Page 87 of Strike It Witch

The other rear door swung open, and my blood ran cold.

Ida came up beside me. She didn’t touch me or even speak, but I felt her support, nonetheless.

I glared at Ronan. “Itoldyou how I feel about her.”

He shoved his hands into his jeans and hunched his shoulders. “Wasn’t my call.”

Maybe it wasn’t his call, but he could’ve warned me.

The woman who’d stepped from the SUV came to stand beside Bronwyn. “Hello, Betty,” Margaux Ramirez said cooly.

Nope.Hellnope. I was a Lennox witch. This nasty woman wasn’t going to outcool me. “Hello, Margaux. Betray any friends today?”

“Betty,” Bronwyn said, her voice hushed and disapproving.

Margaux didn’t flinch at my insult.

If Bronwyn was a fairytale princess, Margaux was the Spanish version of the wicked stepmother from Cinderella. Her skin was the palest of olive tones, her hair glossy obsidian with a streak of silver that swirled from her temple to the crown of her head. She wore it in a smooth chignon that she pinned and unpinned constantly, her fingers rubbing the clasp at the back like a worry stone.

She was only forty but had managed to cultivate the image of a woman far older. Normally, I would’ve thought that was admirable, but she was also suspicious and distrustful—particularly of anyone not in her coven.

And a passive murderer, of course.

Alpha Floyd exited the passenger side of the SUV, making me wonder who was behind the wheel. I’d told him not to bring any other wolves, but if my experiences with the bastard had taught me anything, it was that he rarely did as told.

“What’s our next move?” Ida cracked her knuckles and twisted her neck as if warming up for a wrestling match. “Do we jump ’em?”

Ronan stood as far from his father as he could, given his obligation to the alpha, and gave me a look that managed to convey his regret along with a warning.

I was far too pissed off to listen to either.

Alpha Floyd stared at me with naked, schadenfreude glee. He was pleased with my fury, happy I was pissed, visibly overjoyed that he’d caused me pain.

I looked the alpha leader directly in the eye—never a smart idea—and said, “Get rid of her or the deal’s off.”

He shook his head, clicked his tongue like a father chastising a child. “You wouldn’t allow me to bring my wolves, witch. I was forced to find another way of protecting myself.”

“You’re an alpha wolf shifter. You should be able to protect yourself with your own claws and teeth.”

The comment, paired with the disrespect, scored me a flash of his wolf’s fur and a growl. Scary, but telling. The elder Pallás had lost control for a moment. A bad look for an alpha.

“Besides, you brought Ronan.” I thumbed in his direction. “He can protect you.”

“True. Mysonwill protect me.” The alpha threw back his shoulders. “And so will the witches.”

“And so will the wolf behind the wheel?” I said.

The alpha lifted his chin and looked away.

“Take on the curse yourself.” I indicated the bookseller with a chin flick. She watched from inside the Lexus, her gaze goingback and forth from the alpha to me. “Better yet, have Margaux do it.”

Margaux tightly laced her fingers together in front of her. Said nothing. She knew how I felt about her.

“You can’t do that. We have a deal.” Alpha Floyd stomped his feet and sputtered, looking to Ronan and the witches.

“You brought an unauthorized wolf onto my property. Not to mention the witches. You ordered me to keep my mouth shut so the coven wouldn’t find out we were doing this then you bring them hereto watch?”

The way Alpha Floyd smiled made my skin crawl. “I decided their presence was required. My telling them about the book has nothing to do with you.”

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