“Couldn’t be better,” I said and came in, letting the dogs dance around me. “Anything on the woman of mystery, here?”
“Not yet,” Olenna said as I sat down in a chair across from the couch. “We were getting to know one another. Although…” She turned and faced Reagan. “Your body temperature has gone up.”
Color rose in Reagan’s face while Tristan laughed. “It’s ‘cause Luke is here,” he said.
“No,” Olenna deadpanned and looked back at me. “I hear the SB was making demands and sending up that ghoul Lind to do it. You okay?”
I nodded as Xander stirred in his chair, and we all looked at him. His jaw was dark with scruff, and his eyes were hollow. I shot a look at Kal, who gave a slight shake of his head.
Helplessness raged in me. I hated that there wasn’t more we could do for Xander.
His voice rasped as he spoke. “The more I think about it, the more it becomes clear to me that the SB fears these new Excris. They should have realized shifters were the best line of defense. Now that they’ve alienated them, they are going after other Riftborn—although I doubt many Riftborn will be so inclined.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “People fear authorities like that. And loyalties tend to lie with how the SB has treated them.”
“No, the Stasis Bureau are the real monsters,” Reagan said in a quiet voice. “Most people know this, stasis or not. They’ve torn apart families.” She paused. “Although, if they’re afraid, yes, they might go along with them. Only real monsters will do their dirty work, though. Like Sarrow.”
“Sometimes people will buy into a lie to make their lives easier,” Olenna said, and a shadow crossed her face. “Anyway.” She stood up and smiled down at Reagan. “If you’ll come with me.”
We followed them out into the backyard, where Reagan explained what she knew of her powers—the ability to communicate with animals, the purging of poison, and the heightened senses.
“Is there more?” Olenna asked.
Reagan nodded and expelled a long breath. “Yes, ever since the Rift, I’ve been able to sense shifters.” We all stared at her. “And identify their animal.”
“What?” I asked. “Is that why you weren’t surprised when you saw me as a wolf?”
“Well, sort of, I guess,” Reagan said. “I mean, it’s more than that, too, I think…”
“What about other Riftborn?” Olenna asked as Reagan flushed. Only Olenna was unfazed, while Xander and Kal looked downright alarmed, and Tristan was intrigued. “Any trigger from me?”
“No,” Reagan said.
“Mm, not that unusual, then, although knowing the animal is. I wonder…”
“We’re lucky the SB didn’t get a hold of her,” Tristan said. “Could you imagine?”
Reagan sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Living up here, it started to seem normal to know this stuff, and not a danger to myself or anyone else.”
“I understand,” I said.
And I did. Reagan had been walking such a thin line for so long, even when she found herself in a safe place, it was hard to trust it.
“Do you know what I am?” Xander asked. My eyes went wide, and I instinctually moved in front of Reagan. “Calm down, Luke. If she does, then she’s kept my secret.”
“I don’t, actually,” Reagan said, and my shoulders sagged with relief. “You’re the only shifter that’s ever been the case with. I didn’t know what to make of it.” Her chin lifted. “But I will keep your and Winfyre’s secrets. This is my home.”
“Hear that? Easy now, Lukas,” Tristan said and tugged me back.
Still, I was starting to understand why the SB wanted to get a hold of Reagan. If they had even an inkling of half her abilities, then they must know she could be a powerful weapon in their war against shifters.
“Give me your hands,” Olenna said, holding hers out, palm up, with her eyes closed. Reagan extended hers, glancing from Olenna to me, and then down. “Well, I’ve never met anyone like you.”
After that, Olenna fell quiet, and we all waited. Ten minutes passed before Olenna sighed.
Blinking her eyes open, she said, “I can’t tell. I believe it’s because her gifts are both nascent and new to me. From what you’re telling me, though, perhaps you can interpret energy or maybe manipulate it. Maybe both.” Olenna released Reagan and flexed her fingers. “Either way, you are strong and connected to the earth. I believe that’s why you can speak with animals.”
“What can I do to wake them up?” Reagan asked.
