by Michelle Fox
“Yep,” Arden answered absently, staring up at her window.
“Makes sense, then. Oh yeah, before I forget: Finley’s going home to get his things, and then he’s headed back to the pack house.”
“What do you think of him?” Arden asked.
“I like the kid. I think in time he’ll make a great guard. He’s smart, and he’d be an asset to us. We just need to teach him who the Alpha is.” Bane laughed.
“I think that’s going to happen sooner rather than later.” Arden glanced back up at Quinn’s apartment.
“How do you think she’ll adjust to pack life?” Bane asked.
“I don’t know. I want her to want to be with us, but right now I can’t force her, or she’ll hate me for it. I just need to keep her alive if the rogues find her again. I can’t take a chance of anyone getting to her. I think it would—”
“Kill you. I understand that you want your mate safe, I think we all get that, but you can be a tad controlling.” Bane held his fingers up, an inch apart.
“When you find your mate, Bane, you’ll feel the same way.”
“Well, she’s asleep, and you need to go and get rest some too. She’ll be here tomorrow. We get relieved in the morning, and you can come check on her then. But go get some sleep while you can,” Bane suggested. “I’ve got a feeling we’re all going to need it.”
“You trying to tell me what to do, Beta?” Arden asked.
Bane raised his eyebrow. “If I need to, Alpha.”
“See you tomorrow. Be safe.” Arden shifted and ran back into the woods. Bane was right; he needed some rest. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
Chapter 6
Quinn woke up early the next morning, took a quick shower, and got dressed. She couldn’t get over how wonderful she felt. She laughed to herself as she looked in the mirror. Her skin had never looked better, and her red hair, which she’d always hated, was shiny and soft. It had to be the changes taking place in her body. She felt ready to take on the world.
Grabbing her jacket, Quinn opened the door and saw Bane leaning up against the stair railing. “Brought you a donut and some coffee. Arden said to make sure you had vanilla and chocolate in it.”
“Wow, can I expect this type of treatment every day? If so, I think I’m going to like being a wolf.” Quinn reached over and took the coffee and bag of donuts, then kissed Bane on the cheek.
“Thank your mate; he was the one who thought of it. I was hungry, too, and you need to feed your wolf or she’ll get cranky. I really don’t want to put my people through your wrath because you’re not eating enough. Remember to have a snack about every two hours; we have to feed often.” Bane moved so she could walk down the stairs first.
“Thanks for being so nice to me, Bane. I know I was a real bitch yesterday, but I…”
“Don’t worry about it. I think I would have been the same way. It’s a lot to take in. Maybe getting the store ready will help relieve some of your stress. Finley’s already here, and we have wolves both outside and inside the store, keeping an eye out for the rogues. I’ll be back later this evening. Should I bring you something to eat?”
“Probably.” Quinn giggled.
Bane opened the back door to the store and let her in. “Hey, lock this behind you, and I’ll see you in a few.”
“Okay. Thanks again.” Quinn locked the door and walked through to the sales floor, where she found Finley, Jade, and three other people she didn’t know.
“Hey, Quinn. I brought my purses, and the boxes I already had to put them in. Last night I looked online and found some good ones and had my logo put on them. What do you think?” Jade held up her laptop and showed Quinn the pictures she’d saved. “They should be here in a couple of days.”
Quinn glanced at the boxes and smiled. “You have a great eye for this, Jade. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.”
“Well, I make jewelry too,” Jade added.
“You’re kidding.” Quinn’s eyes sparked with interest. “Well, come look at the counter I had made for the jewelry. I think I can get another counter built and add yours to it. Hey Fin, can you build a counter like that one?” She pointed.
“Sure can. Do you want it the same size, or bigger?” Finley asked.
“Bigger by a foot,” Quinn requested.
“You got it. I’ll need to go buy the wood, and I’ll do the work out back so I don’t get sawdust on anything.” Finley walked over and started measuring the counter.
“I have an account at the hardware store. Just tell them to put the materials on my bill,” Quinn told him.
