Chapter 9-2
Chapter 9-2
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She cried out, but the change was even faster than usual. My wolf was more than prepared to
come out, to watch over and nurse her. I gave him complete control, and he whimpered and butted
his head against her.
Precious seconds ticked by.
Then, like a miracle, she closed her eyes and exhaled. The change was long, far longer than it should have been, but when a small and honey-colored wolf whimpered under me, it was alive.
She was alive.
Sitting back, I howled, and my wolves returned. They performed a tight perimeter around us, and
Saul stretched over.
“She’s pretty,” Bridget commented.
“She is,” Saul agreed as he ran his hands over her leg. “And terrified. Give us more space please.”
Instantly, the wolves moved out. My wolf leaned down and gently bit her nose. It was a sign of
affection. One he hoped would be returned.
Instead, she just stared at us, her eyes glassy with fear. Absolutely horrified.
Turning my head, I glared at Saul. “Don’t look at me. I’m not hurting her. The wound is already closed, so I’m almost done. I just want to see…” his voice trailed off. “By the Goddess!”
My wolf rumbled at him again.
“Kiana, I’m going to turn you over to your stomach,” Saul said in a gentler but strained voice.”
Please do not be afraid.”
He tried to turn her, but she wiggled and tried to push away from him. She didn’t growl.
There was no aggression in her at all.
“Troy, a little help here. It’s important.”
My wolf leaned down and nudged her with his head. With a whimper, she flipped over.
Fury washed over me when I saw what Saul had felt.
Scars.
Her wolf was covered in scars.
Instantly, I yanked the reigns back from my wolf and shifted. When I put my hands on her to part
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her fur, she yelped, rose, and bolted.
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Cassius started after her. “Leave her,” I commanded. “Bridget, follow on foot please. Take her
some clothes.”
With a nod, Bridget disappeared. “You’re certain she won’t run?” Saul asked in a low voice.
“She has too much at stake. Her freedom,” I said flatly. “She’ll finish this.”
“She was right. This path to Wisteria Woods is far too vulnerable,” Jenson spoke up. “We haven’t even entered the woods, and we were attacked.”
I nodded short. She’d been right, and I put my wolves in danger by not listening. I would not make
that mistake again.
“There’s only one thing I know of that would leave scars like that on a wolf,” Saul said tightly.
Wolfsbane.
Was it the reason Kiana had been hiding her wolf from us? She didn’t want us to see the scars? She wasn’t hiding her red wolf, that was certain. Her wolf was the color of Kiana’s hair. It wasn’t out of character for a wolf and its human to share some features, but her coloring was completely
unnatural for a wolf.
She and her wolf were close to each other. Very close. In most cases, it was a sign of an alpha.
“She won’t stay in wolf form,” I said in some frustration. “Will that affect how she heals?”
“Certainly. She’ll be weak.” Saul looked at me and sighed. “I will leave my pack with you with some instructions, but you’ll need to find shelter. It’ll be at least a full day, maybe even two, before you
can enter Wisteria Woods.”
“What is he talking about?” Maverick demanded. “Where is Saul going?”
“Not just Saul. Kiana told me that we were going in with too big of a group, and she was right. We’re attracting too much attention. Stealth is key here.”
Cassius snorted in disbelief. “You’re going there alone? With her? You trust her?”
“I don’t have a choice.”
My comment was met with silence. I could tell most of them wanted to argue. A few minutes
passed before Bridget returned, a dressed but pale and shivering Kiana by her side. She had
shifted the first opportunity she had.
“What’s going on?” Bridget asked as she helped Kiana to a stump. Saul immediately crossed the
camp site to her.
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Chapter 9-2
“He’s ordering us back,” Maverick said tightly. “He and his mate are going alone.”
I snarled just a little at him, but Bridget nodded. “Sure. I get it. She won’t shift with us.”
“You get it?” Jenson echoed. “Really?”
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“She saved your life with that flare gun stunt, Jenson,” Bridget snapped back. “If I were you, I’d be grateful.”
Jenson snapped his mouth shut. Bridget had a point.
“It doesn’t matter what any of you think. I’ve made my decision. We go alone.”
Maverick bared his teeth. “If you don’t come back, we’ll hunt her down to the ends of the earth.”
He paused, his gaze darkening. “And when we find her…”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but the threat hung heavily in the air.
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