“The fuck was that?”
She yawned and rubbed her eyes. “Moon water. It helps me recharge my magic and makes spells easier.”
“Huh.” My mate being a witch was never going to cease to amaze me.
Her hands gripped the bottom of her dress and she yanked it over her head. My eyes were glued to her breasts as they bounced from the impact. “The dress is ruined. It smells of smoke and blood is all over it.” She turned and tossed the dress on the floor. Black markings on her shoulder blades caught my eye.
I reached out and grabbed her shoulder, angling her to get a look at it. A black triple moon tattoo was etched into her skin, covering her upper back. It was fucking beautiful.
I traced the moons with my finger and smiled. “Where did you get this?”
“My grandma gave it to me when I came into my magic. It’s actually a spell.”
Witches were weird as fuck, but also awesome. “That’s interesting. I didn’t know you could do spells for tattoos. It suits you.”
She smiled and turned toward me. “It’s a reminder of the constant flow of life, birth, death, and rebirth. At least, that’s what resonates with me. This symbol has so many different meanings.”
“I’m in awe of you.”
Her eyes shifted down as she smiled. “I ran after you and ran into those wolves. They said they were looking for you. Lockhart sent them. They were vile creatures. They attacked first, and I finished it.”
I tensed. “I’m sorry. I—”
She put a finger over my lips. “If I hadn’t run into them, I wouldn’t know who was responsible for my parent’s death.”
I grabbed her finger and kissed her palm before holding it to my lips. “What happened to your parents? I know the gist of it but not everything.”
She slipped her hand out of mine and wrapped her arms around herself. “My parents were the best. They would’ve loved you.”
“Loved me? So they didn’t hate werewolves?”
She snorted. “They loved every being. My grudge against wolves started with their death. I was only fifteen when they were killed.”
“Damn.” Fifteen was too young to lose her parents. I couldn’t imagine what that would’ve been like. Guilt ate away at me for not going to visit my own parents in so long, but they’d moved out of the Maxwell pack territory a year before I’d gone rogue, and I hadn’t had a chance to.
“I came home from school one day and as soon as I stepped in the house I could smell something rancid. My parents were nothing but clumps of flesh and bone scattered around my living room. The only thing recognizable was their magical energy that I absorbed when I found them.” Tears welled up in her eyes before rolling down her cheeks. “Bloody paw prints left trails everywhere, and werewolves were sighted near our coven that day.”
“Oh fuck, baby. I’m so fucking sorry.” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my chest. Her warm tears dripped onto my chest as she leaned into me.
“That’s not even it.” She hiccuped. “My grandma had traced the source of the pack who’d done it but didn’t tell me who. We pleaded with the coven to help us avenge their deaths, but they refused.”
Her body shook so hard with sobs, and my eyes burned with angry tears from her emotions being sent through the matebond.
“Grandma decided to go after them herself and the coven’s elder sucked her life essence from her body in front of all of us. Grandma’s body dropped lifeless, and then that evil woman banished me from the pack in her next breath.”
My hold on her tightened. How could she have gone through so much yet still be so damn pure of heart? Shit like that could turn a soul dark.
Her sobs turned into heart-shattering cries as I stroked her hair. I couldn’t grasp how her coven had such disregard for life. I understood her fear of abandonment, and I’d make damn sure she’d never lose me too.
FIFTEEN
Harlow
The moonlight splashed down its white-silver glow onto the path as it bathed us in the full moon’s light. The trees were silhouetted against the deep navy sky, and the tree spirits rejoiced as the moonbeams coiled glowing tendrils upon whatever it came across.
As Xavier and I walked, my feet caressed the velvet flesh of the forest ground.
“I’ve never gone on a full moon walk before,” Xav said.
“Really?” I crinkled my nose. “I figured you’d be out howling at the moon.”
“Stereotypes are hurtful, Harlow.”
“Sorry for the assumption then.”
“Nah, I totally howl at the moon.” He shrugged, and I threw my head back in a giggle. “Listen, you know I love you right?”
I stopped mid-step and caught his gaze. “I mean, yeah. I can feel it through the bond and with my empath powers.”
He reached up and scratched his head. “Not the response I was hoping for, but…”
Rolling my eyes, I stepped closer and kissed him softly. “I love you.”
His hands cupped my face as he deepened the kiss. Kissing my soulmate under the light of the full moon was the most amazing experience in the world. It was something about bearing my soul to him underneath the moon.
He broke the kiss and rested his forehead on mine. “I didn’t react the best the first time you told me.”
I snorted. “No kidding.”
He’d stormed out after I proved that I hadn’t cast a stupid spell that I doubted even existed. You couldn’t fake the bond we had.
“But I need you to know what you mean to me.”
“I can feel it.” I took his large, calloused hand and placed it on my chest. “Right here.”
He leaned in and his breath mingled with mine. “What else do you feel?”
Heat pooled between my legs as I held onto his hand. He traced his fingers between
