Page 119 of Wolf Touched

Twodays?

Mom and Dad.Panic clawed in my chest, forcing meupright. Agony shot through my body, but I pushed past it, needing to see what had happened to them.Josie, Dave, and Aldric?Dave had been shot, and Aldric hadn’t appeared well.

My door opened, and two of the very people I was concerned about walked in.

Mom held a glass of water and hurried to me. She’d pulled her short blonde hair into a small bun, and the skin around her russet eyes tightened. She had a scab on her neck where the dagger had been held against it in the picture. “Here, honey. Lucy told us you needed water.”

I took the glass from Mom and sipped, then turned my attention to Dad. His forehead was lined all the way up to where his hairline used to be, and his brown eyes darkened. “We’re just glad you’re all right. You gave all of us a scare.”

The water felt like sandpaper going down my throat, but I took another gulp, which went down a little smoother.

Josie went back with Dad to bury her father. Aldric didn’t survive the burns. Dave is with her and fine. Mom has been blowing up my phone nonstop, worried sick about us, but Dad needs her there next to him with all the fallout from Aldric’s betrayal,Raffe answered during a moment of silence.

My chest ached for Josie’s loss. I could only imagine, and I was thankful she had Dave with her through the process.

A knock came at the door, and I turned to find Dru standing there.

“Oh, come on in.” Mom took a few steps back, giving him room. “She’s finally awake.”

“I heard.” He smiled. “Go easy on the water. You haven’t had anything to drink in a few days, and eventhough we gave you an IV for pain relief and fluids, you could get nauseous.”

Reluctantly, I placed the cup in my lap. “Noted. Where is everyone? Are they all okay?”

“There were about fifty deaths, including the key players in the Veiled Circle—Olwyn and Warin.” Raffe took my hand and sat on the edge of the bed next to me. “And that damn cat is finally growing on me. She prevented Warin from reaching you so I could finish him.”

I swallowed my groan, not wanting him to move. I laid my head on his shoulder, needing to feel his touch. He rubbed a thumb over my hand. “Keagan and his pack went back to Seattle with Dad to determine their next steps, and both covens went with them, though Stephanie, Sedona, and Faith stayed behind.”

Do my parents know?I linked, not wanting to ask that question out loud.

He mashed his lips together.They do, and they don’t want their memories taken from them. They want to know about your world, but ultimately, Dad and I agree that the decision is yours to make. If you want us to get a vampire to alter their memories, we can do that. We already repaired the porch and took care of the dead. So we could do it at any point, you just name it.

That was a tough question and something I needed to discuss with them first.

“Are you doing that pack-link thing?” Mom asked, her gaze darting from him to me. “Because both of your eyes are glowing.”

I snorted, caught off guard that she’d noticed. Pain sliced down my chest, and I glanced down, ignoring the way my back screamed, to see deep scabs on my chest. “I asked if you knew about us.”

“Yes, we do, and we don’t want to forget it, Skylar Greene—er, Wright.” She clenched her fists. “I’m not even sure which name to say when you’re in trouble.”

Dad scowled, but he let out a breath. “We just wish you hadn’t kept anything from us.”

“In fairness, you would’ve thought I was insane. You were already worried about my attachment to Raffe.” I could still imagine them dragging me from EEU, thinking I’d lost my mind or joined a cult. “The only reason you don’t now is because of what you experienced.”

“That was something.” Dad shivered. “And you’re probably right. Though I’m still not thrilled about this man claiming you as his own without discussing it with us.” He glowered at Raffe.

“Dad, it was both of us, and I don’t want to talk about how we formed our connection”—I wrinkled my nose—“with my parents. Even if you had told him no, we’d still be with one another. He’s the other half of my soul, and I know it’s hard to understand, but wefeelone another, thoughts and all.”

“And sir, I’ll do anything to protect her.” Raffe’s shoulders sagged. “I know it doesn’t look like it in her current state. She’s just so damn stubborn.”

Dad raised both hands in surrender. “Now that, son, I can agree with you on. And the animals circling our home made everything sink in. I always knew Sky had an affinity for nature, but I never imagined this. She’s the closest thing to a Disney princess that anyone could be.”

I snorted, remembering so many of us thinking the same thing.

Octavia stuck her head into the room, Fane and Lucy behind her. Octavia chuckled and said, “I’m not sure ifthat’s a strong enough description when it comes to her.” She winked at me.

The three of them joined us, standing in front of the desk.

“You have no idea.” Mom rolled her eyes but wore a huge smile. “Let me tell you some stories.”

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