Blood Bound - Alchemy of Time

“Victoria! Victoria! Damn it! Where is she?” The opening and closing of the front door in a loud slam made me jump on my seat. Where was the fire? It wouldn’t take long for me to know if Arabel was calling me by my full name, as I could expect trouble on my doorstep.

“I’m doing inventory in the storage room!” I shouted, preparing myself for awful news.

“Thank God! I found you!” She appeared at the door, with her rosy cheeks bright red, making her green eyes pop like two gems of jade, and matching the fire-colored messed up hair. She looked like a disheveled Marida from the cartoon, and I didn’t know if I worried or laughed at her.

“What? What have you so worked up?”

“Brace yourself. Teague is coming with his men. Another hit last night. The police found the husband almost lifeless.” She gave me the news between gasps, trying to make out all the words, as she bent forward, resting her hands on her knees and pushing some air.

“Shit!” That was everything I needed right now! These disappearances started two months ago. The girls would vanish out of thin air and the weird smell of sulfur was the only telltale, but until now, we didn’t find anyone hurt. It was a small town, and people got scared, gossiping full force. “And like a good gossip girl, you came ahead of them to deliver the message?” I roasted her, and she blushed even more.

“Victoria!” No… he was also calling me Victoria… Shit. I whined to myself and threw my inventory spreadsheets on the small table, stumbling out of the storage room and marching to the dining hall, followed by Arabel.

“I already know. Missy blabbermouth couldn’t contain her tongue inside her mouth!” I said when I caught sight of Teague’s grievous face. Then Drew and Niall came behind him. My sudden stop made Arabel crash into my back, pushing me forward. All three of them glared at her. Arabel made herself as small as possible behind the bar. Just those who didn’t know her better would think the hurt in her face was real.

“Vicky…” She whined, frustrated.

“Tourist season is on top of us, Arabel. Make yourself useful and start filling up the bar. This place is full of cameras, don’t let me catch you snooping around my office, or I’ll ship you back to the pack house!” She scowled at me, pulling some bottles from underneath the counter.

“Vicky, this is the fifth woman that disappeared in a couple of months, and not only that, this time someone got hurt. The sentinels and I are trying everything we can, but it’s getting out of control, and you need to hold a meeting with the townspeople. They are restless.” I knew Teague like the back of my hand. He wasn’t telling me everything.

“Teague, what are you hiding from me? Stop beating around the bush!” They kinda glanced at each other, and the look I saw them exchange gave me chills.

“Willow. And Luke got badly hurt.” His smooth and shy voice carried a grievous undertone, and it felt like a punch to my stomach.

“Willow?” I repeated in a squeak, taking my palm to my forehead, and trying to bring lungs full of air into my body. “No…” Tears burned behind my eyes.

Willow was my best friend since I could remember. A sweet soul, never harmed a bug in her life, but she was also a strong woman. She had a lawyer degree and worked for the town’s court. Willow knew her way around words, always trying for the peaceful outcome, but she knew how to be persuasive and aggressive when time needed, and those traits caught the city councilor’s eyes. Luke. She found her fated mate in a human man, and they loved each other with everything they had.

I leaned back on the table, taking my time absorbing the blow. My wolf got distressed with the news. Her protective instinct kicked in, making her pace restless inside me. She wanted to go for a run to let the steam out, and I’d love to go. Maybe later, a run always helped me focus on problems.

My head spun, and sweat streamed down my temples, but in this pack I didn’t have the right of losing my mind or falling on my knees, crying my eyes out. I had to gather my shit and find a solution to the problem. Bash would come to my mind when hard times hit me, and I missed my twin with all my heart. We talked a lot through our mind link, but it wasn’t the same as having the person there by your side, looking you in the eyes while you pour your heart out. The hardest thing for me was to leave him behind, because we were always there for each other no matter what, and I needed him right now to hold me tight and tell me everything would be okay.

“Luke is a known person. We can’t let this leak out of town. And sorry to break this to you, but it’s not human doings. Luke is full of claw marks. The cover-up won’t hold for too long.” The more Teague informed me, the more his voice became somber, putting my stomach in knots.

I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath. We’ve never had a situation like that in the pack’s history. It was all too different, and we were having a hard time to find the proper way out of it. The people needed an explanation. I owed them that much.

