Page 10 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

“Okay. This one has to be it,” Raven whispers, like she’s sending a little request to the fates to let it be the right sequence so we can be done with it already.

Her fingers tap out the pattern, gently depressing each brick as though she’s begging them to listen to her. Taking a deep breath on the last one, she shoves the stone in and we wait. Seconds later, a loud groan rattles through the room and the door swings inward.

“No shit.” Draco laughs. “You always were the smart one, Professor.”

“That was all Raven,” I mumble, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. She squeaks in surprise and then releases an annoyed breath.

“I can go first.”

“Like hell you can.” Everett steps around her to stand at my side. “I can go first.”

He starts to take a step, but I slap my hand against his chest. “I’ll do it.”

I’m tired of being the bookworm. I’m more than a nerd. I can protect her as well as any of these guys can. Granted, I’m no alpha, but Draco and I have been sparring for two years and he’s trained me well.

Lifting his arms, he steps out of the way. “All right, all right.”

“Be careful.” Raven touches my arm.

Her words give me pause. Looking over my shoulder, I meet her gaze and nod. “Of course, Luna.”

My death would destroy her. I’m not sure she knows how deep the pack bond runs, and I don’t want to be the one to make her find out. Pulling my shoulders back, I lift my hand and gesture for the lantern. Draco hands it to me and I hold it up, taking the first step inside of the mysterious passageway.

Chapter 4

RAVEN

Everett rushes in after Carter, stepping in front of me to keep me from going next. I scowl but follow after the protective bastards without too much complaint. It might be a little annoying, but all things considered, it’s endearing and nice to have someone care this much. The corridor is narrow, and smells even mustier than the dungeon. Adler, Draco, and Brayden follow behind me. Because Carter is holding the lantern and Everett is blocking most of that light, I have to press my hand into his broad back to make sure I don’t trip.

We don’t walk for long, probably two minutes at the most, before the hall gives way to a large round room that’s a few feet taller than Adler. The rich earthy smell is a welcome reprieve from the filth of the dungeon, and I take a big breath. Large gray stones stuck in crumbling mortar shape the space, but the cement of the corridor turns to soft dirt. My shoes kick up a puff and my nose twitches in response, threatening me with a violent sneeze.

Placing my finger under my nose and looking at the ceiling, I say, “Mayonnaise. Mayonnaise. Mayonnaise.”

Oh moons. You’ve finally cracked.

The tickling in my nostrils subsides, and I sigh in relief.It’s an old trick,I tell Joan.Works every time.

“What are you muttering about mayo for?” Everett asks over his shoulder, turning around now that there’s enough space.

I move to the side, letting the guys file in and spread out so they can study the big space. My gaze catches on an altar in the middle of the room. The stone is stained dark reddish brown which can only be from blood if the faint coppery scent in the air is any indication. Carter sets the lantern on it with a grimace, stepping back to eye the structure.

“She was going to sneeze,” Adler answers.

My heart gives a fluttery thump, the lovesick fool hidden deep inside of me more than pleased he knows why I did it. All the nights we worked together, I would have never guessed he paid careful attention to what I did.

“What is this place?” I ask Carter.

He lifts his eyes and frowns. “I don’t know.”

“Didn’t you say this was the old pack mansion? Is there some sort of sacrificial ceremony with shifters that I don’t know about?”

Shaking his head, he traces the pad of his finger over the edge of the stain. “None that I’ve heard of.”

“To be fair, we’re not exactly privy to all the going-ons of pack life.” Draco kickstands his foot against a wall and leans his shoulders against it.

“Everything I’ve read—”

“I hate to break it to you, Delta, but you can’t always believe everything you read in textbooks.”

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