Finding Her

Chapter 4

The Witch’s POV

Pulling my hood over my head and tucking my hair under it, I squint out the window into the forest.

It’s nearly completely dark outside, the soft pink and purple hues of the sky shifting into a speckled navy.

And someone is intruding on my property.

Maybe someone drank a little too much at the ceremony tonight and wandered aimlessly into the woods…or maybe it’s another youngster who was dared to see how close they could get to the witch’s cabin…

Or maybe it’s someone needing a little help by magic to fix their problems.

Sighing, I lift the silky black fabric from around my neck over my nose and slide my sunglasses on.

Time to play the part.

Hopefully it is a paying customer. I haven’t had one in a few months, and I could use the money...and some human interaction.

But if not, I’ll make sure to give the kids a fun story to tell their friends about the scary witch who lives in the woods…maybe throw a pretend hex at them.

Smiling to myself, I inch backward on my belly and down the ladder from my small attic and silently tip toe to the front door, wondering why I am getting a sudden uneasy feeling.

As I reach for the doorknob, the hairs on my arm stand on end.

Before I can act on my doubts and move away, there is a firm knock on the door.

Shit.

Looking around the room, patting my face and hood to make sure that I am completely disguised, I take a steadying breath.

That’s not the knock of a child or someone who is lost.

Okay…Concentrate, Rose…

Closing my eyes, I focus on what I feel on the other side of the door.

My body relaxing, I realize that whoever it is, they have no ill intentions.

In fact, they have very sincere intentions…and a very pleasant aura.

Feeling intrigued, I tug self-consciously on the hem of my sweatshirt and pull the door open.

My entire body tenses as I stare at the tall, dark-haired, and very attractive man who fills my doorway.

His shoulders are so broad that he would have to turn sideways to get through the tight entryway of my little cabin.

And even in the growing darkness, I can see his deep brown eyes and their golden flecks that still seem to glow.

Look at all that sexy stubble…he didn’t have that the last time that I saw him.

His once longish, floppy dark hair is trimmed tight around the sides, just a bit longer at the top.

It suits this man-version of the boy that I once knew so well.

Luca.

My Luca.

After all these years...

I would recognize him anywhere.

He tilts his head at me and frowns.

“Hello. I am King Luca. Sorry to bother you so late, but I was told that you might be able to help me…”

He doesn’t recognize me.

My shoulders sag in disappointment.

Duh.

Of course he doesn’t.

I have my face, hair, and body completely covered.

Well…might as well see what the Southern Lycan King would go marching through the woods at night looking for help from a witch for…since the Luca I knew would have laughed at such a ridiculous notion.

Trying to make my voice lower, I nod encouragingly at him.

“And what is it that you wish me to help you with, King Luca?”

Just then, another man steps behind Luca, a skeptical look on his face as he glances from me to Luca, but he remains silent when Luca lifts his hand and answers my question.

“Is it true that you can help find one’s mate?”

My stomach is doing somersaults as I study his handsome features.

His cheeks look more chiseled.

And he is somehow even bigger, much bigger, than when we were sixteen. But that makes sense.

It has been nine years since then.

Not to mention that he went and became the Lycan King of the Southern Territory.

“You seek a mate?”

So...he hasn’t found his mate yet.

I’m glad my face is covered as I smile at this.

How many times had I imagined him wrapped around some faceless perfect Lycan woman?

But here he is…still searching.

And asking for my help.

“Yes. But I already know who she is, I just can’t find her.”

The man beside him rolls his eyes, but my heart pounds so fiercely that I wonder if he can hear it.

“Oh? You have already met your mate before?”

“Yes…but we weren’t of age yet.”

Unable to stop smiling, I turn away and touch my fingertips to the silk fabric covering my mouth, afraid that he might see my expression even hidden as it is, then pace a few steps, running my hand along a rough wooden table.

“It is impossible to tell who your mate is before…”

“I have heard that. I disagree with it.”

Does this mean that he has been searching for me all these years?

“Her name is Rose Shay. Can you help me find her?”

My hand clenches into a fist against the table, the other flutters to my heart, almost unable to breathe.

After all this time…

“I…I can only help you find your mate. And even then, it doesn’t always work. I have had better success with werewolves than Lycans.”

The man behind Luca grunts.

But Luca ignores him.

“Could you try?”

“I could. But it will cost you.”

“What, his soul? His first born?”

The man sounds skeptical...and kind of like an asshole.

Spinning around, I glare at him through my sunglasses.

“Money. Twenty thousand.”

The man’s eyebrows nearly disappear into his hairline.

“Twenty thousand! Oh, come on-”

But Luca lifts his hand again.

