Chapter Seven
“You’re back again. What do I have to do to keep you kids out of my area?” Lucinda asked. She waved some kind of talisman at him, or it might have been a hand-stitched doll.
Dex frowned. “First of all, this is the very first time I sought you out. If you remember, you came to find me, to give me that dire warning of two paths.”
“Tomato, tomartoe,” she said. “What do you want? You certainly haven’t stumbled here.”
Dex glanced around at the forest. The truth was, he didn’t exactly know where he’d been heading, but clearly, he did have a direction in mind and it was to come to Lucinda.
“The last time you came to see me, you said there were two futures for me and Casey.”
Lucinda snorted. “Only two, sweet boy, trust me, there are more than two maps for everyone, and it gets real confusing.”
Now Dex frowned. “You came to warn me, remember?”
“Yeah, I remember that, but you see, there are so many ways of interpreting the future. It is all dependent on whether you go left or right, or stay on the right path, or go back. This is why looking into the future is no guarantee. Someone can change. That is the pesky thing about human beings, they tend to change their mind.”
“We’re not humans. We’re wolves.”
Again, she snorted. “But you are still human, and you have choices. You can always choose to do the right or wrong thing. It depends on your mood and what exactly is the right or wrong thing. Am I making myself clear right now, because I feel like I am saying the same thing over and over again?”
“Are you purposely talking in riddles?”
“Oh, my, how does your father even put up with you? This is why I will not date, as I don’t want the risk of having children.” Lucinda took a deep breath, spun in a circle one way, and then the other. “We all have choices. Just like your good friend Buddy made the choice to hurt Casey. His path had three directions that day. One was to hurt her, the other was to not hurt her, and the other was to walk away.”
Dex frowned. “Isn’t not hurt her and walk away kind of the same thing?”
“Yes and no. They have the exact same outcome. Casey wouldn’t have been hurt, and you wouldn’t have hurt Buddy. Do you see?”
He nodded. “Then why are they different outcomes?”
“He could have not hurt her, in the way that she was aware of his presence and the fact he didn’t do anything. Walking away would mean no one knew he had that choice in the first place.”
“But all three had different outcomes?” he asked.
“Yes, all three of them.”
“So that means you saw me hurt Buddy?”
Lucinda wrinkled her nose.
“What?” he asked.
“I saw you hurt Buddy, then I saw you kill him, and then I saw you walk away.”
“That was never going to happen,” Dex said.
“Exactly, it was never going to happen, but that doesn’t mean it is not a possibility.” She shrugged. “It all balances itself out, but I don’t think you’re here to talk about what might have, or could have happened.” She wrinkled her nose. “I confuse myself at times.”
“So does that mean Casey and I can change things?”
“You do realize that no future is set until you make choices.”
Dex was really starting to feel a headache coming on. He now understood why his father had a nice, tall mug of coffee, and it always took him a few hours to deal with Lucinda.
“None of this makes sense.”
“Nothing would happen if we all stood still.” She suddenly jumped, lifted her arms out, and her eyes went wide, as she became still. “See, nothing happens, no choice is made, other than to stand still. No path is chosen. When life throws you the chance to go to A, B, C, or even D, that is when the future changes, but it is always happening.” She sighed. “Wow, I am getting thirsty.”
Dex blew out a breath. “I don’t know what any of this means.”
“It means a lot of stuff, and not a lot of stuff.” Lucinda shrugged. “You think you have it rough, try living inside my world.”
“Can you turn it off?” he asked. “Seeing the future. Wouldn’t that make your life easier?”
Lucinda laughed. “Of course, but tell me, where is the fun in that?” She blew out a raspberry. “Just because something is a pain in the ass and often not worth our time, doesn’t mean we should get rid of it. I like it. It’s like watching a movie that is always changing the ending. Come on, that has got to be a lot better than watching the same old movies, where you always know the ending.” She shrugged. “It is awesome.”
“I guess that means Casey and I still have the good path and the bad one?” Dex asked, shoving his hands into his jeans.
