A Witch's Journey

by Tena Stetler

  “Count on it.” Kolby stepped back in the truck and waved as he circled the cabin and turned onto the road.

  Walking up the log steps slowly, Lathen’s hand was poised to knock on the door and changed his mind. Dropping his arm, he sidestepped to the red Adirondack chair and settled in. He had to figure it all out. His father getting married after all these years. She had to be pretty special, so he didn’t have an issue in the remarriage. His mother died giving birth to him. His father raised the two of them by himself and ran the pack too. A daunting job for a mated werewolf let alone a widower with two young pups.

  Looking back, he saw what a son of a bitch he’d been. It was no wonder his father told him to get it together or hit the road. He’d chosen to disappear, angry at the world and spoiling for a fight. That lifestyle wore on a man. Drifting around, eventually he found a place in Lobster Cove at high tourist season. His skills as a handyman were in strong demand. As fall set in, he kept getting calls for repairs and set up his business. Now, things were—Pepper made all the difference. If he hadn’t messed things up beyond repair, she’d meet his pack. What to do about the wedding? He found that he actually wanted to go. But what if he was still considered the outcast? Too many what-ifs.

  He pushed up from his chair, noticed Ember lying between the two chairs and Pepper sitting in the other one staring out across her property.

  She didn’t glance in his direction but said, “Had some thinking to do. Huh? Been out here quite a while.”

  He eased back into the chair, leaned over and scratched the dog’s ear. “Yeah, it’s been a day. And it’s not done yet. I invited Kolby and his wife, Hayley, to meet us over here in a couple of hours.”

  Peppers eyebrows shot up as she spluttered, “You what?”

  “Now just hold on,” he said in a calm voice, feeling anything but. “Said we’d meet here, and I’d take everyone to dinner at The Cliffside. A nice place for you to get to know my brother and his wife. Maybe tomorrow we could show them around the place. Kolby was very interested. He works for the US Fish and Wildlife Service out of the Anchorage office. And his wife will love a tour.”

  “What made you think any of you would be welcome? Not to mention it’s not ready for visitors.”

  Ignoring the last statement, he said, “Because you and I have something special. I’m not going to walk away from you or the center. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I’ve learned from them.” The breeze rippled his hair as he got up and walked to her. He bent down, hands resting on the chair arms at either side of her, and brushed his lips over hers lightly at first, then deepened the kiss as she returned the kiss hesitantly. Straightening, he ran the back of his hand over her cheek and down to her chin. All the while their gazes locked.

  When he returned to the chair, he laid it all out for her, about his dad, the wedding, the circumstances under which he left, and why. He couldn’t bring himself to mention the physical change he felt on the Fourth of July, not until he was sure, one way or the other.

  She leaned back and blew out a breath. “You have had quite a day. So are we going to make time to attend the wedding?”

  “I’m not sure. But you’ll be the first to know. Fair enough?”

  “But the grand opening and…gotta have time to work it all out.”

  “I know, but I got to sort things out. Trust me.”

  Tires crunching as a vehicle turned into the driveway caused Pepper and Lathen to turn in that direction.

  “Too late to tell ’em they’re not welcome,” Lathen said, hoping he’d smoothed things over enough with Pepper, she’d be cordial.

  “You’re all welcome.” She took Lathen’s offered hand and stood. With his arm around her waist, they walked down the steps together and greeted their guests.

  Hayley jumped out of the SUV and ran toward Lathen, wrapping her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him down. He released Pepper to steady himself and Hayley. “Hey there, girl, shouldn’t you be a little more careful?” The minute the words left his lips, he froze and glanced at his brother.

  A laugh bubbled up from Hayley’s throat. “I knew he couldn’t keep a secret, especially when I let him go off by himself looking for you.” She took him by the shoulders and shoved him an arm’s length away. “You are looking good. The sea air agrees with you. Or…” Hayley shifted her gaze to Pepper. “Your life has taken a huge turn for the better.”

