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He’s still yards away, and I know that distance can be closed in a heartbeat. But I grip the rock tighter and vow to use it if he attacks me.

“Didn’t anyone tell you it’s rude to play with your food?” I blurt out.

He tips his head, his lips twisting. I think he might smile. I just called myself food, after all. But no such thing graces his expression, and my thoughts turn darker. Maybe he’ll shift and get this misery over with.

But then who will save my mother?

She only has me.

“What do you think wolves do with their prey?” he asks.

Taunt it, toy with it.

A question for a question. I scowl at him.

“You can’t go back into town with that,” he adds, motioning to the side of his face. He closes the distance between us slowly

Meaning my Mark.

I shrug. “I don’t need town to survive.”

“No, but you might need me.”

He’s bluffing, right?

“Why would you say that?” I demand.

Another howl breaks open the night sky. I feel that sound down to my bones. It’s more menacing than his earlier howl…

I look around, like that will give me a freaking clue. I’m so far out of my depth.

“You’ve ventured into another pack’s territory.” He steps closer. Now he smiles. No, worse than that. The grin that curves his lips is wicked. He’s enjoying this. His eyes are dark, his expression cold. “I simply alerted them that prey was available for the hunt.”

“Why?” I back away from him, but he keeps coming. Until I’m stopped short by a tree.

He strides forward until he’s in my space, invading my senses.

I unwillingly inhale his scent, hating that I don’t particularly mind it. I try to put my finger on the mix. Sandalwood and fresh rain, maybe. A heady combination that is probably, unfortunately, all him.

He’s the first wolf shifter I’ve ever spoken to, and this isn’t quite how I saw it going. I guess I always envisioned there to be no conversation when the day came for me to die.

Isn’t that sad? I think all witches consider that they might meet their death with teeth in their throats. I used to dream about it. Especially when I was younger, and I overheard my mother talking on the phone to someone about the then-recent wave of attacks…

His eyes flash. “You need to come with me, and it was either give you the option to come willingly, or let my wolf take matters into his own… teeth. Or, you can run away again. And someone else will snatch you up.” He tilts his head. “What they’d do to you is out of my control.”

More howls join the first. They aren’t really close, but definitely closer than that first one. And again, I feel phantom teeth in my throat and hot blood coursing down my chest. That’s the only end for me.

The blood drains from my face, leaving me lightheaded. There don’t seem to be many good options here. I clearly couldn’t keep one wolf away from me, let alone a pack of them.

And while this one hasn’t made moves to hurt me, it doesn’t mean he won’t.

He straightens to his full height, towering over me. He reaches out and runs his hand down my arm. The movement surprises me so much, my fingers loosen on the rock. He plucks it from my grip and throws it behind him. Disarming me from my only weapon.

“Come with me, witch. Or face the consequences of a full pack hunt.”

I pause.

Contemplate it, and the gravity of what’s at stake.