You Will Be Mine (New Horizon Book 3)

Chapter 15: Gabe

Maybe Jeannie doesn’t want things that can be bought, but there was something she was interested in yesterday that I can get for her. Clarice. She seemed to want to meet her, which is why my next objective is contacting her and finding out when she’ll be available.

Now, though I’m leaving for Silver Crescent in about an hour or two, is the response I receive when I mind-link her to ask.

That’s the tricky part about Clarice being our only mage. She’s also only here part of the time, the rest being spent at her mate’s pack. They’ve been mated for as long as I can remember, and yet neither seems willing to uproot themselves so they can just join the same pack and make it easier on everyone.

But at the same time, I’m glad for it. I have a feeling it would be Silver Crescent they moved to, which is a couple hours away. It’s bad enough that we had to lose Stirling to them. I couldn’t handle Clarice leaving us too.

When will you be back? I ask her next, hoping it will be soon.

Garrett and I were kind of banking on her being around so we can get her input about Jeannie’s mysterious powers, and considering how little Jeannie seems to know about them and how to control them, it feels time-pressing.

A week or two. I don’t have a specific plan, she responds vaguely.

Then I’ll be right over, I decide, even though I know I can’t bring Jeannie this time. I’m kicking myself for my part in sending her off with Stella, now more than before.

“I’m going to visit Clarice,” I declare, wondering whether Garrett will want to join or finish the rest of the work on the schedule for today.

He leans closer to his computer and clicks around with the mouse for a moment before answering, “I’m coming with. We can at least ask her about Jeannie even if we can’t introduce them.”

My thoughts exactly. Clarice might know something that could help us even without seeing her, and if Elder Gerard happens to be there then that’s even better because I have some questions for him too.

We cross paths with the Alpha in the hallway on our way out. She slows her speed, giving us knowing looks as we approach.

“Playing hooky again already?” she teases, pausing to give each of us a hug.

“I finished the first half of what you sent over, and it’s in your inbox,” I tell her, feeling a need to defend myself even though I can tell she doesn’t care that we’re taking off in the middle of the workday again.

“Good. Where are you off to, and are you taking Jeannie?” she wonders. She’s also picking at some lint on my sleeve, which makes me feel five again.

“No, Stella already stole her,” Garrett answers for me. “We’re going to see Clarice.”

“Yeah, she’s headed to Silver Crescent in a couple hours, so we wanted to see her off,” I add, making the snap decision not to inform our mother of the whole truth, for no other reason than it feels like it’s not my secret to tell.

At least not until I talk to Jeannie about it and find out whether her abilities are something she’s comfortable with people knowing about. She confided in Garrett and me, and I’m not about to betray that confidence. Although I suppose that does bring this entire errand into question, but it feels different. She already told us she wanted to meet Clarice, presumably to discuss her magic.

Whenever I’m in a hurry always seems to be when every person I’ve ever known suddenly wants to talk to me, and today is no exception. Chatting with Mom was not a big deal, and I’d even say was probably necessary to make sure she’s cool with us taking off in the middle of our work, but I quickly lose patience with all the people trying to flag us down.

Two are my fault, some of the girls I had been chatting up to line up my next one-night stand, but that was before I met Jeannie. It does serve as a helpful reminder that I might have some loose ends to tie up around here though. I may have moved on in an instant, but they certainly haven’t.

The first girl is content to just pass me by after offering only a short, flirty greeting, which I return with a curt nod before stepping around her and continuing on my way. But I feel the need to stop and explain to the second one, Dani I think is her name, that I won't be available this weekend, or ever. I was going to just brush her off the same as the first, but it occurs to me that I can tap into the gossip networks around here and finally use them to my advantage for once. If she spreads it around that I’m officially unavailable, that will save me a lot of time and energy later.

"Uh actually, I met my mate the other day," I inform her, dodging her attempt to pull me in for an amorous embrace.

“Yeah, so if you could do us a favor and spread the word, that would be great,” Garrett tells her, basically reading my mind. “This big guy is officially off the market.”

“Aw, that’s the saddest news I’ve heard in a long time,” Dani responds. It seems like it’s meant to be a joke, but I can tell it’s not. She seems genuinely disappointed. “But congratulations though. I’m happy for you and looking forward to meeting our future Luna.”

I know it’s a lie, but I can’t deny that I like hearing it anyway. In my head, I’ve already decided that there’s no way I can be Alpha with Jeannie, but there’s still that small, hopeful part of me that wishes it could be true.

“Thanks, I appreciate that,” I answer her politely, hoping it doesn’t sound too empty since I already feel done with this conversation. “But we’re kind of in a rush.”

