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Chapter 6

Owen

I pause to take a break and put my thoughts in order, the wolf spirit in my chest as agitated as I am, running warmth in my blood. Abel gives me time, saying nothing, and when I glance at him he's frowning as well, staring into the distance. At least he's listening, and if Abel hasn't changed too much during these last few years then I know he understands me too.

"I want to build a pack that can live with people and be free to be who they are." I walk closer to Abel again, coming to a stop in front of him. "You and Rorie—you did it first, and it works, right? It works."

At that, Abel finally fidgets and clears his throat, looking away with a hint of awkwardness. "Rorie is not a shifter. She's a human."

Oh. I blink. Is she? Although I guess that explains her smell. I thought it was because of the mating stuff that her scent was so weak and overpowered by the artificial flavors of cosmetics. I could smell Abel's scent on her better than her own…and it makes sense now, it makes sense. But at the same time, it means…

"You’re mated with a human?"

"A witch, to be precise, but yeah." Abel shrugs, a grin already playing on his lips. "It works."

I stand up with a sudden rush of adrenaline and take a few steps back and forth. Mating with a human? I hadn’t known it was possible, but actually…actually, it makes things even better.

"And she knows about it?"

"Of course."

"And she's alright with you being a wolf?"

"Well, we had to talk about it first, but yes." He chuckles. "Rorie doesn't mind."

I walk from side to side, waving my hands, unable to hold my excitement. "You see? Wolves can live with humans, and it's just…That's exactly what I'm talking about!"

"I don't know if it's gonna work with a whole pack though," Abel says with doubt, and I nod quickly.

"I'm not saying it's easy, right? But we can try. We can settle here and see how it goes." I take a few steps away, pause, and turn to Abel. "Are you going to join us?"

I ask it quickly—but it's one of the most important questions I've had for him so I don't look away, waiting for an answer. The more family members join the pack, the stronger it will be. Abel doesn't look back at me, gazing mindlessly at the trees across the road, but he slowly nods as if he knew I would ask it.

"It does sound good," Abel says in the end and looks up, and I feel a mountain falling off my shoulders. "But what about Rorie? I can't join a pack without her."

"You don't have to." I shake my head and step closer to him. "You don't have to. She's your mate, so obviously we're gonna accept her as ours."

Abel nods, and I see acceptance in his eyes, a small smile on his lips. My wolf spirit is roaring with confidence and delight at the thought of having another packmate. Two more packmates, in fact. Now there's only one issue left. "I've heard there's an old pack here though," I start— but Abel hums with understanding right away.

"Do you mean the one in the mountains?"

"Yes." I tilt my head in interest and sit down again, looking at Abel. "Do you know them?"

"No, actually." He shrugs when I raise my eyebrows in surprise—a good alpha would have come looking for Abel as soon as he caught his scent. "I had only heard about them before I came to Raywald—but I've never seen them here." Oh? That's interesting.

"What did you hear?"

"Well, a ghoul I met said they may have a cure for… you know." He looks me in the eyes and I nod. Yeah, I'd almost forgotten about his curse. "So I stopped here," Abel gestures at the diner, "on the way to their settlement to ask if they have the amulet. But I met Rorie and…well, I don't need it anymore."

He grins happily, and I can't help a chuckle of my own. The memories of Abel's uncontrolled growls and attempts to strike us every full moon flash through my mind. Yeah, hard to imagine it’s really him in front of me.

"Has she really cured the curse?"

"Yes. I'm a wolf again." Abel smiles and rolls his shoulders as if showing off, and suddenly I remember that he's two years younger than me.

I laugh and pat him, my wolf spirit rumbling with joy as it feels reunited with its younger brother. "We've gotta have a race sometime soon. I bet you haven't played with other wolves in a while."

Abel visibly perks up at the thought and hurries to nod, his spirit probably wagging its tail in excitement. "Oh, you have no idea!"

"It's a deal then." I stand up and hold out my hand for him to shake. "We're gonna stay in the forest for tonight, come join us anytime."

"Okay, only…Owen." Abel looks up at me with a hint of caution in his frown, and I automatically tense up. "Be careful, alright? These woods are full of magic, and they can turn against shifters too."

