‘Are you saying you can’t undo the spell you wove?’
Yes. I just don’t know enough. I wish I knew more; wish I knew how to help, but I don’t. I’m too far removed. I wish— I’m so sorry, love. I never meant for any of this to happen.
‘Then why did you do it?’ she snapped, fury flaring through her. It all came down to the fact she had no idea how to use her power. They said she was more powerful than any witch who came before, but she wasn’t.
They’d made her powerless. And dangerous.
A red haze formed in front of her eyes as she pushed off the couch. ‘I thought you loved me! How could you do this to me? How could you leave me so vulnerable? Why didn’t you train me?’
We didn’t know how. You have the power of two people inside you, Skye. We had no idea how to deal with that. To help you to control it. Your grandmother didn’t know anywhere near enough about your power. She couldn’t even truly teach me. I learned what I learned from Alfrere and the rogue coven before we left it and even that wasn’t enough. Then we were on our own, with no links to those who might know how to help you. And we were afraid, so terribly afraid, that the rogue coven would track us down through your power. We did what we could; what we thought was right.
She laughed, the sound choking in her throat. ‘How does that help me now?’ She waved her hand towards Jason and Adam. ‘They need me to stay. Morrigan and Alfrere want me to run. And now you’re telling me to stay here with Jason and trust him. To use my powers when you’ve told me all my life not to. I mean, what am I supposed to think? How am I supposed to act?’
Her voice was rising and rising and she was taking in great hiccoughing breaths that hurt her chest. ‘They want this. You want that. Everyone wants something but has anyone bothered to stop and ask me what I want? And you know what is really pissing me off about all your wants? You now tell me the spell you wove to protect me and those I love from my dangerous magic has changed and you can’t undo it to release my powers! How the fucking hell am I supposed to control my powers if I can’t even tap into them?’
Anger filled her chest, radiating out until her fingertips burned. Horrified she’d let anger get the better of her again, she turned away from them all, desperately grasping at her control. But the burn in her fingertips got worse, not better, as the knot of anger in her chest kept growing. Behind her, voices rose and fell as the others argued about what she’d said and about what was best to do with her.
She clenched her hands under her armpits but it didn’t seem to help. The burn began to run up her arms as they spoke about her, not to her.
‘Stop talking about me like I’m not here,’ Skye said through clenched teeth. She was now almost bent over double, sweat pouring off her brow as the burn took over.
‘Skye. Are you all right?’
‘What’s going on?’
She ignored Bron’s and Shelley’s questions and looked with burning eyes at Jason. ‘I need to go.’
‘We can’t let you go,’ Adam said, stepping in front of her as she stood up.
‘Please. Don’t stop me,’ she gasped. ‘I can’t … control …’
‘But we need you.’ Adam reached for her.
‘Don’t touch me!’ Her vision flared, her fingers heating. Blue flame rippled up her arms. ‘You don’t own me. I am my own person. Nobody can tell me what to do.’
‘Fucking hell!’ Adam gasped as Shelley shouted, ‘Get back!’ A hot wind blew through the room as lightning rippled from Skye’s hands, lashing out at Adam. He dived to the side and the lightning struck the lamp behind him.
Horrified by what she’d done, Skye sobbed, ‘Help me. I can’t stop it.’
‘Harrison. Can you help her?’ Jason shouted as he raced forward. But he couldn’t get near her; none of them could get near her. Lightning rippled around her, wind whipped her hair away from her face, lifting her off her feet to hang in the air, a golden nimbus of light surrounding her as fire arced between her hands.
I’m trying to calm her aura, but she’s pushing me away. Shelley, I need a medium. I have to go through you.
Shelley paled but nodded. A second later she shuddered, and her eyes glowed golden amber. Purple fire raced from her fingers towards Skye and she walked slowly forward.
‘No! You’re going to get hurt,’ Adam said, grabbing at Shelley as she walked towards Skye.
She turned golden eyes on him and spoke, her voice echoing and strange. ‘Let go. We know what we are doing.’
He shook his head.
