“I don’t know …” he started.
“We have no other options. Your brother just declared war on us.” We had to do something. “Should we just sit around and wait for them to kill me?” I’d been doing okay until this point, but now all of the feelings were crashing down on me.
“Of course not.” He nibbled on his lip. “Let’s run.”
“Where?” He was upset and not thinking rationally. Granted, I could say the same about myself right now. “If the curse is true, then I’m half-witch. I’ll need witches to help me.”
He paused.
“I don’t think he thought that part through.” Beth opened the Jeep door and began to climb out. “Just in case it isn’t clear, I’m on Emma’s side.” She shut the door and ran up to the front porch.
“Hey, it’ll be okay.” I took his hand. “I promise I don’t have a death wish. I think this is the most logical first step. Then, we can run like you suggested.”
“Okay, but know it won’t take them long to mobilize.” Aidan turned off the car and scratched the back of his neck. “So we can’t take long. We’ll need to get away from here fast. That’s why I don’t see the point.”
The front door opened, and after Beth entered, Samuel stepped out, tapping his foot as he waited for us.
“Come on.” It’s not like we could leave Beth behind. Bradley knew she was with us, so she was stuck with us. I hadn’t even considered that until now.
I got out of the car with Aidan following my lead.
“What’s going on?” Samuel frowned when his eyes landed on Aidan.
“We’ve got a problem, and we’re hoping you can give us guidance.” Or a place to start.
“My initial advice is to leave that elitist behind,” Finn said as he stepped out of the house and glared at Aidan.
I should’ve expected this. “No, he’s not here to be confrontational.”
“Says you.” Finn rubbed his hands together. “He looks as uncomfortable here as he should.”
“Look, Emma trusts you.” Aidan straightened his shoulders and grimaced. “So I’m here for her.”
“One comment we don’t like, and you’re out.” Samuel held up a finger in emphasis. “All it’ll take is one time.”
“Fine.” Aidan nodded.
“Man, that’s too easy. His kind is a danger to us all,” Finn said through his teeth.
“Hey, I’m a shifter too.” I couldn’t help but point out his hypocrisy.
“But you don’t hate witches or try to kill as many as possible.” Finn’s hands clenched into fists as if he were coming unglued.
“Look, we won’t be here long.” Maybe Aidan was right and this had been a horrible decision. I hadn’t expected Finn to be so adamantly against him.
“Fine.” He moved out of the doorway so Aidan and I could pass.
I stepped into the living room and found Coral and Amethyst sitting on the couch with Beth.
Amethyst’s body tensed when she saw me. “What’s wrong?”
Sometimes, it was freaky how much she could gather within seconds of someone entering a room. I barely had a chance to get my bearings. “There’s something I need your guidance on.”
“What is it?” Coral shifted in her seat as her attention flicked to Aidan. “Does it have to do with him?”
Yeah, there was no love lost between them and Aidan. “No … yes … kind of.” That probably didn’t help things.
Samuel and Finn walked around us and stood facing Aidan and me.
Beth lifted a hand toward me. “Just come out with it.”
“It’s not as easy as just coming out with it.” I was getting annoyed with her, but it wasn’t right. I was projecting things onto her. “I found out something about myself that’s hard to believe.”
Coral crossed her legs and turned toward me. “That you’re part witch?”
“Well, that’s part of it, yes.” That was fucking unsettling. “How the hell did you know?”
“It’s part of being a witch.” Amethyst placed her elbows on her knees. “The first time you touch, it alerts witches that you’re one of us and what coven you belong to.”
“I didn’t feel anything when we touched.” This could be problematic. How many people knew I was a witch?
“You probably didn’t know what to look for.” Amethyst straightened and dropped her hands in her lap. “Hell, I even mentioned it when we met. You had no clue?”
“No, none.” I began to doubt everything I knew. People knew me better than I knew my damn self. “Wait … I’m part of a coven? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It would appear so.” Samuel looked sheepish and shrugged. “And a descendant of ours, though we are just getting to know you. We thought maybe you weren’t ready to tell us. I mean witches aren’t supposed to be able to reproduce with shifters.”
“That’s one reason we were so accepting of you.” Finn’s chin jutted, and he tapped his foot on the ground. “Even though you’re half-shifter.”
“Don’t listen to him.” Coral waved him off. “Amethyst knew you and Beth were not a threat because there has never been animosity flowing from you two toward us, unlike your mate there.”
Amethyst looked at Aidan with concern. “He’s scared now. There isn’t any hate.”
“That makes him even more dangerous.” Finn took a menacing step toward Aidan. “What do wolves do when they’re afraid?”
“Stop it,” I said as I turned around to face Finn. “He’s my fated mate, so he can’t hate witches or he’d be hating half of me.”
“That’s a good point.” Samuel dropped his arms. All sense of tension was erased as if magic had filled my words.
“Don’t be a dumbass,” Finn grumbled.
“Look, apparently I’m the cursed one, and there is a large number of wolf shifters banding together to kill me.” There went easing them into the conversation.
Beth smacked her leg. “You don’t do anything half-heartedly, do you?”
Coral tapped her chin. “Wait … why do they want to kill you?”
“Aidan, want to fill them in?” I wanted someone else to take over.
“My family is part of The Hallowed Guild, and a half-witch, half-wolf shifter bearing the mark has been deemed a risk to our kind, and she must be exterminated before she comes into her powers.” Aidan touched my shoulder. “Was that blunt enough?”
“Yes, subtlety is not a strong suit for either of you, but in all fairness, we don’t have time to be political.” Beth ran a hand through her hair.
“Wait … The Hallowed Guild?” Amethyst said slowly, her eyes going to the window. “The very society that’s known for killing witches?”
“They aren’t supposed to unless they’re marked.” Aidan sighed. “Look, I may have been trained as a member of the society, but I’ve been trying to get answers on how to protect her.” His eyes were full of love and determination. “I’ve turned my back on my family and pack for her. I’m not sure how else I can prove that I’m all-in.”