“That’s not a very nice way to greet a friend.”
“You’re not a friend. We’ve never even spoken to each other.” She glanced down at where he still held her, and she was surprised by how nice it felt to be held by him. It was more than nice—she felt safe. No one had ever inspired that kind of feeling inside her. She never felt safe with anyone, not even her own family.
They’re not your real parents.
Even as she thought it, she was overcome by guilt. They had saved her from the possibility of being eaten by wild animals.
“That’s not very nice. We could be friends.”
She pulled her hand away from him. Running fingers through her hair, she tried to distract herself from the confusion that was bombarding her.
“Friends would imply that we actually know each other. I don’t know you.”
“You know I’m the Alpha’s son.”
“You don’t know me.”
“I know you’re a witch.” He leaned against the clothing rail, and she didn’t like his sudden interest. Spinning on her heel, she looked toward the changing room, and there was Guy talking with Bianca. Her friend kept looking toward her, her eyes pleading for help.
Without giving Caleb another second of her time, she walked over to Bianca. The pink dress looked beautiful on her, and once Lucy got her home and did her hair, they were so going to hit the creek later that afternoon to soak up some sun.
“Leave her alone,” Lucy said, coming to stand beside Bianca.
Guy held his hands up. “You’re not going to shoot me with your laser beams, are you?”
Rubbing her temples, Lucy looked between Bianca and Guy, and she frowned. There was a kind of aura between the two. She couldn’t describe it, but something bound Bianca and Guy together.
“You’re mates!” She slapped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide.
Bianca shook her head. “No.”
Guy didn’t say anything.
“I, erm, I’m going to go and get changed.” Bianca turned and fled toward the changing room.
“You’re her mate?” Lucy asked.
“That’s none of your business,” Guy said.
“What’s going on?” Caleb asked.
“Guy’s mates with Bianca, and he’s not even claimed her. Why haven’t you claimed her? I thought mates were supposed to be unable to control their needs to be with their other half.”
“How do you even know that?” Guy asked. “No one knows about mates.”
“Your aura. I saw the connection between you and Bianca. She’s clueless about it, but you’re not. You’re aware of who Bianca is to you, aren’t you?”
Guy looked toward Caleb, and she started to stare between the two.
“You may as well tell her.”
“Tell me what?” Lucy asked.
“Bianca is my mate,” Guy said, releasing a sigh.
“Then why haven’t you claimed her?” How could she take Bianca away from Wolf Valley if her mate was part of the pack? Lucy would be tearing soul mates apart, and that she couldn’t stand.
She’d be alone.
The thought of being alone scared her.
“Guy’s not ready to claim Bianca just yet.”
“Why not? Are you ashamed of her?” She would hurt Guy if he even said anything bad about her friend. “She’s a good woman, Guy.”
“She’s a submissive wolf. There’s no way I can claim her and not risk her life.”
“What?”
Guy stared at the floor, and she saw the shame in his eyes before he averted them.
“He’s not lived like a monk, Lucy. There are women within the pack who would fight for the role to be his main female. Bianca, as a sub, wouldn’t win,” Caleb said, taking over the explanation.
“I hate men. You’re both pigs. Is that why you’re here? You’re spying on your mate?”
She would skin them both alive, if she knew how to.
“This is none of your business.”
“I’m the one that has been caring for Bianca. When members of the pack, your own little group, started to bully Bianca, I was the one who protected her. Not you. You stood by and let it happen.”
“I didn’t know she was my mate,” Guy said.
She snorted. “You think that’s a good enough excuse? You’re crazy and insane. You’ve got to no right to claim her, and Bianca would be better off without you.” If Guy wasn’t going to claim her, then she had no problem about taking her away from the pack. Bianca had a right to be happy, just like she did. “I’m taking her with me.”
“You’re not taking her anywhere,” Guy said.
Heat filled every part of her, and she stepped up close to Guy. He looked nervous, but he didn’t back down.
“I’m ready to go now, Lucy,” Bianca said, cutting through the rage, and grounding her.
Closing her eyes, she shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Once everything had focused, she turned to Bianca. “You’re so buying that dress. I won’t even take no for an answer.” Linking her arm with Bianca, together they walked away from Guy and Caleb.
He’s not going to mate with her.
Should she say something?
“Why were they here?” Bianca asked.
“I don’t know.”
They purchased Bianca’s dress and made their way out onto the street.
“You were going all witchy in there against Guy.”
“I know. I know. I couldn’t control it.” She was so angry at Guy for not claiming her friend when he clearly needed to. Lucy hadn’t heard any tales of what happened to males if they didn’t claim their mates. What would happen to Guy if she took Bianca away?
“You’re going to have to do better. It wouldn’t exactly be good if you appeared on the evening news.”
Lucy nodded. Her parents had always told her to be careful about her powers. Most of the time, she chanted or meditated in order to stay calm, but whenever it came to Bianca, she was very protective of her.
“I know. I’m sorry. It was completely my fault.”
“What did you mean about Guy and me being mates?” Bianca asked.
Pausing on the street, Lucy stared at her friend. “It’s nothing, forget about it.”
“It would be completely crazy if we were mates,” Bianca said.
They entered a shop specializing in lingerie.
“Why?” Lucy asked.
“It just wouldn’t happen. Guy and I, we’re polar opposites. I mean, he’s cute and all, but that’s about it.” Bianca sighed. “He’s always got most of the female pack women around him. Caleb is no better. Together they’re both horn dogs.”
“So, what do you think about, er, coming on that little adventure with me?”
“Have you talked with your parents about that? Maybe they know something about your real parents?” Bianca asked.
Her parents had actually told her before she hit puberty that she wasn’t a pack female.
“You’d think if they were going to tell me something, they would have done so already.”
“Not if they didn’t think you were ready. Your parents love and care about you, Lucy.”
“I know.”
When she was first told that she was adopted, or at least taken from being preyed upon when she was a baby, Lucy had felt betrayed. How could she trust the two people who had lied to her? Talking with Bianca had helped her to see that she was being silly. They were her parents.
Adele and Kyle Wolf had taken her in when no one else would. Her mother, Adele, couldn’t have children. She had heard the cause had been down to some damage done to Adele during her first ever transition, but it didn’t actually explain why.
Lucy never asked questions. Instead she tried to be the best daughter that she could be, which was hard.
Whenever they went on pack runs during the full moon, she always felt left out. She wasn’t part of the pack, and could never leave the house during the full moon.
Once her powers started to show at fifteen, she was always locked within her home so no wolf tried to take out the witch within the pack. She needed to leave Wolf Valley to find her place within the world, and maybe find some other witches or warlocks.
****
“Lucy’s trying to leave Wolf Valley, and she wants to take Bianca with her,” Caleb said. He looked around the table at his father, mother, Adele, Kyle, and Guy.
“We can’t let that happen,” Adele said.
“What does she know about her situation?” Emma, his mother, asked.
“She knows we found her near a lake, and we took her in. We’ve not given her any more details.” Adele nibbled her lip. “Do you think we should tell her the entire truth?”
“We were asked to protect her. They came to us,” Matthew said. “If the coven ever discovered her—”
“They can’t. They would sacrifice her to take her powers.”
“Wait, why?” Caleb asked. He knew that they had to protect Lucy, and by protecting her only a select few of the pack knew the truth.
Matthew, his father, rubbed his temple. “Lucy is the child of a witch and a warlock, powerful for their time.”
“So? I thought witches and warlocks got it on all the time?” Caleb asked.
His mother chuckled. “Not a chance, honey. Witches and warlocks have been enemies for as long as I can remember.”