by Kat Bostick
Yes, it was overwhelming and yes, she was totally anxious over the mate thing. Yet, there was some yearning part of her that felt the first filaments of fulfillment.
There were drawbacks, like never truly having privacy. By the time her three months were up, Mari was certain that was going to drive her crazy. Could she adjust to the social aspect of living here over time?
Talk of pack life had Mari wondering about covens. Gran scarcely told her anything beyond the basic hierarchy. Not unlike a wolf pack, the coven had a leader called the luminary. Her spouse had about as much sway as an alpha’s mate, which was to say none. The coven welcomed men but typically they would not gain positions of high rank no matter how powerful or loyal they were. Beyond that, Mari was clueless.
If she left the pack to join a coven, would she encounter stifling politics and rules? Was there a coven equivalent to Charlie’s pack, one that offered freedom and family rather than obligation? Joining a standard pack would have required swearing fealty to the alpha and giving up autonomy in servitude to him. Mari had no idea if joining a standard coven was any different. It would be hard to find any group composed of witches or werewolves that beat Charlie’s undemanding rules.
For the first time in her life she might actually have the opportunity to join a coven and for the first time in her life, Mari was questioning if that was actually what she wanted.
Chapter 36
Jasper
It didn’t matter that they were in the same room, less than ten feet away from each other. Mari was still avoiding him and that avoidance was becoming painful. Jasper felt the space—both physical and emotional—between them as a subtle ache. For three weeks his witch made it impossible to get a moment alone with her, thus making it impossible for him to court her. Or even talk to her.
Not that her distant behavior was stopping him from squeezing her under the dinner table, stealing kisses when she wasn’t paying attention, and eating up her personal space whenever they were together. Thankfully, that was quite often. Even if Mari was avoiding him, she was doing it out in the open, making it easy for him to follow her through her daily routine.
Each morning after breakfast she joined Clem in the library to discuss witchcraft and werewolf history, study one of hundreds of texts Clem kept on the subject, and to research Wolf Charmers. Jasper enjoyed watching the two of them get worked up with excitement when they found new information. Sometimes he lounged on the couch, watching Mari’s concentrated scowl, and sometimes he perched on the table where she worked, pretending to help her.
Jasper genuinely wanted to be helpful but he couldn’t exactly claim his contributions amounted to much. He might dog ear a few book pages, aimlessly flip a few more, but mostly he spent that time pestering Mari and hiding his satisfaction when she failed to be annoyed with him. He would trace the outlines of her tattoos with his fingertips and fidget with her braid, getting as much contact with her as she would allow.
During that hour of study Cash would also find his way into the library. To anyone that knew him it was obvious that he wasn’t there because he had any interest in reading. The big wolf was keeping watch over his sister, the most vulnerable member of the pack. Even if Charlie accepted Mari, Cash and the others were mistrustful. They were good about hiding it—Mari didn’t suspect that they were watching her for signs of hostility—but Jasper could see what they were doing.
Let them watch her. It was the perfect opportunity for them to see how well she fit with them.
When she was finished with Clem, Mari would make her way to the weight room. The little witch was happy to discover that the basement housed an extensive gym. She was even more pleased when she stepped down there and found that the exercise equipment in her old basement paled in comparison to what the pack used. Jasper always accompanied her there, subtly chasing away any of his pack mates.
He trusted his family and wanted them to get to know her. He also realized that wasn’t possible if they weren’t allowed near her without him to intervene at the slightest hint of her discomfort. Yet, if he was honest, there was a part of him that was as wary of them as they were of her. Mari was kind but she was also a witch. Just because she was good didn’t mean his more intolerant pack mates would change their tune overnight. She had to earn their favor and both she and Jasper understood that. Until that point he needed to keep her safe, even if it was only from their disparagement.
Now if only he could keep her safe from herself. Mari pushed too hard, attacking bags and thrusting weights until she could barely walk. That was her outlet when she was stressed, he’d discovered, and there was no telling what would happen to her already fragile mental state if he barred her from it. The best he could do was scoop extra food onto her plate during meals to make sure she didn’t wither away.
Patience. The inner hunter reminded him. I promised patience.
Oh yes, he could be patient. Jasper patiently followed her each morning before the sun was up. Typically he wouldn’t rise until hours after dawn but Mari liked the quiet of daybreak so Jasper was learning to enjoy it too. There were plenty of excuses he’d thought of to explain why he was tailing her on her morning run but when it came down to it, Jasper didn’t believe he needed one. Even if she didn’t want him to use the word, Mari was his mate and he wanted to make sure she was safe. She wasn’t safe running in the forest by herself.
The stone wall only spanned across the parts of the property that faced the road and the neighboring land, mostly to intimidate curious townsfolk. That meant all manner of wildlife and other threats could come and go over the wire fence that surrounded the rest. Jasper was simply insuring that Mari didn’t encounter a hungry black bear or a roving lone wolf while she was on her own. The little witch was strong but not strong enough to fight a bear.
