Page 18 of Bewitchingly Hers (Witches of Pleasant Grove #3)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

barrett

P art of me didn’t believe it till I saw it, but the mate bond between Willow and Damien was undeniable. The way she smelled like him, wore his mark—they were just like Eryne and I.

Fated, and yet, it didn’t make sense. Before, I’d believed all mates couldn’t exist outside our own species. Now… the entire world looked different.

We watched them walk away outside the coffee shop, and I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind. “How many beings do you think never found their mate because they belong to a different species?”

Eryne froze. “Where is this coming from?”

I tilted my head in the direction they had gone. “Those two are mates, and yet she’s a witch, and he’s a demon.”

“Right.”

“You’ve all been isolated from the outside world for years. How many people here found their mate before that?”

She shrugged. “It wasn’t very common.”

Because they lived outside the wards. And now…

“You think there’s truly a chance that outside this town… that there’s actually a soulmate for everyone?” Her eyes filled with hope.

Fuck, I wanted to tell her, you’re mine. It would be so easy. But if I told her now, would all this progress between us fall apart? It was so tender, so new. Especially after last night.

“I do,” I responded. “I have to believe there is, just like I believe that good things exist in this world.” I smiled down my redheaded witch. “You’ll see, sugar. We’re going to solve this, and then we’re going to help your town all find their mates.”

A flash of what felt like disappointment flickered through her eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came. “You’re right.” She slipped her hand back in mine. “Let’s go solve a mystery, huh?”

I dipped my head, unable to look away from her sparkling eyes, full of optimism, of hope. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that she could do anything she put her mind to.

After all, just look at me. She’d brought me back from the dead with grit, determination, and her own two hands.

I couldn’t wait to find out what else she could do.

“It looks like no one’s been down here in decades,” Eryne said, coughing as she brushed more dust off the boxes of files in the archives.

I wrinkled my nose. “They probably haven’t.” The air was stale, musty, and the scents down in the storage archives were all faint enough that I doubted anyone regularly came to check on the files. Considering the amount of dust, they really needed to take better care of the place.

Her friend had so graciously allowed us down here when Eryne had explained what was going on—though she’d left a few details out, including the monster that had attacked me.

I understood that she didn’t want to create a panic through the town—it was the same reason my family had no idea about my real job.

There was a fine line of information, and this was definitely need to know.

“How are we ever going to find anything down here?” She said, sounding defeated as she scoured the boxes.

They didn’t seem to be in any sort of date order, just haphazardly stored on the shelves around the room.

After my inability to find anything concrete at the library, I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting to find here, but I was just hoping for some sort of clue that could give us a lead.

I frowned. “Look for the earliest dates, and we’ll go from there.”

Eryne nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Okay. I can do that.”

I did the same on the opposite side of the room, both of us working in tandem.

It was the most comfortable I’d ever been working with another person. Even with Ezra, I always kept my guard up. With her… I felt like I could relax. Like I could be me.

I was beginning to think this was hopeless, opening boxes and finding articles about nothing particularly useful, when Eryne made a noise, dropping a box onto the floor suddenly.

“Are you okay?” I asked, turning to look at her.

“I found something.” Eryne said, gasping, clutching a paper between her hands.

“What?” I moved to stand behind her.

“It was behind a box, wedged in between the wall and the back of the shelf.” She handed me a newspaper clipping.

It was yellow and slightly faded, but the headline stood out to me.

PLEASANT GROVE CELEbrATES FIRST FOUNDERS DAY.

There was a photo of a coven of witches—thirteen of them, to be exact—and a list of names underneath it.

“If they created the town, then they would have been the ones to lay the first wards. Each moon cycle, we give our magic to the barrier, to renew and replenish the spells, but they created them. Whatever magic they weaved inside of them…”

“That’s what we need to find out,” I finished.

“Right.” Eryne nodded. “But this was three hundred years ago, B. There’s no way we can find any of these women now. Witches live longer than humans, but not that long.”

“What about their children? Someone might have passed down the knowledge to their descendants. We have to at least try, don’t we?”

She bit her lip, staring down at the photo and looking at the names before pointing at two of the women in the middle.

“Cromwell and Hallow…. Those are Wendy and Rina’s last names.

I think I remember something about Wendy’s ancestor being the town founder.

That’s pretty far back, though. Maybe ten generations? ”

“Do you think she knows anything?”

Eryne shook her head. “I doubt it. But maybe her mom or grandma does. Or…” She trailed off. “I can ask.” She looked up at me, some of the hope from earlier restored. “Either way, it’s a step closer, right?”

“We’re going to figure this out,” I promised. “It’s all going to be fine.” I pulled her in close, breathing in her sweet scent.

“I know it is,” she whispered, those gorgeous blue eyes holding mine.

I looked around us. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I think we’ve found all we’re going to in this mess.”

She nodded. “Probably a good idea.” Eryne stuck the newspaper article into her bag, then gave me a sheepish look. “They won’t even miss it,” she insisted. She was probably right. It had been shoved into the back, and the likelihood anyone would come looking for it was low.

“In this age of technology, you’d think all of this would have been scanned and digitized by now.”

