Reese Read online

  I sighed as I contemplated having a witch as a sister in law when it occurred to me that Megan might be a witch too. She would be an untrained one but what if she wanted to learn? I paused in front of my SUV as I motioned to Stan to help her in. He touched her gingerly now that she had the new designation as a magic user. He was leery and with good reason

  She smiled at him, leaned forward slightly and said,”Boo!”

  Stan jumped as Rachel laughed until she cried. “It never gets old with you werewolves.”

  Stan glared at her and slammed the door as soon as she was inside. He hopped into the front passenger seat and proceeded to sulk. This wasn’t turning out at all as I’d expected. It reminded me of that saying about well laid plans and all that. Things were certainly going awry.

  “So Alpha dog, you never explained how we were related. Want to spill the beans?” Rachel asked.

  “You and I aren’t blood related. I mated your sister.” I explained.

  “Yeah, right. I don’t have a sister, not anymore.” Rachel said sullenly. I could understand how she might be angry at what she now perceived as some kind of hoax. I wasn’t going to try to convince her of anything until we met up with Megan at home.

  Stan was quiet. It seemed his dream girl turning into a wicked witch had taken the joy right out of him. I could see how that would be a little depressing. I had worries of my own with my new witchy sister and Stan was going to have to figure things out for himself. The house came into sight but instead of the relief I should have felt something screamed in my mind to hurry. The front door stood wide open and there was no guard standing outside like I had ordered. A crazy thought entered my mind as I screeched to a halt and opened the door before the SUV came to a complete stop. What if Rachel had been nothing but a diversion all along?

  I ran up the stairs to the front porch my stomach rolling with worry. I could smell blood but I wasn’t sure whose it was. I scented Delane, or at least a hint that he’d passed this way recently. I felt a gripping pain in my chest as I thought my mate could be taken, injured, or even killed accidently in the less than competent care of that mangy cur Delane. I entered the door and saw an injured Jam holding his arm as it tried to heal. I’m sure I looked completely off my rocker with worry if the look he shot me was anything to go by.

  “In the kitchen.” He said, or at least it was all I heard as I rushed by.

  I threw open the door terrified of what I might find and I saw her sitting at the table pale and shaking like a leaf. I saw no visible signs of injury and she had never looked more beautiful or precious to me. I moved to her and pulled her up into my arms where I could reassure myself that she was alright. I breathed in her unique scent and felt instantly protective and aroused. I held her away from me and ran my hands over her looking for any injuries. Finding none I growled and pulled her into my arms for a kiss.

  “I hope we’re not disturbing you.” Rachel said even though it was clear that she was.

  I glared at Stan who just shrugged. I suppose he didn’t want her to turn him into a frog so he hadn’t tried to stop her.

  “Is this…?” Megan started to ask as she turned her full attention on Rachel.

  “Yes.” I replied with a shrug of my own. I would stand back and let them figure things out but I would stay close enough to protect my mate from the sarcastic witch if need be.

  ”So you’re the one that’s thinks she’s my sister?” Rachel asked as she examined Megan.

  “I’m not sure but investigators tracked you down and they seem to think it’s you. My parents died when I was little and I was adopted by wolves.”

  “Raised by wolves? Oh, by the goddess that’s rich!” Rachel said her sarcasm obvious. Her goddess wasn’t the one most wolves worshipped but they did recognize the Earth goddess witches prayed too and the witches recognized the moon goddess that ruled the lives of wolves.

  “Are you sure you’re not wolf? You sound like a sarcastic bitch!” Megan asked. Rachel paused and gave Megan a long hard look but Megan didn’t even blink. “I think we’d all better sit down, have a bite to eat, and start with what just happened here and at the cave.”

  I had to admit she was on to something. I suddenly realized after all that fighting and putting up with a witch that I was starved. I knew if I was that hungry, Stan must be ready to eat anything he could find. Jam had made his way in to the room as well. Megan started to fill bowls full of a delicious beef stew and add a side of cornbread. I went and got a pitcher of tea and put glasses on the table. I was slowly calming my inner warrior who’d had a huge dose of battle adrenaline pouring through him. I wanted to calm down so I could follow the story Jam and Megan would tell us soon.

  Once everyone sat down to eat, Megan began. She said, “I was in the kitchen pulling the cornbread out of the oven. The stew was cooking and everything seemed fine. I thought you would be home anytime so the sound of the door being kicked open didn’t alarm me. You guys are pretty rough so I thought someone was excited to be home and applied too much strength to the task. Jam was in the living room and I knew something was wrong when he roared more like a lion than a wolf.”

  Rachel snickered and Jam flushed a bright red. “Go on, Sweetheart.” I said glaring at the witch.

  “I got the gun out of the drawer and checked that it was loaded and took the safety off.”

  “You knew where the gun was?” I asked surprised.

  “The first day I was here. My dad showed me how to shoot so I ran into the living room and took out a rogue. Jam had torn the head off one already and the one I shot just dropped.”

  “There was only one body.” I pointed out.