Olenna shook her head. “If the circumstances were different, I would recommend coming with me to Veda and working with the Coven. But with the SB looking for you, I think you should stay here, with Luke, and practice on your own. A lot of the time, a Riftborn’s abilities simply snap into place. Spend time in nature, try to meditate and call them forth.”
Reagan sighed, and even Tristan looked disgruntled, but I knew Kal, Xander, and I were thinking the same thing. All of this was unexplored territory. It wasn’t like there was a master in the mountains that Reagan could go train with. There hadn’t been for us. Everything that we had learned had been on our own, instincts building over time as we explored our new powers.
I mean, only the other day, I’d fully shifted and sensed the depths of power in that form.
“Thank you, Olenna,” Xander said.
“Yes, thank you,” Reagan piped up, though her smile was weak, and she rubbed her elbows.
I invited everyone in for lunch, but only Olenna and Tristan could stay. Xander and Kal both said goodbye, telling Reagan not to worry, and Xander told me to be on standby.
“You and I may have to run an errand north, tomorrow,” he’d said in an undertone.
I’d nodded and gripped his forearm. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to the bottom of this sooner.”
Xander shook his head and gave me a small smile. “You and I both know that none of this can be rushed. It takes time.” He gripped my forearm back. “Enjoy the rest of your day and your time with her. I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time.”
I nodded, then watched Xander and Kal go. Xander’s head was down, and his shoulders curved to the ground. None of us had asked for these abilities or burdens. All we could do was help each other carry them.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Luke
After Olenna and Tristan left, I had work to catch up on. With Reagan around, though, it was manageable. If she hadn’t been there, I would have been up all night finishing it. Instead, it only took me a few hours. Sometimes, though, with the day-to-day fires, I forgot how much work it took to keep Winfyre running. From food shipments to farming to medical supplies to patrol rotations and more.
Throwing the last folder down with a satisfied sigh, I stood up and stretched. I wondered if Reagan was back. I’d told her to take the afternoon off. Go for a walk, hang out with the dogs, and relax. She wasn’t going to figure out her abilities getting all worked up. Now I wondered if she’d taken my advice. At that moment, the back door slammed.
With a rueful laugh, I went into the kitchen and found Reagan gulping down a glass of water. She was flushed and sweating, the dogs sitting at her feet, looking a bit cowed.
“No one is expecting you to unlock your abilities in one day, Reagan,” I said.
“I thought I’d at least make a little bit of headway if I tried,” she said. “I was wrong.”
“Hey,” I said and took her shoulders in my hands. “Go take a nice, long, and hot shower. Or hey, even a bubble bath.” She huffed. “Come on, I’ll make dinner.”
“Okay.” Reagan shrugged and left the kitchen.
Going over to the pantry where I’d hidden the flowers, I pulled them out and rubbed my thumb along the lip of the vase. Slowly, a grin spread across my face. An idea had occurred to me, a way to both cheer Reagan up and distract her from her demons.
Luckily for me, Reagan took my suggestion of a long shower, so I was more than r
eady for her when she finished. Bouncing lightly on my toes in the kitchen, I listened as she padded towards the door in bare feet. Her eyebrows rose when she saw me.
“What are you up to?” Reagan asked.
Her hair was in damp tendrils around her face, her eyes bright and skin glowing softly. She was wearing a simple sundress, something I’d never seen her in before. It took my breath away.
“Luke?”
Reagan snapped her fingers in front of my face, and I started. Grinning, I held out my arm and said, “Dinner’s outside. And may I just say, you look lovely tonight.”
“Oh, thanks,” she said. Her gaze didn’t quite meet mine. “It’s kind of warm out, you know? I wanted to see how it looked. Something simple and comfortable to pull on.”
“Sure,” I teased and brought her to the door. “Oh, wait, close your eyes.”
“What are you—are you serious?” Reagan asked, and I gave her a look. “Fine.”
After helping her down the steps, I led Reagan around the side of the house and stopped her. A line of cherry trees on either side created a small oasis. I’d never sat out here before this, but I thought she might like to.