Eryne laughed. “Don’t let the town elders hear that. They treat computers like humans treat magic.”

I snorted. “Sounds pretty familiar.” I couldn’t help but think about the push back Walnut Ridge had gotten.

We headed back upstairs, thanking her friend at the front desk for giving us access, and went back outside. The sun was out, and I tipped my head up towards it, enjoying the warmth on my face.

“I should talk to Rina and Wendy,” she said, looking at her phone. “I can see if they know anything, or if their families do.”

“I’ll call my friend, too.” I needed to loop Ezra in.

She worried her lower lip between her teeth. “Is he also a…”

“Hunter?” I supplied.

She nodded.

“Yes. He’s the closest thing I have to a partner, though he prefers to work alone most of the time.” I chuckled.

Eryne frowned. “Is that… common? To be so solitary?”

“For him?” I scratched my head. “As long as I’ve known him, yeah, I suppose.”

“Huh.” Her phone buzzed, and she looked up at me. “That’s Rina and Wendy. We’re meeting at the diner.” She typed a message back, and I shoved my hands in my pockets. It was getting harder and harder to keep myself from touching her, especially after last night.

My wolf was possessive, but I had to control myself. I’d seen her wince in pain a few times when she didn’t think I was watching her, and I felt like a goddamn bastard for hurting her. Not knotting her last night had been smart—I could only imagine how sore she’d be if I had.

But damn if I didn’t still want her, no matter what a selfish asshole that made me.

“Okay.” I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Fuck it, I didn’t care. “If anything happens, call me.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I won’t be too far away.”

She nodded. “Okay.” The word was hardly more than a whisper. Eryne stood up on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss to my lips.

Reluctantly, I pulled away, knowing that she needed the time alone with her friends as much as she wanted to ask them about the photo. I understood that perfectly. If I was home, I’d want to tell my sister about Eryne, too.

One day soon, I’d tell her about the redheaded girl who had brought me back to life in every since of the word—but not yet. Not when it was still this new .

I shot off a text to her anyway as I watched Eryne cross the sidewalk and disappear into the diner, knowing I’d barely be able to keep my eyes off of her while she wasn’t by my side. It was something I desperately needed to get control of.

Barrett

Hope everyone’s doing well back home. Miss you.

Freya

Miss you too, B. How’s the road treating you?

It’s good. Currently staying in a small town that reminds me a lot of home. Makes me miss everyone back in Walnut Ridge.

Come home soon. We’d all love to see you.

I will, I promise.

I’m holding you to that.

Good. Love you, sis.

Love you too.

With that weight off my chest, I dialed another number. To no one’s surprise, Ezra answered his phone on the first ring.

“It’s me,” I announced—my usual greeting.

My eyes were still glued to the diner as I settled onto a bench across the street, at Eryne, sitting at a booth by the window. In perfect sight of me, like she knew I’d be keeping an eye on her. That’s my girl. Her two friends came in a moment later, squishing in across from my mate.

“Glad you’re still alive,” he said, monotone.

“You too, asshole,” I laughed. “It’s only been two days.”

“I’m assuming if you’re calling me, that you found out something more?”

Rubbing my fingers over my jaw, I watched as Eryne slid over the newspaper article to her friends.

“Yeah. It’s not much, but… It’s a start.

” I quickly summarized what we’d learned so far—and what I suspected.

My visit to the library, everything I’d learned from Willow and Damien, plus our trip to the tribune this afternoon.

“They’ve been closed off from the rest of the world all this time. Sure, some of them went away to college, but… They had no clue we even existed , Ezra. None.”

“And have you told her yet?”

I looked down at my hands. “No.”

He clicked his tongue. “Why not?”

“It’s too soon. She’s not ready.”

“Barrett…” Ezra warned. “You know what will happen if you don’t complete the bond.”

I groaned. “Don’t remind me. Last night…”

He paused. “What happened last night?”

“Never mind.” I cleared my throat. I didn’t want to talk about it with him. The overwhelming need, the way my body had burned as I held myself back.

I didn’t want to explain how right it had felt being with her.

How enthusiastic she’d been about being with me.

If I’d have expected her to be scared or apprehensive, I’d been dead wrong.

I adjusted myself in my jeans, trying to change my line of thoughts so I didn’t react in public.

But fuck, it was hard, thinking about the way she’d moaned under my touch.

“Barrett,” Ezra warned. “You’re playing with fire. Be careful.”

I knew I was. “It’s going to be fine,” I promised, though it felt more hollow than the same promise I’d made Eryne.

“I’ll be there in a few days,” he said. “I’m just finishing up a job, and then I’ll help you sniff out whatever this is.” He paused. “Not literally , though. Your nose is better than mine.”

I grumbled. “Thanks.” But I couldn’t complain—I could use his help, and despite being an unusual pair, we worked well together. Plus, Ezra had his own unique skillset. “See you soon. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Right. So everything’s still on the table.” His words were dry, but I chuckled anyway.

“Bye, asshole.”

“Bye, Lockwood.”

I hung up the phone, looking up to the sky.

There was one thing I knew for sure: Pleasant Grove would never be the same again.

And after last night, neither would I.