Chapter 3 - Cliff

It wasn't like me to feel paranoid.

Sure, when I was slinging dope up to Maine, I had reason to be suspicious. I had more than enough experience to justify the harried glances over my shoulder whenever I was walking up to the rear of a place with a load of something shucked into the back of my pants. Even while I stood in the open night next to my best friend and his mate, I could sense the tickle at the base of my neck, the one that made me want to check my six.

The only thing missing was the familiar coolness of metal against my forefinger—a pocket pistol that could pack a potent punch in the right hands. Those were my hands at one point; my fingers were the dangerous tickers counting down the seconds of someone's life. I wasn't just a bad boy; I was a careless outlaw who played the jokester during the day and the corrupt cowboy at night.

Still, despite my many encounters, it just wasn't like me to be paranoid.

Tall tree branches arched over the open field, branches crooked and pointed together like jagged webs to guard us from the outer world—or perhaps to protect the sky from our influence. Who knew what this kind of magic put out in the universe? It felt like we were meddling with something dark.

That could have just been the gaping sky. Pinprick dots glimmered above the canopy of trees. The warm breeze rustled through the branches, shuffling the leaves and making them scrape together. As the cauldron before me bubbled with liquid, I tried to ignore the beginning inklings of song growing around me.

Silence felt more appropriate. I'd never seen this ritual performed, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but the singing felt annoying. I kept staring into the inky black sky streaked with milky clouds carrying moonlight and possibly rain. Lightning burst far off in the distance in controlled patches of bluish-white.

Yeah, it was going to rain soon. Maybe that was a good thing.

Hector jabbed me with his elbow. "Get a load of these guys."

A few blinks brought me back to earth. I stared at the group of men on the other side of the cauldron who were chanting and stomping their feet. To the right of them, about ten feet off, several women had scooped their skirts and started prancing toward the group of men, jumping forward and then darting back with a teasing giggle. They sang to the chanting and stomping, to the rhythm cracking the earth.

" Lead us to her. Take us to our doe ."

" Show us the wolf who calls for us! "

One woman dancing with gazelle-like motions toward the front stood en pointe and then spun gracefully before sprinting back into the crowd of women. Some of the women cajoled each other, daring them to dance into the open circle created by the active crowd.

Hector chuckled. "I've never seen them so excited."

"I've never seen them so drunk." I sipped my summer spritzer. "But at least the kids are having fun, right?"

I focused on the cauldron, the sunflower yellow bubbles glowing just over the surface. My sister stood with her hands over the water, monitoring what I presumed to be the petals that were supposed to float to the surface. Weird magic tricks like this were just something to give people hope. Less magic, more performance.

Not that I minded having some hope and inspiration. I just didn't care for the mate crap. I thought it was useless. People were more than capable of finding happy partnerships without other people interfering. True love wasn't something that could be bottled, bought, or bound. It had to happen naturally.

And if that happened after I horizontally danced my way through the Florida Keys, then that was more than fine with me.

Since I was here on a technicality, I tried to find someone cute to focus my energy and frustration. One of the women near the cauldron was weaving flowers together into crowns and passing them out. I wandered toward her to get a better look at her lithe body and smoky charcoal-black skin with silvery undertones. Long crimson hair tickled her upper back.

I passed by with a sly smirk, holding eye contact fiercely before turning away. I knew how to play the game, and so long as I enticed her, then I could chat her up for a good distraction tonight. Assuming she didn't get mated with someone, I would have something to look forward to later when my sister was fawning over the newly matched mates.

My spritzer was crisp with lemon and raspberry, a tang that made it easier to throw a few more sly smiles out—to a busty blonde, a curvy brunette, and an alternative chick with wide hips and small feet. That would save my place for somebody. Now I just had to turn around and face the crowd to scope out which of those four women was humping me with her eyes.

There's a tiki torch. That's a good spot. Well-lit. And turn with a smolder while raising your drink for optimum casual—

"The petals have surfaced!"

My loud slurp cut through the sudden silence, inviting half a pack's worth of dirty glares and irritated frowns. Embarrassment might have been eating me alive internally, but on the outside, I was cooler than the drink I sipped. I offered the crowd a friendly grin and held up my glass. "Cheers, Sister. Glad we're progressing into a new age together."

