This Dark Wolf (Soul Bitten Shifter #1) - Everly Frost Page 0,37
senses. “What about her pain?”
“The human medicine is helping her with that.”
Tristan’s hand clenches around my shoulder. “Because your magic doesn’t work on her.”
“Light and dark magic can’t touch her.” Helen takes an audibly deep breath, lowering her voice as she moves closer. Slowly. As if she’s got her hands raised ready—maybe even her wand in case she needs it. The warning tone returns to her voice and I wish I could see what she sees.
“Tristan,” she says. “You need to step away from Tessa now.”
“Why, Helen?” I imagine the suddenly threatening curl of his lips, a smile before he lashes out.
“Because you’ve clearly had a bad night.” Helen’s voice becomes sharp. “And you’re not in control right now.”
I picture Tristan’s dilated pupils and his parted lips as he inhales each breath. His growl—his wolf’s growl—vibrates all the way through his fingers, brushing against the top side of my breast. Tension builds low in my stomach, a needy pull that draws my wolf’s energy from her sleep, but not enough for her to show herself.
“You’re going to have to lock me out,” Tristan says.
There’s a pause. I hear a sudden confusion in Helen’s voice. “What do you mean?”
“You need to lock me out of Hidden House. If you don’t, I’ll be back tomorrow. And the day after. I won’t leave without Tessa next time. My ability to control this impulse is diminishing.”
Helen sounds suddenly flustered. “But what if we need help? What if something happens and you can’t get in? What if we have another situation with Ella? You’re the only one who can calm her since Jace refuses to come near her. What if the woman in the dark wakes up? You promised you would be here—”
“That’s why I have you!” Tristan snarls. “Do the job I asked you to do, Helen.”
Her sharp inhale tells me she’s indignant and insulted. “You are not the reason I’m here,” she snaps. “Each of these women deserves a better life. You know that or you wouldn’t have brought them here!”
Tristan’s hand leaves my chest so suddenly that the air rushes across the space he leaves behind, a rapid cold that creates a dull ache inside me.
I hear the sound of skin on skin, followed by Helen’s gasp.
Did he grab her? What’s happening? Damn this human medicine! I fight its pull again now that Tristan’s power recedes across the room.
Tristan’s fierce growl would make me shudder if I could move.
His speech is slow. Dangerously soft, while every syllable is forced. “Listen to me carefully, Helen. Baxter Griffin killed Tessa’s father because his son was coming after Tessa. Cody Griffin needed to get to Tessa. That’s the effect Tessa has on our wolves. Our wolves will endanger anyone to get to her. I can’t let this impulse control me too.” The distance between me and his voice increases. “I’m leaving now. As soon as I’m gone, you will lock me out before I hurt someone.”
Helen’s response is an angry whisper. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
“Good.”
Tristan’s retreating footsteps are heavy. The door whispers open, quiet this time, but Helen calls out to him. “You know more about Tessa than you’re saying,” she says, a deep accusation in her voice. “What are you keeping from me, Tristan?”
“Your magic should give you all the answers you need,” he replies, dismissive of her concern.
“My magic tells me her power is nothing I’ve seen before,” Helen says. “Her energy is wolf but not wolf. Her human soul is masking an essence that I can’t identify. I can’t even define the limits of her power. What do you know that I don’t?”
Tristan gives a harsh laugh. “You have your secrets, Helen. I have mine.” There’s a brief pause and I picture the derisive snarl on Tristan’s lips. “What is it that you tell newcomers? A little bit of knowledge can get you killed?”
The door clicks shut and Tristan’s scent fades. Not gone entirely. Still filling my chest like a lingering cologne.
I’m left with a mix of fear and confusion. Before he decided to fight for me the other night, Tristan had leaned close and told me he “had to be sure.”
But sure of what?
Worse than not knowing the answer to that question is the grief that rises inside me. My scent—the nature of my wolf—drove Cody wild enough that he couldn’t let me leave. My father tried to protect me from him, and Cody’s father ripped my father’s throat apart.
What sort of fucked-up crazy shit is going on inside me?