AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Because of this,” I said, showing him Lola’s text.
He sighed, disappointment flickering across his face for a moment before he nodded. “You’re right. We should definitely be there for that.”
I stuck my bottom lip out in a playful pout. “Promise you’ll make it up to me later?”
“Absolutely.” He grinned. “You better stop giving me those sinful looks during training, or I might just combust.”
Laughter bubbled up from within me. “No promises.”
“Fine.” He feigned exasperation before planting one last lingering kiss on my lips. “Let me get changed quickly, then we’ll go see if we can help Zander.”
Walking hand in hand through the woods that surrounded town, we left the secluded training grounds and headed towards the hospital. It felt like wherever we went now, there was always some form of physical connection between us, whether it was our interlaced fingers or his arm draped across my shoulders. It felt as though our bodies were compelled to seek each other’s touch, like magnets irresistibly drawn together.
I wondered once again if I should bring up the mating bond. Back at the training ground, my wolf’s instinct to mark him had nearly overwhelmed me when he’d kissed me. Ignoring her desire, as well as my own, was becoming increasingly challenging. I wanted to mark him and be marked by him.
We reached the hospital sooner than expected, and I put aside my desire to complete our mating bond. Lola needed our support now. There was time enough to discuss claiming each other. Distraction in any form would be dangerous for us if the hunters attacked.
Déjà vu hit me as Ridge and I entered Zander’s room. This time, though, the anticipation was palpable, practically zinging at my skin. Elliot stood near the window, concern etched on his face. Zander looked more focused now that the haze of memory loss had been lifted from his eyes. He seemed eager, almost desperate, to get his wolf back and whole again.
Eleanor and Julia arrived shortly after we did, and the room seemed to shrink with their powerful presence. They started setting up intricate arrays of crystals and herbs. I marveled at how much stronger Lola had become with her magic. She exuded confidence as she took charge of the ritual.
“Now, everyone,” Lola’s commanding voice caught our attention. “This spell is more complex than anything I’ve attempted before, so I’ll need your full concentration.”
We all nodded our understanding. Excitement and apprehension coursed through me.
Lola double-checked each item Eleanor and Julia had placed on the small table near Zander. She carefully examined each item, selecting the ones she desired, softly whispering their names as she went—eucalyptus for purification, chamomile for comfort, jasmine and star anise to open channels, amethyst to promote relaxation, rose quartz for healing—then arranged each item beside Zander’s still form. Zander’s frightened look caught her attention, and she whispered in his ear. Whatever she’d said helped calm him down.
Lola traced a figure eight in the air, her hands hovering mere inches above Zander’s body. She then walked from his head down to his feet and made her way back up again, her hands never ceasing their movements.
Lola began her incantation, almost silently at first. “By moonlight’s glow and nature’s call, I weave a bond, a union for all. Man and wolf, spirit and pelt. Merge as one, where shadows melt.” She repeated her spell, her voice gradually becoming louder until it reverberated around the room. Continuing their rhythmic dance, her hands emitted a warm, amber glow that illuminated the man below her.
The energy in the room began to build, the power of the spell turning the air electric. Just when it seemed the spell was reaching its peak, it suddenly fizzled out.
Lola’s face crumpled in frustration, her hands falling to her sides. “I don’t understand,” she muttered, her shoulders slumping with disappointment.
Zander, however, offered her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, Lola. You’ve already done so much for me. I don’t want you to push yourself too far when you’re still learning.”
“Thank you, Zander. But I think we should try again. Maybe involving Ridge would help. His inner alpha wolf might call to yours and help you reach it.”
Ridge didn’t hesitate to volunteer, his protective instincts flaring up as he stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”
“Thank you, Ridge,” Lola said gratefully, but I heard surprise in her tone as well. She’d expected him to decline.
She turned to Eleanor and Julia. “Could you please help? I think with the strength of three, and Ridge’s alpha wolf, it would give us a better chance of making this work.”
The witches nodded and took their places on either side of Lola. Ridge stood at Zander’s head.
As the spell resumed, I watched anxiously alongside Elliot. This time, the energy built even more intensely than before, and I felt the power of the combined efforts of Lola, Eleanor, and Julia. Each witch recited the spell, their voices harmonizing. They each bore glows of slightly different shades of yellow, with Eleanor and Julia’s being brighter than Lola’s.
Ridge’s wolf stirred within him, responding to the call of the magic as he shifted seamlessly in the middle of the spell. The room vibrated with primal energy, and every hair on my body stood on end.
“Come on,” I urged under my breath, willing Zander’s wolf to answer the call. We all held our breath, waiting for a sign that the spell was working.
Ridge stood proudly in his wolf form. He truly was a stunning wolf. A palpable tension build in the room as the magic swirled around us. I could almost hear the silent communication between Ridge’s wolf and Zander’s dormant one, urging it to awaken.
“Come on, Zander,” I said, my fingers digging into Elliot’s arm.
Zander’s body began to convulse, his bones snapping and reforming as he finally shifted into his wolf form. His triumphant howl echoed through the room, mingling with Ridge’s own cry of victory. Relief and joy spread through me like wildfire.