“Call a meeting at the city hall’s salon. Only the head of families should attend, so we don’t get the place crowded. Tonight!” I said and snapped my eyes open, pulling some air into my lungs. “Send a call to the warriors to meet at the pack house by tomorrow’s first hour. I want every single one there,” I requested with gritted teeth. “We won’t get out of the place without a plan.”

“Niall, Drew, wait for me in the dining hall.” Both nodded, leaving the room.

Teague came to me as soon as the men closed the door. It was comforting his strong and sure arms around me. He’s been my haven since I left and found my home in the Galloway forest. I’ve got loyal friends in Teague and Willow since the beginning. And for fate’s sake, we had a perfect connection and cared for each other a great deal. Teague was my beta, and he was the most important person in my life.

“We have to find her, Tea… All of them,” I whispered, resting my head on top of his heart, listening to the reassuring beat in his warm embrace.

“Don’t batter yourself, puppy. We’ll find out what’s going on and solve this problem in a nick of time, you’ll see.” His raspy, velvety voice seeped into my pores. “I have to go back to the station. Are you going to be alright?”

I tipped my head up with watered eyes fixed on his face. He wasn’t my fated mate, but with time we got closer to each other, and things just happened between us. Sometimes I wished we’d never find our mates, so we could be together for as long as it took. I nodded to him and tried a smile. It was the least I could come up with.

“I’ll leave the pub in order and meet you at the city hall tonight, don’t worry.” I kissed his chest, right on top of his heart, and as always, he placed a kiss on top of my head, then gently pecked my lips with his. Still numb with the turning of events, I watched him leave my office.

Witch’s Brew was my pub, and I was also their bartender. Tonight promised to be a hell of a night, so I had to occupy my mind with something, or I’d go crazy. I focused on a recipe for a new cocktail. It was a fun drink to make while dancing on top of the counter, and I was so engrossed by it that I didn’t notice the smell of cedarwood and maple with some notes of ginger making its way to my nostrils.

My wolf howled in my head, wanting out. She was restless like she had never been before, sniffing the air, searching for the source of the perfume, and I couldn’t move. I got terrified and my legs gave out underneath me. I found myself on the floor between gazillion shards, and amber liquid spilled all over myself and the floor, as I heard quick steps coming in my direction. A pair of gorgeous hazel eyes stared down at me from over the counter, holding a smirk on those kissable lips.

“Are you ok?” His raspy, playful voice danced in my ears.

“Mine!” My wolf’s growl left my lips before I censored it.

I must have zoned out as someone cleared its throat, bringing me back from dreamland. Blinking several times, I tried to focus on the face staring at me from above. His scent lingered around like a drug, settling in the back of my throat, and I could taste him in my mouth, on my tongue, just like our summer gingery craft beer, delicious and refreshing. I was having a hard time controlling my wolf and thinking straight.

“Are you ok?” he asked me again.

“Ye… Yeah… fine.” I stuttered as I shook my head to get rid of the cobwebs gathered inside. “Who are you?” I asked in one go, feeling short of breath.

“Are you not getting out of there?” He had sinful dimples under his short, scruffy beard when he smiled. I’ve never thought dimples to be so sexy. Lord! I blushed so hard my cheeks were on fire, and I never blushed! A lovesick mutt behaved better!

He extended his hand to me, and I wasn’t sure if I should accept the help to stand up, but I took it once he raised his eyebrows at me. An electrical discharge coursed through me, getting under my skin, curling my toes, and wreaking havoc in the pit of my stomach. The way we let go of each other’s hand, he also felt the shock. He had lost that playful face when I looked at him, and boy, he was tall. I had to tilt my head up to meet his eyes, and those hazels were full of lust and confusion in them.

“Who are you?” My strained voice came out harsher than it was supposed to. I felt the thread weaving our spirits together, and it scared the hell out of me. I became so aware of him, my skin crawled.

“Killian Duncan, from Duncan Carpentry? I brought the counters you ordered.” He glanced at me from head to toe, thinking what a nut case he got in front of him. “And you are…” His voice was strong and velvety, but too serious now.

“Arabel!” I shouted. Better, I growled like a rabid wolf, ready to pounce at the slightest movement from an enemy. I was about to go out of my mind if I didn’t get out of there, so I marched out of the room.