Page 46 of Her Wolf's Demands

She barked a laugh as her cheeks turned bright red. “I do. Very well.”

Er, okay. So, my brother hadn’t told me about his past girlfriends. If her reaction was anything to go by, she was no doubt one of his exes. Would he appreciate me talking to her about his painting? Or would he get angry at me for getting someone he clearly knew involved.

“Why is the pentagram painted on the stones?” Laura asked, picking up the picture and almost dropping it. “Shit, it’s got Drake’s magic running through it.”

“Running through it?”

Okay, now my ignorance was going to embarrass me. I knew that the painting was imbued with Drake’s magic, but I had no idea what Laura meant. I’d never been a great witch, or even a very good one. Just average, getting by with the spells I knew. I supposed my mother might have taught us had she been alive. My throat tightened as a grainy image of her popped into my mind.

“Yes,” Laura went on, interrupting my thoughts and wiping the image away. “He’s somehow connected to the stones. So, their magic is running through him and the painting. It’s probably not grounding anywhere… Is he okay? How is…?”

Glancing at the others, she licked her lips and pointed to her head. I swallowed the rush of emotion that burst through me. About to surge to my feet, I froze when Malone’s hand rested on my knee, calming me instantly.

I glanced at him, grateful to have him by my side. I had been quick to dismiss him, unused to having someone to fight for me. To be there when I needed them.

“Drake has been struggling.” I coughed to clear the frog in my throat. “He’s doing better now.”

Laura’s concern was etched in her features as she nodded and bent over the painting. “Wait, what’s this? Look…” Pointing at one of the standing stones, she traced a circle with a roman numeral painted in it.

“That’s the full moon,” I blurted. “Tonight.”

My insides curdled, my stomach twisting. Did the witches have something planned for my brother tonight?

“There’s more,” Laura said, tracing other symbols that I hadn’t spotted before. “The spell isn’t complete. On the Solstice, in three days’ time, the witches will finish the spell. I’m not sure what it is, but it most likely has something to do with using Drake as a channel to ground the magic.”

“He said,” I muttered, glancing at Malone, “something about standing on a stone and ancient witches are channelled through a tree. To poison plants?” Raising a questioning eyebrow at Malone, I bit my lip. He nodded to confirm that I’d remembered what Drake had said correctly.

“Not sure about the plants and trees, but it looks like Drake is the witch being channelled. Maybe they plan to use the ancestors’ magic in some way?”

Clenching my hands into fists, I bit my lip. “Fuck!”

“What does that mean?” Malone asked, sitting forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “Is Drake in danger?”

Nodding, I stared at the picture, my mind spinning. My stomach rolled as I choked back the tears that threatened. “It means that the witches don’t want to kill Drake for being mentally unhinged. They want to use him as a conduit to channel more magic than he’ll be able to handle, which will kill him anyway.”

“So,” Manual said, sitting forward. “The witches need to be stopped. Otherwise, they’ll fry your brother and gain more magic than they can possible handle. Am I right?”

My chest squeezed as I nodded and ran my hand through my hair. The witches could probably use Drake to channel the stones without him being in the pentagram circle in Devil’s Dyke. What I didn’t understand was why they were so desperate to use the magic. What did they have planned?

“Right,” Malone said, sitting forward and taking my elbow. “This is the plan. You get to Drake and help him if he becomes weak or whatever during their full moon ritual tonight.”

“That’s a good idea.” I smiled at him. “I can help channel the magic if it gets too much for him. On the Solstice, though…”

“It will be too strong for him,” Laura said, “even with your help.”

“I’ll have to try and control my own shift,” I added quickly, remembering that I too would be effected by the moon’s movement.

Frowning, Malone shook his head. “I stupidly didn’t think of that. It’s not safe.”

“I can help,” Laura piped up. “I can go with Della, who can go into a separate room to shift. I’ll look after Drake. He’s my friend, after all.”

My heart fluttered as I looked at Malone, afraid that he would refuse. Yes, it would be hard to not be with him for my second forced shift. However, being near Drake would put my mind at ease. I could check on him as soon as I was able to shift back. Dr Amel would allow me to use a nearby room. He had done it before.

Malone cleared his throat and shared a look with Manual, who nodded. Warmth spread throughout me as the alpha looked me up and down before licking his lips. “I’m your alpha,” he said quietly, “your mate.”

“You are,” I whispered back, drawn to lean closer as he reached out and stroked my cheek.

“So,” he said. “The pack will go to the stones and see what the witches are planning.”

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