Page 28 of Spellbound & Speechless
My mate is in my arms. I can’t deny the bond anylonger. It’s not her magic, and it’s not my wolf overreacting. It’s a true, fated connection. I was brought here for a reason.
My purpose is not to be with Aspen. I can never do that—but I can keep her safe, and I will, even if I go down fighting. Death has always been an option. Chasing the corrupt witch is what I live for; it will be what I die for, too.
The front dooropens with a loud creak, noisy enough for us to hear it even in the drafty attic. Aspen jumps. I can tell she wants to run, but I hold her tighter.
We’ve been up here for too long, hours with her in my arms. The only sounds she made were soft sobs.
“It’s Juniper,” I say.
I haven’t known the witches long, but I already know their scents and the sounds of their footsteps. It’s part of my job to pay attention. Sometimes, I’m not perfect at it, and tonight is one of those times.
I should have come sooner. Faster.
Guilt pushes down on my shoulders. As I lead Aspen downstairs, I fight an urge to hold her hand, comfort her, or doanything. I can’t. The spell breaks, and she won’t even look at me. I don’t care. She’s alive, and it’s enough to make my wolf quiet—sort of.
Protect her… my mate…
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m fucking trying.
“What happened in here?” Juniper asks.
Juniper, Maple, and Laurel all stand in the messy room. A nail polish bottle was knocked onto the hardwood, staining the floor. The rot of the corrupt witch is strongerthan the smell of chemicals. A toppled chair blocks the staircase, likely a part of Aspen’s struggle.
“The corrupt witch attacked,” I say.
“No!” Laurel covers her mouth with her hands. “How did she know you were in here?”
“We don’t know.”
“I don’t understand,” Laurel says. “How does she know where we live? Why did she…?”
“All I know is that she wanted my magic.” Aspen’s voice shakes. “And I think… I think she wanted to use me as a lure—to hurt the rest of you.”
Juniper’s face hardens. “Why areyouhere?”
“I heard…” I swallow thickly. There’s no way to explain how or why without saying what Aspen is to me. I can’t say she’s my mate. She doesn’t seem to feel our connection, and I need it to stay that way. “I left the bar early. On my walk to the motel, I heard her screams coming from the house.”
My hearing is good enough that it’s a likely story. This isn’t my usual route to the motel, but they don’t know that.
Juniper doesn’t seem to question it. She doesn’t even ask why I left the bar without telling her. Her shoulders relax. “Thank the gods…” She shakes her head. “And thankyou, Mac. You saved our sister.”
I run my hand through my curls. “It was nothing. Anyone would have helped.”
They don’t know shit. They don’t know how I feel about her or how I wish I could have done more. Ishouldhave done more. A stone drops in my stomach.
“We may need to fix up our protective wards now that Mom is gone.” Maple doesn’t smile like she usually does. Her soft eyes reflect fear as they shift around the room. “I thought hers would do fine, but?—”
“They’ve lost power over time,” Juniper says. “We’ll make that our next task.”
“Good plan.”
Juniper turns back to me. “Have you really been staying at the motel?”
I nod.
There’s no use in looking for a place of my own. I’ll only be here for as long as the corrupt witch is. She never stays in one place for long, and I doubt she can stay in a town this size for more than a few weeks.
“Well, you’re not staying there anymore.” Juniper crosses her arms. “You’re staying with us.”
