Werewolf and Vampire Mate [Book 1 Complete]

chapter sixteen.

April

"You need to go and fetch the grimoire," Wickham declares. "It's in the Mattatuck Forest. I've drawn you a rough map. But beware: the grimoire is cloaked with powerful magick that is designed to lead those who seek it astray. That's why it took me so long to find it. And...it's why I haven't returned."

"What do you mean?" I question. "What kind of magick?"

But he won't answer.

Instead he comes toward me, slipping something out of his pocket as he goes. Before he can get close, Reed has stepped in front of me, Nik right at his side.

"Move," Wickham says, but they don't budge. "Don't turn this into an unnecessary fight. I'm not going to hurt her."

Reed reluctantly eases back, though he wraps his hand around my arm like he's ready to pull me behind him at any moment.

Wickham lifts a silver pendant necklace and slips it around my neck, gently lifting my hair as he clips it up. His unsettling eyes trail over my face, down to my mouth and then my throat and inhales deeply.

"Alright, you're being a creep," Nik snaps just as Reed growls.

Thankfully, without any further prompting, Wickham hands me a rolled piece of parchment—the map—and then steps back. "I'll know where you are at all times. If you take the necklace off, I'll know that too. And your werewolf pack will pay the price."

I touch the silver necklace. Is it magick? Or is this just some trick?

"It's technology," Wickham says, like he can read my thoughts. "It has a GPS tracker in it and an alarm will be triggered if you undo the clasp."

Oh. No magick involved then, just good old twenty-first century stalker equipment.

"We'll go get your stupid book," I mutter and turn on my heel, marching toward the tunnel that leads back to the forest.

"Three days, April," Wickham calls after me. "If you don't return with my book by then, I'll start killing members of your pack one by one."

I glare at him over my shoulder. Reed comes up behind me, his hands going to my hips to guide me through the tunnel as it gets darker and darker.

When I slip and nearly fall, he pulls me up into his arms and carries me the rest of the way.

The moon shines down on us when we make it to the forest, trees swaying gently in a light breeze.

"You think he's telling the truth about this book?" I wonder as Reed gently places me down.

"I think he certainly believes it. Sounds like he'll do anything to be able to go into the sun. Fucking psycho," Reed mutters.

I rub my arms, a little chilly now. My voice is smaller when I ask, "Do you think the pack is ok? We should've asked to see them."

Emerald eyes lock onto me and melt. He steps toward me and rubs his heated palms up and down my arms to help keep me warm. "They're ok, April. I can feel it," he tells me.

"Feel it?"

"I'm their Alpha now. I can feel them, like a tug inside of me. Just like I can..." He swallows. "I can feel you, now that you're my mate."

Though I suspect it isn't as strong because I'm human, I can feel him too, deep in my chest. At the moment, it is a ball of anger and grief, bleeding into my own emotions and heightening them.

I squeeze my eyes closed, inhaling deeply to try and contain it.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs. I already know he is—he's been distant and cold towards me and that's not who he is. "I'm so sorry, April."