Page 36 of Wolf Touched

Not surprising. The witches were an all-or-nothing sort of species. We either faced them or died hiding.Get Dave and Josie ready—I’ll handle this.

Not alone, you won’t,Raffe linked as he stumbled down the hallway.Stay right there. I need to get Dave and Josie out of here.

As he continued, I pivoted and raced up the stairs with Octavia and Lucy behind me. Something shattered, and my heart leaped into my throat. We had to get out of this house.

In the living room, smoke hung thickly, and Keith and Adam had shifted into their animal forms. Lucy darted toward Cat-Keith, who blurred past me and out the door, which was missing its glass. I nearly sobbed, and I hoped she found safety. Flames now covered that side of the wall.

That must have been the noise.

“You need to use your power,” Octavia shouted and grabbed my hand. Even with supernatural hearing, I could barely make out her words.

She was right. I needed to fight the witches; otherwise, Raffe, Dave, and Josie might die. “Let me see what I can do. Lucy, stay here with Octavia and get her out of the house as soon as you can.”

“Focus on what you want to happen. Your power works through vibrations, so push it outward or at one person. Imagine it in your head—that’s what the original arcane-born figured out. She closed her eyes and pictured her target.” Octavia’s eyes watered, and she hacked.

“Got it.” I nodded and took off after Keith and Adam. Before I could take a few steps, my wolf surged forward.

Part of me wanted to fight her, but having her speed and agility might give me an edge against these well-trained coven members. I allowed her to begin the shift.

My skin tingled, and my bones broke. Soon, I stood on all fours. The shift was uncomfortable but not painful like the first time. I hurried to the back door.

That’s not waiting for me!Raffe linked as white-hot rage filled the center of my chest.What the hell?

Never said I would,I replied. That was the one nice thing about Raffe—when he got all alpha-y, he commanded but never stuck around to make sure I agreed. Unfortunately for him, I had my own mind.And if I stayed down there, we’d probably all die.

I ran through the back doorway, glass crunching under my paws. The heat of the flames hit my side, and the smoke clouded my vision, but I didn’t pause.

In the yard, the ground wasn’t marred, reinforcing that the coven members’ focus was on driving us out of the house.

My power hummed, nearing that new sensation of singing that I’d felt while on the back of Raffe’s bike. Flames shot from the woods and hurtled toward the three of us.

Streaks of flame streaked toward Keith.

Watch—I started, but the fire hit Keith.

His body jerked to the side, and he yelped as he crashed to the ground. His fur was singed, and the awful scent filled my nose.

No! We couldn’t lose anyone else.

Power pulsed from my paws, and I froze. If controlling my power required my full concentration, so be it. I’d rather die than save my own ass when one of my pack members lay helpless before me.

Flames from different directions sailed toward Adam and burned him on both sides.

What the hell was wrong with these witches?

The house behind me made an awful groaning sound like it was going to collapse, and I forced my eyes shut and concentrated.

Octavia better be fucking right, or I’d kill her.

Power seeped from my paws into the ground, and I imagined the tree line. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew our attackers were out there. I pushed my power toward them to eliminate the threat. I didn’t care what it did as long as the coven members stopped their attack.

Even as I channeled my power into the ground, the house creaked.

You need to get out of the house,I linked, the sharp claws of panic sinking into my chest. I shouldn’t have left Raffe; I’d been foolish to think I could do this by myself.

We’re up the stairs and rushing that way,Raffe linked, his frustration nearly boiling over.

I opened my eyes to find Keith and Adam trying to get up. No flames darted toward us.

---