Page 78 of Dead Wolf Falling (Bad Moon Academy 2)

Chapter 20

EVERETT

More than oneof the women runs to the locker room, hands pressing against their mouths to keep from throwing up before they reach the toilet. Raven kneels next to where Layla is holding Bea.

“She was going to say something,” Layla explains, shaking her head. She loosens her hold so Bea can turn around.

She sobs, sniffing loudly and throwing her arms over Raven’s shoulders. “He didn’t have to kill him.”

Our woman cries as she holds the girl, but she doesn’t make a sound. She’s strong for the little shifter. Layla scrubs her hands over her face, shooting her gaze to the big pool of blood. Her face pales.

“Carter, help me clean up.” I nudge him with my elbow and point to Howard.

“No, no. He’s mine,” Jinx says, stepping in front of me.

“He’s dead.” Carter pinches the bridge of his nose. “What are you going to do with a dead shifter?”

Turning to glance at Raven, Jinx drums her fingers together. “I have an idea.”

Carter and I glance at each other, knowing exactly what the other is thinking. Draco, Brayden, and Adler all step forward to stand next to us. A deep growl builds in my chest, and I let it rumble up my throat, warning Jinx.

She cuts her gaze to us, grinning when she sees us all in a line. “Oh, how cute.”

Brayden moves, grabbing her by the neck and lifting her off the ground. He only has a hold of her for a few seconds before she disappears, reappearing across the room with a nasty scowl.

Straightening her shirt with a huff, Jinx’s eyes blaze even whiter. “You may be marked by Death, Brayden, but not even you can hurt me.”

Our luna can.My wolf’s gruff voice fills my head.

You’re right, but she’s not going to risk the lives of everyone around her to try and kill Jinx.

Raven stands, shoving Bea behind Layla and walking over to us, lips pressed into a firm line, her wolf’s yellow gaze bleeding through.

“What are you doing?” she hisses at Brayden.

Brayden clenches his jaw and refuses to pull his attention from Jinx. “Someone needs to take care of her.”

Flicking her hair over her shoulder, she glances at Jinx. “He didn’t mean it. We played along while the alpha was here. You can’t break our deal.” The words tumble out of Raven’s mouth so fast, her panic bleeding through.

The shifters in the room ease back, moving behind the treadmills like they can hide from whatever is about to happen. Those who went into the locker room come out, pausing to take in the scene, then scurry to join the group. The heady scent of copper fills the air. My wolf paces inside of my head, struggling to let me maintain control. We’ve learned to respect one another, but a mate link will drive a wolf mad if he thinks she’s in danger.

Draco snatches his brother’s arm and pulls him back, clapping his hand on the back of his neck and forcing his forehead against his.

“Don’t fuck this up.”

Brayden sneers at him, shoves away, and turns to leave, crashing into Adler in the process. The fae is a few good inches taller than Brayden, and he uses it to his advantage, leaning over him and simply staring at him. Adler doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t need words. His face is set, eyes narrowed and lips clamped shut, but a brush of strong, foreign power flutters through the pack link. Brayden grinds his jaw and glances down, submitting to the fae.

“A luna and her harem. How sweet.” Jinx steps toward Raven, who spins on her heel to face the demon. “You’re right. You played by the rules, but I need a favor.”

Placing her hands on her hips, Raven shakes her head. “I’m not doing you any favors.”

“Maybe I misspoke”—Jinx chuckles—“by favor, I meant you have to do it.”

“That’s not what that word, you know what, never mind. What do you want?”

Jinx swings her hips as she approaches Raven, trying to be cute, but frankly the demon-spirit is disgusting.

“You see, I need Howard.” Pointing to the dead shifter, she pouts her lip at Raven. “Fix my broken toy.”

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