Page 309 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

As Mia walked to the truck, I pushed my fears aside and focused on the present. I opened the passenger door for her. “Excited?”

She dropped her bag in the truck. “I’m a little nervous. Why the hell do I need a swimsuit?”

“To go swimming.”

She hopped in. “It’s only seventy degrees.”

“That’s a heatwave here.” I laughed, closing the door, and settled into the driver’s side. “We don’t get many, so we seize the moment whenever we can.”

I backed down Mia’s drive and out onto the main road, heading to the other side of town. My heart wouldn’t let up. Having her in my truck again, with her sweet night jasmine scent filling the space, made my pulse crazy. My hand itched to reach over and hold hers, the urge so powerful it overtook every other thought. But for now, I held back.

“I feel like you’re my personal chauffeur.”

“You’re new in town. Driving is easier than directing from the passenger seat.”

Plus, driving helped her.Pay my penance, seek forgiveness.Added to the list: keep her safe.

When I turned onto the Cole driveway, Mia’s gaze darted to me. “Hang on. Isn’t this Ashton’s place?”

“Actually, it’s the Cole family ranch.”

“You live here, too?”

“Nah, only Ash lives in the house now. I live upstairs at the bar, and my younger brother lives with his mate…ah,wife, in their own house on the far side of the property.”

She relaxed back in the seat, nodding to herself. “That’s why you looked so comfortable on the porch the other night.”

Memories of my mother rose in my mind. “I have a thing for porches. There’s nothing better than sitting there watching the world go by.” I drove past the house then diverted off to the right, following a dirt track. “Growing up, I used to sit out there with my mom every morning. We’d just chat about whatever. It became our thing.”

“You’re lucky your mom actually cared.”

I almost asked about her family, to find out how much she knew, but before I could, she changed the subject.

“So, you know this secret place because it’s on your family’s land?”

“Yep. You’re the first non-Cole to go there.”

Besides Ivy, but ever since Liam met her when they were kids, we considered her family.

My grip tightened on the steering wheel as we entered the forest using a well-worn track. My body switched to high alert, searching for threats. Sensing the change in adrenaline, my wolf paced back and forth, waiting to shift. I prayed it wouldn’t come to that. I planned to show Mia what I was, but not today.

“Is that because normal townsfolk refuse to swim when it’s freezing?”

I snorted. Weather had nothing to do with it. Having all the kids in town playing on Cole land wasn’t safe, especially when, at any moment, a wolf might unexpectedly join the party. But I couldn’t tell her that, yet.

We drove through the forest until the road ended in a small turnaround where I parked the truck. “We have to walk from here.”

The second I got out peace washed through my blood. It happened every time I immersed myself in the forest. Regardless of the possible threat lurking in the woods, this place always soothed my soul. Pine needles, crisp air, earthy scents. Wolves were drawn to nature, probably why packs lived in small towns rather than big, populated concrete cities.

That fucker wouldn’t take that away from me. He’d already taken enough.

I led Mia deeper into the forest, following a dirt track. She remained silent for most of the walk, commenting every now and then on a patch of wildflowers, or the height of a towering tree. I relied on my heightened hearing and smell, constantly sifting the air for danger, pretending everything was fine.

When the gushing water grew louder, a burst of energy swirled in my gut. We were almost there.

I needed Mia to feel the connection between us for my plan to work. If I told her straight up who I was, and she didn’t know about our world, I risked her leaving for good. Then I’d lose her again. If by chance she already knew, showing her my wolf form could result in fatal consequences.

I wanted her to stay. I wanted this to work. I couldn’t wait another fifteen years, especially after seeing her again.

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