Witch Undecided by Debbie Cassidy

Chapter Seven

Tor was huge, his back coming up to my hip. I clambered onto him and slid my fingers into his silken fur.

He made a rumbling sound of pleasure and my chest heated.

Grip with your thighs,he said. You might want to lean forward and press your body to mine.

This should not be hot. He was in fucking wolf form, for fuck’s sake. So why the fuck was I wet and aching. Shit. I followed his instructions, focusing on the landscape ahead, but his body between my thighs was too much of a distraction.

His soft chuckle filled my mind. I can smell your arousal, Cora. Let’s see what we can do about it.

What? But we were in motion, bounding down the path and into the treeline. His body rippled between my thighs, rumbling and vibrating like a fucking engine, pressing against my most intimate place, muscles rolling to tease me and rub just the right way.

Yes, Cora.

No. Oh, God, this was not happening. Watch the trees, the fucking trees. Do not think about it. He picked up the pace and, oh, fuck, I was practically grinding against him now, desperate for release. I closed my eyes, sinking my fingers deeper into his fur as I resisted my body’s demands. I wouldn’t do this. No way. I had more control than this.

He leapt over a log, the landing jarring against me, and the orgasm that was hovering painfully out of reach tugged closer. I cried out, fisting his fur and biting my lip.

Fuck, Cora. Fuck.

No, no, no. This could not be happening. “Stop. Now.”

He slowed his pace and came to a standstill. The cabin was visible up ahead. I scrambled off his back and began striding toward it.

Cora…

“No. That was mean.”

No, Cora, you’re my mate and it’s natural for you to feel this way. Natural for me to want to make you come.

Oh, God. “I’m an idiot.”

For wanting me?

I ground to a halt and turned to face him. “No, for trusting you. I told you I wanted to keep things platonic. I can’t do this, Tor. Not unless you help me. Do you understand? If you care about me as your mate, you’ll want to make sure I don’t get hurt. And this…Being attracted to you, wanting you like this, will eventually hurt me.”

He bowed his huge, wolfy head. Get inside. I’ll dress and join you shortly.

I turned and jogged the rest of the way to the cabin, needing to get away from him before I caved, climbed onto his rumbling back, and finished what the ride had started.

I settwo mugs of tea on the table as Tor walked in. Dressed in a cream tee, faded blue jeans, and barefoot, he was a treat for my eyes. His hair was damp, and his forest scent was masked by cologne.

He’d showered.

Naked.

No, don’t think it. “Tea?”

“Thanks.” He pulled out a seat. “Sit, we need to talk.”

I took the seat opposite him. “Spill it, what’s bothering you?”

“You,” he said. “You made a huge decision today and you didn’t think to consult your mates.”

I stared at him. Was he serious? “Wait, you want me to consult you before making any decisions?”

He sighed. “Not just any decisions, but life-threatening ones.” He sat forward, forearms braced on the table, hands clasped as if we were in a business meeting. “I understand that you’ve been flying solo for a long time, making decisions and putting your life at risk to save others, but things are different now.”

Motherfucker, he sounded like Jasper.

“You’re the important one now, Cora. The indispensable link. The focus. Do you understand?”

Like, what the fuck did I say to that?

“You might not want to take our relationship to the next level of intimacy, but that won’t change the connection between us. It won’t stop us from wanting you or you from wanting us, and that want comes with the desire to protect.” His gaze tracked across my face. “We want you, Cora, but we’ll respect your wishes. In return, you need to keep us in the loop and respect our connection enough to discuss these kinds of decisions.”

“You do realize when push comes to shove, I do what I want.”

He sipped his tea. “Oh, I’m well aware, but if Jasper hadn’t stepped in between The Elites and us today and given Anna time to explain, they’d all be dead.”

My blood ran cold. “What?”

He set his cup down. “We’d have torn out their throats, because as far as we knew they were hurting you, and no one hurts what’s ours. No one hurts what’s mine.” There was a possessive growl to his tone. “Dead Elites would be a bad thing, Cora.”

My mouth went dry and the pulse in my throat fluttered with excitement and arousal. Man, I was twisted.

I took a gulp of tea. “Fine. I’ll let you know in the future.”

He sat back with a cool smile. “Please do.” He tipped his head to the side. “Leif told me you wanted to hunt with the females at the full moon.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t tell me, I should have discussed that with you too?”

He bit back a smile. “It would have been nice, but you’ll be safe with Heather and the other females. They’re vicious in a fight. If any vamps come calling, they’ll have a hard time getting past those wolves, and Leif, Rune, and I will find you before the suckers can get to you.”

I hadn’t considered the damn vamps. The fact I needed to be chaperoned at night pissed me off.

“You’re pouting, Cora.”

His intention was a burst of heat in my chest, and a flare of darkness in his steel-gray eyes.

He wanted to kiss me.

I pressed my lips together, eliminating my pout.

My pulse fluttered, then calmed.

“We’ll start your stamina training tomorrow,” he said.

“Bossy, aren’t you? Like being in control?”

“Oh, Cora,” he purred. “You have no fucking idea.”

No, I didn’t, and as long as I stuck to the friend zone, I’d never have to find out.

Fuck you, disappointment. Fuck you.

“We’ll be movinginto the main house soon,” Tor said as he washed our teacups. “You’ll have the anchor’s room. Leif’s ordering a new bed and mattress for your room this week.”

Good. There was no way I was sleeping on Charlotte’s old one. She’d shared it with her mates, and I didn’t even want to think about what they’d gotten up to on it. Sweaty, dirty, inventive things.

