Page 53 of Starting a New Life

“Wait!” Levi interjected, eyes wide. “One… mage?”

I bit my lip and nodded. “Yeah. One mage. You.”

“But I’m not a mage.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I quickly realized that you had no idea about your abilities. It was a bit of a bummer. And believe me when I say that I am so, so sorry for not telling you sooner, but…”

“But you don’t trust shifters, and I’m mated to one.” He finished the sentence for me and gave a short nod.

“Yes.” Relief washed over me. Levi wasn’t shouting. He didn’t even look angry, just so… sad. “I was trying to protect you. Mages are… we’re the outcasts of the paranormal world. The ones everyone picks on. Witches and wizards think we’re like… hippies. They look down on us because our magic works differently from theirs. They use spells, and honing their craft has more to do with learning, while we… mages are more intuitive. We don’t use spells. Our magic comes from within and is more connected to nature—which in their eyes is a bad thing because we’re as strong as we are. We can’t learn new tricks to get stronger. At least that’s what they think.”

Levi nodded, his eyes still wide, fingers playing with the hem of his shirt.

“And what does that have to do with shifters?”

“Mages are useful to shifters because we’re the ones who can create barriers around their packs. But they don’t like us. They look down on us too. They view us as a means to an end. A tool. Packs that get their hands on a mage… they want constant access to their magic, so they don’t let them go. They imprison them. Enslave them.”

Levi gasped.

“Nix. No, that’s not…”

“That is what’s happening. That’s the reason you rarely encounter mages. They’re hiding. We are hiding. Ones who are unlucky enough to be found out, well… they’re worth a lot of money.”

Levi shook his head and grasped my hand. “I don’t doubt what you’re saying. But that isn’t what this pack is about.”

He sounded so sure. So completely unbothered by the fact that I’d just told him his mate’s species liked to enslave his species.

A foreign feeling curled in my stomach, hot and tight and uncomfortable. I wanted that. That unwavering belief, complete and utter faith in someone.

“I want to believe you,” I said, swallowing against the lump in my throat. “But after being hunted by a pack of shifters for six months, after a lifetime of witnessing what fellow mages go through… I’m not sure I can.”

Levi set his mug down next to mine and wrapped me up in a hug, his magic protectively curling around me, exuding warmth.

“You will learn to,” he said decisively, then let out a laugh. “You’ll have to, because you just dropped a bombshell on me. I’m a mage? Seriously?” I turned my head as the first giggles bubbled out of Levi, followed by more cute snort-laughs until he was full-on laughing. “Holy shit, you told me I’m a mage, and I just ignored it like, ‘Okay, got it, next point.’ I’m a mage? Are you serious? How is it possible that I never knew? I’m an adult. I think I should’ve realized by now.”

I couldn’t help but laugh too.

He was word-vomiting again, which meant he was nervous.

And hell, I got that. I so got that this was overwhelming.

“One of your ancestors was probably a mage. As I said, mages have gone into hiding. It’s entirely possible your grandfather or grandmother was a mage and didn’t tell anyone. It’s possible their parents were mages, and they didn’t know they were. It’s also possible that you just… are. Occasionally, there are new mages popping up with no familial connection to other mages. Like a spontaneous mutation somewhere in your DNA. Without knowing your family, I can’t tell.”

Levi shook his head. “I can’t believe it. I mean… oh god. I think there were signs that something was off with me. About the way I was feeling the mate bond. And yeah, Rhett thought my connection to the barrier was weird, but he thought it just liked me.”

I snorted. “Yeah, uhm, that’s not how it works. The barrier isn’t a conscious being. It’s magic. Powered by the land and the pack. But your connecting to it gave it more power. You… I don’t want to sound negative, but you don’t know what to do with your magic, so it’s trying to connect to other sources of magic.”

Levi nodded slowly. “Like yesterday? When we…” He mimed an explosion with his hands, enhanced by a whooshing sound. Then he giggled. “I’m sorry, I’m being ridiculous, but what you’re telling me is… a lot.”

I laughed. “It’s okay. And in a way, you’re right. Usually, I’m shielding myself. It’s something I always do. It costs minimal energy to keep a shield on my skin going, but I was completely drained, and you were so worried, so when you grabbed me, you basically shoved a ton of magic into me, and I couldn’t stop you.”

“Oh.” Levi’s eyes turned impossibly wide, and worry marred his face. “Did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to.”

No, he didn’t.

“It wasn’t really like… painful. Just a bit overwhelming.”

Levi snorted. “Basically, the way I feel right now. I’m a mage. Are you sure? Is there a way for you to… prove it to me? Not that I think you’re lying. I don’t think that at all. But I’m also having a hard time believing that I basically didn’t know who or what I am for all my life. How am I gonna tell Rhett? He’s on his way up, by the way, because I’m freaking the fuck out internally and he’s worried.”