It felt like hours of talking and planning that bounced between various military-like topics. I couldn’t follow any of it, even though I tried.
When we finally left, Branden pulled me aside. “We should go to the pack. They will help if we formally announce that we are mates.”
I stared at him, confusion and anxiety bubbling up from deep down. “What would that entail? We don’t have to get married or anything, do we? I am only seventeen. I’m not ready to get married…”
“We just need to go in front of the Alpha and pack and declare that we are mates. There may be a small ceremony. I don’t know. I haven’t had a mate before, and you must be eighteen to attend a mating ceremony. I just turned eighteen three weeks ago.” He rubbed his hands up and down my arms; my fox still firmly in my arms. “It should be fine.”
Should be fine… that was real encouraging…
“Sure, let's go.” I slowly conceded. “Are the other guys coming?”
Branden looked at them as they shuffled around in the snow. “Yes, I would never suggest that you go anywhere without us. We are yours, and you are ours.”
Nodding, I settled my head on his chest. I wasn’t tall enough to reach his shoulder. When I pulled away, the others were making their way over to us.
“So, where to next? You already have the support of the Witch Hunters, who actually follow the laws. Where are we going next? You need lots of allies.” Kyler was the first to reach us as we stood standing in the biting cold and frozen snow.
Branden looked at all of them, making sure they were all paying attention before speaking in his careful way. “We are going to pack lands. You all are welcome, obviously, since she won’t go without you, and I won’t ask that of you. I am going to make a formal announcement of our mate bond with the pack. It will ensure they will consider her part of the pack and someone to protect.”
They all nodded their heads before separating to their own cars. I climbed into Branden’s truck, putting Winter on the bench seat between us.
“Let’s go.”
We drove straight to the Alpha’s large wooden lodge, Branden pulling up along the dirt road in front of the house. The others found spots along the road, too, climbing out and congregating in front of Branden’s truck. I left Winter curled up in the seat with blankets surrounding her. I hoped we wouldn’t be long, but I didn’t know how long these usually lasted.
“So… How do we do this?” I asked curiously.
Branden grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the house. “We will find out when I talk to my father.”
I looked behind me to ensure I had the rest of the gang with us. They were right on my heels, looking up at the house, around at the landscape and at the door, looking for danger now that we knew the Hunters could be anywhere. The not knowing was killing me, but hopefully, we will soon enough, what with Dylan’s coven out looking as we speak.
A very large, burly, lumberjack-like man stood in the doorframe when I turned back. I couldn’t see much since he was in shadow, but I could tell he was huge, easily causing me to look like a dwarf. He had to be six foot seven or six foot eight.
29
PART OF THE PACK
Kirsten
“Welcome home, son. What have you brought with you?” Even his voice was large, booming in quality, and caused my chest to vibrate with his timbre.
Branden did a quick dip of his head before answering his dad. “Father, I brought my mate and the rest of her bonded. I want to declare her as my mate for the whole pack to hear.”
My eyes volleyed between the two large men, waiting for something to happen. I nearly jumped when the man in shadow threw his head back and boomed out a laugh.
“So, you found your mate, and she has others. Now, this is new.” He waved us in, and I finally caught sight of Branden’s father. He had an unruly chocolate-colored beard and eyes like mocha. His physique was in top physical shape—he was huge.
Branden still had a hold of my hand, keeping me grounded as I walked past the massive beast of a man. “We need to do it now.”
“What’s the rush, Branden? This is a very delicate matter. She must be important if you are so gung-ho to get her bonded to you.” He turned his eyes on me, mirth in his eyes, causing them to twinkle merrily. “Now, who are you, my dear?”
This was no time for me to be shy, so I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin, feinting confidence. “Kirsten Willow.” I stuck my hand out, waiting to shake his hand.
Instead, he struck a deep bow and placed a kiss on my hand. “A witch with immense power. Elder Cramen told me about you and your fox familiar. It’s an honor to meet you formally.”
My cheeks were probably turning six shades of red right about now. It sure felt like it. “Thanks.” It was weird to be the center of gossip in this way. I was used to being the butt of jokes, not talked about in reverence.
“Did my son explain to you that this mate bond is for life?” He looked between Branden and me, waiting for an answer.
“We are already bonded by my Protector bond and that is for life. We want to do this so the pack acknowledges me as part of the pack as well.” I let go of Branden’s hand to cross my arms. “To be honest, we also need the pack… I need the pack… There is a rogue offshoot of the Witch Hunters that have been hunting me my whole life. They have found me again and are in town. They’ve already killed two people to keep their location a secret. Branden thought that with me formally bonded to him and the pack, in the eyes of the pack, that you all would help me too.”
Branden’s dad lifted a dark, furry eyebrow at my explanation. “Honesty. I like it. Branden, I approve. Let me let the rest of the pack know, and we can meet at the pack community lodge in… say, thirty minutes? That should give everyone old enough to attend a chance to get over there.”
