Stronger as One (#1, Completed)

49. Faith (new)

RILEY

Mount Holly had that charm of a classic small-town. You could see the personality and sense of community everywhere as we drove through it.

"Are you sure you have the right address?" Rafe cocked an eyebrow when he turned down a beautiful tree-lined street, and pulled up in front of an cute one-floor house with a huge porch, manicured lawn and gorgeous flowers. It looked like something out of a postcard, although it was not the kind of home I imagined for myself.

"I'm sure," I retorted. "This is the address for her psychic business."

Aiden was no more convinced than Rafe, once we got out of the car. "It doesn't look very witchy."

"Nor did my parents' house-at least on the outside- and yet they turned out to be warlocks." I shrugged as I took a step towards the porch, but Rafe's hand blocked my way before I got very far.

"I smell a vampire," he growled, not too pleased about. I probably should have explained the whole story to them before we got here, yet the last thing I wanted was for them to interrogate me on as to why I wanted to speak to the witch.

"It's okay, he is not threat," I told my mates when a broody tall, muscular man emerged out of the house. "He is her mate."

I could almost hear my mates' jaws drop on the floor.

"Do you mean that she is a human mated to a vampire?" Aiden asked, and I gave him a confirming nod in return. "That's highly unusual."

"As if we are ones to talk." Rafe rolled his eyes.

"I hear you want to speak with Faith," the vampire said as soon as we joined him on the porch. "What does a pretty little human want to discuss with her, and why do you have a wolf and a dragon as bodyguards?"

A low but threatening growl escaped Aiden and Rafe. So much for keeping themselves in check.

"I have a private matter to discuss with her that I do not wish to disclose in front of you." I pointed to the guys before I spoke again," Or them, for that matter."

"Well, tough shit, little human-you will tell me why you want to speak to my my mate, and I will not ask you again."

The threat in his tone put Rafe and Aiden on the edge and they were both now in full-on mate protective mode, eyes flashing yellow and all. That surprised our reluctant host.

"Interesting. Are they both your mates?" he asked with slight amusement in his voice and I nodded. "Come on in then."

The change in his attitude left me a little stunned. One minute he treated as a potential enemies, and the next he was leading us to the living room with another question.

"Arius Carrick," he finally introduced himself, motioning for us to sit. "My sources tell me you come from Scotland."

To be honest, I couldn't blame him for the initial hostility. Finding Faith, his mate, was not so easy when I only had rumours to go by, and it took us a fair amount of asking around to get the right address, something that I would have preferred to have avoided to keep a low profile.

"Yes. My name is Riley Moreau from the Blackwood pack in Scotland. And these are Rafe Macalister, Alpha of the Windcrest pack, and Aiden Hayes who used to be Beta of the Fire Dragons clan."

The titles meant nothing to me but I wanted to use our background to show to Arius that we were trustworthy as I was sure that he had people already checking us out as we spoke.

"Scotland is a long way from Mount Holly to come to speak with my Faith. I assume that the matter is rather important." He was being polite but I could sense that he was still trying to figure me out.