Page 97 of Oracles Always Win

Someonewho needed to be put down.

Thatwas the real threat.Buttheir scent was even fainter than those who’d been fighting the wolves.Werethey already gone?

“Fuck,Gage,” my wolf companion said.Hewas one of mine, but why was he talking?Iwas busy. “Weneed to get toJake.Van’sgot everything else under control.Thereis no one else out here to hunt.”

Iclenched my teeth.Thatwasn’t true.Weboth knew he was lying.AndIwanted to find the demon.Withit still out there, no one was safe, especially notJake.

“We’regoing to lose him,Gage.Whythe fuck aren’t you listening to me?”

Itilted my head and stared at the wolf again.Hiswords made no sense.Jakewas far away.Safe.

Iinhaled deeply once more.

Andthis time,Icaught my mate’s scent on the air.

“No!”Iroared.

Then, with one strong flap of my wings,Ishot into the air.Ifollowed the scent to my mate.Andhe wasn’t safe, miles away.Hewas here.Onthis blood-soaked hill.Idove for the motorhomeI’dcalled home for too many years.Twofaces were pressed against the windows asIlanded.Theywere pale, wide-eyed, and open-mouthed.Suddenlya white shield of magic enveloped them.

Buteven with that magic wrapped around him, the air reeked of my mate’s magic.Theozone scent of it, so much like a mage’s, dragged me to him.Ilanded outside the vehicle holding my mate captive.Icursed.Icouldn’t get to him inside the motorhome in this form.Mybody was too large.Ipeered in at the window.Themagical shield that glowed brightly with pure white energy protected three people: the same two fearful faces whoI’dseen whenI’dfirst arrived and, behind them, my mate, who was slumped over the table.Hishand flew over a piece of paper.Allaround him were pages torn from the notebook.Evenfrom here,Icould see drawing after drawing after drawing.

Ihad to get to him.

Itried to push my body through the small, narrow door.Theothers inside backed up.Theyheld their hands up, as if in surrender.Theglowing white shield surged brighter.Andnow one of the people held a glowing ball of magic.Hedidn’t throw it, but his fingers twitched like he wanted to.Ihuffed.I’dleft these men to protect my mate.Iwouldn’t have done that ifIplanned to harm them.

Ipushed against the doorway again.

Icouldn’t do it.

Mybody wouldn’t fit.

Iknew my demonic form fit inside those walls, butIcouldn’t get it through the door.

Iturned and scanned the surrounding forest.

Icouldn’t be killed very easily in either form, but my demonic form was stronger, making me better able to protect my mate.Peoplerushed forward, breaking out of the tree line.

Theywere mine.

“Standguard,”Icommanded.Mydemonic power coated the words, compelling them to obey my desires.

Theyshuddered as their bodies jumped to heed my command.Theirwide eyes were fearful as they stared at me.Onceagain,Iregistered fear but didn’t understand its origin.Didthey mean to attack me?No.Ofcourse not.Theywould never do such a thing.

Thenone by one, they turned to form a protective half-circle in front of the entrance to the motorhome.Yes.Thatwas better.Theywouldn’t have turned their backs on me if they didn’t trust me, unless my command had overridden their basic will.Couldit do that?

IfIwas still able to command them against their wills, they would never be able to kill me ifIlost control.NotunlessIallowed it.Thatwas a flawI’dnever anticipated.Ishould have.Butluckily it didn’t matter now.I’dfound my mate and my home.

Iscanned the woods again.Nonew threats were revealed.IfIwas fast,Icould save my mate from his magic and then return to my hunt.Butmy mate came first.Iforced my body to change into my smaller human-like form.Assoon asIwas small enough to get inside theRV,Icharged up the steps.

“Howlong?”Iasked.Myvoice was hoarse and rough.

“Anhour or so?” the one with the fire ball said.Hisname returned to me.Thatone was calledAsh.

“Youokay now?”Thisquestion came fromJeremy.Yes.That’sright.Thatwas the wolf’s mate.

Inodded. “Ineed my mate.Thankyou for protecting him.”

Thewhite shield flickered then winked out of sight.Irushed toJakeand took him into my arms.Hefought me.Heclenched the pencil and notebook in his hand as he tried to draw.