  “I didn’t say he stayed down. Delane came out of nowhere, I hadn’t even seen him. He startled me but I got off a shot and hit him. It was painful, but not life threatening. Jam headed after him and he took off running like a gut shot cat. I got Jam to the couch and helped him clean up his damaged shoulder and I went for ice to help numb it. When I left the rogue I’d shot got up and ran out. I don’t know why, but Jam isn’t healing like he should.” she finished.

  “Poison.” Rachel declared.

  “Poison?” I asked.

  “I don’t mean they made poison, I mean those rogues are filthy curs and their nails are loaded with dirt and debris. It’s full of bacteria, most of it bad. It infects anything they even scratch but your boy here has serious gashes cut deep into the meat. It goes all the way to the bone if I’m not mistaken.” Rachel observed.

  “How do you know so much about it?” I asked suspicion dripping off each word.

  “Hey Alpha dog, I’m a witch! Get it, we heal people all the time. It’s not just love spells and turning dogs into frogs you know. I’m a healer and I save lives. I use herbal and holistic medicine and once in a while a healing spell if need be.” Rachel explained.

  “Can you help him?” I asked.

  “Yes, but it’s going to hurt like hell.” she admitted. Jam already looked ready to pass out. I wasn’t sure what she did but she touched him and he passed out. “I need you to put him somewhere where I can get to his arm easily but it needs support so it’s not hanging down.”

  We carried him to the couch and she told Megan some things she needed that would be in the kitchen. Megan seemed familiar with everything she asked for. Rachel ripped Jam’s shirt sleeve off and I looked at some nasty looking claw marks. She was right, they did go to the bone. Megan brought back an armful of items and set them down nearby handing her lemon juice first. She used it to douse the whole wound pouring it over it liberally. I suspected we’d need a new couch once she was done. She took a bowl Megan had brought and started combining things into a paste that she slathered on and in the wound.

  “I’ll need to leave this on about an hour and it should draw the impurities out and sterilize those that it can’t draw out. Just let him rest until then.” she said.

  “Let’s get back to what happened at the cave now.” Megan suggested.

  I went over e
verything from the time we left until she was satisfied. She looked at Rachel and asked, “Witchcraft runs in the family?”

  “My great grandma was a true witch. That means she was full blood and had the strongest powers. She married a human and he lured her away from her world making her mortal. My grandma held her father’s disdain for magic and our mother never even knew of that world at all. I have a strong level of magic even as diluted as my blood is.” Rachel said proudly.

  “If I’m your sister do you think I’d have any magical ability?”

  “You could, especially since he changed you.” Rachel replied.

  I was disturbed to see how excited my mate was at the possibility of possessing witch’s powers. I stepped back and just listened as they spoke. They had a lot in common, both being strong independent females in many ways. They had some similar traits but not so much that you would know immediately that they were sisters but more that you wouldn’t question it if you were told it was true. They seemed to develop a liking or maybe just a respect for each other as they talked. I sensed Rachel was withholding information from us but she didn’t owe us full disclosure, not unless her secrets brought us danger.

  “So have you decided anything?” I asked interrupting their conversation.

  “Like what?” Rachel asked.

  “Like how are we going to decide if you are really sisters and what are we going to do with you?”

  “I say we take blood tests.” Rachel advised.

  “Where will we have the test done?” I asked.

  “The witches have a lab, easy peasy.” She informed.

  “That’s one solution. Now what about you? You can’t go home, not yet anyway.” I observed.

  “She can stay here for a little while, can’t she?” Megan looked at me her sweet face so hopeful.

  “We do have a cottage she could stay at so everyone has some privacy. After all we are newly mated.” I suggested with a smile and Megan’s face warmed.

  I was actually ready for some of that privacy now but I had to wait for Rachel to clean the poultice off of Jam’s shoulder. The hour was almost up so it wouldn’t be long. Once that was done I’d have Stan escort the witch to the guest cabin. I just hoped things would work out the way I’d planned because I felt a powerful need for my mate. Rachel looked at her watch and announced the time was now.

  Megan went to get her something, while Rachel started peeling off the paste she had applied, but it seemed to stick together like it had hardened. It also seemed to stick to Jam in some places and that made me grateful he wasn’t awake and aware. Megan brought a bowl with warm water and once the white stuff was all peeled off his shoulder, Rachel started washing the wound with the water and a soft cloth. She did a thorough job and I could almost see the wound starting to heal. Maybe she was a healer because this shit was impressive. Jam started stirring just about the time she finished drying his wound. Either she had guessed how long to knock him out, or she had hit his on button.

  My wolf was nervous of all this magic even when it benefitted one of my own. Megan on the other hand didn’t seem to have picked up the wolfish anti magic feelings. Since she’d been raised among us that seemed odd. I would still love her even if she embraced the witch that might be part of her. I was an alpha wolf and I would adjust and conquer my fear of magic if need be. The suspicion however, would remain.

  Chapter 9

  Sisters

  I was surprised to say the least, that my ancestry might hold witches. I wondered what else it might hold. I knew Rachel made all of the wolves nervous, even Reese, all though he was the least effected. Some of the others didn’t even try to hide it. They chose to tolerate her as much because she had saved Jam as the fact that she was my sister. Even without hard proof, besides the investigator’s assertions, I knew deep down that she was family. There was a bond that I couldn’t explain that worked its way around us and she sensed it too. We talked late into the night like old friends or something more.

