Page 11 of Captive Witch

“It wasn’t her.” I shove myself from the bed, storming over to the window. “I was… training.”

“Training?” he repeats.

I glare at his reflection in the window as he quirks an eyebrow. “Yes, training. My wolf was training me.”

“Your wolf can cause you to scar…” he says slowly, his jaw ticking at the obvious lie.

“I…”

Tell him the truth.

I shake my head, trying to clear my wolf’s voice from my mind.

Tell him, she snarls.

Blowing out a breath, I stare down into the backyard. “My wolf was training me, but she isn’t what caused my scars—my burns. The Lockwood witch did.”

“The Lockwood witch? Was that who you were looking for when I found you in the forest last week?” Standing, he crosses the small space between us with just two steps and grabs my shoulders, spinning me to face him. “Were you trying to get rid of your wolf again? Of me?”

The heartache on his face is enough to break my heart into a million pieces, and the words fly off my tongue before I can think better of it. “No, of course not.” I reach up and touch my fingertips to his jaw. “I was there trying to gain more strength, more control. I think she’s one of the only witches alive who knows fire magic, who could train me, but she refused. Every time I fought against her, trying to convince her to train me or break my way past her to the well, she’d bury me in her godsforsaken fog.”

Closing his eyes, he rubs a hand over his forehead. “That doesn’t explain your scars. Fog can’t hurt you.”

“A witch’s fog can, especially when she’s hiding within it.” I frown up at him. “I’d fight her until I passed out, then train with my wolf once I was able to wake up. I did that for… well, for the entire time I was gone.” I rush on, cutting him off when he tries to open his mouth to argue. “I want to be stronger, Gideon. Iwant to fight for us, to be strong enough to protect you and Mila and everyone else. I want to deserve this.” I gesture between us.

Anger broods in his eyes, darkening them like smoke. “Gods damn it all, youdodeserve this. You’re stronger than most in this pack. Darling,youare the only thing standing in your way. Once you accepted your wolf, look at the things you could do.” He steps back, spreading his arm wide. “Look at where you are, the things you’ve accomplished. Life isn’t meant to be lived strong enough to never rely on another person. You find strength in yourself because of the people you surround yourself with. The pack you surround yourself with.”

His words feel like daggers to my core, and I suck in a shaky breath, fighting back tears. “I’ve never had anyone to surround myself with before, so forgive me if I’m still learning.”

Defeated, he presses his lips together, then nods. “I know, I’m sorry.” He pulls me into his arms, resting his chin on top of my head. “But you have me now. You have so many of us here for you, witches and wolves alike. You don’t need a well to be stronger or more deserving. You only need to believe in yourself and your family.”

I grip his shirt in my fists, soaking in his words, his scent, his comfort, and repeat it over and over—I have a family.

Chapter six

Gideon

I never want to let her go. Holding her in my arms, I curse myself for setting up a pack meeting for this afternoon—at my house of all places. But showing the new members my house is a way to show them they’re accepted, to help them feel more comfortable. Clearing my throat, I blow out a breath.

“This conversation isn’t over, but we have company coming over soon, and my kitchen is, well, still a mess.”

Looking up at me, she rests her chin on my chest. “Who’s coming?”

“Everyone.” Sighing, I step back and rub a hand down my face. “While I was trying to hunt Aramin down this week, Frank and Mila ran into a… problem.”

“What?” Silver flashes in her eyes, and she steps back. “Why would you try to find that—”

“Adara,” I say, reaching out to grasp her hand. “She’s behind everything. She aligned herself with Rathmann, started rumors in the pack about an alpha challenge, and even made false claims to the council under Anera’s name. She needs to be dealt with. She’s my rogue pack member—my responsibility.”

Her shoulders relax slightly as she huffs. “Fine. Is that problem you mentioned Moren? Mila told me a bit about all that. What an asshole. Gods, I still can’t believe he… he…”

Hissing, I release her hand as it burns into my skin.

A frown tugs at her lips as she rips out of my grasp. “I burned you. Again.”

“It’s fine,” I say, looking over the burn marks across my palm and fingers.

“No, it’s not fine, Gideon,” she says, her brows furrowed. “This is why I need to train with the Lockwood witch.”

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