Then I decide I should just shift and run the rest of the way. People are less likely to try to talk to Simon. I suppose it might be sending Dani mixed signals that I dismiss her and then start taking my clothes off not even a second later, but she seems more amused than anything.

“Have a good day,” I nod at her, quickly bundling my shoes and clothes for Simon to carry before dropping them on the ground and rushing a shift.

“Geez, Gabe,” Garrett complains, but I can also hear the rustling of his clothes coming off too.

Simon picks up my bundle of clothes and hurries off, knowing Sebastian will catch up to him before long. And even if he doesn’t, Clarice doesn’t live that far away.

I’m dressing on her front porch when she opens the door, stepping out to greet me with a smile on her face.

“I thought I heard something going on out here,” she chuckles, reaching out for a hug even though I’m still shirtless.

Not that she cares. I’m pretty sure this woman used to change my diapers.

Garrett jogs over to the porch in just his boxers, carrying the rest of his clothes to change on the porch with me.

“Where are you two coming from?” she asks, probably wondering why we ran our wolves over here.

“The packhouse,” I reveal, smirking my amusement.

I could tell her why, but it’s more entertaining to watch the surprise and confusion flash across her face, eventually settling into her familiar warm smile once again.

“Well come inside,” she invites us. “Gerry is making some tea, and I think there are still some cookies leftover from yesterday.”

She’s the only one who gets away with calling him Gerry, and even though I’m used to it, I still can’t help the way it makes me feel strange and uncomfortable to hear it. He’s Elder Gerard.

She leads us into the dining room, seating us at the table before disappearing into the kitchen, hopefully in search of those cookies.

“I like how even though we’re grown men now, she’s still enforcing the ‘snacks at the table’ rule all these years later,” Garrett muses.

“It only takes one spoiled rug to learn the value of better safe than sorry,” Clarice quips from the doorway, carrying in a serving platter and setting it on the table.

Elder Gerard appears behind her, smiling when he sees us.

Garrett’s right that sitting in this room with these people serving us snacks always takes me back to when we were much younger, and they really haven’t stopped fawning over us like we’re still those same youngsters. Elder Gerard even remembers that I like a drop of honey in my tea, setting the jar before me along with the steaming mug of tea he brought for me.

“Now, you know I’m always glad to see you boys, but I get the impression that you’re not here just because you missed me,” Clarice teases, though her eyes betray her more serious curiosity.

“And you know I’m always glad to come see you for no reason at all, but you’re also right about this visit,” I admit, stealing two cookies from the platter. “I finally found my mate, and I was wondering if you could help.”

“Gabe, that’s wonderful news,” she enthuses, exchanging an excited look with her mate. “But I’m also pretty sure you don’t need any help learning the ins and outs of the mating process.”

I nearly choke on my tea, surprised that she’s sitting there teasing me about s*x, and maybe even a little horrified that she’s heard about that part of my life. My brother doesn’t hesitate to laugh right along with them at my discomfort, though.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” I insist, heat rising to my face. I shove a cookie in my mouth to give me something else to think about for a moment.

“We think she’s a mage,” Garrett jumps in, rescuing me even though he’s still chuckling at my expense. “But she doesn’t seem to know that she’s a mage, and she smells human.”

“Well, now I’m intrigued,” Clarice admits, quickly sobering herself. “Tell me more about her.”

“It’s her hair that we noticed first,” Garrett explains. “It’s not quite like yours in your true mage form though. Instead of being a solid color, it’s dark like our mom’s hair up top, but then it turns purple. Not just one shade of purple either, more like all of them.”

“And her eyes?” Clarice questions, seeming thoughtful.

“They’re a unique color, but they don’t glow all the time,” I chime in. “There are these dark flecks in them that glow in a vibrant, violet starburst pattern, but only when she’s using one of her abilities.”

“That is interesting,” she comments softly, pondering for a few seconds before she adds, “I’m assuming she doesn’t use an illusory form if she doesn’t even know she’s a mage, so her appearance is ‘unique’ but not in a way that makes it obvious what she is?”

“Yeah, exactly,” Garrett confirms. “She has a striking appearance that makes her stand out, but my first thought was definitely not mage. I thought she colored her hair to get it that way, though I suppose I didn’t spend as much time gazing into her eyes as Gabe did, so I didn’t notice those flecks until they started glowing.”

“And what was she doing when that happened?”

“She touched some barren berry bushes and brought them to life, sprouting blossoms and berries right before our eyes,” I tell her. “I’ve seen those same bushes when they were blossoming naturally, and they never looked quite as vibrant and healthy as she made them. It was beautiful.”

“Did she say anything while she was doing that?”

