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“I don’t know,” I told him. I closed my eyes and thought of home, thought about being in bed, snuggled into Derek’s chest.
When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in bed, having felt a rushing sensation. James was fussing while my mates were still asleep. I must have felt James.
I got out of bed and turned on the lamp. I walked over to James’ bassinet to find him looking up at me.
“Hey, baby boy. What’s wrong, sweetheart?” I cooed, picking him up and cradling him in my arms. Before I went over to the chair to feed him, I grabbed my phone.
After, I was comfy, and James was nursing. I unlocked my phone and called Ian. Needing to speak with him, even though I knew it was late, but I thought I’d take a chance.
“Ashlyn?” He groaned into the phone.
“Ian. I’m sorry I woke you.” I whispered.
“Ashlyn, what’s wrong? Why are you whispering?” He asked me, more alert.
“Everyone is just sleeping, but I needed to speak with you. I found Brad.” I told him.
“Brad’s body?” He asked.
“No, Brad is alive, and I know where he is.” I whispered.
“Wait, what?” Ian asked, confused. I could hear a woman’s voice in the background.
“Ian, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you,” I told him, and he sighed.
“Ashlyn.” He started, but I interrupted him.
“Ian, you don’t have to explain. I just wanted to tell you about Brad and that he is alive. I’ll be there early to get him. He wants to come back to Silver Moon with me,” I said. Before he could say anything else, I said goodbye and hung up the phone.
James had unlatched and was looking up at me.
“Don’t judge me. I know he’s allowed to be with other women and he’s not mine, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear that.” I whispered.
I changed James’ diaper and nursed him again. When he still wasn’t asleep, I walked around the apartment with him snuggled into my chest. I was telling him all about his Uncle Brad. And how he was going to have some many adventures with him.
Finally, he fell asleep. I placed him in bed and grabbed my phone to see a text from Ian.
“I know.” Was all he sent, and I knew we were feeling the same emotions. But I had moved on and I was happy for him, if he was happy.
I placed my phone on the nightstand and crawled back in beside Derek. He and Mason were still spooning, and I would have watched them if I wasn’t so tired. But instead of falling asleep, I was making lists in my head of everything I needed to get done.
My anxiety wouldn’t let me sleep, so I got up and grabbed my phone before moving into the living room. I grabbed some water before I sat down on the couch. I texted Sage. To my surprise, she texted back before I even took a sip of my water.
S: Ashlyn, what are you doing up? Is everything okay?
Me: yeah, I just can’t sleep. I dreamwalked and found Brad. He’s alive. Long story and then I phoned Ian, and I heard a woman in the background.
S: Okay, so Brad is alive and you still have feelings for Ian. Am I missing something?
Me: it’s not that I have feelings for him. I don’t know. I know I’m being ridiculous since I have two mates and a child, but it’s weird. I want him to be happy, but I don’t want to give him up. Ugh.
S: it’s okay. I understand. You may just have to cut ties with him for a bit. Make sure those feelings are dead and gone.
Me: maybe. How is it going with you?
S: ugh. Still looking for Queen Rachel. Something is blocking my magic. I’m not sure how you even got through.
Me: after I get Brad, I’ll meet up with you and we can do it together. As soon as we find her, the sooner we can figure out what happened.
S: sounds good. We should be heading back tomorrow. Everything is cleaned up here, and we just have to move the last of the rogues back.
Me: thank you so much for your help.
S: anytime, sis. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Me: good night. Love you.
S: love you too.
After I finished drinking my water, I went back into the bedroom. I checked on James. He was still sleeping. I wandered into the bathroom. I did my business and when I was washing my hands, I noticed Derek’s mark was gone.
I ripped down the collar of the shirt, not bothering to dry my hands. Stunned at what I saw in the mirror. I no longer had two separate marks, but one for all of us.
It was on my left side. A crescent moon with two crowns and a tiara in between. Flames come up around the moon with all three of our beast’s names forming a circle around the entire mark. That entire mark was in a witch’s knot.
