Destined (Darkin World Book 2)

Chapter Six

Breqlynn held out until half-past nine the following morning. By then, curiosity consumed her. If she didn't assuage it soon, she was liable to wear a groove in her hardwood floors.

Damn the man.

The verbal parting jab Jaeger her way kept Breq up most of the night. Not even in her sleep had she found distance or peace from him.

Breq refused to revisit those dreams.

Jaeger seemed far too familiar with Breqlynn's home. She couldn't help but wonder how often he'd come to her house without her being aware. The bond was no use, only telling her that he'd been close the past few days. She'd grown complacent having him near without coming face-to-face. Last night, his visit hadn't triggered any of her wards.

Breq had her suspicions as to how Wolfrick had accomplished that feat. Experimentation was needed. Luckily, it was Sunday, and she was free to test her theory.

Stripping down to nothing, Breqlynn went into the garage. Goose pimples immediately spread across her flesh, and she wrapped her arms around her chest. It was freezing. The forecasted high for the day was in the mid-twenties, but it was far below that currently. Gritting her teeth, she opened the garage door. A cold breeze entered, making her shiver.

Not for the first time, Breqlynn wished she could transmorph fully clothed. Aeddon could, but he was far older and had learned that discipline long before she was even born. She - according to him - was too young and rash to still her mind enough in order to perfect the transformation clothed. She'd promptly told him to bite her.

As the motor's whirring came to an end, Breq transmorphed into a regular-sized raven. The thick layers of feathers warmed her almost instantly. Hopping out of the garage, she took flight and headed east, toward the wolf's home.

The house Jaeger purchased was built shortly following the war. It was abandoned not long after completion when looters came to terrorize the occupant. During those times, they were a big problem and living alone, so far from town was looked at as sheer stupidity. The original homeowner soon realized this, packed up and left. No one else had been willing to move so far out without the watchful eye of neighbors close by.

That was until Breq built her two-story craftsman house seven years ago. It had been tempting to buy the pre-existing structure at a steal, but it hadn't fit her needs. For one, it was far too large for a single woman to maintain. Also, after one look at the destroyed exterior, she hadn't even wanted to venture inside and risk bodily harm. Years of looting and squatting hadn't done such a once-lovely home any justice.

Curiosity as to what the wolf had accomplished during his short time in Billings filled Breqlynn as she flew. He lived a couple of miles away, and it wasn't long before the large, three-story Mediterranean home came into view. It was in the process of receiving a face-lift. A three-car garage bracketed the driveway and came off the main wing of the house at a ninety-degree angle. There was scaffolding up around the entrance as workmen toiled to replace the beige stone on the columns. None were in evidence now, but they'd likely be back tomorrow. The windows had also been upgraded, not that any of the original panes were left intact. Where a once-ornate, fiberglass front door had been, a sturdy, wooden one now stood. It looked as if it had been repurposed from a castle.

Well, he is a king now.

Flying nearer, Breqlynn noted that she easily slipped past Jaeger's wards. She felt a slight shiver run through her body as she crossed over them, but nothing else. It was as she suspected; the soul-bonding made it possible for them to bypass each other's magical barriers.

The sound of a scuffle in the still air reached Breq's little bird ears. Hoping it wasn't indicative of Wolfrick trying to get himself killed yet again, she rounded a corner and came to the back of the house. Below her, she saw the shifter put a dark-haired man in a hammerlock. Quick as lightning, the other man dropped his shoulder, pivoted and counterattacked. Jaeger easily deflected the blows and was soon back on the offensive.