Page 9 of Dawn Unearthed

No matter who this witch was, no matter what it meant for Ravenwood, I had done something that would irrevocably alter my pack.

I had found my mate.

And she had no idea what she was in for.

Chapter Three

Sage

Istood looking at my aunt, my body aching, my tattoos burning into my flesh, and I couldn’t help but turn to look at the large behemoth of a man behind me. His hair had fallen in front of his eyes, shaggy. It looked as if he had cut it himself. He had a big beard that hid most of his features until he smiled or looked right at you. He was broad, built, and I couldn’t help but wonder why I had thought I’d ever be able to lift him when he was under that tree. And yet, here he was, looking as if a giant oak hadn’t fallen on top of him. He had brought me here to his home, alone, and I had to wonder once again if he was a serial killer.

Still, I couldn’t pull my gaze from him.

The more I looked at him, the more I thought of a bear. That reminded me of exactlywhyI had passed out.

“There was a bear...are there bears here?” I asked before I looked at my aunt and the gorgeous woman still standing in the doorway named Rowen. “What’s going on?” My voice went slightly high-pitched.

My aunt sighed. “I didn’t want to introduce you to Ravenwood this way, darling.”

That wasn’t helpful. My heart raced. I needed answers. Or a drink. Maybe a nap. I didn’t know which, but I couldn’t help but ramble in my unease. “What do you mean? Do random storms pop up out of nowhere, and bears frolic through the town all the time? Do people get knocked over by trees and then seem perfectly fine afterward? Why do you think this woman can help me? Come on, Aunt Penelope. Let’s go. Maybe I hit my head or something. We need to go.”

The gorgeous woman in the doorway sighed as she moved forward. “I hate when people tell me that I need to calm down, so I’m not going to use those words with you. However, I’m sure Rome here has some tea that we can make.”

I looked up at the woman with her dark hair, fringe bangs, and cheekbones that I thought could cut glass. My head ached and I felt like I couldn’t keep up. “Who are you again?”

“This is Rowen. The woman that I told you about. She owns one of the shops in town. The one next to your new bakery. She’s renting you the cottage.” Right. We’d gone over all of this already, and yet it didn’t answer my question as to why the woman was here now. My aunt squeezed my hand so tightly, my pulse raced. I looked between the three of them and swallowed hard. Pain flared at my hip, and I let out a shout, pulling away from my aunt.

“What’s wrong?” My aunt glared at Rome. I thought that was a little odd, considering no one knew what was happening.

“It’s her anchor,” Rowen said as if bored. “You should sit. It will be easier to get through all of this if your knees don’t go weak and you pass out again.”

I narrowed my eyes at the other woman. “Pass out again? Don’t make it sound like I swooned or something. There was a wolf… and a bear. And, I don’t know…something happened. Maybe I got hurt in the storm, as well.”

The large man beside me cleared his throat. “I should probably thank you for helping me. You sort of um, jolted me awake,” he said quietly, his voice a low grumble. I looked up at him then. He winced, and I noticed Rowen glaring at him.

What is going on?

“It would be easier if we did this all in the proper order,” Rowen said before closing the door behind her and walking to the small kitchen in the corner.

“What do you mean? What order?” I winced again as my hip burned. I looked down, pulling up my shirt slightly. My eyes widened, and my mouth went dry. My knees did indeed go weak, and I dropped to the couch as I watched the waves crashing against my hip and the small fish swimming in and out of the crests, flipping their tails as if waving at me. Rome was at my side in an instant. I wanted to reach out to him but shoved that thought away. He let his hand drop as if he’d been thinking the same.

I licked my lips and looked at my aunt, my eyes wide. “I think I need to see a doctor. I’ve officially lost it. Just like Rupert’s parents said.”

“We’re going to explain everything, Sage. I promise.” Aunt Penelope looked at Rome. “Did she hit her head?”

Rome shook his. “No, I caught her in time. However, I think between whatever happened with her ink and then seeing Trace in bear form, it was all a little overwhelming. She passed out, so I brought her here.”

“You should’ve brought her to my place,” Rowen said. “I have things to show her that will make the transition easier. And I have better tea. You might as well have Lipton here.”

I looked up as Rowen came striding back in, her hair billowing behind her. She was gorgeous, self-assured, and looked as if she could break someone with her fists.

“Should Laurel be here?” Penelope asked, and I looked between them, wondering when they were going to speaktome rather than at me or over me.

Rowen’s gaze tightened. “Laurel can be wherever she wants to be. Though I don’t think here is it.”

“Once again, you’re wrong on that, aren’t you?” a redhead with plump lips and a slight scar above her right eye said as she walked into the room. “You must be the new little witch.”

Rowen cursed under her breath. “We’re not there yet.”

---