Page 41 of Knot Cursed

Could it have anything to do with the attack?

Jumping up, I stood my ground. I didn’t bother to wipe the grass or anything before I moved next to him, helping my brother stand our ground in front of Prue and her beta.

"I don't think she took your warning seriously," he remarked as he shifted back so we were shoulder to shoulder, even if more hair lined his arms and chin than before.

"Now is not the time," I ground out with a side eye.

Prue yelled from behind us, her voice frantic, "I need one of her feathers!"

Oh, no, was she going to attempt a spell under pressure? Henrietta was a product of one when she was calm, but my gut told me to trust her.

"Dorian, wave that tail at her," I ordered, without looking away from the chicken. "I'll pluck the feather."

"Why am I always the bait?" he groaned. At least he shifted on his feet, ready to run. “On three?"

I gave him a small nod in understanding before he started the count down. Henrietta was still eyeing his tail as it wagged back and forth.

This was either a great idea or stupid but Dorian and I would do anything for our omega.

"One, two...three," my brother said and we both moved. He turned tail at her and I moved to the left side to get the feather. There was a loose one on the ground but this was the only way that we knew it was hers.

"Hurry up, brother," Dorian called out urgently.

What did he think I was doing back here?

The rear end of a giant chicken was the last place I thought I'd be tonight.

At least life was never dull in Moonlit Grove.

Henrietta was finally still enough for a moment that I was able to grab one of her tail feathers. It backfired on me as I pulled it free. She let out a loud squawk, then the next thing I knew she threw me on her back and was taking me for a tour of the back yard.

"Ride that chicken!" Dorian yelled out as he burst into laughter.

"I'll kill you in your sleep!" I yelled back as I clung to the feathers on her back for dear life. The view might have been nice if I wasn’t afraid she would throw me against a boulder for my audacity.

Even though he was still laughing, my brother jumped in front of her in his full wolf form. That made her stop hard. The action had me tumbling off her back but I didn’t come out empty handed. Now, I had two feathers in my closed fist.

Dorian still had the chicken's attention, so Prue jumped off the porch and ran towards me. Her dark hair trailed behind her and her magic was at the ready, giving her skin a glow that I wished I could appreciate more. Unfortunately, our situation was a bit too frantic for that.

Still laying on my back from the fall, I held up my palm to reveal my prize for that effort.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking me over quickly.

"Chicken first," I reminded her with a crooked grin.

"Right," she said as she closed her eyes and started to concentrate on the task at hand.

Merrick had followed her and was standing guard as I peeled myself off the ground. If Henrietta thought that I was going to forget this, she was wrong. Dorian still had her attention but he was getting close to being cornered as she inched closer.

"No rush, Prue, but if you're going to do something, please do it now," I told her in an urgent tone.

A second after my words left my lips, her eyes flashed open and a golden light sparked to life in her hands, consuming the feathers. Prue was muttering something under her breath before the beam headed for the chicken. Henrietta started to shrink back to her normal size, though only a handful of chickens were scattered around her now. I wasn’t sure what that meant for the missing twenty chickens or so, but I’d call this a major win.

Once Prue stopped chanting, the beam dimmed and she slumped into Merrick's arms.

"Take her inside, please. I need to lock these naughty girls in their coop and check on the bait," I told him.

"On it," he said, picking up her legs with his free hand and scooped her into his arms before carrying her back inside.