Page 15 of The Wolf and his Witch

“Oh.” She flushed, then glared at him, sending a side glance at Dutton. “Yes. Yes, of course we’ve tested it.”

So Annabelle didn’t only dislike Dutton, she didn’t trust him either. His woman had good instincts.

Dutton frowned. “You’ve tested the spell? Already? No one informed me of this.”

Annabelle snorted. “You’re not privy to a lot of things, Dutton. Of course the High Priestess and I tested it. Our whole plan rests on it working.”

“And it worked?” he asked.

A wariness crossed Annabelle’s face, and Gabriel’s hackles rose.

She thrust out her chin. “Yes. Would I be here discussing this mission with you if it hadn’t?”

Gabriel brought his wolf close to the surface and reached out with his enhanced senses. He scented no lie, but… Annabelle shifted in her seat. She wasn’t telling the whole truth, either. He’d sensed the same as when she’d talked of her discovery of the spell.Interesting.

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “How many times have you used it?”

Annabelle shrugged. “Only a few. It requires substantial preparation, and—” Her brow furrowed ever so slightly. “We may need to practice a little.”

So the spell wasn’t exact. He needed to get his hands on that spell. Maybe send a copy to Alain d’Louncrais, Stef’s cousin. Coming from a long line of Langeais wolves tracing back to D’Artagnon d’Louncrais and his witch mate, Alain was both werewolf and witch, unique even in their pack. He might know of a way to make it more accurate. The last thing he wanted was to send anyone back in time if they couldn’t guarantee where they’d end up. Not with his and his brothers’ existence depending on it.

The maître d’ sidled up to their table. “My apologies, sir, but there is a lady, just arrived, insisting she is part of your table.”

Gabriel angled around Annabelle for a look at the woman standing at the podium. His breath stalled. Long dark hair, dark eyes and the same skin tone as his own. If he’d had a sister, she would’ve looked much like this. Could this be…

Annabelle turned, smiled, and waved the woman over. “Yes, she’s with us. Thank you.” Annabelle beckoned her friend to take the spare chair the maître d’ provided. “Gabriel, this is Isobella.”

Isobella?

Dutton snarled. “You shouldn’t have asked her here. She’s not part of this mission.”

Annabelle slapped her hand hard against the table. “She has more right to be here than you have, Dutton.”

Gabriel leaned forward. “How so?”

“Isobella’s family.”

“She’s a Jackson?”

Annabelle shook her head. “Yes and no. She’s a Rodriguez. Our families are joined through marriage. She’s my sister. Technically, my stepsister.”

Gabriel wanted to punch the air with his fist. He knew it.IsobellaRodriguez wastheBella Rodriguez, not his Annabelle.

His phone buzzed, and a name flashed across the screen.

“Excuse me for a moment.” Gabriel moved away from the table, and as he passed Isobella, something about her scent gave him pause. He glanced at his phone. He needed to take this call. Gabriel headed for the lobby. Isobella would have to wait.

“Pierre, what have you found?”

“Much, brother of mine,” said Pierre, his voice echoing down the line. “And there may well be a few complications.”

“How so?” The right Bella Rodriguez had turned up, leaving Annabelle,hisAnnabelle, free for the claiming. Nothing Pierre could say would ruin his good mood.

“The coven is a hotbed of dissent at the moment, spearheaded primarily by the King family.”

Gabriel grunted.No surprises there.

“I’ll send you the details on the King family. They’re powerful, and they’ve made a lot of alliances lately. Their matriarch, awitch named Cordelia King… I don’t know that I’d want to cross her.”

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