Page 50 of Winning the Wolf

Taking a deep breath, I stood and moved beside Killick. Dinky watched us, her eyes wide and her forehead creased in worry.

Jeremy cocked his head to the side and barked a laugh. "There's nothing you can offer me," he said, waving his hand in dismissal. "Plus, I really want this spell completed."

The witch shouted a sentence in Latin and both Killick and I fell to the ground. My mind was fuzzy, as if I'd smoked a joint. I could barely see, even though I tried to focus. My stomach churned as Killick grasped my wrist and turned me to face him.

"What have you done to her?" he barked, clutching his head with his free hand.

"The witch has bound your wolf spirit as one, but only one of you can have it inside you." Jeremy's words were muffled, but their meaning made me wretch.

"What does that mean?" Killick growled low in his chest and went to push up to his feet, fury rolling from him.

I screeched as he dragged me across the ground. No wait, it only felt like he'd done that. Something was tugging my insides, stretching them.

"Your life-force is connected," the witch said, her voice deadpan. "The wolf spirit will fight to remain inside a human form... until one of you separates from the werewolf magic and dies. As you know..." Shrugging, the witch blinked slowly. "...a werewolf cannot survive without their wolf spirit. One of you will die."

"Unless!" Jeremy piped up, his tone chirpy. "Killick gives his pack to me. Then you'llbe disconnected and allowed to go about your day."

I blinked open my eyes as Killick crouched beside me, taking my shoulders and holding me against him. "Fine, take it," he said, his words so quiet, I almost didn't hear them.

I pushed away from him, seeking his gaze and scrambling to grab his wrists. "No! I won't let you do that."

His hold was firm as he took my upper arms and looked into my eyes. The honey yellow of his irises were light in the rising sun rays. He conveyed his emotion with just one look. My heart pounded when he stroked a hand down my face, gentle, encouraging.

"I abandoned you once before," he whispered, "when we lost Chris. The wolf spirit has given me a chance to redeem myself. I will not risk your life."

"Touching!" Jeremy spun away, indicating that the witch follow him.

"Wait!" Killick shouted, "I just agreed to your terms, undo the spell!"

Pausing, Jeremy put his hands on his hips, stretching back as he took a deep breath. "Nah." He glanced over his shoulder and smirked. "I think I'll let you tell your pack first. See you back here tonight."

Waving, he laughed heartily and started towards the treeline. "Oh, and you can have your friend back. I'm done with her."

Killick growled and rose up, dragging me with him as I tried to restrain him. If he killed Jeremy now, the witch might refuse to disconnect our wolves. He fought me, almost taking me close to our enemy before I managed to place a hand over his heart... all the while cringing from my weakness.

"Killick," Dinky called, "you're hurting her."

He came to a halt, catching me in his arms as my legs gave way. The energy it took for him to lose himself to the rage drained from my soul, crippling me.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, watching Jeremy disappear into the woods, his nonchalant witch following close behind.

Dinky came to us, clinging to me as I hugged her to me. Several tears trickled down her cheeks as Killick stepped away, allowing us to have a moment.

"Did he harm you?" I asked, checking her over.

She held me tight, forcing my head into her chest. "I'm fine, I'm more worried about you. We need to find a way to undo the spell."

"My witch friend might help but she's in Glastonbury so I'd have to hurry."

"No," Killick interrupted, putting up a hand to silence us.

The sound of a footstep reached me just as a waft of Caleb's scent hit my nose. It was about bloody time.

"Where have you been?" Killick snapped when four men slunk through the trees. "And why are there so few of you?" He stalked to the nearest guy, grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and stared at him. "Well?"

"We thought you were having a secret rendezvous with your mate," the man replied, his voice strong in the face of his alpha.

Caleb approached the pair and placed a hand on Killick's arm. The alpha released his pack member, almost shoving him away. It was hard not to take it out on the pack for not finding us, but in reality, it was my fault. And Killick knew that.

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