76 | UNCOMMON MAGIC

Ten minutes later, I’m pacing in Blue’s office in Azure Territory. Through the bond, I was able to give him a brief run-down of what’s happened, and though he’s dealing with other things at the moment, he insisted I wait in his office for the Texas witch to arrive. Nikki materializes in the corner of the room, her presence crawling along my skin like ants, and slowly driving me insane.

Blue’s office is slightly large than mine at the Coven is, so I take full advantage of the extra space and count almost twenty-five steps along the back wall from end to end. The restless movement is helping my wolf remain under the surface, but I know it won’t work much longer. I’m dying to talk to Paris, but this isn’t something you send a text about. I’m going to have to meet up with her in-person. Unfortunately, I can’t do that until this part is taken care of. This takes precedence, according to Nikki.

Something crackles in the back of my head, a distant tickle from Blue’s side of the bond, and I freeze in place as I try to decipher it. A moment later, the door to Blue’s office opens, and I’m suddenly enveloped in a tight embrace. Parchment and pine fills the air, along with the power and presence of an Alpha. I shut my eyes, burying my face in the solid warmth of my mate’s chest as my wolf settles. The storm in my head is smothered by his burst of calm and confidence.

“It’s going to be okay, Red.” Blue mutters in my ear, so softly I think he’s said it telepathically but the brush of his lips against my skin says otherwise. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, my racing heart slowing to a more manageable pace once more. “Mari is on her way. She’s going to use another portal to travel, but she said something about restocking her supplies before making the trip.” He speaks both to me and the rest of the room…it’s only then I realize it’s not just us in the room. But with him this close I can’t find it in myself to care.

“‘Kay.” I mutter, tipping my face up to look him in the eyes, my wolf needing a little more reassurance before she stops trying to break through my control. The silvery-grey shimmer of his gaze hold me captive, searing deep into my bones and banishing my fears.

“As soon as we’re done here, we can go to Paris and fill her in.” He says exactly what I hoped he would, giving me a tender smile that has me smiling back. Blue gently smooths a hand through my hair and down to the center of my back, pulling me tight to him for another second before releasing me. He keeps his hand at my back as he turns to face everyone else. Yuri, Cole, Misha, Valeria, and Blue’s father are standing on the other side of the room that Nikki is, all of them, glancing her way warily.

“Hi.” I wave lamely at the others, feeling a little awkward as I meet the ex-Alpha’s calm gaze. He hasn’t changed much since the last time I saw him, over eight months ago. If anything, there’s maybe a little more silver in his dark hair, but he still stand tall and strong, not a scratch on him. Well…no visible ones, anyway.

“It’s nice to see you again, Scarlett.” Alpha Sal- I guess just Sal now… - smiles at me gently. I flash him my own smile, leaning back into Blue’s side as I relax a little more.

“You, too, A-… Mr. Azure.” I have to make an effort to stop myself from being too familiar with the man but he lets out a sigh and looks pointedly at his son.

“Look what you’ve done, Zane. Now she’s uncomfortable thanks to your shenanigans.” He makes a tutting sound and crosses the room to wrap me in a firm hug. “My son made it abundantly clear to everyone in the Pack to steer far from you over the last eight months. Otherwise, I would have spoke to you much sooner.” He releases me and take a step back to offer me another, warmer smile, as he looks between me and Blue. “This kid still has a lot to learn about leading and controlling his new power, but I think he’ll get there much easier with you by his side.” I open my mouth to explain that we’re not mated yet, but he holds up a hand, a knowing glint in his silvery-grey eyes.

“Everyone, this is the Ancient, Nikki.” Blue interjects before I have the chance to speak, pulling me back into his side as the other four come a little closer, skirting around the edge of the wall to stay as far from the Ancient as possible. Once Misha and Yuri make it to our side of the room, they all but jump on me, nuzzling their faces on either side of my face and making me into a Yuri-Scarlett-Misha sandwich as Blue reluctantly releases me. The two hang on to me a beat too long, offering their silent reassurances through the bond on Blue’s side, before stepping back and nodding to the Ancient warily.

I note Cole and Valeria only look to me, both giving slight nods of their heads to me before scanning the room silently. They’re on duty, I assume, guarding rather than being part of whatever it is we’re here to do. Not allowing themselves to get caught up in the novelty of meeting a new supernatural.

“Blue caught you guys up on what’s happening?” I guess, addressing the others hesitantly as we wait for the witch to arrive from Texas.

“Yeah.” Misha slumps a little into her brother’s side, paling a little as she glances from me to Nikki.

“Gotta say, you sure attract the worse kinds of luck, Scarlett.” Yuri nods in agreement, patting his sister’s head lightly, following her gaze with a wary expression.

“Can’t disagree with you there,” I grimace, reflecting on all the shit that’s come my way in the last few years…if not my whole life.

“Guess that something you and Zane have in common.” Valeria surprises me by speaking directly to me, her eyes locking with mine and a tiny smile touching the corners of her lips before her expression smooths out and she returns to scanning the room with Cole. I feel an unexpected grin stretch my lips and quirk an eyebrow at my mate.

“We’ve got more in common than that, don’t you think?” Blue asks me rhetorically with a conspiratorial smirk. I don’t answer him verbally, instead feeling a few memories flow to the surface of my mind. I shrug nonchalantly, enjoying the lighter mood for the few moments it lasts.

Through Blue’s connection to the Pack, I feel something new at the edges of my mind. A flicker of an aura flutters over my skin and the scents of spices and herbs tickles my nose. Power filters into the room and over the already overwhelmed prickles on my skin, making the creepy-crawling pings turn to full-on poking pressures on my muscles before the flare of energy subsides.

Blue’s hand at my back runs slow, soothing circles of warms into my tensed muscles and I take a few measured breaths. I’m still getting used to sensing powerful supernaturals, even if I’ve met them before. But the combined power of Nikki and the newcomer have me on edge again, feeling adrift in the uncomfortable silence that falls over the room a moment before the door opens and two people cross the threshold.

A breath whooshes out of me when I see the two are familiar to me, and more to the point, welcomed sights. Caly wanders in, chatting animatedly with the Texas witch, and carrying the elderly woman’s bag.

“Hey!” Calypso grins at me, racing over to wrap her thin, but strong arms around me. “Long time, no see!” She crows in my ear, giving me an extra squeeze before jumping back and beaming at me brightly.

“Yeah,” I agree, grinning back despite the returning pressure at having Nikki and Mari’s auras in the same room. “How’ve you been?”

“Good.” Caly shrugs and tilts her head, studying me for a moment. After a beat the world seems to fall silent around me, giving the annoying pressures on my psyche a rest. I let out a breath of relief and close my eyes as the feeling cascades over me. When it’s gone, I don’t feel so crazed by the bombarding pressures of the auras around me. I can still feel them, but it’s not making me want to bolt from the room or the country like it had before.

“Thanks, Caly.” Blue tells his sister gently, pulling me tight too his side.

“‘Course.” Caly grins at him and bounces back over to Mari, who’s made her way into the room in her usual shuffle.

“*Hola, mija.*” Mari greets me with a soft, almost maternal expression. I nod to her, noting the receding flare of her scent and let out another breath.

“Hey, thanks for coming, Mari.” I tell her with an apologetic smile.

“Of course. By the sounds of things, time was of the essence.” She nods to me, and turns to face the Ancient, still standing by the wall I left her at. “Shall we get started?”