Page 72 of Wolf Bitten

If I had a dollar for every time someone had said that lately, I’d be a millionaire. I couldn’t help buthmph.

Raffe’s arms tightened around me. “Is this a trick?” he rasped as his anger slammed into me.

“No.” Hecate stretched out her fingers. “It’s not a trick. My magic can’t coat her. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”

I remembered how the air around me had buzzed when Slade had cast spells near me in the past. This time, I’d felt only heat and no prickling sensation.What am I going to do?

We’ll find a spot in the woods to rest until you can shift,he replied, not taking his attention off Hecate.I don’t know what else to do.

I shook my head, whimpering from the agony in my muscles and down my back.You’re shirtless. You can’t stay out here with me like that. You’ll catch a cold.

Warmth, like love, filled the spot where his emotions rested within me. He replied,I love that you care, but were you not listening to what I said back there? I’m never leaving your side again, and your wolf body’s temperature is higher than mine. You can be my own personal heater.

That sounded way too damn tempting, but before I could reply, Hecate spoke. “I’ll try again.” She rubbed her hands together and cleared her throat.

Her warm magic enveloped me again, but I didn’t feel it settle over me like a blanket the way Slade’s had before. A lump formed in my throat, and I hacked. I sounded like an animal trying to cough up a hair ball, and my back screamed as my muscles convulsed.

“Stop whatever you’re doing to her.” Raffe’s chest stiffened. “She’s inpain.”

Stomping, Hecate lowered her hands. The intimidating woman I’d first met at a football game a month ago slipped back into place as she regarded him. She lifted her chin. “I didn’t make her sound like that. That was all her doing. I’m trying to concentrate on cloaking her, but it’s not working, especially with you accusing me of stuff.”

“It’s funny how you suddenly can’t hide her. Are you stalling so someone else can attack us?” Raffe’s voice held a dangerous tone, and his fear and suspicion filtered into me.

“Yes, that’s why I followed you so close to campus. So when wolves come out to attack you, any nearby humans will hear the growls.” Her face flushed, and she crossed her arms. “That’d berealsmart, but I’m a witch. The only species that’s actually smart are the wolves, right? That’s why we’re having this conversation—becauseyouknow best.”

Shit. This would escalate because Hecate wasn’t one to hold back, and Raffe couldn’t handle people talking to him like that.

“It just seems really convenient that my injured mate and I are separated from everyone else, and now you can’t help us.” The muscles in his jaw twitched. “What else am I supposed to think?”

“Clearly that I want to hurt one of my sisters, who, might I add, I helped save whenyouwere being an ass to her.” Hecate arched a brow. “Why would I do that if I wanted her to die? It would’ve been easier to explain then.”

Babe, I did shift into a wolf, which we don’t understand.My blood jolted. Raffe and Hecate were wasting time arguing. All I wanted to do was lie down somewhere next to my mate and pass out. I was so damn tired of the constant pain.Hecate has been a friend to me, so—

You thought the supreme priestess was a friend too, and we learned she influenced the board to bring you here and then hid it!

His words felt like a slap, and my wolf nudged forward.That’s not fair, and you know it.

He let out a breath.I didn’t mean to say it like that. It’s just… witches are manipulative, and onejustblocked us from you again.

My anger ebbed. He was right. A witch had blocked him and the others from getting to me when I was kidnapped, and he’d just gone through hell all over again.Can we give her the benefit of the doubt for now? ’Cause I’d like to find a way inside.

“Fine.” Raffe gritted his teeth. “If you can’t cloak her, is there another option?”

She snorted and tapped a foot. “What? You can’t come up with anything?”

I wanted to smack them.

Raffe rolled his shoulders enough to make me grunt, and he froze.

I’m sorry—he started.

It’s fine. I just want to lie down and be still.

I can do that.He exhaled. “Hecate, look. I just want to get Skylar inside unseen. Do you have any idea how to do it? Because only a witch can accomplish a feat like that.”

And I fell in love with him even more. I understood how hard those words were for him to say. He was putting my needs above his pride and bias … for the moment.

Hecate’s arms dropped back to her sides, and she blinked. She tapped her chin and pursed her lips. “I can’t think of anything other than—” She bounced on her heels. “How about this? I run into the apartments and open the door to the stairs, and you take her up that way. As long as we can get her to that door without being seen, I can do an aversion spell so everyone will want to stay in their room.”

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