Page 38 of Starting a New Life

Rhett laughed. “Yes, it is. But I didn’t fight you about it, and honestly? After everything that happened down here, I’m not sure you were wrong.”

A menacing growl filled the cell, rumbling out from deep within my chest as my wolf made his dissatisfaction known. He was of the opinion that our mage definitely didn’t belong down here, and I agreed. That’d been an epic fuckup on my part.

“You don’t agree?”

I let out my breath and looked at my friend. “Well, let’s put it like this. If you think you fucked up epically with your mate tonight, I promise you I fucked up so much worse with mine.”

Rhett’s eyes widened. “With yours? Who… holy shit. That guy?” He nodded at the stairs. “Are you trying to tell me that guy, that mage, is your mate?”

I nodded.

“Dude. You threw him in jail!”

“I know,” I said, pursing my lips. I’d fucked up so badly.

“Why? I mean, he’s your mate. Yeah, you don’t really know him, but he’s your mate. Do you really think he’d hurt someone? Don’t you have any faith in fate at all?”

“I didn’t realize,” I admitted. “I was on edge. There was so much shit happening, and when one of the wolves told me the mage didn’t belong to him but had come from within the territory, I snapped, okay? And now he’s terrified of me.”

Rhett grimaced. “Pretty sure he’s terrified of shifters in general. Levi said something about that earlier. But I’m afraid you putting him in a cell without even talking to him doesn’t exactly help.”

No, it very much didn’t.

“What do I do now?”

Rhett laughed. “You grovel. A lot.”

Yeah, I’d been afraid that was what this was coming down to.

“Do you think he’ll forgive me?”

Rhett shrugged. “He’s your mate. I’m not sure he has much of a choice in the matter, but it might take a while. Especially if Levi is right and he’s afraid of shifters. Maybe try finding out why.”

I would.

I would find out everything there was. Because while I’d been curious about how a mage had ended up here before, now I was desperate to know everything about what had led to him hiding out here.

Chapter 9

Nix

Lukewarm water was raining down on me, but it felt scalding hot on my icy skin. It burned, but it was a delicious pain. The kind that left one feeling better than before.

I closed my eyes and just stayed under the spray until it stopped hurting and stopped feeling hot. Then I turned and increased the temperature until the pain was back and my body was yet again being warmed by an outside source.

When was the last time I’d taken a hot shower?

I couldn’t even remember.

Somewhere in the beginning, when I’d still thought the wolves would lose interest quickly. Back when I’d dared to spend my meagre savings on booking motel rooms for the night.

I looked down at my feet, at the murky, slightly brownish water that disappeared down the drain.

After those first weeks, I’d started sleeping exclusively in my tent. It’d been easier. Cheaper. Back then, it’d been hot outside, the summer sun perfectly capable of keeping me warm. Who needed a dirty motel room if one could sleep under the stars, breathing in air that tasted like freedom?

The small bathroom started fogging up, the air growing heavy with steam. After turning the temperature higher two more times, I turned off the shower to wash my hair.

As soon as the spray stopped, I was shivering again. I reached for the small bottle Levi had handed me when he’d shoved me in here. He was waiting right in front of the door. I could feel his aura, could feel his magic still trying to reach me.