Page 50 of Forbidden Wolf

“Interesting.” He stood slowly. “The proof is in your blood if anyone had thought to taste it. We need to capture one of these creatures and study it. My coven will be revered if I am the leader to demonstrate a new enemy at our door.”

He prowled to his window to stare out at the moon high in the sky. His long, crimson coat hid his powerful frame. He was tall and muscular for a vampire. Eventually, he moved to his desk, pressing a button beside one of the monitors.

“Cooper, my office, now!” Castus snapped.

Our commander Cooper arrived a few moments later, his eyes swivelling in my direction as I remained on the floor against the wall.

“You reviewed Tasha’s medical records, all her results, and put her back onto active duty.”

It was a statement, so Cooper watched Castus warily.

“Her blood is polluted by something I’ve never tasted before.”

Castus moved across the room at high speed, his fingers smearing some of the blood on my neck. He held it out to Cooper. “Taste.”

Cooper tentatively licked it with the end of his tongue, wincing when he tasted the flavour. His nose wrinkled in disgust as his eyes moved in my direction.

They would never know it, but the real reason for the horrendous taste of my blood was Levi’s claim. His wolf cured me from the injuries of the hellspawn. That master hellspawn had never gotten the opportunity to sink his fangs into me, to claim me and taint my blood. Every single day I felt the weight of Levi’s claim like a grip on my shoulder. He owned me even though he abandoned me.

The master hellspawn searched for me in my dreams every night, calling my name and reaching out to me. I no longer felt fear, sometimes wondering if he found me if he would make me whole again. Surely something would be better than this nothing I felt? But then I remembered his eyes and nausea crept up my throat.

I looked up to find both men watching me.

“She had the answer to what was killing us all along and the doctors didn’t believe her.” Castus could barely contain his excitement. “I want one brought to me to study. We could harness them to eradicate the lycans forever.”

The hellspawn didn’t care who they killed. I doubted they would take sides.

“Tasha was delusional,” Cooper said. “She was screaming about creatures with tentacles and huge monsters walking black wolves. At night she cowered in a corner and begged a master not to take her.”

Castus pushed Cooper out of the way. “Who is this master and why would he want to take you?”

Castus crouched in front of me, his red eyes boring into me and his fingers caressing the side of my face.

You’re mine, Tasha.Levi’s voice echoed in my head.

I was his, but he wasn’t mine.

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “He was there organising the monsters and found me wandering in the forest.”

A voice screamed in my head that I needed to hide the information about Levi, remove him from the story.

“What were you doing in the forest?” Castus asked, his persuasion burrowing into me and holding me prisoner. “You were supposed to be with your team.”

I closed my eyes to avoid the penetrating intensity of his gaze. “I was in the swamp when something wrapped around my leg, dragging me under. Another tentacle wrapped around my neck and then…” I broke off, my eyes flying open to stare at the wall. My hand unconsciously moved to my side. “It bit me, tore into my flesh and kept gnawing at me.”

“Her outfit?” Castus asked, glancing at Cooper.

“There was damage to the side of it,” Cooper confirmed.

“How did you survive?” I felt Castus’ will infusing into me, coaxing me to share all my secrets.

You fucking stay alive, Tasha…Levi’s amber eyes glowed in my mind and the mark on my shoulder burned.

I met Castus’ heated gaze. “I was drowning and in pain and the next thing I knew I was lying on the side of the swamp. I must have dragged myself out.” My fingers rubbed where the injury had been, and my forehead creased. “I can’t remember. Then I was stumbling through the forest.”

He nodded, satisfied with my story. “Gather me an elite team, Cooper. We are going to catch ourselves a monster.”

Castus smiled at me, his fangs making it feel more like a threat.

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