Page 49 of Her Wolf's Demands

Shaking my head, I indicated that the plan would not change. With the witches using Drake as a channel and doing who knows what to the wolves, it was too risky to try and stop them. We would be outnumbered in both bodies and magic.

The pack listened, retreating to their posts. Manual stayed beside me, staring down at the strange goings on that were unfolding below. I couldn’t quite comprehend what the witches were doing, but I would stay to find out. We all would.

“I, Kieran Montgomery, give you permission to test your magic on our pack. These two wolves have volunteered to be the first to receive your blessing.”

The wolves around the stones bristled, their hackles rising before quickly settling. They weren’t as willing as Kieran would have them believe. Something must have happened to ensure that they didn’t have a choice but to listen to the man. Had he killed their alpha?

“Very well.” Ertha gestured for the wolves to come forward.

The witches stepped back, opening up the circle and allowing the wolves to step through them into the centre. Ertha reached forward and clasped both their heads with her palms. I couldn’t see her lips but her head bend forward. No doubt she was casting a spell.

“It is done,” she shouted moments later.

Throwing her head back, she laughed manically. The wolves in front of her yelped as they dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. I held my breath as their bodies almost humped off the ground, bouncing as their skin stretched and they grew bigger.

As quickly as it had begun, it ended, the wolves lying still on the ground, their chests rising and falling.

They were twice their original size and tinged with a shade of black at the end of their brown fur. One of them slowly lolloped to its feet before almost falling over. The other sprung up, pacing towards the witches and snarling loudly.

“Calm down,” Kieran said, going towards the aggressive wolf.

With a sideways throw of the head, the new-born mutant wolf knocked Kieran aside before lunging at a witch and ripping her throat out in one swift movement. The gurgle of blood in her throat was so loud, I cringed and took a step back.

A gunshot sounded, echoing around the valley. The rogue wolf slumped to the ground, its head expelling a squirt of blood as it landed.

It was lucky it was the middle of the night or a human may have heard and reported it to the police. Not that I’d be opposed to the witches being caught, but the wolves?

Kieran had to be taking advantage of them. Surely they weren’t there of their own volition. How would they react now that one of their own had been put down?

Part of me wasn’t surprised that the wolf had lost control. Wolves had their own magic, they wouldn’t handle the extra pressure from Ertha’s stones.

My chest squeezed as I thought of Drake and Della. Had Drake been able to feel the intensity of magic as it had gone through him? Was Della safe, locked in a hospital? I’d trusted that Laura would be able to take care of them both, but what if the full moon changed Della and she tried to escape?

Keen to watch, but also wanting to check on my mate, I hovered at the edge of the woods. Turning my head to Manual, I nodded twice. It was my signal to get the other wolves out of there. There would be no fight tonight.

“Why did he do that?” I heard Kieran ask Ertha.

They were staring at the dead mutant-wolf as the other one went over and sniffed him. Lifting its head to the sky, it opened its mouth and released an agonising howl.

The air rushed out of my lungs in a sigh. The wolf was clearly in pain from losing… Shit, the grotesque beast abruptly halted its howl and turned to look straight up the hill towards me. He had fucking heard me, despite Della’s spell.

Manual stiffened as he went to move away, his hackles rising. He had just caught sight of the wolf, who now pushed through the witches, even though they tried to stop him.

It was time to leave.

Spinning, I bashed into Manual’s side, urging him on. He fled, his paws light on the earth beneath us. The others ran with us, watching our every move. If the alpha ran, they needed to get out.

Once we were clear of the woods, we sped up, surging up the hill, across the road and onto another hill.

Lowering my head to the side as the pack formed a line behind me, I listened, filtering out the pants of my pack. There, in the distance behind us, was the sound of heavy running paws, pounding the grass. We were being followed by the mutant-wolf and he was gaining on us.

With its newfound power, we wouldn’t be able to outrun the beast. I would have to face it. Alone.

Slowing my speed, I nodded to Manual, who understood what I was going to do. He was my second in command, a clever wolf with heightened instincts. He would’ve heard the enemy, too.

The pack slowed when I barked once, nudging my head forwards. They listened to my command, pushing up the hill and over it.

I dropped away from them, watching their tails retreat and coming to a stop beside a small clump of trees. Did I hide from the beast and jump out? Yes, that would be a good option.

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