The witch stopped and turned toward him, and then stepped close. Being a wolf, he was used to not having a lot of privacy, but Lucinda seemed to break through that personal barrier wall and came right up to him. She was so close that he saw the little red marks within her eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re scared.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Not for normal stuff, silly. You’re scared for Casey.” She smiled. “You’re in love with her.”
“This is not news to me.”
“I know, and it is not news to me either. Your love has been shining bright and is getting brighter as you age. She is your everything. Everything you do is for Casey.” Lucinda smiled and then clapped her hands. “And it is so sweet to see. You fear her pain. You want to know who suffers if the future doesn’t go well.”
“Is there any way you can guarantee she doesn’t get hurt?” Dex asked.
He didn’t even know why he came here, and yet she made it so clear. He wanted to take care of her, to look after her, to make sure Casey had everything her heart desired.
“You love her,” she said.
“You know I do.” She’d already said that before. “I-I can’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to her.”
“What if the cost comes to you?” Lucinda said.
“Then I will pay it. Please tell me.”
Lucinda sighed. “Knowing the future doesn’t make it easier.”
“Just tell me.”
“No,” Lucinda said. “But I will show you.”
Dex frowned as Lucinda reached out and pressed her fingers against his head. At first, he didn’t know what was happening, but then it felt like he was being pulled under, forced to sleep when he didn’t want to.
“Don’t fight it.”
His wolf didn’t like this, but Dex had to trust Lucinda. She had warned his father of the price that would be paid.
She didn’t allow any wolf to ask her for anything. She tried to protect them all, and he’d been the one to come to her. The vision was so clear, like he was living it.
He looked down at his hands, and that was when he saw them covered with blood.
“No, stop. Let him go,” Casey said, yelling.
The fear and pain in her voice tore at his heart.
He tried to scream, to tell her it was going to be okay, but nothing came out of his mouth. Dex didn’t know why nothing came out of his mouth. Then, he didn’t get chance to see what else happened, as his throat was ripped out. His last image was of Casey, sobbing, as his life ended.
He came out of the memory and looked toward Lucinda.
“What the fuck was that?” he asked.
“That is what happens if Casey doesn’t transition in time. Your life will be in the balance, Dex. She will have nothing but guilt, but the pack will also expel her, and your father will spend a lifetime hunting her.”
****
“Are you okay?” Casey asked.
Dex didn’t even respond. He looked straight ahead at the television as if he’d not even heard her. They were at her house as her parents had left and were enjoying a very rare date night.
“Hello,” she said, waving her hand in front of his face.
He jerked and turned toward her.
She offered him a smile but it was difficult to do.
“What’s the matter?” Dex asked.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?” She pressed her lips together. Ever since he’d picked her up from the diner in town, he’d been quiet. Something was off, and she didn’t need to have wolf senses to know that.
“I need a drink,” he said, pulling away from her.
Casey was tempted to let him walk away and to not pressure him into talking to her, but that felt wrong. Getting to her feet, she followed him into the kitchen.
In the past couple of months, her parents had gotten used to him hanging around. They both loved him, and Casey understood why. Dex was amazing. She knew there were a lot of pack females who were jealous of her and Dex’s relationship. They hadn’t come out and admitted anything, but the glares said it all.
“Does this have anything to do with you going to Lucinda’s?” she asked, to which he nearly choked on the water he was drinking.
“How do you know about that?” Dex asked.
“You were spotted. I guess seeing the Alpha’s son heading to see a witch can cause a lot of gossip.”
“They should be minding their own business.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Do you want to tell me what is bothering you?”
He finished his water, swilled out the glass, and then turned toward her. She watched as he pressed his hands on the counter and took a deep breath.
“You’re nervous? Whatever Lucinda had to say must have been important.”
“It’s not about what she said. Lucinda doesn’t say a lot of anything. She tries to show, and that is about all she does.”
“She showed you something and it has you freaked out?” she asked.
Dex shook his head. “It’s … it’s a potential path for you and me.”
“Like our future?”
“Yeah.”
