Keeper (Matefinder Next Generation Book 1) (14 page)

‘We will meet again, young Keeper, and I will have you like I had Haseya.’
His voice in my head was a total unwelcome violation. Then he turned and ran off. When he was twenty feet away, he just … disappeared. Shit. Now that the adrenalin rush was gone, I surveyed my injuries. It was bad. Really bad. I eyed the ground, finding my mother’s torn protection pouch necklace, and my dagger. Scooping them into my jaws, I left my shredded clothes and began to walk toward the sound of the beating drums. Blood was gushing from me and I had a limp but my bear was ruthless; she pressed on no matter the pain, no matter the blood loss. I was mystified to find that my wounds seemed to be slowly magically healing. Like a werewolf but slower, they itched as I walked and the blood lessened.

As the drumming sound came closer, I broke into a run ignoring my limp, tearing through the trees, leaping over fallen logs. The ground shook with the force of my weight. Then I saw them. Lina, the warriors, Gavin’s and Jaxon’s wolves, Nahuel. As I approached, they all stopped and stared. Gavin and Jaxon hit the ground in a submissive gesture and growled. When I was standing ten feet from them, I dropped the protection necklace and dagger from my mouth and took a deep breath, forcing my bear to retreat and take my human form. Blue mist leaked from my pores as my fur retreated, my bones shrunk along with my mass and suddenly I was a naked human, swaying weakly with gashed injuries and a broken foot but with a grin on my face. Nahuel and Lina bowed in my presence and approached me.

Lina placed both hands on my shoulders and sniffed. Then she grinned. “Welcome home, Keeper.”

That’s when I fainted.

*

When I awoke, I was groggy and in a shit load of pain. Glancing down, I saw that my shoulder and neck were bandaged and reeked of some type of herbal paste. Wearing a clean cotton tunic with no underclothes, I saw that I was in a tent and Gavin’s arms were firmly around me.

“Hey,” I croaked, and his eyes snapped open. Sitting up slowly, I winced as Gavin’s face swam into view.

His fingers traced my cheeks, my lips. “I nearly lost my mind while you were out there. When Nahuel said he smelled the Skin Walker … I … my wolf … we went crazy. I couldn’t get to you. There was a magical wall … I’m so sorry.”

I reached out to him. “Shhh, it’s okay.” Resting my head on his bare chest, I breathed him in, letting my fingers trail down his rock hard abdomen. He growled lightly, in an aroused way as I smiled looking up at him.

“Miss me?” I teased. Having a near death Skin Walker experience had made me realize life was short and you should cut through the bullshit and insecurities and go after what you want.

His voice was husky, eyes yellow. I know now that his wolf instincts to mate would be in full force. “You have no idea,” he countered.

Before I could act on my instincts, the smell of food in the tent made my stomach let out a growl that could be heard miles away.

“Food,” I muttered like a zombie and Gavin flashed me a dimple-filled smile. He reached across the small tent and produced an amazing, mouthwatering burrito that would put Chipotle on their knees. I dug into the burrito like a cave man and Gavin laughed. Omg … was that bacon? Black beans, eggs, salsa, and crispy fricken bacon. Hell yes. My mother was a vegetarian but Jaxon and I took after my dad. Carnivore all the way. I moaned again and Gavin cleared his throat.

“Sorry, you didn’t want any, right? Because I am
so
not sharing.”

He just laughed, shaking his head. “No, but people are here to see you.” He motioned outside the tent.

Hmm. Wolfing down the last bite, I nodded and let him help me stand. He unzipped the tent and helped me out as my eyes scanned the open area. Jaxon was tending the fire and it was dark out, then my gaze fell on two familiar figures. I was shocked to see Avery and Mason were here.

“Avery!” I shouted and limped over to her, relieved to feel my ankle healing. What were they doing here?

Avery looked frazzled like she had been crying. She ran toward me but slowed as she neared. Smelling the air, she scrunched her face.

“You smell …” She started, then she turned her nose in Gavin’s direction and smelled some more. “He smells ...”

