Chapter 2 – REGINA #2
He used me like his magical vending machine while making me beg for every little thing I actually needed, and if I didn't act grateful enough, he'd be an enormous pain in the fucking ass.
So I'm a little tiny bit on edge about gifts to say the least.
These wolves, though… they act like they actually enjoy doing things for me. No strings attached.
And I have no frame of reference for that.
There has to be a catch. Everyone always has a reason. Hell, my own parents saw me as a bargaining chip for status within the magical community.
But Killian and the others look genuinely confused by the question.
"Why do we want to take care of you?" Killian asks carefully. "You're our mate. Why wouldn't we?"
I sigh, realizing I'm not going to get anywhere with this. "I'll pay you back when I get a job," I say, finally accepting the bag properly.
All four of them make identical exasperated noises.
"Please stop talking about paying us back," Sean groans, suddenly looking pale. "It physically pains me."
Rowan does a double take. "You okay, dude? Do you mean that literally?"
"It's probably just the nachos you ate from the fridge," Micah remarks.
Now Rowan is staring at Micah. "Wait, what? He ate those?"
"I'm right here, bro. Don't talk about me like I'm not in the room."
In spite of my awkward discomfort, I manage to laugh a little. It's tough to spiral around these wolves.
Killian ignores them, stepping closer to me. "Regina… this is what wolves do. We provide for our mate. It's instinctual. Letting us do this makes us happy. It's just how we're wired."
I look up at him, trying to read his expression. There's no deception there, no hidden agenda I can detect. He's completely sincere in his desire to provide and protect. It's so different from the false generosity I've grown accustomed to, I don't know how to process it.
"Okay," I concede finally. "Thank you. I'll use it."
But in the back of my mind, I'm still planning on how to pay them back eventually. When I get back on my feet, at least.
They all seem to relax at once. Killian grins and I can somehow almost hear his wolf purring.
"So," I say, trying to redirect the conversation away to safer topics, "is there anything specific I should know about this fancy new phone?"
"It has an emergency button that will alert all of us simultaneously if you feel threatened," Rowan explains, taking the phone from the box and showing me. "Press here three times quickly, and we'll get your location and a distress signal."
"We also installed a few magical barrier apps Sadie recommended," Micah adds. "Keeps your communications shielded from magical tracking."
"And the camera's way better," Sean chimes in. "So you can finally contribute some quality thirst traps to the group chat. No grainy pics from your Jurassic-era brick."
"I've never sent thirst traps to the group chat!" I protest, my ears burning.
"Exactly my point," Sean says. "Think of all the wasted potential."
I roll my eyes, but there's a smile tugging at my lips. Their enthusiasm is infectious even if they embarrass the fuck out of me.
Even if I still haven't gotten to the bottom of it yet.
"I should probably get back to work," I say, tucking the new phone into my pocket. "The ritual preparations won't finish themselves, and we're running out of time."
"Need any help?" Micah offers. "I'm pretty decent at Latin. Anatomy and all that."
"Actually, that would be great. I'm working on the incantation right now, and a second set of eyes would be helpful."
"I'll come too," Killian starts, but Rowan grabs his arm.
"You promised to help me with that thing, remember?" Rowan says pointedly.
Killian frowns. "What thing?"
"That very important thing we need to do. Right now. Elsewhere." Rowan's stare could not be more obvious if he tattooed "GIVE THEM SOME ALONE TIME" across his forehead in neon letters.
"Oh. Right. That thing." Killian nods, catching on with all the subtlety of a freight train, even though he clearly isn't happy about it. The fact that he's willing to leave in spite of that is a surprise. "Very important. Can't wait. Let's go."
Sean snickers as Rowan drags Killian toward the kitchen. "I've got a thing too. Definitely not jerking off in the shower to the memory of fucking our sexy witch."
"Dude," Micah groans. "We would've just assumed you were in the gym if you hadn't said that."
"Oh, yeah. I'm doing that," Sean calls with a salute.
And just like that, Micah and I are alone in the living room.
"They're about as subtle as a sledgehammer, aren't they?" I ask, smiling despite myself.
"Subtlety isn't exactly a wolf trait," Micah agrees, fixing his glasses with a low chuckle. "We're more of a 'charge directly at what we want' species."
We head back toward the attic in comfortable silence. Like Rowan, Micah doesn't usually feel the need to fill every pause with chatter, but I'm starting to find Killian's verbosity charming.
