Page 90 of Wolf Touched

“Do you feel like talking to her?” I lowered the phone a little from my ear and covered the mic. “It’d be great if you could.”

She nodded and released Keith so she could take the phone with her uninjured hand.

I handed it to her, unsure if this was the right decision, but not giving her the phone would only anger the East further and make them think we’d done somethinghorrible to her. I had to trust that she and Keith were fated mates and the tug of their bond would compel her to protect him.

Keith’s foot bounced against the floor, hinting at his worry.

Raffe strutted from the bedroom door, rejoining us as Sedona placed the phone to her ear and said, “Mom?”

I couldn’t help but take in the jeans that were one size too small, clinging to every curve of his muscles and his tight ass, and the shirt was even tighter. The area between my thighs heated, and I shook my head to focus back on the threat instead of how badly I wanted to jump my mate. Now that we were in the same form, the tug to reconnect with him had my head all over the place.

His eyes glowed and met mine, and I felt his need for me mix with mine through our bond.

“Is it really you?” Sedona’s mom asked with a sob. “Please let it be. We can still feel your magic as part of us, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe. Why the hell did you turn back around last night?”

Raffe walked over to me and embraced me from behind, wrapping his arms around my waist gently. I felt a twinge of discomfort, but nothing like when people had touched me last night. Add in the buzz of our connection, and I didn’t want out of his arms for a while.

I laid my head on Raffe’s chest, and he tucked me under his chin, allowing me to sag against him more.

“Uh, well.” Sedona’s cheeks reddened, and she averted her attention from Keith’s face to the ceiling. “I couldn’t leave. Something kept tugging me back, and then a bobcat attacked me.”

She told the rest of the story about how we’d found her and helped her. The other end of the line grew quiet. WhenSedona finished, silence hung heavy over the line and in the house.

Why isn’t she saying anything?I linked with Raffe. I’d hoped that her mom would be relieved and not want to risk making us mad and taking it out on her daughter.

Most likely because it honestly doesn’t make sense.Raffe kissed the top of my head.They attacked us, so the last thing they expected us to do was heal her and let her sleep on a couch.

Well, when I was taken, they fed me and kept me in a clean room.That was the only comparison I could make.

“Mom?” Sedona adjusted the phone against her head. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah, I’m here.” She sighed. “Just processing it all. That’s a story I didn’t expect to hear.”

You can’t compare your kidnapping with what we did for her. That damn society wanted you to join their side and turn you against me.Raffe growled faintly, his chest rumbling against my back.They were isolating you and spending time trying to make you trust them … as if they were saving you from me.

I hung my head, remembering the pictures Glinda and Warin had shown me of Raffe leading the slaughter of vampires. They’d told me that the vampires hadn’t done anything wrong, and they’d seeded enough doubt for me to question Raffe after Slade had made me think we’d escaped my captors.

Hey, I’m not upset with you. I’m pissed that they did all that shit to you, and worse, I wasn’t understanding about your experience.He kissed the top of my head.Now I just have to figure out how to keep you out of harm’s way because I’m so damn tired of you coming close to dying.

Finally, Sedona’s mother blew out a breath. “Whyshould I believe a word you said? What have they been feeding you?”

My heart stopped. That was something my own mother had asked me from time to time when I was out and she thought something was wrong.

What’s wrong?Raffe’s arm tightened.

It’s a test to see if she needs immediate help. Mom knew I got bullied, and if I needed her help, I would tell her I’d either eaten or wanted to eat a baloney sandwich.Because, ew, who would ever want to eat that? I shivered at the thought.

“They haven’t fed me anything.” Sedona closed her eyes and winced. “I passed out from blood loss and just woke up. There hasn’t been an opportunity to eat.”

Are you sure?Raffe held his breath.

Yes.I had no clue what their code was, but this would pretty much confirm whether her mom gathered more people to attack or didn’t feel pressured.

“You should eat peanut butter,” her mom said seriously. “It has healthy fats, and they should have plenty.”

“Mom, I’m serious. They helped me. You know I’m allergic to peanut butter.”

Well, damn.Raffe shook his head.You were right.

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