“Okay, be back in a few.” Finley left, and she walked over to Jade.
“You going to introduce me?” Quinn asked, nodding toward the other people.
“Sure. Quinn, this is Maddox Brown, Paley Thomas, and her brother Rick Thomas. We’re the Outcasts; at least that’s what they call us.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you guys. Are you here to help Jade set up her stuff?” Quinn asked.
“Yes, and you too if you need it. We heard how you’re helping Jade, and we just wanted to come in and give you a hand if you need it,” Paley told her with a smile. They all looked like good people to her. She had the feeling that the four of them could use a good friend, and she planned on being that for them.
“I’m glad to have you guys here today. That counter and wall is where I want to showcase Jade’s purses, and if she’ll go get her jewelry then she can use the cabinet for that. Jade, you have carte blanche on how you want to decorate your wall. I’ve seen your taste and I love it,” Quinn told her. She watched as Jade smiled; that was exactly what she was hoping for.
“I’ll go over here and start on the clothes. See you guys in a few.” Quinn walked over to the clothes racks. She had a lot of stock out already, but there was still a pile of boxes that needed to be unloaded.
The day progressed quickly, and the more she got done the more excited she got every time she looked around. When she finished with the clothing, she started putting jewelry in the cases. She was sorting out the jewelry for a particular artist, and there was jewelry scattered all over the counter. Instead of picking it up, she used her magic to drag the bracelet she needed across the counter and into her hand. She bent down and put it inside the case just as one of Arden’s guards, who’d come in to relieve someone, charged over.
“You’re a witch?” the guard demanded.
Quinn smiled and nodded. “Yes, I’m a witch. Why?” She looked around, surprised at how scared the guard looked. Finley had paused in putting together parts to the counter he’d made; like her, he seemed to feel the tension in the air as the guard backed away from her, then pulled out his cell phone and walked outside.
“What was that about?” Finley asked.
“I’m a witch; I did some magic and I guess it freaked him out? But they’re wolves—they have to know about witches too,” Quinn answered, puzzled.
“Cool, I didn’t know there were witches! That’s amazing that you’re a witch,” Finley said
Maddox Brown walked up and set his laptop down on the counter. “Nobody told you about the Alpha’s dad, did they?” Apparently, Maddox had seen her do the magic too, but it didn’t seem to bother him.
Quinn lifted her shoulder in a half shrug. “Nobody has told me much, except ‘you can’t go here,’ and, ‘you can’t leave.’”
“Magic is forbidden in the pack. Maybe you should talk to Jade about it. The Alpha has a past with a witch.” They all turned their heads as they heard the truck skid to a stop in front of the store.
Arden and Bane strode inside and looked around until their eyes fell on her. Arden’s eyes turned yellow, and as he approached, Maddox slowly bowed his head and backed away. Finley and Quinn both stood their ground.
“You’re not a witch, are you?” Arden asked. She could hear the disbelief in his voice.
“Yes,” Quinn answered, and Arden and Bane both backed up a step. “What’s wrong with that? Yo
u’re a wolf, and I’m a wolf now, but I’m also a witch. My whole family is witches and wizards. So what?”
“Leave us.” Arden ordered. Everyone complied except Finley. “That means you too, wolf.”
“What are you planning on doing with Quinn?” Finley asked, stepping closer to her. So quickly that Quinn didn’t have time to move, Arden jumped on top of Finley and knocked him to the floor. He’d been standing so close that he hit her too, and they all landed in a heap.
Arden had his claws out and wrapped around Finley’s throat. “I’m the Alpha, pup. If you have a problem with that, we can either settle this outside, or you’re free to join another pack, but you won’t be challenging my authority again.”
“Finley, I’m fine. Please stop, Arden.” Quinn’s worry for Finley came through in her voice, and she could tell Arden didn’t like that either. She didn’t care, though, because right now he was judging her for being a witch. Nothing seemed to be going right since she moved to this town, and she’d had enough.
