“Ladies,” Carter said as he waved his hand in the air like a child would do to get a teacher’s attention. “If you don’t mind, can I offer a suggestion?”
Finn looked from Carter to Ben. Ben gave a tight nod of his head.
“Fabulous.” Carter sat forward in his chair. “I’m not saying anything derogatory toward your mate,” Carter said to Ben. “But none of this started until you met the man. Plus he is hearing voices from
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some kid the two of you are ‘allegedly’ to have in the future.” Carter made air quotes with his fingers. “A lot of strange occurrences if you ask me. Then you have Astrid, who is a fairy.” He clapped his hands together. “It’s like Grand Central Station for weird shit going down lately.”
“What’s your point, Carter?” Ben huffed out. The man looked a little annoyed with the witch, and Finn could relate.
“My point is I think when you met Miles, it triggered something magically. It’s like the Warriors of the Dark are uprising but for what?” Carter shrugged his shoulders. “Seeing into the future is not my gift, but I’d bet it has something to do with your mate, Ben.”
Finn often thought the same things. But he was too afraid of worrying Ben to voice his concerns. But ever since Ben met Miles, things just seemed to happen at random. Finn wasn’t pointing fingers or anything, but he had to wonder where Logan fit into everything?
“Hold up a minute,” Klaus said. “I think all this could be just a coincidence.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Witches and Dark Warriors have felt suppressed by us good guys for a long time. Or so they like to tell us.” An evil grin flashed across Klaus’s face, and it caused Finn to shiver. Klaus was a good man and an even better witch, but Klaus did have a scary side.
“I personally think that Ben finding his mate just opened up a door of distraction. With Ben being occupied with Miles, the Dark Warriors probably felt free to set their plans in motion. They’ve wanted control for centuries, and maybe that was their opening.
There’s nothing to suggest that Ben and Miles’s mating caused a ripple effect.”
Part of Finn agreed with Klaus. It all could just be a bunch of random coincidences. And if what Carter said was true, where did Logan fit into all this? It had to be just a fluke.
“Klaus, I totally get what you’re saying, but I had to get that off my chest. Just in case it does mean something.” Carter looked to the older witch who gave him a nod. “But on another issue”—Carter
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turned his attention toward Lachlan—“something weird happened today when I was at your mate’s house.”
“What?” Lachlan asked, and Finn was curious as well.
“See, my gift is to see into another person’s past. And usually, I need to be touching that person when I do it. But today at Garrett’s, it was like someone was trying to alert me to something. It was like an echo of a voice.”
“Carter, you know with age your magical abilities mature, and you can do more things.” Klaus offered. “This could just be you are developing new gifts.”
Finn nodded his agreement. He had heard such things over the years. This just could be Carter getting stronger. And when Finn thought about it, that notion was a tad bit frightening.
“See I thought so, too, but it was different.” Finn jerked when Carter laid his hand on his arm. “I got the distinct impression it has something to do with Logan.”
“Why?” Finn scooted to the edge of his seat, ready to bolt out the door.
“While we were at Garrett’s it was like someone was poking at my brain.” Carter brought his fingers up to his temples and massaged the area. Finn wondered if just thinking about it caused the witch pain of some sort. “I kept seeing flashes but never enough to get the full image. But one word did come through loud and clear.” Carter’s eyes went cold as he looked at Finn. “Rhett.”
“Lachlan, did this Rhett fellow live with Garrett?” Ben asked the lion shifter.
“I think so. All unmated wolves have the option to live with the alpha.” Lachlan shook his head. “Something about protection.”
“Okay.” Ben stood up. “Lachlan, call Garrett, let him know we’re on our way over.” Lachlan let out an annoyed sigh but pulled out his cell phone. Ben looked to Carter. “Do you think you can do a reading on a person’s room? Or do you have to have that person-to-person contact?”
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“Whatever entity is in that house involves Rhett. And it wants me to know something. I don’t think I’ll need him present to do a reading.”
