“Shit,” Andie muttered, and I was on my feet before I could think twice.

  When I arrived in the kitchen, she was opening the freezer and red welts were appearing on her forearm. I glanced back at the counter to find the cup of tea she’d been preparing on its side and steaming water dripping onto the floor. Assuming she’d burned herself, I guided her away from the freezer and toward the sink.

  “I need an icepack. It burns,” she said, trying to fight against me.

  “The burning is exactly why you shouldn’t use an icepack. You need cool water. Anything too cold could further damage your tissues, assuming you don’t rapidly heal on your own.”

  The witches I’d known had to use a healing spell if they were hurt, but I knew there were ones who existed with powers beyond the normal, just like any other supernatural race’s exceptional members. Given Andie’s ancestors were from one of the founding families, it was possible she was more special than any of us realized.

  “Oh.” Andie stopped trying to pull away from me and I got her arm under the running water. She winced, then asked, “How do you know that?”

  “Something I read once.” I didn’t look my age, thanks to my wolf genes, but I’d had a lot of time on my hands during my forty-five years on Earth. Particularly over the last decade. Reading random books had seemed like a good way to keep myself distracted from the anguish that riddled my mind. When fiction had become too much for me with all of its happy endings, I’d switched to medical and historical reads. At least I knew all those hours hadn’t been a complete waste of my time.

  “Thank you,” Andie said once she’d begun to relax under my hold. “If you’re sticking around, you’ll find I’m somewhat prone to accidents.”

  My eyes went to her face. Her rosy cheeks were brighter than they’d been before, and her gaze was avoiding mine.

  I lifted a hand and pushed her head up. “I meant what I said, Andie. I’m not going anywhere unless you ask me to. I know this is a lot, and you haven’t really processed things yet, but out of everything you’ve learned tonight, I hope you can believe me.”

  Her lips were tempting when I looked down on her, but I forced myself to keep my focus on her eyes. She was so small in my arms, so unprepared for the world she was returning to. If she asked me to leave, I wasn’t sure what I would do. I needed to be the one to prepare her for whatever was to come.

  “When I woke up this morning, if I’d known what was coming, I don’t think I would have gotten out of bed,” she said with a small laugh, then yawned. “Which I’m realizing was a really long time ago.”

  Andie’s head leaned against my chest, and she closed her eyes. She might not have admitted to feeling the bond yet, but there was something there that allowed her to trust me just enough for the moment. That would be enough until we could figure out the rest.

  “I really wanted to ask more about this bond, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to stay awake much longer,” she murmured while I continued to hold her arm under the cool water.

  The swelling was already going down, so I turned off the faucet and reached for a towel.

  Andie’s eyes fluttered open as I dried her off. “You enjoy taking care of people.”

  “Just you,” I replied.

  She shook her head and loosely ran her other hand down her front. “I get this tingly sensation that runs through my body every time I witness someone doing something with real passion. I know what I’m talking about.”

  Her voice was strong and certain, the complete opposite from the tiredness she’d just been displaying. I wanted to argue with her, just to see if I could rile her, but she also wasn’t wrong.

  I might have denied my alpha side for my own selfish reasons, but that didn’t change who I was at the core. Though, I’d learned long ago that it was better to be alone than to try to pretend to be someone else around others.

  If I wasn’t going to be alone any longer, I wasn’t going to try to convince Andie that she was wrong. She deserved better than that from me.

  “Let’s get you to bed,” I said instead of getting further into a conversation she wasn’t ready for when she was dead on her feet.

  Andie nodded, letting me guide her to the hallway. There were only two doors: a bathroom on the left and a bedroom on the right, which I assumed was where Charlie planned to sleep.

  “Charlie won’t mind sharing,” she said, pulling away from me and heading into the room.

  I stood at the doorway, eyeing the two windows and making sure they were locked. “When you’re ready to talk tomorrow, just come outside of the barrier if Beatrix is still pissed. I won’t be far.”

  Andie leaned against the bed with widened eyes. “You’re not going to sleep out there, are you?”

  I smirked. “I’m a wolf shifter, Andie. It’s not anything we haven’t done plenty of times before.”

  “That’s not normal.”

  “Not for you. For me and my wolf, it is.”

  I didn’t want to leave her, but there was a very small part of me that was glad she wasn’t asking me to stay. Time apart for us to think would do us both some good. I knew without a doubt in my mind that I wanted Andie, but my need for her couldn’t overshadow what was best for her. Both were reasons why I was willing to leave the coven without being sure that Beatrix would let me back in. Andie was going to need her coven to survive just as much as I hoped she’d need me one day soon.

  I had to keep that at the forefront of my thoughts before I lost her, too.

  Andie started to sway on the bed, her eyes barely staying open. I stepped onto the carpeted floor and closed the distance between us in three strides. Gently, I placed one hand over her cheek and kissed the other.

  “Sleep well, Andie.”

  Ignoring the widening of her eyes when my lips touched her skin, I forced myself to leave the room and headed for the front door. Every step was harder than the last, but this was the right move.

  I opened the door and twisted the lock on the interior handle before pulling it closed. When I turned around, Charlie was standing there with what seemed like an accusatory raised brow.

