Page 80 of Wolf Touched

“Priestess Diana, look,” the younger witch gasped. “Animals.”

More owls swooped down, attacking the witches.

“Get out of here while we can!” Priestess Diana shouted. “Only harm the animals to get free.”

“What about the girl and the prince?” a dark-haired witch rasped just as a bobcat came at her from one side and a coyote from the other. “Never mind. Let’s leave.”

The eight remaining witches spun and ran, the bobcat and the coyote racing after them. More animals headed their way as yelps and whimpers filled the air behind us where the wolves had been.

I gritted my teeth. I needed to get back to Priestess Caroline’s coven to ensure the animals didn’t attack them. As I stood, Raffe, Lucy, and Keith reached me.

Raffe limped from his burns, but he seemed unfazed as he nuzzled my neck. He linked,You weren’t supposed to leave my side.

Despite the chaos and agony, I laughed, sounding like I was choking.I didn’t mean to. You can’t get mad at me for that. The ground disappeared from underneath me.

I’ll be back,Keith linked, rushing after the witches.

Wait,I replied, but he vanished deeper into the woods. I turned to Raffe.He’s going to get hurt.

He must want to make sure they don’t loop around. He’ll let us know if he needs help.Raffe nodded toward the neighborhood.Let’s get you somewhere safe.

My power still fizzed from me, filtering into the ground. I wasn’t sure if I could still communicate with the animals, but I needed to make sure the ones I cared about were protected.The dark wolf that’s chasing after the witches, don’t hurt him, please. And don’t hurt the witches who live in this neighborhood. They’ve been protecting my pack and me.

The wolves that smell of you won’t be harmed,a weird voice responded, and I couldn’t quite put a face to it.And we know which witches protected you.

That would work.

Girl, you had us all freaked.Lucy’s eyes shone as the three of us headed back toward the neighborhood.

Raffe huffed.We aren’t out of danger yet.

He and Lucy flanked me as we moved back toward the neighborhood. The coven members were spread out again, and the wolves that had attacked us were either dead or running back the way they’d come from.

I sighed. It seemed inevitable that we would continue to be attacked until I was dead. Olwyn and Aldric were determined, and I wasn’t sure how we could defend ourselves with King Jovian’s right-hand man involved.

As we moved, I noted all the dead bodies on the ground. A few were from Priestess Caroline’s coven, making my body somehow feel heavier. All these deaths were because we’d hidden here.

My chest ached.

Each of them was dead because of me.

I hadn’t expected to be found, but I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

Everywhere I went, people would die. I had to figure out how to survive without risking more people. Raffe, Keith, Adam, Lucy, Josie, and Dave would remain by my side, and I doubted that Octavia and Dru would want me to go, but they were human and had no powers, so putting them at risk was unacceptable.

As we walked to the coven, I expected to find scornful looks or something close to that, but each coven member stared toward the woods in awe.

I didn’t need to turn around to understand why. Wild animals protecting us was something I still struggled to understand myself.

Sky,Keith’s voice popped into my head.I need you. Fast.

My heart dropped. Had the animals mistaken Keith for the enemy?

Without hesitation, I turned and pushed myself in the direction he’d run.

Raffe stayed next to me and asked,What’s going on?

A bobcat won’t let me pass,Keith replied.I need Sky here and quickly.

---