I swallowed hard, not really sure if I wanted to grapple with my new-found … whatever. I needed to talk to Nahuel and Lina about that.

“A bear. I’m … a bear. He’s a wolf now. My wolf, well, it’s his now. Long story. Tell me what’s up?” I urged her because now that I had my bear form, I felt whole again and I was beginning to feel the pack again. My father, mother, Avery, everyone, but it was faint, hiding behind static and what I could feel was not good.

Avery shared a look with Mason, her lip quivered and something sank in my gut.

“The pack was attacked. Twenty wolves kidnapped, including your father. Your mom is Alpha now.” Her words ripped me open emotionally and lit a fire of anger inside of me.

I dropped the water canteen I was holding, and my mouth hung open. Jaxon and Mason had been whispering off to the side, they came to join us now.

“WHAT!” I shouted and my bear rose up so fast I had to tamp her down for fear that she would shift and scare the shit out of my friends.

Mason had a gash on his arm and his clothes were bloody and torn. He met my eyes. “Your dad fought like a maniac trying to protect the females, but there were too many.”

The anger was pressing down on me so hard I let a growl leak from my throat and everyone stepped back a foot. A bear growl would make even the toughest of men piss their pants.

“Who. Who did this?” My words were stone. Give me a name and they were dead.

A tear leaked from Avery’s eye. “Humans.”

I gasped, not expecting that. Sure, there were a few rebel humans that didn’t agree with us but not to do something like this. Not a full on attack taking twenty wolves. Females. The Alpha. No. It was against the way of things. We protected humans. They shouldn’t harm us.

“There’s more,” Jaxon told me before I could respond.

Mason ran a shaky hand through his hair. “It’s not just your father’s pack. Wolves are being taken all over the country. The humans have turned their back on us. It’s going to be an all-out war.”

I staggered back in shock just as Lina and Nahuel came out of the sweat lodge tent. I couldn’t contain my bear any longer. She wanted to run, to roar, to rage. It was happening, like in the vision with Nahuel; the humans against the wolves. Never in my life did I think this would happen.

My clothes tore as I began to shift, my muscles bulking, fur flaring out on my arms and legs. Once I was finally on all fours, everyone stared at me with a mixture of fascination and fear. Gavin was the only one who looked at me with pride. Rising up on my hind legs, I roared for my people, roared for the death of the beautiful treaty my father had worked so hard to build with the humans. I roared for the beginning of what was sure to become an ugly war with the one species we were sworn to protect.

“Holy shit,” Mason commented as Gavin stripped down and shifted. Then Jaxon, Avery, and finally Mason followed suit, all shifting before me. Nahuel surprised us all by shifting into a jaguar. Lina simply stayed in her human form, the only one I assumed she had. But we ran, all of us. A bear, a jaguar, a human, and four wolves. Our own little pack ran through the forest, letting the fresh air and trees cleanse our mourning souls.

*

After a one hour run with our eclectic group, we made it back to the campsite feeling more focused. After shifting, I showered and dressed, ready now for the conversation with Lina and Nahuel that I was dreading. The conversation that I was sure would tell me I had somehow become something I wasn’t born to be. And I wasn’t talking about my bear form; I was talking about what Lina called me before I fainted. A Keeper. I was also hoping there were five more burritos in my near future because it seemed with a bear to feed, one wasn’t enough.

Making my way across the wooded area, I was happy to see Gavin was engrossed in conversation with Jaxon and Mason. They all seemed to be bonding nicely. Avery was asleep in one of the tents and I reminded myself that I needed to catch up with her tomorrow. Whatever she had seen traumatized her. We all wanted to get back home and help find my dad. But this needed to be dealt with first.

Lifting the flaps to Lina’s tent, I was a bit surprised to see one of the large warriors waiting with Lina and Nahuel inside. They sat in a small circle on a colorful woven rug and looked up as I entered. Lina smiled warmly and patted the carpet space to her right.

