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I prayed the barrier scared the wolves away and didn’t make them insane enough to attempt leapingover.
Already a faint tingle pricked my arms from the toxin where I’d touched thewolfsbane.
“Hurry,” Iyelled.
Within moments, they were here. Dagen dashed past me. Then Oryn and Nerofollowed.
Climbing out of the shrub, I forced the plants back upright to cover the gap and recoiled as dark forms appeared on the other side. My flesh buzzed and my headspun.
The animals stalked back and forth, and we had to leave in case they braved a jump to their own detriment. So I turned away but stumbled on my feet. The forest doubled in myvision.
I shook myself and refused to rub my eyes as my hands and arms remained tainted with wolfsbane. I couldn’t allow the herb to hurt my men, evenaccidentally.
An electric sensation crawled up my legs, and I found Dagen transforming, while Oryn and Nero growled at the pack across theshrubs.
In his human form, Dagen rushed over, his face pained withworry.
I recoiled and held my hand up between us. “Don’t touch me. I’ve got wolfsbane on me. I think it’s affecting me.” Though it shouldn’t be affecting me thismuch.
“Okay, which way to your store?” His wordsraced.
Where were we? These woods weren’t the ones I frequented, and I kept scratching my arms. “We need to go before someone sees us.” I figured if I kept going straight, I’d soon stumble across something I recognized, praying it wasn’t aguard.
Right now I wasn’t sure what was worse. Me arriving with the wolves or with naked men. Hell, either way, I was drowning introuble.
A root snagged on the toe of my boot, and I tripped forward, landing on hands andknees.
The whining grunt of my wolves closed in, and Dagen offered me a hand, but I pushed myself to my feet and scratched my forearms. “I won’t make yousick.”
Fear sat on me like someone covering my mouth and nose. I could barely get enough air into my lungs. Getting ill wasn’t an option, especially with three shifters in Terra, Oryn’s pack still in danger, and the priestess after me. My insides crumbled, but I smiled at the guys, putting them atease.
Except Dagen, who stared at me with a frown, but he didn’t voice his concern. Sure, he’d read my thoughts but just knowing I wasn’t alone in this, eased the acheslightly.
We traveled through the woods, not always in a straight line, but the trees were lifesavers, as I used them to keep myself from falling on my face. Red blotches—as well as countless cuts—covered the skin on my arms. A cold chill rolled down myspine.
Breathing hurt, and I pressed my back against a trunk for a few moments, unable to stopscratching.
“Scarlet, tell me what to do,” Dagen demanded. “You’re pale as aghost.”
“Basil.” I pointed to the green herb surrounding us. “Chew the plant and place it all over myarms.”
Dagen scanned the ground but seemed to be missing the green herb. Nero and Oryn transformed, both their wolves growing in size with ease, fur vanishing, their ears shrinking. Nero stood before me, worry crammed in hisgaze.
“Little lamb, I’ve got this.” He plucked basil leaves and handed them to Dagen and Oryn. All three chewed the green leaves, their faces scrunching before they spat them into theirpalms.
I held my arms out. “Place them all over and my hands but don’t touch my skin with yours. It should calm theitchiness.”
The chewed-up basil felt warm against my flesh, and despite our situation, I couldn’t help but laugh at seeing these strong alphas masticating the plant in unison. “Can someone put fresh leaves into my mouthtoo?”
Nero obliged, careful not to touchme.
By the time the green paste coated my skin, the scratchy sensation eased, and I gulped down my mouthful, hoping it aided with my spinninghead.
“Let’s keep going,” I said to my three naked men. It was past midday, and I wanted to reach my place beforenightfall.
We traveled for what seemed aneternity.
“I smell fire,” Orynsaid.