“But our future is never clear,” Casey said. “I’ve heard Lucinda talking, or more like mumbling, on the rare occasion she comes to town and one of the kids ask her to tell their fortune or their future.” She rolled her eyes. “Go on, go on.”
“Well, she explained that there are constant directions that a future can go. Different decisions, how we make those kinds of decisions. It’s all relevant, and it is never easy or clear on how we’re going to get to that path.”
She listened and she knew if Lucinda had given Dex a warning, there was a real chance it had a high probability of coming true.
“And what did you see?” she asked.
At first, he didn’t say anything, and Casey felt that wave of panic wash over her. She repeated the question and felt the tears in her eyes, as if she already knew the answer before he said anything.
“I saw my death,” Dex said.
Casey shook her head. “No, that can’t be possible.”
“You and I have two outcomes. One of them, we’re happy, we have a blissful life, and the other, you don’t save me, and I die.”
She pressed a hand to her mouth because the very thought of anything bad happening to him was like a constant punch to the gut. “No, that is not possible. She must have this wrong.”
“I know, but, I know what I saw, and trust me, Casey. This one … I can’t get it out of my head.”
She moved toward him and cupped his face. “No, we won’t let this happen. How do you die? I can’t … no, there is no way this is going to happen. I don’t know why Lucinda has shown this to you, but it must be wrong.”
“It’s not. Someone kills me. I don’t know who. I mean, I’ve got my suspicions, but…”
“Buddy?” Casey asked. “He’s the only one who would do it. We’ve got to do something. Chain him up or something.”
“No,” Dex said.
“Wait,” Casey said, frowning. “You said I don’t save you. What does that mean?” She couldn’t help the tears from falling as she looked at him.
“You don’t turn into a wolf. You don’t save me, and because of that, I die.”
She shook her head. “No, no, no.” She turned away and pressed her hands against her face in the hope of trying to contain her scream of fury.
Once again, it came back to what she wasn’t capable of doing.
“Then I have to leave,” Casey said, spinning around.
“No,” Dex said.
“I can’t be responsible for your death if I’m not here. Please, I can’t … no.” She tried to keep the sobs inside, but it wasn’t possible. They fell down her face, and she pressed one hand against her stomach and covered her mouth with the other.
This couldn’t be happening.
Dex came to her as she collapsed to her knees.
“I can’t kill you. I can’t save you. You’ve got to let me go,” Casey said. “You need someone who is going to be able to save you.” She couldn’t even stand the thought of another woman touching him, being close to him. It made her sick to her stomach and all she wanted to do was scream. She didn’t say anything, but it was there, bubbling beneath the surface, threatening to come out.
“Casey, no,” Dex said.
“You can’t die.”
“I’m not going to die. Lucinda said it was a potential path, but there are at least three main players in this one.”
She frowned. “What?”
“Well, there’s you, then there’s me, and whoever decides to kill me. What if he or she doesn’t make that choice?” Dex asked.
“This is insane,” she said, ready to sob again. “There is no way you can take a chance that this person might not attack you!”
She wanted to scream at him, but instead she could only shake her head.
“We can’t live our lives in fear,” he said.
“Dex, someone in the pack is going to kill you.”
“ Might kill me.”
She growled. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.” She shook her head, and then began to sob. “This isn’t right. We shouldn’t be arguing about this. What if we leave?” she asked.
“We can’t do that either, Casey. The pack is our home.”
She knew it was a long shot.
Staring at Dex, she looked into his intense eyes, which no matter what, always had a hint of his wolf. “I don’t want to fail you, Dex. I love you. I love you so much and this scares me.”
He cupped her face, and then in the next second, he kissed her. “We’re not going to fail each other, okay? We’re going to make this work. I promise you. We’re going to make it work.”
And then he kissed her again, only this time there was a little more desperation, and she felt it too.
She was desperate for Dex, and now she feared for his life. Who would be dumb enough to try and kill Dex? She couldn’t imagine anyone being able to succeed.
Nothing bad could happen to him.
She wouldn’t allow it.