Page 7

Chapter 6

The thin blue line

LENNOX

“ Y ou’re sure it was a bomb?” I nod as Lock follows me upstairs.

It’s been 12 hours since the bombing. It was difficult to leave Charlie behind, and I was short with my brother when he insisted I come to Wolf-Haven. In fact, I refused until Charlie was thoroughly checked at the hospital, then released.

“That’s what my partner believes.” I’m annoyed and want some time alone to sort through my thoughts. I’m exhausted from days of no sleep, and I don’t want to have to explain my job to a brother who thinks his title as king entitles him to information the moment he wants it.

Lock stops in front of the suite of rooms assigned to me after Lock took over Wolf-Haven. I don’t come home often, but when I do, it’s nice to have a place to call my own. “I know you’re tired,” he says sympathetically, “but I need to ask you something else.” I nod, and he continues, “The woman from the body cam footage of you in that burnt warehouse, she’s your mate, correct?”

I gape at him, momentarily forgetting my bone-deep exhaustion. “How do you know? Not even Keenan knows yet.” Keenan is my twin and more closely attuned to my moods than my other brothers. I’ve been desperately masking the chaos going on in my head from him. It helps that he’s distracted by his own mate, an accident-prone actress.

“Your voice, the things you said to her, your drop in professionalism. You tried to touch her, get her out of that flimsy structure. Not something you would have done if she wasn’t your mate.”

It’s true, but I’m surprised Lock noticed. Perhaps I don’t know this brother as well as I should.

“I’m handling it,” I tell him. “I have a murder to solve first, then I’ll figure out what I’m going to do about Charlie and the curse.”

His gaze is compassionate, but I’m tired as fuck and want nothing more than to sleep off these muddled thoughts.

He seems to get that I want to be alone and takes a step back. “You don’t have to navigate the waters alone, brother. I’m here, and so are Keenan and Rush.”

I nod and open the door, entering my rooms.

I don’t get to have my proverbial sigh of relief, don’t get to kick off my shoes and flop on the bed where I can fall into a deep sleep, Charlie dancing in my dreams. Instead, I’m confronted by a grinning blond in a short plaid skirt, army boots and a T-shirt that says ‘Witches, Bitches, and Wine’ with an image of a wine glass and a sparkly wand.

“Magdalene,” I say, using my sternest cop voice. “Breaking and entering is illegal.”

“Only if you think people can own property and stuff, which witches don’t subscribe to,” she replies airily. “The land, the stones on the land, the rocks that make the cement, it all belongs to the planet, not the wolves.” She tips her head to the side, her curls spilling over her arm. “Or the humans for that matter. Now, why was I in your room?”

“You have five minutes and then I’m getting naked and going to bed, regardless of where you’re standing.”

“Rush wouldn’t like that,” she says, her eyes dancing with mischief.

“What do you want, Magdalene?” I sit on the couch and cross my leg over my knee, removing my shoe.

“Right,” she says matter-of-factly. “Oracle sent me because you’ve found your mate and the Oracle has… concerns.”

Frowning, I remove my second shoe. “Since when do Oracles get involved in the mating habits of wolves?”

She rolls her eyes. “It’s the human woman Oracle is concerned about, not the wolf.”

This catches my attention. “Why would Oracle care about Charlie?”

Magdalene’s expression grows serious. “Charlie is too important to lose,” she says in a low voice, glancing around as if she expects the Oracle to pop out of the stone walls. “She almost died in that explosion today. If you hadn’t been there, hadn’t protected her… who knows what could have happened.”

A shudder goes down my spine. “Why were you sent to me? One would think if it’s Charlie in danger, you’d be shadowing her.”

“Seriously?” she says in a tone that suggests I might be the dimmest wolf on the planet, which I genuinely might be. I’ve not had a good showing since meeting Charlie. “Wolf shifters make the best bodyguards. You guys are practically indestructible. No, Oracle wants you to stay on Charlie, keep her safe, make sure she fulfills her destiny.”

I rub a hand tiredly over my face. “Good thing I got the Oracle’s permission.”

She seems pleased with my easy capitulation.

“What destiny?” I’m so tired, I’m not sure I’m making sense, but she seems to get it.

“Don’t know. I just know she’s extremely important to the humans, could stave off annihilation, avert the apocalypse, that sort of thing.”

I sit up straighter, prepared to demand a better answer when she waves her hand in the air, summoning a pool of green glowing light against the wall. Before she steps through the portal, she adds, “Oracle says it’s best for Charlie if you protect her.” Her eyes dim with sadness, “But don’t mate with her. The curse could kill her before she does what she’s supposed to do.”

“Save humanity,” I say grimly, glaring at my witch sister-in-law. “What am I supposed to do? Ignore the mating instinct?”

Magdalene knows all about the mating instinct, having experienced it at the hands of my brother, Rush.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I’ll do what I can to help you, but for now, make sure Charlie stays safe.”

As she steps through the portal, I fall back on the bed, covering my face with my hands. Keep Charlie safe. I’m not off to a good start. A few hours ago, I watched from next to her hospital bed as her forehead was patched up. Then I was forced to say goodbye, leaving her to return to Wolf-Haven so I could update the King.

“Charlie.” I say her name, experimenting, calling her up in my mind. Closing my eyes, I relax and reach out to her, hoping I can touch her through our mating bond.

She’s there! I follow the wisp of orange-red tendrils as they lead me to her. She’s sleeping, her breaths puffing evenly in and out of her. I match my heart rate and breathing to hers, close my eyes and follow her into oblivion.