Page 15 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

Am I PMSing? I have to be, because even though I’m sad and frustrated, I don’t think that accounts for the random flares of irritation.

Fucking periods.

Then it hits me. I’m not PMSing… I’m reacting to the alcohol. It’s been hours now, and I’ve been distracted enough to forget Jinx made me drink champagne. I bite the inside of my cheek and try to shut out the voice that suddenly flares to life and begs me for more.

Joan growls inside my head, snapping her teeth and tearing through my mind in a rampage. She snarls and bucks, spitting and gnawing at some invisible enemy until the niggling thoughts suddenly cease.

What did you do?I ask, because the best scenario is it takes weeks to stop thinking about alcohol if I have a drink. The worst case is, well, not good.

Perks of being a supe is you have a sidekick who can snuff out those nasty thoughts. I have your back now. You don’t have to listen to your addiction.

So, what? You’ll eat the urges for me?

She chuffs.I’ll destroy them for you. Worry about your men because Draco has that look in his eye again.

What look?I glance at him, noticing he’s not so subtly checking me out.

Draco hums and smirks. “Can’t say I blame him for staring.”

“Not like that,” I grumble, shooting a quick thanks to Joan for her help. “He keeps staring at me like I’m going to attack him at any given second.”

“Well, after the ritual—”

Lightly shoving Draco’s shoulder, I stomp my foot. “Dammit. Not like that either! Moons, have you been talking to Joan?”

Mmm. Nope.Joan pops the P.I think I’d remember conversing with such a delicious specimen.

With a dark chuckle he slides his gaze to his brother. “Why is she so mad? What did you do?”

“I”—Brayden huffs—“I was just thinking about how Death is going to be a problem. He hates Mazzikin. Raven is using his source of power to do her necromancy, and Mazzikin is to blame.”

Adler studies his face. “How much trouble are we in?”

Brayden looks at me again, this time the perusal is filled with sympathy. “I’m afraid we might be in a lot.”

“Great.” I kick the floor. “Can life ever be easy?”

Everett gives me a derisive smile. “We’re in the wrong story. Our narrator is a psycho.”

“You got that right,” Carter sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Let’s focus on the problems we can see first. Whatever comes in the future will come, but we don’t know what that will be until it gets here.”

“Can’t technically see the wards…” Everett trails off when Adler and Carter glare at him. “Right. Good plan.”

I snort, sucking in too much dust, and immediately sneeze. The men all burst out laughing, and I cover my nose and squint at them all.

“She’s so cute when she’s mad.” Brayden winks at me and struts out of the front door. “Time to save the day, Little Red.”

Chapter 6

RAVEN

Time to save the day.

Brayden’s words echo in my head, mocking me with their simplicity. My hands are pressed against the front gate, directly under the wolf emblem, as I try to feel my way through breaking the ward keeping us here. Once I figure that out, I’ll try to break the magic on the bracelets.

Someone behind me coughs, and I lose my concentration. Again. Draco peels my palms off the bars and tsks when he sees the miniscule cuts covering them.

I glance over my shoulder and raise my eyebrows. “Can you all go do something else? You’re distracting me.”

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