I nodded. All the nerves were gone and replaced with confidence thanks to her. I stepped over the barrier and a shock went through me as a warning, letting me know I was entering a claimed territory.
She jumped over the barrier too. “Wow! This pack’s energy is nothing like Lockhart’s.”
“No wonder you thought all werewolves were monsters with the Lockhart pack being the only ones you’d encountered.”
She got a far off look in her eyes. “Yeah.”
“Stop right there.”
My arm shot out and nudged Harlow behind me. “Ah, Nolan. What the fuck are you doing patrolling?”
The former Beta’s son was a piece of fucking work. His brown hair was unkempt, and his green eyes were bloodshot. I wasn’t a fan of his since we were kids, but when he rejected my childhood friend for her youngest sister, my hatred solidified. Any wolf who could reject their soulmate was not trustworthy in the least. When Sophia found her second chance mate, the dumbass here got all kinds of jealous. Which was fucked up.
He shrugged. “Riley put me on guard duty after you left.”
“Alpha Riley, you mean? You know she’d be pissed if you didn’t address her by her title.”
“Forget her title.” His eyes shifted to Harlow. “Who’s she?”
Harlow’s hand gripped my arm. “None of your concern,” I answered.
“She human?”
“Not a chance,” Harlow bit out. She could sense the tension between us because I hadn’t seen her be hostile to anyone right off the bat. “I’m a witch.”
His eyes widened. “Really? Wow. You took Ivy’s advice then?”
I stiffened. “Fuck off, mutt.”
“Xavier, is that you?” Ivy’s nasally voice approached, and I groaned. I turned my head to find her walking over holding a little boy’s hand. Mason was their son, and he’d grown a lot in the time I’d left. “Who’s the woman?”
“A witch, apparently.” Nolan’s eyes narrowed. “She might be a danger to our pack.”
“Oh no, should we dispose of her?” Ivy’s tone was teasing, and I remembered why I hated those two.
A low growl escaped from my chest. “Back the fuck off. I’ll kill you before you even try.”
“A rogue is threatening us, and Mason is here. I think you’d have enough reason to attack, babe.” Ivy kissed Nolan’s cheek, and he flinched.
I chuckled, shifting my footing to stand in front of Harlow completely. “Fuck off before I get mad.”
“Xavier, did you take my advice and occupy your heart with someone else? She’ll never take the place of your mate, but it helps doesn’t it?” Ivy bent down and picked up her son.
“Oh my gosh, she’s a bitch.” I glanced back as Harlow started laughing so hard her shoulders shook. “People actually let you talk to them that way?”
Ivy stomped her foot like the child she’d always been. “Excuse me?”
“You’re excused.” Harlow put a finger on her lips. “And Nolan was it? Could you listen to Xavier for a moment instead of poking at him like a toddler trying to get attention?”
My heart swelled with pride. I hated these two and felt bad for Mason for having them as parents. But the way Harlow spoke to them was fucking hilarious. I loved that woman with everything I had. She had a backbone, and it was by far my favorite thing.
Their faces were priceless and looked shocked beyond belief. I never understood why they were surprised when someone stood up to them. They were bullies through and through.
“Alright, take me to see Riley,” I said as I grabbed Harlow’s hand and started walking toward the packhouse.
“I have to stay by the border, Ivy can you take them?” Nolan walked back over to a nearby tree and slumped down it.
“I wanna stay with Daddy!” Mason wiggled out of Ivy’s hold and went to his dad.
Ivy sighed and started walking behind us. “Fine. I’ll be back in a bit.”
“So this is where you grew up?” Harlow asked, glancing around the woods.
“Yes. But we haven’t hit the packhouse yet. That’s where everyone is at.”
“What were you like when you lived here?”
“Before or after his precious Olivia was killed in front of him?” Ivy butted in her two cents.
Usually, that would light me up and I’d come close to ripping her throat out, but with Harlow here I wasn’t as easy to set off. “Drop it,” I growled.
“Because before Olivia, he was a huge playboy. He was sleeping with my sister for a while though before she met Blaine. Before her though, my Fates, he had a new girl in his bed every night.” She cackled like the evil bitch she was. “Or after Olivia? Because he warded off all girls and had a stick up his ass for years.”
Harlow stopped and turned around to face her with silver eyes, and I hesitated. I’d never seen her eyes turn colors before. “Do you ever shut up?” Her hand went to her own mouth and a flash of light came from the motion before she turned back around and started walking.
I blinked and followed after her.
“Ah, do you hear that?” she asked.
“Hear what?”
“Absolutely nothing.” She sighed in delight and winked at me.
My mouth dropped open as I turned to look at Ivy who was freaking the fuck out, not being able to speak. “My Fates, you’re the best mate in the world. I fucking love you, Harlow.”
She giggled, placing her hand back in mine. “I love you.”
Muffled noises came from Ivy as she chased after us, frantically pointing to her throat.
Once we reached the packhouse, Harlow stopped. “It’s so big.”
“Well, it holds the whole pack. Which is like… a couple of hundred wolves.”
“It’s a mansion!” she sputtered.
She had a point. It really was a mansion. Ferns grew through the crevices of an old winding stone path, which led directly to the colossal structure. It loomed among rows of skeletal trees decorated in crimson, swaying in the chilly autumn breeze. I’d grown up here, so I suppose it didn’t have an effect on me like it did her.
Pack members
