Page 96 of Severed By Magic

I rubbed my face, not believing what I was hearing. “So it wasn't a normal ingredient to knock them out?”

“No.”

“Is it magic-based?” I asked.

He slowly nodded.

“So a witch made it.” My suspicion about Serene grew.

“It seems that way.” He cleared his throat and turned to Kaden. “I wanted to thank you for taking the risk and coming to alert us. The fact that you trusted us means a lot to me. I appreciate your willingness to defend my granddaughter.”

“She's my mate.” Kaden crossed his arms. “Of course, I would do anything to protect her.”

“Right, and I hope you believe me when I say that I'm doing everything I can to help her and everyone involved.”

“Have you spoken to Serene?” I asked. Even though I felt bad about bringing her up, I couldn’t let anyone get away with hurting my mate.

“What do you ask?” Steven popped up from behind his father.

“My protection spells on the border of our home were broken, and that would have required the use of magic. Only a witch could create a potion to cause them to knock them out. She's the only one that I know of in the compound.”

“But she . . .” Rainer started before falling quiet. “I guess we can't cross anyone off the list yet. I'm not willing to overlook the obvious just because we like her.”

“Correct,” Tom said before turning and leaving.

“We’ll keep you guys updated, but for now, you should rest. I’m having another bed brought in for you, Kaden.” The Alpha seemed to have aged ten years tonight.

“Thank you, sir.”

The group filed out, leaving us alone to wait and worry.

Theo

We were out for three days, and as soon as they told me what happened, I almost wished I hadn’t woken up.

We were betrayed.

By people we were supposed to be able to trust.

By men I knew. Men I worked with. Men I thought were my friends.

The fragile sense of safety and family I’d been allowing to build in me with each passing day at the compound shattered as I stared up at the ceiling, willing the words to disappear from my head.

Kevin and Jerry had been kind. I thought we were friends. I trusted them, but this whole time, they’d been scheming behind my back. Planning to attack me and my bond, and for what? Because our parents were different supes? We had no control over that. We didn’t ask to be born or to be considered something taboo.

Couldn’t they look past their prejudice to see me? They knew who I was, beyond my abilities. I helped them. We stood side by side and healed people. I saved members of their pack. I taught them methods that would save time and increase their abilities to save more.

How could they forget about that?

How could anyone hate us enough to forget our actions?

We didn’t ask to come here. The Alpha had taken us, just as the Council would have. We were here by force. They knew that. Yes, we wanted somewhere safe to stay, but the pack knew it was the Alpha’s decision. There was no way we could have ever stepped inside the borders without his blessing, so why weren’t they taking their anger and frustration out on him or the elders?

Because we now had a bounty on our heads.

The Council was hunting us, and we were living in the center of predator territory.

We’d been fools to not see this coming.

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