“No,” I chuckle, remembering that moment. “She was looking right at me, smiling like a mischievous toddler who is about to do something naughty, and then she just touched the bushes and they sprung to life.”

“That must be her natural ability,” Clarice comments, though she does seem a bit puzzled.

“Actually, I think it’s something else. She can communicate telepathically with animals and other living things, and she said she has done it since she was young,” Garrett tells her. “But there are other things that she said showed up once she turned sixteen. The hair, obviously, and the thing she did to the plants, but the first thing we noticed was how all the living things in an area are drawn to her. They literally follow her around, and she can communicate with all of them at once.”

“And she never says anything?” Clarice wonders again, seeming stuck on that part.

“Not to the plants or animals,” I answer for her.

“Or bugs,” Garrett adds.

“And even though we’re not even mated yet, she already has an empathic link to my wolf, and it started before we’d even met face-to-face,” I reveal. “He sensed her before we even knew she existed.”

“Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you about the trees, which was the biggest reason I wanted to talk to you about her,” Garrett remembers. “She said that when she leans against a tree, it feels like it’s embracing her. It relaxes and puts her to sleep, and then she wakes up next to some completely other tree, not necessarily even in a place she’s ever been before.”

“Elder oak trees?” Clarice asks excitedly, her eyes flashing with what I hope is recognition of something important.

“She did say oak trees in particular, though she also said it can happen with any tree,” I confirm.

“Do you know what that means, Clarice?” Elder Gerard interjects, though he’s been quiet so far through this conversation.

“I might, though I’d prefer to do a little research and asking around before I say much,” Clarice says, much to my disappointment. “But I will say that she is definitely a mage, and a powerful one at that. She sounds like an innate caster, meaning she doesn’t even need to learn spells to use her magic, though she could benefit from doing so.”

“It would help her control it?” I wonder, hoping the answer is yes. Spells are something Clarice can teach her, which would make an easy solution to the problem.

“Well, no. That’s why I need to do some research,” she explains. “We need to know for sure what sort of mage she is so we can figure out how her magic works, which will be the key to controlling it. Learning spells will only help her diversify what she can do beyond just tapping into nature and living things.”

“Is there any guess you can make about how she can control the tree thing though?” Garrett asks, still as concerned as I am about the danger of such an ability. “We live in the woods. I don’t want her ending up somewhere else by accident and not knowing how to get back.”

“There’s nothing I can say for sure yet, but I will tell you that the key to innate abilities like that generally comes from within the mage. If she can communicate with plant life, maybe she could try expressing to the trees her desire to stay put,” Clarice offers her theory. “I don’t think they’re transporting her maliciously. In fact, I suspect that they’re tapping into something in her mind or psyche that makes them believe she desires to go elsewhere, and they’re trying to help her.”

That actually makes a lot of sense, and I also thought it might be something she was doing even if she wasn’t aware of it. The trees might be tapping into her subconscious or something, trying to help the poor, lonely, sheltered girl experience more of the world. And I mean, they’re trees, so it’s not like we can expect them to understand how terrifying it is to wake up somewhere completely unfamiliar.

“You got all that just from the few things we’ve told you?” I ask, impressed that she already seems to be on the same page as me despite not even meeting Jeannie or knowing much about her.

“No, not just from that,” she laughs. “I’m an old woman, and I spent most of my life reading about others of my kind, wishing I could meet more of them, but having to settle for just knowing all about them. Your mate’s abilities fit a particular pattern I’ve read about that could mean something, but I don’t want you getting all excited for nothing just yet. Let me do some research, and then we’ll talk some more.”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt to learn all you can about her family and where she comes from as well,” Elder Gerard adds. “Not only since magic is passed down through a bloodline, but also because it will help you with the Elders. Not to alarm you, but a mage as a prospective Luna will receive a certain amount of scrutiny, and the more you can tell us about her, the better. And the sooner, the better, though I’m sure I needn’t remind you of that bit.”

“I am aware,” I acknowledge, suppressing the urge to groan.

I know better than anyone that my deadline is fast approaching. A bit under eight more months is all we have left until the Elders choose our next Alpha for us. But since he brought it up, this seems like a good opening to ask what I wanted to talk to him about.

“But on that topic, how do you suppose the Elders would perceive the union of a New Horizon Alpha and an Indigo Moon Luna? And yes, I’m aware you’ll probably decline to answer, but I’m asking anyway.”

“Gabe,” Garrett calls out in outrage, saying my name as though it’s a curse word. “I don’t believe you right now.”

He probably thinks I’m alluding to stealing yet another mate from him, implying that I would ditch Jeannie and take Leslie as my mate just to be Alpha. And I’m a little wounded that he’d think that of me, not to mention go there so quickly, but I also understand it.

