Page 73 of Wolf Tamer

“Yourmagic?” the man spits back. “It’s magic you stole from us!”

He looks left then right, eyes widening with a new idea forming. I can recognize when prey is about to flee. That look of complete desperation and panic.

As expected, he spins and sidesteps left in a frantic attempt to bolt, but suddenly, sparks erupt all around him and he’s pinned in place. Arms fastened to his sides, knees locked together, head stuck in place.

I gasp.

Tasha.

More specifically, her magic.

It’s a scary thing to behold. The man is absolutely motionless, as if suspended on the spot by invisible ropes. The panic in his eyes and the muffled screams behind his closed lips say it all. When I look back at Tasha, her hands are out and fury blazes in her eyes—the same fury she’d pointed at me upstairs before blasting my ass across the room. Her power seems to be stemming from her emotions.

It's strong. But using anger as a trigger means it’s also unpredictable.

Her fingers curl in a squeezing motion, and our stranger’s eyes bulge. The sound of bones cracking hit my ears, and more whimpers of agony come from him.

She’s crushing him.

“Did Mae send you?” she booms out the question. “Did Emily? Why are you here?”

Still unable to move any part of his body, including his mouth, the man screams behind his lips as tears begin to fall down his cheeks. He couldn’t answer her anyway, even if he had the answers she wanted.

That doesn’t seem good enough of a reason for her though. She snarls and closes her outstretched hand more. The man’s face starts to turn blue.

“Tasha, let him go,” I call out. I don’t know why I do it, but seeing her like this, as a slave to her emotions and practically unhinged, has my chest spiking with fear. She’s a killer—she was before she met me, I know—but this is scary for a different reason. Mainly because it doesn’t feel likeher.I also need to remember that Liam and Bullet are witnessing the exchange, and if Tasha comes off too threatening… well, I may not even be able to save her as alpha.

“I can handle this,” I tell her as calmly as I can manage despite the high tension. “Release him…slowly. We’ll take care of the rest.”

As usual, she’s not listening to a word I have to say. “Your wolves have been scouting the boarders with their eyes closed. Who knows how many enemies are already inside?”

The stranger with the overly large ears and cowlick struggles against the bonds of magic, but can’t seem to break free. More sparks ignite around him, making him wince.

“He’s the pack’s enemy,” I push. “He’s our responsibility. Not yours.”

Her glare slices through me. “The pack I will never be a part of, you mean. So much for being in this together.”

Like she wants them to, her words sink their claws in me. But I can’t let her keep on. What kind of alpha allows the woman he isn’t officially mated with to undermine him? Especially a witch?

I snarl down at her and cut my hand across the air in a swift, punishing motion. “Stop.”

That one word holds more power than I’ve ever used on her before, though I curse myself for having to use it. Myself and my dick for wanting her even when she causes me nothing but problems.

I’ve been too easily tamed by this woman sent to kill me. She’s turned me into a horny little bitch. “I said stop, Tasha.”

She doesn’t move for a long moment, only continues to lock stares with me. Testing me.

For a second, I think we might’ve met another standoff, but to my complete surprise, her hand drops to her side and the magic breaks. The male witch collapses onto his knees, wheezing for breath and clutching his sides. Broken ribs, probably.

“Fine,” she says through gritted teeth. She hates giving in, but for some reason, she did.

Maybe I’m finally breaking through to her.

“Reid!” Bullet’s warning has me whirling around to see the intruder launching a fireball at me. It gives me enough time to duck, but the flames get dangerously close to my face, singing my cheek. It’s close enough to remind me never to underestimate these spellcasters again. Not even for a second.

Being with Tasha should’ve taught me that already.

Apparently, I’m a slow learner.

---