  Lathen drew Pepper back to his side, arm around her waist. “This is my girlfriend, Pepper McKay. She owns this property, and we are turning it into a wildlife rescue and rehab center.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Then a spark of recognition flickered in Hayley’s eyes. “Ooohhh…One of the maids at the inn said this property is steeped in legend. A McKay witch has lived here since the early 1800s. Aidan Duncan McKay and his wife, Dusty, were the first.”

  “Hayley,” Kolby sputtered his eyes rounded in surprise. “What a thing to say. Sorry for my wife, pregnancy seems to have affected her good manners.”

  “What…what did I say? I was just talking with the staff about Lathen. He’s really well liked around here. The maid said he was living with the McKay witch; she seems to be well respected too.”

  “Hayley!” Kolby said.

  Lathen, looking uncomfortable, ignored his sister-in-law’s comments and said, “Pepper, this is my brother, Kolby and his wife, Hayley.” It didn’t matter to him if they knew she was a witch, but he wasn’t sure how Pepper wanted to handle it.

  She exchanged a knowing look with Lathen, a twinkle of mischief lit her eyes as she turned a wide-eyed gaze in Hayley’s direction. “What? A witch? Really? Is that what the townspeople think?” Unable to hold onto her composure any longer, she dissolved into a fit of giggles at Hayley and Kolby’s horrified expressions.

  Lathen smirked and kissed Pepper on the cheek as Ember trotted down the steps to see what all the commotion was about. Kaylee whistled loudly to be let out of the house, hanging by her talons from the screen door.

  Pepper shrugged. “I guess they’d be right. But…I haven’t turned anyone into a toad in”—she paused and put her index finger to her chin, tipping her head slightly—“at least a couple of weeks.” She leaned over and gave Kolby and Hayley a hug. “Nice to meet you both.” Taking a step back, she put her arm behind her and flicked her hand. The door to the cabin flew open with Kaylee soaring out and into the sky, making a large circle over the cabin before heading for the beach.

  Lathen peered at Pepper. “You know she ripped the screen again.”

  Pepper grimaced, nodding.

  “If you are going to continue to leave the door open between the cabin and aviary, I’m going to put stainless steel screen on all the doors and windows. Otherwise, we’ll be replacing them constantly.”

  “You have a bird that big living in your house?” Hayley asked.

  “She is an osprey and was my first rescue, years ago at a Salem wildlife sanctuary where I worked. We’re inseparable.” Pepper tilted her head in Ember’s direction. “And Ember’s my first rescue here at the Lobster Cove Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.”

  “Is anyone hungry? ’Cause I’m starving,” Lathen declared. “If you give us a minute to change, we can all head to The Cliffside.

  “We need to wait for Kaylee to get dinner, anyway.” Pepper let her thoughts flow to the bird. “She’ll bring her catch back and eat it in the aviary. I don’t want her alone outside at night.”

  “Come on in and have a seat. We’ll only be a minute.” Pepper motioned them up the steps and into the cabin.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Departures, Arrivals, and Weddings

  —Life Happens While You Try to Make Plans

  Over the course of the next six weeks, Lathen and his brother reconnected. Kolby and Hayley helped out at Pepper’s when they weren’t exploring the great state of Maine and surrounding areas on their own. The center was on track, Pepper and Lathen were able to show Kolby and Hayley around, and all enjoye
d a long weekend in Boston seeing the sights and enjoying the food. When Pepper’s parents called, she told them that Lathen’s brother and wife were visiting for an extended stay and that it would be much more convenient for all if they’d stay with the original schedule. As it turned out, Duncan and Klaren were unable to get into the cottage until the third week of August. Which was perfect, especially if Lathen decided they would attend his dad’s wedding. She intended to nudge him in that direction every chance she got. Having never traveled to Alaska, she was excited at the prospect, but more than that, Lathen needed his family connection to finally put everything behind him. Maybe then they could build a life together.

  Pepper spent quite a bit of time with Hayley, showing her the property, the plans for the center, talking wildlife and babies. Hayley told stories about Lathen’s youth, touched on pack dynamics, his decision to join the military and become a Navy SEAL. The changes and difficulties he encountered when he returned home. It was nothing that Lathen hadn’t already told her, but told from Hayley’s prospective, Pepper gained insight into Lathen’s psyche. Always watchful, she was thankful Ashling didn’t make an appearance, and Tom Green seemed to have taken a vacation from harassing her. But she had a feeling things would change drastically once her parents arrived.

