Chapter Eleven
Klaus was used to taking care of members of the pack. He was also used to keeping an eye on Lucinda. When she first came to him years ago, she had feared for her life and what the coven would do to her, for turning her back on them.
He put the spoon into the soup and Lucinda wrinkled her nose.
“It needs a little more chili,” she said.
“My wife makes amazing soup.”
“For the pack. For me, I always need an added kick of spice,” Lucinda said.
Klaus nodded his head. “I’ll go and get the bottle of hot sauce.”
“Thank you,” Lucinda said. “For coming to get me.”
“How did you make it out into the forest, especially near the lake? You told me you hated the forest, even if you live around it.” Klaus waited.
Lucinda sighed.
“Did your coven come?” he asked.
“Klaus, it was one of your pack,” Lucinda said.
“How can you be sure?”
“My memory has returned. I know exactly who attacked me and I also know why.” Lucinda reached for his hand, and the moment she grabbed him, he watched as her eyes went wide, and he knew she was not even looking at him. She was seeing the future, which meant something had changed, or someone’s life was attached to his own. “You have to go,” Lucinda said. “There is not enough time. She is so angry, and if you don’t, Casey and Dex are going to be killed!”
****
“Leave him alone!” Casey said.
Dex finally moved away from whomever was pulling him. Whatever had been in that smoke was seriously messing with his senses. It was like he couldn’t see or smell. The truth was, he thought Casey had grabbed his hand, which is why he also left with her.
Now, as he pulled away, he couldn’t help but stumble, but all too soon, he was struggling against a tree. The moment he felt the branches of the tree around his body, he realized this was exactly the premonition Lucinda had shared with him.
The fog dissipated and then he saw who it was. He had thought it would be Buddy. It was the only logical explanation. That asshole had been his target for a long time. Only, the person that stood between him and Casey was not a man, and was not Buddy, but sweet, kind Joanna Kingsley.
She worked at the diner, made amazing tea and coffee, and never once got his order wrong. Dex remembered her from high school. She had been one of the last to transition who had been born in the same year as him and Casey.
“What?” Dex asked.
“You!” Casey said.
“Stay back, if you know what is good for you,” Joanna said.
“We’re trying to look for who could have attacked Lucinda,” Casey said. “I know you and Lucinda were close, but what is going on?”
Dex looked toward Casey, and then his premonition replayed in his mind. Her long brown hair fell around her in waves, she wore a pair of Wellington boots, and the clothes she wore were an exact replica.
This was the vision come to life.
Joanna.
What the fuck was going on?
Joanna glared at Casey. “She found out I took something from her. She was going to tell Klaus, and nothing I could do was going to stop her. I couldn’t have that. There was no way she was coming in between my future, so I did what I had to do. I took care of it.”
“You attacked her.”
“She was going to tell the Alpha what I did. I couldn’t have that. I thought she would understand but like always, everyone looks at you and sees a damn princess. They see a woman who is worthy to be an Alpha’s queen.”
Dex looked toward Casey.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I saw the way he looked at you. It didn’t even matter if you didn’t give him the time of day, or even if it was just a soft, sweet smile. Dex would come running back for more. Everyone always talked about how sweet and fucking cute it was that Dex was head over heels in love with you. How you’d make an amazing couple. You’ll be strong and be able to take on anything together. The pack would grow from strength to fucking strength. Everyone was excited about you turning eighteen. Dex had already transitioned, but you hadn’t yet, and I knew what Lucinda was trying to do. She is always so helpful. She really should start to consider what other witches are like. They don’t take bullshit from anyone—”
“What did you do?” Casey yelled.
“Don’t you dare interrupt me!”
Casey held her hands out as if in surrender, but he saw the mocking way she did it. “Oh, I’m sorry. You attacked one of the pack. Lucinda is a witch, but she is still one of us, and now you’re complaining because people like me. Get over yourself.”
“And I knew if I stopped you from transitioning, then everyone would see the real you. That you’re weak. You are not worthy of Dex’s love or devotion. You would not make a good pack queen. You’re a horrible bitch, and you don’t deserve to live.”
“You!” Casey said. “You did something to me.”
