The Hunter’s Mage

by Bryce Evans

  “Tonight, we set up shifts to protect the Dixon property.”

  “Do you really think Arden Dixon is going to let you onto his land to protect a member of his pack? Man, you have lost control,” Cosmo said, shaking his head.

  “I know that. That’s why I want the property protected.”

  “Lennox, tell the hunters what’s going on. They need to know you’ve found your mate and they need to hear it from you before someone else tells them. That ain’t cool. They have no clue that you’re building a place for Jade to run her business. Right now, they think it’s for them. Tell them.”

  “I will just as soon as we get back.”

  “Something else is bothering you. I can see it. What is it?” Cosmo asked.

  “I’m having dreams again. Jade is in them. She’s scared and running from someone. I could feel her fear.” Lennox looked at his beta. “In my dream, man. That’s how real it was.”

  Cosmo frowned and didn’t say anything. “I will make sure she’s protected and let the guys know about the dreams. They deserve to know the whole truth. Have you told Arden about the dreams?”

  “No, I want to handle this with the Death Hunters. I don’t want him interfering in my life when it comes to my mate.” Lennox held up his hand. “And before you say it, I don’t care what the alpha or his beta thinks. She’s my mate and mine to protect.”

  “Okay,” Cosmo muttered. He didn’t offer a joke and Lennox knew he was taking this seriously and it bothered him too. “Raven checked in.”

  Lennox glanced at Cosmo when he didn’t elaborate. “And?”

  “The coven you told her to check on is moving constantly.”

  “Why?” Lennox asked.

  “She doesn’t know, but they are looking for someone. She wanted you to know they are moving a lot. The leader, Laris Winter, is looking for someone feverishly and it’s making her nervous. She advised that this coven is powerful and not with the good kind of magic.”

  “If Raven is worried then I’m worried. She knows what that kind of magic can do. Send her some help. I want to know what they are looking for. Contact the Old Ones and get Scarlet to come here. I need to talk with her about another matter too,” Lennox said, staring out the window.

  “You want to know how Quinn masked her scent. She got you, didn’t she?”

  “Yes, and I don’t like it. I want to know who is teaching her and why. It’s not like she is going to leave her mate and live on council land with the Old Ones so why is she being taught?”

  “You got it, boss.” Cosmo didn’t argue for once. This had to be the worst time for him to find his mate. He had a lot going on and now he needed to figure out why this coven was looking for someone and headed his way.

  Chapter Eight

  Jade looked closely at the beads one of her distributors was selling. They were a beautiful orange. If she combined them with some of the new metals she was experimenting with, they would go together wonderfully. Breathing in, she caught a scent that made her shiver. What was that smell? She had smelled it before.

  Immediately, Jade glanced up and spotted him. Lennox was standing at the door staring at her. Again, he had that wild look to him. Today was a slow day and nobody even noticed the giant as he slipped in. She figured he would just sit at the coffee table, but not today. In fact, he was coming straight toward her. The wolf guarding the store rounded the corner, but she saw Quinn had stopped him. Her whole body came alive as he moved. Even her wolf jumped up and took notice.

  She couldn’t stop looking at him. He was a work of art. His beard was too long and could use a trim, but it didn’t matter. All she wanted was to reach out and touch it. Was it coarse or soft to the touch? Something told her it would feel bristly. She would love to touch it.

  He stopped in front of her counter. She was frozen in time; his green eyes bored into her. She wanted to look away for fear that he would see down deep in her soul. But she couldn’t. “Hello,” she whispered.

  His voice was deep and sexy as he responded. “Hello.”

  Still he made no attempt to say anything else. “Can I help you with something?”

  Jade watched as Lennox glanced down at her counter. He leaned in closer to examine her jewelry. “It’s a work of art, you are selling. Each piece is different, right?”

  She smiled. “I guess you could say that. Most just think of it as jewelry, but I like your explanation better.”

  “Do you make stuff? I mean jewelry for men?” Lennox asked.

