34. Jax

34

Jax

Anna was quiet while we showered, except for when I was on my knees again. The orgasms were the only times she didn't seem bothered. I let her dress, and when she reached for the door, I gently took her hand and guided her away. "Tell me what's on your mind, baby. What happened after that bitch kicked me out?"

"Just Katherine running her mouth," Anna said and sighed. "I wanted to leave my magic locked up. To just take my wolf and run, but I had to take both."

"They're both part of you, Anna. They always were, you just didn't know it. Do you feel your magic?"

"I don't know. I feel different, but when I try to focus on it, like I can focus on my wolf, it just seems to scatter. I can't call to it or reach it, but I can feel it there."

There was uncertainty there, but also something beneath. Fear.

That bitch had done something to Anna to make her doubt her strength. I wanted to wring her neck.

Which reminded me. I couldn't touch Katherine, but there was a witch whose slow and torturous death was calling my name.

"You were born with the magic. You're meant to wield it, but it's only been about twelve hours. It might take a little more time for you to adjust," I said as I kissed her head. "You've been on liquid nutrients for the past month. You need to start eating, but we should take it easy. I can bring you some food, if you want."

Anna shook her head. "No, I need to move around. I want to go home, Jax. I want to be back on Black Diamond land. I want our house and our bed. I want The Fanged Smile. So, I'm going to the dining hall, and I'm going to eat."

Fuck, I loved it when she calls it ours. And when she called it home. "We're going to leave soon, but I do want you to take it easy."

"Also, I want to ask London if he knows where those files were that he gave me."

"Files? Oh. London took them. He had some issues with Lunessa being around, and he thought she might take them. There are some deep-seated trust issues there. I'll get your files back. We'll have breakfast, and we'll come back here…"

"Jax," she interrupted me. "Are you worried about me being alone?"

"No. I just want to be with you."

She narrowed her eyes at me, and I sighed. "Anna, I'm not worried about you and your magic, but I don't know who London told. There's going to be a lot of interest in you. Until we're back on Black Diamond land, you're going to have a bodyguard."

"Some things never change," Anna muttered. "Fine. I'll take my bodyguard and go get some food and then visit with London. Is it Finn?"

She was really not going to like it. "Kenzi's the only one bound to me. I want to know immediately if there's trouble. "

Anna wrinkled her nose. "I'm bound to you."

"Please?" I asked her softly. "It's just for a few days. Finn has been guarding Amelia while she works, and Saul is still looking into the vaccine."

"I hate when you say please. Fine, but tell her that I'm not going to stay in my room," she grumbled.

I smiled as she marched out into the hall. Kenzi met us for breakfast, and the two of them exchanged their usual banter. Afterward, I hated to separate from Anna, but I needed to check in with everyone else. First stop was Amelia. She'd muttered that she hadn't found anything yet and sent me on my way.

Next, I went in search of Lunessa. I had some questions and I wanted answers.

It didn't take me long to find Irene and Lunessa together in one of the guest rooms. There was an insane amount of herbs on the table as well as books. They were both so focused they didn't even seem to realize that their door had been cracked open or that I was in the room.

I glanced at one of the open books. "Defensive magic," I read and flipped the page. "Defending against witches. Is there something I should be aware of, ladies?"

"Anna is going to be in danger," Irene said softly. "I do not know if I'm going to be enough to defend her."

"So, this is to defend Anna and not to fight her?"

Irene's eyes widened. "What? No, of course not! Why would you ever say that?"

I looked over to Lunessa. "You're awfully quiet."

"I can sense the anger inside of you. You came here for a purpose, and I'm guessing it's not to tell me thank you for helping you save her."

Her voice was a little too icy at the end. Flipping the chair around, I sat down. "Anna wasn't just trapped in her mind. She was trapped in her memories. You were right that her mother was the reason. We learned a hell of a lot about her past."

"That's good. That's really good. If we can determine her mother's family line, we can help identify her magic. Anna has a lot of learning to do and…" Irene's voice trailed off. "That's obviously not your concern."

"Who was the Maiden before you, Lunessa?"

Lunessa frowned. "The Mother, I think. Why?"

"Before Katherine met Dirk, she was the Maiden. She left her coven to be with her wolf, and when she needed help with Anna, she went back to her coven. The Crone was there. The Mother actually died helping Katherine lock away Anna's magic. Dirk killed her. My condolences."

Lunessa's face paled, and Irene gasped. "Wait, you're suggesting that my coven knows who Anna's mother is? Knows what Anna is?"

"I'm not suggesting it. I'm telling you. The Crone touched my mate when she was a child and ordered her executed," I snarled. "Do you have any idea what it did to Anna to see that? She nearly tore down the walls of her own damn mind. And the woman you call the Mother? She was there as the newest Maiden. I'm guessing she had a quick promotion. They knew what Anna was. They knew what her mother had done to her, and they sent her back to Dirk. Sent her back to a killer. I have no doubt they were hoping that he would kill her so they wouldn't have to. Are you here to kill her?"

"No. I didn't know, Jax, I swear." Lunessa clutched the pendant around her chest. "There must be some mistake. They wouldn't lie to me like this. And Anna…she's incredible. The first ever wolf with witch magic. I would never hurt her. She's my friend."

I relaxed a little. She seemed to be telling the truth.

"Why would the Crone say that?"

"Jealousy," I snarled. "She was jealous when Katherine left the coven for a wolf, and she was extremely jealous when her child had magic."

"Katherine," Lunessa said softly. "I've never heard of a witch named Katherine."

What did that matter. I shrugged. "She left the coven when you were still in diapers."

"No, but my mother…not coven mother but actual mother, used to talk about a witch with a wolf mate. She'd joined a pack. It wasn't all that common for a witch to join a pack back then. In fact, it was because that pack had a witch that the others took up the practice," Lunessa murmured.

That got my attention. "Do you remember whose pack? They ran with Anna and Dirk. Or, Dane, as he was then before he slaughtered his mate and lost his mind."

"Fuck," Lunessa muttered. "Some of the pieces are falling together. No, I don't know whose pack."

But that gave me an idea. Amelia was already checking the other packs. It wouldn't hurt it if she did a quick name search to see if anything came up.

"Now, to my other point, and since you already have all these books out, I think you're just the two women to help me. Just how hard is it going to be for me to kill the Crone?"