How could this be real? Not only had I never had a man give me an orgasm that powerful, but I’d never had one be so concerned with only my needs.

  I knew then that even if I never got my magic back, if I never felt the true connection of the bond that was supposed to be between us, I was never going to regret this moment with Foster or any other that I hoped for in the future.

  23

  FOSTER

  Sleep was elusive for me while I held Andie in my arms. Morning had arrived, but my mind was still stuck on the night before.

  I’d known Andie was attracted to me, but I hadn’t expected her to have wanted me as much as she had. My instincts had been to have my way with her, especially when she was so willing, but I knew that cherishing each moment with her was going to mean so much more than rushing things with her merely because I had the opportunity.

  Andie was my mate. It was my job to know her better than she knew herself, and sometimes that meant torturing both of us for the greater good. The thought of her waking up with regrets this morning if we’d had sex was enough to keep me in check.

  You did the right thing. I agree that this will only bring the two of you closer, my wolf said.

  Andie chose that moment to nuzzle closer to me, and I brushed the back of my hand lightly over her arm.

  Her head was on my chest, and her long strands of hair were spread out on the pillow she hadn’t once used. Our legs were tangled together, and I sighed in contentment.

  This was what I’d been missing all my life. I’d do whatever I had to in order to make sure we had a lifetime of mornings like this.

  The glow of the rising sun peeked through the blinds, shining right into Andie’s eyes. She groaned and lifted an arm up to cover her face.

  “What time is it?” she muttered.

  “No clue, but I know it’s after seven since the sun is up,” I answered.

  After I’d cleaned her up the night before, I’d dressed her in my grey shirt, which was now riding up on her hips.

  I slipped out from under her and kissed her chastely. When I got out of bed, she jutted her lower lip out, making me want to lean back down and bite it.

  “I know lying here in bed all day would be preferable, at least to me, but we should probably get you back to the coven,” I said. “Not only for clothes, but to let them know you’re okay.”

  Andie didn’t have a phone, and I didn’t have any of the witches’ contact information. I wasn’t sure if Beatrix would be willing to come to the pack or not, but I wanted to keep the measly amount of peace we had built before the argument that led to us leaving. I wouldn’t be able to do that if I kept Andie away for days at a time.

  “Beatrix isn’t the same person I remembered as a child,” Andie said.

  “I’m not surprised by that. I know how she acted yesterday was unacceptable, but a part of me wonders if she sometimes doesn’t know when a little empathy is needed in certain conversations. As much as she’s pissed me off, I can’t deny that she does seem to truly care about her coven.”

  Andie huffed. “If she cared so much, then why wouldn’t she have told me about my aunt’s magic? Why wouldn’t she have offered it to me the moment she realized I didn’t have mine?”

  “I don’t have the answers to those questions. Only Beatrix does. You might not like her right now, but we need her,” I said, sounding just like Holden. Though I didn’t consider that a bad thing.

  Andie grimaced. “What happened to the man who shoved her against a wall when she blasted me with magic?”

  I moved back onto the bed, the mattress dipping beneath my weight when I leaned closer to Andie. “He’s still here. If Beatrix still chooses to withhold your family magic from you, she’ll know there’s a price to pay for that choice, but we won’t know if things have changed unless we show up.”

  She looked up at me with eyes full of innocence and complete trust. “Okay.”

  My chest felt like someone had punched it just from the one word.

  “I’ll take a shower and then we’ll go.” I kissed her again then stood back up.

  She scrambled to the edge of the bed, sitting up on her knees, and snagged my wrist, pulling me toward her again. Her arms wrapped around my neck and her tongue demanded entry into my mouth that I gladly granted. My fingers tangled with her hair, and I angled her head to deepen the unexpected kiss.

  When she pulled back, she grinned. “Thank you.”

  I raised a brow. “For?”

  “For knowing what I need. For finding your calm. For being here.”

  “Always,” I said, then I headed out of the room before I got back in the bed. If I let that happen, it would be hours before we left the pack.

  Would that be such a bad thing? my wolf asked.

  No, but it’s not what Andie needs right now and considering what she just thanked me for, I need to keep my mind clear.

  I’m not sure she’s ready for what’s to come.

  I sighed, knowing my wolf was right. We’ll keep her safe.

  As I thought the words, I hoped like hell they would be proven true. If anything happened to Andie, I would burn the whole world to ash.

  After I’d showered and we’d both changed into the same clothes from the night before, I went in search of Holden. I wanted to be respectful and let him know we were leaving since I wasn’t sure I’d be back tonight.

  He was sitting on the porch, whittling on some wood, when we arrived at the pack house. “Good morning.”

  Andie smiled and waved. “Good morning to you.”

  “We’re going to go check in at the coven. I’m not sure when I’ll be back—unless you need something,” I said.

  Holden set down the owl he was carving and stood. “I understand you have things to do. You coming here to let me know you’re taking off is appreciated and noted. Do what you have to, and I’ll find you if we need you.”

  I met his outstretched hand, and we shook as I nodded my head. “Thank you, Holden.”

  “Anytime, Son.”

