Chapter 23
Tracey
Shouting blasted me from the sweet darkness that had wrapped around my consciousness. I blinked my eyes slowly as the lights berated me from above. I tried to throw my arm over my face to shield me from the abrasiveness, but it was no use. My arms wouldn’t corporate. I kept my eyes closed even though it wasn’t much relief from the brightness around me.
“For all I know, she hasn’t had witch blood. Usually, one species takes over the other and destroys it. She shouldn’t be having this kind of reaction.” My granny’s voice was shrill. “She has never shown signs of knowing magic before. As far as I knew, the magic lay dormant in her DNA. There aren’t many wolf/witch babies out there. Normally shifters mate with other shifters, not other supernatural species. It should have been impossible for them to have one child, and they managed to have two. This is all new to me.”
I had never heard Granny so panicked before. Another person spoke beside her and it took me a moment to recognize Carden’s voice. I had forgotten he still lived here with her. He was a prisoner for a while but now, all he wanted to do was learn about magic and help Granny. I didn’t understand it but I also hadn’t had time to ask questions while I had been knee-deep in cottage renovations. “Do you think you could contact the covens around here and see if they know anything about it?”
Granny clucked her tongue. “I’m afraid not, boy. Witches did this and they would not be so fond to help. There is more to this than what appears. We can’t risk our stance. We have a witch and a wolf in one body. The last thing we need is to get Pack Law involved, or the other covens. This could be more dangerous than what we are already dealing with.”
With that, I let out a groan as I tried to roll over. I didn’t know where I was but I was tired of being talked about like I wasn’t lying right there next to them. Hands grasped me as I went airborne, right off of the table they had me perched on. No wonder my body ached the way it did. They had me on a metal exam table.
“Turn the damn lights off please,” My voice croaked out from a dry throat. I coughed once before it felt a little better, then a glass was being pressed to my lips. I couldn’t remember what had happened last. I remembered seeing Jade.
I shot up and almost collided with Knox. He was the one pressing the cup to my lips. My head swam with the sudden movement. With trembling hands, I managed to take the cup from the Guardian's fingers. He tried to give me a reassuring grin but all it did was the opposite. Who had hounded him to care this time?
Rafe had his hands braced on either side of the wooden chair. It was flipped around so he straddled it. His hair was pulled back slightly and his eyes were dark, but not with his wolf. “Good morning, sleeping beauty. How was your rest?”
I scrunched up my nose. “It was fine, as long as none of you woke me with a kiss.” My eyes found Knox’s right before he smirked. My look went lethal. He held his hands up in surrender before he chuckled. The dark sound wrapped around me and I felt myself shiver in response. I clamped down my teeth and tried to not rip him apart. Damn him, and damn the rest of them. I didn’t need an audience as I had awoken.
“How are you feeling?” Granny’s voice ripped me from my rage. When I looked up at her I blinked. Golden threads wove around her in intricate patterns. They never stopped moving. It reminded me of the forest before I had seen Jade. I blinked then blinked again but it didn’t matter. The gold remained around her like she was an angel.
Granny’s eyes softened as she watched something shimmering around me. I held my hands up to inspect myself but there was nothing there. “You can’t see your own magical aura. I would imagine that’s what you’re seeing around me now.”
I nodded my head uncertain. This was new territory for all of us, based on their conversation.
“It wasn’t until you were conscious again, that your aura flared to life. You can prevent people from seeing it as you learn more about witchcraft. But for now, this is very interesting.” Granny got down on her knees and before I knew it, I was pulled into one of her amazing hugs. Relief and love flooded my body. If anyone knew how to help me navigate all of this, it was Granny. “I will recommend that you don’t leave the Pack Lands until you get this under control. You have a lot to learn before we release you back into the big world with witches that will want to dissect you.”
I nodded my head. I could agree to that, it would cause more trouble than it was worth if I ran into another witch or I insisted on helping with Jade and only made things worse. After all, I was probably one of the main reasons we had to leave so quickly the other night and I probably put Jade in danger.
I looked up at Rafe and smiled. “Where is Jade? I figured she would be here when I woke up, but I kind of understand. She looked like she needed a lot of rest and food. Just tell me you didn’t show her the cottage yet.”
The Alpha and Knox shared pained looks. Rafe spoke first. “She isn’t here.”
He didn’t elaborate and I didn’t know if it was for my sake or for his. Granny took that as her cue to explain it to me. “There were a few complications besides the magic spelled against you.”
I didn’t know if I wanted to know. “How am I still here if I was poisoned?”
Knox scratched the top of his head. “You have your wolf to thank for that. She saved your life with your advanced healing.”
That made sense. “They’re holding her prisoner.” I had to know, even if I didn’t want to.
Rafe clenched his jaw. “They are holding a lot more than her prisoner there.”
“Then why don’t we bust up in there and save them?” Carden said from the doorway. It was so weird to see him innocent and without all the piercings and tats that he had before. The spell had seemed so realistic.
Knox sighed. “Their pack is highly protected. Whoever is being held captive, isn’t there.”
“She didn’t tell you who is holding her prisoner?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
Knox chewed on his lip. “We didn’t exactly have time for questions.”
Oh. Because of me.