Some pack members clapped while others remained confused. Faye smiled gratefully at me. "I'm so glad to hear that, Brother. Because you've been matched."

Gasps fluttered through the crowd.

My smile slowly melted as I watched Faye lift the two petals. So innocuous, soft, and pretty. Who knew they would release the lever holding back the chaos in my life? I stepped toward the cauldron, unnerved by my sister's abrupt silence. Please, tell me it wasn't one of these single moms. I couldn't have someone competing for Sierra's weekly uncle time.

Another step toward the cauldron seemed to make the fire look farther away. "Faye? Who is it?"

One of the women near her with bright pink hair and studs in her nose waved her hands, encouraging Faye to say something. Hector stepped in, appearing like a shadow out of the crowd. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, looked into her cupped hands, and then stared at me like he was getting ready to give me some wicked bad news.

Shit , I couldn't stand the silence anymore. Didn't anyone need to sneeze or cough? A belch would be better than this invasive quiet that felt more like a threat than a pause. I marched to the cauldron and set my drink aside, then held my hand out to my sister with a similar smirk to the one I flashed earlier. Well, if I was going to be putting on a performance, then I better put on a good one.

"Come on," I said with a playful tone, "who's the lucky lady?"

Faye smiled tightly as she tentatively set the petals in my palm. I stared at them for several quiet minutes. Because there was no way what I saw on them in dingy handwriting was correct. It had to be a joke. It had to be something my sister pulled to get back at me for not taking this mate match ritual thing seriously.

"My mate is…" I licked my lips as I took a shaky breath, "…Robyn Wade."

Celebratory applause exploded around me. The sound flooded my ears, blocking out the world around me. Torches were raised by dancers who took to the center of the crowd to rejoice in the announcement. But me? I was stuck here with two petals in my palm, delicate plant matter made of rosy pink with names written with a black felt pen. I searched the ground for that lost marker, searched my sister's hands, searched the tomes and stacks of items next to the cauldron, searched under the fabric seated on the table, and then the table next to that.

And when had these tables gotten here?

My mind reeled as I tried to piece together the last few weeks. Between Faye reporting her silly dreams to me and earning my badge as Best Uncle Ever, I hadn't noticed the void in my heart growing. Yet now that I saw Robyn's name written next to mine, that space crowded up with emotions. The conflicting feelings soiled my mood—which hadn't been great from the start, regardless of this happening.

A dancing wolf bumped into me. Behind him was a long train of dancers, wolf and human alike. People were stripping away their party clothes to shift freely as Faye and Hector nudged their way through the thickening crowd to get to me. I clamped my fingers around the petals and stomped around three people to get to my sister. When I caught her arm, I guided her through the sea of shifting bodies.

Hector was hot on our heels when we broke through the other side. I didn't stop until Faye dug her heels into the solid earth. She grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. "Snap out of it, Clifton."

I felt how much pressure forced my eyelids to stay open as my cheeks pinched inward. Jaw tense and tongue ready to lash, I shook off her hand and brushed invisible dirt from the area. "Ha-ha, a good joke, Faye. Who are the real mates?"

"You are."

My attention snapped to Hector. "Is she joking right now?"

He shook his head. "I watched her take the petals out of the cauldron. There's no way she played a prank."

"You two would know better than me about pranks."

I burned up with indignation. " What? "

Faye clenched her fists at her sides with her chest puffed up like she was getting ready to throw a punch. "I can't believe you think I would try to pull the wool over your eyes."

"You're the one who's been having that creepy dream."

"Well, sorry my powers are so creepy to you, Cliff. Maybe you won't think they're creepy when your niece has her awakening."

I huffed. "At least then I know my niece isn't yanking my heartstrings."

Hector caught my shoulder. " Buddy , you are losing it. Pop a squat and chill for a second, sheesh."

The way my ass hit the ground made it seem like Hector had a spell on me. In reality, it was the Alpha bond that drove my instant response. He kept his hand on my shoulder, kept squeezing the muscle there, and kept standing over me like he was shielding me from the world. After I dropped my head in my hands, I realized how hard my body was shaking.

"That's it," Hector said. "Just breathe, Man."

