Page 62 of The Wolf and the Chimera
I was encircled by witches but only met the eyes of one. As fair-haired Cordelia chanted a spell that weakened my magic and shortened my breath, I gripped the remnants of my existence and vowed to end her someday.
The sorceress shoved me out of her thoughts so violently, I landed in a heap at her feet in my mind.
Congratulations, pet,she hissed.Are you pleased with your new trick?
I stood, and the sorceress took a step back.
You want your werewolf’s help?she asked.Fine. Take it and see where it gets you. I’ll be back when our power is at full strength, and we canactuallyhave some fun.
With that, the sorceress receded and took all my magic with her. I opened my eyes, and dizziness flooded me. My limbs tingled from the sudden absence of magic, and I swayed.
Moving with speed only a werewolf could muster, Ryder caught me. Sighing in relief, I let him lead me to the creek’s shore and gently set me on the pebbles. When he sat beside me, I leaned against his warm shoulder and closed my eyes. I was blessedly alone in my mind.
Melanie interrupted the silence. “So, can I ask what in the gods’ names just happened?”
Ryder growled, but I lifted my head and smiled at the tactless she-wolf.
“What happened,” I said, “is that the sorceress got a taste of her own medicine. She didn’t like it.”
“Are you all right?” Ryder asked.
My body ached from the constant shifting of forms, and my head hurt from the force of battling the sorceress, but I had never felt better.
“I did it,” I whispered. “I stopped her.”
Ryder grinned. It wasn’t a smirk or a half-smile, but a full-blown grin that revealed dimples on both of his cheeks. I smiled in return.
“You’re incredible,” he replied.
“This is very touching,” Kieran said, “and we can all agree that Elle is a badass, but I have to say the waterfall is regularly patrolled, and we’re bound to get kicked out of here any minute.”
“Right,” Ryder said. “Lyall doesn’t want any of hisunderlingsgetting near the ripple in his backyard.”
“You recognize its magic too,” I said.
“What’s a ripple?” Bo asked.
“There’s no time to explain,” Ryder said and stood.
He held out his hand to me, and I fought with every ounce of my control to pretend he wasn’t naked. As I stood, heat snaked up my neck and burned my cheeks, but I didn’t let my gaze drift from his face.
“We need to go to Circe’s Island,” I explained. “It’s where my parents always said to go if we got separated.”
Ryder nodded. “Where you go, I go.”
Warmth flared in my chest, but Kieran cleared his throat.
“You might want to put some pants on first,” he suggested.
My traitorous gaze dipped, and my face flushed.
Great gods…
Ryder spoke in a low voice. “I don’t know. Think I need pants, Ellie?”
Melanie and Bo—curse their werewolf hearing—laughed, and I spun around, facing the waterfall to hide my embarrassed face.
“Good thing I grabbed the jeans you ditched,” Kieransaid. Footsteps sloshed through the water. “Since your mate can’t keep her eyes to herself.”
