Page 33 of Claim Me
Chapter 23
Rafe
Insurance was a headache just like I knew it would be. But the homes were getting reassessed and the builders in town that were wolves would have everything fixed up soon. I didn’t give them an estimated date to have it finished by. I didn’t give them much to work with besides some promises of money and that I would call them. There was too much happening for me to worry about rebuilding at the moment.
Jade’s voice met my ears and my wolf immediately perked up. Tonight was the full moon and he was gonna put all the moves on Nalia, Jade’s wolf. We had worked hard on keeping them separated but Nalia knew better. She would keep my wolf in check. Jade and Tracey both walked out of the woods with their arms looped together.
Tracey’s neck wasn’t a bleeding mess anymore. But curiously enough, there were two red scars there. The venom should have prevented the puncture wounds from healing for, probably, weeks. They were coming from the direction of Granny’s. Did one of the kids possess healing abilities? This would change the tides of everything. Healing magic was one of the more rare forms. Having one on our side would make me feel more confident. I slipped through the trees to her cottage.
Valentina opened the door. “You just missed them.”
“I’m looking for Granny,” She didn’t move out of the doorway.
“What do you need from Granny?”
A growl rumbled through my chest as my wolf grew antsy with this little girl challenging me. “That is none of your business.”
She cocked a brow and folded her arms. “You can let me know what you need then I’ll let you in.”
Granny’s chuckle echoed down the hall. “Valentina don’t give the Alpha a hard time. We need him on our side here.”
Valentina sized me up. Her eyes went from the top of my head to the bottoms of my feet. “Someone should give him a hard time every once in a while. He’s too cocky.”
Granny snorted. “Let the poor man through.”
Valentina shrugged.
I ran my hands down my face. “All these sassy women around here.”
Valentina closed the door behind me. “Apparently it gets worse as we age.”
A breathy laugh caught in my throat. Granny stood next to the stove where a caldron was sitting. Black bubbling goop sat inside of it. The worst part? It had absolutely no smell. Which to most would be a good thing but with witches? It was very bad. It meant they were masking the magic happening. She didn’t want me to smell the power brewing inside of her cottage.
“I’m teaching Valentina about potions.”
“You don’t teach the other kids?” I asked. I could smell Carden but he was nowhere to be seen.
Granny shook her head. “There is no point. Many of those kids will go back to their covens and they will be taught new things. Valentina might not have another coven to go to.”
My back straightened. “What are we going to do about that?”
Granny’s mouth twitched as she chewed on her cheek. “I have considered adopting her.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Do you think she would fit in here?”
Granny clucked her tongue from the roof of her mouth. “I’m not sure but it’s better than nothing. She has Soul magic.”
The color drained from my face. “The child will be hunted.”
Granny wouldn’t look me in the eyes. “She has affinities for other magic.”
“Is that why you’re teaching her about potions?” I shook my head and looked at the ceiling. “Dangerous ones at that.”
Granny planted her fists on her hips. “You don’t get to tell me what I can and cannot do. I had an agreement with the Alpha over a hundred years ago. It’s protected by blood. My place on these lands will stay until the day I draw my last breath.”
I took a step toward her. “You don’t have to worry about me telling you what to do. I am just trying to understand what is happening in this little cottage. You are one woman, but I know better by now than to underestimate one. You also have a healer here.”
Granny ground her teeth together. “Your father let me live here and never questioned what I did.”