  The way “son” had so easily rolled off his tongue had me tensing. It had been a long time since anyone called me “son.” My father had died the night of the attack on my old pack. There wasn’t a part of me that didn’t miss him or my mother.

  Andie was staring up at me when we walked back down the stairs. I didn’t want her to worry, so I picked her up without saying anything, enjoying the sound of her squeals.

  “Is this okay?” I asked.

  “Absolutely.”

  We raced through the forest and, just like the night before, Andie kept her head tucked against my chest while I watched our surroundings. I could sense members of the pack near, but none of them came toward us while we continued to the coven.

  When the trees thinned, warmth from the sun shined down on us and I slowed my pace. The road leading to the witches was only a few feet ahead and I stopped.

  “Are you ready for this?” I asked.

  Andie nodded. “You were right earlier. Tensions are high for everyone. I can’t hold how Beatrix acted last night against her, but I won’t deny the time away was exactly what I needed. Thank you for bringing me to your pack.”

  I tightened my arms around her and brought my lips down on hers. Her scent of roses and sage enveloped me, and I pulled back to put her on her feet before we got carried away again.

  She straightened her wrinkled shirt, then surprised me by grabbing my hand. We walked the rest of the way out of the forest and across the road to the coven barrier.

  I still wasn’t able to get through on my own, but Beatrix was waiting for us anyway. She stepped outside of the shield when we approached.

  Her eyes appraised Andie, then she met my stare. “Thank you for keeping her safe.”

  “No thanks needed,” I replied.

  She made an odd noise with her throat, then gave Andie her full attention. “I should have told you I had Junie’s magic.”

  “I agree,” Andie replied curtly.

  “I want to give it to you, but I’m not sure that you’re ready for it.”

  Andie opened her mouth to likely argue, but Beatrix raised a finger and continued. “I’m also aware that it’s your choice to make. Junie might have been my best friend, but she was your blood. If you’re willing to risk the side effects, then we can do the transfer of power today.”

  “What side effects?” I asked before Andie could.

  There was a twinkle of mischief in Beatrix’s eye. “Andie could explode from the overload of energy.”

  Andie gaped. “What?”

  I took a step toward the witch, but she laughed. “Too soon for jokes? I was only kidding. You might end up in bed for several days from body aches and nausea. You could have problems with your sight. Oh, and there’s the chance your body will reject the magic altogether. If that happens, then the power would be lost, and you’ll never reach the potential you could have if we’d waited until you’d gotten your birthright magic back first.”

  Andie’s face was ashen, and I stepped back to her side, grabbing her hand. “How high is the probability that any of those things might happen?”

  “Body aches and nausea is pretty much guaranteed to happen. Vision issues? Maybe a fifty-fifty chance,” Beatrix answered.

  “And the possibility that my body will reject the transfer?” Andie asked.

  “Slim, but how slim depends on how determined you are for this to work. You have to truly want this magic. By wanting the magic, you’re accepting that you’re a witch, that you belong within this coven, and that you understand all of the risks associated with that. If there is any hesitation within you, the energy will know.”

  I glanced down at Andie, wondering if she was truly ready to accept all of that after only returning two days ago. The tension she carried within the coven had disappeared after only minutes at the pack. Was it selfish of me to hope she was ready just so we could have a proper bond? Possibly. At the same time, I wouldn’t risk her happiness in the long term and ask her to do this if she wasn’t certain about what she wanted.

  We’ll support whatever decision she makes. We can’t force her into anything she’s not ready for and risk her getting hurt, my wolf said.

  Agreed.

  Beatrix raised a pointed brow at Andie. “So, how does that make you feel?”

  “I’m ready. I understand what it means to receive this magic and I’m not afraid,” Andie said with absolute conviction.

  I turned her toward me. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded, a glint of determination in her azure eyes. “Positive.” She turned back to Beatrix. “How do we make this happen?”

  Beatrix tried to hide a smile, but I could see she was just as proud as I was that Andie seemed so certain. “I need to go to the Spell House for a few things and then we can complete the transfer after.”

  “The Spell House? What’s that?” Andie asked.

  “An offsite location where I do my business deals and keep things that not all members of the coven need access to. It’s especially helpful to have separate from unruly teenagers who don’t understand the seriousness of some spells,” Beatrix answered.

  Andie laughed. “Sounds like I missed out on some fun times growing up.”

  Beatrix’s grin widened. “And some severe punishments. Ask Charlie about the time I gave her a pig snout for a full twenty-four hours.”

  Beatrix was one twisted witch.

  “If you want to come, you have an hour to get ready. I need to make a list of things and double-check for anything else I might need for tracking Moira.” Beatrix turned to open up the shield, likely so I could walk through.

  “Any word on her?” I asked.

  Beatrix’s lip lifted in a quiet snarl. “She’s been sending threats, but nothing I’m afraid of. I have the strongest barriers around my homes. Though, the two of you staying at the pack might prove to be a problem once Andie has magic inside her. We’ll have to figure something out before Holden gets his panties in a twist because his pack was attacked.”

  Andie sucked in a breath and looked up at me. “I hadn’t thought about putting the wolves in danger when we went there.”

