Of Witches And Wolves

Chapter 4. When Mates Fly.

"Salem, hand me the wolfsbane."

"Here it is."

"I need the ginger, then cloves."

"What next?"

"Cinnamon, sage, and a few strands of a shifter's fur."

"What? You want my fur?"

"Well, I would ask Dane, but he isn't here yet."

"Ugh, why?"

"It's what the book says to do."

"I let you play with the internet way too often." he gave me a stolid glare and I smiled at him. "When is Dane supposed to get here anyway?"

"I don't know, he never tells us a time. You know, it's a little weird being able to speak to you and hear your answer. I'm sorry about calling you a dumb cat as a kid."

"I understand. I'd get annoyed if a cat followed me around all the time."

"I suppose. I hope there is another human village or city near here, we need to get you clothes. You can't keep wearing Dane's extra clothes."

There was a knock at the door. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear, right?" Salem smirked and left the kitchen to open the door.

"Hey, I brought you more clothes, my brother grew out of this stuff a while ago, I don't know what style of clothes you like so try this stuff out." Dane handed a bag to Salem and walked into the kitchen.

"Hey! I need you to shift I need a shifters fur for this spell."

"Why me? Did Salem say no?"

"Yup. Please?"

"Fine. I'll be right back."

Salem walked back into the kitchen as Dane left. He had on a black shirt with the sleeves cut off and black jeans with holes in the knees.

"How does it look?" He asked.

"You almost look stunning. Then I remember you are a cat." I flicked my hair at him. "What do you know about mates?"

"A mate is the one person you love more than yourself or anything else in the world, you're meant to be with this person. You are pulled in their direction, you feel when they are near, you are always safe around them. You are equals, and if yours is a half decent person, he will treat you like the angel you are, while respecting you more than he respects anyone else."

"Could Dane be my mate?"

"If you feel attracted to him more than you've ever been attracted to anyone else."

"How do I know?"

"I think you would know. Imagine being with him, then imagine being with someone else."

I allowed the memory of his arms being around me flood back. So safe and warm, since day one I wanted to do that, I wanted to hold him. I've dreamt about being held like that, being in his arms felt perfect, I didn't care about anything else but him. Then I pictured being with one of the humans from the city. It felt wrong. Like, if I kept thinking about it, I'd hurt Dane.

"I can't do that."

"Then he is your mate," Salem smiled at me. "I'm so happy for you! Most witches don't find their mates ever, and you have yours at only age twenty one!" he pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back, it wasn't like Dane's hug, but I still felt safe.

"Why do I feel safe around you too? Like I'm always protected?"

"Because I've always been there."