Rosette's conversation with Ethan was abruptly interrupted by a hair-raising howl that echoed from the depths of the den. She felt Kyle's presence push into her mind, a surge of concern and urgency as he quickly checked her for injuries. Despite his careful examination, she still jumped when his outraged voice boomed into her mind, demanding to be let out of his cell. He threatened to tear the door down, his frustration and anger palpable.
Shifting into her hybrid form, Rosette grabbed the key from the table and bolted downstairs, Ethan hot on her heels. "Kyle, be patient, I'm coming," she called out to him, her voice a soothing counterpoint to his mounting rage.
All she received in response was a torrent of anger. He was furious, frustrated by his sudden incapacitation and the subsequent sleep. His pack needed him, and he hadn't been able to protect them. The fact that the rogues had managed to do this to him was infuriating.
As they reached the basement, Roset
"Oh, I've gotten plenty fast over the years. Although, having seen you move, I probably should have had Alpha Kyle hold you down. I doubt I'd manage to get out of your way quickly enough," Sarah said, a slight frown marring her features. "I would have stopped her, Sarah. I wouldn't let my mate hurt you," Kyle promised, his voice a low rumble, his gaze fixed on Rosette."Thank you, Alpha Kyle. You know, Madam Alpha, maybe next time you won't go running after the attackers yourself, but I doubt it," Sarah smiled, putting her tools away. She didn't notice the dark look on Kyle's face or she probably would have stopped talking. "The mothers downstairs all think you are their new hero. All the work to help poor Emily, going after Leidy and Sarah when you saw them with the rogues. They can't stop singing your praises," she laughed.Ethan approached cautiously from the side, correctly interpreting Kyle's body language."They are ready when you are, sir," Ethan said for
"Relax, my love, it's ok to make mistakes because you are learning," he said, his voice a low rumble against her hair, "and part of me is glad you did what you did. We may not have found the witch that was involved if you hadn't seen him. None of us would have been looking for a human. If we had found him on pack lands, we may have wrongly assumed he was a lost camper that just happened to be a witch."That made her feel better. She had helped a little bit. They stood holding each other for a moment before he spoke again."I cannot believe you outran five werewolves. If you hadn't stopped to attack, they never would have caught up to you. You are faster than any other wolf in this pack, I'm sure of that," he said, sounding a little awed, his voice filled with a mixture of admiration and amazement."I did need the help once they caught up to me," she said ruefully, a hint of humor in her voice, acknowledging her own limitations."You took down three before
Kyle looked clean, but his usual scent was completely gone. The absence was unsettling, a prickle of unease crawling up Rosette's spine. The primal instinct within her, the beast, eyed him warily, and she let out an involuntary growl when he came close."I apologize," Rosette said stiffly, "you smell different. It's really freaking me out. Whatever you showered with, don't use it again.""I bit one of the rogues several times, making him bleed quite a bit. I must have ingested some of the spell that way," Kyle explained carefully.Rosette inched closer, pressing her nose against his neck. Nothing. She searched everywhere, but couldn't detect a single scent. It was disconcerting, to say the least."I can still feel our bond, but the lack of scent is so strange," she told him, pressing her face against his chest.Ethan entered the room, his brow furrowed."Everyone says I don't smell right, and another Beta attacked Donavan because he didn't r
The next morning dawned far too quickly, and Rosette stretched, her muscles protesting the sudden awakening. She sensed a familiar presence before she opened her eyes, a comforting warmth that filled the small room. It wasn't a surprise to see Kyle leaning against the desk when she finally opened her eyes."Your scent is back," she told him groggily, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.Kyle came to lay beside her on the tiny bed, pulling her into his arms, her legs straddling his hips. He held her close, the familiar scent of him a balm to her senses."All the spells are worn off," he told her, his voice a soothing low rumble. "The girls are awake, Anthony is awake, and Roel's wound finally stopped enlarging."Rosette was wide awake all of a sudden, her grogginess replaced by a surge of concern. "What do you mean about Roel?""Ethan said you all saw him about an hour after the attack. The wound continued to enlarge until he went to see the
As Rosette watched Roel slowly heal from his injury, she was positive the menace could get much worse. Roel took weeks to improve, which was unusual for a wolf. She shuddered when she thought about what that spell could do. If it could be weaponized, it could tear the packs apart. Evidently, she wasn't the only one to see the promise in that evil design.Kyle received a call from Alpha Samuel Devoer early one morning. The spell that had glanced off of Roel had hit several of his highest-ranking Betas directly, albeit in an insignificant quantity. The wolves suffered hours of agony as their bodies were dissolved by the tonic. One wolf died when it destroyed his heart."Those spells can kill a werewolf?" Rosette asked Kyle, stunned, her voice barely a whisper.She didn't really realize much could kill them, besides another wolf. It was hard to process."Removing the head from the body or destroying the brain can kill a wolf. Enough injury to the heart can a
Kyle sat for a moment, his mind working, weighing her words. "No," he finally said, his voice hesitant. "Everyone seems to be clinging tightly together, not splintering apart. They seem closer than ever. No one wants to see harm come to the pack.""Who would be best to try to hack this system?" she asked quietly, her mind already formulating a plan."There is a group that everyone teases for their love of electronics. I've heard they are quite good at getting where they are not supposed to on the computer," he said, looking up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.He considered Rosette for a moment, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I enjoy having someone I can talk to," he said, breathing more normally, the tension easing from his shoulders. "It was just me for so long. I never felt I could open myself to anyone completely. I am afraid I have been considered too secretive by my pack. They just couldn't offer me solace and advice when I needed it.""You are t
"If you're sitting down again, Sarah, I'm assuming this is something complicated," Rosette remarked, her gaze fixed on the healer as she meticulously examined the vials of magic."A source is an ancient concept. The witches believe that with enough time and the application of sufficient magic, a wolf's body can be compelled to yield its secrets. They believed they could tap into the very essence of that werewolf's power," Sarah explained, her voice tinged with a hint of reverence for the ancient practice."Are they holding a wolf captive?" Rosette asked, a wave of horror washing over her. The thought of someone powerful enough to restrain a wolf filled her with a primal fear."No, no," Sarah shook her head, her expression a mixture of concern and frustration. "A source must be willing, completely willing. The witches believe that any restraint on the wolf's part would shatter the spell. There can be no coercion, no trickery involved when dealing with source magi
Kyle's angry voice boomed into her mind, demanding she stop and return. But Rosette kept running. She needed to put distance between him and his pack, to give him space to vent his frustration, to protect them from the potential consequences of his rage. She felt his shift as he took off after her, his powerful wolf form a blur of motion against the backdrop of the forest.In a sprint, Rosette could easily outrun Kyle, but he had far more stamina. She just needed to get him as far away from the pack as possible before he caught her. It was the best she could do for them, to protect them from the potential fallout of his anger."Mate, it's not safe to be doing this. There's source magic that may be lurking in these woods. Stop and come back to the den," Kyle's voice commanded, laced with concern, his words a plea for her to heed his warnings."Catch me if you can," Rosette taunted, her voice a playful challenge as she continued to run, her wolf form a blur of mot