“You can open your eyes,” I said.
Bright, inquisitive green took me in, then she looked around and pulled in a breath. A slow, radiant smile lit up her face, and I stepped next to her, folding my arms.
“Not bad, right?”
I’d dragged out an old and very heavy wrought iron table set. Along with dinner, I’d brought out the flowers and a few candles. But since it was breezy and still pretty bright out, they weren’t lit.
Reagan pressed against my side. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“Yeah, it was a lot of work,” I sighed, and she elbowed me. “Aw, come on, Rea, I was happy to. You had a long day. I had a long day. This took the edge off.”
“I said I’d help.”
“Shh, enjoy this with me,” I said and tugged her towards the table.
“Hey, how did it go with my parents this morning, Mr. Honor Code?” Reagan asked.
I pulled out her chair and half-bowed, making her laugh. “They reacted almost exactly like you did about the permission thing,” I said. “But they gave me their blessing, provided you’re okay with it. All they want is for you to be happy.”
“I love those two,” Reagan murmured as she sat down, “although they must have had a field day after you left.”
“Why?” I asked, and Reagan gave me a look. “They knew?”
“Oh yeah, Shelby, Linh, and my mom were dropping hints all last week. Even my dad said something.” Reagan shrugged as I sat down and stared at her. “I told you not to go, that they liked you and would be fine with it.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t tell me they…forget it, I’m glad I did it,” I said.
“You’re cute,” Reagan teased. “One minute, you’re telling me not to flirt with fire; the next, you’re asking my parents for permission. Who knew Luke Swiftlore could be so proper?”
“Gotta balance it out somehow,” I said. “Wolf Alpha and Northbane honor, it’s a potent mix.” Reagan giggled, and I suddenly got a bit hot under the collar. “Eat already, woman, and stop torturing your poor man.”
“Mm, gotta savor this moment first,” Reagan said. That got a laugh out of me. Her glance fell on the flowers, set to the side of the table so as not to obstruct my view of her. “Are these for me?”
“They were until you started givin’ me shit,” I said.
Reagan gave me a slow, dazzling smile, and I swallowed hard. “Thank you.”
“It was nothin’,” I muttered.
“It wasn’t,” Reagan said. “It was everything. I’d still be lost without you.”
“I find that hard to believe,” I said. “You’re one tough, smart cookie.”
“And you are one generous, wonderful man,” Reagan said. “And I’m glad I don’t have to find out…although you’re probably right.” I laughed as she tossed her head and fanned herself.
I soon forgot to worry about Winfyre, the Northbane, and the SB. Reagan and I went back and forth, laughing and teasing each other. Dinner passed too quickly. It seemed like I blinked, and the sun went down. We lit the candles, and our conversation got softer, more intimate.
But when the wind picked up, and Reagan was shivering in her dress, we headed back inside. In the living room, I offered to light a fire, but Reagan smiled at me and wrapped her cold limbs around my torso.
“I think you can warm me up,” she murmured.
I held her against me for a few moments, then went to pull away, and Reagan growled, holding me more tightly. “You’re cute when you’re impatient," I said.
“And your old-school, courtly side is killing me, Swiftlore,” she said, and I laughed, rubbing my hands up and down her cold arms.
“No need to rush,” I said.
I couldn’t lie—driving Reagan crazy was highly enjoyable, too.
“I know that,” Reagan said, and I could almost feel the heat from her face through my shirt. “But, sometimes…” Her grip tightened. “Sometimes I’m afraid this can’t last…after the Rift and coming here. It’s like, we never know what is coming, or where we might end up.”
“That can be a good thing.” I looked down at her dark head. “I don’t think I could have anticipated you, Reagan Grace, not in a million years.”
Reagan’s voice was muffled when she replied, “I know. I get that. Before I met you, I was content to settle for just about anything. I don’t know—it’s like you woke me up. Made me want more for myself.”
I rested my cheek on her head and let out a sigh. “You give me too much credit, Grace. But thank you.” My heart was swelling in my chest. “It means more than you know.”
