Page 40 of Wolf Touched

Chest constricting, I dug my paws into the ground and ran toward the warlock.

Sky, wait!Raffe called.Let me come with you.

I swallowed my laugh, not wanting to hurt his feelings. His injury was deep, and the last thing he needed to do was protect me.I’ll be fine.

The warlock rubbed his eyes, the spray still affecting him.

I smirked inside. Water would’ve been a better power to have against skunks.

The smell grew worse the closer I got. When I reached him, I held my breath. Even my wolf didn’t want to put my mouth on him. As I readied to knock him out, a woman shouted, “Leath, in front of you!”

I crouched, and he aimed his hand at my chest. Fire erupted from his palms.

Shit.

“Skylar!” Raffe shouted, his terror adding to mine.

Flames reached me, and I tried to stumble out of the way before I got too burned. Then I realized all I felt was the tingle of magic. I froze, my breath catching, and watched the flames dance around me without burning my skin.

What the hell…?

Octavia appeared behind the warlock, shouting, “No one hurts my daughter!” She nailed him over the head with the wooden panel. A sickeningthwackfollowed, and the warlock crumpled with the wood stuck to his head.

Acid burned my throat. For it to stick like that, there had to be a nail involved.

Then, aside from the crackle of the burning house, there was silence.

I looked around. Thirty bodies littered the ground, as well as twelve animals—mainly skunks, with a few raccoons and a bobcat. Hurried footsteps sounded in the distance.

The witches were retreating.

Good.

Let them go back to Olwyn and tell her they’d failed.

Raffe dropped to his knees and pulled me into his arms. His agony intensified, but he didn’t loosen his hold as relief and anger fought for dominance. He linked,Are you trying to give me a heart attack? I thought you were going to die. Why do you keep running into danger?

I stepped out of his grip, trying not to miss the buzz of our connection, and shook my fur.I don’t run into danger. It finds me. What am I supposed to do? Hide? Those animals came here to protect us, and anyone willing to do that deserves to have the favor returned.Those skunks hadn’t stood a chance against the warlock’s fire magic.And who’s the one hurt?I pointed my snout at his right injured shoulder.Not me.

By a fucking miracle.Raffe growled, his eyes glowing.They were going to kill us all, including you. That’s not an option.

But you dying is?I understood he loved me and wanted to protect me, but that went both ways.I don’t want to live without you either, but I’m not telling you not to do what you think is right.

“Why are they staring at each other like that?” Octavia huffed. “We need to get going. The neighbors are turning on their lights, and the animals are a problem.”

I snapped back to reality. This argument could comelater. Raffe required medical attention, and the animals needed to disperse.

They all stood a few feet away, staring at me. Keith, Adam, and Lucy made their way back to Josie and Dave, their eyes wide as they took in the bobcats, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, and foxes.

I wasn’t sure what to do, but there was one thing I wanted to say.Thank you. I’m sorry for the lives that were lost and anyone who got injured, but I appreciate your help. Because of you, we survived, and I’m not sure how to repay you.

The coyote and bobcat lowered their heads, making me feel nervous. But they felt my power, and I understood their intention—they were happy to help me the same way I would them.

I swallowed, my power swirling in a different way. Even though I wanted them to stay, they all needed to go back into the woods. The barrier would come down any second if it hadn’t already.Thank you again. Good night.

They all melted into the woods, and their magic stopped responding to my power. My blood and power ebbed. My eyes were heavier than normal, sleep wanting to descend, but it was nothing like it had been before Raffe and I completed our bond and I’d become a wolf.

That wasn’t fucking weird at all,Keith deadpanned.Hell, maybe we should have stuck to calling her Bambi, though Cinderella or Aurora may be more fitting.

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