Page 37 of The Wolf and the Chimera
“Shit,” Kieran whispered. “Dude, you have to calm down.”
“Shifting isn’t going to help her,” Bo said. “Staying in your human form and staying calm will.”
“If you get any bigger.” Melanie took a deep breath. “Anyheavier,this duct is going to collapse, and you’re not going to get to her.”
As their logic cleared my panicked mind, I counted back from ten and forced my heart rate to slow with deep, steady breaths. When my fur receded, and my teeth were dull against my tongue, I spoke.
“Okay,” I said. “I can keep it together. Let’s move.”
I followed Kieran around the right turn of the duct and hated how slow our progress was. My wolf writhed under my skin, but I reminded him that every inch of progress brought us closer to Elle, whose groans of pain rang in my ears. The voices of other werewolves became clearer, and a heart monitor beeped.
“Her vitals are strong,” a female wolf said, “and the magic is being steadily transferred. It’s working.”
I crawled faster.
“Excellent,” Lyall answered.
My stomach dropped. I hadn’t expected the Sovereign to be so closely involved in whatever they were doing to Elle.
“Dad,” Elle whispered.
Panic wobbled in a male wolf’s voice. “She’s waking up.”
“I’m upping her sedation,” the female wolf said.
“She’s already capping out at what a wolf can safely take,” the male wolf argued.
“She’s not a wolf,” Lyall snapped. “Give her more. We can’t risk her waking.”
I fought the urge to growl. Though I was grateful they’d found a way to quiet the sorceress, I didn’t trust Lyall to value Elle’s wellbeing above whatever his ulterior motive was.
Kieran reached a vent, stopped, and pointed down.
They’re right below me,he mouthed.
Intent on reaching Elle, I inched backward toward the vent I had just passed. Kieran waved his hand and shook his head.
Too risky,he mouthed.
For Lyall,I thought.
I had played the part of a well-mannered guest and attended his ridiculous imitation of a family dinner. I had come to the estate, against my better judgment.
He had already stolen my family.
He wouldnotsteal my mate.
I tore the vent open and leaped from the ceiling. In front of me, Elle lay in narrow white bed. Needles were embeddedinto her wrists. One of them led to a tube of blinding light, which funneled into an obsidian container. The other connected to an IV bag of clear, chemical-smelling liquid. Two werewolves—a female with a slick bun and a male with an oddly narrow frame—stood at her sides and stared at me in shock.
Lyall sighed. He stood in the doorway of the small, sterile room.
“Hello there,” the Sovereign greeted. “You can tell my son and his friends they can come down from the ducts as well. I’ve been wondering how long it would take them to find this place.”
Chapter Twelve
Elle
Foolish girl,the sorceress ordered.You must awaken.