Joanna laughed. “Yeah, I did. While you were giving me sweet smiles, I was brewing you a special tea. You see, Lucinda had been working hard on a new potion, one for pregnant pack females. The aim was to suppress the wolf, but she didn’t know what Klaus would think. She got nervous, doubted herself, and put the jar of tea far out of reach, but I knew it would work. Everything Lucinda did, worked. So I tested it on you and only you. You love coming to the diner for your coffee and tea, and I made sure to put a nice dose in any beverage you had. When it came time to transition, you couldn’t.” The glee in her face irritated Dex.
“Casey could transition,” Dex said.
“Oh, there is a good chance she might at some point, but I’ve been feeding her a lot of tea, and we don’t know the long-term side effects, so there is also—”
Joanna didn’t get to finish because Casey had moved, and she had done so at a speed that surprised Dex. She wrapped her fingers around Joanna’s throat, once again cutting her off.
“Why don’t we see?” Casey asked, and with a strength that took him by surprise, she threw Joanna across the forest.
He watched as Joanna hit one of the trees, and the force of it made the tree shake. The other woman fell to the ground, and clearly was taken aback by Casey’s strength.
There was no match for her. Even before Joanna could attack, Casey was there, blocking her, keeping her back.
He tried to free himself from the bindings.
“What is happening?” Joanna asked.
Casey held onto Joanna’s throat and lifted her in the air, and that was when he saw her start to transition. It was one of the most beautiful sights in the world. There was no pain, just a merging of Casey with her wolf.
His father had said it was rare with the wolves. That it did take some time for them to get used to their wolves, that voice that spoke to them.
Then, Dex remembered the other night. Casey asked who had said that. There had been moments it looked like she could hear something, but it was only her that was able to hear anything.
She’d been hearing her wolf.
“I haven’t been going to the diner. I haven’t drunk anything from you.”
“Casey, don’t,” Klaus said, suddenly coming toward them. Hot on his tail was Lucinda, who instantly saw what had happened to Dex, and she waved her hand, freeing him.
Dex rushed toward Casey.
“She tried to kill Dex,” Casey said. “She cannot be allowed to live.”
“That decision is for the pack,” Klaus said. “These are our laws, and trust me, she is going to be severely punished for what she has done, but her death will not be on your hands.”
Dex looked toward his mate. Her rage was so acute. He didn’t know if there was going to be any way for Casey to stop what she was going to do.
Joanna had tried to ruin her life. The other woman had clearly thought that if she stopped Casey from being able to transition, Dex would turn his back on her. That was never going to happen.
Casey was his soulmate. His reason for breathing. His reason for everything. He loved her with his whole being.
“Casey,” Dex said.
She turned to look at him. She hadn’t fully transitioned but she wanted to. He saw it. Her wolf was so close to the surface.
“For me, it has always been you. Nothing and no one is going to change that.”
Seconds passed and he stared into her eyes.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too.”
Casey was a strong woman as she turned off her wolf and slowly lowered Joanna to the ground. He saw her give the other woman’s throat a final good squeeze, and then she let her go.
Klaus was there, as was his mom, along with Lucinda.
“I’ll deal with this,” Klaus said.
Lucinda gave them the update about everything that had happened. How Joanna had been obsessed with Dex, but it had been that of a small girl crush, but also how she had used her and Lucinda’s friendship to hide what she had been doing.
“It will never happen again,” Lucinda said.
“That doesn’t mean you have to leave,” Dex said.
“I am not leaving, but my potions will have a protection spell placed on them, and from this point onward, I will not share anything. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to enjoy some soup that just needs a little hot sauce.” Lucinda turned on her heel, and Dex looked toward his woman.
“I can turn into a wolf. Did you see that?” Casey asked.
“I saw.”
“Do you think you can … run? That you and I can run? I won’t get much chance. Not when the baby grows a little bigger.”
He smiled. “We can run. How about you have a head start, and I will chase you?”
Casey smiled and then she took off.
Dex frowned and turned to look in the direction of Lucinda, only to nearly jump back as she was standing so close to him.
“You have a question,” she said.
He stared at her and she raised a brow.
“You like doing that, don’t you? You like freaking people out.”
“I find it rather pleasurable, yes.” She gave him a soft smile.
“The premonition didn’t play out the way I thought it would,” he said.
“Of course not. It’s a guide, Dex. It always has been. Sometimes it helps to give you the push you need, to make decisions you have to make. Now, don’t think too much about it. Trust me, it will drive you crazy.”
And with that, Lucinda was gone and he was able to go chasing after his mate. There was no way he was going to listen or allow another premonition to get in his way again.
He had Casey, and that was all he needed.