Page 14 of Brave Spirit (Bound Spirit #6)

“To the girlfriendless, women are utter mysteries,” Mei proclaims while rolling her eyes. “They are convinced we are strange creatures who follow the cycles of the moon—you know, like werewolves.”

“Werewolves aren’t real.” Rand sniffs indignantly. “We’re wolf shifters. Not the same thing.”

“And periods don’t have anything to do with the moon,” she states, gesturing up at the sky.

“That’s the point. It’s all bullshit propagated by idiots who haven’t bothered to learn how any of it actually works.

” Rand opens his mouth, and Mei holds up a finger.

“I swear if you tell me that wolf shifters are secrets from mortals, and therefore, they can’t learn the difference, I will smack you, and my moms will be driving me to school tomorrow. ”

He wisely closes his mouth and offers his elbow to escort her to class.

“Smart boy,” she praises, outwardly the picture of her normal, confident self except for her hand shaking and her cheeks burning as she loops her arm through his.

Felix points at the school entrance when the couple disappears through the doors. “When did that happen?”

“Over the summer,” I explain quickly, and then I begin shooing the four of them away. “Go before you’re all late for class.”

Each of them drops a quick peck to my forehead before heading inside.

Nervously, I wring my hands together as I wait for Connor.

Short of the nights I spend on pack lands, I haven’t seen much of him over the summer.

He’s busy with his alpha duties every day, balancing two wolf shifter packs on his lands, and figuring out his relationship with his estranged mother—a woman who became an alpha so she could murder Connor’s father, only to find out too late that the bastard was already nothing but ash and bad memories.

Looking back at Connor, I can feel the stress and exhaustion weighing on him through our bond, and it makes me want to go all warrior witch on everyone who won’t give him a moment of respite.

His conversation with Sam ends, and it’s clear that she isn’t happy.

She raises her arms over her head in frustrated surrender then stomps off.

No other member of the pack would dare to show such behavior in front of their alpha, but Sam’s rank and friendship with Connor make it literally her job to kick him in the butt when she thinks he’s being an idiot.

As I understand it, the fact that he chose a turned wolf to watch his back instead of a natural born was pretty scandalous.

Now that I understand the forgotten roots of this deep-seated distrust, it makes me proud of Connor for choosing Sam.

He didn’t need her leashed to me through the call to know she would be a perfect second, knowing she would guard his life and all he held dear with hers.

He didn’t need magic. He earned loyalty by being himself.

When Sam walks past me, she calls out, “Talk some sense into him.”

Once Connor has lumbered into earshot, I ask gently, “What am I supposed to talk sense into you about?”

He sighs, pulls me close, and rests his head on top of mine. After breathing in my scent, fortunately without sneezing, he answers, “Growing friction between packs. She wants a hard deadline for them to leave and insists it will help our pack if there’s a clear end date.”

“And you don’t want to do that?” Wrapping my arms around his waist, I gently run my fingers up and down his back. It breaks my heart to see him this worn down, and I make a mental note to ask Mildred if there is a rejuvenation spell I can learn or some special magic coffee that could help.

Connor thinks for a moment before answering, but I can’t tell if it’s because he’s choosing his words carefully or he’s half asleep and his brain is soup at the moment. “I want to believe she’s staying for me.”

“But you’re worried there’s more to your mom’s return, and you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop,” I finish, knowing how much talking drains him.

He nods, his scruffy chin digging into my scalp.

I pull away just far enough to look up into his tired amber eyes. “Is there a way I can help?”

He runs his hand down my long, wavy hair. “Not yet, mi reina .”

“You’d tell me if I could, right?” My eyes narrow, and there’s a warning tone in my voice.

“We are mates. We share our burdens. It’s my right to protect my mate.

” I reach up to gently push his soft, brown curls out of his eyes.

“That includes protecting you from wearing yourself down to nothing. Let Sam in on your thoughts. A leader delegates. Let her help you. Let me help you.”

A tired, ragged breath escapes past his lips. “Okay.”

The second bell rings, announcing we’re officially late for class. “What do you have for first period?”

Connor gives me one of his patented shrugs.

Surprise takes over my face. “You didn’t look?”

He yawns. “Too tired.”

Wolf shifters are strong and resilient, with superhuman strength and stamina.

Their alphas are the strongest among them, made even more powerful by their connection to their pack.

For Connor to be this run down, it means he’s been ignoring his body for months, hiding it from me through distractions and falling to sleep quickly when we were together.

“That’s it,” I announce, using magic and my body to keep him upright. “You’re going to the nurse’s office, and you’re going to sleep before you fall down. I’ll make sure you aren’t disturbed.”

I know it’s bad when he doesn’t resist, and I vow that if Connor doesn’t feel better soon, then I’m going to handle the conflict between the packs.

I’m the alpha’s mate, member of the pack, and their designated witch.

Martina won’t have her sweet son to manipulate, she’s going to have me to deal with, and I’m not feeling particularly sweet at the moment.

A determined grimace pulls my lips thin as a boom of thunder trembles through the air. A storm is coming, and it promises nothing but pain and destruction.