Page 96 of Oracles Always Win

Iroared as retribution was stolen from me once again.Iwanted justice for my mate.

Ifought against the urge to give in to my darkest desires, the ones whereIwanted to taste my enemy’s fear, suck the blood from their still beating heart, pop one of their eyes into my mouth and squish it between my teeth while their other eye stared at me in horror.

Allaround me, bits of wolf and troll and goblin lay in untidy heaps.Thewolves smelled like these woods, so they must have been from the pack who’d attackedJake.Butthe others, they were not from here.Iwas convinced those were the ones who’d attacked the wolves.Thelingering scents in the air suggested whoever had done this was more foe than friend.

Itore through the piles, needing to see if anyone lay hidden and alive beneath the lifeless bodies.Nothing.Again.Iscented the air and followed yet another trail through the dense trees.

Besideme, the wolf who bore the blessing of my magic panted harsh and rapid breaths.Theystank of fear.Theirheart raced at a dangerous speed.Hadthey seen an enemyI’dmissed?

Iscanned the still woods, sensing only myself and the wolf.

Hewasn’t cowering because of me, was he?Hehad nothing to fear from me.Hewas mine.Iprotected what was mine.

Didn’the see?Didn’the know?

Theonly ones who needed to fear me were my enemies.

Iwould show him, make him see howIwould protect him and the others and my mate.Especiallymy mate.Hewas so fragile.Ihad to be extra vigilant, more ruthless in my pursuit of those who sought to hurt him.Thenthey would know to stay away.

Mywings snapped out behind me asIstalked forward, hunting for more prey.Ilifted my face and breathed in.Wolves.Thewoods were tainted with the smell of wolves and death.Itwas impossible to separate one from the other.Ishould take to the air.Theymight run from me, butIwould find them.Theydared to threaten what was mine; for that they deserved to face judgment.

Oneof mine shouted.Iignored them.Evenover their noisy jabbering,Iheard more racing heartbeats.HadIfinally found where my enemies were hiding?

Anothershout from that same familiar voice.

Theywere making too much noise.Igrowled at them to be silent.

Moremuddled and unnecessary words.Istalked forward.IfIleft my companion behind,Icould hunt more easily.

Moreshouting.

Thena word filtered into my head.

Jake.

Iblinked.Hesitated.

“Gage,” the voice said. “Jakeneeds you.”

Iturned toward the voice.Theman, who stank of wolf but also of my magic, swallowed hard under my assessing gaze.Hisclothes were torn and bloody but whatever injuries he’d sustained were already healing.Ilumbered toward him.Thescent of his fear spiked.But, again, why?Heshould knowIwould never hurt him.

“Gage,” he said. “You’vegot to get hold of yourself.It’sJake.Fuck.It’sbad,Gage.He’shere, but he’s having vision after vision…It’sgoing to break him.”

Iscowled at the interruption.Moreof my enemies lingered in the forest, just out of view.Thiswolf shouldn’t be bothering me.

“Gage.You’vedone enough.Vanand his officers have things under control now.Youdon’t have to do any more.Youjust need to get toJakenow.He’syour mate.Heneeds you.Noone else can help him.”

Iturned back to the wolf.

“Jake?”Iforced the word from my mouth.Itsounded garbled.

Relieflit his face.Henodded frantically. “Yes.Jake.Heneeds you,Gage.It’sbad.”

Iinhaled deeply.Theones who hid from me were cowering.Severalhad pissed themselves.Thescent of their terror hung in the air like a tangible entity.Igrunted.Thesecowards were no threat to me or mine.

Thescent of trolls and goblins and the other beings who’d been fighting the wolves when we’d arrived was fading.They’dabandoned their comrades and fled almost as soon as we’d arrived.Butunder all those revolting smells was something familiar…Demon.Butnot me.Another.

Anotherwho,Isuspected, had lost himself.