CHAPTER 20 #3
“Don’t judge him too harshly,” she said. “A man like Michael has done nothing but keep secrets his entire life, and this is all very new to him. But you should know, he’s powerful. That ward around the Kolbeck mansion? He drew it himself.”
I looked back at her, incredulous. “Alone?”
She nodded. “And since MacKenzie wolves power share with their mates over the bond, you’re going to have to deal with that. Soon.”
I might be about to gain magical abilities. At any time. While down in the city surrounded by enemies. And who knew how they would manifest. Did Anna?
I looked at her in question.
She shook her head. “Sorry, kid. I got nothing. There’s no precedent for a MacKenzie wolf mating with a mystic of his abilities.”
“Will the runes work on me? Keep it locked down?”
“They should. I’d have whoever tattoos them onto you put a little bit more oomph into the spell, if you know what I mean.”
I did. And I would.
“Oh, and one more thing?” she said. “When he wakes up, tell him I know what the Kolbecks’ military contracting branch is cooking up in their labs, and they need to put a stop to it. Before I do.”
“What are they cooking up?”
She grimaced. “It’s probably better that you don’t know. For your own good.”
“Um… okay.” I’d just have to ask Michael. Maybe he’d tell me. “So, what now?”
“Now you return to the city. You keep your noses to the ground, watch your backs, and hide your budding powers.”
My earlier anger threatened to return. “The last would be easier to do if we knew what to expect.”
“I know. My bad.” She winced. “I should have sent an older wolf to help you out, but you didn’t seem in any hurry to be mated, and I thought I had time.”
“So there is some sort of sharing network between us?”
She nodded.
“What else should Michael and I expect?”
“You figured most of it out last night. You share powers and abilities, can communicate through thought, and are more hyperaware of each other than regular wolves.”
I flushed. She knew about what happened between us last night.
A smile split her impossibly beautiful face, making it look like the noonday sun had broken through the darkness.
“Don’t be embarrassed. I don’t know what you did physically.
I just felt your power melding.” Her gaze turned to Michael.
“You’re lucky he picked up on how to control it so quickly.
Must be because of his magical affinity.
It’s taken other bonded pairs years to master it.
They’re forced to live in the woods like eremites until they do. ”
“Why all this secrecy still?”
She jerked her chin in his direction. “Blame wolves like the Kolbecks. If they knew what you were truly capable of, nothing would stop them from trying to get a piece of the pie. They’ve already attempted to use their vast wealth to buy into the MacKenzie line.”
“Seriously?”
She nodded. “Mary tried to bribe a wolf a few years older than you into marrying her daughter Amy.”
I rubbed my temples. “And now she has me.” Her grandstanding at dinner the other night was more of a show than even Michael could have guessed.
“Layla, I can’t stress this enough: You need to be very careful around that woman.
She is one of the most dangerous wolves alive today.
She will do anything for power. That is why everything I’ve said has to stay between us.
Someone like her could start a war between our species.
I really, really like being alive. Even after all of this time.
If it comes to war, we won’t be able to keep it from the humans.
They have nukes.” She sat back in her seat, elbows on the armrests, her expression turning contemplative. “I’m not sure if I can survive a nuke.”
I laughed. The sound came out hysterical.
She frowned. “You’re not handling this well.”
“Gee, you think?!” I was screaming, but I couldn’t seem to bring my tone under control. “Do you know how much shit I’ve been through the past few days? And now this?”
War. The threat of witches. My impending magical awakening.
The fact that the most terrifying creature I’d ever met wanted me to watch out for my mother-in-law.
It was all too much. Especially after everything I’d already experienced.
I missed my old life. Longed for the simplicity of last week.
My biggest stressor back then had been whether or not my best friend would find a mate.
Now I had to worry about restless gods and doomsday prophecies.
Across from me, Anna frowned. “I’ve seen so much that I forget how mortal minds sometimes struggle to cope with momentous upheaval.
” She worried her lower lip between what appeared to be perfectly normal human teeth.
“Maybe it’s enough to know that we spoke, you don’t need to fear me, but you do need to be careful in the city. Oh, yes. And my warnings for Michael.”
Wait, was she talking about erasing my memories? Could she even do that?
She nodded at me.
“Please don’t,” I said.
Her expression softened. “I’m sorry. I’ll give them back when you’re ready. I promise.”