  The night before Kolby and Hayley caught a plane to Alaska, Pepper fixed a dinner of meat ravioli, cheesy garlic bread, and homemade vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips. On a tray, Pepper brought out bowls of ice cream and spoons and set them down on a small table on the porch. Lathen followed with a pot of coffee for refills and Pepper’s huge mug of tea.

  Kolby scooped up a big spoon of ice cream and slid it into his mouth. After a few seconds he said, “This is great. It’s been a long time since we’ve had homemade ice cream. Thanks.” His brows furrowed together. “Lathen, how about the wedding? Can you and Pepper try to make it?”

  In the ensuing silence, Hayley blew out a breath. “We’ve had a wonderful time with you and Pepper. We could have so much fun in Alaska showing Pepper the sights—together. Kolby could take a couple days off, and we could go visit Denali. Pepper, you’ll love it.”

  “Nice sell, Hayley,” Lathen grumbled. “I can’t promise anything—but we’ll give it our best shot.”

  Pepper jumped out of her seat and hugged Lathen, then Hayley and Kolby. “Everything will be fine, you’ll see,” she said confidently to Lathen. “Mom and Dad will be here to take care of Ember and Kaylee, not to mention…well, it will all work out.” She spooned up some ice cream, popped it into her mouth, and savored its flavor. She’d made sure there were plenty of chocolate chips in her portion of ice cream.

  “Then it’s settled. Let us know your flight info and we’ll pick you up at the airport.”

  “Okay.” Lathen looked over at her. “Pepper, can you handle the reservations and contact Hayley with the info? You’ve got the schedule in your mind.”

  “Sure. I’ll take care of it.”

  “Kolby, I have one stipulation. No one but the two of you will know we are coming. Fair enough?”

  “I can live with that.” His brow creased in confusion. “Can I ask why? Dad will be unhappy if you arrive the day before the wedding and he leaves on his honeymoon without getting to spend time with you. That’s not right either. The pack will welcome you with open arms. You know that.”

  “You can ask, but I don’t have an answer. Just a gut feeling that’s the way it needs to be. I left behind some hard feelings and situations.”

  “If you’re talking about Sofie, she is engaged to Walter now. A winter wedding is planned. Your history is water under the bridge, trust me,” Kolby said wincing. “Well, maybe not exactly.”

  “Who’s Sofie?” Pepper wanted to know.

  Lathen stiffened and shot Kolby a dark look. “Way to go, bro.” He huffed out a breath. “She was my girlfriend a long time ago. We split under less than ideal conditions when I left.”

  “You have a way with women, don’t you?” Pepper chided, watching Lathen glower at his brother. If looks could kill, Hayley would be a widow on the spot.

  “Except you. I know when it’s right,” Lathen said, his posture easing a bit. “We’ll try to arrive a week before the wedding, but will have to return the day after. Isn’t that about right, Pep?”

  “Yes, that’s the approximate time frame we can wiggle out of here without much problem.” Pepper couldn’t keep the smile from her face despite Sofie. Things were going so well, she hoped that trend continued when her parents arrived.

  Well after midnight, Hayley yawned wide and leaned over against Kolby. “I think we better get going. Got an early flight to catch tomorrow, then it’s back to the rat race for him.” She poked her husband in the ribs.

  He jumped and narrowed his eyes at her. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s been great. We look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks.” He pushed up from the porch swing and helped Hayley up.

  “Night, drive careful,” Pepper said as she hugged first Hayley then Kolby.

  Lathen hugged his sister-in-law and reached out to grasp Kolby’s hand and ended up grabbing his shoulder and giving him a bear hug. “I’m glad you came. Thanks.”

