“He said he’d forced you into a mating you didn’t want, and he wouldn’t hold you to any promises considering he had to go and would most likely die. He asked us to free you from the spell binding you to him so you wouldn’t want to follow him. We’ve been up all night researching it and Sam thinks he’s found a way—”
“No.” Elizabeth grabbed her mother’s arm. “Don’t you dare. I won’t allow it. I’m in charge now, right?” Maybe she should feel some guilt about taking her mother’s role but she didn’t. Not at the moment, anyway.
Her mother nodded. “The goddess chose you.”
“Then I say no one touches the spell. If there even is a spell and if it is even possible to undo it. No. If you could feel him as I feel him, you’d understand.” Rex thought she had a gentle soul? Well, he had a vulnerable one. “That jerk.” Elizabeth pounded the bed.
“He still thinks no one can love him. Briefly, he believed. I know he did. And then he lost it again. What is it going to take to make him feel my love?”
“Elizabeth, I’m not sure I’m following you.”
“No. Of course you aren’t. How could you?” She stood up, the world righted again and she was no longer dizzy. “I have to get to Maine. I have to find a place called Westervelt. It’s probably not on a lot of maps.”
Rex needed a witch. He was supposed to bring one back with him. Had he gotten into trouble when he hadn’t? And what had happened with his father and the question of who his father was? Damn it, she had so many questions and the jerk had run away. She was going to make him apologize when she saw him. He would learn not to doubt and to at least give her the chance to say she was sorry when she was wrong as she’d been in this case. Sort of.
“We’ll get you a plane ticket, but you may not be there until tomorrow. These things can take time.”
She shook her head. “I don’t have it. I need to be there yesterday. I’m going to magically transport myself.”
“Elizabeth, it isn’t even possible. I never could do anything like that.”
“I’m sorry, Mom.” She touched her mother’s arm. “I can feel that I can. I know it like I know my name. I need to eat something, charge up, and then I can be in Maine in a heartbeat. Assuming I can find Westervelt on some kind of map.” She was getting to Rex and she would never be away from him again.
“How will we work this? Are you planning on staying in Maine?”
“I’m planning on helping Randolph win his fight. Then I’ll figure things out. I will not abandon this coven. Right now, however, my mate needs me.” And she needed to whack him over the head until he figured out he was loved.
* * * *
“Why aren’t you inside at the meeting?”
Rex sipped his coffee. It tasted horrible. Bitter and sour, the flavor suited his mood perfectly. He had smelled Tristan approaching minutes ago. He had not anticipated his question. Staring down at the falls, which had once been his favorite hiding spot, he finally looked up at his brother—correction, half-brother’s—face. “My Alpha, I assumed you would not want me.”
Tristan raised an eyebrow but otherwise did not react. Rex’s wolf wanted to cower.
Pissing off the alpha was a dangerous thing.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because I am not a Kane.” He could have choked on the sentence. Rex did not relish being Kendrick’s son but at least he had known where he was in the pack.
“Neither is Cullen. Malcolm. Jack. Dean.” Tristan took a step toward him. “You are my brother. Do you think I would value you less because you don’t have my father’s taint on you?”
“Why value me at all? I may not be Kendrick’s, but I assure you, my soul is nothing to brag about. My mate did not want it.”
“Oh, that.” Tristan nodded.
“Yes, that. ” Had it finally come to this? Was it time to punish him for failing to bring back a witch?
“Have you been filled in on what happened with Angel?” Rex rubbed his eyes. Gods, he was so exhausted. Would he ever feel energized again? In the distance, an alarm signaled. There must be a wolf attack happening somewhere. They’d all gotten rather blasé about the whole thing. Attacks were constant.
As long as Tristan survived, the pack could continue. Protecting him was pivotal. “She gave you the power to find all the pack members.”
“Yes. I can now feel all the members of our pack. Everywhere.” Rex smelled Theo, Michael and Cullen in the distance, approaching. The meeting must have broken up and now they wanted Tristan. How had Tristan ever gotten away from them to come here in the first place? “It must really be something. Do you suppose when this is over you’ll go find them?”