Even Sean's obscene motormouth.
Gods help me.
As we reach the base of the attic stairs, Micah catches me with a gentle hand on my wrist. "Before we go up, I wanted to give you something."
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet pouch, deep purple and clearly old. His lips quirk into a shy smile that's so unlike his usual confident demeanor, it catches me off guard.
"What's this?" I ask, tilting my head.
"Just... something I saw and thought of you." He holds out the pouch. "If you don't like it, no pressure. But I wanted you to have it."
Another gift?
I take the little bag, which is heavier than I expected. When I loosen the drawstring and tip the contents into my palm, I stare at it in surprise.
It's a… pendant?
A delicate silver disc suspended from a chain so fine it looks like it was spun from moonlight. The disc itself is set within what appears to be a droplet of liquid glass, and inside, tiny points of light shift and move like actual stars.
"It's called a starlight compass," Micah explains, watching my reaction closely. "It's supposed to help guide you when you're lost. Or give reassurance you're on the right path."
I stare at the pendant, mesmerized by the way the tiny stars twinkle and swirl within the glass. It's beautiful in a way the mundane world shouldn't be. Clearly magical, clearly special.
But what makes my stomach twist itself into a pretzel is the fact that Micah saw it and thought of me.
"I… don't know what to say," I admit, looking up at him. "Thank you. It's beautiful."
His smile could melt a glacier. "I'm glad you like it. Do you want to try it on?"
I nod, suddenly weirdly emotional and having trouble speaking properly.
Micah gestures for me to turn around, and I do, lifting my hair out of the way. I feel the brush of his fingers against my neck as he fastens the clasp, his touch gentle and warm. The pendant settles against my skin, warm and oddly comforting.
And then it begins to glow.
Not a subtle shimmer or a trick of the light, but an actual magical glow. Soft at first, then steadily brightening until the starlight within the pendant seems to pulse with blue-white radiance.
I reach up to touch it and light spills between my fingers, lighting up the space between us. I'm so mesmerized, I barely think about the way my scars must look in this light.
"Is it supposed to do that?" I ask, both fascinated and alarmed.
Micah's eyes are wide with wonder, the lights reflecting off his dilated pupils like a cat staring at a Christmas tree. "I... don't know. The merchant didn't mention that."
"Did you ask Sadie to enchant it?" I ask, since that's the only explanation I can think of. Shifters can't wield magic. It's why they have a reputation for kidnapping witches on the odd occasion they do have a need for magical services. Guess it's easier than putting out a help wanted ad.
He shakes his head. "No. Definitely not."
I look down at the glowing pendant, the tiny stars now swirling more actively within their glass prison. It must be reacting to me.
Or… us.
Maybe it's responding because this is where I'm supposed to be.
With him. With the pack. Following the path that's been laid out before me, despite my hesitation.
And the fear that still buzzes inside me, making my scars prickle, when I see the shapes of wolves in the woods.
The pendant pulses brighter as if it's agreeing with my unspoken thoughts. Its light darkens the shadows on Micah's face, highlighting the sturdy angles of his cheekbones, the curve of his lips as he gazes at me with hope in his eyes.
My instinct is to dismiss this as magical trickery. Who the hell knows where he got this from? That would be the safe response, wouldn't it? The guarded one. The one that keeps all my nice little walls intact.
But deep down, beneath the layers of cynicism and fear I've wrapped around myself like armor, I know the truth. I feel that truth in the way my magic responds to their presence. These wolves comfort me. And I'm letting my guard down a little more each day.
"It's perfect," I whisper, caressing the pendant.
Micah's smile glows even brighter. "You like it?"
There's so much eagerness behind that question. Like my approval is some prize he's desperate to win.
I laugh softly and reach out to touch his cheek. "I love it."
He melts visibly into my touch, his eyes fluttering closed. We've already shared a moment far more intimate than this, but somehow, this feels just as important.
And when my skin makes contact with his, I feel the soft pulse of energy flowing into me. Strong and steady but gentle, just like Micah himself.
I guess Killian was right.
Not only do I not need to be officially bonded to the pack to feed from them, but the connection between us is so strong, a simple touch is enough to feel it.
And unlike the energy I took from my former coven, there's no bitter aftertaste of regret.
Not at all.
The pendant is beautiful. There's no denying that.
But I don't need any more confirmation that I'm making the right choice.