Page 103 of The Witch’s Daughter

I smiled to myself.

She cares for me.

I was going to enjoy ripping Vincent’s heart out for touching my mate.

The power of the earth drummed through me. Vast and expansive in all her glory. It begged for more blood. I’d give it to her.

For Tisiphone.

“The vision.” Calla panted as she threw open the flap to the tent. I’d passed her on my way inside, leaving her and Gentry to tend to the drugged witches. “I think I remember now.”

Vincent used my moment of distraction to call the elements. Lightning struck, burning the roots from his flesh and leaving him unscathed.

He raised his hands, a gleam in his eye, as he called down more.

In turn, I reached for the power of the earth and the ground beneath us began to shake as vines shot out, breaking the pews into shredded wood.

The unmistakable sound of bones shifting was followed by a cry I never wanted to hear again.

“No!” Calla screamed.

Tisiphone’s wolf howled as she leapt over the cracking earth, clamping her jaw around Vincent’s neck and tearing out his throat.

I blinked.

The wolf shook her head, spraying blood all over the stage and staining the teal tips of her fur coat crimson red. She dropped the warlock’s dead body and whined softly before trotting up to me.

Tisiphone’s wolf sat at my feet and lifted one dainty paw, licking the blood with another whine.

“Oh gods…” Calla panted, looking nervously at the statues. “Well, I… Never mind. I didn’t see that one coming.”

A disbelieving laugh burst from me as Tisiphone’s wolf whined again, shaking her paw.

I don’t know what’s so funny. My wolf panicked, barking orders. My mate needs a bath. Either you clean her or I will.

*

With Tisiphone’s wolf in my arms, I walked right out of the war camp, leaving the trail of carnage behind. The magic festival continued as normal, none the wiser to the evil that happened just down the road.

If there was one observation I’d made after witnessing all I had, it was this. That life continued despite cruelty, and that was how it should be. Earth didn’t pause her rotation because of winter. Spring still came every year.

The witches and warlocks would know what happened soon enough. But it wasn’t my job to clean things up. This was Alpha Liam’s territory, and it was past time I returned to my own.

With my mate.

I didn’t even stop at my tent. Traveling with a bag would only slow me down, if the bag made it back at all. I looked at the reason in my arms, smiling at my little curse.

She’s perfect.

Tisiphone’s wolf had grown tired of trying to clean her fur. One matted teal and crimson tuft stuck up straight behind her ear. She huffed at me as if I was the cause of all this.

I tightened my hold, pressing her to my chest and breathing in her scent to calm my own beast. My heart still raced too fast. All my senses were heightened.

Calla’s wolves rushed to greet her before we’d even crossed the Ossory border back into Anubis territory, but they gave me a wide berth, baring their necks in respect. Sage and her daughters came running forward. So did half the Cerberus encampment.

“What happened?” Alpha Kera was in full battle mode, with the twins flanking her on either side. Had it only been minutes since I sent them away? It felt like a lifetime.

Tisiphone’s wolf gave a bossy yip before she wiggled from my arms. She shifted into her human body. I was vaguely aware that she did it for my own benefit, so that she could relay the events without using her pack link, but the minute I saw her naked body, I could no longer think straight.