Anyway, she was wearing herself out and might not even be in fighting shape to take on a rabbit if she kept up like this. In addition to her brutal exercise in the weight room, Mari ran for miles every morning. It wasn’t a playful run either. She would bow her head and run as fast as she could down the narrow paths through the forest. A few times Jasper actually lost sight of her because she was so quick that he couldn’t keep pace and be stealthy simultaneously.
He wished that she would just talk to him. Or Clem or Charlie or anyone. She could even call her squeaky friend if it would mean expelling the anguish that she was obviously running from. Jasper felt the churning pain and uncertainty inside of her. He knew it the moment Mari pushed those surfacing emotions back under because she would force her last ounce of energy into her legs and drive herself even harder.
Today was the worst he’d seen her. A light drizzle quickly turned to a pounding rain. Mari was more unrelenting than the storm. She bared her teeth, journeying farther into the forest than she’d ever gone before. When she finally stopped it was so abrupt that Jasper nearly ran into a tree trying to break his own momentum before he accidentally made his presence known.
Mari stood frozen in place, chest heaving as she sucked in air. Then suddenly she was screaming madly, flailing her arms, kicking the earth, picking up sticks and hurling them as hard as she could. Jasper could scarcely see her through the curtain of rain that but it was obvious she was trembling. Her legs buckled beneath her and she crashed to her knees. A choked sob came from her throat and he stared helplessly as she finally crumbled under the weight of loss that had been bearing down on her for more than a month.
If he went to her now she would be angry at him for following her, potentially pushing her even further out of his reach, but he couldn’t claim to care for her as a mate if he was going to watch her suffer and do nothing. Jasper came up behind her, soft earth squelching around his bare feet. She glanced at him just as he dropped into the mud and swept her into his arms. Mari didn’t resist. She went slack in his hold, leaning her face into his shoulder as the grief burst from her chest in a violent storm of tears.
“Jas,”
“I know, sweet Mari.”
<
br /> “I don’t know what to do. Everything’s gone.” she cried.
He cupped the side of her face and held her closer. “Not everything.”
Hours seemed to pass before Mari’s tears dried up. She wept so hard that her throat became raspy. Jasper’s heart broke a little more with every body-rocking sob. He felt such intense regret for the part he played in this pain.
He leaned back to study Mari when she went disconcertingly still. Her face was ashen and her bloodshot eyes glassy but she blinked into focus when she noticed his attention. “You followed me?”
He gave her what he hoped was that very charming smile she claimed to find irresistible. “I was keeping you safe. There are bears out here.”
“And wolves.” She added dryly.
She met his gaze for a long time, longer than she had since his change almost a month ago. Her watery eyes were tinged with sadness and her discomfort at being vulnerable in front of him was palpable.
I’ve seen every part of you. He wanted to remind her. You don’t have to hide from me.
Mari let out what sounded like a resigned sigh and he was preparing for her to pull her mask of indifference back on. He hadn’t been prepared for her to kiss him. She wrapped her legs around his hips and brushed her lips against his. It was a timid kiss for only a breath before she was demanding more from him. Jasper indulged her, a happy rumble vibrating in his throat as he ran his tongue along her front teeth. When she moaned softly it was a struggle not to throw her on her back and take her right there in the mud.
Patience.
He could be patient as long as she was going to kiss him like this. Her lips were plump between his teeth and she tasted as delicious and floral as the first warm day of spring. It was like a blizzard came in May when she separated from him. She came back almost immediately, trying and failing to stop kissing him. With each pause she would blink to clear her head, only to move back in for another peck. Then another and another until they were both grabbing for each other with feverish need.
Eventually they had to stop before one of them fainted from lack of oxygen. The rapid beat of Mari’s heart penetrated the drumming rain on the canopy above. The flush of her lips had him tracing them with the pad of his thumb.
“Run with me.” Tiny flecks of bronze and green sparkled in Mari’s golden eyes, coming alive at just the thought. It took him a moment to register what she’d said, still too awestruck by her unexpected passion to think clearly.
The sneaky witch didn’t give him a chance to process. She clambered from his lap and charged down the path. By the time he rose she was already breaking into a sprint. Wet leaves and grass stuck to his bare feet and water made his jeans hang heavy on his hips but he obliged his mate anyway. Jasper ran, head down, heart racing, veins bursting with adrenaline and joy. There weren’t words to describe the euphoria of chasing Mari through his forest.
He had his pack, he had his home, and he had his mate. There was nothing more in the world that Jasper wanted. Except maybe another one of those playful smiles that Mari kept throwing over her shoulder. She started out ahead of him but even a strong witch didn’t have the stamina of a wolf. Jasper easily caught up to her, extending his arm to grab at her flank, letting her know that when he wanted to he would catch her.
Two seconds later he literally caught her. She was about to leap over a trickle of a creek when her shoe slipped on the muddy bank. Jasper dove forward and braced himself against her. They both slid ungracefully onto the ground. Mari sprawled across his chest, laughing so hard she snorted.
When she propped herself up there was a downright evil grin spreading her lips. Jasper understood why as she swiped muddy fingers across his cheek. “Um, Jas, I think you’ve got a little somethin’ on your face right there.” She retrieved more mud and painted the other cheek. “And there. Oh and I think there’s a smudge here.”
