Page 8 of Wrong Mate

“I thought bad magic had to be taught.”

“No, it’spart of us from the start, or at least it’s an instinct, I think. It’s kind of hard to explain, but we all have the same magic, it just depends on how we use it, and what we want at the end of it. I know my parents were pretty freaked out during my teen years.”

“Were you a brat?”

“No, I don’t think so. I didn’t want to constantly be learning magic, I wanted to go and meet people, explore, butthey said that was way too dangerous for me. Too many people wanted what I had. So, for a short time, I stopped.”

“You stopped?”

“You know, practicing magic. I refused to learn and to focus.” She shrugged.

“And what happened?”

“Nothingmuch. One of the highest in the coven, Lucinda, showed me what could happen if I continued to be stubborn. She had the ability to call on past events. We couldn’t go back, but she could bring them to a room if she focused on them. I saw some of the wars that were waged because a witch failed to learn. The people she killed. Every single day since then, I’ve been focusing, controlling, and learning.”

“And that’s why you were able to call uponthe earth,” he said.

“Yeah, but everything comesat a cost. You see, good magic takes a personal cost—exhaustion, possibly even death. The cost is more to your soul with bad magic. The more you use, the more it eats away at who you are, until you become evil.” She shrugged. “Like Olivia and Greta.”

“Who?”

“The twin witches we saw in the forest. They were more than willing to pay the price for their souls, and are considered to be two of the darkest witches. I also believe they originated from my coven, but once they went to darkness, they changed and killed that coven as they were not powerful enough to take my coven. So, yay.”

He chuckled.

Their food came and he waited to take a single bite until hesaw her eat several large bites. He wanted her to be well. Killian hated to see her so pale. After she had finished a large plate of fries and a burger, he began to eat his own food.

He knew this mission wouldn’t come without its dangers. Even being withthe humans came with risks as enemies liked to wear many disguises.

“Your mission will not be easy, Killian. Most want Leah alive or dead. She is powerful. If you take our daughter out there, you must promise to keep her safe. She must return to us.”

Leah was loved.

He knew the coven had gone hard on her as he met Lucinda before, many moons ago. Lucinda had perhaps been his one and only witch friend. She was the sister of Olivia and Greta.

Killian hadn’t spoken to Lucinda since he rejected Leah. For years, they had met to just enjoy some company, two leaders, alphas within their own right. She had spoken of Leah, the child with so much potential, and how worried she was. When he finally met Leah during the protection spell he had requested from Lucinda, he had known his rejection would put a strain on his friendship with her.

They finished their food,then he paid their bill and followed Leah out.

“How about we take a car?” Leah asked.

Trapped in a metal automobile with Leah. That wasn’t good enough.

“No, I need us to go on foot.”

Her shoulders slumped.

He reached out, taking her hand, locking their fingers together. His wolf calmed in his mind as he did this. Killian and his wolf werenot on friendly terms. His wolf wanted his mate. Killian wanted his mate but not at the cost of what it would mean. He shoved those thoughts and concerns to the back of his mind. He knew what was best for him, for both of them, and his pack.

They began to hike out of town. Oncethey cleared town, he had no choice but to take them to the edge of the forest once again.

“See, you just can’t resist. You love the forest,” she said.

He shook his head, but kept on alert as theycontinued walking. Leah continued to hum and he was so focused on his surroundings, he didn’t see what she was doing until the light became too bright.

“What the fuck!”he growled.

She extinguished the light. “Sorry, I was just, you know, focusing. It’s a controlling thing.”

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