I hum and look around, at the trees that already stand black against the growing dusk. I don't feel the same buzz of magic that hit us when we first stepped onto the ground here, but the sparkles of static linger in the air. It feels like a thunderstorm is near, only there's not a cloud in the air, and my instincts are rising as my wolf spirit carefully tastes the magic.

"Yeah, I've noticed." I turn back to Abel, who is mindlessly scanning our surroundings as well. "Where does it come from?"

He shrugs and gets up. "I'm not sure. But it looks like

Raywald is built on an old settlement of witches."

Witches? My frown turns deeper as I look up at the mountains rising above us. It's not good. Dealing with witches can be quite a headache, especially when you don't know their goals. They're somewhere in the middle between humans and the world of the supernatural, and you never know which side they're gonna choose. But well, we gotta leave it for later—right now, I'm dying of hunger.

"Thanks." I turn to Abel with a nod and gesture at Till

Dawn behind my back. "Are you coming?"

"No, I have to go. Shampoos and toilet paper aren't gonna unload themselves." Abel chuckles and steps away in the direction of the town, raising a hand in goodbye. "See you later! Just promise not to smell my ass when we meet."

I snort—yeah, as if I have any control over it—and walk back into the diner. A tingling sensation pulls my gaze to the person that's watching me, and it turns out to be Rorie. I catch her gaze for a moment, noticing wariness in her eyes, but she looks at the window where Abel stood a minute ago before turning away to the kitchen. So she’s a human, a witch, and she knows about us. I hum to myself and walk to the booth. Funny company, indeed.

"Finally! I was starting to get worried," Carter greets me as soon as I walk closer.

"About me?" I can't help a laugh—I am the one who’s supposed to take care of them—as I sit down and glance at the table. "You ordered another pizza?"

"He was hungry," Gray says like it explains everything. In a way, it does.

"And you ate Owen's piece," Carter immediately objects, and I shake my head with amusement, pulling the plate with my burger closer.

Carter and Gray keep bickering for a couple more minutes, and it's nice to listen to. It's calming to hear their voices and know I have my family with me.

Asya

What are they talking about? I can’t help but steal glances at Owen and Abel behind the window, especially when I notice how Rorie keeps looking at them with a hint of worry. Who on earth is this Owen?

But Abel looks relaxed and happy when they finally part and Owen himself is smiling as he enters the diner. He doesn’t look at me, but I see him exchanging glances with Rorie and it looks like a silent conversation. It looks like something I’ll ask her about as soon as they leave—and it doesn’t take long before Owen finishes his own plate and they gather together to get up.

“Did you enjoy the meal?” I ask automatically while gathering the dirty plates and looking up at Carter. Owen has already left the booth to wait for his brothers by the door, so I can be more genuine with the smile I give the remaining two.

"Yeah, it was awesome." Carter grins back at me and turns to Gray, who is the last to climb out of the booth. He feels the gaze and glances at his brother before looking at me. He pretends to be grim, but I see awkwardness behind Gray’s frown and it makes me smile wider.

"Thanks."

"We'll be back soon.” Carter fixes his jacket one last time and hurries to Owen, not forgetting to wave a hand at

Rorie. “Bye!"

So they are going to come back to Till Dawn—which means they aren’t going to leave Raywald. Interesting. My gaze lingers on Carter and Gray as they walk away, and I hum. It wouldn’t be bad to see them again—they are close to my age after all, and it’s always nice to get to know someone better. Only…

I automatically look past the two of them and at Owen who is watching Carter turn to the bathroom with a displeased frown.

Only I wish they could come back without him.

As always, Owen immediately feels my gaze and looks at me. When our eyes meet I purse my lips, stubbornly holding his gaze. We stare at each other for a second, but Owen’s cold expression doesn’t change a bit even as he turns to walk away. They leave the diner—and that’s when I realize he hasn’t even said a word without me asking him first. What an arrogant prick, huh?

I huff and pick up the tray with the dishes. At least he has finally left—now I have a chance to question Rorie. I wait a few minutes, just for good measure, but when one of Rorie’s customers leaves and my own are still busy with fries I rush to her side. Rorie gives me a look that tells me she knows very well why I came.

"So, are you gonna tell me everything right now or after the shift?"

“Oh, come on.” She waves a hand at me with a chuckle, but it sounds strained and she doesn’t really look at me. “It’s nothing interesting.”

As if that has ever worked.

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