Psyche Shield (10 page)

“I can’t wait until I sort it out. Beatrice will figure out
I’m still alive soon, and she’ll come for me. When she does I have to be
ready.”

She threw a twig in the fire and it burst into flame. “Don’t
forget the prophecy.”

“What do you mean?” The prophecy about me never strayed far
from my thoughts. A century before my birth, Sages foretold that I would change
the course of destiny for Mages and Wolves. My grandmother, misunderstanding
the meaning, tried to kill me in the womb. My parents died to protect me. Right
after my birth, my mother handed me to a Human stranger and disappeared. I was
adopted into a Human family with no knowledge of my heritage or understanding
of my abilities.

“The prophecy is a heavy burden to carry. I feel how much it
weighs on you. Your choices have an enormous impact on all of us: Wolves,
Mages, Sages, and Humans. The war between Mages and Wolves will continue or end
depending on what we do. We. You carry my matebite now, which should be all the
proof you need. We’re in this together. Kato said I’m part of the prophecy, and
three others are coming to help us. I am the best fighter around and Beta of
the strongest pack in the region. You may not have Pack Status, but you are
Pack in the ways that matter most. We can’t tell our packmates a lot of what’s
going on, but we’re not alone. Not in the slightest.”

“How can you be so optimistic?” I asked skeptically.

She held me tighter and rested her chin on my shoulder.
“I’ve had family or Pack my entire life. I’ve never been alone. Until recently
you’ve never known anything else. You haven’t figured out what it means to be
Pack yet. You will. It’s not something that can be explained. It has to be felt
in here.” She tapped my heart with a finger.

I considered what she said silently, Kato’s advice coming
back to me.
What you fear will not come if you accept yourself as Pack and
your packmates as family.
Billie didn’t hear his statement, and she had in
essence said the same thing. As had Nathan.
Ya disappeared ’cause ya
couldn’t face us, didn’t ya? Don’t ever run away from us, Sadie. We’re Pack.

I still didn’t know what it meant. The last of the embers
winked out as I contemplated all of it. Billie let me ponder in silence,
following some of my thoughts. Others I hid from her. When the coals finally
cooled, I lowered the shield and illusion so we could go home.

Chapter 5

Jason didn’t knock and blew through the front door
like a thunderclap. “You should have called me before bringing her here.”
Silence descended in the house as he confronted his Beta. Every Wolf except
Billie stilled when they heard his mood. Only she seemed immune to his
temperament, and she faced his ire easily.

He walked right past me without acknowledging my presence,
and I folded my arms across my chest at his rudeness. I wasn’t immune to his
moods, but I didn’t react like a Wolf. My instincts did not tell me to back
down or defer to his authority.

“You should have called me the moment you knew about her.” A
vein on his neck kept time with his bad temper. Tattoos littered his arms and
neck, a simple T-shirt covering the rest of his ink.

Billie expressed disagreement without challenging his
authority, a skill she’d perfected since becoming Wolf. “I’ve always brought
Pack visitors home. You don’t even have a spare room because you don’t want
them. I’ve hosted almost every guest since you named me Beta, and you’ve never
complained before.”

“You didn’t have a Mage girlfriend to scare the shit out of
them before.” He ignored me even as he insulted me. I chewed on my lip to stop
the snippy comeback that tried to come out. My packmates and Sierra noticed the
effort it took to stay quiet, and I could almost hear their silent laughter.

“Mate, Alpha. She’s my mate,” Billie spat, one hand cutting
through the air demonstratively. Almost as tall as Jason, she only had to raise
her chin slightly to look him in the eyes. The gesture looked more defiant than
submissive whenever she defended me. She deferred to her Alpha regarding
everything else.

He curled his lip as he stared her down, and she met his
gaze steadily. He still hadn’t acknowledged my presence. “Don’t rub it in. You
didn’t just find a Mage mate, you brought home the most insufferable Mage mate
possible.”

“I don’t need Wolf ears to hear you when I’m standing five
feet away,” I snapped at him, losing the battle of self-control. Behind him,
Sierra watched attentively, Kathryn sitting by her side. She’d expected an
interrogation from the intimidating Alpha. She stifled her gratitude that
someone else drew his fire.

I may as well have been invisible. If I’d had hackles, they
would have stood on end as he studiously ignored me. “Bringing a strange Wolf
into your home with
her
here is only going to cause problems with her
Alpha. You should have known better.” He punctuated his statement by shoving a
finger in my direction.

Billie didn’t back down. She felt as strongly about it as
she had when they initially discussed it. The resolute Beta gave her opinion
respectfully but firmly. “Hiding Sadie would make matters worse. It would look
like we have something to hide, and we don’t. The other packs are going to find
out she’s here eventually, and when they do, they need to see her like we see
her. When people get to know her, they actually like her.”

“Not everyone,” he growled, his eyebrows nearly meeting over
his nose.

“Well, at least we agree on something,” I blurted and raised
my chin, daring him to reply.

