Page 78 of Wolf Touched

But I’d take it. At least I’d gotten a little air.

The pressure receded, and then I moved so fast that dirt bustled against my fur. I shook my head to get the dirt out of my eyes as the earth shook hard around me.

As my head cleared, I could feel Raffe’s agony and pure terror.

I’m coming up,I linked, needing him to back away. He had to save himself, or I’d wind up killing him myself.Get to safety.

Holy shit, is that you?Adam asked, sounding more like Keith than himself.

I didn’t know what he meant until my body broke through the ground and I soared several feet high, the earth rising underneath me.

Shaking my head, I ignored my aching eyes and took in the scene below me.

At least a hundred wolf shifters were scattered around the neighborhood, fighting Priestess Caroline’s coven. About forty wolves already lay dead at their feet, with twenty turning to run toward the house. To the left, ten enemy coven members were gathered, using the firs for protection. They were all women, except for a man whose fire magic poured from his palms toward my mate.

An older witch from Caroline’s coven stood next to my mate, water flowing from her hands, protecting Raffe as he frantically dug where I’d been. I could see blisters on his side where the warlock had burned away his fur.

White-hot rage soared into me as I leaped from the elevated earth and dropped ten feet to the ground. My paws stung on impact, with my injured one giving out slightly, but I pushed away the discomfort to focus on one goal.

Killing the bastard who’d hurt my mate.

Babe, I’m out. I’m fine,I linked to Raffe, needing to give him some peace as my power sang from me into the ground. I focused the vibrations into the hand of the warlock who was causing my fated mate such agony. A section of my power circled inside me and peeled off from the rest, which still funneled into the ground.

Then the power left me in a surge, and the warlock’s hands exploded, skin, bones, and blood hitting him and the two witches beside him.

His magic cut off, and his piercing scream filled the air.

“My hands!” he shouted. “My hands. They’re gone.”

Blood poured from his nubs, and he stumbled back, his face ashen.

The witches beside him paused their fight, and whenRaffe spun to look at me, the young witch who’d buried me followed his gaze.

Thank gods. I thought I’d lost you,he replied, our connection lightening from his panic and worry.

The young witch’s eyes widened. “It’s her.”

The older silver-haired witch covered in the warlock’s blood gasped. “How is that possible? Neither Aldric nor Supreme Priestess Olwyn told us she could control an element.”

My stomach soured. The way she’d put the two names together made it clear they were working together.

Bile burned my throat as everything clicked into place. Aldric was part of the Veiled Circle. No wonder they were gaining strength and weren't worried about overtaking the king.

The man kept screaming. He turned around and ran back to wherever he’d come from. I doubted he’d get far with the amount of blood he was losing, but that was what he got for attacking us unprovoked.

A familiar vibration tugged on my power, pulling me back to the moment just as a dark-gray wolf lunged at me.

I stumbled back, my body weak from the pressure I’d endured underground. I was weak physically, which meant I had to use my power. It was the only way I’d survive.

Skylar, watch out!Raffe linked, his fear once again tangible.Everyone, Sky is weak. Get to her and protect her.

They couldn’t do much for me now, but I wouldn’t dissuade them.

The wolf swiped my uninjured front paw out from under me and I tumbled over. My chest hit the ground just as the wolf lunged overhead. I visualized the vibration hitting the wolf in the chest as it went over me, and my body tensed for impact.

A yelp had me lifting my head. The wolf flew into a tree trunk eight feet away. His head hit the trunk with a sickeningcrackand he crumpled lifelessly to the ground.

My throat tightened. I hadn’t meant to do that.

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