  “Leaving so soon?” she asked.

  “I don’t want to fight with you or Beatrix. That’s not what Andie needs,” I said.

  She sighed. “I wasn’t prepared to share her once I got her back.”

  “She’s my mate,” I replied simply yet sternly.

  Charlie waved a hand in the air. “Yeah, I know. Listen, I’m sorry. Again. You don’t know what it’s been like. Andie was the sister I never had. Her family was my family. When her dad died and they left, I lost more than a piece of me that day. I was banned from ever going after her until Junie died, then it was too late. Or so we’d thought. Andie’s in trouble, and I realize she’s going to need all of us to protect her.”

  “Who is this Moira witch?” I asked.

  “Someone we should have dealt with a long time ago. She’s dangerous and not to be taken lightly.”

  “So am I.” I growled.

  Charlie took a step toward her door, passing by me. “Maybe you’ll be just what we need to beat her, then.”

  “Are you saying this coven isn’t enough to protect Andie from what’s coming?” I asked.

  “I’m saying there’s a reason Beatrix hasn’t stopped Moira before. We can beat her, but at what cost? We don’t know. It hasn’t been a gamble worth taking until now. Beatrix won’t willingly give over Andie. She’ll fight to the death for her, but we’re all aware this battle won’t be without great loss.”

  “Then maybe your coven shouldn’t have waited so long to act, regardless of the risks, and none of this would be happening.”

  “Maybe not, but then maybe Andie wouldn’t have ever made her way back here. We’ll never know, and I won’t live my life based on maybes and what ifs.”

  The witch was making a point, but I had my own ideas to consider.

  “I’ll be back by sunrise. Make sure Andie remembers I’ll be waiting beyond the barrier once she’s awake,” I said.

  Charlie nodded and headed inside as I turned back the way I’d entered the coven. After that chat, I knew there was something else I had to do before Andie woke up.

  We’re going to the pack, my wolf said.

  I won’t let my past be the reason Andie is vulnerable.

  It was late, but Holden always said I could come by anytime, and I didn’t doubt his sincerity. I was going to ask for his help, even if that meant I had to join his pack, something I’d sworn I wouldn’t do. But that was before everything changed.

  Witches peeked out of their windows when I passed, but I paid them no attention as I began running toward the edge of the barrier. It was after midnight, and while I hoped Andie would get as much rest as she needed, I wanted to be back early in case she had a hard time sleeping.

  I leaped over the gate we’d come through and shifted midair once we were outside the barrier.

  The pack was southeast of the coven, and we sprinted that way, lengthening our stride as long as it would go.

  My wolf howled, signaling to the others we were headed their way. Holden would no doubt have guards out, and I didn’t want to chance them thinking we were coming for a fight.

  They should recognize our scent when we get closer, my wolf said.

  Doesn’t mean they’ll be welcoming if they don’t know why we’re suddenly showing up.

  Everything will be fine, he added.

  It was a gamble to tell Holden who I really was. Or who I’d been. He’d said he knew about my past, but did he know the whole story? I’d never allowed our conversations to go deep enough to find out.

  He didn’t seem overly territorial, but I’d never accepted his offer of going inside his pack. He might have been a better actor than I’d suspected, and I could be making a mistake in trusting him, but I didn’t feel like we had any other option at this point.

  Plus, having Holden on our side could help with Beatrix. The old witch seemed to like the alpha from what I’d seen the first time they cornered me together. I’d use whatever advantage I could to stay close to Andie.

  It wasn’t long before we entered wolf territory. Eyes watched us from the trees, but nobody came closer when we found the main gravel road leading to the pack. The trees around us were dense, and the only light came from the moon and stars above until porchlights flickered up ahead.

  There was a massive log house at the end of the road. It was two stories with tree trunks holding up a second-story porch and a massive A-frame-style main window at the center of the home.

  Holden was waiting for me at the front door. He nodded when I met his stare, and I shifted back to my human form.

  “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you so soon, Foster,” he said as I approached.

  “Neither did I, but things have changed.”

  He raised a brow. “You found that mate of yours?”

  “I did, and she needs help. More than I’m worried I can give her on my own,” I admitted regrettably.

  Holden gestured to the door, then the porch chairs. “Then let’s talk. Wherever you’re comfortable at.”

  The alpha knew me better than I’d realized, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

  “I can’t stay for too long, so out here is fine.” I took a seat on one of the wooden chairs, expecting the hard surface to be uncomfortable, but was surprised by its smoothness.

  Holden sat next to me. “What happened?”

  “My mate is a witch, as we suspected earlier. Since she’s part of one of the founding covens, there’s another witch that wants her power, and Andie, my mate, was attacked tonight. I’m sure there’s more, but I had a disagreement with Beatrix and didn’t get all of the information. Though, this was enough to know I needed help.”

  Holden chuckled, deeper wrinkles forming around his green eyes. “A disagreement? Right. What did you do?”

  “I didn’t hurt the old witch, but she now knows something I’m not sure you do. Considering I’m asking for your help in keeping my mate safe, I feel I owe you full disclosure.”