I held a hand up. “This may need to be done in front of the whole pack, not just those over eighteen, as long as nothing inappropriate happens during this ceremony…” Trepidation trickled into my veins. The unknown was always hard for me, even though you’d think I’d be used to it by now.
“It’s just some blood exchange and vows.”
Branden
I stood waiting on the small stage inside the lodge we used for pack meetings, gatherings, and ceremonies. I didn’t bother changing since we were in a big rush, but I did clean up and fix my hair.
My hands shook as I waited, my heart going haywire, and I fidgeted. My father stood beside me as we waited for my mate and witch to come out from the door to our left. I couldn’t help but gaze out at the crowd that sat on every available surface and stood in the back. It was nearly full to bursting in here. With this many bodies, the temperature was starting to rise, and I could feel sweat gliding down my back between my shoulder blades.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when a long gong rang out, but my eyes still went to the door that now every eye in the room stared at, watching as it opened.
Kirsten wasn’t much for dramatic entrances, which was one of the many things I liked about her, so when my aunt insisted on her making a grand entrance, she had some protests to make. I noticed she hated being the center of attention, but if this prophecy were really about her, then she would have to get over it eventually. We would be standing at her side throughout this, so she didn’t have to do it on her own, though.
She was a vision in the crimson, flowing dress that hugged her every curve until it flared at her hips, and what wonderful hips they were. Even after what I did to her, what my wolf did, she still wanted to link herself to me in front of my family and pack. It meant the world to me.
Kirsten came to stand next to me and in front of my father as he looked above our heads and motioned everyone to sit back down after standing when she appeared.
I was speechless at her beauty. Her ebony hair was loose, and blue and red flowers were interwoven together to create a crown that was settled atop her head, drawing her blue eyes out. I couldn’t keep my attention off her, and neither cou
ld most of the single male wolves out there.
My father, our Alpha, cleared his throat to get all eyes back on him so he could start with the service. “We gather because one of our own has found his mate. We all know that finding a mate outside the pack is rare, and it takes an extremely powerful and special woman or man to snag a wolf as a mate.
“Well, my son has done just that, and I couldn’t be prouder of him than I am right now. These two have come to me, asking to have the mate bond put into place. With that, we welcome Kirsten Willow into our pack and our lives.”
A cheer roared through the building, echoing in my ears.
“Turn and face each other, please.” He waited for us to face each other before he pulled out a dagger, its edge gleaming with the sharpness of the blade. “Hold out your hands.”
My hand automatically went up, palm out. Kirsten was a little slower when she caught sight of the dagger. I drew her face towards mine, getting her attention focused on me instead of the sharp blade mere inches from us.
I winced as the blade cut across my palm, but that was the only sign I showed that anything happened. Kirsten tried hard to keep her eyes on mine when my father gently clasped the back of her hand that was trembling. A hiss escaped her as he drew the edge across her hand, but then her face calmed.
The Alpha put her hand on top of mine, her blood mingling with mine, before wrapping our hands together with a sash. “With this ribbon, I bind you two together, your hearts becoming one, your goals are each other’s goals; your souls are one. May you live long and happy lives with many wolf pups.” He stepped back, his arms going wide to show the ritual complete. “Welcome to the pack, Kirsten.”
Kirsten
It seemed to take forever to extricate ourselves from the festivities that followed, but we made our excuses, and all six of us got back into the vehicles to leave.
Rhydian had found some bandages during the party and cleaned me up. So my hand wasn’t dripping blood anymore, which was a plus, but it still stung like a son of a bitch. I tried to use it as little as possible, but it was the hand I use to give handshakes, and boy was there a lot of hands to shake tonight.
When we pulled up to my house, the lights were on downstairs, and my brother’s rig was in the driveway.
I was not looking forward to seeing my brother tonight. Exhaustion pulled at my bones, and I just wanted to climb into my bed and sleep for twenty-four hours or more. Unfortunately, I didn’t see his bedroom light on, so he was most likely downstairs, and I would run into him when I came in.
It was going to be a long night, so might as well get it started. I hopped out of Branden’s truck, reaching in to grab the sleeping Winter before shutting the door. Branden was coming around the front of the truck as the others got out of their various vehicles.
“Let’s get this shit on the road. My brother is going to need to know about all of this, including the Witch Hunters being in town. He isn’t going to react well. I mean, who would… My mother should be home soon too. She must be staying late at the office tonight.” I pulled my phone out of my back pocket to check the time. Yeah, she should have been home by now, but there was a text saying she had a big project she needed to finish tonight and would be home about an hour or two later than usual. That was an hour ago I received that.
I walked up the icy drive, careful where I put my feet so I wouldn’t fall with Winter in my arms. Kyler walked beside me, occasionally putting his hand out to grab my elbow at a particularly slippery part. The door was unlocked when I got up to it, so I slipped inside with my men in a line behind me.
“Kian?” I called out. This just needed to get over with, like ripping a band-aid off. When I received no answer, I called for him again, louder. “Kian?” Again, no answer to my call. I set Winter down and went up the darkened stairs to the second floor where Kian’s and Mom’s rooms were.
