by Martha Woods
“That’s a terrific idea!” Skylar threw herself into Liam’s arms and hugged him tight. This would be perfect.
“Okay, let me pull up the lots we have available, and we can go from there. If you could both have a seat, we’ll get started.” She motioned them to the empty seats in front of the only desk in the office.
As Skylar took her seat, Liam’s phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and looked at the screen. “I’ll be right back. I need to take this,” he said before he strode across the room and walked outside.
“When are you due?” Marni asked Skylar as she tapped on her keyboard.
“Oh…uh…a couple of months,” Skylar answered. Her belly bump was too small for the timeframe she’d given Marni, but if the woman knew she was only about two months into the pregnancy, she’d freak if she saw Skylar with a newborn in a few months.
“You’re tiny. When I had my first child, I was twice your size at five months. But, I used the pregnancy as an excuse to eat everything in sight. Boy, I regretted that decision when it came time to lose the baby weight. However, I was smarter with my next two.”
“My mom was small when she was pregnant. I’m blaming genetics.” Skylar laughed.
A blast of cold air shot across the room, and Sky turned her head toward the open door.
“That was mom. She has some information regarding her recovery. Can we call it a day and reschedule to look at the lots?”
Skylar’s face dropped. She wanted to look today, but Leah’s sickness and recovery were more important. “Sure.”
“I’m sorry, Sky.” Liam’s eyes narrowed.
“It’s okay. Your mom’s health is more important.” She smiled at her husband and hoped he didn’t hear the disappointment she felt.
“If Skylar needs to go because you rode together, I can show her the properties and bring her home afterward…unless she needs to go now.”
Skylar turned her head to Liam. She’d love to stay but would go with him if needed. When Liam met her eyes, he said, “I suppose that would be okay. The matter with mom isn’t a matter of life and death. Please be careful, and if you experience any problems, call me at once.”
“I will.”
“We have four lots available at the moment, so we shouldn’t be too long. I’ll take good care of her.”
Liam took the two steps separating him from Skylar and bent down and kissed her. “Please be careful,” he whispered.
Skylar nodded and watched him stand and exit the building.
“Thank you. I love my mother-in-law, but I wanted to look at these places.”
Marni smiled. “I saw the disappointment on your face. Besides, I drive in your direction on my way home, so I didn’t mind at all. Do you mind if I ask what your mother-in-law is recovering from?”
“She had cancer but is now in remission.” Skylar gave the least amount of details she could because she didn’t think she could explain how a woman had gone from supposed stage four cancer to a clean bill of health.
“That’s wonderful. I hope she remains in remission. It’s such an awful disease.”
“It is.”
Marni grabbed some papers from the printer and stood. “I’m ready if you are. This shouldn’t take long.”
Skylar followed Marni to the door, stopping for the woman to adorn her coat. Afterward, she followed her outside. While the woman locked the office door, Skylar looked up at the sky. Despite having sunshine earlier, gray clouds had taken over, and it looked like it might begin to snow. She kind of hoped it did. She hated the cold temperature, but with flakes falling from the sky, it made the cold tolerable.
After Skylar and Marni piled inside her four-wheel drive, they made small talk until they stopped at the first location. As they pulled off the road, Skylar knew at first glance the place wasn’t for her because of the proximity to the other commercial buildings.
“This isn’t what I want. Do you have anything that sits by itself and maybe has forest on one or two sides?”
“I do. In fact, it only came on the market three days ago.”
“Can we go there?” Being close to the forest would be a plus on the days when Liam needed to be in his wolf form.
“Sure. It’s only about a mile from. It’s right on the town line. You and your husband would have passed it as you came into town.
Skylar settled back in her seat and rubbed her stomach. She had a feeling this was the one she was looking for. It excited her to think her dream could become a pleasant reality within minutes.
Skylar’s attention snapped to the windshield when they pulled off the road. Before her stood the most beautiful property, besides where their home sat, she’d ever seen. Pines surrounded the clearing on three sides. She pictured her building nestled amongst the evergreens. This was the property—her property.
“This is it. What’s the price and acreage?”
Marni rifled through the papers she’d brought and handed one to Skylar. She skimmed the details. “I want to make an offer, but I need to speak with Liam first. Please, please, please, don’t show this to anyone else until you hear from me,” Skylar begged and turned in her seat.
Marni laughed. “Sweetheart, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. We didn’t anticipate movement on this for another couple of months.”
“Great.”
* * *
Liam slammed the door against the icy wind. The weather had taken a turn for the worse, and he debated on going back for Skylar. His wolf protested the entire way home. He didn’t think they should have left her to start with, and he wanted him to go get her now. However, Liam decided to hear what his mom and Farah had to say first. If snow fell before they finished explaining to him, he’s load them in the car and take them with him to retrieve Sky. After he hung his coat on the stand by the door, he called out. Voices from the living room greeted him.
He made the short trek to the room and found Leah and Farah on the couch with a fire roaring in the fireplace.
“Where’s Sky?” Farah asked.
