Tana had been part of their clan until she ran off to mate a wolf. But shades, shifters raised as humans, weren’t all too common. Shifters didn’t give up their young without a fight. And not many shades made it past their early twenties without learning what they were the hard way. Often their animals forced their way out, needing to finally shift after so many years lying dormant.
Doc chewed her lip, thinking. “It’s possible, but… she carries Magic’s scent.”
Like the flick of a light switch, Owyn’s gaze turned furious.
“What?” Beth squeaked, her fists balling at her sides. “How is that possible?”
“You broke the pact?” Ryan murmured in disbelief.
Magic shook his head, still reeling with everything that had happened. All of them looking at him with suspicion wasn’t helping him focus.
And it wasn’t helping Josie.
“I didn’t break anything,” Magic growled. “I don’t know how she carries my scent. But for now, we need to see that she’s okay, yeah?”
Doc nodded. “He’s right. Let’s get her into bed. Owyn, I’m going to need some things from my office. Can you make a list?”
He didn’t answer, and Magic tossed him a glance as he bent to lift Josie into his arms. Owyn glared at him, his eyes flashing with the hint of his panther.
“Owyn,” Doc snapped, and his gaze jerked to her. “Please,” she whispered.
His eyes softened a fraction under his ball cap, and then he stalked to the desk to grab the pen and stationery the lodge provided for guests.
Doc rattled off her list while Magic carried Josie to the bed and gently laid her down.
The next few hours passed with Doc tending to Josie and making her comfortable. There wasn’t much they could do but wait. If there was a cat inside her, it would take care of any necessary healing.
But it didn’t keep Magic from pacing like a motherfucker.
“Magic, please,” Bethany pleaded.
The sun was rising in the sky, but not yet high enough to peek over the mountains. Renner was there with his arm secured around her waist, looking just as suspicious as all the others.
“Just tell me what is happening to her. Clearly, you were with her.” She gestured to his shirtless state, but it wasn’t what it seemed. “What did you do?”
Magic stopped his pacing to face Bethany, breathing hard. “I didn’t do anything. I didn’t cause any of this.”
“You’re lying,” Renner ground out. “What are you hiding?”
He stared hard at Renner. He wasn’t going to tell them how his panther felt about Josie. No one would know about that but him. Ever. Because the fact was, even if his cat was somehow able to mate another female besides Mandi, he would never do it.
Magic’s part of their pact would hold. His brothers and sisters might cave, but he never would.
“This isn’t my fault.”
“Not exactly true.” A raspy voice had them all turning toward the bed. “You bonded with me,” Josie croaked, her eyelids drooping with her effort to wake.
Magic shook his head in denial. The mating bond that threaded between them was barely there. Weak at best.
“You bastard,” Renner breathed. “After all the hell you put people through this past month. Digging your feet in, and refusing to bend.”
Ryan came to stand by Magic. “Ren, calm down. This doesn’t explain what happened to Josie, how she has an animal in her.”
“This is bullshit,” Magic fumed. “I didn’t break the goddamn pact, got it?”
He turned to find Doc Davis helping Josie drink some water and got even angrier.
That should be me helping her.
Doc pulled the glass away and Josie’s head fell back to the pillow. Her sleepy eyes found his and one side of her mouth hitched up.
Even like this she was so fucking beautiful.
“Suck it up, buttercup,” she slurred. “You’re my mate.”
Chapter Eight
Josie had to pee. There was no avoiding it anymore. Her eyeballs would be swimming if she didn’t make it happen soon.
It seemed like forever before Doc finally convinced everyone to leave. Except for Magic. He’d put up a fight. But it was just as well. They had things to discuss.
He closed the door to her room, shutting them in, and then just stared at it.
Oh, she knew this was going to be hell for the both of them.
Being inundated with so many pieces of information had left her with a mountain of questions. Questions that she could answer herself, which was just weird. As if someone’s life file had been downloaded into her brain. All she had to do was run a search for the information and boom bang bam, there it was.