The Witching Moon: The Witches of Redwood Falls - Book 1 (8 page)

For her.

She was with Zander right now, and the
knowledge sliced through him. Zander would take her. Who wouldn’t?
She was the most caring, generous, and beautiful woman he’d ever
met. Any man would be thrilled to have her, to touch her, to taste
her…

He groaned.

No. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t sit
here, thinking of her with someone else. He’d keep his promise.
He’d keep his distance while she figured out if Zander was her
mate, but that didn’t mean he had to stay and watch. He didn’t have
to see them together. Didn’t have to sit on the sidelines as
everything he’d ever wanted was ripped from his hands.

Without finesse, Drake threw clothes into a
worn duffel bag. He’d take off for a few days. He knew there was a
time factor here, and he’d be back for the deadline. He couldn’t
write her off, write off them, when there was still a chance. Even
if it was only a small one. When she decided he wasn’t the one
then, then he’d leave. Maybe for good.

What would staying here accomplish? To see
her for the rest of his life and never have her, never hold her,
never touch her. He couldn’t think of worse torture.

His movements slowed. Watching Zander
touching her, kissing her… he realized there was something
worse.

With renewed vigor, he zipped the bag
closed. He strode to his desk, penning a note for Poppy. He
couldn’t leave without telling her. He sealed it in an envelope and
wrote her name on the front. He’d drop it off on his way out of
town.

It was the only thing he could do.

Poppy jogged down the street, grateful when
she spotted Zander through the window of a bookstore. She hadn’t
lost him. She marched into the store, cornering him as he paid for
a book. “Zander?”

“Poppy? Is everything okay?” He glanced
passed her, no doubt looking for Drake.

“Yeah. Um, I was hoping you could talk, grab
some coffee or something.”

“Sure.” He nodded his thanks to the cashier.
“How about Shirley’s? If it’s still around.”

Her shoulders relaxed now that he’d agreed.
She knew it was a long shot that he’d be able to talk now, but
Poppy couldn’t wait. She needed to find out if Zander was the one
without dragging it out. “Sure is. And it still has the best
coffee.”

“Great.” He held the door open for her,
gesturing for her to take lead once they were outside.

They caught up on town gossip until their
drinks were ready and took a seat in one of the cozy corners in the
shop.

“Thanks for coming with me,” she finally
said. “I didn’t mean to seem like a crazy person.”

He laughed, deep and rich. “Hardly. It’s
nice to see an old friend.”

She searched his slate-blue eyes, looking
for something, anything. Where was the mystical connection? Did he
feel anything for her at all? If so, she couldn’t see it. He was
friendly, at ease. Like he’d be with any friend. “I have to ask,
but you can ignore me if you’d like.” She crossed her legs, leaning
forward. “Why’d you come back?”

“As I said, it was time for a visit,” he
said easily, but his eyes shifted away.

“And that’s it?” His brow lifted, and she
muttered a curse. “I know I’m being incredibly rude, but there’s a
good reason. I just need to know if there’s anything else.”

“I came to see someone from my past. To
settle things.”

“But I’m not that person?”

“No.” He cocked his head. “What’s going on,
Poppy?”

She slumped in her chair. What was she doing
here? With Zander, as nice of a person as he was, there was nothing
there. Her heart didn’t race just being near him. There was no
peace in her soul from his presence, no deep seated joy because he
was her best friend. Nothing like how Drake made her feel.

She’d hurt him, and for what? Because she
was scared and unsure? Scared that there was someone better out
there who could love her more, that was destined to be with her?
There wasn’t another

Because she loved Drake.

She whimpered into her drink. She’d been an
idiot. No matter what the prophecy said, no matter when she was
supposed to meet her mate, or what he was like, none of it
mattered. She loved Drake. And she always had.

She’d just finally realized that she always
would.

“Poppy?”

She shook herself out of her thoughts.
“Sorry.” She closed her eyes hard. “I’m really sorry, Zander. For
all of this. I’ve been an idiot.”

“Now I’m intrigued.” He set his cup on the
table, leaning forward.

“There was a prophecy about me, about my
mate.”

“Ahhh.” His eyes lit with understanding. “I
remember.”

“You know about it?”

He ducked his head. “My mom told me about it
a long time ago. I was learning about prophecies and she brought it
up. All Hallows Eve right?”

“On my twenty-eighth year,” she
muttered.

His eyes softened, reaching out to her. “I’m
not him. I’m sorry.”

“I know. I really do,” she added again when
he searched her face for the truth. “I know who it is.”

“Drake?”

She gasped. “How’d you know?”

He laughed. “It wasn’t hard to see. There
were sparks flying everywhere.” He sobered. “So if it’s Drake, then
why are you here?”

She wiggled in her seat. “Well… I had to be
sure.”

“About him or me?”

“Both. There are some things that don’t
match up with the prophecy.”

He whistled softly, shaking his head. “I
wouldn’t think too much about that. I’ve come to realize that
prophecies aren’t road maps. They only make sense after they’ve
happened.”

“No kidding.” If only she’d realized that
sooner. She’d wasted so much time with Drake, not to mention the
anguish she’d put him through. She ached to make it up to him, to
make this right.