“Then let’s do it,” Ben said as he headed for the door.
“Wait a minute!” Abner shouted from where he stood beside Carter. “This could be dangerous, and you’re letting my mate put himself at risk.”
Finn, like everyone else in the room, was shocked by Abner’s outburst. Ever since Abner had had to mate Carter in order to help save Astrid, the two had been estranged. But to see Abner upset at the possibility that harm could come to his mate, one would think he cared about the obnoxious witch.
“Abner, it’s okay.” Carter put his hand on Abner’s chest, and the bear of a man didn’t push it away. “I’ll be fine.” He smiled up at his mate and Finn felt guilty witnessing this intimate moment between the pair. “I have warriors with me and listening to Rhett’s past won’t hurt me. I promise.”
A skeptical look fluttered in Abner’s eyes. “I’m coming with you guys just in case this Rhett decides to make an appearance.” He quickly stepped away from his mate, breaking any and all connection that they had just shared. Finn really hoped one day they would work out their differences. Living without one’s mate had to be crippling.
As they headed out of the room, Ben ordered Lawson and Quinn to stay with the other mates in the house.
Finn ran up the stairs to his room and pushed open the door.
Logan and Leo were on the bed watching TV. Logan must have seen the urgency on his face because he jumped up and met him halfway across the room.
“What’s wrong?”
Finn wrapped his arms around Logan’s waist and held on tight.
“Nothing. I just wanted to tell you we’re heading back over to Garrett’s house. Carter might be able to do a past reading of Rhett’s room.”
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“It’s not dangerous is it? If it is, I’m coming with you.” Logan tried to pull out of his embrace, but Finn wouldn’t let him go. He loved that at the thought of him getting hurt, his mate was ready to jump in and help out. But it wasn’t Logan’s place to do that.
“Logan, it’s a harmless assignment, but I need to go. You, on the other hand, need to stay here and get some rest.” He stepped back to look up into Logan’s eyes. “Why don’t you introduce Leo to Trevor.
Miles and Astrid are downstairs as well. You guys could make some lunch or something. It’d be fun.”
“Baby, Trevor doesn’t eat food,” Logan said bluntly.
Finn rolled his eyes and couldn’t help but smile. “You know what I meant. Give him a glass of O negative while the rest of you eat.”
“O negative?” Leo sat up on the bed. “What the fuck are you two talking about?”
Finn stretched up and kissed his mate good-bye. He looked deeply into Logan’s eyes and tried to convey all the love he felt for the man.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Just be careful.” Logan bent down to kiss Finn’s lips.
“Hello? I would like some answers.” Leo rested his hands on his hips and began to tap his foot.
“Yeah about that.” Finn looked up at Logan and winked. “Logan you got this, right?” he said as he rushed out the door.
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The ride to Garrett’s was quiet. Too many things counted on what Carter may or may not learn from the mysterious voice trying to contact him in that house. All Finn knew was that it involved Rhett and indirectly involved his mate.
The car pulled into the drive, and they climbed out. Ben, Lachlan, Klaus, Carter, Abner, and Finn were the only ones to come to the alpha’s home. There was no reason to think they would be ambushed, but if they were, they were all fierce warriors. Well except for Carter.
He was still young and wasn’t much for fighting.
“I’ve kept everyone out of Rhett’s room,” Garrett informed them as they neared the house. He stood with the door open waiting for them. “If there is anything in there to help point to his whereabouts, let’s find it. To be honest, I’m a little concerned that Rhett might not be the only wolf who has been consorting with Dark Warriors.”
“What makes you say that?” Ben asked as he entered the home.
“Nothing really.” Garrett’s brow furrowed in thought. “More like a feeling I’m getting. Something just seems odd around here.”
“Well, lead the way,” Carter said as he pushed past Garrett, heading to the staircase. “Hopefully whatever I felt earlier will still want to contact me.”
