Page 38 of Plus-Size Sold Mate
The few days of peace that go by seem too good to be true, and when the unofficial summons comes, I already know I’m right in that assumption.
Out in the woods with Isaac and a few younger wolves, we watch them run drills and coach them through them. This isn’t usually how I dedicate my time, but having the Alpha oversee your training always helps with morale and to establish that trust early on. I remember what that felt like when I was young.
Before long, Eve appears through the trees with her arms folded. She watches at first, then steps in behind us.
“Jonah wants to see us.”
We both face her, and Isaac lifts a brow. “All three of us?”
She nods. “Yes. Now.”
He curses under his breath, since usually when he’s summoned anywhere, it’s usually not for anything good.
After giving a quick explanation to the wolves training, I turn back and clap a hand against Isaac’s shoulder, steering him the way Eve came from. “Let’s go then.”
Despite putting on an unbothered facade, something in my gut twists at the thought of whatever Jonah wants to talk about. A spike of irritation follows it up at the fact that I’m being summoned at all, but for an elder, I’ll let it slide.
I check in with the bond quickly, feeling its steady beat while Sera is somewhere back at the house. We’re close enough that I can feel the presence of her in the distance, and regardless of the space, I find myself wanting to cut it even more. To be near her, and to feel whatever scrap of warmth she might be willing to give.
Forcing myself to breathe evenly, I continue through the trees with my siblings, making our way deeper into the pack territory.
Elder Jonah’s house sits just on the edge of town, close enough to everything without sacrificing the quiet he values. The structure is one of the oldest ones here, and the porch creaks faintly as we step onto it.
Jonah’s at the door before we can even knock, pushing the screen door open.
Despite his age, he still has a relatively straight spine, and he stands taller than most would expect. His white hair is braided down his back with a few beads woven in the way he likes it, and his dark eyes look as sharp as ever. When his gaze lands on me, I already know this impromptu meeting has more to do with me than my siblings.
“Come in,” he says, accepting as Eve takes his hand in a respectful gesture, walking with him.
The inside is a touch warmer than necessary, with the fire burning lightly despite the warm afternoon. He has his old kettle off to the side, apparently recently boiled.
Elder Jonah gestures for us to sit by the old wooden table by the window. Isaac drops into one of the chairs on the far side while Eve sits next to Jonah. I stand a moment longer before sitting across from him.
He studies me carefully for a beat longer than I appreciate, but I allow it.
“What did you want to speak with us about?” I ask, tone even and patient, regardless of the vague irritation pulsing in my gut.
After a breath, he nods to himself in thought. “I called you three here because I have a story to tell you.”
Christ.
When Isaac starts to make a sound of protest, Eve throws him a warning glance, and he straightens up.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Jonah begins, eyes gleaming with a flicker of amusement. “Just hear me out. I won’t keep you long.”
Ignoring the other two, I nod, confirming for him to continue.
While I definitely have better things to be doing, I’ve known Jonah my entire life. He was the Alpha before my father, and before I was even born, he was guiding this pack through many hardships, back when the Alphas weren’t entirely cordial with one another. He has seen far more than I can imagine, and when he speaks, I know it’s coming from a place of experience and sometimes caution.
“When I was a young man, I traveled north with a scouting party back before our current borders stood as they do now. Magic wasn’t yet outlawed, but it was feared, and most tried to hide their use anyway. We came across a village while we were there. It was small and quiet, and we stopped there to rest one night.”
Eve shifts subtly in her seat, paying close attention. Even Isaac goes still.
“There was a child…a young girl. She had abilities, and her parents allowed her to use them in small ways. She would light the hearth and candles without touching them, she protected their livestock with warding spells, and she even mended cuts with herbs and the right words,” Jonah continueswith slow, sweeping glances between the three of us. “Everyone who knew claimed she was blessed. But one night, after we continued on our way, something went wrong when her brother fell ill. When the fever wouldn’t break, she pushed too hard and allowed her magic to take more than she could reasonably give. She didn’t understand the cost before it was too late.”
Isaac’s brows furrow. “What happened?”
Jonah pulls in a deep breath. “The house burned from the inside out, but not from flames. Her pure energy consumed everything, and while the girl survived, the rest did not. We saw the ruins when we moved back through the area, and the locals told us what happened.”