Kian’s door was wide open with the light off, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t in there resting. I flicked the light on as I stepped in, but there was no one there.
“Guys? Is Kian down there?” I yelled down before hurrying down the stairs to check myself. Panicking as I raced from room to room—all empty—I slid to a stop in front of the guys. “I can’t find him. If he weren’t here, he wouldn’t have left the door unlocked.”
Rhydian went into the kitchen, and a moment later came back. “There was a pot on the stove with nothing in it. Water was probably in it, but it was boiled out. The stove was still on.”
Now I was really starting to freak out. My vision started to blur at all the possibilities.
30
FACTION LEADER
Keegan
I caught Kirsten as she started to collapse, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as her legs gave out. I went down to the floor with her in my arms, Kirsten out cold.
“Where is Kian?” I whispered towards the guys. “This is a bad time for him just to disappear. He doesn’t even know about the rogues. Now his sister is going to get worried sick until we find him.”
Rhydian knelt next to our witch, his fingers running through her silken hair that lay folded across the floor. He placed a gentle kiss on her brow before helping us up, her firmly in my arms. “We will find out where that brother of hers went. But for now, get her up to her bed where she can rest more comfortably.”
Traversing the stairs was more difficult than I thought with the extra weight I carried, but I made it up the two flights and carefully laid her out on the bed. The rest of the guys followed me up and were now making themselves comfortable around the large, sparsely furnished room. It was an open layout that encompassed the whole top floor, with space for her own en-suite bathroom and closet. The rest of the floor had her bed, desk, and dresser. So, there was plenty of space for us to sprawl out on the carpeted floor. I took my own spot right next to the bed, my hand holding hers.
Kirsten
My head was pounding as I tried to open my eyes. The light flared into my sensitive eyes, and I cringed away from the brightness. My entire body felt heavy and my mind foggy, so it took a few moments for everything to come trickling in, but when it started, it was like the dam exploded, unleashing the whole torrent of emotions and memories that my brain had been trying to protect me from.
I jerked up from my pillows, seeing the guys sprawled across the floor in various positions of sleep. My hand was clasped in Keegan’s as he laid against the bed, his arm used as a pillow. It looked really uncomfortable, but I had no time to fix it. I had to look for my brother. Maybe he was in the house now.
Sliding out of bed quietly, slowly, I tip-toed around the bodies, slipping through my cracked door and treading down the stairs on stockinged feet. Winter was hot on my heels, following me since I woke her up from sleeping on my legs.
The house was quiet as I stopped on the second floor, looking towards my brother’s door, which stood open. I hesitated before walking towards that door. Hopefully, he would be sitting at his desk or listening to music on his bed, and then I could stop worrying. My head peeked around the doorframe, my hopes slowly sinking when I saw the empty room and bed that didn’t look slept in.
My next stop was the ground floor, so I walked as quietly as I could with my heart thundering so loud I could have sworn that the whole house could hear it, down the stairs, and turned into the kitchen.
My heart nearly stopped at my mother sitting at the kitchen table with a piece of paper in her hands, and tears staining her beautiful yet worn face. When she turned those haunted eyes on me, my hopes plummeted past my feet.
“Mom…” I came to sit at the table, my hands shaking as I reached out towards her.
She thrust the paper towards me. “He’s been taken, all because they hate us so much. They took him to draw you out.”
Horror washed through me as I snatched the note from her. My eyes scanned the page, tears blurring the words as I took in the implications. My brother was kidnapped because of me. And I wasn’t here to protect him. I wasn’t here
because I was at a party. A keening sound echoed through the kitchen and it was only after the guys came thundering down the stairs that I realized it was me.
My heart was breaking, and I was at fault. My brother was with those heathens because of me. He was in danger because of me. This was all because of me.
Someone took the ransom note from my lifeless fingers and read it aloud. “Witchling, I have taken your brother from the very place you Witches so covet, your own home and sanctuary. If you want to ever see him alive, you will meet with me at an undisclosed location at a time of my choosing. If you refuse to come or bring anyone with you, I will kill your brother before your very eyes. Remember, this is your only chance to save your brother’s life.” Kyler’s voice sounded just as shocked as I felt when I first started reading the note, and now, I just felt so much despair.
Rhydian grabbed up the letter next, doing a quick read of his own. “How did they manage to get a hold of your brother? Dylan’s parents had people watching the house.”
That was news to me and had me sitting upright in a heartbeat, turning to Dylan. “You had people watching my home?”
Dylan shot a glare at Rhydian. “It was for your own protection.” He tried to comfort me.
“What about the protection of my family? Are they not that important to your family?” I stood up and walked away from all of them; my hands landed on the counter, where I leaned against it.
Dylan came up behind me, his hand going to my lower back to provide a sense of comfort; instead it made me feel boxed in. His hands went up in surrender when I jerked away, backing away slowly. “Your family is very important, but we aren’t a large coven. And my father thought that if he had a couple of witches watching your house, then those inside would be safe. Clearly, that wasn’t the case. I will find out from my dad what happened.”
Spirit of the Earth Page 13