Bear the Burden: McMahon Clan 3 (Fated Mates Book 6) by Rochelle Paige Page B

is perfectly capable of helping us with the protection spells we need and teaching Camden how to cook a few things. She’s awesome like that, and I think it’s important for my mom and my consort to spend time getting to know each other.”
    I trailed my fingers down Selene’s back in a comforting gesture. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t alienate my mate and her mother at our first meal together, Dad.”
    “That wasn’t my intention,” he grumbled.
    “I’m sure your dad’s just worried about protecting his family—a family my daughter is now a part of. How can I possibly be offended by that?”
    “Thanks for letting my dad off the hook, Audra. But you missed one thing. You’re part of our family now, too.”
    “Well, then, this family member says to dig in before the food gets cold,” she replied. “After lunch, Tempest, Selene, and I have some spells to cast, so your first lesson will have to wait until dinner.”

Chapter 8
Selene
    “O ne more time,” Tempest commanded, guiding me through a complicated spell based in water magic—one an earth witch shouldn’t be able to do. Any earth witch except me, apparently, because here I was, lifting water from a nearby lake with a wave of my hand and sending it in a crashing wave toward my fellow covener. This was the third time I’d cast this particular spell and the closest I’d come to hitting her with the water.
    “Much better,” she congratulated me. “Even though I’m a water witch who knows the exact spell you’re casting, it’s getting harder and harder to counter it.”
    “And easier for me to cast.”
    “That was awesome!” Finley breathed. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.” She and Tahlia had been watching from the safety of the porch, but moved closer now that Tempest and I were done.
    “Neither have I,” Tempest murmured. “Selene’s magic has grown more than any of us could have anticipated.”
    “I’ve experienced a bump in my magic with each step in my relationship with Camden—starting from the first surge I felt when I saw him in my vision while meditating and culminating in the...bonding we did last night.” I felt my face heat as I thought about exactly what our bonding involved and regretted any mention of it. I didn’t want anyone to ask questions about what we’d done since there was no way I’d be able to answer them.
    “Your powers have been getting stronger as you and Camden grow closer?” Tahlia asked.
    “By leaps and bounds,” Tempest confirmed.
    Tahlia gave me a considering look, a speculative gleam in her eye. “I’ve heard consorts can anchor their witches, but Camden seems to do more than that for you.”
    "You're familiar with consorts?"
    “I’ve had a little bit of contact with witches in the past because of my role with the council. There have been situations involving dark practitioners where we’ve needed help from witches,” Tahlia explained.
    “Witches helping the shifter council?” I couldn’t keep my shock out of my tone. When our coven had decided to help the McMahon clan, it had been a difficult decision because we thought we’d be risking a backlash in the witch community.
    “It’s something the council has kept quiet,” Tahlia explained. “It would have been considered a sign of weakness to turn to the witches for help, but battling dark practitioners required a skill set the council just didn’t have. Ultimately, their job is to protect the shifter community, and the council members take their responsibility very seriously—whatever it takes and whomever they have to work with to accomplish their goal.”
    I thought about my mom’s role as high priestess of our coven and everything she’d taught me about being a leader. “Something witches and shifters have in common, then.”
    “Considering the prophecy, it’s a good thing you’re already finding commonalities,” Tempest added, laughing afterwards. “I can’t believe I just said that. I feel like