‘Let her try.’ Jason put his hand on Adam’s shoulder. ‘We have to help Skye. For pack. That’s more important than anything else. You should know. You reminded me of that.’
Adam swallowed hard, but let go of Shelley. ‘Don’t get hurt, kitten.’
She didn’t respond, just continued to walk towards Skye.
Skye shuddered as Shelley’s fire ran over her, covering the blue flames that lapped at her skin, shrouding her like a blanket. She cried out—the icy cold of it was such a shock.
Jason stepped forward, but Bron’s hand on his arm stopped him.
‘She’s fine. Let her do this.’
‘Skye?’ he asked, his gaze catching hers through the flame.
She nodded.
Then Shelley’s strange echoing voice wrapped around her, and she began to shake as the spell was invoked.
‘By the Goddess and by the flame,
By the Moon and by the rain,
Breathe in the wind, quench the fire
Let calm be your heart’s desire
Three times three times three times three,
We give you our will, so mote it be.’
The flame flared brighter and the wind around Skye keened, rising in pitch until Jason, Adam and Bron all clapped their hands over their ears.
Then with a clap of thunderous sound, the blue flame fluttered and was gone. The wind died.
Skye fell to the floor.
Jason rushed forward to pull her into his arms. ‘Skye? Skye, are you all right?’
She looked up at him. ‘I’m fine,’ she croaked.
Bron let out a shuddering breath. ‘Mother Goddess. Shelley, that was amazing.’
Shelley staggered. ‘It didn’t feel that amazing.’ Her eyes returned to their normal blue as she spoke to the air. ‘Please, don’t do that again, Harrison. It hurt.’
I’m sorry. But she trusts you. You were my only way in. And if we’re to help her, we might need to do it again.
Shelley teetered on her feet. Adam caught her but she shrugged off his helping hands. ‘I think I just need to go to bed.’
‘I’m so sorry, Shelley.’ Skye stood and moved away from the comfort of Jason’s arms. Unable to face them after what she’d done, she turned away. ‘Don’t you see? This proves I have to go. I can’t control it. What if I hurt one of you next time? I mean, look what it did to Shelley to stop me. I can’t—I won’t be responsible for hurting anyone.’
‘You will learn.’ Jason gripped her shoulders, turning her to face him, ignoring her struggles. ‘We will find you help. There’s the Pack Witch Diaries and Cordelia. She can’t come here yet, but you can Skype her, and she’s working on sending one of her coven to help you. Not to mention your grandpa and Wiccan friends. Surely, together, we can find a way.’
‘But I have the power of two. What just happened—’
‘All that you did then was show us what a strong Pack Witch you will be. You will help the McVales become stronger than we have ever been, and then nobody will dare to touch us again.’
He gripped her chin and tipped her face up until she couldn’t help but stare into the incredible, mesmerising blue of his eyes. ‘Give me a chance to find a way. I can’t lose you. We can’t lose you. I won’t let you go. Accept that and everything else will follow. We will find a way.’
‘I still think you need to find another witch to bind to the pack.’
‘If we could have done that, we would have, long ago when the Collins b
ecame so few. It’s not as easy as all that. It’s not like there’s spare witches or warlocks just lying around waiting for us to call. Besides, there is no witch or warlock alive who could handle a spell of that magnitude and survive.’ He firmed his lips. ‘No. We will find an answer to the problem of the spell that binds you, and together we will train you. Your powers will help, they won’t be a danger. I promise. And seeing I’ve promised, it will happen, because a Were cannot break a vow.’
It was hard to deny such certainty and Skye found herself nodding despite the fear gnawing away inside her. She knew she should argue with him, but couldn’t find the energy to do so. Not to mention her head was throbbing from the backlash of using her magic.
‘You’re in pain.’
How could he have such an uncanny knack of knowing what was going on inside her? She didn’t want him making a thing of it though, so she broke from his grip and stepped away, staring out the window, trying to pull calm from looking out at the view of Westerfolds Park. But she couldn’t see anything through the deep violet dark of night cloaking the garden.
‘It’s dark.’
‘It’s past midnight.’
‘But we’ve only been talking for a few hours.’