  My life had gone through some major changes in a short time and my mind still struggled to catch up. I had a new mate, a new sister and basically my whole life had been reordered. I needed to clear out of my house near the college and settle in to what would now be my new home, instead of living here like a guest that might be asked to leave anytime.

  I was ready to go to bed and I could tell that Rachel was too. Stan had crashed on the couch, giving up on us ever being ready to go. I headed upstairs as Rachel moved to Stan to wake him so he could escort her to her cottage. I heard a screech that told me she had decided to wake him in an unpleasant way. I felt bad for Stan but I was too tired to worry about him now. I wondered if Reese would wake up when I came to bed or just continue to sleep.

  I stripped off my clothes tossing them into the hamper. Reese and I slept naked since the clothing only got in the way. It was a shame that he ever had to cover that perfect body but I wouldn’t want the other females staring at him anyway. I slid into bed and a hand reached out and pulled me up against him. It seemed he was awake and waiting for me.

  “What took you so long?” He asked.

  “We had a lot to talk about.” I replied.

  “Well I have a lot for you to play with.” He whispered and I had to agree that was true. I kissed him and tasted his male flavor. It made me want him even more than I already had. My hands stroked his silky flesh and appreciated the rock hard muscles beneath it.

  He groaned when I pinched his nipple but he pinched mine back and chuckled when I whimpered. I could tell he was feeling aggressive tonight and I liked it. He rolled us and instead of side by side he was now on top where he seemed to like it the best. His legs were between my thighs and I felt hot and wet at the thought of him sinking deep inside me. His thick cockhead slid across my seam easily and I was caught off guard as he slammed deep inside. I groaned with pleasure as he filled me and I didn’t mind the pinch that came from his large size. It only seemed to add to the pleasure he was giving me.

  He pounded into my body and my legs wrapped around his hips pulling him in closer. My eyes nearly crossed with pleasure as he seemed to hit every hot spot that gave me pleasure. I moaned and growled needing him and this so much. I felt my orgasm hover just out of reach and I knew he wasn’t far behind me. He rolled his hips to the side a little and hit a spot that pushed me over the edge. Dear goddess it felt marvelous as my channel clamped down on him squeezing his climax out of him even though it seemed like he wanted to extend the pleasure he was receiving.

  He jerked as he filled me with his hot cum and he groaned wildly. He kissed me passionately and I could feel our bond close around us. His love was in the waves of warmth that settled over me. He rolled us to the side once he was able to think clearly. He was a magnificent beast when we made love and a brilliant leader for his males. This male could be whatever I needed him to be including an understanding keeper of my innermost secrets. He had given me a love that could be tender, exciting, demanding and incredibly orgasmic and I couldn’t imagine ever being anywhere but with him.

  I thought about how much I loved him as the warmth and security that emanated from him wrapped around me. One minute my mind was a buzzing with so much information I knew I’d never sleep and the next there was nothing at all.

  The next morning, Reese beat me waking and he was gone. His side of the bed was as cold as if he’d never been there at all. He was probably wrapping up the loose ends of the attacks yesterday and seeing that the prisoners were interrogated before being turned over to the warden. There was only one here right now because of some big operation involving blood drugs which was the scourge of werewolf kind. Some crazy vampire had discovered that while human drugs were ineffective on wolves, add a couple drops of the right kind of vampire blood, and you had a super drug.

  It was highly addictive and allowed the vampire complete control of his victims. It was also highly sought and he’d made millions if not billions selling it. There hadn’t been any local trouble with the drug, but
there had been problems in nearby large cities. That was where use of the drug was spreading rapidly. Continued use of the drug was eventually fatal, but that didn’t seem to be slowing its spread. Our world, the world of the wolf, was changing and I wasn’t sure if it was for the better or the worse. We now had treaties with vampires and witches although we were a long way from developing true trust.

  There were those that were two of the three, either wolf and witch, witch and vampire, or recently, vampire and wolf. Several of those were white wolves, and they were working on understanding with common ground between the three groups. It would be a long hard battle. Witches were perhaps the least understood of the three and the least trusted. I needed to get my mind off these things and back on moving forward with my life.

  I needed to empty out my old house and rent it out. I needed to move my things here and carve out a life at Reese’s side. I got ready and headed downstairs smelling coffee and food made me hurry faster. I was surprised to see Reese cooking. He looked very sexy with a kiss the cook apron on. I was only too happy to oblige, I moved to him and kissed him lightly when he leaned down to accommodate me. He handed me a plate of food, ready to eat, just like he knew exactly when I would be here to get it. I get a mug of coffee and sit down to eat. Cheesy scrambled eggs with bacon bits, fried potatoes, and sausage links. I just love a male that can cook and now he has one more thing on his list of accomplishments.

  Rachel’s sitting there with Stan and they’ve both already eaten. “I’m going to have to move my stuff before too long.” I mention casually.

  “I’ll go with you.” Rachel offers.