Nope. Not thinking about it.

Tor glanced over his shoulder briefly with a small smile. He’d reined in the dom vibe and the tension thrumming between us had ebbed. Thank God, I could breathe again. Think again. It didn’t stop my eyes from roving over his broad back and the muscles moving beneath his cream T-shirt, though. Fuck, the damn thing might as well have been spray-painted on.

“Cora?”

Wait, had he asked me a question? “I kinda like it here in the cabin.”

“Me too,” he said. “Cozy.”

“Yeah.”

He turned to face me, drying his hands on a tea towel. “We can stay here for a little longer if you want.”

I sighed. “If we do that, I might not want to move.” I smiled up at him. “We’ll shift to the big house whenever the bed gets here.”

He glanced up at the clock. “Look, I have some pack business to attend to; do you want to come with?” He shrugged a huge shoulder. “Mana isn’t as formal as Vita. No lunches or charity events.” His eyes darkened. “My mother passed a few years ago, but my aunt would like to meet you. It would be good for the other pack members to familiarize themselves with your scent.”

“Sure, I’d like that.” I pushed back my seat and stood. “But first I need to check on Wren. I couldn’t find him earlier. I’m worried.”

“I’ll be leaving in an hour,” he said.

“I’ll be back by then.”

I didn’t get far from the cabin when I spotted the redheaded witch Justine and her friend Kel headed my way. And clinging to Justine’s shoulder was a cute furry figure.

“Cora!” Wren leapt off the witch and bounded toward me.

“Wren, buddy.”

He clambered up my leg and wrapped his arms around my neck in a fierce hug. “Wren missed Cora.”

“I missed you too.” I stroked his back. “I came looking for you earlier.”

“Wren was hungry. Dottie fed Wren.”

Justine and Kel approached.

“Thanks for bringing him to me.”

“No problem.” Justine’s gaze slipped over my shoulder down the path toward the cabin.

It struck me that they’d probably never seen the place before. “You guys want to come in for a quick cuppa before heading back?”

Kel looked wistful. “We’d love to, but we have to get back. Sloane’s ordered extra training for all the witches for the next week.”

“It’s for the best,” Justine said. “Brie’s death and the tests we’ve all undergone show we’ve become complacent. We need to train regularly to keep our senses sharp. Wielding miasma doesn’t come easily to every witch. Some of us have to work at it constantly.” She locked gazes with me. “Is it true what they’re saying?”

“I’m not sure…What are they saying?”

“That you’re the new Elite?”

Ah, crap. This was Brie’s cousin, the witch they’d expected would step into her shoes.

No point beating around the bush, though. “Yeah. I am.”

She nodded curtly. “I’m glad we found someone. But I need to know that you’ll do the role justice. It’s an important duty. Not a side gig. You have epic shoes to fill.”

“Justine!” Kel looked horrified. “I’m so sorry, Cora, she didn’t mean that.”

But my gaze was still locked with Justine’s. Yeah, she’d meant it, and I respected that. “No need to be sorry. I get it, Justine. Brie was an amazingly talented witch, and she fulfilled an essential role, because that’s what The Elites are … essential for the protection of humanity. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to protect humanity, and I promise I don’t take this responsibility lightly.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “Thank you. And if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

They left me with Wren and headed back the way they’d come.

“Cora,” Wren said softly. “Wren hungry.”

I gasped and pressed a hand to my chest. “Really?”

He looked up at me with his big, brown, quizzical eyes. “Is Cora making fun of Wren?”

I kissed the top of his head. “Totally.”

Mana Pack wasnothing like Vita. It was a cluster of log cabins built off-road in a gated community.

We’d taken the Rover and Wren was curled up in the back seat, fast asleep by the time we parked on a gravel drive. Four wedges of cheese on toast and a packet of jammy dodgers and he was a pot-bellied, snoring heap.

I’d counted ten cabins as we’d driven up, all one-story affairs, but this main building, the alpha house, was a two-story monolith with a deep porch and lanterns hanging from the eaves. I bet it looked gorgeous at night with the lanterns lit.

Tor killed the engine. “You ready?” He glanced across at me. “Mana is smaller than Vita, more males than females for starters, but most of the menfolk will be resting in preparation for patrols.”

“Do the men always sleep during the day?”

“No, but we’re covering a wider area tonight. They’ll need to be in top form.” He unlocked the car door. “Come on.”

I checked on Wren and then followed Tor as he got out of the car and stretched his huge body.

Yeah, the Rover was a squeeze for him.

I caught movement to my left, a couple of women hovering at the windows to one of the smaller cabins. They ducked out of view when they caught me watching.

If Tor noticed them, he didn’t let on. Instead he led me up the steps to the alpha cabin. The door swung open and Sten greeted us. He’d shorn off his long golden locks and his face looked gaunter, haunted.

“Uncle,” Tor said.

“Tor, Cora.” He smiled kindly at me. “I’m glad you’ve come to visit. Bee will show you around. Tor and I need to talk.”

A woman appeared behind Sten. She was slender with dark hair and pale gray eyes that smiled warmly at me.

Tor stepped past Sten to envelop her in a hug. “Aunt Bee, how was your trip?”

“Good.” She pulled away to look up into his face. “I’m only sorry I missed your return.”

“Bee, can you take Cora to meet the potential breeders, please,” Sten said.

Wait, what? My gaze flew to meet Tor’s. “Excuse me?”

Tor frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Sten beat him to it.

“We’d like you to choose who Tor breeds with.”

What the fuck?