So far, the weeks following my parent's travel have been amazing for Skylar and me. We have gotten very close, and frankly, Blake couldn't be any happier. I feel him dance in my head, and he has started giving me a headache.
There is just one thing that has me worried, and that is the mind link we got from the higher-ups about some announcement and change in a rule that they want to make. Blake, even though he has been on a Skylar high, is very anxious about this rule. He paces my mind thinking about everything that can change, and honestly, I don't like it.
Today, Kevin has called me to his place for lunch, which means he must have found a way for me to keep Skylar in my life as my only mate. I reach the office at 10:00 AM, which is very late, and if father had been here, he would have been furious and probably would have found a way to punish me. But he is not here, and I can walk in as late as I want to. The entire office is filled with brightness, whereas my father's office looks like an old dark, dingy place. Even the employees have been smiling and laughing a lot more since my father has not been around.
At around 1:00 PM, I leave for Kevin's place, and when I reach there, I see Kevin already at the door, looking drained and tired. As if he hasn't slept in a while. Blake surfaces and says, "Rex has withdrawn. I can not feel him. There is something seriously wrong with Kevin, Cole." I freeze at the information.
"Rex has withdrawn? What do you mean, Blake? Does Kevin no longer have his wolf?"
"Not sure Cole, I feel as if something is holding Rex back. Some sort of force."
"Force? Do you think a witch has put a spell on him? Do you think that he looks tired because he also can not feel Rex?"
"No clue, Cole, but tread carefully. It can also be that he is trying to hide something from the higher-ups or us."
I straighten my back and enter behind Kevin. He turns to me and says, "Cole, I called you here today because I have found a way for you to keep Skylar with you. But that will involve some sort of witch's magic. Are you okay with that?"
I raise my eyebrows and say, "Kevin, first of all, this is the first time I have seen you talk about this outside the dining room, and second of all, I want to know what exactly do you have on your mind before I give my consent for the witchcraft."
"Of course, please follow me," Kevin says, and we enter his dining room. I ask, "Kevin, is everything alright with you? You look tired."
"Yes, my dear boy, everything is fine. I had a very long trip and did not get a chance to get relaxed. I had to call you immediately because I have put things in motion for you and your mate. I did not want to delay this. We need everything ready before the motion by the higher-ups is passed."
"You know what they are going to announce?" I see a sudden change in his eyes as if he is the reason for the change.
"I do. But, you will have to wait for the announcement from them. I just know this much that they are making a change in the rules about the mates. Hence you need a witch in this situation to help you get Skylar as your mate and for her to be accepted into the pack grounds."
"And, how do you think the witch will help?"
"The witch will put a spell on her to make her smell like a werewolf. Enough to fool the higher-ups. The witch will also hypnotize her in a way where if someone asks her a question about her background, she will only reply like a werewolf. In reality, she will not know anything about werewolves. If that is okay with you, we can go ahead with my plan. But, you will have to marry her before the motion is passed. So get the wheels rolling if you want your mate in your life."
"You think this all will work? You know how the higher-ups dig up a person. The truth is bound to come out. How will all this work?"
"You forget that I know how the higher-ups and your father function. I have set everything up. Now it is up to you to go ahead with this entire plan. If you are up for it, I need you to marry her before your father returns and before the motion is passed. This is mandatory for my plan to work. So young man, what is your decision going to be? Will you marry her?"
"Of course, I want to marry her. But I just hope that she doesn't think that this all is happening too soon for her. Plus, how will you get the witch to cast a spell on her?"
"Make her sleep early tonight. I have called my witch friend. She will be there at your place by 1:00 AM. I will be there with her. You better make sure that she is in a deep sleep. Just to help you with the sleep aspect, give her this small pill. Mix it in her drink, and she will be asleep for six to eight hours. The spell will work by tomorrow morning."
"Done. I appreciate your help here, Kevin. I just hope that everything works out fine."
"It will, my young man. Now go to your mate and propose."
