Shadow of the Wolf

“So?”

“She volunteered.”

“She shouldn’t have had to go through that!”

“Christopher.” She could hear Gareth’s frustrated sigh and wondered how long they’d been fighting. “Grounding it through you wasn’t an option. You know that.”

It was starting to come back to her. Chris had been lying on the ground, bleeding badly. Cole’s body had been close by, eerily still. The Godwins had been fighting the Becketts while the Arbiter tried to stop it all and failed miserably.

“He could have asked someone else.”

“We were all dealing with the Godwins. Damn it, Chris! Zach had seconds to act. If he’d waited for one of us, you’d be dead.”

Oh. Zach. That picture was probably going to stick with her forever. Zach kneeling over Chris’s body, glowing and holding out his hand, begging for her help. At the thought of the new witch, Lana winced. The spell he’d used, forcing the toxins from the wound through her, purifying them before grounding them, had been excruciating. But with no time to come up with an alternative way it had been the only way to save Chris from the wound that was rapidly killing him. Cleansing the taint before releasing it into the ground meant no one else would suffer ill effects from the demonic power. Otherwise the clean earth of the dueling circle would have been twisted and perverted, unable to sustain the spells of the wizards who used it.

The power Cole Godwin had held was apparently nothing compared to what Davis Godwin had. The second wound had been more horrific than the first. Thank the Lord and Lady the wand was destroyed. She’d hate to think what would happen if an object of such evil was ever placed in the hands of someone even stronger than Davis Godwin.

She shifted her leg, hoping in some weird way that it would alleviate the pain in her head. That’s when she realized it wasn’t just her head that hurt. Her whole body did.

“I think she’s waking up.” A hand gently picked up hers, even that soft touch painful. “Sweetheart?”

“Ow.” She hoped he’d heard her, because the barely there whisper was the best she could do.

“Get Annabelle. Now. ”

The authority in his hushed voice was reassuring. She felt her lips curl up at the thought of her mate being his usual bossy self.

“I don’t know what you’re smiling about, sweetheart. The minute Annabelle gives you a clean bill of health I’m spanking your ass so hard you won’t sit down for a week.”

He stroked her hair away from her face. She thought it trembled. “I still can’t believe you and Zach did that.”

She couldn’t really speak, couldn’t move without wanting to scream, so she did the only thing she could. She pursed her lips and blew him a kiss.

His breath caught. “Fuck it.” She felt the bed dip. “Annabelle can kiss my ass.”

If she had the strength, she would have giggled.

“I know it hurts, so I’m not going to try and hold you.” His hand came to rest against her stomach. “But I can sure as hell touch you.”

She licked her lips. “’Kay.” It did hurt a little, but there was no way she’d tell him that.

She felt his lips press against her arm. “Go back to sleep, sweetheart. I’ll be here when you wake.”

“Mm.” She drifted off, trusting him to keep his word.

* * *

Christopher stared down at the woman sleeping in his bed. She hadn’t opened her eyes once, barely spoke, and he’d never been more relieved in his life. She’d been out for two hellish days, days in which his baby brother had been whisked out of the house to face possible punishment for going against the wishes of Annabelle Evans, casting spells when she’d expressly forbidden it. He had the feeling the punishment would be more severe considering the cost to her granddaughter.

He yawned, weary beyond belief. He’d barely slept since they carried Lana into his bedroom, too afraid she’d wake up and he wouldn’t be there.

Lana looked horrible. Her eyes were sunken, her skin sallow, her hair limp. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear she suffered from a life-threatening illness. Her palm was bandaged, hiding the damage the protection amulet had done to her. He’d wanted to see the damage but Annabelle had told him to leave the bandages in place. The only good thing he could see was that her hand wasn’t swathed the same way Zach’s had been.

And she’d done this for him. He still couldn’t quite get over that.

He’d have to make sure certain things were clear to her from now on. First off, he was never letting her out of his sight again. Second, she was to stay away from his insane brother. She and Zachary were a deadly combination. Third, he’d have to make sure she understood exactly what she meant to him.

In the meantime, he’d wait. When she woke, he’d be there. There was no where else he’d rather be.

“How is she?”

He turned his head slightly, careful not to jar his mate. “Sleeping again.”

Annabelle frowned and studied Lana through narrowed eyes. “Let’s take a look at her.” She waved a hand at him. “Off the bed.”

“No.”

She glared at him. He glared right back, making sure his hand stayed relaxed against Lana’s stomach. “I told you not to jar her at all. We’re still not certain of the full effects of the spell Zach used.”

“I was careful.” He kept his voice low, but couldn’t keep the warning out of his voice. His wolf was still howling in grief at the damage done to their mate. “We need to be here.”

She cocked her hip, reminding him forcibly of the woman lying beside him. “Oh?

We? ”

He had no intention of getting into how the Beckett family curse worked with her.

Annabelle Evans might be a powerful witch, but he was a wolf with an injured mate.

There was no way in hell he was getting off that bed. “Do your examination.”

She bristled at his commanding tone before huffing out a breath. “Wizards. Always have to have things your way.” She bent over her granddaughter and began her careful examination.

Christopher watched, keeping a close eye on Annabelle. Her expression slowly eased, and so did the clamp around his heart.

When Annabelle smiled at him, he sighed in relief. Lana was going to be all right.

“You look exhausted. As long as you don’t jar her too much it should be safe for you to sleep there.” She smoothed his hair back from his forehead, much like his own grandmother had done when he was a child.

“Annabelle?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

She nodded. “You’re welcome.”

The door shut quietly behind her, and Chris followed her advice. For the first time in two days he allowed himself to fall asleep.

* * *

Something woke him later in the day.

“Chris?”

“Mm.”

“Chris.”

He opened his eyes to darkness. “Still sleepin’.”

A soft sigh blew across his hair. “Chris.”

“What?”

“I’m thirsty.”

He stifled a yawn. “M’kay.” He turned on the bedside lamp and stumbled to the bathroom. Grabbing a cup he filled it with water and headed back to the bed. “Here.”

She blinked up at him. “Help me?”