Page 12 of My Mate

“Yes, go and relax. Calm that mind of yours. Everything will be okay.”

She smiled at her mother, although it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Getting to her feet, she stopped to hug her mother, and then made her way out of the garden and went straight toward the forest.

In the last five months, she had spent a lot of time here, trying to animate her wolf, to bring her to life, to do something, anything, that would wake her up. She meditated, did yoga, and tried to call on that part of her soul that was supposed to be connected to her wolf.

Nothing.

Not a damn thing.

Today, she kept walking as her thoughts drifted to Dex. The kiss they shared had been amazing. Even now, just thinking about it, her lips tingled. She had never told another living soul, but she did feel a connection to him. She didn’t know if it was as strong as the one he had for her.

All their lives, she’d been acutely aware of him when he entered a room. She saw how other pack females reacted, and she didn’t want to run with the crowd. It wasn’t about gaining his attention, she loved being his friend, and it made her feel calm just being with him.

This is what she feared for Dex. If he decided to mate with her, to declare her as his, then he might be living a second-best life. Casey might never turn, which meant she might not havethe strongest feelings. He would have a mate who loved him but didn’t feel that consumption of love. It felt so wrong to her, because at the same time she felt that denial.

Her feelings for Dex were not flighty or light. They were strong and all-consuming.

Suddenly, Casey felt a chill come over her as she crossed a line. Wrapping her arms around herself, she glanced and sure enough, the sun was beaming down on her, and yet the cold swamped over her.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

Casey spun around and there was Lucinda, the small witch that resided on the edge of the forest.

“I’m so sorry. I had no idea where I was going.”

“No wolf should be wandering the forest this close to the edge.”

She smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Well, you’re in luck, because I am no wolf.” She tried to keep her tone light and cheery, but that didn’t happen.

Lucinda didn’t laugh, nor did she smile. She kept staring at her. “You have a lot to learn. You must leave.”

“I am so sorry for breaching your … zone.”

“All pack are welcome, as long as you do not want anything from me, and then we’re good.”

Casey nodded. “Want anything from you?”

“A spell. A potion. Some kind of look into the future.”

She frowned. “Can you do all of that?”

Lucinda glared at her. “It is none of your business.”

She held her hands up in surrender. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Backing away, Lucinda made no movement but kept watching her. There was no way she was coming back here.

Chapter Four

Dex was making his way back home when he came to a stop as he caught sight of Lucinda at the edge of the forest near his parents’ house. He rarely spoke to Lucinda as she liked to keep to herself.

There were a few times growing up when he’d sneak into the forest, and she’d catch him playing. She’d always bring him back while also giving him a stern warning about not coming into the forest, especially near her home.

“Hey, Lucinda,” he said.

She looked at him, lips pursed. When she did this, he had to wonder why. Was she trying to assess him, or was she seeing something else? She had hinted that she sometimes saw images that were not there.

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