“You’re the Alpha, but I won’t stand by and watch you hurt her because she’s a witch. She hasn’t done anything wrong.” Finley’s voice was controlled, but his eyes flashed with fury.
“It doesn’t matter, Finley. He’s not only a controlling asshole, but a bigot, too. I knew I should have kept driving past this town and found another place to settle. I felt like something was calling me here, but now I know it was a mistake.” Quinn shocked them both as she jumped up and headed out the back door.
She walked outside to find the guard who’d called Arden standing in front of the stairs. “I need to get up to my apartment.”
Before he moved he gave her a dirty look and muttered, “Witch.”
She didn’t know why, but the fact that he was calling her that like it was an insult made her explode. “Son of a bitch!” Quinn yelled, then attacked the guard. Before she was aware of what she’d done, she had the guard on the ground with his hands behind his back.
Arden, Bane, and Finley ran outside and found Quinn on top of Jacks. “Don’t you ever call me that again like it’s something for me to be ashamed of. I’m not ashamed of being a witch any more then you should be ashamed that you’re a wolf. You idiot.”
Arden and Finley pulled her off, and then Arden grabbed Jacks’ neck and lifted him off the ground. “You dare to touch my mate?”
“I swear. Now I’m his mate?” Quinn stormed up the steps and slammed the door behind her.
*****
Bane slowly approached Arden. “Alpha, let’s find out what happened first, before you do something you might regret.”
“What did you do to her, Jacks?” Arden demanded. His body was vibrating with rage, thinking that one of his guards had hurt Quinn. He lowered Jacks to the ground as he gasped for air.
“I never touched her, Alpha. I swear. I didn’t know she was your mate. I wouldn’t hurt a woman. I did call her a witch, but I swear that was all. Then she jumped me. Never seen a wolf move that fast except you and Bane,” Jacks answered, rubbing his throat.
“She jumped you?” Bane asked with a chuckle.
“Hey she’s strong, and fast. I hate to say it but your mate got the best of me. Had me on the ground before I knew what was going on. I shouldn’t have said that to her, anyway. She didn’t do anything except show me kindness since I got here today. She called in lunch for us and everything. But when I saw her do magic, it...it scared me. It made me think of your dad, and what happened to him. I’m sorry, Alpha.”
Arden inhaled deeply, calming his wolf down. He’d reacted before he knew what was going on. That wasn’t like him, and he knew it was the mating pull and not being able to touch her. “You can apologize later; first I need to calm down. Bane, make sure she doesn’t leave until I can talk to her. I‘ll be back later.”
Arden took off his clothes and left them on the stairs, then shifted and ran off into the woods. He knew where he needed to go to work this out. It didn’t take him long to get to the old house where his father and mother had lived. The house was falling apart a bit, but it was still beautiful. His mom had put in a lot of work into the yard, planting flowers everywhere. He would sit beside her and help her put flowers into the pots that sat on the front porch.
The house was built for his mother; she’d wanted a house that looked like something from the Victorian age. The house was painted white, with huge columns in the front. A huge porch that wrapped all the way around the house, with lots of rocking chairs where the pack would gather when they had cook-outs. But nobody ever came here anymore, because of what had happened.
Arden shifted and went and sat down on the front steps. How could his mate be a witch? Was this some type of sick joke? He remembered what his dad had said to him when he found out the young girl had killed herself; he said that it didn’t matter what you were, everyone had problems. But she’d wanted to be a wolf desperately, and that disturbed his dad. Apparently she hated being a witch. Arden remembered her watching them all the time, enthralled by how the wolves acted around each other. She’d liked that they were always hugging each other, and she wanted a family like that. But his father couldn’t have turned her even if he wanted to. The Council only allowed human mates to be turned.
“My mate is a witch, Dad, how do you like that?” Arden chuckled, a little bitterly, as he looked up at the house. He sighed. “She’s already everything to me, but she scares the hell out of me. How can that be? Magic? My mate can do magic, Dad. I wish you were here. I could use a huge dose of wisdom right now.”
