Page 57 of Wolf Crowned

Sloane shook me. “Sawyer, I need you to stay with us.”

Lincoln jerked me. “He’s slipping back under. I think he’s going to pass out.”

“Will we lose our connection?” Sloane sounded panicked but for the life of me I couldn’t open my eyes again.

Lincoln splashed water on my face and wrenched my body up. “I don’t know. We have to get him out of the water. If he passes out and we aren’t here to hold him up...”

Sloane made a noise in the back of her throat. They tugged me to the right, yanking on me. I opened my mouth wanting to say something, but the thought left my mind before it had fully formed.

The darkness crept up around me, surrounding me and pulling me under.

Twenty

Lincoln

“Sawyer, stay with us.” I jolted back to the bedroom. The cave was gone. We were back home.

Sawyer was gone we’d lost the connection.

Sloane and I sat on the bed, staring at each other. A cold chill zipped up my spine.

He was okay. He had to be.

But I couldn’t feel him right now.

Sloane’s face fell, morphing into a silent scream as she slapped a hand over her mouth. “Did we get him out of the water in time? Was he far enough that he can’t fall under?” She reached over to me and shook my shoulders. “Lincoln, what if he drowns?”

My mind reeled at what she was saying. Nausea churned in my stomach. “He was out of the water. I think he’s going to be okay.”

Tears filled her eyes, and a few trickled out, running down her cheek. “Are you sure?”

I nodded and pulled her into my lap, holding her tight. “I’m sure. He’s going to be okay.”

He had to be. I closed my eyes and focused on him. There. He was there. Unconscious but alive.

She grasped my shirt, fisting it in her hands. “I hate we can’t reach him. What if something happens?”

Her fears were real. We had no idea what was happening. And there was nothing we could do right now.

I rubbed my hand over her back, hoping I was soothing her. “It’s going to be okay. We have to believe that. Look at how far we’ve come.”

Sloane drew in a shuddering breath. “I’m scared, Lincoln. Do you think your father has done something to the wolfsbane?”

I chewed the inside of my cheek. Those scratches had been gnarly. “Probably. We’ll have your mom make a salve or something to help with the infection.”

She pulled back, blowing out a long breath as she set her jaw. “Yes. the stuff she gave to Willa worked wonders. I’m sure she could whip us up a few batches to take with us.”

I nodded. “Good. Did Brandon check on the wolfsbane yet? Is it ready to harvest?”

I held my breath. We needed that now more than ever.

Sloane tugged her bottom lip in between her teeth. “Yeah. He was checking on it first thing this morning. It should be ready.”

I rubbed my hand over my jaw. “I have a few ideas that might help us. We’ll have to meet up with him and see if he can get some ready for the groups heading out tonight.”

Sloane tilted her head to the side, a cute pout taking over her features. “What do you have in mind?”

I gave her a grim smile. It wasn’t going to be pleasant. “The property runs off a well. I know where the pump is. We dump a bunch of that down the well, and it’s going to affect the pack. They won’t be able to get water or shower without burning themselves.”

---