“It’s nothing compared to the mud on your back.”
“On my back?” She squealed when he rolled them, putting her beneath him and pressing her into the soggy soil. “You beast!”
Jasper rolled again, taking both of them into the swelling creek and making Mari gasp at the cold water. “Oops.” He said with a smirk.
Mari returned the smirk while cupping two handfuls of mud to spread in his stubble. He took advantage of her position and distracted her with another kiss. She rapidly forgot her mud painting and snaked filthy fingers into his hair instead.
A moment later Mari shivered enough to part their lips. “Ugh, Jasper,”
“Hmm?” He tried to reclaim her mouth but she resisted.
“This water is freezing.”
“Right.” He quickly lifted himself, taking her with him. He’d been so engrossed in her lips that he actually forgot they were halfway in a creek. “Shall I take you home?”
“Home.” She whispered with a faraway look in her eyes. A shy smile crossed her face as she answered. “Yes, I’m starving.”
“Then I will serve you a feast.” Jasper kissed her temple and chuckled when he left gritty lip marks.
The rain lessened as they walked, leaving a humid fog in it’s wake. Behind the clouds, the sun gave teasing glimpses of light but darkness on the horizon promised more showers. Mari removed her running shoes and damp socks to carry in one hand. She linked the other with his and let him lead her back to the house.
This shift in behavior was so sudden that he almost didn’t believe it. For three weeks she’d barely touched him, sometimes wouldn’t even make eye contact, and now she was reaching for his hand. She was kissing him. That was the first time Mari had kissed him.
“Someday you’ll have to teach me how you navigate the forest so well.” She said as they neared the tree line.
“You’ll never get lost if you always bring me with you.”
She rolled her eyes playfully but stopped abruptly when she noticed something near the back of the house. “Hold up, is that a trampoline?”
Jasper followed her gaze to the trampoline situated near the stone patio where Cash had moved it several days before. “It’s not an elephant.”
She rolled her eyes again. “Werewolves jumping on a trampoline? Seriously?”
“Seriously. It’s fun. You should try it.”
“I’ve been on a trampoline before. When I was like seven.”
“Oh, so you think fun is only for children?” He scoffed. “Wolves enjoy play. You do too, little witch.”
Mari looked like she wanted to protest but realized she’d just spent the last half hour playing chase and wrestling in the mud. “I bet you guys throw great parties.”
Clem, Cora, and Charlie were in the kitchen preparing breakfast when Mari and Jasper came through the side door. The three of them stopped what they were doing and gaped. Their looks of surprise—and slight horror in Clem’s case—were completely justified considering that he and Mari were dripping wet and covered head to toe in mud.
Mari smiled cheerfully and strode past them as casual as ever, her bare feet slapping the stone floor and leaving grass and water droplets in her path. “It’s raining.” She said as she passed.
“She’s right.” Jasper shrugged nonchalantly and hurried up the stairs after her.
Mari surprised him by gripping his shirt and tugging him down for one more breath-stealing kiss before she disappeared into her room. For almost two minutes he did nothing but stare slack-jawed at her closed door. Whatever he’d done right, he hoped he could keep doing it.
Downstairs he heard Charlie chuckle and say “trouble’s back and he brought company.”
✽✽✽
Mari was a beautiful ray of sunshine cutting through the gloom of the day during breakfast. Though it had been little more than three weeks since she’d arrived at the pack house, she was already finding her place. She chatted easily with Teal and Clem, returned all of Cash’s teasing, much to the big man’s delight, and regaled Charlie with stories of Jasper’s time as a wolf in her house. The alpha could barely finish h
is breakfast between roars of laughter.
Jasper suspected that he wasn’t going to live down the story of the little witch hauling him into the shower for a very long time. Even Cora laughed when Mari told them how Jasper slow danced with her. Deak was the only one who didn’t appear to be any less sour about Mari’s presence. Hopefully he would soften soon because he was missing out on all the fun.
“Shall I tell them about the time you tried to turn me from a frog to a prince?” Jasper whispered in her ear when he caught her stealing a bite of sausage off his plate.
Ever since Teal informed her that Jasper aggressively guarded over his food, Mari made a point to take a forkful off his plate during every meal. He couldn’t say what her motivation was but she never got the rise out of him that she was obviously expecting. Jasper thought it was cute.
She set the fork down on his plate and bugged her eyes out. “Don’t you dare!”
“What’s this about a frog prince?” Cash snickered.
“I will hex you if you say another word, Red!”
Jasper wrapped one arm around Mari’s shoulders to hold her steady and clapped his free hand over her mouth before blurting “Mari tried to break my curse with a kiss.”
The little witch bit down on his fingers until he released her mouth. “You traitor! You promised not to tell anyone that!”
“I was wolf, I couldn’t promise anything.”
Mari grabbed the remaining sausage off his plate with her fingers and took a spiteful bite. She scowled at him as the pack howled and teased but there was a twinkle of a smile in her eyes. “Beast,” she muttered under her breath.