Page 105 of Chosen Destiny

Bodey’s eyebrows lifted, and he took in Dina’s expression. His forehead creased with concern.

“Are you sure?” I hated to ask her to do something that might cause her pain, even if it was for a good cause. She’d sacrificed so much for us. Hell, she’d lost a part of who she was to protect us.

She nodded eagerly like she needed another hit of a drug.

Callie, behind you,Bodey linked as he moved toward me, his eyes wide with fear.

I spun around to find a wolf already airborne, coming right at me. I’d been so preoccupied with the man in the cell and Dina that I hadn’t noticed what was going on outside.

On instinct, I threw a punch with my right hand. I hit the wolf in the side of its head, and pain exploded in my hand again. The reprieve the aloe had given me disappeared, and a fresh wave of sharp, stabbing soreness stole my breath.

The wolf landed on the cement floor and swiped at my legs. I jumped, and its claws hit the rubber soles of my boots. When I landed, Bodey flashed past me and stabbed the wolf through the back of its head with his dagger.

There was no holding back the vomit now. I turned to my left and emptied my stomach. That was a death like I’d never seen before, and I was certain it would haunt me.

Something behind me clicked, and I knew the moment Bodey retrieved the dagger because the suctioning sound had my tummy roiling again.

I’m sorry, but I couldn’t reach its heart or throat,he linked, his concern flowing through to me.I should’ve gotten to you faster.

He’d just saved me, and he was apologizing because I’d vomited. Add ungrateful to my ever-growing list.You have nothing to apologize for. I should’ve been paying attention. Thank you for saving me.I took a second to squeeze his hand.

The prison cell door swung open, and Bodey tucked me against his side with the hand not holding the bloody dagger.

I expected the prisoner to try to leave while he could, but instead, he remained in the corner of his cell.

Dina stared at her hands and murmured, “It’s gone again.”

The sounds of battle raged on outside, and our element of surprise was long gone. Kel’s backup had arrived, and we were trapped in a pretend garage, trying to save a man who was still cowering in the corner of his cell. This decision wasn’t my finest.

Yet again.

We’ve got to go,Bodey linked, tugging me toward the door. More wolves would be coming any minute.

Something inside me screamed that this man was important, especially if Kel had kept him in here for this long.

“Sir.” I paused. I didn’t know his name, butHey, youdidn’t sound right. “We need to get you out of here.”

Babe, I love that you want to help everyone, but we don’t have time to convince someone to leave.Bodey’s hands settled on my back, and he tried to guide me to the door.

I had to try one more time before abandoning the guy. “Go before Kel realizes you’ve been freed and locks you up again.”

Something flickered in his cognac eyes, the first hint of a person within him. “Kel?” The tone held an odd mixture of emotions, and I couldn’t determine how he felt about her.

“Yes, Kel. The queen of the Southwest territory.” I bit my bottom lip. “She kept my mate prisoner in here, with you, several days ago.”

A wolf howled outside the door, no doubt informing more of Kel’s people where Bodey and I were. Time had run out.

I held out my hand. “We’d love for you to come with us. We’re here to end her reign, but we have to go.”

He nodded and stood to his full height. He was as tall as Bodey, which startled me.

“Yes, she must be stopped.” The last word rasped from his throat, the sound torn between wolf and human as fur sprouted from his body. Dark fur coated him in seconds, and then he was on four legs. He threw his head back and bellowed a loud wolf cry. A howl didn’t even come close to describing it. Then he took off out the door.

I didn’t hesitate to follow. We needed to find Kel and, nearly as important, get away from the unspeakable smell.

Bodey and Dina were on my heels, and as soon as I ran out the door, I took a deep breath. Fresh air filled my lungs.

Looking around, I found that our people had caught up to us. They were fighting everywhere, in the yard and woods, while the witches cast spell after spell. I didn’t have to do a head count to know we were missing some people. They were no doubt dead, but now wasn’t the time to mourn.

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