‘You were at your grandmother’s for most of the day.’
‘No. It was only a few hours.’
‘It was dark when you left. Didn’t you notice?’
Skye shook her head. ‘I’ve lost the whole day?’
‘A lot happened to you today,’ Jason said. ‘It’s no wonder you’re tired and strung out and missing hours.’ He reached for her shoulders and began to massage. His earthy, masculine scent surrounded her, a balm to her senses, and she couldn’t find it inside herself to flinch away. She melted under his touch as his deep voice vibrated through her, holding her in place. ‘Nobody expects you to give more than you wish.’ He turned her, his hands sliding up to cup her face. ‘We will take it as slowly or as fast as you need. You are in control of what happens next. You have my word on that.’
‘Really?’
‘I promise.’
She relaxed. ‘I want to see the diaries.’
‘I want to read them too,’ Shelley said. ‘And speak to Cordy, if that’s at all possible.’
‘Count me in,’ Bron added.
Jason’s hands dropped from Skye’s face and he turned back to the others. ‘Good.’
Adam shook his head. ‘It will have to wait until morning. You,’ he said, looking at Shelley, ‘look like death warmed up and Skye doesn’t look much better. You need to rest.’
‘I’m happy with that.’ Shelley sighed and rubbed her head. ‘I could do with some sleep.’
‘Adam will show you up to your rooms—I gather you want to stay here?’ Shelley and Bron nodded. ‘Good. Adam, can you call in reinforcements to stand guard and hold the perimeter?’
‘Can do, Jase.’
‘I’ll draw up a roster and a line of defence. Then, in the morning, after everyone’s recharged, we’ll get to the task at hand—training Skye.’
Skye looked up at Jason. ‘But what if—’
He shook his head. ‘You’re not going anywhere. I’ve vowed to keep you safe and help you control your powers and that’s what we’re going to do.’
Skye’s jaw firmed as she looked at him. ‘I don’t like it when people try to control my life.’
‘I kind of got that impression before when you tried to turn Adam into wolfie barbecue.’ He chuckled and stroked her cheek.
‘You don’t understand.’
‘I understand better than you could ever know.’
‘Skye? Are you coming?’
Shelley and Bron were standing at the door waiting for her. Not taking her eyes from Jason, she said, ‘No. You go to bed. I’ll be up in a minute.’
‘Are you sure that’s a good idea?’
‘Yes. I just need to talk to Jason.’ She tore her gaze away from his when her friends didn’t budge. ‘Really. I’m fine now, thanks to you and Grandpa. Go and get some sleep. Adam’s right—you look like death.’
Bron put her hand on Shelley’s shoulder, stopping her from arguing. ‘Don’t be long, Skye. You need to get some sleep too.’
‘Goodnight.’
Bron blew her a kiss. Shelley sent her an unconvinced look, but said, ‘Goodnight,’ and walked out with Bron, Adam showing them the way.
Skye’s skin tingled as she realised she was now alone with Jason again. He smiled, his mouth twisting at the corner in the way that made her internal muscles clench.
She rubbed at her stomach and moved away from his warmth, frowning. ‘What did you mean when you said you understood more than I could know?’
There was silence behind her and she didn’t think he was going to answer.
‘You’re worried it will be like a jail; that you’d be controlled,’ Jason whispered finally. ‘But when you speak to Cordy and her coven, you will see that’s not how it is. The pact frees those with power in a way you can’t understand. Yet. But even if it didn’t, I wouldn’t tie you down like that. I wouldn’t do that to anyone, let alone you.’
She turned around to face him, wondering how he understood her fear so quickly. ‘Is that what you feel? Tied down?’
His laugh was bitter chocolate, warming as it sank into her but with a slight tang that wasn’t wholly pleasant. ‘I did. A long time ago. My parents understood my reluctance. I was the lone wolf, wanting to roam, but I was Alpha marked.’ He pointed at his eyes.
She raised an eyebrow.
‘The colour. Only an Alpha has eyes this colour. Some Alphas become. Some are born. It was apparent what I was going to be from birth.’ He smiled, the expression so full of sadness, Skye’s heart ached.