  I hadn’t thought about that, either, but I was sure Holden had. If he’d been concerned, I had no doubt that he would have said something.

  “Like Beatrix said, we’ll figure something out for the long term. You won’t be locked up here forever.”

  She nodded, but the light I’d seen in her eyes earlier was dulling by the second.

  24

  ANDIE

  Showered and dressed, I felt better than when we’d arrived at the coven, but there was still something missing within me that I’d found at the pack. I wasn’t sure what it was exactly, but I hoped to find out.

  Hearing Beatrix tell me that she would give me my aunt’s power was a relief, but the consequences weren’t something I was looking forward to. I also hated that there was a good chance I wasn’t going to be able to leave the coven for some time.

  Putting others at risk just so I could have an escape was too selfish. I couldn’t allow myself to do that, but I did know that no matter how much my heart still loved Charlie, I needed my own space and clothes.

  She was waiting in the living room for me with Foster, and she hadn’t pushed for any information when we’d come back to the house. I’d been living on my own for a long time, so the current living situation was a lot for me.

  With one last look in the mirror Charlie had in her bedroom, I double-checked that the band at the end of my long braid was secure. If we were going to be messing with magic, I wanted to keep my pink strands out of the way for the day.

  My eyes were a vibrant blue this morning as they appraised the light-red blotches on my neck. Though they were barely visible, I smiled, knowing they were marks from when Foster had devoured me the night before.

  Just the thought of how he’d worshiped me had my core clenching. With a shake of my shoulders, I stepped out of the room.

  The house was quiet. Hopefully, Charlie and Foster hadn’t been sitting there in awkward silence since I’d gone to take a shower.

  Nobody was on the couches, so I turned for the kitchen. Charlie was standing at the coffee maker, dipping a tea bag into a cup. Not just any cup, but the one from my house that I’d been drinking from the night she’d found me.

  “How did you…?” Words were lost on me when she handed me the cup.

  “I went back to your house last night and grabbed whatever I could that was salvageable.”

  Hot tears filled my eyes, and my throat ached with emotion I didn’t know how to contain.

  “There are a few boxes over there.” Charlie nodded toward the table. “Some of it might not mean anything, but I figured even dish towels might be worth saving after seeing your house torn apart.”

  I set my cup down and wrapped her in my arms. Fresh tears fell down my cheeks, and we held each other tightly.

  “Thank you,” I said. “Those don’t seem like strong enough words, but going back there, getting what you could, that means the world to me.”

  She pulled back, a few tears in her own eyes. “I don’t know what it’s like to lose everything like you have, but I’m here for you anytime you want to talk. What you’ve been through on your own is more than anyone should have to go through. You’re so strong for handling everything like you have.”

  My eyes cast down and I reached for the cup of tea again. I wasn’t sure how to respond to her compliment. I didn’t feel strong. Most days, I’d felt broken and empty. Just getting up, doing the same thing I’d done the day before with repetition was boring, but it was also safe.

  Re-watching the same movies and shows ensured that I wouldn’t be caught blindsided by a sadness I hadn’t been prepared for. Living alone, working a job that should have been temporary, living away from the only place I’d ever known, all of it had helped me avoid dealing with the abandonment that I’d felt for most of my life.

  Not remembering my dad, but knowing he’d existed. Aunt Junie never coming back. My mom dying.

  Every moment had hit harder than the last. Every moment had made me feel incapable.

  Yet when Charlie saw me, she thought I was strong for having survived. That was hard to fathom.

  “Hey, what’s going on in that head of yours?” Charlie asked.

  I swiped at the steady flow of tears tracking down my cheeks. “It’s just been a long few days.” I forced a smile to my face. “I’m fine.”

  Charlie grabbed both of my shoulders and gave me a little shake. “No, you’re not, and you don’t have to be. Being strong doesn’t mean being okay all the time. It means you’re a survivor of tragic circumstances.”

  She gathered me into her arms, and I lost my shit all over again. My body shook, and I squeezed hard around Charlie’s waist. My chin trembled and I stopped fighting the sadness I’d been trying to hide.

  Being back here, knowing the way I’d left this place and why, it was a lot to process, but as my tears slowed, a feeling that maybe things would really be okay settled over me. At least, eventually they might be.

  I reached for a napkin on the counter, wiping my face free of tears, then realized that the two of us weren’t supposed to be alone.

  “Where’s Foster?” I asked.

  “He’s with Beatrix. She’s giving him access to the coven. You walking away last night brought some things into perspective for her. She doesn’t know how to express her feelings all the time, but Junie was her best friend, and she always missed you and your mother after you left. Helping you feels like a final gift she can give Junie. When you didn’t come back all night, I could see the fear of failure in Beatrix’s face.”

  Maybe I should have been apologizing to Beatrix as well. I was an adult, but I’d stormed out like a child. Though I wasn’t exactly sorry I’d done it. I doubted that Foster and I would have ended up at the pack if I hadn’t. Last night wasn’t something I wanted to be sorry about. Especially not when the mere thought of Foster touching me had me feeling flushed.