Billie closed her eyes and pinched her nose, exasperated
with the endless passive aggressive sparring between us. She refused to get
caught in the crossfire this time. Meeting her Alpha’s gaze once again, she
returned to her argument. “Sierra’s getting to know her. Once other Wolves
figure out she’s not a threat, we won’t have this problem anymore.”

Jason shook his head in frustration. He couldn’t erase the
problem about to arise with Sierra’s Alpha. He turned a cold eye on me, finally
acknowledging my presence. He looked down his nose as he would a bug crawling
on his dinner plate. “Are you ever going to be anything but a pain in my ass?”

Smiling with mock sweetness, I replied, “I must be
improving. You’ve been here for two minutes, and you haven’t threatened to kill
me yet.” I sensed stifled laughter from every corner of the room, and by
Jason’s expression he noticed it too. He liked my teeth even when he wanted to
throttle me. At that moment he wanted to strangle me.

“Let’s get this over with,” he growled resolutely.

Kathryn pulled out her cell phone and found the Montana
Alpha’s number. I sat on the couch and grew quiet, wishing I could opt out of
this phone call. I knew Jason, and I knew where I stood with him. An unknown
Alpha and what he represented scared me. Sensing my nervousness, Billie took a
seat on one side of me and wrapped an arm around my waist. Amy sat on my other
side. Jason leaned against the nearest wall with his arms crossed, while Sierra
studied a spot on her blanket.

Kathryn punched a button to activate the speakerphone and
placed the ringing cell on the table. A husky voice answered almost
immediately. At the sound of his voice, her face lit up in genuine pleasure.
“Good morning, Graham, it’s Kathryn. How are you, darling?” she drawled
pleasantly.

His tone softened, and I could imagine his expression
mirroring hers. “Better, hearing your voice. It’s been too long old friend.”

“I do believe we’ll be rectifying that soon. You’re on
speakerphone so that everyone can hear. You know Jason, but I don’t believe
you’ve met our Beta, Billie. Her mate Sadie is with us as well as our Medic
Amy.”

Jason didn’t wait for questions or more pleasantries. “We
picked up one of your Wolves after a car accident yesterday.”

His voice grew brisk once again, lined with a sharp edge of
concern. “You have Sierra?”

“We have her. Our Medic patched her up.”

“What happened?” Sierra’s protective Alpha demanded to know
the details. I knew how Billie would react if one of her packmates lay injured
outside of her reach. She’d need to assure herself of their safety and
wellbeing, either remotely or in person.

Jason nodded at Sierra to answer her Alpha’s question. “My
car slipped on some gravel and went off a cliff. I hiked out on three legs, and
a friendly hunter found me. He brought me safely to the Boise Pack.”

“You’re a real cat, Sierra. But I think you’re down to four
lives now.” She grimaced, and I recognized it as a regular criticism from her
Alpha. I wondered what other trouble she’d found herself in. “How bad is the
leg?” he asked.

Amy voice chirped from beside me on the couch. “Hi. I’m Amy.
She has compound fractures of the left tibia and fibula. It started to heal
improperly before I reached her. I re-broke it and set it cleanly, but she
should stay under observation and off her leg for another twenty-four hours
minimum. A break like this can have complications, but nothing I can’t handle.
Other than that, she had a minor laceration and moderate exhaustion. Some food
and sleep has nearly cured those already. She’ll be good as new in a couple of
weeks.” She could sound almost professional when she wanted.

Graham expressed his appreciation. “Thank you for taking her
in. I’ll head your way tomorrow and stay ’til she can return home if you’re
agreeable.”

Jason replied in his usual gruff tone. “Of course. Come be
with your Wolf.” Courtesy demanded that he request permission to enter the
territory. Despite the discomfort of having a strange Alpha around, Jason
wouldn’t deny his request. He’d want the same if the tables were turned.

“Hi Graham, this is Billie. Sierra is staying with me and my
mate. You’re welcome to stay here with her until she’s ready to travel.” Jason
glared at Billie, his neck muscles popping in silent anger at her bold
defiance. She’d crossed a line and knew it beforehand. Jason couldn’t recant
the offer once made.

The other Alpha continued, oblivious to the sudden tension.
“Much appreciated, Billie. I’ll be there sometime tomorrow evening.”

“I’ll have a room ready for you,” Billie promised, meeting
her Alpha’s eyes. She accepted the consequence of her actions.

Graham continued the conversation with his Wolf while I
wondered if the tension would become physical. “Sierra, how did you manage to
survive a hunter finding you in wolf form?”

Kathryn saw an opportunity and answered. “By a stroke of
good fortune and during wolf season no less. Kato sensed her predicament and
contacted Billie’s mate. Billie and Amy left immediately to search for her.
Meanwhile, my grandson found her injured while deer hunting and recognized her
as Wolf. He brought her safely out of the forest and contacted me as soon as he
was able. Billie and Amy met up with them and brought Sierra home.”

“That is good fortune. Three lives, Sierra, for surviving
wolf season. Sadie, you must be quite the Sensitive to hear Kato from such a
distance.”