“She stayed with Marni to look at a few properties. It appears we’re going to be building instead of buying.” He stood by the fire and enjoyed the warmth that seeped through his clothes.
“Good. I hope she finds something she likes,” Leah repositioned herself and pulled the fleece blanket over her legs.
“I’m sure she will. So, what’s this news you needed to tell me?”
“I’ve found the witch who cast the spell on Leah. I tracked her to the city,” Farah explained.
“That’s good. Do you want me to come with you?” Liam asked and sat in the chair close to the fire.
“Well, I prefer to stay here until Hayley returns. Leah may still be in danger, and with Sky’s fast paced pregnancy, I think it’s best if I stay here.”
“I understand that, but we don’t know how long Hayley will be gone. Skylar phoned Hayley earlier, but she didn’t answer. Is it possible for you to cast a protection spell to keep them safe so you can go? Kind of like what you did with the necklace you gave Sky?”
“That’s a good idea, and it would allow me to go after the witch. But I’ll need something from each of them.”
Leah removed her necklace and handed it to Farah. “This is the necklace Liam gave to me for my birthday after he made his first million.” She smiled and caught Liam’s eye.
He remembered that day. The moment he learned he’d made his first million, he’d gone out and bought his mom a diamond necklace. It was something she’d always wanted, but his dad had refused because he didn’t see the point in materialistic gifts. “I’ll go grab Sky’s Lady of the Pack garnet. While we were on our honeymoon, we had it set into a necklace because Sky thought it would be a good reminder to her and the pack what she stood for. She planned on wearing it during pack business, but I think it’ll be good for her to wear it all the time.”
Liam exited the room and retrieved the item from their bedroom. When he returned, he handed it to Farah. “What can I
help with?” he asked.
“Nothing. Give me a few moments to cast the spell.” Farah laid both necklaces on the table before her, and chanted “Tueri velatos.” Light sparks shot out from her fingertips and shimmered through the air before splitting and weaving around the two stones. In an instance, it seeped into the necklaces like water into sand.
“It’s complete.” Farah handed Leah’s necklace to her as the front door opened.
Liam exited the room and found Skylar hanging her coat beside his.
“It’s flipping cold out there, and it’s snowing.” She turned to face him.
“I’m glad you’re home safe.” He crossed the distance to her and wrapped his warm arms around her cool body. “Let’s get you in front of the fire, and Farah can explain what’s going on.”
He walked with his arm around Sky’s shoulder. Once they were in the living room, he directed her to the chair he’d vacated to retrieve the necklace and grabbed a blanket for her.
“I’m glad you’re back,” Farah said and crossed the room, dropping the garnet necklace into Sky’s hand. “I’ve located the witch responsible for the spell cast in Leah. I’m leaving today, but Liam convinced me to leave some protection for you and Leah. I’ve cast a protection spell on your necklaces. You must wear them at all times. If either of you should come into trouble, the stones will warm almost to the point of burning. Do whatever you can to get as far away from the danger as possible. However, should you not be able to rid yourselves from the situation, a temporary protective barrier will protect you.”
“Thank you, Farah. Once again, you’ve done more than you should for me. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.” Skylar glanced at her friend, and Liam saw sincere gratitude from his mate.
“You can repay me by putting yourself on complete bedrest until Hayley returns. We’re still not sure about you and the pregnancy. It would ease my mind knowing you’re taking care of yourself.”
“I have too much to do. I can’t lay down all day,” Skylar protested.
“Sky, it would ease my mind too.” Liam knelt and took Sky’s hand into his.
“I won’t do total bedrest, but I’ll agree to staying inside the house and not leaving. I won’t clean or do anything that could hurt me, but I will move around whenever I please.”
“I’ll also work from home for the next while. I can keep an eye on both of them,” Liam said, hoping his words would ease Farah’s mind. He needed her to seek out this other witch and find out why she’d basically poisoned his mom.
“Fair enough,” Farah said. “I should go. I want to make it into the city before it gets late.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Liam said.
Once he and Farah were at the front door, he helped her into her coat. “I’m worried about Skylar. Please make sure she takes it easy. It wouldn’t hurt if you used the guestroom on this floor for the time being so she can avoid the stairs.”
“I promise I’ll do everything I can to ensure she makes it through this pregnancy. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her.” Liam blinked several times to keep the tears at bay.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back as soon as I can, and I hope to have answers.”
“Be careful, Farah.” Liam opened the door. “If you need anything, please let me know.”
“I only need you to look out for those women. Keep them safe.” She ducked through the door and into the falling snow without looking back.
Liam watched after her until she climbed in her car and was out of sight. When he closed the door, he vowed he’d do everything he could to keep them safe. His wolf growled in agreement.
Chapter 3
When Hayley woke, she rolled over and grabbed her cell phone from the nightstand. When she saw she had a missed call from Skylar, she cursed under her breath, but opted to not return her friend’s call. She needed answers to Sky’s pregnancy before she spoke with her. Hayley sat up and set the phone back on the nightstand.