A weight lifted from her chest just thinking
about him. She needed to get back to him, to throw herself in his
arms and tell him what an idiot she’d been. That no matter what the
prophecy said, no matter what she might have thought, he was the
only one for her. She’d never been surer about anything in her
life.

“Go ahead.” He nodded toward the door. “I
can see you’re gone already. Go to him.”

“Are you sure?” She flushed. “I feel awful
ditching you after I basically dragged you here.”

He chuckled. “I’ll be fine. A cup of
Shirley’s is never a waste.”

She grinned. “You’re the best.”

“Almost makes you wish I was the one,
huh?”

She belly laughed. “Almost, but not
quite.”

He sighed playfully. “Your loss.”

“Someone else’s gain,” she assured him as
she stood. “You’ve been great. Really. You’ve helped more than you
know.”

“I’ll see you around.”

“I hope so.”

Without glancing back, she walked out of the
shop, a little bounce in her step. She loved Drake. Knew it without
a doubt, and he loved her. With two days before the deadline, she’d
seal her fate within the hour. She’d tell Drake she accepted him,
that she loved him.

Her heart racing, she dashed to his house.
He didn’t live far from town, only a short fifteen minute walk and
she was grateful for the short distance.

Her stomach flipped as she climbed his porch
steps. Deep breath, she threaded a hand through her hair, hoping it
didn’t look as frazzled as she felt on the inside.

She rang the bell, her body tense as she
listened for him. She rang again, waiting. Her shoulders fell, the
smile faded from her lips.

He wasn’t home. How could he not be here?
Where would he have gone?

Unease wound through her. He must have just
run out. Or gone somewhere after their conversation with Zander. He
would be back soon, she assured herself.

But even as she made excuses, her legs
carried her farther down the road to her house, her body pumping
harder the closer she got.

When her house came into view, she knew
something was wrong. And then she saw the note propped up on the
patio table, her name neatly written on the front in Drake’s
handwriting.

Fingers numb, she reached out for the creamy
envelope, carefully opening the paper as dread settled in her
stomach.

She gasped, reading his words. The paper
fell from her hand, landing softly in the afternoon light.

Poppy,

I promised you that I’d step aside. And I’m
sticking by that. I love you, but I can’t be here. I can’t watch as
you choose someone else.

Drake

She sunk to the ground.

He was gone.

He’d left so that he wouldn’t have to see
her with someone else. She did this. She could only blame herself.
She’d been stupid, unsure, and instead of following her heart and
accepting Drake, the man she loved, she’d tossed it aside. Because
of fear.

A tear trailed down her cheek, quickly
followed by a second and third until she couldn’t hold them back
any longer.

She’d lost him.

When all of her calls went straight to voice
mail, Poppy knew Drake’s phone was off. On the night of the full
moon, she dialed his number one last time, hoping that she’d
finally be able to speak with him, to tell him how much she loved
him.

Voice mail.

She lowered the phone to the table,
breathing deeply. This was out of her hands now. She done
everything she could. He wouldn’t pick up his phone, and his
parents didn’t know where he’d gone. She had to accept it. It was
over.

Her heart ached for him. He’d left, but she
still needed him.

It all started at Cloch Chroí and that was
where it would end. She gathered items slowly, her movements calm
as she prepared herself.

The moon was low in the sky, but it was
bright enough to light her path without a flashlight. An animal
rustled in the brush beside her, but her steps remained steady. An
owl called out somewhere in the distance, but she didn’t answer.
Life had gone on for all these creatures, just as her own would
once the night ended. But it would never be the same.

Not without Drake.

Fog sifted through the stones, moonlight
reflected in its depths. It was an image straight out of a horror
film, but it didn’t frighten her. She’d woven through the stones
too many times as a child to let it bother her. They were a part of
her.

She walked to the center of the stones,
drawing her circle. Sending up a prayer of gratitude, she poured
out the love and the heartache she’d experienced. Even though she’d
lost it all, she’d known love. She’d always be grateful for
that.

“Send my words in the air, that he may know
how I care…”

Stepping from the shadows, Drake entered the
stone circle. “I heard.”

“Drake?” she gasped, wiping tears from her
eyes. “You’re here?”

He didn’t answer, only stepped closer to
her. “Let me in.” He eyed her circle.

He didn’t need to come in. She could easily
come out. She wanted to. All she could think about what racing into
his arms, about pouring her heart out to him. “It’s okay. I’ll
close it.”

“I don’t think so. I need to come in.”

She didn’t know why he was pushing for it,
but she didn’t care. If it meant that much to him, she’d open it
for him. She’d give him anything.

Chanting, she reached out of the circle,
grasping his hand before pulling him in.

Light arced from the ring, swallowing the
forest. Her hair shot into the air as wind tunneled through the
circle. Power surged around them, through them. And she knew.

It was from him.

“How?” She searched his eyes.

“I don’t know.” He lifted the back of her
hand to his lips, brushing a tender kiss there. “But I suspected as
much after the last spell we did together.”

He’d had magic all along. “I don’t
understand.” But she didn’t need to. She didn’t care. All she cared
about was that he was here. With her. The prophecy didn’t matter.
None of it did. “You came back,” she whispered.