  Watching the headlights on the SUV disappear down the road, Pepper felt a tear slide down her cheek. She was going to miss them. Having dedicated most of her adult life to her profession, she’d never socialized much. The time spent with Hayley and Kolby showed her what she’d missed. An arm snaked around her waist as Lathen pulled her close. He wiped the tear away with his thumb and kissed her cheek, his scruffy butterscotch beard rough against her skin.

  “We’ll see them in a couple weeks. How about we go inside, take a look at the schedule, and make flight reservations? That way when we see them off tomorrow morning, you can hand them a copy of the itinerary. I’m sure Hayley will have every waking moment planned out for us.”

  “It will kinda be nice to have someone else in charge for a while. Don’t you think?”

  Lathen shook his head. “I’m not sure about that. But it will be fun to have some time away from here before it gets crazy with the grand opening and whatever tasks follow in the life of a rehab specialist.”

  Pepper went inside and turned the computer on. Best to get the reservations confirmed before Lathen changes his mind. She pulled up a site that was known for cheap rates and punched in Bar Harbor to Anchorage, AK. Several options flooded the screen, all between twelve- and seventeen-hour flights. This would definitely require first class tickets. She stretched her legs and wiggled in her chair at the thought. “Hey, Lathen, come in here. I need your input.”

  He ambled into the home office. “For what?”

  She pointed to the screen. “See the flight times and the layovers? No matter which way, we are going to have a bad case of tired butt by the time we arrive at the hotel in Anchorage.”

  Looking over her shoulder, Lathen pointed to a flight. “This one is actually a bit longer, but it gives us a six-hour layover in Seattle. We could have dinner at the space needle, enjoy the view, and get back on the plane for a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Anchorage. That one also originates in Bar Harbor, through Boston, but goes to Seattle rather than Minneapolis and the last leg of the trip is shorter. Both options arrive around one o’clock in the morning.”

  “Seattle it is. What about the hotel?”

  “Let’s just book one close to the airport. We’ll be dead on our feet by the time we get the rental car and get out of the airport with our luggage.” He pointed to a well-known upscale hotel on the screen. “See what’s available there.”

  She clicked on the link, checked out the virtual tour of rooms, amenities, and available Wi-Fi. “We’ll be there two nights?”

  “Yep, then we gotta go on to Half Moon Valley, northeast of Talkeetna.”

  Pepper pulled up a map of Alaska and zoomed in. “I don’t see any Half Moon Valley,” she said, chewing on her bottom lip.

  “You won’t find it on any map.” He ch
uckled and pointed to an area between Talkeetna and Cantwell. “Our pack lands are remote, and we discourage visitors. Just take my word on the location. I can find it.”

  “Okay, is it close to Denali then? I’d love to tour Denali National Park, spend a couple nights. Think that could be arranged?”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised. But we’ll have to wait until we get there.” Lathen straightened and yawned. “It’s an early morning if you want to see my brother and sister off. I suggest we call it a night.”

  ****

  An orange ribbon formed in the eastern sky as Lathen pulled into the inn’s parking lot. He got out, joined Pepper on her side of the truck, and silently closed the truck doors. Kolby and Hayley were stuffing their bags in the back of the SUV when Lathen clamped a hand on Kolby’s shoulder.

  Kolby yelped.

  Lathen let loose a hearty laugh. “Surprise.” Then slapped a hand over his mouth as Pepper shushed him.

  Kolby swung around and punched him in the shoulder. “Don’t you know better than to sneak up on people, especially at this god-awful time of the morning?”

  “Hey, sneaking up on people used to be my mission, regardless of the time. Wanted to make sure I wasn’t out of practice.” He snickered quietly.

  Pepper handed Hayley a copy of the airline reservations. “We managed to eke out ten days for the trip.”

  “Wonderful, I’ll get reservations at Denali National Park. Good thing Dad took a couple weeks off before the wedding, or we’d have a heck of a time keeping your secret. He’s a guide at Denali.”

  Kolby shook his head. “Better wait until they arrive. No way a reservation under the name Quartz won’t attract attention.”

  “Maybe use my maiden name?” Hayley mused.

  “Maybe, but…”

  Pepper’s eyes rounded. “Wow, no one mentioned what he did for a living.”