Page 19 of Captive Witch

I inhale through my nose, trying to relax all the tight muscles to avoid tearing this book in half. I should’ve killed him then. Before then so he could never do this to her—to who knows how many others I still don’t know about.

What kind of alpha can’t protect the children in his pack?

Slamming the notebook shut, I make my way over to the cabinet and grab a mug, but it shatters when I set it too roughly on the counter. Cursing under my breath, I kneel down and pick up the ceramic pieces.

“What the hell am I missing?” I ask myself, tossing each shard into the trash can. What kind of witch would willingly work with a werewolf for something like this? And to do this… with no personal gain. Wendell got exactly what he wanted. He never paid a large sum of money—the bastard relied on Anera’s shop to pay his bills. He didn’t even have his own bank account.

He didn’t have his own account… after he was caught by Anera,my wolf says.He had assets before that happened. Before the punishment, he was head of household.

“Shit.” Sitting back on my heels, I throw the last piece of the mug out and pour my coffee into a new one, but I don’t drink it. Instead, I stand there, staring into the hot drink, steam billowing up, carrying the bitter scent to me.

He had everything in his name, that slimeball. All of their accounts, even… her business.

I snatch my phone off the counter and send Frank a text, asking him to meet me at Anera’s shop when it opens, then I turn off the coffee maker, abandoning the freshly brewed pot and make my way back to Adara’s side. There’s only one thing I need tonight—as much of her warmth, of her sweet, fresh forest scent as I can get before she’s gone for the entire weekend.

Chapter nine

Adara

Rolling over, my hand reaches out, but the cold sheets are all that greet me. Tapping on glass comes from the window, and I turn back over, squinting into the early morning light and the shadow looming within it. I shove the blankets off, about to get up and open the window for Kaylus.

Try your magic,my wolf says.Open the window with a spell.

Laying on the bed, I stare at the glass and chew on my lip. If the spell goes wrong, the window could shatter, and the shards could hurt Kaylus as he’s perched on the outside of the windowsill with his head cocked. I blow out a breath and close my eyes, focusing my energy on the bottom of the window.

“Move, Kaylus. Just in case…”

Fire burns through my veins, the heat familiar and comforting as it gathers at my fingertips. Snapping my eyes open, I see Kaylus fly off and force my magic from my fingers to the window’s edge. The wood slides up and slams into the top. I wait a second, staring at the glass, but it doesn’t shatter. The wood doesn’t burst into flames.

I did it.

“I did it! Kaylus, I did the spell!” Launching out of bed, I jump up and down as the raven swoops into the room, cawing above me. Giddy, I pump my fists in the air, dancing and twirling throughout the room.

“I knew you could,”Kaylus says, settling himself onto the nightstand.“I told you! You just had to believe in yourself foronce. And train. Your powers have been suppressed your whole life, they needed some exercise.”

Laughing, I collapse onto the bed. “Yeah,” I say, breathless, “I see it now. It’s… amazing. It feels amazing!”

“What’s amazing?”

I sit up, throwing myself off the bed and into Gideon’s arms. “Where were you?” I ask, nuzzling into the crook of his neck as I wrap my legs around his waist. He smells incredible—cedarwood, caramel, and smoke. “I missed you. You were gone when I woke up.”

One hand reaches up to grip my thigh while he brushes his other one over my hair. “I had to see Frank for something. What has you so happy?”

“Am I not usually happy?” I ask, pulling back to look at him.

“No, little witch, not like this.” He smirks, glancing at Kaylus. “If I could hear you, I would’ve asked you first.”

Kaylus caws, his laughter echoing in my mind.

“So,” Gideon says, putting me down but keeping his arms around me, “do I get to know what’s happened, or am I cursed to wonder for the rest of time?”

I try to hold back my smile, my cheeks aching, but it’s pointless. I’m practically vibrating with excitement. “I opened the window.”

Gideon’s eyebrows cinch together. He searches my face, looking past me to the open window. “You… opened the window? Is that the first time you’ve opened a window?”

Palms against his chest, I shove him. “Withmagic.I opened the window with mymagic.”

He lifts me again, kissing my temple, my cheeks, the tip of my nose. “Your first spell? No side effects? Adara, I’m so proud of you.”

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