Read Online Keeper (Matefinder Next Generation Book 1) by Leia Stone - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leia Stone
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mother backed into the wall as my clothes tore and my limbs cracked. I welcomed the pain that came with the shift because it masked the pain my wolf was feeling now. My mate, dead in four days. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t fair!
Gretchen reached out to soothe me, but I turned away finishing my shift until I was on all fours.
“I’ve done what I can to make him comfortable in the final days.” Gretchen’s words fell on deaf ears because I didn’t want to hear them.
I burst out of the bathroom like my tail was on fire. I needed to run. My father, lightning quick, flung open the door and took off after me, shredding his clothes and shifting instantly. The sound of his paws pounding after me only succeeded in pushing me harder. I leaped over a fallen log and treaded deep into the thick moss-covered forest behind Gretchen’s house.
‘I want to be alone!’ I roared in his head.
‘You’re hurting, you’re my wolf, my daughter. I would never leave you like this,’ came his reply.
His words tore me open further, and I skidded to a stop, tilted my head back, and let a howl rip from my throat. It echoed out into the mountain. Two things I knew with absolute certainty then. One, Gavin was my mate. And two, there was no way in hell I was letting him die.
My father’s howl matched my own and I knew I wouldn’t be alone. That’s what being a wolf was all about.
‘Pack,’ my wolf chanted and I met my father’s burning yellow eyes.
He sent calm feelings through the pack bonds and they saturated my frayed energy.
‘Your mother and I have been through worse. We can handle this. Together.’
I nodded, but his words didn’t seem reassuring. What was worse than watching your mate die? To die a painful death before you even got to fall in love with him. Werewolves mated for life and if Gavin died, it meant I was destined to spend my immortal werewolf life alone.
My father picked up on my thoughts and his eyes blazed yellow. ‘That’s not going to happen, Anya. I take your life’s happiness seriously and I will do everything in my power to help the boy.’
I felt something then, a tingle, an awareness, a knowing. Gavin was awake. I don’t know how I knew but I did. We were connected somehow.
I simply nuzzled my father’s neck and then we took off back to the cabin. After shifting, we put on some clothes that were stashed in a basket by the front door.
Turning, I faced my father. “There’s a human in the car. He’s Gavin’s grandfather, can you talk to him? He seems cool with the werewolf thing, but …”
My father brushed a stray hair from my forehead. “I’ll handle it,” was all he said and then his huge hulking figure left the porch and strode over to the car.
Taking in a deep breath, I opened the door.
Gavin was sitting on the couch holding a cup of hot tea with a blanket around him. My mother and Gretchen were fanning him with sage and when his eyes looked up and met mine, my stomach fluttered.
Gretchen and my mom shared a look and then silently left the room.
Gavin’s hair was a dark, unruly mop of wild wisps and his caramel skin now looked so Native American in color, I can’t believe I didn’t put it together before.
Setting his tea down, he gave me a tight smile. “Not every day you wake up half naked in a bathtub with crazy witches doing spells on you.”
My mouth broke out into a grin as I crossed the room to sit next to him. “Who said they were witches?” I guessed if he was a shaman he could be trusted with that knowledge. It’s not like the human public knew about his kind either. Only the vampires and werewolves were on their radar.
“Your mom told me after I attacked her.” He frowned.
My lips quirked up. “You attacked my mom?” Oh man, I missed the good stuff.
He shrugged. “I tried to. I mean, she was pinning me down in a bathtub, rubbing blood on my chest, but she’s pretty strong for such a petite woman.”
I laughed again. He had a good sense of humor. It
Gretchen reached out to soothe me, but I turned away finishing my shift until I was on all fours.
“I’ve done what I can to make him comfortable in the final days.” Gretchen’s words fell on deaf ears because I didn’t want to hear them.
I burst out of the bathroom like my tail was on fire. I needed to run. My father, lightning quick, flung open the door and took off after me, shredding his clothes and shifting instantly. The sound of his paws pounding after me only succeeded in pushing me harder. I leaped over a fallen log and treaded deep into the thick moss-covered forest behind Gretchen’s house.
‘I want to be alone!’ I roared in his head.
‘You’re hurting, you’re my wolf, my daughter. I would never leave you like this,’ came his reply.
His words tore me open further, and I skidded to a stop, tilted my head back, and let a howl rip from my throat. It echoed out into the mountain. Two things I knew with absolute certainty then. One, Gavin was my mate. And two, there was no way in hell I was letting him die.
My father’s howl matched my own and I knew I wouldn’t be alone. That’s what being a wolf was all about.
‘Pack,’ my wolf chanted and I met my father’s burning yellow eyes.
He sent calm feelings through the pack bonds and they saturated my frayed energy.
‘Your mother and I have been through worse. We can handle this. Together.’
I nodded, but his words didn’t seem reassuring. What was worse than watching your mate die? To die a painful death before you even got to fall in love with him. Werewolves mated for life and if Gavin died, it meant I was destined to spend my immortal werewolf life alone.
My father picked up on my thoughts and his eyes blazed yellow. ‘That’s not going to happen, Anya. I take your life’s happiness seriously and I will do everything in my power to help the boy.’
I felt something then, a tingle, an awareness, a knowing. Gavin was awake. I don’t know how I knew but I did. We were connected somehow.
I simply nuzzled my father’s neck and then we took off back to the cabin. After shifting, we put on some clothes that were stashed in a basket by the front door.
Turning, I faced my father. “There’s a human in the car. He’s Gavin’s grandfather, can you talk to him? He seems cool with the werewolf thing, but …”
My father brushed a stray hair from my forehead. “I’ll handle it,” was all he said and then his huge hulking figure left the porch and strode over to the car.
Taking in a deep breath, I opened the door.
Gavin was sitting on the couch holding a cup of hot tea with a blanket around him. My mother and Gretchen were fanning him with sage and when his eyes looked up and met mine, my stomach fluttered.
Gretchen and my mom shared a look and then silently left the room.
Gavin’s hair was a dark, unruly mop of wild wisps and his caramel skin now looked so Native American in color, I can’t believe I didn’t put it together before.
Setting his tea down, he gave me a tight smile. “Not every day you wake up half naked in a bathtub with crazy witches doing spells on you.”
My mouth broke out into a grin as I crossed the room to sit next to him. “Who said they were witches?” I guessed if he was a shaman he could be trusted with that knowledge. It’s not like the human public knew about his kind either. Only the vampires and werewolves were on their radar.
“Your mom told me after I attacked her.” He frowned.
My lips quirked up. “You attacked my mom?” Oh man, I missed the good stuff.
He shrugged. “I tried to. I mean, she was pinning me down in a bathtub, rubbing blood on my chest, but she’s pretty strong for such a petite woman.”
I laughed again. He had a good sense of humor. It
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