Crossing the space, I sat next to her and met the eyes of my wise council.  My stomach was in knots; things like this are what shook a person to their core. I wasn’t good with change, my whole life was pretty much planned out. I was the Alpha’s daughter, shared the same gift as my mother of finding werewolf mates. I would spend my life on Mount Hood finding mates like my mother and maybe one day take over the pack. But not now, so I decided to just launch right into it.

“Why can’t I communicate with my pack? My Alpha.” I tried to keep my voice strong but it wavered with emotion.

Nahuel gave me a look of sympathy. “When you lost your wolf, your pack bonds re-wired somehow. Bears are solitary creatures. They don’t need a pack.”

My face fell at his revelation that he thought I didn’t need a pack. No. I would always need my pack! Before I could respond the warrior spoke.

“When you go home, your Alpha can bring you back into the pack, no problem. What Nahuel means is that wolf hierarchy and pack mentality mean nothing to your bear. You are a pack of your own, the most dominant member.”

Okay … I think I’d let that one digest for a bit. Next question. BIG, huge, scary-ass question.

“What am I? And I don’t mean a bear.” For some reason I knew that this question should be directed at Lina. She nodded knowingly as if she expected to be answering this question for me.

“A Light Keeper isn’t always a genetic calling. Being a Keeper can be bestowed upon anyone, although it’s rare, Spirit chooses very wisely. Gavin was born a Keeper but you were made one. You’ve switched. It’s possible with True Mates.”

Each word pelted into me like a heavy rain, but the revelation settled into my bones and it felt good, my bear approved. “So … I’m a Keeper … a witch, but …”

Nahuel stood then and crossed the small space between us. “You’re no longer a werewolf or the Matefinder, Gavin is.”

My breath stopped. What the freaking hell?! It really hit me then, my entire life I had been living in my mother’s shadow. The great and wonderful Matefinder. The savior of our race, the one who brought our population’s numbers up. I had the coaching and pressure my entire life to take up this precious gift of finding mates for my kind but now … I laughed and drew some odd stares from the group. It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I didn’t have to live up to that standard anymore, I could be something else.

“She’s taking this well,” Lina observed.

The warrior chuckled. “Because she doesn’t know what a Keeper does yet.”

Fear tightened my belly and I swallowed hard as Nahuel gave the warrior a disapproving look.

“I get to stop time like Nahuel and do werewolf mating ceremonies and … other cool stuff?” Now I wasn’t so sure.

Nahuel gave me a half smile. “There are many shamans that assist in mating ceremonies and in the past I would too, but times have changed. The Keepers have changed.”

The silence settled over the tent to the point of being uncomfortable.

“So … there’s multiple shamans who have some type of magic but only two Keepers?” I realized stupidly that I literally knew nothing about them.

Nahuel smiled. “Yes, you and me.”

But Gavin was Haseya’s son, I wasn’t even related to her or Nahuel. “Does that mean I am part Walker like Gavin was … is?” I was starting to really get turned around here.

Lina frowned and seemed to be scanning my energy, piercing me with a steady gaze. “It’s possible. That’s all I can say. With you and Gavin anything is possible. It’s not you and him … it’s us. We. You’re one. More than any other mated pair alive.”

Jesus. Again with the heavy. I really needed to get around to asking Gavin’s middle name.

I decided to just move on from this topic and focus on the one thing I really needed to know.

“What does a Keeper do?” I asked tentatively.

Nahuel sighed, looking decades older in that moment. “You will have to look out for the fate of all kind and you and Gavin have the power to end the reign of the Skin Walker.”

Chills spread up my arms as I was assaulted with memories of my attack from him. His naked muddy body, all scarred. The skin he wore so comfortably, the evil that leaked from his eyes.

“Look out for the fate of all kind … that’s like … a metaphor, right?” I queried.

Nahuel smiled sadly. “I’m afraid not, and hard times are coming. It will be a lot of work to keep the races from killing each other off.”

My jaw dropped open. “That’s the Keeper’s job? Keep all the races happy and not fighting?”

Nahuel shared a smile with Lina. “No, No. That would be impossible. There will always be unhappiness and fighting between the races but never should one race be wiped out. Otherwise, we will all go out. It will be the end of life on this planet.”