After she left Sky and Liam the previous evening, Hayley hightailed straight back to her coven to search through the archives, hoping she’d find anything she could about a human-shifter pregnancy.
Hours passed as she sifted through the ancient books. As Hayley began to lose hope, she found an entry detailing what she was looking for. Was it something she wanted to read? No, but at least there was information. The witch who recorded the information noted she’d witnessed multiple human-shifter pregnancies, and none of them ended well. The baby died in most cases, but there were some where the human died and the baby lived. However, she noted most cases were where both the mother and unborn child died. Her finding left her frustrated, but she wasn’t worried yet. For some unknown reason, she didn’t feel Sky or her child was in danger. She had a strange feeling that her friend had supernatural blood in her. But how would she prove it?
“The only thing I can do is track down the witch and ask her myself.” Hayley said aloud to an empty room. She stood and hurried to the bathroom for a quick shower. When she finished, she’d set out to find answers.
Thirty minutes later, Hayley zipped up her leather jacket and shoved her phone into her back pocket. As she hurried outside, she decided she needed help from someone more familiar with the forest. When she pushed through the front door, the bright, cold sun greeted her. However, she didn’t miss a beat. She dematerialized and soon found herself in the middle of the clearing within the pack’s territory. A few wolves turned in her direction, but when recognition gleaned in their eyes, they went on their way.
Once Hayley was sure she wouldn’t be attacked, she strode toward Michael’s cabin, hoping she’d find him. If not, she’d wait on him. As she ascended the three steps, she heard movement inside. It might be her lucky day.
When she stopped in front of the closed door, she raised her fist and rapped her knuckles against the wooden slab. Within seconds, the door opened, and Michael stood before her, shirtless.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, wiping sweat from his brow as his chest rose and fell.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I came by to see if you want to take a road trip.” Hayley’s eyes roamed his sculpted body before they returned to his eyes.
“Come in.” He stood aside and motioned for her to enter. “What kind of road trip?” he asked and closed the door.
She turned and faced him. “I need to talk to a witch and see if she has knowledge about human-shifter pregnancies. Everything I found in our archives points to not being able to carry to term. However, I want to see if she has any knowledge she didn’t record.”
“Is Sky okay?” Michael asked as his eyes widened.
“Yeah, she isn’t experiencing any ill symptoms, and she said everything is good. To be honest with you, I think she has a supernatural in her bloodline. She’s already further along than those the witch wrote about.”
“Wow. Yeah, give me a few minutes to shower and pack a bag.” Michael grasped her shoulder and electricity shot down her arm. She couldn’t help but wonder what that was.
“Pack a backpack. We’re going to be hiking through the woods.”
Michael raised an eyebrow as he looked over her body. “Will you be warm enough?”
“Sure. It’s cold out, but I spell myself so the wind won’t touch me. I can deal with the temperature.” She shrugged and cursed herself because she hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“Bullshit. It gets cold. Follow me, and I’ll get you some warmer clothes. They’ll be too big, but if you wear them over your clothes, they’ll fit well enough.”
Hayley followed Michael through the living room into his bedroom. He disappeared inside his closet and reappeared a few minutes later, shoving a bundle of clothes into her arms.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I have an extra parka out in the living room. I’ll be back in a few. Make yourself at home.”
Hayley exited the room, and when she was back in the living room, she dropped the bundle onto the sofa. As she dressed
in the borrowed clothes, she hoped she and Michael were successful and found answers or even something that would lead them to the answers that they needed.
* * *
Farah climbed into her cold car and didn’t bother with the heater as she followed the driveway down the mountain because she debated dematerializing into the city. However, something prompted her to drive. When she hit the county road, she turned and headed in the direction of Boulder Junction. She hoped when she confronted the witch that she would get the answers they needed. However, she was not entirely sure that would happen.
After several minutes, she coasted through the town. As she passed the police station, she noticed several people outside. She slammed on her brakes and made a U-turn as she saw a familiar face among the men. As she whipped her car into the parking lot, her tires squealed, and all the men looked in her direction. She stopped the car in front of the building and rolled down her window.
“Cayden?” she called out.
The man with the crew cut waved when recognition dawned on his face. As he made his way toward her, she questioned why she’d stopped. He wasn’t really part of this any longer.
“Hey, Farah. How’s it going?” he asked, shoving his hands into the pockets on his coat.
“It’s going okay, I supposed. What are you doing here in Boulder Junction?” She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel.
“I’m working here again. The chief of police position opened up, and I was asked to fill the slot. With everything that’s happened in the past few months, I thought it would be good to have a hunter back in the area. It’s easier for me to respond from here than a few towns over. Definitely much quicker.”
With his admission, she realized this must be why she chose to drive instead of dematerializing. Opportunistically, she could ask him to go with her on her hunt for the other witch. It might be her lucky day.
“Are you up for a little road trip?” she asked and then explained what happened with Leah. “We’ll track her down and question her. Her response will determine the course of action we’ll take.”