  “No, but now that you mention it, I think I will try that. Do you think anyone would buy any?”

  “Yes, I would if you made it. Yes.”

  Jade cleared her throat, the man’s scent and the way he looked at her made her legs weak. She had to grip the side of her counter in case they gave out. Her wolf was jumping up and down inside her. She liked what she saw too. He wasn’t good looking or even considered gorgeous, but he was sexy and rugged. The mountain man type. She never thought she would like a man like that, but Lennox Bartley demanded attention when he walked into a room, and like a dog in heat, she gave it to him. “I like to find out what the person wearing the jewelry likes. Maybe your favorite colors.”

  “You promise you won’t laugh?”

  Jade half smiled and shook her head.

  “I have always loved orange, blue, and black. I know it seems like stupid colors to put together, but I’ve always liked them. What are your favorite colors?”

  “Hmm, mine, well, I love orange too. In fact, I just got this new bead in and I love it.” Jade held the beads up where Lennox could see them.

  He reached down and grabbed one and held it up to the light. “I like it. Especially when the light hits it.”

  “Good, then I will incorporate these with a piece for you. Do you like metal too? I mean, are you allergic to metals?”

  Lennox smiled. He studied her for a few seconds then said, “No, I’m not allergic to anything. Most of our kind isn’t, but you knew that. Are you quizzing me?”

  She felt stupid. Of course, he wasn’t allergic to anything. Jade could see the smile on his face and knew he was just teasing her. “That’s the only way to get to know someone. Ask a lot of questions, even the strange ones can get the other person to start talking.” Tilting her head to the side, Jade narrowed her eyes and said, “It’s never failed me, but you may be a little harder to get information out of. I doubt you break easy.”

  Lennox licked his lips and reached toward her face. From instinct, she jerked away. His hand remained still in the air, and slowly, she relaxed and leaned forward. His fingers grazed the side of her face, moving hair that had fallen into her eyes. It was just a sweet gesture, but it meant something to her. His fingers were rough and callused, but to her, it was the softest touch she had ever felt.

  “I like your hair,” Lennox whispered.

  She could feel her face get hot as fire. She couldn’t hold his gaze lowering her eyes. “Thank you.” She glanced back up and whispered, “I like yours too.”

  Lennox’s smile widened. “Do you want to go out to dinner and quiz each other?”

  “Okay.” Jade heard a loud thump. She jerked on reflex, but Lennox never moved or looked worried. She leaned to the side looking around him and saw her brother standing at the door. His hands were on his hips staring at Lennox. “Maybe, it’s not such a great idea.”

  “I’ll pick you up at seven at your cabin. I’ll call Arden and let him know. See you in a few.” Lennox didn’t wait for her to answer. He just turned and walked toward the door. She held her breath waiting for the two giants to collide. Please, please, Bane, don’t do this here. Please let me handle my own life.

  “Bane, I need you.” Simone stood at the bakery door. Her brother sneered at Lennox as he passed but he didn’t do anything else. Thankfully, Simone saved the day. She had created enough diversion that Bane couldn’t stop himself from going toward his mate. He did however, give the man guarding the store a nasty look. Jase didn’t back down t
hough. His alpha gave him an order and not even Bane could overstep Quinn. She was a force to be reckoned with.

  Her brother left through the bakery door. Oh, she knew he would be back demanding she not talk to Lennox, but she was a big girl and she would have to tell her brother no for the first time in her life. At least, she thought she could. Her confidence wasn’t even a smidgen compared to Quinn and Simone. She wished she had that.

  Sighing, Jade looked down at the orange bead in her hand. It was unique and now she knew exactly what she was going to do with it. These beads were not circular like most she used for bracelets, but more of a flatter design. It would be perfect for what she needed to make.

  Reaching under the cabinet, she pulled out her kit. When the store was slow, she got a lot of inspiration daydreaming, but today she had a lot to dream about. Jade loved working with metal, especially with alcohol ink. It made the best designs and color. The beads would enhance the scheme she was going to make. This would be her first piece for a man. She would call it Call from the Wild.

