Page 110 of Challenged Mate
As if reading my mind, Asher said, “Hunter’s actions are not your fault, Blair.”
I shuddered to think what Hunter thought he could accomplish by contacting the magical race.
“Yes, they are.”
Our entire lives, we heard nothing but cautionary tales about them. Hunter must’ve been desperate to go to them.
Desperate to helpme.
“No, they are not,” Asher insisted, leaning forward. He forced me to look into his eyes. “Hunter is a grown male, and he alone made the decision to seek out the Graystone coven. You are not to blame.”
I didn’t argue.
There was no point.
What happened, happened.
Now, all I could do was try and help Hunter.
And not make an even bigger mess by doing so.
Thirty-Five
“I don’t like this, Asher,”Axel voiced his objection for the third time since we’d arrived at the forest’s edge. “The forest reeks of black magic. My wolf is going crazy.”
“I sense it too,” Asher surprised me by saying.
“What does that mean?” I asked anyone who might answer. My father wore an uncertain expression. Chase and Axel ignored my gaze. So did Asher.
It was Kayla who responded, “Black magic is forbidden by covens. For it to be here… it means Graystone doesn’t play by the rules, and he isn’t afraid to let everyone know it.”
Asher had been furious when Kayla met us on the outskirts of town, trailing a tight-faced Chase. She’d erected a silencing barrier, then gave her alpha brother an earful.
I had no idea what was said, but whatever words were exchanged worked in Kayla’s favor. She’d followed us to the forest’s edge without another word of objection from her male relations.
“Well, we already knew that,” Chase grumbled as he stared at the empty forest. “He wouldn’t be able to order rogue sorcerers around if he were strait-laced.”
“Are we certain we should be here?” my father asked. A twig snapped beneath his boot as he moved a step closer to me. “Not even the bastard who marked my wife openly wielded black magic. If Graystone uses it here, there is no guarantee you all will be able to withstand his attacks.”
When my father had returned from speaking to Beta Nathan, I told him of my encounter with Hugh. He confirmed Hugh was the son of the former Graystone leader.
According to my father, Hugh’s takeover of the coven must’ve been recent. Otherwise, he was sure Jocelyn would have shared the news with him.
“We’ll be fine,” Asher told my father, staring at the quiet forest ahead.
“But—”
“This is my territory, Alpha Benjamin.” Asher looked over his shoulder to meet my father’s stare. “As long as none of us cross the wards between us and the forest, all will be well.”
My father bristled. “Are you forgetting your wards were breached less than a week ago.”
“Now, now, Benjamin. That is not fair. I’m certain you all know by now that I had help.” Hugh stepped out from the trunk of a wide tree. Light flared, disappearing in a blink.
My skin crawled as I recognized Hugh wore the same clothing from our not-a-dream, but not-reality, conversation.
The tension among our group cranked up several notches. My father moved another step closer—ready to whisk me away at the first sign of trouble. I felt Axel, Chase, and Kayla do the same, but I didn’t look their way. My attention was captured by Hugh’s irises. They were such a light blue they looked clear, giving his eyes an eerie quality.
I was certain they hadn’t looked that way during our first meeting.
