Chapter 2

Hours later, I found myself in the bedroom of my cabin, hurriedly stuffing clothes into a black duffel bag I had tossed onto the bed. Beside it, Callan lay sprawled out, lazily observing me as I packed.

Bending over, I reached deep into the closet to grab an extra pair of sneakers, secretly hoping my leggings were living up to their fifty-dollar promise. A hint of arousal trickled through the bond between us, causing the corners of my mouth to quirk up.

"You better relax," I tossed back at him with a small laugh.

Teasing him had become one of my favorite pastimes, and he made it so easy. Whether it was him or the mate bond, he always seemed ready to go, seconds away from throwing me on the bed and having his way with me.

"You know we can't, not until Oliver figures out the birth control situation." Turns out shifter sperm was incredibly potent once you've found your mate, and we'd been lucky not to conceive. It was a lapse in judgment not to consider it earlier, but as soon as I'd come to my senses, I"d implemented a sex ban. Oliver was working on a serum to block both my shifter and fae fertility.

Callan was my mate, but I wasn't ready for children yet.

"You"re supposed to be practicing blocking me out," he commented. I clicked my tongue, knowing he was right but unwilling to admit it. Instead, I closed my eyes, focusing on forming the invisible wall Oliver had been teaching us. After a few moments, it clicked into place, but it was patchy, with spidery cracks feathering across its surface. It worked, but it wouldn't hold back any strong emotion for long.

"Aren't you supposed to be doing the same?" I retorted, pivoting to look at him, catching his eyes darting up to my face a moment too late.

"I like knowing what you're feeling. If you're not going to put up the wall, then I'm not either."

"You're invading my privacy," I said, feigning irritation. With a reliable block in place, he'd never be able to know what I didn't want him to. Emphasis on reliable, which I had yet to master.

"Then block me out better," he said smoothly, sliding flush behind me, his arms encircling my waist.

It was strange having someone in my space now, our souls literally tied together. But I didn't hate it, not as much as I thought I would. If I wasn't so stubborn, I might even admit that I liked it.

Fiercely independent had always been my motto, but I could no longer ignore the way my entire being burned when Callan was near. The mate bond had only intensified those feelings, and he'd become much more open with me since that heated night in the woods.

He"d broken his walls down and let me in.

Hot breath kissed the skin of my neck as he nuzzled me, right over the skin of my tattoo. A hot shiver rolled down my spine, my eyes closing as I let myself sink into his embrace for a moment before stepping out of his reach.

"I'm working on it," I replied warily, softening as I reached back out to him, lifting the hem of his t-shirt to look at his tattoos. "You okay with this?"

"I'm fine," he said flatly, though his eyes softened slightly.

"Do you miss her?" I asked, referring to Lexi. Their entire mate bond had been a lie, but he'd still believed she was it for him. They were selfish thoughts, but sometimes I found myself wondering. Did he hold me the same way he did her? Did he compare us? It was a spiral of comparison that never ended well for me mentally, and yet, I couldn't help it.

He didn't have to ask who I was talking about. "No," he answered quickly. I tried not to let him see my small sigh of relief at the hasty denial.

"I don't know what her motivations for the fake mate bond were, but no matter what, that doesn't change my feelings. I mean it when I tell you it never felt right with her. There was always something missing."

I swallowed hard, mustering the courage to ask my next question. "Does it feel right with me?"

Shock crossed his face for a split second, then a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Rowan, I can confidently tell you that I have never felt anything more right than this." He leaned down, placing a kiss on my forehead, before sliding his lips to my cheek and then to my neck, where I couldn"t resist the rush of desire that overtook me.

Three weeks without sex was hell for a shifter, and I was raging to go within seconds. He sensed my need, his strong arms banding around me, twisting us until I was falling back onto the bed, his body pressing against mine.

He gave me no time to recover, his mouth descending onto mine, roughly capturing my lips with his. Our tongues danced, his hips pushing into mine as I squirmed underneath him, suddenly cursing the clothes that separated us. His fingers came down to unbutton my jeans, and I gasped against his mouth, trying to regain control.

"We can't," I managed between pants. He stilled, his heated eyes closing as he leaned them against my forehead, trying to steady his breathing. Then, with a gentle kiss on my lips, he pushed off me, leaving me suddenly cold in the absence of his body heat.

"Oliver better hurry up, or it may be him I'm going to have to sleep with," he grumbled, a shocked laugh bursting from me at the visual.

A loud ring sounded, and Callan pulled out his phone, listened for a second, then disconnected. I stared at him, raising a brow in silent question.

"Wolfe wants us ready to go in thirty. It's an hour's drive to the airport from here, and then a four-hour flight, give or take. He also said to hurry up and finish packing; he knows you waited until the last minute."

"You got all that from a five-second conversation? You didn't even say anything." I blew out a harsh breath as I turned back to packing, ignoring the fact that he was right. Preparation was not my forte, but I was not about to start admitting my faults.

He only smirked.