“I’m happy. I’m so happy, I’m afraid it’s not allowed,” she whispered.
“I give you permission,” I teased in her ear.
“Shut up, that’s not—”
“I know,” I said. “I get that.”
“I didn’t mean to ramble at you,” Reagan murmured and tried to squirm away. “We should go to bed.”
“Hey, my turn,” I said and locked her against me. A small squeak escaped her. "Rea, you—you found me, too. I’d locked up so much of myself—all that was left was worrying about everyone else. When I met you, I figured you’d be here maybe a month.” I paused. “I didn’t think you’d want to learn how to take care of me after a shifting episode. Or do such a damn good job helping me with Winfyre. Everyone says it's been running a lot smoother. Fewer problems.”
“I’m glad I could help,” she murmured.
I cleared my throat. “Reagan, I never thought you’d consider me a friend, never mind anything more. You were never afraid of me, you never treated me differently…”
“Why would I?” Reagan looked up at me. “The Alpha Wolf thing is hot.”
“Oh yeah?” I asked, and grinned.
“Yeah,” she said, her expression suddenly soft and searching. “Luke, in Winfyre, you are a Command and a hero. The wolf is part of that. People understand that. I’ve never heard one person say anything even remotely harsh about you.”
“It’s not a popularity thing,” I said, “although I don’t want anyone to hate me without good reason.” I gave her a crooked smile, and she made a face. “When you're a leader, you do have to be aware of their perceptions, and, I don't know, I think I put a lot of pressure on myself, in the beginning, to be exemplary, even though it felt like a giant lie."
“You’d been through a lot,” Reagan said. “And you were still exemplary.”
“Of course I was,” I said. “I’m Luke Swiftlore.”
“You can shut up now,” Reagan said and kissed me.
Chapter Thirty
Reagan
As much as I gave Luke a hard time about his old-school mannerisms, it was also adorable and sweet. It also made me wonder if Luke regretted the fact that I’d never meet his father. I knew I did, because I understood.
More than once, I’d wished that my grandfather could have met Luke.
Over the next week, both of us were in and out of the house, missing each other more often than not. As a result, every touch was brief and scalding. A quick kiss or hug, a touch on the arm. Each one set off my nerves for at least an hour with zero release.
All through the day, I craved him—his laughter, his lips, his Luke-isms.
Today, I hadn’t seen him at all.
Lying in bed now, my gaze kept going to the flowers he’d given me, and idle daydreams crossed my mind. Luke hugging me from behind, sneaking a kiss on my cheek, or lifting me against him. Luke pulling off his shirt. Luke reclining in his tub or grinning at me in that sexy, intense way…
Flushing, I flipped over and tried to think of something else. Anything else.
The images wouldn’t stop.
Overheated, I kicked back the blankets. That didn’t help, so I got up and went to get water. After, I lingered in the living room, sipping it and tracing my eyes up and down the stairs.
I didn’t think he was home yet, although it was almost ten o’clock. In the last week, it had been hard to sleep if he wasn’t in the house. I couldn’t stop my brain from worrying about him. Or wondering what would happen if I crawled into his bed.
As I walked back into the kitchen, the back door opened, and I almost dropped the glass. A cold blast of wind blew around my ankles, causing me to shiver and break out in goosebumps.
Luke looked giant in the doorway, handsome and wild, with his dirty blond hair in his eyes and his jaw covered in scruff. He smelled like the night, crisp snow and cedar. I shivered harder.
“Waiting for me?” he asked in a voice that thrummed across my heartstrings.
“Oh no, I needed water,” I said and waved the glass, nearly dropping it again. Clutching it close, I went over to the counter and placed it down. “Everything go okay? You good?”
Luke nodded and shut the door. At that moment, the dogs charged into the kitchen and bounced around him. He grinned, ruffling their ears and rubbing their backs, but his gaze kept flicking to me. “I like your pajamas.” There was a trace of laughter in his voice, and I looked down at the skimpy shirt and shorts I was wearing. “Way to make a man feel good at the end of a long day.”
Wolf's Wager (Northbane Shifters) Page 22