‘Even so, they let me go. They let me roam and follow my own interests.’ He looked away, regret marking his handsome face with a shadow she wanted to kiss away.
‘Didn’t it make you happy?’
‘Yes. For a while. But there was the slowly creeping poison of the Curse. Even though my father was strong and he was holding the pack together, I couldn’t be truly free. I knew it would come down to me, even though I didn’t want it to. But I was certain I’d have decades before I would have to take over the reins.’
He stopped, his voice choked off.
‘Jason?’ Skye said, giving in to the need to touch his face.
He turned back to look at her, leaning into her touch. ‘I was overseas when my parents and brothers were killed and I could deny who I was no longer. The pull of the Calling was inescapable.’
He smiled with such calm assurance she felt it reach forward and touch her soul. ‘I am Alpha. I can’t do anything to change it. And now that I am Alpha, I don’t want to change it. It’s who I am. Who I was always meant to be. I can’t believe I spent so many years fighting the inevitable.’
‘Jason … I—I’m glad for you, that you found yourself. But it isn’t the same for me.’
‘You misunderstand me.’ He took both her hands in his. ‘A part of me wants to take you to pack lands and hold you there safe and never let you go. But the other part, the stronger part, the part that was succoured by my parents’ understanding of my needs, would never do that to you if you didn’t wish it. I would never dishonour the memory of my parents in such a way. They knew that strength is built in many ways and that is a lesson I won’t forget now.’
The last was said through gritted teeth, as if he were arguing with himself over something.
‘Jason …’ she began again, but he shook his head, his gaze piercing her with understanding.
‘It’s okay, Skye. You don’t need to explain. I get it.’ He ran the back of his fingers down her cheek, a gesture that made her feel treasured. ‘You don’t have to live on pack lands. Not everyone does. You can live wherever you want. Go about your life in any way you wish, as long as you allow us to protect you.’ His lips firmed. ‘Although until this rogue coven is taken care of, I can’t let you out of my sight. Do yo
u understand?’
She nodded even though she was still so uncertain about everything, as if this was nothing but a dream she’d wake from at any moment. ‘I understand. You can’t ever truly let me go because it will bring on the Curse again. You protect me to protect the pack.’
He frowned. ‘No.’ He ran his thumb over her lips. ‘I will always protect you—and it has nothing to do with keeping the Curse at bay. You are important to me—to us—not because of who you are. Because of what you are.’
‘I am pack.’
‘You are pack.’
A family. A true family. That’s what he was giving her, whether she chose to stay with them or not.
He leaned forward, as if to kiss her—probably a pack-bonding thing. She’d seen how touchy-feely Adam was with Bron and Shelley—but she couldn’t be so free and easy. Not with him.
She pulled back. His expression was puzzled, his gaze trying to capture hers again, but she looked away.
‘I’m tired. Can you show me to my bedroom?’
‘Of course.’
He took her hand, pulling her to her feet, leading her upstairs to a room painted spring green, the floor covered with thick cream carpet. A canopied bed faced the French doors that led out onto a balcony overlooking the park. Fresh roses stood on the dresser in the corner, scenting the air with their delicate perfume. She took a deep breath in, knowing that from now on the scent of roses would remind her of Jason, not her grandparents.
‘I hope you’ll be comfortable here.’
‘It’s lovely,’ she said, taking a few steps inside, noting someone had placed a pair of flannelette Betty Boop pyjamas on the cream doona. They weren’t her pyjamas. She turned, raising her eyebrow.
‘Suzie, Tom’s nanny, lives here with us. She’s about your size and seeing I know how fond you are of cartoon character pyjamas, I asked her if you could borrow some. I assumed you would be staying here and neither Bron nor Shelley brought any of your things with them when they arrived.’
She managed a wobbly smile, touched more than she should be by his thoughtfulness. ‘Thank her for me.’
‘You can do that yourself when you see her tomorrow. Aside from being Tom’s nanny, she’s kind of a housekeeper and PA. So she’ll be around after dropping Tom off at 4us2.’
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