  “How’d it go? I saw big bad brother stomping out of his truck looking for a fight.” Cosmo asked, his ankles were crossed and he had the seat pushed back with his eyes closed.

  “Well, if I needed your help, you wouldn’t be any good to me all leaned back relaxing.”

  “Oh, Captain, my Captain, I knew you could handle it. So…are you going to make me beg? Or are you going to tell me what happened?”

  “Went in and asked her to dinner, the big bad wolf huffed in and tried to blow the house down but didn’t succeed. His mate called him to the bakery before anything could happen.”

  The corner of Cosmo’s mouth quirked up. “Well…did she say yes?”

  “Of course, she said yes,” Lennox said, backing the truck out of the parking lot. “I guess she said yes, but she didn’t say no, so that counts.” Silence filled the truck. Glancing at his best friend, Lennox asked, “Shit, what do you think?”

  Cosmo was going to get himself knocked out of the truck if he laughed. Lennox wouldn’t even stop to do it. “I guess we will find out when you go to get her.” He opened one eye. “You are picking her up, right?”

  “Of course, I am. Jade deserves all the special treatment. You think Arden will let me on his land?”

  “Yeah, but he’ll bitch and gripe, but he will finally give in. It’s his job, as you know, to give you shit,” Cosmo said, closing his eye. “I wouldn’t make any fast gestures or you may get attacked by the whole pack, but I think he will let you in and then the courting will begin. This is just like a movie I saw where the man and woman can’t touch each other and they have to sit on opposite sides of the horse drawn carriage. You know since you can’t…Man, this is great.”

  Lennox glanced at him smiling. “You don’t think they would make us do that, do you?” Hell, now Lennox was contemplating it and listening to Cosmo’s crazy movie stories. “This is crazy. I sound like you now.”

  The steering wheel creaked as he tightened his hand. “What if Jade expected that?”

  Cosmo started laughing. “Man, you need to get a grip. That is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Of course, that isn’t going to happen. Stop worrying about this. I’m hungry.”

  “We don’t have time to eat. I’ve got to pick these supplies up and then get ready. I need to call Arden and at least give him a heads up. I don’t want to cause any problems for Jade. I want this to be a stress-free night for her.”

  Cosmo snorted. “Yeah, I see that happening.”

  Lennox growled and before he could knock his beta out the door, he had already jumped out at their destination. “You are getting on my last nerve, bear.”

  Cosmo laughed all the way inside.

  Lennox glanced down the road wondering about his girl. What if she expected something proper like that? He wasn’t proper at all. In fact, he would be considered a brute, a mountain man. He wasn’t anything she deserved.

  Chapter Nine

  Jade listened as her brother said every cuss word in the book. If there was a book for such a thing. But she knew what was coming next. “No, Arden. You can’t allow this. She’s innocent and not like him and he will hurt her. Do you hear what I’m saying? He will eat her up and spit her out. Then what? She won’t be nothing but a shell. Just like before. Don’t you remember that? Please, I’m begging you.”

  “Bane?” Jade stood at the door to Arden’s office. She didn’t know what possessed her to confront him, but she couldn’t stay behind the door any longer and listen. They were discussing her life and she should be here to give her own opinion.

  “Jade, please listen to me. You can’t go out with him. He’s not the guy for you. I promise you will find someone who will treat you the way you should be treated. But not him.”

  “You must really think I’m not capable of handling anything. I guess I never noticed it. Maybe I did and just let it go. I tend to do that when I’m around you,” Jade said, glaring at her brother.

  “No, you are very capable. Look at what you’ve created. An empire. My baby sister is CEO of her own company and she knows how to support herself and others. Look at all the jobs you’ve brought to the pack. You’re talented beyond my wildest dreams.”

  “Then let me do this. I’m not saying anything except, I want to at least try and go on a date. I’ve never been on one and I would like to do that. If I don’t like it, I’ll make the alpha bring me home, but you should trust me. You say that I’m talented and own my own company. You trust me to be in charge of twenty pack members, but you won’t trust me to go on a date and know when to say no.”

