Page 50 of Carter

“Are we almost there?” She questions. Her body turns to face me once more, taking my free hand.

“We’ll be there soon. It’s not far from here.” I squeeze her hand and turn into a road leading up the mountain. The view is breathtaking. Trees can be seen all around us. She groans, throwing her head back against the headrest. Both her hands cover her face.

“Carter, baby, I need to pee,” she looks at me with puppy dog eyes as her hands come together, almost as if she's going to pray.

“You literally went thirty minutes ago,” I say with a raised eyebrow at her.

“Yeah, well, my bladder hasn’t been the same since I gave birth to your son. Plus, I drank three water bottles and the cookies and cream milkshake. Just stop right here, and I can pee right over there by the big oak tree.”

“Not happening,” I say quickly as I shake my head. She's not peeing out in the wilderness where someone can fucking see her. She laughs at my reaction as I look at her, and that smile she gives me makes me feel high. I can’t help but smile back at her like a love-crazed teenager.

Leandra convinces me to stop at the side of the road so that she could pee behind an oak tree. I wasn’t going to argue when she said that she would piss in my car. To make her point across, she threatened to pee inside my cup as she grabbed it from the cup holder, waved it around, and said she could use it and stay inside the car to pee.

She won, but so did I because I went with her and used a blanket she had brought with her this morning to cover her from any creeper that could be out there. After that, the drive was only about ten miles down the road when we came to a stop.

Getting out of the car, it was dead silent. Not a single noise could be heard. The cottage was breathtakingly beautiful. The path leading up to the cottage were pieces that had been cut from an oak tree that must have fallen. The cottage looks like it was built from the trees surrounding it. It had a very rustic look.

She grips the side of my arm. Leandra looks up at me, her fingers lacing through mine as we walk hand in hand up the path. “Is this the place?” She whispers as she looks around her, taking in her surroundings.

“Yeah,” I chuckle.

Fuck me. This is where we both get killed.

“Don’t worry, baby. You’re safe with me.” She smiles softly as I kiss her forehead. We reach the front door. I reach my hand out to knock as we stand and wait patiently. When the wooden door swings open, a little frail old lady with short hair opens the door. She has an oak cane with the shape of a wolf’s head in her right hand.

“Carter," she beams as her eyes flick to Leandra and me.

“Hi, Sage,” I said brightly, happy to see her.

Her face lights up completely as I reach down to her small height and gently kiss her cheek. “And who might this beautiful young lady be?” Sage asks as her head turns towards Leandra. Her violet eyes glimmer brightly as she looks into Leandra’s brown eyes. I’m not sure what Sage sees, but I know she sees something by how she looks at Leandra.

I grin, pulling Leandra closer to me. “This is my girlfriend, Leandra.” I looked down at Leandra, and the smile on her face after I claim her as mine makes my heart stop. I kiss the top of her head as I whisper I love you. Sage smiles deeply as she greets Leandra. “How lovely to meet you, dear.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Leandra says as she smiles at Sage.

“Oh, please come in, come in!” Sage beckons, moving out of the way of the door to let us through. My eyes are immediately drawn to a picture of my parents and what seems to be a pack I have never seen before. As my eyes move around the room, I also notice wolf paintings and a shelf full of books from witchcraft spells to laws that govern mythical creatures. The living room has a few dream catchers as well as a few chimes and burning incense.

We take a seat with Sage sitting across from us. “The last time I saw you, Carter, you were just a baby about this tall,” Sage says towards me holding her hand a few feet from the ground. “Now look at you all tall, muscular, and handsome.”

I laugh at her comment. Sage has always been a flirt, according to some of the wolves, but she’s one of the most loyal women you will ever meet, and she only has eyes for her husband. “Thank you. Sage, you look lovely.”

She laughs as she settles into her chair, getting comfortable. “You’re such a flirt, just like your dad.” She says, smiling. “But don’t let my husband hear you flirting with me.” She laughs, giving us a wink. I move closer to Leandra, placing my palm flat against her thigh. “So, what can I do for you, dear?”

Taking a deep breath and gripping Leandra’s thigh softly. “Leandra and I aren’t mates, as I’m sure you already knew.” Sage smiles and nods. “I did.”

“Even though we aren’t mates, I can still hear her thoughts. Leandra isn't a mythical creature, Sage. She’s human.” I say slowly as Leandra watches me speak. I squeeze her thigh and offer her a supportive smile. Sage stays quiet for a moment as she takes everything I just said in. “Please, Sage, if anyone can help us understand why it's you. We deserve to know why we have this connection.” I plead my case as I move closer to the sofa's edge, leaning so Sage can see my desperation to know the truth.

“Tell me, my sweet boy, have you met your mate?” She questions. I can feel Leandra stiffen beside me.

I nod.

“Yes, but there was no connection, nothing special. I don't want to sound cruel, but what I felt was nothing compared to what I feel for Leandra. Leandra moves closer to me to rest her head on my shoulder.

Sage moves closer to the edge of her chair as she leans in more. “Carter, what do you know about your parents?” My eyebrows knit together at her question. Confused as to why she would ask me about my parents. “What do you mean?”

“Have your parents ever told you the story about how they met? Do you know if your parents are mates?” My eyes widen, my heart beats harder, and my mind races through all my memories, trying to find out if my parents ever did talk about it. Leandra’s head immediately whips towards me, and I swallow harshly as I shake my head at her. “No. My… My parents never did tell me. I don’t know if they are, but they were always so happy and loving.”

Sage gives me a sympathetic look. “Have you ever seen your parents shift to their wolf form?” I blink briefly as I think about what she just asked me. I have memories of my father’s wolf, I'm sure of it, but I can’t remember my mother's. I let go of Leandra’s thigh and run my hands down my face taking a deep breath.

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