Page 8 of Baldr's Secret Mate

I glanced back toward the front door, making sure it was firmly shut. Thor and Flynn were inside and I didn’t want them to overhear anything I was about to say.

“I don’t know if my brother is a traitor or not,” I said softly. “And I’m not even sure if he’s alive anymore.”

“This is Loki, right? The grumpy one?”

“Yeah.”

“Your brother seems pretty convinced he’s joined that crazy bastard.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” I whispered, shaking my head. “He had the chance to let me get hurt. Really hurt. And he protected me… might have even given up his life for me.”

She took another long drag on her cigarette, mulling it over as she chewed on the smoke. “So why not tell your brother and clear his name? It seems to be eating him alive that his own kin would betray him like that.”

“I don’t know… maybe because we’ll have to face the fact that he could be dead.” But I stopped, knowing that wasn’t right. “Or because I feel like there’s something larger at work here.” I reached out, cupping my hand under the falling snow. “And every time I feel like I’m close to finding it, the feeling melts away.” I glanced back over at her. “He told me something… butI’d have to leave to retrieve it and Thor has everyone, including me, on lockdown.”

She just laughed at that, her cigarette glowing in the gathering darkness. “What the hell does that matter? You got something to do, boy, you go and do it!”

“You think that’s the smart thing to do?”

“Let me tell you something,” she said, tucking the cigarette into the corner of her mouth. “Back when my husband and I were young and still hunting your kind, we had to rely on instinct. Instincts are the difference between life and death when someone or something wants you dead. There were plenty of situations where we didn’t have time to confer and plan and overthink. We had to simply feel and do the best we could.” Her cigarette glowed, lighting her face in a red glow as she inhaled. “And it always worked out for us. At least until the end…”

There was a long pause, an expression of melancholy darkening her features. Sure, she’d been a werewolf hunter in a previous life, but that didn’t stop me from feeling sorry for her. Losing someone you loved was a terrible thing to experience. And one I was all too familiar with.

“Anyway, I realize now that for all those years, I was making a mistake hunting your kind. The days of dark forests and missing townsfolk are far behind us. I was holding onto the past and tradition too tightly to see that.” She glanced up at me, a grin curling at the edge of her lips. “So what I’m saying is this. You need to follow your instincts. If your gut is telling you to go, then go. And forget what you’re supposed to be doing. Just because your brother is the Alpha doesn’t mean you have to listen to every little thing he says as tradition dictates. He’s acting out of fear but you… I can see the fire in your eyes. Something or someone is calling you.” She reached out, patting me on the knee. “So go get it. And if it turns out to be nothing, you won’t regret trying.”

“And what if I find something I don’t want to know?”

Her gaze fixed on me for a long moment. “The truth is always better than false hope, even if it hurts.”

Something about the way she said it made me feel like she had far too much experience with that sort of thing. And I didn’t doubt her either. A lifetime of being a werewolf hunter was sure to come with a lot of heartache. It was odd to feel sorry for someone that had made a living murdering my kind, but I couldn’t help it. She wasn’t that hunter anymore though. She was nothing more than an old lady living alone on the mountain. There was a lot of past behind her and not much future in front. It was a unique perspective that I couldn’t even begin to fathom.

“Alright,” I nodded. “I’ll go.”

“Good,” she nodded. “I’ll tell Thor and Flynn you had something important to do.”

“I’m not sure where this’ll lead me,” I added. “But I’ll be back as fast as I can.”

“I’ll let them know,” she smiled. “Go on now. Git!”

I patted her on the shoulder before I stepped off the porch. With one last wave, I headed across the farmyard and crossed into the woods as I headed up the mountain.

The journey to the hot spring wouldn’t take me long. I just hoped whatever Loki had left me there explained what was going on, at least in some capacity. I was already doing Thor a disservice by ignoring his orders. I just hoped it was worth it.

Chapter Five: Mist

Inside my hut was warm and dry, the very antithesis to the world outside. Snow fell heavy and silent upon the world, quickly burying what little green was left under a frozen sheet of white. I counted myself lucky though. Tonight I'd sleep warm thanks to the extra insulation the snow provided.

Of course, I'd much rather have someone there with me to help keep the cold away, but that wasn't going to happen. I hadn't had a visitor in three days and I didn't know when to expect another. I was happy to be rid of Tyr for the moment, but I found myself missing Baldr something terrible. It was unlike him to stay away for so long, especially when things with Tyr were getting worse. I just hoped he was alright. I tried to tell myself not to worry, but I had nothing else to do.

And then, as if my thoughts had been answered by the gods, I felt a familiar spark in the back of my mind followed by the most wonderful voice.

“Mist! North side! Come quick!”

The urgency in Baldr’s voice wasn't panic or pain, but excitement.

“Alright,” I replied, tossing another log on the fire and getting to my feet. “I'll be there as fast as I can.”

As soon as I'd thrown the entrance flap aside, I was off like a shot, running through the snow due north. It only took me a minute or so to reach the edge of the dome, Baldr's familiar figure standing on the other side. I could see him clearly through my side, his cheeks tinged pink by the cold. His bright silver hair was a mess and his eyes glowed with their familiar golden light. I couldn't help but admire that cut jaw and the way his stubble grew in dark, unlike the rest of his hair. He was the most handsome man I'd ever seen.

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