Page 24 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

“I don’t like it.”

Brayden glances at me. “Neither do I, but I’m the only one who might be able to help her.”

“Well, let’s make sure it doesn’t come to that.” Adler shifts into his eagle form and takes to the sky, effectively ending the pack pow-wow.

“Freaking fae,” I mutter. “I need to kill something.”

A half-crazed smile cuts across Draco’s face. “First to five wins.”

I scoff. “You lost the last time we played this game.”

“It won’t happen again.” His eyes darken, and he shifts into his midnight black wolf, growling at me before taking off into the trees.

“See! Cheating!” I shout after him before shifting as well and heading off in search of rabbits.

* * *

RAVEN

Sunday morning, while everyone is off on a run, I head to the gate on my own. Tension is still heavy in the air, but it’s not the desperate, life ending sort of tension. Everyone is anxious to leave, but we’re not in fear of our life anymore. Well, at least we aren’t unless the alpha comes back. He’s still a threat, but I suspect with Jinx being gone, he’s not as powerful as he thinks he is. I won’t hide my nature this time around. I won’t ever let myself be someone’s puppet again. It’s time I take charge and keep the pack safe.

Before I press my hands against the bars of the gate, I listen to see if I can hear anyone nearby. Some trampling paws, yips, and soft howls off in the distance, but everyone is giving me space. Good thing, too, because I have a feeling this is going to end badly.

Squaring my shoulders, I shake off those negative thoughts. I can do this. I only have to figure out how to use the power to break the ward. It’s not rocket science.

Thank the moons, because if it were, we’d be screwed. I mean, you’re smart and capable, but you’re definitely notthatsmart.

Wow. You always know what to say, don’t you, Joan?

She growls.Sarcasm is annoying.

I have been telling you that since the day we met,I shoot back.

You’re lucky I like you.

Love you too, bitch.

I laugh when she snarls at me and then pull up a small mental wall, enough to let her know it’s time for me to focus. We could banter all day but that won’t help get rid of this stupid demon magic over the academy.

“Here goes nothing,” I say to myself. The iron is cool against my palms, and the familiar vibration of the ward rumbles against my skin, growing more intense with every passing second. Focusing on that got me in trouble last time, so I tap into my power, taking a deep breath and exhaling as I drive my focus deep into the oily depths of the dark magic. Tendrils of it reach for me, coiling around me like snakes as I inhale and tug it toward me. Ichor floods through my veins, rich with decay and despair. The heady scent of dying flowers fills my nostrils and I narrow my gaze on the center of the gate, sending the power into the invisible force field.

Something sparks within the ward, and it zaps me so hard I fly back, landing on my ass in the gravel. Electricity ricochets through me, ping-ponging through every inch of my body before fizzling out.

“Son of a bitch.” I smack my hands into the ground and shove off of it, standing and marching back to the gate. “She’s dead, and she’s still managing to piss me off.” I huff and roll my shoulders a few times, shaking off the lingering tingles echoing through my nerves.

“My, my, my. That was embarrassing.” The sultry voice makes my heart skip, and I whirl around, glaring at the strange woman who magically appeared behind me. The black silk dress is ostentatious and that can only mean one thing.

“Jinx?”

With a husky laugh, the tall blonde places her hands on her silk covered hips and lifts a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “It’s not every day a shifter insults me.” Flicking her long hair over her shoulder, she walks toward me, though it’s more like floating, if I’m honest. She’s so graceful.

“Who are you?” I step backward, my back hits the gate, and I gasp as the ward latches on to me, sparks of electricity shooting through me.

“You don’t know?” Stopping an inch away from me, her light gray eyes study every inch of my face. Her lips purse when I whimper in pain and try to arch my back when a particularly nasty stabbing sensation ripples over my back.

“Break the ward,” she says, stepping even closer. Her front presses into mine, and her lips brush my ear. “Destroy it like you did Jinx.”

“I. Can’t.” I grit the words out, taking short breaths through my nose. Hundreds of needles plunge into my body, stabbing me over and over. The more I fight the more it hurts. I close my eyes, but white bursts across my eyelids when the pain intensifies.

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