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He Hurt Me, But He Needs Me 121
Ferrara"No."I growled into the phone. "You don't get to tell me no. I'm your alpha.""And I'm not a wolf," Irene said succinctly. "Look, I like Lunessa. And I love Violetta. I owe her everything, and if you'd told me what was happening sooner, I might already have an answer for you. Three weeks!""For the record, I was in a coma for two of those weeks. Her vitals are good.""Great. Give me more time.""But I don't know what's happening inside her mind. Sometimes her heart is racing like she's terrified. Other times it's calm. If I can't find a way to pull her out soon, she could go insane. Her magic is eating away at her, Irene.""Half a witch," Irene whispered. "I've been inside her mind, Ferrara. I never saw a single spark of magic. Hiding magic is incredibly powerful. Most of us find other ways to get around it. There's no way she did this as a child. She wouldn't have had the training. Someone cast this spell with her magic, and that is...Ferrara, I can't imagine what we're up a
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FerraraRolling her eyes, Lunessa pointed to the door. "I think they might find it difficult to get in now. How've you been, London? You took Ava in as your witch? Really?""She's ten times the witch you ever were," London snarled."Now you're just lying, and that's not like you."I'd never seen Lunessa like this. She'd always been so regal and calm.In the face of London, she was downright petty.I turned to Irene and helped her steady herself. "Are you all right?""Yeah." Irene glared at Lunessa. "Once I told her where we were going, she dropped me. I barely clung to her."To her credit, Lunessa reddened. "Sorry," she muttered. "It wasn't intentional. I was just a little surprised when you said where we were going."Rising, London turned his wrath on me. "You did this? You can pack up your wolves and leave. Today. Your sanctuary has been revoked.""I'll be going with him," Amelia said softly. "As will Saul. And Violetta.""I don't care," London snarled. There was a beat of silence,
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Violetta"Andrea. Are you ready?"The soft feminine voice wrapped around me so soothingly. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the sweet aroma of roses. The whole house smelled of it. It wafted off the woman wherever she walked, marking her way. My father would wink at me whenever my mother tried to hide and surprise us. Even the humans would be able to scent her, he laughed. Sometimes, when she was gone for long periods of time, I'd take her perfume bottle and spray it throughout the house. My father would sigh, wrap me in his arms, and tell me he missed her too."I'm ready," I called back eagerly and rose from my bed. Everything was perfect. The lavender bedspread didn't have a single wrinkle, and my collection of teddy bears was lined up near my pillows. Dad would shake his head and say that I was supposed to grow up to hunt bears, not cuddle with them, and Mom would just find a way to smuggle another one to me.As I swung my legs off the bed, a strange thought entered my head. Too tall. I
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Violetta"Damn it, Lunessa, that hurt," a male voice growled from the darkness.I inhaled sharply. I should have been afraid, but that voice. It sounded so familiar. "Momma? Daddy?" I asked quietly. "Who is that?""He'll hurt you, Andrea," her mother said urgently. "Get rid of him while you still can."Why was it so dark? Why couldn't she see anything? "Why can't you get rid of him?""Because you let him in.""Violetta." The man's voice wrapped around me, tugging at something inside of me. Something warm and comforting. "Violetta, baby, I'm right in front of you. Take my hand.""I can't see you.""It's all right. I can see you, and I have you. I'll always have you. Just stretch your hand out and take mine."Sucking in my bottom lip, I looked frantically around. "She says you'll hurt me.""Never willingly, Violetta." There was so much pain and desperation in his voice. "Never again. I'd carve my own heart out first.""Andrea, don't do this!" my mother wailed, but for a second, I knew t
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ViolettaWith a groan, Ferrara raked his hand through my hair and kissed me deeply. "Say it again, Violetta. I need to hear it again. I need to know that you remember me.""I remember you. I love you. I've been an idiot for being too scared to tell you. I don't even know if this counts as telling you. What if you're just something else weird that my mind has made up?""I am definitely here," he chuckled. "Four witches are basically streaming my conscious through the mating bond, so my body is still there. Your wolf is here. I don't know why you can't feel her."The absence of my wolf reminded me of how dire this situation was. I turned my head and studied the scene. My mother stood in the living room, fury on her face. I couldn't believe she was here. That I could finally remember her.And that she seemed to be actively working against us.So I ignored her. Instead, I wrapped Ferrara's hand in mine. I didn't want to lose him again. "I don't know how to get out of here, but I don't wan
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FerraraHer scream cut right through me, but her hand was still in mine. "Violetta?" I tried to pull her closer to me. The smoke continued to billow around us, but nothing was touching us or hurting us."Run," she shouted. "We have to run!"The smoke receded, and the forest raced by us. Ahead of us, a wolf snarled and paced, constantly looking over his shoulder at us. It felt like we were running for our lives.But our legs weren't moving.Next to me, Violetta breathed hard. "Don't let go of me, Ferrara. We have to keep moving. I don't want to lose you."Her eyes were glazed over with fear, and her head jerked around as she studied our surroundings. It took me a moment to realize that she actually thought we were running."Violetta, look at me," I said in a calm voice as I walked right in front of her."What are you doing? We have to run!""Look at me. We're not running. You just think you are. This isn't real, remember?"The trees screeched to a halt, and she sucked in her breath. "W
