Page 97 of Shadow Witch

Paige took a step further into the temple before she froze. “Uhhh…”

Drucinda’s eyes went wide as she snapped her gaze to the side. “Of course. See what your blubbering has done? Now we’re trapped!”

Paige’s heart hammered against her chest as she stared down the massive wolf, drool spilling from its bared teeth. They’d just walked into a werewolf temple and awakened an ancient beast that could tear them limb from limb.

CHAPTER 22

Paige clamped her jaw down as she tried desperately to stop her lower lip from trembling. “Uhh, Drucinda…”

“I see it. I have already acknowledged that when I shouted ‘we’re trapped’, remember?”

“Yeah, but…do something,” Paige said.

“Me? That’s a millennia-old werewolf. Are you serious?”

Paige flung a hand at her. “Yes, you. You’re the badass here. You’re the leather trouser-wearing Valkyrie. You could probably wrestle him to the ground with one hand tied behind your back.”

Drucinda jabbed a finger at the snarling beast. “Oh, could I? Have you seen his size? He’s three times the size of a normal werewolf. He’s a beast.”

Paige wrinkled her nose. “ So are you saying you can’t do it? You’re defeated? The great Drucinda Sharpe is beaten?”

“Certainly not. I’m merely saying that it may require the both of us.”

Paige widened her stance as she nodded. “Okay, so, what do you want me to do? I’ll grab his tail, maybe?”

“No,” Drucinda said with a shake of her head as she stared at the wolf. “Just stand here and look helpless. I’ll sneak around behind him and leap onto his back.”

“What? I’m not going to be the bait. You be the bait.”

The wolf growled, the sound echoing ominously off the stone walls.

“Fine, all right. Go ahead,” Drucinda said, crossing her arms. “Take him down.”

Paige nodded, her heart pounding as she tried to firm her resolve. “Okay. Yeah, I will.”

She eyed the wolf who raised his hackles again. With her eyes narrowed, she took a careful step to the side.

The wolf lunged forward with a bark, snapping its jaws at her. “Whoa.”

“Mm-hm,” Drucinda said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Drucinda shrugged. “I didn’t say anything.”

“Yes, you did. You said mm-hm. Just like that, too, with all the sass.”

“Merely pointing out that you haven’t even made it a step yet, but you wanted to attack the wolf, so…go ahead.”

Paige heaved a sigh, her frustration growing. “You aren’t helping at all. You could help.”

“What do you expect me to do? You wanted to be the hero…go play hero.”

Paige poked a finger at her. “You’re the bait. Do…bait things.”

Drucinda flung her hands to her sides. “What the hell does that mean?”

She shook her head. “Never mind. If you know what bait things are, you do them and I’ll deal with him.”

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