Arden could feel the cold breeze blow across his face as he closed his eyes. It almost felt like his mother’s hand when she would calm his nerves. Anytime he got angry or in trouble for something, his mom would touch his face as he closed his eyes. “I hope that’s you, Mom. I think you’d like her. She reminds me of you, and how strong you were. She doesn’t take anything from anyone, including me.”
Arden sat like that for a couple of hours, thinking about what to do about Quinn. Lord, the woman had a temper, but so did he. And she was a witch. How could he live with a witch, knowing what one had done to his dad? He needed guidance, and even though his parents weren’t here, he could still feel them as if they were.
He still loved this old place; he wished they could fix it up and use it for something. The roses were still growing all around it. Arden knew what he needed to do. Giving in wasn’t in his nature, but like his mom always said, ‘Sometimes you have to give a little, baby boy, and let others help you lead.’ Quinn would be a great leader, he thought. Right now she needed to spread her wings and get her store off the ground, and that’s where he needed to be to help her. So now it was time for him to face the music—and man, did he hate that. He wanted to stay and hide a little longer, but he’d been gone for a while and needed to get back.
Arden rushed back to town. It was already getting dark outside. Most of the wolves were hidden, patrolling the property, except for his Beta. Bane was sitting on the steps like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Well, did you get it worked out?” Bane asked as he puffed on a cigar.
“Somewhat. I ran for a while, and that helped.” Arden put his clothes back on and sat down beside him. “Has she come back out?”
“Nope, but I could hear her banging around up there and cussing you like the mangy dog you are,” Bane said with a grin.
“Mangy dog, eh? Wow, she knows she’s a wolf now too, right?” Arden said jokingly.
“Yeah, but I think it was you specifically she was cursing.”
They both sat silently for a while until Arden asked, “What would you do, Bane, if you found out your mate was a witch? Like the one person who destroyed your family?”
“If the fates had given me a witch, bear, or a mangy dog, I guess I would accept it, because they do that for a reason. Maybe she can help you. I don’t know, to be honest, but I know she’s your mate and you need to respect that.” Bane didn’t mince his words. He was blunt and to the point—
often with a joke mixed in, but he always made sense.
“Guess I need to go and talk to her.” Arden sighed, but didn’t move from the stairs. “Did you send Jacks home?”
“Yeah. I thought since he got put on his ass by the Alpha’s mate he needed a break, but he wanted to apologize to Quinn. I told him maybe tomorrow, and to go home and get some rest in the meantime.” Bane explained as he blew smoke rings in the air.
“Good.” Arden got up and started up the stairs, then turned around. “You should’ve seen her, Bane. Man, she had him on the ground with his hands behind his back before he knew what hit him.”
Bane and Arden both started laughing.
“Guess it’s my time to get put on my ass.” Arden walked up the stairs and knocked on the door.
He was either going to drive her away, or she would understand why he’d been so upset to find out she was a witch.
Chapter 7
Arden knocked on the door, but as he did the door swung open. He needed to fix that. “Bane, get me a tool box so I can fix the lock on this door,” he called down. Opening the door up, Arden looked around the room and found Quinn sitting in a rocking chair, watching him.
“Your door came open. I’ll fix it for you.” Arden said, then walked in and sat down across from her. “We need to talk, Quinn. I think you need to know why you being a witch freaks everyone out.” He waited for a response, but didn’t get one.
He sighed, and started explaining, “When I was very young and my father was the Alpha of the Dixon pack, he was approached by the daughter of a local witch. She was just seventeen years old, but apparently she hated being a witch because they never loved on her or appreciated her in any way. She would sit and watch all of us, and you could tell that she was desperate for any attention. She didn’t make it a secret that she wanted to be turned, but it’s against our laws to turn a human unless he or she is mate to a wolf. Then the Alpha informs the Council, and they bring a representative down to witness the turning. As you’ve found out, it can be very painful and some have even died. The representative will make sure that the human is one hundred percent on board with this.