Page 8 of Wolf Hunter

I push myself to stand, which makes her do the same. Now that we’re on our feet, I can see that she’s much smaller than me. Probably only five feet. Fragile. Meek.

But I know size has nothing to do with power, and since she could cloak my room in a heavy silent spell, her magic can pack a punch.

“Do we have a deal?” she asks with a nervous smile.

I lift a brow. “Whatever the price?” I ask again, just to make sure she’s ready to take this on.

“Whatever the price.” She nods, certain. “Kill the alpha and we’ll pay you whatever you wish.”

Glancing around the room, I pretend to be mulling it over, when really, I had already made up my mind a while ago. She only stands there staring at me, waiting in uneasy silence.

After I decide I’ve tortured her enough, I draw in a deep breath and say, “Okay, I’m in.”

“Splendid!” She throws her hands in the air, and instantly, my ears pop as the magic binding the room bursts. The noises of the world around us come flooding back in, sounding too loud to my ears after so much deafening silence. When I peek back up, I notice Mae is holding out her hand to me, and in her open palm is my gun.

Grinning broadly, she waits for me to take it.

Fucking witches.

I snatch the gun from her and check to make sure the chamber’s loaded. It is.

“Thank you, Tasha! We’ll be in touch again soon.” Then, she turns and glides out the door, her elaborate skirts swishing around her ankles with every movement.

Even after her footsteps fade down the hallway, I sit and look at the chair she just occupied. Goose bumps run over my skin, but whether it’s from the anticipation of what’s to come or a warning, I don’t know.

Carmen.

The wolves stole the most precious thing from me. My sister hadn’t shared my unique gift—neither had my parents—but she was my world. They all were. After they’d gotten sick and passed, it was just me and Carmen. Toughing it out. Surviving.

She was so young then—blonde curls, always smiling.

When the pack took her from me six years ago, they took the last bit of my heart I had left.

I know I want answers I may never get. I know I might be hoping for something that could be impossible to get.I know.But as long as there’s a sliver of a chance that she’s still alive, I’m going to risk it all to find her.

And if she’s dead…

I can’t even think it. It hurts too much to conjure up the possibility in my mind.

I need to stay focused.

I’ll kill the alpha. Gleefully, too. With fucking bells on.

I’ll stab him through the heart, watch the life drain from his eyes, and put an end to this—all of this—all the pain, grief, and heartache these monsters have caused over the years to so many families. Not just my own.

Now that I’ve signed on to this job, one thing’s for damn sure. The Redcliff Pack won’t even see me coming.

ChapterThree

Tasha

Mae smooths her hand over my face and hair, pushing the pink strands aside. We stand at the edge of a clearing in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the rest of the coven’s witches. From the looks of it, they’re down to just twelve members or so, which is nothing compared to the magical powerhouse they used to be.

Mae wasn’t kidding when she said the wolves have gotten too greedy.

Being here again—where my sister was taken from me during the ceremony—stirs up all the old feelings and memories I don’t want to experience anymore, ones that will only distract me from what I’m meant to do. I try my best to push it all down, but my skin is itching all over.

When Mae goes to stroke my hair again, I wave her hand away.

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