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Violetta"Nobody can be trusted, witches included."I stilled at the sound of my mother's voice, but Ferrara squeezed my hand. Katherine walked out of the shadow and through the scene that had become frozen in time. "This is the first time you've actually made it inside the den. Those creatures were not of my doing, you know. This was never supposed to be a nightmare.""Who did it?" Ferrara asked.Katherine glared at him and sighed. "I don't know, although it's got the Darkwyn Coven stink all over it. I imagine the three of them did it to make sure that you never saw them. Ironic since they would have approved of what I've done.""Approved?" My eyes filled with tears. "You seem like you love me. How could you do this to me?""Andrea, my baby. I did this because I love you. As long as you didn't know who you were, you were safe. I gave you a chance at a happy life, but someone just had to chip away at something he didn't understand. Who taught you to read, Violetta?" Katherine mimicked
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FerraraShane and I both raced to the same spot. I pulled Violetta away just as the heartbreaking notes of anguish erupted from her, and her father pulled away the invisible figure of her memory."Wolves are not meant to be nulls," the Crone spat. "She's not strong enough to handle the responsibility. Put her out of her misery and save us all."The walls began to crack around us, and I pulled Violetta up and held her. There was nothing that I could say to her now that she would listen to, but I could hold her and whisper that she was loved and protected and so strong. I said these words over and over again as the den began to crumble around us.None of the people from her memories reacted, so this wasn't the memory. This was Violetta, working through her pain. Stroking her hair, I let her bury her head in my chest as she trembled. When the shaking stopped, I still didn't let her go, but she popped her head up. "What happened? Did the shadows take us?" she asked tiredly."Not this time
Last Updated : 2025-01-10
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He Hurt Me, But He Needs Me 163
ViolettaAnother night without Ferrara. I wasn't sleeping well, and as I trudged up to my room after a late night dinner in the mess hall, I considered calling Jenson and asking some more questions about the operations that were not day-to-day. Pulling out my phone, I remembered that he was planning to spend the night with Irene. So far, Maeve had not made another appearance, but I knew Irene was scared.She needed Jenson more than I did.Pocketing my phone, I turned down the hall and stopped short. There were noises coming from my bedroom.Loud noises.Squealing?Laughter. It abated, and I opened the door cautiously. Amelia, Kenzi, Cindy, Janelle, and Ava had piled onto my bed. There was a huge spread of food on the table, and music playing from a speaker somewhere."Hi," I said dumbly. "What is happening here?""Girl's night!" Janelle called out. When I stared at her, she frowned. "You've never had a girl's night, have you?""Did Jenson put this together because he was tired of me c
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ViolettaOne by one, I bonded with the others. Lucy, Raven, and Carla. I was desperate not to show it, but bonding the four women in quick succession drained me. Finn and Kenzi left to shower and rest, and Jenson escorted me back to my room."When was the last time you've eaten?" he asked in a low voice."I had a box of crackers on the way here," I claimed proudly. Okay, a box was stretching the truth. I'd had maybe five or six crackers."Rest. I'm going to have food sent up to you," he ordered.I was tired, but that didn't mean I was going to shirk my duties. "As soon as Finn and Kenzi have showered, I need to talk with them," I protested."They've been pushing themselves for days. They're going to need more than a shower. They're going to rest, and we can all have dinner together."He stopped at my bedroom, and I narrowed my eyes at him. "You are not supposed to order me around.""Uh-huh. I liked it better when you were a submissive," he sighed. "Rest. Eat. There will be plenty for
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Violetta"I don't understand. You accessed your magic in human form before, when your wolf forced you to use it. Do I need to fatally wound someone to let that happen?" Evalina snarled in frustration at my recent failure.Today's assignment? Offensive magic. All I had to do was move a stick.One lousy stick.Instead, I was covered in sweat, and the stick just sat in its original place in the grass, mocking me."I wouldn't risk it. I don't think me moving this stick is going to save anyone today," I panted and sat down in the grass. This was a better workout than any cardio. Muscles I didn't even know I had ached at the strain of trying to move that damn branch.I expected the Crone to force me up, but she just went unnaturally still, and her eyes grew vacant. Worried it was Maeve, I jumped to my feet, but she held out her hand. "It's Lunessa. They've made it to the compound. She and your mate are fine."Blowing out my breath, I relaxed. I knew Ferrara was fine. I could still feel him
