Page 6 of The Mating Quest

“Ethan.” The Shadow Wizard’s deep voice cut through his mentalmusings.

The alpha glared at him, unable tospeak.

Caderyn smiled. “That is correct. You will not speak, and neither will Ilana. Instead, you will listen. Not to me. But the one who has everything tosay.”

The Shadow Wizard closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, they flared dark gray with shadows. He blinked and suddenly a woman appeared on the boat deck beforethem.

Ethan’s breath hitched. Not just any woman, hell, or Other. EllaPrinceton.

Seeing him, she ran forward, embraced him. Ethan felt the spell holding him prisoner snap, and he hugged her back. “Ella,” he murmured, breathing in her sweetscent.

He felt the weight of Ilana’s gaze on him and turned. For a moment, she looked jealous. Slight satisfaction filled him, then he dismissed it. The Mage was the enemy, not a future sexualconquest.

Ella stepped back, smoothing back his hair. “You look tired. Are youokay?”

He nodded, inclining his head at Ilana. “I’ve been busy watching over our charges and protecting them from the likes of…her.”

Sensing Ilana’s gaze, he wondered what she thought. Ella was not a conventional beauty, but striking and attractive, with moss green eyes and long, curly, dark brown hair. She was curvy as Ilana was slim and athletic. It ran in the family, for Ella was ashifter.

Ilana rolled her shoulders, Caderyn having released her from the spell also. “Look, if you missed your girlfriend, fine, but I don’t need to behere.”

A whimsical laugh from Ella. “His girlfriend? My mate, Kieran, might object to you using thatterm.”

Realizing he needed to set things straight, Ethan squeezed Ella’s hand. “Ella is mysister.”

“The sister he never knew he had. We were all born to the same parents, but given to adoptive parents to be raised from birth. Hi, pleasure to meet you.” Ella held out ahand.

“She’s not a friend,” Ethanmuttered.

Ilana ignored Ella’s hand and only looked at Caderyn with suspicion. “So, you brought me here to witness a damn familyreunion?”

“Watch your tongue, Ilana.” Caderyn floated above the boat’s deck. “I brought Ella here to explain yourmission.”

The wizard stretched out his long legs in mid-air. “I am merely here as the … what do you callit?”

“Referee,” Ella toldhim.

“Yes. Ella, explain tothem.”

Ella glanced from Ethan to Ilana. “I am a werewolf of the Wyld, with a Lupine mother and a Changeling shifter father. We were separated from our parents at birth and given to adoptive Skins to raise, Skins with psychic powers, until the goddess Danu called upon us to protect the weak and the frail of humanity against the growing evil in the world and destroy evil masquerading asgood.”

Ilana rolled her eyes. “So, you’re here to destroy me? Or is Ethan going to do the deed, since he’s this mighty Wyld thing? Bringit.”

“Hush,” Caderyn barked. “Let herspeak.”

Ilana’s bravado seemed to hide a deep vulnerability. She looked young, no older than 25, yet she acted jaded, as if the world weariedher.

“Ella is my blood sister, but only females are werewolves of the Wyld.” He gave his sister a warm smile. “I’m an ordinaryLupine.”

Ella squeezed his hand. “Not so ordinary, but Changeling like us. Only you could shelter and protect oursiblings.”

“Siblings?” Now Ilana’s brows arched, as if she found this informationinteresting.

“Ava, Brianna, Chloe, Dakota and myself, Ella. We are the werewolves of the Wyld. Danu charged us with finding five powerful talismans Danu created, failsafes she placed on earth, items unique only to each wizard that can enhance power in dark times when rotting flesh rises from the grave and terrorizes theworld.”

She glanced at Caderyn. “I was charged with finding the amethyst crystal of Calmach for Xavier. With the help of my mate, Kieran, I found and destroyed it. Brianna secured the lock of hair for Caderyn. Now Ava, Chloe and Dakota must find the remaining talismans. A wolf pelt for Tristan, the Silver Wizard. A delicate feather from a fairy’s wing for Gideon, the Crimson Wizard. A dragon scale for Drust, the Coldfire Wizard. Find them before they fall into the hands of the evil forces gathering on earth. Each talisman was hidden in a place special to eachwizard.”

Ilana tensed. “A fairy’s wingfeather?”