The Wolf's Witch (book 1)

60. Control Room

Kaitlin

Sun baked the side of Quinn's head as he knitted his brows at me. Though his skin looked the type to blister, he didn't seem worried. His arms remained by his sides as it had since we'd camped back. But when he'd caught sight of my fingers digging into the soil, he'd become strangely affixed. It was blindly stupid of him because he knew exactly how to fix me.

"You're never trying my pies."

"What a damn shame." Leon exclaimed in a fake Southern drawl.

I huffed in agreement, "Right." Though I was far from amused. There were no ghosts in sight and everything about this, especially staying behind, felt off.

"They're fine. They can hold it through." he responded but the sharp stare he fixed me with lacked it's usual punch. I had tried to bribe him and he didn't appear completely immune but it wasn't a success either. I've never seen Quinn this muddled. Granted, I haven't known him for very long. I had a feeling that he was trying to convince himself along with us.

"Quentin." I said, deciding to call him on it. Sethan was a great man and I'd just got him in my life. No man has ever known so much about me in such little time and still managed to smile at me like his world wasn't complete without me. The mate bond might've been what got him to look in my direction like that, but I was under no illusion that he couldn't reject the mate bond just like I could.

This morning, Sethan had helped carry my niece to my shop, and didn't throw the phone across the room when the fourth son of a bitch he called about her put him on hold. He understood why I'd sent Cordelia away and didn't blame me for how it turned out. The little girl deserved a chance at a normal life. I had bound her magic and kept my bad luck to myself.

Or so I thought.

Cordelia wasn't talking much but it was abundantly clear that I should've done a better job at selecting her home.

Samhain. Are you still there? Talk to me.

"Kaitlin." Quinn softened his voice, "Trust your mate."

"Not when he's preoccupied with the idea of me dying." I played late last night in my mind like a tape. Sethan had held me to sleep, and it had been so warm that I promised silently to myself that I'd surprise him in the morning. He'd been up before I had the chance. Judging by the look he had in his eyes when I spotted him downstairs, he hadn't slept a wink. His freshly clean face didn't fool me.

"He ordered us to standby and that is what we are going to do."

"He ordered you to watch me and keep me away."

Quinn didn't deny it.

He didn't point out that Sethan had ordered me as well. He knew I wasn't happy about it. More so because I'd been naive and let myself get distracted by his firm and very bite worthy butt. By the time the command had lift his lips, I'd only managed to lift my shield to block it half way. The order clung to my skin, heating every time I inched in the direction they disappeared.

I called forth more energy from the ground which wasn't being very forthcoming with me. I blamed it on my ability to focus. Sethan's betrayal still stung. He used full onset of his power on me.

"You know Samhain can mind link with me right?" Though he wasn't answering now, he'd been feeding me information earlier, and grown quiet, blocking me out. According to him, I was being a pesky chowderhead. On occasion, Samhain amused me by using old insults rooted in previous centuries. This time I hadn't found in me to giggle.

"Darlin, you're not dying under my watch. Quit begging." the latter sounded like a threat. Quinn was silent for a beat, "He's got a grizzly bear and a lava tiger in there for Pete's sake."