Page 48 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

“I’m not going to hurt you. I want to help you remember.”

“Help me remember?”

“You came to save me. Adler brought you as soon as he figured out where I was, and he found a way to break the demon’s spell that was keeping me inside the school.”

She looks like she’s on the verge of a breakdown, so I stop talking. Adler moves toward her, and she backs up, skirting around the chair and pressing into the wall.

“Don’t you touch me,” she warns.

Holding up his hands to show he’s not a threat, Adler takes another step toward her.

“Let me help you remember.” There’s something so soothing and sure about Adler that she allows him to step closer.

Holding her breath, she watches with wide eyes as he raises his hands and places them on either side of her head. Fae power trickles through the bond, foreign and daunting. Adler may be a changeling, but he’s strong. I’m not sure where he ranks on the fae power scale, but he could definitely hold his own in a fight with a supe. Aunt Lou’s eyelids flutter closed, and she takes a sharp breath, mumbling “oh” and sliding down the wall a little. Slapping her hands against the wall, she catches herself.

“Raven?” She looks at me, tears spilling down her cheek as Adler releases her and steps aside. Scurrying over to where I sit, she drops to her knees in front of me and snatches my hand from my lap. “My sweet girl.” Her palm rests against my cheek, and I start to cry too. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” I say softly. “I’m sorry for not listening to you.”

With a hard shake of her head, she squeezes the hand she’s holding. “Tell me what happened.”

This time, the words pour out of me, and I don’t stop to make sure she’s okay. I tell her about Jinx. About Morg. About being a luna and what the guys are to me. I tell her about Howard, talking through the pain of reliving that particular memory. She holds my gaze and nods, absorbing every word, every horrifying detail without flinching. I tell her about Bea, and that’s when I have to stop.

Carter pats my leg and continues, “The wards were still up, so Raven tried to break them. Of course, life is never easy, so it didn’t work the first time she tried.” He pauses, and I glance at him, begging him to skip over the whole Death coming to visit part, and he dips his head in acknowledgement. “Raven tried the next day, and she figured it out.”

He tells her about Blaze and my fight with Peter, but she keeps her attention on me. Her eyes shine with pride, and when he finishes, she laughs.

“I knew you were destined for great things.”

“Aunt Lou.” I grin. “Now you’re making up stories.”

She playfully slaps my cheek before withdrawing her hand and sitting back on her heels. “I’m not. You were always meant for more than this dusty little town. I’m just sorry you had to go through all of that to find your way out of here.” Grunting as she tries to stand, she huffs and falls back to her knees. “Damn legs, they don’t work like they used to.”

Brayden and Draco swoop in out of nowhere, each grabbing an arm and helping her rise. Scarlett creeps across her face, and I fight off a smile. I know all too well how overwhelming they can be.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“Anything for you, Lou.” Draco winks at her and comes to sit by me. Brayden scowls at his brother, probably annoyed he got to me first, but he quickly takes the spot at my feet. Everett’s hand lands on my left shoulder, and Adler’s hand finds my right.

“Five of them, huh?” she asks with a tilt of her lips, looking more like herself now that the hard part is out of the way.

“Yeah. Does that bother you?” I brace for some scolding or lecture about being with more than one man.

“Bah. Of course not.” She sweeps her gaze around our group. “If I were thirty years younger, I’d be more than happy with a harem.”

“Now, Lou,” Brayden drawls, wrapping his hand around my ankle in a possessive touch. “I’m sure we can find you a few silver foxes, though I’m not sure they could handle a woman as fierce as yourself.”

Her jaw drops open, and she full on blushes now and sputters about him talking nonsense. She waves her hands around like that’ll erase his words and sets them on her hips.

“I love you, Raven, but you look like you need some fried chicken and potatoes.”

“I’m so hungry,” I say with a chuckle.

Fucking finally. We’ve been in this house full of snacks for almost an hour and you’re just now remembering food?

Oh, Joan. I freaking love you.

Yeah, yeah. I’ll love you when you feed me.

---