“What the fuck is he talking about?” Garrett’s eyes darted from Carter back toward Lachlan. “Does he think my house is haunted or some shit?”
“Carter’s magical gift is to read a person’s past, and something was trying to contact him the last time we were here,” Finn supplied
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when no one else spoke. “So we’re hoping it has something to do with Rhett’s life before he came to be a part of your pack.”
“But how do you know it involves Rhett? It could be anyone that is living here.”
Finn nodded his head. It was a good question but it also had a very easy answer. “This entity said a name.” He looked over at Garrett.
“And it just so happened to be Rhett’s.”
“Ladies, are we done with the Q and A? I’d like to get started.”
Carter trailed off as he started walking up the staircase. They followed Carter as he reached the top then turned left and walked down a long hallway. He paused outside the last door at the end.
“How did you know this was Rhett’s room?” Garrett asked.
“I’m not sure, but it’s like I was drawn to this location.” Carter placed his palm flat against the wood door.
“This is really weird,” Klaus said as he placed a hand on Carter’s shoulder. “Are you sure this isn’t a game your mind is playing on you?”
Carter glanced over at the older witch. “Oh how sweet. You care about little old me.” He flashed a grin at Klaus. “I always knew you liked me.”
“I do, but it’s more about self-preservation. If something happens to you, Abner over here”—Klaus thumbed over his shoulder to Carter’s mate—“will crush me.”
Finn nodded his agreement. No matter how much Abner denied his mate, the bear shifter was completely in love with the weird little witch. Their rocky beginnings had set the mood for how they treated each other now. It was truly sad, but if fate destined them to be together, it had to work out in the end.
Garrett stepped forward and unlocked the door. It creaked opened to display an oddly neat room. Everything was organized and tidy.
Almost freakishly so. Finn looked at the wall above the bed. It had pictures evenly placed. Finn assumed that Rhett had a bad case of obsessive compulsive disorder. The room was just too well kept.
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Finn turned toward Carter when he heard the witch gasp for breath. Abner and Klaus were at his side instantly. Finn hung back near Ben, wanting to hear what Carter had to say.
Pain flashed across Carter’s glazed-over eyes. His body shook, and his lip began to tremble. Abner wrapped one of his large, meaty arms around his mate’s thin frame when Carter nearly fell to the floor.
Carter leaned into his mate. He stared off into space and nodded his head as if he were talking to someone else, but there was no one in front of him, just empty space. Very slowly Carter gained his footing, and Finn and Ben stepped aside when Carter headed in their direction.
Carter moved toward Rhett’s bed and sat down.
Ben looked to Finn and shrugged his shoulders. It was like Carter was on autopilot. Finn and everyone else in the room scooted closer to the bed. Carter nodded his head one more time then gave a quick shake of his head. The action was so quick everyone in the room jumped at the action. Carter was back from wherever his mind had taken him.
“That was fucking unreal,” Carter said as he looked up at the men standing around him. Finn saw a tear escape the witch’s eye before he could swipe it away.
“What was that?” Abner asked as he sat down next to his mate.
“It wasn’t just Rhett’s past I saw. I got flashes of a man named Lindsay’s, as well,” Carter said.
“Who’s Lindsay?” Finn asked what they all were wondering.
Carter let out a nervous laugh. “Rhett’s dead mate.”
Finn couldn’t believe his ears. This could explain why he had developed an attraction toward Logan. The man might just be lonely.
That Finn could understand. But his violent actions toward Logan were unacceptable.
“Rhett had a mate?” Garrett looked shocked. “He never said anything to me about it. Fuck, the pain he must be suffering through.”
“I have to ask, how did you not know this, Garrett?” Ben asked.
Finn could tell Ben was barely able to hold back his fury. “He is your
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responsibility as alpha. If he were to have hurt Logan, you would have been held liable.” Ben’s voice began to rise. “What kind of pack are you running here?”