Page 10 of Riot of Autumn

Why isn’t he doing anything? Why isn’t Ezra moving at all?

Rage and the need to protect Ezra bubble up inside me. It’s a volcano of emotion that’s too explosive to contain. One moment I’m staring at the asshole Fae beating up my…Ezra and the next, Colton’s flying through the air as if an invisible hand picked him and flung him out of the shed. I can’t see it, but I hear the crack of a body colliding with a tree.

I hope the tree’s okay.

Also, holy fuck! Did I just use my magic to flick Colton away like a pesky bug? I don’t have time to digest any of that right now. Ezra’s moaning on the floor, bruises already swelling. I sprint to his side, dropping to my skinned knees with a wince.

“Can you move? Wait. Don’t. You probably shouldn’t move. How many fingers am I holding up? Can you talk? What did he do to you?” My voice is raspy and raw. Fucking Colton.

Ezra groans. “You aren’t holding up any fingers, Cube.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you? Because you just let that little pissant beat all over you.” My hands itch to touch his face, his chest, to check for unseen injuries, but I resist.

“He trapped me in some kind of vision or something. The whole room disappeared, and I couldn’t see a fucking thing.” Ezra pushes up off the ground, wiping his hand beneath his nose and smearing the blood there.

As soon as he’s upright, I sit back on my heels. Somehow, I forgot the totally insane fact that Ezra is naked.

“Where are your clothes?” I hold up my hand against the side of my face as if that’s going to block off the view of Ezra’s—gulp—huge dick. “Is this, like, some weird new kink? That you rip off all your clothes, and then get in fights with people? I mean, you do you, no shaming allowed in my house, er, studio, but really?”

I give into the need and reach out with my free hand to touch his cheek where a bruise is blooming. Ezra opens his mouth, but all that comes out is a groan. Before I react, he collapses back to the ground and curls up as though his insides are burning. They’re probably bleeding.

Oh God, he’s going to die on the floor of my studio. Ezra is going to die and I’m a stupid, helpless asshole who has no idea what the hell to do. My panicked brain is going at a million miles per hour, but not with any useful information.

“Ezra, fuck. We need to get you to the doctor.” I sink my teeth into my bottom lip to keep from crying out. How the hell am I going to move him?

Ezra’s hand snaps out, cuffing my wrist in his long fingers.

“No. Wait.” He barely hisses the words out through clenched teeth.

“You’re hurt. We need to get help.” Hysteria rises in my chest, my heart pounding so hard I’m feeling light-headed.

I thought we were safe. I thought those Fae pricks needed us to open the veil and wouldn’t hurt us. We were wrong. Ezra’s going to die, and then my heart is going to shrivel up and turn to dust.

“Not…hurt…from him.”

“What? Ezra, you’re not making sense. Let me get my phone. We’ll get the doctor out here.” My eyes are watering and it’s getting hard to breathe.

The humidity, Colton’s stupid chokehold, and my fear are all messing with my ability to suck in air. I don’t know if the doctor will make it out here on time. Ezra can hardly speak. He’s groaning like someone’s taking a hot poker to his insides. I highly doubt I can drag his heavy ass to my UTV. Screw magical sandwiches. Why don’t I have super strength?

This is so fucked.

Ezra grunts in pain and then his body jerks. He throws his head back and makes a noise that sends shivers cascading over my skin. The sound isn’t human. Then, before my eyes, he changes. Ezra’s body morphs. The one I’m so familiar with disappearing.

In its place is a huge black wolf.

5

EZRA

Ruby scrambles up to her feet, gaping at me with her mouth hanging wide open. She’s holding her hands out in front of her, her feet braced like she’s ready for a fight. I’d make a joke about it if I could speak, but I can’t right now.

Because I shifted.

In front of Ruby.

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