Page 20 of Her Wolf's Demands

“Is there something about the stones that’s drawing you to paint them?” I asked cautiously.

Staying still, I held my breath, nervous that I’d prompted him about something that he wasn’t ready to speak about. In my haste to change the subject, I hadn’t thought my question through. He might have been on the road to recovery, but his slightly disconnected energy was a sign he wasn’t quite there yet.

“The coven commissioned me to draw them before I got ill.” His shudder made me sit up.

Yes, I’d known that they wanted a mural in the library. I’d assumed it would be a mystical scene of fairies and witches. Why had Ertha wanted a painting of the Devil’s Dyke standing stones? They were on the Brighton Pack’s turf, meaning they belonged to the wolves. What had suddenly sparked her desperation to claim them as her own?

Drake took my silent pondering as a sign to go on. “They asked me not to talk about the commission. You stand on a stone, you see, and ancient witches are channelled through a tree to poison plants.”

My mouth opened as I tried to make sense of Drake’s words. I had often tried to figure out his riddles, but I’d given up a few years ago, instead just allowing him to express himself.

“I suppose Ertha wanted a momentum of the powerful stones.”

My reply was a statement, but Drake looked around at me, a frown creasing his forehead.

“Something like that. Except for the channelled witches.”

Pressing my nails into my palms, I swallowed down the sadness that rose in my chest. He wasn’t as well as I’d first thought. Why had Dr Amel assumed he was on his way to recovery?

“A lot has happened since you’ve been gone,” I said, distracting him again. “I want you to stay here until I come and get you, okay?”

“You don’t need to treat me like a child.” His voice was tight as he lowered himself back on the bed, appearing to shake himself out of his deep thoughts.

“Sorry,” I murmured, ducking my head. “It’s just not safe for us out there at the moment. As you know, tension is brewing between the wolves and the witches and–”

“I’m not one to judge,” he interrupted, his eyes clear as he raised his eyebrows, “but isn’t shacking up with the alpha going to provoke Ertha?”

If I blurted the truth, Drake would panic. I didn’t want to set off his paranoia or have him worry about me. It took everything within me to hold back the insult that sat on my tongue. Ertha was an evil witch with a vendetta against us.

I could understand why she wanted me dead. A powerful hybrid-witch living with the werewolves went against everything our coven stood for.

“I… yes, it has…” Shame engulfed me, making my throat close.

I hadn’t believed that my own brother would be ashamed of my bond with Malone. I couldn’t blame him, I hadn’t told him everything, and the last thing he knew, Malone wanted to rip off his head.

“You’re safe from the werewolves now. Ertha is more of a threat to you. She’s desperate to find you, and I don’t know why.”

Yeah, she had a vendetta against me, I got it, but why Drake? He hadn’t done anything seriously wrong. Something was up with Ertha if she was willing to keep me alive just to find Drake.

“The witches standing on the stones,” my brother replied, looking at the painting nearest the window.

A tap on the door made us both jump. Drake rushed over, his movements almost childlike as he opened it a crack and peeked outside.

“What’s he doing here?”

My heart thumped as Malone’s scent smacked me in the face. Drake was right to sneer. How had the alpha found me?

Dr Amel’s reply was cheerful as Drake stepped back and allowed them entrance. I clenched my hands into fists as the good doctor walked in, gesturing for Malone to follow him, which he did, sauntering in behind him.

“Whatareyou doing here?” I drawled, raising my eyebrows when Malone’s dark gaze clashed with mine.

His hulking frame towered over the doctor and my brother as they crowded into the room. The corner of his lip lifted as he appraised me, his gaze flicking to my lips. The innocent look sent ice and fire flittering across my skin.

“I’m here to meet your brother, as we arranged.” Malone glanced away from me, his gaze running over the paintings on the wall.

No doubt the same question was running through his mind. Why was Drake painting the Devil’s Dyke standing stones?

Dr Amel clicked his tongue and nodded at Drake. “Are you ready to meet your sister’s man-friend?”