Werewolf and Vampire Mate [Book 1 Complete]

chapter nineteen.

Orson

April's breath is on my neck, feathering down the column of my throat, as I carry her through the woods. We have taken a short break from running because I know after long periods it makes my mate feel sick.

But really, we need to keep up the pace in order to get to the grimoire in time.

We should already be there. The mountain looms in front of us, getting closer and closer, but the sun is starting to set.

Fuck, we aren't going to make it back to Wickham by nightfall tomorrow. Which means, my pack is in jeopardy. The thought makes me inhale sharply, dread tearing through me. My father died, leaving me to protect his legacy, our family, the people I have grown up with, and I am going to fail them within my first week of leadership.

All I have wanted my entire life is to be the Alpha my pack deserves. And now, there isn't even going to be a pack left to lead.

The rushing of water grows louder and louder until we come to the large waterfall where the small offshoots of the river all convene. The gorge below is cavernous.

Years and years ago, when I was young, we would occasionally make trips out here, traveling for days in wolf form to reach this spot. But bad memories cling to it now...it is the site of my mother's murder. Out here, so deep in the woods, my mother's throat was torn out by a vampire.

"Hey." April's voice is soft, her head resting on my shoulder, and it pulls me out of my bad memories. "It's going to be ok."

"Yeah." I don't sound convinced, though I'm trying not to add to the stress already weighing on her.

"It is," she insists. "I can just...feel it."

My eyebrows furrow as I look down at her. Nikolai glances over from beside us.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I don't know," she admits. "But I had this weird dream last night and...I can just feel it."

"What kind of dream?" Nikolai questions, moving in closer.

"It's...hazy. Hard to remember," she admits. "But I could see the grimoire, I think. Or I could...feel it."

Nikolai and I exchange a glance. Part of me thinks that maybe this experience has been too much for April—the pressure, the trauma of it all—and maybe she's going a little...

Well, it doesn't matter. I will love her no matter what, no matter how this shapes or changes her, and once this is over, I will get her whatever help she needs.

"I'm not crazy, Reed," she snaps as she studies my expression. "Put me down."

"I didn't say anything," I tell her, gently lowering her to her feet. "Sweetheart, I'm just worried that–"

"Whatever." She crosses her arms over her chest defensively. "Just forget I brought it up, alright? You clearly don't believe me."

An ache tightens in my chest. She's my mate and we have done our best to always be honest with one another; I never want her to think I doubt that honesty.

"I'm sorry, April. I do believe you."

Her lips just flatten in response.

"Orson!" A sudden screeching of my name has me whirling around, searching between the dense trees to try and figure out where it came from.

"Hey, what's wrong?" April questions, reaching out to touch my shoulder.

"Didn't you hear that?" I demand. "Someone just called my name."