I dashed into the bathroom, gathering the necessities into a toiletry bag before returning, throwing it haphazardly into the almost full bag. "The way you pack is infuriating," he observed. "A disaster."

"Still want to live with me?" I winced as soon as I said it. Stupid. We'd had this conversation already, and we both knew I wasn't ready to take that step yet.

"You know I do." He spoke not as a man, but instead like a hunter closing in on his prey.

"I'm still trying to adjust to that."

"I know," he said, zipping up my bag and slinging it over one shoulder as he moved towards the door of the cabin. He stooped down, picking up his own bag too. "And I'll wait. I'll wait until you're ready. For forever, if I have to. I'm all in here."

My breath caught at his words, my chest warming with something I didn't want to put a name on. I retreated to the bathroom again, both to give myself a respite from the intensity of his words, but also to retrieve the most valuable possession I held.

Oberon's ring. The ring Queen Tantaii was so obsessed with getting, she'd kill me for it.

I picked up the chain I had strung the delicate jewelry through, lost in its glittering ruby surface. It swirled at my touch, almost vibrating in my hand, and the urge to slip it over the nearest finger was strong. The rush of power, the feeling that I could do anything. It was intoxicating, and I would be lying if I said I didn't miss it. Don't let it get to you.

I shook my head, breaking contact with the ring and slipping the chain over my neck instead. I only took it off to shower, but otherwise, I wore it at all times. Cas and Queen Tantaii had yet to make an attack on us. I didn't think they would, now that they knew I had the ring, but I could never be certain. So the ring stayed with me.

"Let's go," Callan said, peering his head around the doorjamb, his dark hair casting a shadow along his cheekbone. I tucked the ring under the hem of my t-shirt, its cold weight a comfort against my chest.

No one would take it from me.

Wolfe's foottapped the ground rapidly as we approached the gates of the Clover Pack, where an SUV was idling nearby. His jaw was clenched, his brow permanently furrowed as he opened the trunk, throwing our bags in. He swiveled his neck around, searching. "They're late."

"Relax, she'll be here," Lily bounced on her toes, almost vibrating with excitement. Her budding relationship with Nia warmed my heart, but there was a slight apprehension in her movements that made me frown.

"Are you nervous?" I implored as I sidled up to my friend. I'd never seen her so antsy before. It seemed strange that she'd be nervous to see Nia again, given they were already so comfortable and close with each other. The fae had gone back to their side of the portal a few weeks ago.

Sometimes it was easy to forget that Nia had the entire Briar Stronghold to manage, and Finn was leading an underground rebellion against Cas and now Queen Tantaii. They'd easily fit into our group, and I almost wished they could stay with us always.

It was wishful thinking that we could just close the portal, and never hear about them again, that it would just go away and I could live my life out with the Clover Pack. But that was a selfish thought. I wasn't the only person this affected, there was a whole population of fae that suffered at the hands of my fae heritage, and I couldn't just turn my back on them.

No, this had to end, and soon.

Lily cut me a glance, her lashes casting a lengthy shadow on her cheeks as they moved. I was always struck by how effortlessly pretty she was, like she'd walked right off the pages of a magazine, her tanned skin practically glowing under the sunlight.

"Can I be honest?" she asked. My eyes rolled so hard I should have been able to see out the back of my head. At this point, there was nothing Lily could tell me that would ever make me hate her, or judge her, or whatever it is she thinks I wouldn't want to hear for her to ask me that question.

"Obviously."

She laced her arm through mine, leading me a few steps away from where the guys stood making small talk. In a low voice she said, "I didn't want Nia to come to Montana with us." Originally, it was just going to be the Clover pack that went to Montana, Wolfe, Callan, Lily and I. But given all we'd learned, and the fact that the Supreme Alpha's witch had been a part of the attack on us, Callan had pushed for the extra fire power. And if it turned out the Supreme had nothing to do with any of this, which was looking incredibly unlikely at this point, we'd need to fill him in on the existence of the fae.

We had no idea what the Queen's next move would be, and the Supreme would need to warn the other packs.

"Because of your parents?"

Memories of our conversation when she'd first told me about her feelings for Nia echoed through my head, and my eyes softened as I placed a comforting hand on her arm. "They'll love her."

Her face was skeptical as she scoffed, "You don't know them. Shifter culture is not as welcoming to same-sex couples as it is for humans. I can almost guarantee you my parents will just tell me it's my fate-given duty to find my male mate and carry on our line. It's all about babies, fertility, and procreating." She said the last part in dramatic air quotes, her exasperation clear on her face. "It doesn't help that I'm an only child."

I counted myself lucky that I'd at the very least not have to deal with that. Not having parents you loved or respected had its perks sometimes. God forbid I also had to worry about disappointing them.

My lips drew back from my teeth in a grimace, not knowing what to say to comfort her. I was better at giving solutions, not words to inspire hope and calm. Life was shitty sometimes, and I couldn't change the way her parents would react. The shifter way of life was still new to me, and I believed what she told me to be true. But I also believe that there had to be a way. If they loved their daughter, then they should love Nia too.

