“What’s going on, Lucas?” He had never been this touchy with me before. He had always kept his distance.
“I didn’t realize how much I cared about you till they took you away from here. You have been the one thing they have given me in five years that has meant something. I don’t know if it’s because they are going to use you against me or if it’s something else but I don’t want to take you for granted. I want you to know that I care. That I am your ally.”
I brushed a curl from his forehead and my face fell. “Thank you for being my friend. Your presence has made this so much easier on me but I have a question for you.” I didn’t know if I wanted to ask him about Tracey or not, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Aren’t you gay?”
He planted his hands on either of my shoulders and his body shook with laughter. “I’m bi, actually.”
I didn’t know if it was relief that made my shoulders relax or something else. I laughed with him and rolled my eyes. “So you’re trying to seduce me right now?”
His face went serious. “If Damian has touched you in ways that you don’t want to speak of, I will wipe your mind clean of the encounter with my own hands. I will do what it takes for you to feel whole again. If he forces himself on you and you need to feel in control, I will be here to let you have control back.”
I launched myself off of the bed and wrapped my arms around his neck. I didn’t know if I went through trauma that I would want him to have to be my healing balm but the thought and care that went into those words were enough to be a balm over my soul. “He hasn’t touched me or tried anything like that but thank you for being open with me and trying. That means more to me than anything else.”
I could feel his body relax against mine. “Is that the only question you had to ask me?”
It was now or never. “Is Tracey your sister?”
His face fell then. “That night they threw you in here, I wondered if it was my mind playing tricks on me that you smelled like her. Now I know they had done that intentionally to hurt me.”
I rubbed my hands up and down his bare arms. “I didn’t know. I promise you I didn’t until Damian told me today.”
“You saw her, didn’t you? Before you came back a different person and willing to work with the devil?”
“Do you want me to tell you about her?” I was treading carefully. As carefully as I could manage.
“Please,” He sat on my bed and stared at me like an anxious puppy.
“She has magic like you,” I swallowed hard. “Damian admitted that you still have magic inside of you somewhere.”
Lucas pulled his bottom lip into his mouth and nodded. “Yes, I know I have magic still. That’s why Micah brought me the tarot deck. I was always better as a Seer. Other magic wasn’t easy for me. My granny is an earth witch. She gets her magic from the plants and the sun. She’s a green witch.” He chuckled. “But she could never help me with my magic because it dealt with bones, stones, and cards. My magic is different. I don’t know how or why but I can’t see the tethers to the world around me like other witches can.”
“Wait, that’s a thing?”
He grinned. “Yes, magic is a complex thing. It lives and breathes in the air around us. I learned so much when I left the Crimson Pack, but life outside of the Pack Land was both easier and harder. Being bi in the witch community is openly accepted, whereas being bi in the wolf community is frowned upon. The wolves aren’t nearly as progressive as the witches. I hate to say it. Wolves mate for life and unfortunately, there has never been a same-sex mate pairing. At least not any that the packs are aware of.”
“And witches?” I prompted.
“Witches celebrate life and love. Magic can be created in love and lust. Depending on the type of witch, she could be more powerful if she takes on more lovers.” He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know though. I have never experienced that. I fell in love with Damian and this is where that got me. I think my judgment is messed up.”
I shook my head. “Looks and actions can be deceiving. I have been tricked many times. Rafe Crimson not being the first.”
His eyebrows pulled together. “Rafe Crimson? He’s about as good as they come, Jade.”
I laughed and rolled my eyes. “I heard he was your protector but unfortunately, I didn’t get to experience that side of him.”
Lucas narrowed his eyes at me. “Rafe was always kind to everyone but he never took anyone’s shit. Something must have happened in the last five years.”
I chewed on the inside of my lip. “I heard he killed his father.”
Lucas’s face crumbled. “That will do it. Do you know why?”
I shook my head. “No, but I adore his mother. She got me a job before all of this,” I waved my hands around dramatically. “happened.”
“Alice was always the den mom to all of us. She never judged me when everyone else did. I would imagine that’s where Rafe got his kindness from.”
“Rafe is the one that forced the wolf on me.” I could no longer hold the words back. The man that Lucas had known was gone. At least that was what I told myself, even if Nalia didn’t believe it.
Lucas watched me carefully before he cocked his head to the side. “What were you doing when he changed you?”
