Page 56 of Cursed Love
Concentrating, she flicked her fingers and sent him flying backward until he hit the brick wall of the next building. A growl ripped from him, and he unleashed the last of his change. His snarl rang through the air before he bounded toward her on all four paws.
She threw up her hands in protection and squeezed her eyes. When nothing happened, she opened one eye and then the other. Her lungs constricted, and she stared with her mouth open.
He was suspended in midair. Circling him, she studied him closer. His sharp teeth were bared and prepared to rip out her throat. His fur was matted and thick, unlike Peter’s soft, well-groomed coat.
He shimmered, actively fighting her magic. His eyes unfroze and met hers. She stepped back, debating whether she should hit him with fire or find a way to apprehend him long enough to learn more about why she was wanted.
Those two seconds were all he’d needed to break from the hold, and he landed on all four—massive—paws. He shook and faced her, his eyes narrowing with both curiosity and something darker.
Brandy pushed out her magic, attempting to freeze him again, but missed. She no longer had the element of surprise on her side. As it was, it was not her strongest power. Taking a breath, she dug deep and tried hitting him again, this time making sure to widen the impact of her hit. She did not want him to avoid another strike so easily.
He yelped when the side of his body slammed into the hard wall again. Brandy did not waste time freezing him. Before she could celebrate, she realized her new problem. She was unable to talk to him in his current state. In his animal form, he was useless to her.
Her muscles seized at the sound of footsteps, reminding her they were out in the open. She hoped no one from the building came out to investigate the ruckus. Relief flooded her when she recognized Peter running toward her. Only, his icy stare directed at her was unlike her new friend.
He ran past her a few feet toward the lycan. Peter cocked his head this way and that way as he studied him. “You’ve been keeping things from us, Brandy.”
The use of her name was a bit of a slap in the face. He vibrated with anger. It was the most upset she had seen him to date. “Peter—”
“How long will he hold?” he asked, cutting her off.
“I—” Brandy turned at the sound of Ryan joining them. “I’m not sure,” she said, all the while watching Ryan. His eyes were not as cold as Peter’s, but he was also visibly upset with her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, checking her for any visible injuries. His fingers slipped through her shredded shirt.
She nodded. “Yeah, just a close call.”
Ryan looked at Peter, and she did the same. “Be careful!” she warned as the lycan fought her magic.
“You did that?” Ryan asked in awe.
“I fucking told you she hit me with something,” Peter growled.
Brandy ignored the men and walked to the lycan. His eyes were on hers, and he was seconds from breaking free again. She focused on his body and envisioned his head moving. The ripple through his fur stopped and he snarled, spittle dripping from his mouth.
Peter and Ryan quit their bickering and walked to her.
“Can we communicate with him?” she asked no one in particular.
“I’ve never tried,” Peter murmured before removing his shirt.
“Be careful. We don’t know who’s watching,” Ryan said.
Peter unzipped his pants and toed off his shoes as he walked toward the wall, leaving the articles strewn about. “Yeah, but we also don’t have a lot of time to try. Brandy, can you hold it a little longer?”
She turned from Peter’s broad back toward the lycan. “I’ll try. See who he’s working with if you can.”
Ryan watched her, a storm of emotions filtering through him. Her chest puffed out as she focused on his pride.
She listened to the now-familiar sound of Peter’s bones cracking and adjusting as he changed into his wolf form. A deep growl filled the air, and Peter moved to the lycan. The two snapped their teeth at each other, and growls tore free.
Seeing the shimmer again, Brandy ignored Ryan and focused on the lycan. Sweat slid down her brow as time passed. Keeping the lycan frozen was a full workout. They could not risk him breaking her hold.
She fell forward when the lycan dropped to the ground. Leaning her hands on her knees, she stared at the lycan’s crumbled form. It took her a moment to realize his throat had been ripped out. Unlike the tubar, he did not go up in flames. Rather, his muscles twitched a few times as a pool of blood formed under his body.
Wolf Peter stepped in front of her. His hot breath fanned her face, blood dripping from his teeth. His gold eyes squinted at her before a small growl slid free.
The friendly wolf who was her friend was gone, and in his place was a cold, angry one.