We stand up to leave, and Blake and I feel elated that Kevin has thought of everything. Now, all we need to do is plan a proposal.
I take a leave from Kevin's place and go to a famous jewelry store. I tell the store owner that I want a custom-made ring to propose to my girl. I want it to be in rose gold and should look like the ring's one hand is hugging her finger, and the other hand should hold a solitaire heart. "Can it be made by tomorrow?"
The store owner looks at me flustered and says, "Sure, Mr. Weitzel. Where do you want it delivered?"
I think for a moment, and the safest option for me is to have it delivered at Kevin's place. I mind-link Kevin warning him about the ring delivery, and he happily agrees. He, in turn, tells me that the witch will be home by 1:00 AM and that I need to have Skylar fast asleep.
I reach home, and Skylar's smile warms my heart. Blake and I melt inside seeing her smile, and we can't wait to marry her. We have dinner, and then Skylar asks if I want to have a movie night. I have to have her in bed before 1:00, so I tell her that I am exhausted from today's work and would like to sleep. She looks a little sad, and I want to change my answer, but she surprises me by hugging me and then offering a massage to help me relax.
Blake purrs in my mind and says, "We have the best mate in the world." I smile at his reaction and relax when Skylar gives us a massage. Once I am relaxed, I pull her to me and kiss her. She snuggles close to me, and I cuddle with her and, after ten minutes, hear her soft snores indicating that she is asleep.
I pull her closer and smell her neck. Tonight we will sort this entire issue of her smelling like a human, and then I will propose to her tomorrow evening by taking her out for a romantic date.
Exactly at 1:00 AM, I hear Kevin through my mind-link, and I carefully push Skylar aside and open the door for him and his friend. The witch looks as if she is Kevin's age, and they seem pretty close. Kevin leads her to our room, and the witch whose name I learn is Rosy. She looks down at Skylar, and her features show a look of adoration, something that confuses Blake and me. We want to question her, but before we open our mouth, Rosy looks at Kevin and says, "She turned out perfect, didn't she. She reminds me of her so much. Kevin, you didn't say that she looks so pretty. You know Lucy would be so proud of you."
I look at Kevin confused and ask, "Kevin, what is she talking about? Who does Skylar remind her of?"
Kevin looks at me with sad eyes and says, "Skylar, my dear looks a lot like my dead mate and Rosy's dead sister Lucy."
I look at Kevin, shocked by his revelation. It now dawns on Blake and me why Rex was so withdrawn and why Kevin looked so tired and why he was helping us. It is because he loved his mate, and Skylar reminds him of her. He really is a great person.
Rosy comes to me and hugs me. I stiffen at her hug, and she leaves me apologizing. She says, "I am so sorry, Cole. I couldn't stop myself. Please take care of her. I lost my sister, but looking at her, I feel like she is here somewhere with me. I was about to ask you for a sacrifice in exchange for keeping your mate safe, but looking at her, I don't want anything, just one promise, to keep her safe."
I look at her and shake her hand, saying, "I promise to protect her with my whole being." We seal the exchange deal needed, and Rosy goes close to Skylar and starts her chanting.
A strange purple smoke fills the room, and I see Rosy floating in the air. She continues her chants for the next half an hour. Suddenly, I smell a new smell. A smell of a werewolf. I get on high alert and then feel Kevin's hand on my back, and he says, "It's Skylar's new smell." I feel Blake purr at the smell of our mate. It is freaking delicious. After another ten minutes, the purple smoke slowly subsides, and Rosy comes down.
I go over to Skylar and pull her close to me, smelling her new smell. Then I walk over to Rosy and hug her. I thank her for her help and then go over to Kevin and hug him for helping me set this up.
With this, they retire for the night, and I pull Skylar close to me, hugging her and finally falling asleep with a stupid smile on my face. Before I fall asleep, Blake says, "One hurdle completed, now the only thing remaining is the proposal."
"True, buddy, true. Now we just have to wait for tomorrow."