Page 58 of Forbidden Wolf

The only hope that remained alive inside me when all the shutters fell into place as the sun rose, was that Levi had sent his wolf to protect me. It meant that he was coming for me. Excitement and terror warred inside me in equal measure.

I wanted him to find me, but to get to me, he would have to destroy my coven. There were innocent lives here, like my friend Sabine, alongside the corrupt ones. This was a huge coven, and I sent a prayer up to whoever was listening that Levi would survive to find me.

***

Tasha

Mum stood in the bedroom doorway and surveyed us before opening her arms. Kimber and I flew into her embrace, burying ourselves in her affection. It was so seldomly given, that when she shared it, we basked in it. My insides were in turmoil as I felt the hellspawn pacing outside the castle. My heart pounded with trepidation in my chest, and every instinct inside me demanded that I run and hide.

Castus stalked around the room, watching us from the corner of his eye. He lifted some of Kimber’s artwork, before throwing it on her bed. There was a suppressed anger in his eyes when he glanced at the piles of artwork that suggested he knew about Levi and would be discussing the matter with me soon. His brief cruel smile sealed my fate. I tried not to show the fear that brought a burning nausea that threatened to choke me.

Castus stopped briefly at the doorway. “I’ll leave you ladies to catch up. Tasha, I’ll be back later.”

“My girls, this is the day I feared.” Mum kissed first my forehead, and then Kimber’s.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I tried to hide my gifts, but the voices were too loud, and since the master hellspawn found me, he’s been relentless in his search.”

Kimber was silent. Castus had discovered her gifts after a few months and removed her from military service.

“Come.” Mum grabbed our hands and led us deeper into the room. She lifted Kimber’s artwork, studying it before throwing the handful she held into the blazing fire.

Kimber gasped, falling to her knees in front of her burning paintings.

“That needs to stop, Kimber.” Mum’s voice was stern. “You are giving Castus information that he is using to harm others. You have put your sister at great risk, and she may be the only one who can protect us. I now realise that I should have tried to make you stronger, instead of keeping you safe.”

“Mum!” I scolded her.

“I’m sorry, Tasha, but we can no longer remain hidden and looking at those images, Kimber has been giving Castus information for years that has led to the capture and torture of innocent women.”

The image of Levi and I together fluttered through my mind.

Mum lifted another handful and threw them into the flames.

“Mum.” I stepped in front of her when she grabbed more. “He’s already seen them all. You need to tell us how to stop the master hellspawn.”

She paled, dropping the pages, and pursed her lips together. Her eyes finally met mine.

“I encountered one of these masters once many years ago while searching for herbs in the forest. There is no stopping him, Tasha. When he set his sights on you, then nothing will prevent him from finding and claiming you.”

One of the masters? I had assumed there was just one.

“But you escaped…” Even as I spoke, I realised the truth. “Does Dad know?”

“I stay far from your father so that he will never be harmed by the hellspawn who claimed me. It was the only way to keep my family safe. I worked in that unit far from both of you so that he would never find either of you.” She sighed and glanced at the ceiling. “There is something in the blood of our female ancestry that attracts them.”

I stared at Kimber and she shrugged. Mum moved across the room and gripped my face in her hands, moving my head from one side to the other, nodding. “He has not marked you.”

“Someone else had already claimed me.” Slowly I tugged the back of my T-shirt down to reveal Levi’s mark.

She hesitantly touched the mark on my shoulder.

“Castus will kill you,” she replied in a low, hushed tone.

As if summoned by the acknowledgement of his mark, Levi’s wolf bumped his head against my leg. Mum’s gaze moved to the spirit wolf, her eyes widening.

“You can see him?” I queried.

“Some of our gifts are similar. He seems determined to protect you.” Mum crouched down to study the wolf. “What colour is he in real life?”

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