Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Corbin
Fury, like no other, flows through my veins as I stare at the space my mate stood only moments ago.
I heard the voice scream in her head. Felt the pain it gave her.
I should have known she’d do this. Even carrying my child, she’d sacrifice herself because she will .
. . fuck . . . she’ll protect the world if she could.
“What the hell just happened?” Justice demands.
They all saw what I saw. They didn’t, however, hear what I heard. It was enough to send a chill down my spine, and nothing had ever done that before.
“Doesn’t matter what happened. What does though is finding my woman,” I snarl, my wolf enraged by his mate being gone, by the reason for his mate leaving. By the fact his mate and unborn pup are now in more danger than ever. “How the hell did the dead wolf get here? Did someone see who brought it?”
“No new scents were detected,” Tucker remarks, stepping forward, eyes on the dead wolf.
“There wasn’t even a scent of magic anywhere other than on the dead wolf,” Justice announces, gaze meeting mine, the tick in his jaw visible. I know my VP well enough to know he’s beyond pissed and closing in on erupting. Stepping into my space, he murmurs, “Something’s off here, Corbin.”
I agree.
It’s not a secret that Karsyn had escaped the blood witches.
No one would have known about the bond between my mate and me or how extensive it goes.
The more I think, the more my wolf grows more frustrated over the fact we’re not going after Karsyn yet.
It could be a trap we’d walk into. Karsyn went, and I know why she did, doesn’t mean I’m not pissed about it.
She’d have known. Thought of the bond between us, not just the mating.
Fuck.
But now I’ve got to figure out who the fuck we’re dealing with here ‘cause I know for a fact if a blood witch were to come within feet of my clubhouse, one of my brothers would have sensed it.
For that matter, Karsyn would have known before they even stepped foot into my territory.
Someone had to have helped put that dead wolf at our door.
“Church, now,” I command, ignoring the smell of the already decomposing wolf. Making my way into the room, I don’t bother taking a seat. I simply wait for my brothers to file in and the door to close. “Someone brought that wolf here, and it wasn’t a blood witch. So, who the fuck was it?”
“Long shot, and maybe it’s nothing worth noting,” Tobias speaks up, crossing his arms over his chest.
“What is it?” Dane demands, fury rolling off him.
“A few of the doxies have been seen around town with Hummer.” Tobias’s words draw a snarl from my lips. “Twice I saw them. Could she have had something to do with any of this?”
“Doesn’t make sense, but it’s a possibility,” Tucker answers, nodding.
“I want someone to find the bitch and bring her to the clubhouse.” My wolf snarls the order, more than ready to kill the bitch. She knew the score if she ever showed herself around here again. I won’t allow her to live.
A sudden agonizing pain flows through me, causing me to lose my breath.
“Prez, you good?” Justice asks, stepping closer to me.
Closing my eyes, I give a shake of my head, doing my best to focus on the pain.
To push through it. My mate is hurting, and I need to get to her.
To save her. Bring her home where she belongs.
After a moment the pain subsides, and I return my attention to my brothers. “We need to get to Shadow Grove.”
“Isn’t that the home of the blood witches’ base?” Dane questions.
“It is,” I respond and glance at my brothers.
“I want Salem, Coby, and Jackson to stay behind, look for that stupid cunt Hummer, find her, then lock her down. Tobias and Quincy, go to Big Daddy’s and protect Sage.
Don’t let her out of your sight. The rest of you, you’re with me.
We’ll shift and run. It’ll be quicker that way.
” Once orders are given, I meet Justice’s gaze. “I’m getting Karsyn back.”
“We’re with you,” he agrees.
Nodding, I give a quick glance around the room. “For the time being, until this is done, nothing is said around the doxies. Not about Karsyn. Or the blood witch. Somehow, someone has betrayed us in betraying my woman, and I’ll find out who it is. I just need to get her back first.”
“We got you,” Tucker states, speaking for everyone.
“Good, not let’s fuckin’ go.” Moving past them all, I throw the door open and stalk to the doors leading outside.
Out under the bright sun, I shift, my bones popping, adjusting, changing.
Long ago, it would hurt to shift, but no longer does it bother me.
It’s a welcoming pain and one I’d gladly take on if it meant being able to give my wolf the chance to be in his natural form.
Shaking out my fur, I stretch my legs and take off in the direction I need to go.
Shadow Grove is nothing more than a dark forest filled with creatures that are created by the blood witches to do their bidding.
We haven’t had to go there, but nothing, not even those creatures, will stop me from getting my mate back.
I don’t know how many minutes or hours pass us by, but my sole focus is getting to Karsyn. She needs me just as I need her.
Sensing we’re nearly there, I slow my pace, needing to be watchful of my surroundings.
With the entrance into Shadow Grove coming into view, my hackles rise, and I prepare myself for what’s next alongside the shifters with me.
Just before we go to enter, a shimmering light appears in front of me, and with it, a glowing form of . . .
“Moon Goddess.” Lowering my head in respect, though, I want nothing more than to tell her to get the fuck out of my way.
“My child,” the Moon Goddess whispers and kneels in front of me.
“I know of what’s happened and what will.
I made a promise to your mother that I would always look after you and your brother and this I will keep.
” She presses a kiss to my snout and rests her forehead just above.
“Your mate and pup are going to be okay. You will get them back, but remember the bond you two share. It’s what will save you both.
Not only is it between you and her but those who are nearest you.
While in these woods, it will save you all. ”
“What the hell does that mean?” I don’t understand what she’s talking about. Then again, all of this is still damn confusing. I’d only just started to get accustomed to the damn bond between Karsyn and me. Now this shit?
“It’ll all make sense, my child,” The goddess remarks. “Just know that for this time only you all are protected.” No sooner those words leave her lips, the Moon Goddess vanishes into thin air.
“What the fuck was that about, Prez?” Justice asks, surprised by the appearance of the goddess.
Never before have any of us ever experienced what we just did. It’s unheard of. We always grew up learning that the Moon Goddess can’t and won’t step in or intervene with fate and free will.
However, I experienced the Moon Goddess’s visit one other time. Though it wasn’t an actual visit but one she’d had with Karsyn while I’d witnessed it. This is confusing the hell out of me and fucking with my head.
Focus. That’s what I need to do right now. Focus and get Karsyn back before it’s too late.