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He’s sixteen, Dom muttered in irritation. Of course he followed the scent of a female.

We’re on our way, I mumbled hastily, breaking the connection before he turned his aggravation to me. “Dru,” I said softly, shaking her shoulder. “We need to get up and go see the others.”

Her eyes popped open, the amber and blue of her eyes eerily symmetrical. “Your Pack mates crossed onto our lands,” she said, her voice echoing oddly. “Gran isn’t happy.”

I sighed at having my suspicions confirmed. “We thought so. We’re going to get them.”

She blinked at me, her hand going to her throat. “Something strange is happening to me,” she admitted, sitting up slowly. I wrapped my arm around her, rubbing her back gently. “I have more power than I’ve ever had. It’s right at my fingertips, just waiting to be used.”

“You’re half witch, half wolf,” I commented. “Maybe you’re just feeling the witch more now.”

“It doesn’t feel like half of anything,” she replied, exhaling. “Monster didn’t listen,” she told me, her grimace sympathetic. “But I’m sure Gran will straighten him out.”

“That’s kind of what I’m afraid of,” I answered, getting to my feet. “How did you know?”

“Paige, I think.” Dru’s nose crinkled. “I was dreaming about her and we were talking.”

“You think it was more than a dream?” I questioned and Dru nodded slowly. “That’s…different,” I settled on, not really sure what to make of this new information and Dru’s lips quirked up.

“Different,” she breathed with a light chuckle. “Accurate description.”

“We need to go. That guy isn’t talking and Dom is getting frustrated,” I mentioned and her mouth formed an O as she hopped up.

“Damn,” she muttered, grabbing the clothes I’d brought her earlier that she’d never had a chance to put on. “Shit,” she grumbled as her foot got stuck in her pants leg and I reached over to rescue her, untangling the leg. “Thanks.” She yanked her shirt over her head then stared at me, still sitting there bare assed. “Come on. I need to go lift the magic if he’s still not able to talk.”

I got up, mouthing, “Magic,” as I tugged a loose pair of shorts and t-shirt on, catching the door she disappeared through it. “Left,” I said as she froze in the hallway. She went left, her hand running along the wall as she stared around in awe. “Straight ahead.”

I caught up in time to see her mouth drop open as she entered the kitchen, the huge island sitting square in the middle of the space, and the guy we’d brought back huddled on a bar stool as Dom and Jess’s kids brandished plastic swords at him.

He glanced at us in helpless panic, his lips pressed together as Dom stared at him, huge arms crossed over a wide chest, the very picture of intimidating menace. Dru caught sight of him, and as she squinted at the guy, her blue eye glowed faintly. “Speak,” she said firmly, and the guy’s mouth popped open and he sucked in a deep breath, pathetically grateful as Dom’s arms dropped, his stare markedly confused.

“Sorry about that, Luke,” Dru said, coming over to stand beside the guy, who was apparently named Luke, and he leaned away from her to my satisfaction. “Are you hungry?” He didn’t respond, this time out of sheer terror but it didn’t matter because Dru snapped her fingers at Dom. “You have food, big guy?”

A slow blink was the only response she got from the big guy and I had to choke back a laugh. One of the kids accidentally poked her in the butt with the plastic sword and she very dramatically cried, “Ouch,” covering the spot with her hand as she collapsed against the bar, stating, “I’m mortally wounded.” Giggles met her theatrics and I smiled at this unexpected side of her.

Luke eyed her cautiously, some of his fear easing, and Dom relaxed the stick in his ass, as he went to the cabinet and got a handful of beef jerky, tossing it on the bar. Dru’s eyes lit up and she grabbed two pieces, one in each hand, as she exclaimed, “I love beef jerky.”

She turned to Luke, gesturing with one of the sticks of jerky in her hand. “You like beef jerky?” He shrugged uncertainty, but took a piece as she took a bite of hers. “So what do you know about this auction?” She asked, straight to the point and we watched the kid tense. “I’m not going to kill you,” she said confidingly. “Neither are they,” she added, waving at me and Dom. “But we do need to know. It’s kind of a big deal to us if people are selling our kind, ya know?”

He nodded, but didn’t speak.

“How about Chuck? What’s he know?” My eyebrows came down as she mentioned Chuck and Dom glanced at me. I shrugged, having no idea who he was.