  Bane walked over to her and cupped her face with his hands. “Oh, Jade, please believe me when I say this, but it’s not you I worry about.”

  “No harm will come to your sister. I will make sure she is safe and brought home safely.” Lennox stood at the door with Quinn.

  “You better or so help me God, I’m going to kill you,” Bane said through gritted teeth.

  “I wouldn’t expect any different.” Lennox looked at her. He stared at her from head to toe. She was wearing a skirt and a fitted T-shirt. Quinn said it made her look hot. Right now, he was making her rethink this date. “Are you ready?”

  Jade looked at her brother and waited. She didn’t know why, but she needed his permission. She needed Bane to say yes.

  “You have your phone?” Bane asked, walking to her.

  Smiling, she nodded. She moved to the door where Lennox was standing. His hand brushed her lower back as they walked out the door. She couldn’t help to take in his appearance as he walked ahead of her to open his truck door. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a long-sleeve button-up shirt. The shirt was green like his eyes. Opening the door, she inhaled deeply to take his scent in, and boy, what a scent it was. Intoxicating was the only word that came to her mind when she took another sniff.

  “Thank you,” Jade said, smiling.

  “You’re welcome.” Lennox made sure her feet were in and closed the door. She glanced back at the pack house and Bane was standing on the front porch watching. She smiled and waved at her brother.

  She could see other pack members frowning at her as they pulled away from the house. Apparently, the gossip mill had already started and some were standing on their porches as they passed by. Now everyone knew, and by the look on their faces, they were not happy with her going on a date with the alpha of the Death Hunters.

  “You look beautiful,” Lennox said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

  “Oh, thank you. I like your blue jeans.” Jade could crawl under the seat. She liked his blue jeans. Her face was getting hot as fire. She was stupid. She didn’t know how to act on a date.

  Lennox laughed. “Thanks.”

  Clearing her throat, she said, “I mean. I just never seen you in anything like this. Date clothes, I mean.” She was tanking this evening already. She couldn’t even tell the man he looked good in his clothes.

  Jade clenched her hands together staring out
the window. She couldn’t even look at him. Too embarrassed now. He probably realized she wasn’t mate material and would just take her back home.

  “Jade?” His hand gripped hers.

  Now she had no choice but to look at him. “Let’s start over, okay?”

  Jade nodded, but she felt the heat coming off his hand as it laid across hers. “Okay.”

  “I like the skirt you’re wearing and the shirt too,” he said. “I like how it fits your body. You look hot.”

  Jade laughed. “I like you in blue jeans and the green button-down shirt. It matches your eyes. You look pretty hot too.”

  “Now we decided that we both look hot and that’s good to start the date off with that bit of news. Here’s the big question of the night, do you mind if we eat at the diner in town? That’s the only place to eat and hopefully the next date, I can cook for you. I’m a pretty good cook. My house should be completed by then.”

  “I like to cook too. We take turns at the pack house preparing meals. I had to learn early on how to cook. I make a mean lasagna,” Jade said, laughing.

  Smiling, Lennox glanced at her. “I love to hear you laugh. You always seem so happy.”

  “Not always, but it helps the customers. They don’t stare as much.” Jade couldn’t take her eyes off her hands. He still had his on top of hers. She closed her eyes because no man had ever touched her like this. She felt alive for the first time in forever.

  “What?” Letting go of her hand, Lennox’s gripped her chin and pulled her gaze to his. “What do you mean it helps the customers?”

  Swallowing hard, Jade had no choice but to answer. His voice was hard and it demanded an answer. “People stare when they see my face and it helps them relax and to not feel so sorry for me when I smile at them.”

  “No, sweetheart, they stare because you are so beautiful, kind, and they can’t help to be drawn to you,” Lennox answered.

  Leaning her head to the side, she asked, “Did you read that somewhere?”