’s comfort.”

"Aww, don't ruin my view." I pout and look at the rest of my Circle. "Actually, I wouldn't mind getting all of you naked."

Whoa, where did that thought come from?

Alpha Darren makes a choking noise and Hemsworth groans, reminding me we’re not alone. "Okay, fine. Not the time or place. I get it. Go get changed, Vin. I think we have a lot to discuss."

He winks at me and heads off in the direction of the room he was staying in before everything went down. Itotallydon't watch his tight ass as he disappears down the hallway. Nope. I'm paying attention to whatever Alpha Darren is saying.

Elian tenses, going on high alert. That brings me back to the moment real fast. Especially when he pulls a crotch knife from... wherever the hell they get those damn things, and palms it with practiced precision. "Someone is here. They just crossed the ward," he growls.

Reed shifts nervously on the back of his heels, and I turn my attention to him while the others swiftly burst into action. He looks guilty as fuck and my heart stutters. I can’t take any more bullshit today.

"Is there anything you want to share with the rest of us, Red?" I ask, trying my best not to sound accusatory. The tension in the room is now aimed at Reed as everyone focuses on him. The others stop in their tracks to focus on him.

He wrings his hands. "Actually, yes. I may have called in reinforcements before we ever went to the challenge and told them to meet us here."

"What do you mean by ‘reinforcements?’" Elian asks with an edge to his tone, looking lethal with his blade in his hand. He doesn’t fuck around when it comes to the safety of his Circle.

"She's a family friend and here to help us," Reed defends.

"Who isshe?"Kaos demands, watching Reed closely. He expertly spins his karambit for emphasis.

"Well, that's no way to greet a lady, is it?" Just as the last syllable leaves her mouth the glow of a portal opens in the foyer and a small, silver-haired, older woman pops out of it. Her face is equal parts cunning and wise as she gazes around the room, taking all of us in with a single sweep. Interesting. She looks to Reed. “You rang, my King?”

“Uh, Red?” I interrupt. “Care to explain?”

Reed clears his throat. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet, Matilda. She's a master with portals and one of my family's biggest allies." His face sobers and turns haunted. “Thankfully, she is gifted with portals as she was able to sense the Elders coming that night, and grabbed as many Light Weavers as she could, shielding them so the Elders couldn't get to them.”

That must be how some of them survived and sent him the letter.

"That I did," Matilda cuts in. "Good thing too, or the whole faction would be gone. Minus Reed. Those Elders though… I've never seen anyone with that kind of power. It ain't natural." Her face is pinched in distaste.

I take a moment to study Matilda, mentally sizing her up. Her stature leads me to believe she's strong. Her hands are calloused, which likely means she didn't sit around all day. No, this woman has seen some shit.

“Well met.” I extend my hand for her to shake and, at first, she looks at it like it's going to bite her or something. Then a broad grin stretches her face, and she clasps my hand in hers. Nothing about her sets off any of my intuition alarm bells either, which is a good sign.

Honestly, the older woman reminds me of Bedi before she transformed into a younger version of herself. And for her to appear to be this old… she really must be.

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