Page 117 of Wolf Touched

Priestess Caroline pulled back her magic, not killing Olwyn even though she could have.

My respect for the priestess grew, especially with the number of bodies from both sides littering the backyard. In some cases, because they were in animal form, I couldn’t tell which side the wolves were on as I didn’t know Keagan’s pack well. Still, the numbers didn’t lie, and I wanted to vomit. This loss of life was completely pointless.

I couldn’t help but feel relieved that the people I cared about were okay, including Sedona, Stephanie, and Keagan—though Keagan had a large gash on his upper arm that was so deep I could see tissue.

King Jovian’s steel-blue eyes widened, and his nostrils flared as his normally olive complexion turned red. He marched toward the center of the yard, several feet away from me, taking in the chaos. “What thehellis going on here?” Somehow, his hair seemed more salt than pepper this time, and his beard had gray streaks throughout. “And whoshotmy son?” His eyes landed accusingly on Aldric.

“I … I—” Aldric started.

“Your reign is over,Jovian.” Olwyn scowled and shook the water from her arms. “It ends here, and everyone will berelieved that we don’t have to cower in your presence anymore.” She lifted her hands.

Raffe’s terror slammed into me, tightening my chest.

I couldn’t let Raffe’s father die, not like this. He’d never forgive himself.

Though I knew it was futile, I had to try, so I pushed through my agony and raced toward the wolf shifter king.

I waited for the flames to flash across, but instead, I smelled the rancid stench of burning flesh.

A yell of agony echoed, and a wolf whimpered, with Josie linking,Dad! No!

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

“I’m drained,” Priestess Caroline shouted, informing our side that she couldn’t use her magic.

It had been dangerously low before that, so it wasn’t surprising.

I slammed into King Jovian just as heat warmed my back, adding to the excruciating pain that burned like fire in my chest from the wolf’s claws. The only blessing was the fact that I was immune to their magic, so the sensation was merely warming and not charring my skin … unlike King Jovian if it had hit him.

The king grunted as he landed on his back, and my body covered his, but his grunt was cut off by a cry of pain as my body jarred. Pain pulsed through me, overwhelming me, and fatigue crashed over me.

Raffe’s hot anger boiled, and he snarled.I’m so damn tired of people trying to hurt you. This ends now.

Panic ripped through me, giving me enough energy to lift my head. Raffe leaped at Olwyn and sank his teeth into her throat. His paws hit her in the chest, causing her tostumble back, her eyes widening. The flames receded from her hands.

Josie hovered over her father, who lay on the ground, rolling to extinguish the flames torching his clothes. The stench of burned flesh and the way his skin had charred told me he had severe burns.

My body cooled, and Slade yelled, “No! Mom.” He tripped, trying to get over the fallen wooden pieces from the porch, then fell over a dead body.

Olwyn gurgled, her hands clutching her neck, blood seeping between her fingers. I lowered my head, unable to lift it anymore.

Raffe hadn’t been injured again.

Some of my panic receded.

King Jovian huffed and gently rolled me off himself and onto the ground. When my back hit, I whimpered as my pain doubled. My vision darkened. I could no longer ignore the exhaustion and the torture my body had endured.

Sky,Raffe linked, and I heard his unsteady paw steps as he hurried toward me. His concern swirled through our connection, along with his own fatigue and pain.

I cracked my eyes open as he ran past his father and laid his head on my stomach. His pain mixed with mine. We’d both been injured, but the buzz of our connection flared between us, comforting me.

King Jovian cleared his throat and rose to his feet, then turned to the chaos behind him. “This is overnow.”

Sobs echoed in my ears as Slade mourned his mother. I hated that my heart ached for him and his loss after everything he’d done, not only to me but to all of us. He’d never been a friend, not a real one, and I shouldn’t let his sadness affect me. We’d done what we had to because his mother had attackedus.

“Doesanyone else want to fight against my family or my species?” King Jovian’s voice echoed with authority. “If so, let’s finish this and kill all the people who want to rise against me.”

A lump formed in my throat as I waited for the fight to commence again. I didn’t see a way we would get out of here, not like this. Raffe and I were completely drained.

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