  Holden leaned forward on his elbow and clasped his hands. “I already know who you are, Foster. I tried to tell you before. Do you think I’d let a rogue wolf stay in my territory for this long without having done my research? I just never pushed you to talk because you weren’t ready. Even now, you don’t need to explain yourself to me.”

  A sigh of relief left me, even though I was annoyed he’d been able to figure out my past, but I let him continue without asking how he’d learned about me.

  “I also know you don’t want to be a part of my pack and I get why, but I need you to reconsider joining us. I can’t ask my family to fight for your mate if you’re not one of us. We recently lost some of our own in a battle that wasn’t ours to be involved in, but one that would have made things more difficult for supernaturals as a whole if the outcome hadn’t gone the way we’d wanted. I can’t ask them to do that again so soon without it directly benefiting our pack.”

  I’d known joining his pack was going to be a requirement, and I was prepared to move past my personal issues if it meant keeping Andie as safe as possible.

  “I can make a commitment to your pack as long as you understand that my mate comes first and she’s not one of us. I won’t pretend otherwise, and I know that’s not fair of me to ask for your help when I can’t promise I’ll be able to reciprocate for the long term, but that’s the way things are right now.”

  Holden nodded, offering me an understanding smile. “I like your honesty, Foster, and I have a feeling this will work out better than either of us know. I accept your limitations, not only because of your mate, but because of your past. Maybe this is just what you need to heal. Not only for yourself, but for your wolf, too. Being alone all these years isn’t good for either of you.”

  “Spoken like a true alpha,” I replied.

  He clasped my shoulder. “Let’s make things official. I’ll grab my beta, and we’ll do this quietly. Tomorrow, I’ll inform the pack, and I expect you to formally introduce yourself within the next two days.”

  “Not a problem. Thank you, Holden.”

  “We all deserve a second chance in life. I hope you can find yours here.”

  My lips downturned, and I rubbed the back of my neck. I wasn’t sure Holden was right, but now that I’d found Andie, I at least had something to fight for. That was more than I’d had in a long time.

  11

  ANDIE

  When I woke up, the sky was still dark, and Charlie was sitting on the bed staring at me.

  “Hi.” She grinned and waved.

  “What time is it?” I asked as I sat up, trying not to be creeped out by how cheery she was.

  Charlie tapped the screen on her phone. “Almost five.”

  “Have you slept at all?” She was still dressed in the same clothes, but so was I, so that didn’t mean much.

  “Nah. I gave myself a boost of energy so I could keep watch. We’ve got some curious witches. People who remember you and your mom from before. I didn’t want anyone coming over unannounced and scaring the hell out of you.”

  “So, you sat watch over me like a stalker instead?” I joked.

  She nodded. “Pretty much. Did you sleep okay? You were practically unconscious when I walked in right after Foster left.”

  I covered my face with my hands and groaned. “I’d wanted to talk to him, figure out what this mate thing really means to him and set some boundaries, but I was so deliriously tired that I ended up hurting myself and snuggling with him at your sink. He probably thinks I’m crazy.”

  Charlie laughed. “I’m not sure how you snuggle at the sink, but please explain.”

  I told her about my tea mishap and the burn and how Foster had stopped me from making things worse.

  She chuckled. “Oh, that’s amazing. I wish I’d been here to see it. I wasn’t sure about Foster at first, but I’m beginning to see he really does care about you. Not many people have the tits to challenge Beatrix.”

  I raised a brow. “‘The tits’, huh?”

  “Yep, but in all seriousness, I’m glad you have him and that I have you back. Even though we’ve both changed since the last time we really knew each other, I meant it when I said I hadn’t forgotten or replaced you.” Charlie reached behind her, grabbed a picture frame from her nightstand, and handed it to me.

  It was the two of us on the tire swing that had been in my backyard. We were soaking wet from the rain and laughing. The day had been maybe a month before I’d left with my mother.

  “I wish I’d known,” I whispered.

  Charlie reached for me. “Your mother made the best choice she could at the time. Maybe it wasn’t the right one, but I’m a firm believer in everything happening for a reason. We can’t change what happened then, so I don’t want to waste time dwelling on it. We have more important things to discuss.”

  At least Charlie and I had grown up with likeminded outlooks on life. While I’d thought I might grow to resent my mother for taking me from here, I was coming around to the idea that maybe it had been for the best. I’d gotten as much time with her as I could before she’d died. Who knew how my life would have turned out if we’d stayed? It might have been better, but it also could have been worse, and I was glad it hadn’t been.

  “Would Moira be the more important thing we need to discuss?” I asked.

  “Yes and no. Moira wants your magic, but you don’t exactly have it. We need to figure out how to lift the block Junie helped you create.”

  I took a deep breath. Okay, maybe I wasn’t completely handling everything as well as I had been the night before.

  Charlie’s hand covered my bouncing knee. “Do you want me to help you relax?”

  My eyes widened. “Is that what happened last night?”

  Charlie grimaced. “Well, I didn’t do it, but Beatrix might have given you a little something extra when she unlocked your memories to keep you from storming off again. The experience can be pretty overwhelming otherwise.”