Page 76 of Plus-Size Mate

“What?” she asked, looking up from where she had been scanning over the map.

“This spell, it isn't dangerous, is it?” Eddie asked. His green eyes sparked with concern.

Leaning over, she pecked him on the cheek and said, “No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Would you quit worrying about me?” Winter demanded, removing her necklace and laying it on the map so she could open up her mother's grimoire.

“Never,” Eddie growled.

Winter paused to glare at him before opening the grimoire to the right page.

Wrapping Christopher's hair strand around the chain of her necklace, she held the crystal over the map in front of her and began to chant the words out of the book.

She chanted and chanted, waiting to feel a familiar tug on the crystal, waiting for it to drop on the enemy alpha’s location. She waited for something, anything, but nothing happened.

When she started to scowl, Eddie asked, “What's the matter?”

“It isn't working,” Winter said, rocking back on her heels, feeling defeated.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, it isn't working,” she snapped, offering him an apologetic look. “I'm sorry. It's just frustrating.”

Eddie leaned over and placed his hand on her lap.

“Maybe take a deep breath and try again?” Eddie suggested. “It's a lot of pressure on you.”

Winter grimaced. He was right. Save for the protection spell, she had never had so much riding on her shoulders before.

Closing her eyes, she gripped the chain with the hair strand just a little tighter and sucked in a deep breath.

When she opened her eyes again, Eddie was looking at her with a gently encouraging smile.

“You can do this,” he said, removing his hand from her lap so not to get in her way.

Winter nodded.

I can do this,she thought as she leaned over the map and started to attempt the spell again.

As her frustration started to grow a second time, the spell not working, she heard footsteps rushing down the hall towards them.

Again, she leaned back on her heels, telling Eddie, “It's not working.”

Seconds later, Will skidded to a halt in the doorway. “As expected, the house is clear.”

That was a relief, at least. Winter could breathe a little easier knowing they weren't about to be attacked in their own home.

Home,Winter thought. They had even discussed anything like that yet. There hadn't been any time. And yet, Winter could see this place as a sanctuary already, much larger than the apartment she shared with her mother above the shop for convenience. And besides, Eddie was a werewolf. He had to be close to his pack. It was only a logical choice that they'd likely live there.

Stop it!Winter thought. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of such things.

She was pulled from her thoughts as Will moved into the room, standing over them as he asked, “Did you get a location?”

Winter closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. What was wrong with her that she couldn't perform a simple locator spell?

“Nothing,” she admitted begrudgingly.

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