Hmm. This authoritative new Luca is...sexy.

“Fine.”

The other man throws his hands up, shaking his head as he turns around.

“This is ridiculous.”

I cross my arms and lean against the rough, wooden pillar in the middle of the room.

“Johnny, you can wait out here.”

Johnny opens his mouth to protest, but then closes it, throwing me a suspicious glare before taking a few steps backward and folding his arms across his chest.

“Come on in, take a seat.”

I gesture to an old plaid armchair by the small fireplace.

Luca strides confidently past me to take his seat.

God…he is so much like I remembered.

Just…hotter.

And a King.

Taking another deep, steadying breath, I shut the front door and turn around to look at the man that I have thought about every day for nine years.

Thought about. Dreamed about. Kicked myself for not letting him kiss me like he wanted to when I had the chance...

Damn...I was stupid for wanting to wait for my mate...had I only known...

“Tell me about this woman. Why are you so certain that she is your mate?”

I can’t help it…I just can’t.

My lips won't stop twitching upward, as much as I try to keep them straight and impassive.

It’s just too unreal that Luca is here, in my cabin, asking me to find…me.

It almost feels like...fate.

Could we truly be destined to be together?

No.

It’s not possible.

Luca grew up to be the Southern Lycan King, and just like he always said, his mate would absolutely have a Lycan form…

And I don’t have one.

Mine never came.

Instead, I became a witch.

And a witch cannot be the Queen of the Southern Territory.

Not everyone in our world accepts witches, which is why I live out here all by myself and have resisted the desire to reach out to Luca all this time…

I couldn't face that rejection. Couldn't face the reality of my Luca no longer being mine...even just in my imagination.

Absently wrapping my fingers around the large, green amulet around my neck, I look at Luca, who is curiously studying me back.

“Why are you wearing sunglasses inside and covering your face like that?”

I can’t resist touching the silk covering over my face again, pushing my dark sunglasses up my nose.

“I don’t like to show my face. Anonymity works best for witches.”

Luca considers this.

“I guess I could understand that.”

Of course he could. He used to always agree with any and all of my reasoning, even if they were completely misguided and ridiculous.

Biting back my grin, I turn away from him.

It wouldn’t hurt just to check if we really are mates…would it?

If I just discreetly took this necklace off…

“She was someone that I knew growing up. I felt a connection with her like I have never felt with anyone else in my entire life. I knew the moment that I saw her, and I have never wavered in my confidence.”

Oh god…rapidly blinking back the threat of tears…I stay turned away from him, clutching the necklace.

“She was abruptly ripped from my life when I was sixteen and I felt like a piece of me has been missing ever since then.”

“That’s very romantic.”

“It’s not romantic.”

His voice is deadpan.

I finally lift my eyes to look at him.

His expression is dead serious.

“It’s painful. Disorienting. And if you could help me find her, I will pay you whatever you ask.”

Everything in me wants to tell him…Luca, it’s me! I’m Rose! Right here in front of you!

I missed you!

I know exactly how you have been feeling because I have felt it too!

But then he will be so disappointed to know that we aren’t mates…and then what if he still wants me to find his real mate?

The thought is too painful.

He cannot ask me to find his mate for him.

That’s just not fair.

“So, how does this work?”

Luca lifts a foot over his knee and leans forward, raising his eyebrows inquisitively at me.

Releasing the amulet, I fold my arms over my chest.

“p*****t first. Then I help.”

Luca frowns.

“I don’t carry that amount of cash on me, for obvious reasons. Would you take my word that I will pay you tomorrow?”

My mouth feels dry as I shake my head.

That's perfect...gives me time to figure out what I'm going to do...

“No. I have been burned before. I only help after I receive p*****t, and the results are not guaranteed.”

Luca stares at me, as if he is trying to stare past my disguise, which makes me uneasy.

“Fine.”

Luca abruptly stands, seeming to fill my tiny cabin with his impressive frame.

“I will be back tomorrow morning with your money, first thing.”

I move to the door and open it with shaking hands.

“I look forward to helping you then.”

He marches past me, stopping just outside of the door.

“I didn’t catch your name?”

His companion looks at me curiously as I stand there, clutching onto the side of the door.

“I didn’t give it.”

I shut the door on them both, turning my back to it and sliding against it onto the floor and pulling my knees close to my chest.

Nine years.

I waited nine years to see my old friend.

My only friend.

And I am too much of a coward to let him know who I am.

But he will be back tomorrow morning, and I know he will be, because he always keeps his word…

That means I have until then to decide…am I really going to help him find his mate?

Or do I risk the terrible, soul-crushing reality of telling him who I am? Which is not his mate...