"Whatever happens, you have all of us behind you two. What you and Nia have is special," I told her. I had my suspicions that they might even be true mates, but I hadn't yet spoken that out loud. True mates were a lost discovery, and I had no idea how it even worked, or if it could even be a thing between two women. But still, I hoped it to be true for them. The thought of Lily finding her mate and it not being Nia made my heart ache. "If your parents can't see that, then that is their problem and you'll be better off without them."

She smiled, her eyes a little bit wetter than usual. "Where is all this optimism coming from? Isn't that usually my job?" She was teasing, but I smiled back, knowing she was right. She was definitely the golden retriever in this friendship.

I grinned at her, my eyes landing on Callan briefly. My heart swelled. I knew where my optimism was coming from, and it rhymed with Shmallan. "Don't get used to it, this is a one-time deal."

She opened her mouth to respond, but a shout from Wolfe drew us back to the group. We trotted over just in time to see a large portal open, a writhing, mesmerizing tear in the universe.

Oliver's cheery face peered out to us from the other side. He disappeared from view as a wave of azure hair confidently strode through, ending straight into Lily's open arms. They shared a kiss that even made Callan look a little embarrassed, Lily's nervousness melting away in an instant.

A smile broke across my face as Finn walked through, his silver hair rustling in the gentle breeze. The air royal looked nicer than I'd ever seen him, wearing a gold-trimmed tunic that made my eyebrows raise at the opulence. It perfectly sculpted to his toned body, one sleeve cut short to accommodate for his missing arm. A pang hit me at the reminder.

Cas had done that when Finn challenged him for the throne, and we hadn't been able to get revenge for him when Cas had attacked the pack. As Oliver pushed through behind him, the portal snapped shut, and I rushed forward, giving them both a friendly hug.

"Do you have a date or something?" I joked, gesturing to Finn's outfit.

He grinned, sliding his hand into the pocket of his slacks. "My dates don't usually involve clothes," he winked. "I figured if I was going to meet the Supreme Alpha for the first time, I might as well make a good first impression."

"This isn't a nice visit," I reminded him. And it wasn't.

The witch from the battle was one that Wolfe recognized as having worked with his father, the Supreme Alpha. But the Supreme was the whole reason we'd been investigating the murders in the first place, when he'd come down to Clover and accused Callan of being the culprit.

Something wasn't adding up.

We'd decided taking him by surprise would be the best course of action. Wolfe had been giving the Supreme the run around since the attack on our pack, wanting to confront him in person so he could see his face as we questioned him.

How this conversation went was of the utmost importance.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," he commented, before strolling away to go greet the others, moving towards the SUV now that everyone was here.

"Here, birth control," Oliver said from next to me, handing me a thin vial with a magenta liquid sloshing inside. Selfish relief burned through me instantly.

"Thank you," I said, quickly uncorking the object and tossing the liquid back. Cinnamon and roses slid to the back of my throat, and I just barely managed to not gag. "How often do I have to take it?"

"Once a month," he guided me toward the SUV where Callan stood waiting. Finn was already taking up a spot in the backseat, locked in conversation with Lily and Nia who sat in the third row of seats. "Took me a bit to get the recipe just right with your halfling blood, but as long as you take it monthly, you won't get pregnant. Even on a mating moon," he said knowingly.

The mating moon happened once a quarter, when shifters were at their most fertile, and we were fast approaching another one. It seemed like just yesterday that I'd been hit by the moon's power, an all-consuming lust until Callan had. . .well. Last time had been dangerous, but in the most delicious way possible. "I'll have more for you soon."

I was saved from having to respond when Callan beckoned us over to the car.

"Rowan," Finn called, patting the middle seat and beckoning me inside to sit next to him. I was glad we'd met Finn. The fact that he had been my fiancé in my previous life as Olette didn't seem to bother him, and I believed him when he'd said we'd had nothing going on. If anything, he felt like my older brother.

I moved to get in, resigned to my middle-seat fate as the shortest person here, but Callan stepped in to block my path, his broad back obscuring my vision as he got in the seat instead. His shoulder knocked into Finn who was looking at him like he'd grown a horn on his forehead, scooching as close to the other side of the car as he could to make room.

"You're sitting in the middle?" I questioned.

"Just get in," Callan said sourly.

"Lets go!" Wolfe shouted from the front, leaning his forearm into the horn for extra emphasis. He was definitely a little on edge today. I sighed, pulling myself in beside Callan, the heat of his body causing an immediate reaction in mine. Heat warmed his gaze, my mouth drying up as his eyes darted down to my lips, arousal leaking through the cracks of our bond block.

"Keep it in your pants," Wolfe interrupted flatly, jerking our attention back forward, a jarring reminder that shifters had a very sensitive sense of smell. My breath trickled out in an unsteady sigh as I ran a hand through my long blonde tresses, grateful for the respite. The birth control had been entirely necessary.

Warm fingers brushed against mine, and I melted like butter, linking my fingers through Callan's as we settled in for the long ride.