“I’m talking about you, i***t,” I shoot back, enjoying my chance to return the insult everyone has been flinging at me today. “I’m well aware of the problems the Elders will have approving my mage mate, and I’m already considering the best alternative.”

The way that it silences him, replacing the outrage with outright shock is also quite satisfying.

“What I’m about to say can’t leave this room, but I do feel a need to comment this one time,” Elder Gerard begins his response, leaving me as surprised as my brother. “The Elders would have no reason to deny the union of an Alpha from this pack with a mate from another sanctioned pack, joining two families in good standing and thereby strengthening an existing alliance relationship. However, I am telling you this not because I think you should abandon your own claim so soon, Gabriel. I am telling you so that you will understand that you have more time than you think. Should the Elders end up denying your request to have your mage mate approved, it won’t take long to approve your brother and his chosen mate in your place.”

“So, what are you saying?” Garrett wonders, seeming to still be wrapping his head around what I’ve proposed as a backup plan.

I haven’t had a chance to run it by him before now, so it’s caught him off-guard just throwing it out there like this. I wish I felt worse about that, but I’m still kind of enjoying it.

“I’m saying that if your brother still wishes to become Alpha, and he wishes to do so with his fated mate by his side, then he should fight the good fight until the clock runs out. There’s no reason not to. And if you need advice about how to do that, speak to your parents. They know better than anyone what it’s like.”

I can’t say that I hate that answer, or that I’m sorry that I decided to make this impromptu visit. Clarice might be able to help us figure out Jeannie’s magic, and Elder Gerard just confirmed my other suspicions.

“But could I make another suggestion?” Elder Gerard cuts through my thoughts, possibly even responding to something Garrett just said, though I wasn’t paying attention.

“Of course,” I answer, curious what else he has to say.

“I’m aware that the next Beta to be chosen is a bit up in the air at the moment,” he begins.

Garrett scoffs, probably thinking of Gabby, but I nod to encourage Elder Gerard to continue.

“And I can’t help noticing that the two of you tend to work better together rather than separately,” he goes on. “If you want my two cents, as a friend and the mate of your packmate, not as an Elder, I don’t see why whichever of you becomes Alpha shouldn’t just turn around and appoint the other as Beta.”

That’s actually a good idea, and I don’t know why I haven’t considered it before. I was devastated when I learned that Garrett was meant to be Gabby’s mate, because if she was my Beta, then we would have worked closely together if she hadn’t gone and ruined it all. Elder Gerard is right that we can still make that happen our own way, removing Gabby from the equation entirely.

I wonder what the pack will think of that though. There will be a Bentley Alpha, Bentley Beta, and since Ava is our most likely pick for Gamma and she’s mated to our twin brothers, there will essentially be Bentleys as Gamma too. Guess they better prepare themselves for a Bentley takeover.

“Our parents basically created their own little Bentley army, and it’s a damn coup we have coming for them,” Garrett comments softly, laughing to himself.

His metaphor is a bit off, but I’m amused he seems to have been thinking the same thing I was. The look he gives me has me laughing right along with him. I think we’re both mostly just relieved that a lot of the things we’ve been fretting over for years might actually have simpler solutions than we realized.

“Well, boys,” Clarice interrupts our little giggle session. “We need to get going, unless there was anything else you need to talk about.”

“No, we’ve stolen enough of your time,” I assure her, rising from my chair to help her clear the table.

“No, leave it,” she scolds me, slapping my hand away the same way she always does. But my parents taught me manners, so I always try to clean up after myself anyway.

“Thanks for the chat,” Garrett tells them, already reaching for Elder Gerard for a hug.

I steal his mate for a hug of my own before we trade, wishing them safe travels and making tentative plans to meet with Clarice once they get back.

Once my feet hit the porch, I have the urge to run again, so my clothes start coming right back off.

“Really?” Garrett grumbles, but he also follows my lead.

“I don’t think I tell you enough how much I appreciate you,” I tell him sincerely, but I think he takes it as a sarcastic comment judging by his eye roll.

But seriously, I appreciate the way he is always right there backing me up, even if he complains about it sometimes. I never asked him to shift with me, but he’s going to because he isn’t going to leave me to do whatever I’m about to do alone. He’s always been like that, and I don’t think I’ve done a good enough job showing him how much it means to me.

Two massive Alpha wolves leave Clarice’s walkway together, bounding off down the trail side-by-side, our bundles of clothes in their mouths. As much as they really just want to head the other way and dash off into the thicker parts of the woods, these wolves have jobs to get back to.