Ouachita Mated(27)

She swallowed hard, trying to make her throat stop aching with unshed tears.

Why was he giving up so easily? Didn’t he want a second chance?

“Do you want to? Have me?”

He closed his eyes as if in pain. “I’ve wanted you since the day I met you, woman.” His tone was soft, and she finally heard the word for what it was. An endearment.

Josie curved her palm around his cheek, forcing him to look at her so he could see how determined she was to get through to him. “Then you can have what you want. We just need to work through some things first. What is it they say? Where there’s a will, there’s a way? You have to let go of the things that haunt you.”

He shook his head, his eyes dark with regret. “You make it sound so simple, but it isn’t. Don’t you think if I could, I would? Don’t you think I’ve wanted to be free of my demons?”

She swept her thumb across the shadow beneath his eye. One day, hopefully, it would be gone. One day, he would smile. She believed it.

“I don’t know. But there’s one way to find out.”

Magic’s brow scrunched in question.

Josie took a deep breath and jumped off the cliff she’d been led to nearly ten years ago.

“I have a message… from Mandi.”





Chapter Nine



Magic paced the floor of Josie’s room once again, struggling to process all she’d revealed to him. He was moments away from turning, his panther needing free so bad, he could hardly breathe. The only thing stopping him was Josie. He didn’t know how the animal would react to her. His beast needed to claim… even though his scent already saturated her. It was strong enough now, the others would notice. And damn, if that didn’t make him feel something in his scarred-to-hell heart.

He glanced at her. She sat arms crossed against the headboard looking ill. And if what she’d told him was right, her body was going through a massive transition. She must be scared and hurting, but she looked as badass as she always did.

So brave, his mate. So fucking strong.

No wonder their bond was powerful.

But it didn’t change their circumstances. It didn’t change the shit he’d been through or the shit she was going through now. It didn’t change the promises he’d made to his clan.

“She turned you.” Magic shook his head in disbelief. “That’s… that’s not even possible, you realize that, right?”

Josie pressed her lips together, shooting him a glare that could burn up the moon.

“So… what? She’s stuck in some purgatory or something, is that what you’re telling me?”

Josie shrugged one shoulder, but it didn’t come off as careless. He could see that she cared very much about Mandi by the tears that had filled her eyes as she told him her story. Maybe even as much as he did. Had. Did.

Goddamn it, he was so confused.

“She had unfinished business. Her animal wouldn’t allow her to pass on until she fixed it. That stuff happens, doesn’t it?”

Magic shook his head. “No. When we die, we die. There aren’t any nine lives or shit, we’re just… gone.”

“Well. I guess she was special.” Her words were quiet, keeping guard of so much emotion.

Magic looked at her.

She was trembling, sitting there trying to look okay. She was holding back, and he hated it. Nothing should be secret between them. Not her feelings, and not his. Not her past, not his. But if he didn’t stop bonding with her, they were going to be in a world of trouble.

“This doesn’t change anything,” he murmured. “I made a promise to the clan, to myself, and I won’t break it.” The words burned his throat all the way out. Josie was his mate by the bond he felt with her, but also he was mated to the cat she’d inherited. The cat that he’d already claimed. It explained how his scent marked her.

Denying her like this was shredding his panther, and eviscerating his heart.

The animal whimpered inside. Magic grunted against the pain in his chest.

He was such a damn bastard. He’d asked Eagan to do this very thing. No, he’d demanded. Threatened. Given him an ultimatum.

Something had to give within the clan or his cats were going to fall apart. But hell if he knew what.

“Maybe we just need time to get used to this,” Josie said carefully, her throat working around a swallow. “Maybe you don’t… you know… see a future with me now, but—”

“Not now. Not ever.”

He should allow her to think it was her. That she was the thing he had a hang-up with, but he couldn’t. He went to the bed, his knees hitting the floor beside it. Taking Josie’s face in his hand, he brushed his thumb across her cheek.