Page 9 of Tethered Magick
Though I had many reasons to be upset, I couldn’t put my finger on what was bothering me most, but my gut churned as I replayed the entire meeting from start to finish, analyzing it for anything I might have missed.
My mother’s death was still a heavy weight on my spirit, and the disappointment over not finding the grimoire was almost tangible. Without it, I didn’t stand a chance of saving my adoptive father. Still, I searched for what was needling me.
“We’re going to figure all this out, Lorn,” Axel promised as he moved to my side, twined my fingers with his, and led me to where Dason was creating a portal.
I sent my alpha a grateful smile. It might have been small, but the sentiment behind it wasn’t lost on him. The fact that I could smile at all right now was a miracle.
I was ready to put this night behind us. I longed for the moment I could walk back into my cabin, shed this dress, conjure up some pjs and fuzzy slippers, and eat my weight in brownie batter.
My guys chuckled, my alphas sharing that thought with their packs.
“I hope you know I’m perfectly serious. Chocolate can fix most things. Take notes,” I warned playfully, feeling lighter the moment I saw the cabin materialize on the other side of the portal.
“Consider it done,” Chayton vowed, and I threw myself into his arms, stealing the hug I’d been dying for all evening.
His hand stroked over my head, and his nose burrowed into my hair as he breathed in my scent. I did the same, enjoying the fresh sweetgrass aromas that were already so familiar.
“At least we received some answers. That’s a start.” Bless Chayton for always trying to find the silver linings.
“It would be easier if every answer I received didn’t lead to more questions.” I sighed into his chest before I forced myself to pull away. Truthfully, I could have stayed in his arms all night.
That can be arranged, Chayton shared privately, using our mate connection to communicate directly. So far, he was the only one of my mates to bite me and seal our bond.
I’d love that.
Truthfully, I didn’t want to be alone tonight. In fact, sleeping alone no longer held any appeal. Not when I had all these mates to use as hard, sexy pillows. What girl didn’t love a good cuddle? Especially when she was feeling as emotionally wrung out as I was.
I’d take any comfort I could get while I let all this information settle. Until I found my new normal, nothing would ever be the same again.
Dason had been right, there was no going back now that I’d learned about my mother and had a glimpse into my past.
“One by one we’ll find the answers to everything, babe,” Jolon assured me, easily reading my turmoil. “Every day you’ll wake up and press on because you have to, because there’s no other choice, and eventually you’ll realize that things don’t feel as difficult as they once did. You’re going to find your footing again, and that new normal you’re craving. It just takes time.” Syler stroked a hand down my hair in support. I leaned into his palm, soaking up his warmth and strength.
“We won’t quit.” My gaze flew to Dason who was standing with his thumbs hooked in his pockets, the portal swirling next to him ready to take us home. “We’ll find out more about your past, Lorn, and we’ll find the grimoire too.”
“I won’t let you lose another loved one,” Kota promised, latching onto my fear over my father. His declaration was exactly what I needed to hear, because I wasn’t sure I’d survive the loss of my dad, or anyone I loved for that matter.
There was only one answer to all of my problems.
I needed to find the grimoire, and soon.
Four
Chayton
Lorn’s chest rose and fell with the steady rhythm of sleep. I gently brushed the hair back from her face. Her eyes were puffy from crying in my arms as she fell asleep last night, the tip of her nose still red. It didn’t matter. She still looked beautiful.
My mate held her own last night, a strong force before the elders. I’d expected her to fall apart the moment we walked into the cabin, but she’d made it through a meal, a shower, and half a tray of homemade brownies before she let go of the emotions that sat like a weight in our bond. In the solace of her own room, she’d let the tears fall while we each took turns comforting her. Even now, Axel was asleep on the floor, and Kota sat in the chair at the desk along the wall, his head propped on his folded arms as he snoozed in the early morning hours. Jolon sat on the floor, his arms and feet crossed, his head lolled back against the wall as he grabbed some shut-eye. Syler was curled up in the corner in his wolf form, awake, his eyes on Lorn, always her silent protector. Downstairs, Dason was just returning from running the boundaries, making sure our territory was secure.
I placed a soft kiss on Lorn’s head and slipped from my spot on the mattress.
Glancing toward Sy, I offered him the bed, but he shifted his gaze to Axel, offering the spot to him instead. I got the opinion that Syler wanted, maybe even needed, to survey the whole room from right where he was. He had a perfect vantage point of the entire pack residing within the space.
As a fellow beta, I understood the notion. Guarding those we loved from the right side of an alpha often meant observing everything that was going on while the alpha was engaged in business. Protecting our mate was no different, and yet it had changed everything. Lorn was the most important thing to us now, and as our mate, she took the number one spot in our lives, bumping our alphas to second priority. His wolf wouldn’t relax until Lorn woke and he saw she was alright.
Squatting next to Axel, I roused him as quietly as I could and motioned for him to take the bed. He didn’t need any convincing, slipping between the sheets and pulling Lorn into his arms. She nuzzled into his side, sighing in her sleep.
Seeing the subconscious reaction to him warmed my heart. It had been hard for Lorn to adjust when she first came to live with us, but it hadn’t taken long for the bond and our time together to start solidifying each of our relationships with her, though some of us were further along than others.