Page 78 of Cursed Love
Heat rose up Brandy’s neck at her words. Peter shot to his feet and Xander burst into his wolf form, his clothes exploding into tatters of fabric. The woman’s body shimmered as she fought her own change. Xander’s jaw snapped at her, and Peter towered over her. She tipped her head to the side, exposing her neck to them.
“I’m going to remind you of this one time, so listen up,” Peter growled. “It wasn’t that long ago we saved you from an abusive mate. Disrespect this pack or those protected by it and you’ll find yourself on your ass.”
The woman whimpered deep within her throat and dropped to a knee as Xander backed off. His own low growl filled the air.
“Send our guests back and wipe down the gym. You will learn your place in my pack, or you will find another.”
The woman gave a small nod and took a step the way she had come. Xander barked, and she turned. Her eyes met theirs and then Brandy’s. She pushed back her shoulders and stated, “I apologize for my rudeness.”
Brandy licked her dry lips, her mind reeling from the entire scene. Xander’s body shimmered, and he returned to his human form. She stared at his nakedness, a prominent dip at the muscles of his butt drawing her in.
“She’ll come around,” Xander told Peter as he rubbed the back of his neck.
The men turned toward the room and paused at Brandy’s presence, their eyes crinkling with amusement.
“I better—”
“Yeah, go get dressed before you give this one a heart attack.” Peter chuckled. “Babycakes, his eyes are up here!”
Her face flushed as she covered her eyes. “S-sorry!”
Peter moved around the room. “How’s the food? Is it helping?”
Brandy spread her fingers, her gaze darting around for the slab of man candy she had just seen. “Are all of you so—”
Peter barked out a laugh.
“Tsk tsk, Peter, trying to poach on your friend’s woman—pregnant woman,” Serena’s singsong voice called.
“Hey, Bran!” Ethan called with excitement. In a few strides, he reached her and kissed her temple. “What’s going on?”
“Sounds like we came in for a game of Show and Tell.”
Ethan raised a brow and looked from Brandy to Peter. “Did I miss something?”
“You did not. It’s good to see you, E.”
Xander returned, pulling a shirt over his head. “Serena.”
The witch took him in, appreciating the good-looking man before taking in the rest of them. “Was a pup not playing nice?”
“You could say that,” Xander said and grabbed his forgotten food from earlier. “There’s plenty if you’re hungry.”
They shook their heads, and Brandy noted the way Ethan gravitated to Serena’s side. “We learned who the witch putting up the block is,” she stated and watched Serena.
Her face did not give anything away. “You did? Who is it?”
Peter leaned back in his chair. “Your old friend… Aja.”
“Really?”
“Isn’t she part of your coven?” Xander asked.
Serena shook her head. “No, not for a long time. She believed herself to be stronger than me and started turning some of the witches against me.”
“Don’t you normally kill a witch for that sort of treason?” Peter asked.
Serena’s eyes dropped to the ground, and Brandy noted the sadness in the woman. “That’s customary, but… Aja is—I mean, was—like my sister. I couldn’t bear the thought. If she’s behind this, then it’s my fault. I will bear the responsibility for her committing these crimes.”