From my reading at the council building, a witches’ knot can represent many things but is mostly known in protection spells.
It was beautiful, and I found myself gazing at it, lost in the image.
“Baby, are you okay?” Mason said from the door, giving me a fright.
“Mason, you scared me.” I gasped, holding my chest.
“What are you doing?” He asked him. I looked over at his bare chest to see that his mark was the same as mine.
“Our mark has changed.” I told him. He walked over to the mirror and stood beside me.
“What’s the symbol around our names?” He asked me, looking in the mirror and touching over the mark.
“It’s a witch’s knot,” I told him.
“It’s beautiful,” he whispered, and I had to agree.
“But that still doesn’t explain what you are doing up? And why do you smell like smoke?” He looked at me.
“I dreamwalked.” I told him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest.
“Where did you go?” He asked.
“I found Brad. He’s alive.”
Moving On
Ashlyn
Mason woke me, gently shaking my shoulder.
“I’m sorry Baby, James is hungry.” Mason whispered, kissing my cheek.
“What time is it?” I yawned, sitting up. Derek was walking around, trying to keep James distracted. I motioned for him to bring him to me.
“It’s still early, Baby. And Ian has been calling you.” Mason told me, sitting beside me on the bed.
Derek handed me James, and I got him latched before asking him what Ian wanted. I know he knows that I’ll be portaling in this morning to retrieve Brad, but I decided I wouldn’t see Ian.
I looked up at Mason, and he was watching me intently.
“Do you know why Ian is calling?” I asked him and he shrugged.
“Did something happen?” Derek asked, lying down, resting his head on my thigh.
“I dreamwalked last night, and I found Brad alive. After I came back here, I called Ian. He answered, and I heard him with a woman.” I explained.
“And did that upset you?” Derek asked me.
“I don’t know how I’m feeling.” I sighed. Mason wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close.
“Feelings are hard.” He said, kissing my temple.
“I don’t want either of you to think that whatever I’m feeling has anything to do with us. It’s just Ian, and I have been friends for 10 years. I know I’m going to have to let him go. It’s just hard,” I told them.
“Babygirl, it’s normal to feel that way. But no one is asking you not to be friends with him.” Derek told me.
“I know, but I think it’s time to put some space between us. He needs to move on and he can’t do that with me in his life.” I explained.
“Baby, whatever you decide to do, we will support you. Everything has changed in such a short amount of time, it can be overwhelming,” Mason said, and I nodded.
“Is that how you guys are feeling?” I asked them.
“Not really.” Mason shrugged.
“Nope.” Derek said, popping the p.
“Thanks.” I told them sarcastically.
“What are you going to tell him when you see him today?” Derek asked, and I sighed.
Before I could answer him, my phone rang on the nightstand. Derek sat up and picked it up, reading the screen.
“It’s Ian.” He said, passing me my phone. James was still nursing, so I couldn’t just get up and move.
“We’ll give you some space.” Mason said, kissing my temple. Derek kissed my cheek before they both left the room. I answered my phone after I heard the door close behind them.
“Good morning, Ian.” I answered.
“Ashlyn, where have you been? I’ve been calling.” He said.
“I’ve been sleeping. I was up with James and then I couldn’t sleep.” I told him and I heard him sigh.
“Ashlyn, I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t expect you to call in the middle of the night.” He rushed out.
“Ian, you don’t have to explain anything. It’s my fault, for calling and for depending on you for so much.” I told him.
“Ashlyn, don’t say that we are friends, right?”
“Ian, I should just have texted you. I didn’t need to call. I was feeling overwhelmed about finding out Brad was alive. You have every right to move on with your life. You shouldn’t feel you have to drop everything for me.” I told him and he sighed.
“So, what are you saying?” He asked me, and I could feel the tears threatening to spill. I had to take a deep breath before I answered him.
“I think I need to give you space. I’ll text you when I’m ready to portal in and I’ll get Brad. And you can always text me about anything,” I told him.
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