Faye plopped on the ground beside me. She placed her hand on my other shoulder. This time, I didn't shake her off. "Hey, sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up. I just—"

"No, I'm sorry," I interrupted. "I blew my lid at you." I looked at my sister, trying to smile. "Sorry. I'm just not thrilled right now."

"I know."

I frowned, averted my gaze, and tried to figure out why my heart wouldn't stop racing. I held my sister's hand, held my best friend's hand, and held on to a sense of stability for a second as I watched our pack trot around the cauldron that had stopped bubbling. Above their heads, the sky ominously twinkled with light from distant planets and stars.

I sighed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You care about her," Faye stated calmly. "That makes you scared."

I would have snapped her head off if Hector hadn't squeezed my shoulder again. Another calming breath later, I wasn't as pissed off. But I was still mad. "Is this really a good idea? Her Alpha doesn't like me."

"Mates don't care about limits," Faye replied.

Hector patted my shoulder. "No, but we can figure something out. Let's talk to Adrian."

Our previous Alpha was making his way through the chaotic sea of people. Every time he made progress toward us, he got stopped by someone for a handshake or a quick hug. He looked like he needed a nap by the time he made it to us. I reached for his hand, instinctively pulling him into a brotherly hug with my chin resting on his shoulder.

He patted my back firmly. "We have much to discuss."

"That we do."

Hector beckoned us away from the noise, closer to his home, which had a few guards near the driveway and backyard. They didn't want to take any chances with the most recent demon attacks.

Honestly, neither did I.

Adrian wrapped an arm around Hector. "It's time I told you about the year I used Cliff as a drug mule."

Hector stiffened. "I don't like the sound of that."

I rubbed the back of my head, glanced at Adrian, and didn't proceed until I got the nod from him that it was okay to talk. "Yeah, I sort of…used to run drugs up to Maine."

My Alpha glared at me. "What kind of drugs?"

"Prescription."

His glare fell on Adrian. "Why didn't you mention that before?"

"It's old news. It's not relevant." Adrian shrugged with a humbled look of defeat. "It was one year. I never thought it would come up again. Cliff was one of five people who was part of the operation. Very small."

I nodded. "It was several years ago."

"Still," Hector insisted, "that's something necessary for me to know—so I can lead our pack into the future. Isn't that what you wanted, Adrian?"

I could see now how badly I had hurt my Alpha by withholding such information. I bowed my head in penance, hoping my heart's genuine apology could be felt. As soon as his hand met my shoulder, I knew that I was forgiven. I knew Adrian was forgiven. Hector couldn't stay mad for long. Not with a woman like Faye at his side.

When I lifted my head, I felt absolved but not totally off the hook. "You say the word, Hector. I'll defer to you, always."

Heartfully, yes, I meant that. But there was something inside me that roared in opposition, a fear of the future or perhaps a fear of the past coming back to bite me. It wasn't like I left Robyn on the best of terms. I hardly left her on any terms at all.

After squaring off with Adrian in a silent debate, Hector took a step back and observed the impromptu festival. "It would be a shame to let them down."

My heart soared. A surge of adrenaline followed shortly, putting me into a slightly bowed position with my knees bent like I was getting ready to take off and shift. From where the feeling came, I wasn't sure. None of my thoughts made sense. Yet, regardless, my heart drummed up a rhythm that awakened an ancient song in me.

Adrian nodded. "We should honor the results of the ritual. It's the right thing to do."

Hector hummed. "We're in agreement." He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Looks like we're sending you to Maine."

Blast off .

The world blurred as I sprinted away from the festival. I aimed directly for the woods, soaring past fallen branches and debris to get to the usual running trail that would take me back to the neighborhood. Past my parent's house. Past the dim porch lights. Past the older folks who had chosen to stay in instead of hearing the news. I didn't stop until I reached my home, where I went directly to my office and shook the mouse on my computer.

This was Robyn Wade, the shining star of her debate team in college, who had the trophies to prove it. Nobody could approach a woman like Robyn Wade without the appropriate research to back an argument that even I wasn't sure was true. Evidence would do the trick, and that was good enough for me. I collected everything I could possibly need to prove I had gone straight-laced, including my most recent bloodwork and physical exam notes from my doctor.

If anything, she'd get a kick out of it. And if she didn't?

Well, I'd cross that bridge when I got to it.