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FerraraIt was Saris who put her hand out. "Please. I have told Broderick many times that his enthusiasm is enough to send anyone screaming into the forest. Eat your dinner. Stay the night. You will no longer be pestered with questions.""She is right," Broderick sighed. "I would never forgive myself if I scared you straight into the arms of danger."I let my gaze linger on Saris for a bit longer. She was pretty, almost in an ethereal way, and maybe that's why I sensed something odd about her. I'd certainly never met a human like her.Was she Broderick's mate? I didn't sense a mating bond, but she had some sort of control over him.Glancing back at Lunessa, I sighed and took my seat once again. "One night for your hospitality, we will try to answer a few of your questions in the morning. I will answer them," I amended. "And then we will be on our way."They seemed pleased with that, and we finished our dinner with light conversation. There were no more questions about Emerson. At the
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FerraraRelief swept through me when I didn't recognize the grizzled man at the head of the table. Not that he would recognize me, with this face, but it still helped. Lunessa clutched my arm as we were escorted to the table, and I pulled the chair out for her."Thank you for your kindness," I said quietly. "My mate and I have had a difficult journey. My name is Kenrys, and this is Luana.""To be true to ourselves, we must extend our hand to those who need it," the wolf said in a gravelly voice. "I am Broderick. The man to my left is Henry, and the lovely lady to my right is Saris."Broderick's wolf was powerful, and he didn't hesitate to unleash that power at the dinner table. I bowed my head and avoided meeting his eyes as I took the chair. My wolf, hidden behind Lunessa's magic, grumbled unhappily, but he didn't try to break free. He knew what we were doing here and what he needed to do.Henry was a witch. I could sense the magic in him, but Saris seemed completely human. Not a dro
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FerraraLunessa was exhausted. We were within several miles of the coordinates given to us, and she already looked the part in the role that we were about to play. Dirt streaked her face and clothes, and dark circles hung under her eyes, and I knew it wasn't the glamour she'd donned. I'd seen her shimmer from her dark hair to blonde, from her dark eyes to blue, adjusting the structure of her body and even shortening her height and giving herself more curves.There'd been no dirt on her then. We'd moved as fast as we could, and the witch had lied about being all right with the pace we were making.Now she winced from the blisters I knew had to be on her feet. I could smell her blood, and the quiet whimpers she thought she was hiding were built from rock-solid determination.She had a stake in this fight. I didn't know if it was just about protecting the witches or her friends, and I had started to think of her as a friend, or something else entirely. Now that we were so close to the co
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ViolettaMindy was dead. I'd met her for the first time just a few days ago, crossing her path after one of my failed magic attempts. She'd smiled shyly at me and told me that I was glowing. The thought of that soft and sweet voice made my heart ache. She'd been on the guard for less than six months.But I couldn't focus on that now. There were rogue wolves pouring out of the woods, and they'd broken the first line of defense. Jenson and I met up with a wolf barreling our way before we could even reach the skirmish. I shifted instantly, launching myself at him. He was easily twice my size, but I didn't have to worry. While he pinned me down, Jenson slit his throat.Ruthless and efficient. I'd always known, but it was a little terrifying to see the second in action. Jenson shifted afterward and caught up with me. Together, we took down another rogue wolf before we happened upon Mindy's body.Rage filled me, and I ripped into the fray. Whatever the rogue's plan, these wolves were nothin
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ViolettaI had questions. Why was she asking? Who was she asking for? Amelia refused to tell me, and I hoped it wasn't for her. Whatever she and Finn were going through, she didn't deserve to miss out on the chance of having a mate. Especially when they were both so great.Ferrara and I had dinner alone. I peppered him with questions about the day-to-day operations of the pack, and he answered all of them patiently while reminding me that Jenson would also be here to help me.Not the other way around, which I strongly suggested.After getting settled in the bed, he pulled me across his lap and wrapped his arms around me. "We can drive for eight hours of the trip, but then we'll have to travel for a day and a half on foot. Lunessa will be hiding much of her magic so she just seems like an ordinary witch, and I'll be pulling in my power as well. Evalina is also providing us with glamour bags so no one will recognize us.""A witch might see the glamour bag," I said with a frown."It does
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ViolettaIt did not take me long to find Amelia. She was at her usual desk, hunched over her computer. Her eyes were rimmed red. I knew Ferrara was forcing her to take breaks, eat healthier, and sleep at night, so I had a feeling her red eyes weren't just from screen fatigue."How's it going," I asked casually as I hopped up on the desk.She didn't answer."So Ferrara is taking Lunessa to go after the cult. Weird that they didn't want to involve me, given that I'm the subject of the day and his mate. Instead, he thinks it's best to leave me here to run the pack with Jenson. You know, I don't think Jenson and I have had a single conversation out of the you don't belong here, you're not worthy of him crap he used to tell me before this. Now we're going to run a pack together. Are you worried, because I am totally not worried. Okay, I'm a little worried. Do you miss Finn? If you're worried that he and Kenzi are getting it on, I wouldn't. Finn's not an idiot, and only an idiot would get i