My chest tightened, but thankfully Kathryn answered for me.
“We are fortunate Sadie heard Kato, and she is a blessing indeed. However,
Sadie is not a Sensitive but a Mage and a proven friend to our pack.”

Despite Kathryn’s exquisite wording, Graham went silent and
then bellowed, “She’s a what?!” Amy and I flinched, and Jason’s face screwed up
tightly. Billie’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and Sierra’s anxiety became almost
tangible.

Jason rumbled right back at the other Alpha, undaunted by
his tone. “She’s no danger to the pack, Graham. I wouldn’t let her live if she
was.” I could always count on his ability to make a murderous threat sound
casual.

Kathryn added her own delicate flavor to counteract her old
friend’s reaction. “Graham, we’ve known each other most of our lives. Your Wolf
is safe, I promise you. Sadie is not like any other Mages we’ve encountered.
She has not harmed any of us in any way. Just the opposite.”

“What are you up to, Mage?” He ignored Jason and Kathryn,
his voice emanating low and threatening. The Wolves around me no longer existed
to him, and he spoke to me directly. I heard in Graham’s voice what Kato meant
when he said I would face another pack’s enmity. I hoped my own would stand
with me.

“Graham, you are speaking to my mate.” Billie’s low warning
punctuated the conversation.

I decided I couldn’t stay silent. As much as I wanted to let
Billie and Jason handle it, the Alpha spoke to me and expected me to answer.
Keeping my voice as steady as possible, I responded. My voice trembled slightly
as my chest tightened. “I’m not up to anything. I don’t collar Wolves like some
Mages do. I have not and will never collar Sierra or harm her in any way. I
swear.”

A low growl emerged from the phone and filled the room. My
stomach flipped and bile rose to my throat. He didn’t believe me. This would
not end well. “Get away from my Wolf. If you’ve done anything to her, I’ll make
your death slow and painful.” I slapped my hand over Billie’s mouth, preventing
her outraged response to the Alpha. She didn’t respond well to threats against
me, and anything she said would only add to the current problem. Jason offered
me a reluctantly appreciative glance and glared Billie into silence.

Just in case, I continued the conversation with my hand over
Billie’s mouth. I could sense her indignation and ignored it. I’d make it up to
her later. “Billie and I have given her a place to recover from her injuries,
that’s it. The only thing I’ve done to Sierra is give her food and a place to
sleep.”

“It’s true, Alpha,” Sierra interjected. “It’s strange, but
you’d never guess she’s a Mage. She’s nice.” The unintentional insult wounded
me, but I let it go. We had bigger issues.

Kathryn added the ultimate argument. “Kato trusts her,
Graham. He trusted her enough to send us a message through her. Kato and Sadie
are responsible for rescuing your Wolf.”

The urgency in Graham’s voice thickened, and he spoke
rapidly. “What you say isn’t possible, Kathryn. We’ve been friends for 150
years. When have we ever met a benign Mage?”

I admired Kathryn’s ability to stay calm in the face of
adversity more than ever. “I never thought I’d see it, old friend, but I have.
She’s sitting beside me. Like you said, we’ve been friends for 150 years. You
know me and you know your Wolf. You need only look into our eyes to see the
truth.”

“Are you suggesting something? Speak plainly.” Wariness
crept into his tone. He already suspected a trap.

“I suggest we meet so you can see the truth for yourself.
You may choose the time and location. Jason, Kato, Sierra, and I will come
alone. Kato sees into a person’s heart and cannot be collared. This was also
true of his brother who you knew well.”

“And your Beta?” Graham weighed the situation carefully.

Jason answered Graham while staring resolutely at Billie,
effectively ending my mate’s argument to attend the meeting. “My Beta doesn’t
respond well to threats against her mate. We’ll have a more civilized
conversation without her.” I couldn’t help appreciating the truth in his
statement. Billie scowled but couldn’t argue with my hand still covering her
mouth and her Alpha holding her gaze warningly.

Graham considered the offer for several moments and agreed
to the meeting. “I’ll call you with a time and place. Mage, if you’re lying I
will hunt you down and rip you apart.” Billie’s posture showed how she felt
about the statement. Fortunately she stayed silent.

“I’m not lying. I don’t know what it’ll take to convince you
of that, but I’m not,” I insisted sadly. I couldn’t think of anything else to
say. No argument would suffice. Either he’d believe in the possibility of a
benign Mage or he’d want me dead.

An earsplitting roar echoed through the phone as he hung up.
Panic escalated and filled the room. Billie sprang to her feet and began to
pace while Jason stood against the wall, his expression calculating and
watchful.

“This is bad.” Amy’s eyes rolled wide, and she looked to her
Alpha and Beta for courage. Billie normally responded to fear with an action
plan. This time she responded with silent fury that heightened with every step
she took.

I saw the flip side to the Sending gift as Sierra filled the
room with panic. I set my jaw, sounding more determined than I felt. “We’ll
deal with it.” I watched Billie, her response alarming me. She hadn’t acted
like a caged animal when Matthew tried to kill me and our pack hunted us
through the mountains.