Page 103 of Wolf Touched

I placed my hands on his shoulders. “Then call your mom.”

“You’re right.” He lifted his phone from the nightstand where our phones had been charging. He dialed his mom’s number, and I heard it ring two times.

“Hello?” King Jovian answered. “Son? Is that really you?”

Raffe winced. Of course, his father, the person he wanted to avoid, would answer.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Raffe’s jaw clenched.

“Son, I never—” King Jovian started, but Raffe cut him off.

“I don’t have much time, but I wanted to let you know that Aldric is working with Supreme Priestess Olwyn.”

I swallowed my snort of surprise. Raffe wasn’t wasting time on pleasantries.

“Now, son, if this is a joke to get back at me, you’re going too far.”

Raffe’s hurt swirled through me, and I hurried to him and touched his arm, wanting him to know I was there for him.

“It’s not a joke. He’s been betraying you the whole time.” Raffe’s face hardened, reminding me of the distant, cold man I’d met at EEU. He got that way whenever he dealt with his father, and I hated it for him, but he leaned against me, using me as support. “Aldric put trackers on our cars, and he and Olwyn keep attacking us. I’m sure you saw the one attack on the news with the house that burned down. We barely escaped. The coven attacked within an hour of when Aldric left. They’ve formed a secret society and were trying to use Skylar to take you out of power, but she refused. That’s why they kidnapped her.”

I snagged my own phone, checking it to see if my parents had texted me.

When I opened the phone, I saw a text message from Mom, dated two hours ago.

Shit. I didn’t want her to worry.

I clicked on the message, but when it popped up, my heart stopped.

No.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

My world stopped.

I blinked, hoping like hell that, when I opened my eyes, the image that was there would be gone, but each time, the stark truth stared back at me.

Mom and Dad were gagged and bound to wooden chairs, their backs to one another.

Raffe moved to my side and stared at the photo.

“Dad, I don’t have time to talk.” His concern swirled with mine, adding to my panic.

“Dammit, Raffe,” his father growled. “This is beyond stupid. You need to stop all this and come back home where you belong. I need your help. I’m tired of you giving me the cold shoulder, and stop trying to cause more trouble—”

Hot anger crackled through Raffe. “I’m not giving you the cold shoulder. Sky’s parents are being held captive, and we need to figure out where they’ve been taken.”

“They’re at my childhood home.” I’d recognized the lilac cushions and those chairs anywhere. When I was younger, I’d complained about the chairs being uncomfortable,so Mom had taken me to Walmart to pick out cushions.

I hadn’t noticed I was rubbing my chest until Raffe placed his hands over mine and linked,We’re going to save them. I promise.

Tears burned my eyes.You can’t promise that.

“What do you mean her parents have been taken?” King Jovian’s voice boomed. “They’rehuman.”

“Like that matters to Olwyn, Aldric, and the other members of the Veiled Circle,” Raffe spat. “I called you and warned you about your beta. The rest is up to you.” He hung up the phone and pulled me into his arms.

The buzz of our connection sparked between us, comforting me and also making me feel damn guilty. My chest constricted, and I shook my head. “This is because ofme. I did this to them.” My entire life, they’d loved me and sheltered me when they didn’t have to. How did I repay them? The cold claws of panic pierced my chest. “This was two hours ago.” Oh god. What could’ve happened to them since then?

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