Page 32 of Son of a Witch

Luna thrust her hand out in greeting to break up the rumbles directed my way. “Thanks for agreeing to see us, Sarah.”

Cords in her mate’s neck betrayed his apprehension. A dark, menacing, stranger in her pack didn’t sit well with him. His female was safe. I had one.Mine. Forever.

Sarah tucked herself under Dash’s tattooed arm to appease her uneasy mate. “Gable vouched for you. Happy to help outif Ican. God knows we owe him a thousand times over.”

If she can.Meaning, if I passed her test. If they didn’t mount an ambush on me in my sleep.

Gable, Luna’s fourth man, was a former snake who owned a magick shop in Bathurst and gave us this contact. Shifters regularly bought items from his shop for protection spells from the Guild and witches who wished them harm.

The male Alpha jerked his head in my direction. “What’s his story? He doesn’t smell like us.”

Ahh. The story. Get ready for it. I wouldn’t get consideration to stay without explaining my history.

I clasped my hands behind my back like a soldier. “Thanks for permitting me to meet with you. I’m Raze. Half breed. Lycan on my father’s side.”

Grief bubbled to the surface at recently losing my father and being too sick from Lycan venom to process the emotions that came with it. Fuck these past three days had been hell and all I wanted was the comfort and solace of my mate to forget.

“Raze?” Luna whispered.

I waved her away and buried my emotion. “My father’s people crossed over the veil into my mother’s tribal land.” My voice came out a harsh croak. “They fell in love, but his pack and her tribe forbade them from staying together. The rest is history.”

Dash’s taut stance spoke of his unease around a large and more savage shifter. He rubbed at his smooth jaw. “Pureblood.”

“Half-blood,” I corrected.

“Purer than us.” He jerked his head at the observing crowd several hundred feet away.

Stronger animals were always regarded as a threat to weaker ones.

I raised my palms. “I mean your family no harm. I just need somewhere to stay for a few weeks until I reunite with my pack.”

Sarah’s brow quirked. “Your pack? Where are they?”

Luna’s pinched gaze shot to me, warning me to be careful with my words.

No point in that. Honesty would only win the Alpha pair over.

“They’re in Broken Hill,” I started, determined to find out what they knew first. Just like an animal. Never show your wounds and limitations. “My brother is sick and needs medicine.”

Sarah led with, “Luna tells me you’re from the Guardians.”

Fuck. Better come entirely clean now.

“I am.” I gave a stiff nod, wary because not many beyond the Guild knew of the Guardians, and other sister organizations knew of their existence.

“What were you in there for?” Assessing. Cautious. I liked her. Reminded me a little of Little Wolf.

“My team and I were accused of a crime we didn’t commit and were sentenced to twenty-five years in the Guardians.” Truth. Lies wouldn’t serve me here. “I recently came across news that evidence exists that will prove our innocence and free us. I need a base to operate from while I locate the evidence and take it to the Guardian authorities to clear my pack of wrongdoing.”

“How long?” Dash asked. He didn’t like me. Didn’t want me there, that was clear.

Rejection sat heavy under my ribcage. Born an outsider, always an outcast. Never accepted, except for my pack. Longing to be reunited burned like a fire that would never go out.

I shrugged. “A few weeks. My Guild brothers and sister here will assist to make it faster.” I gestured at Luna and Blaze with a glance their way.

“You have our assurance he won’t cause trouble,” Luna got in for me.

Fuck. Not true. Judging by the suspicious stares from the camp and Dash, I was in for a world of fucking trouble.

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