Page 10 of The Wolf's Captive

“As you already know, breaking a bond with a familiar is extremely hard. There’s a slight chance you’d lose your magic in the process.”

“How?” I barked, my hands shaking as I tucked them into my pocket.

Tutting, he shook his finger. “Come now, you might be more wolf than witch nowadays, but you know that your magic is intricately woven through Kieran’s DNA now.”

Resisting the urge to vomit, I ran a hand through my hair as my insides churned. “I’d sooner lose my magic than stay connected to that cock womble.”

A burst of hilarity exploded from his mouth, making me jump. His eyes glittered as he regained composure and nodded.

“I understand.” Taking off the chain around his neck, he snapped open the locket shaped like a star. “This is Misty. She was killed when I made the biggest mistake of my life.”

The cat’s little face was etched into the gold, the detail incredible considering it was the size of a coin. My chest squeezed as air rushed out of my lungs. I had lost Bohdi because of Kieran’s horrendous act of selfishness. I knew what it was like to lose a familiar. It had destroyed a part of me.

“What did you do?” My intrigue was piped, I had to admit.

Sighing, he looked away, staring into the water below. His eyes glazed over, as if he were astral projecting to another memory.

“I accidently killed an alpha when doing a spell. He had asked me to break his mate bond because the female had already been in love with another man before the bond had evoked.” Licking his lips, he glanced at me, his eyes full of unshed tears. “He was a very good friend of mine and he respected his mate’s wishes, so… I performed the spell, cutting the ethereal chord that connected them to one another. It…”

Anxiety made my stomach roll, so I placed my hand over it in an attempt to calm the churn. It had been hard enough losing Bohdi, let alone Malone. I couldn’t… No, it didn’t even bear thinking about.

Shaking my head, I stepped closer to the warlock. His energy was heavy as a tear escaped, cascading down his angled cheekbone.

“The spell killed him. I don’t know how it went wrong, I don’t know why she lived and he didn’t.” He swiped a hand over his long hair, almost absentmindedly. “I still can’t figure it out.”

“Is she okay?” I asked, bracing myself for his answer.

The quick shake of the head was enough to make my palms sweat. I wasn’t surprised she had suffered too. If Malone had gone through with his rejection, I would’ve ceased to be able to think coherently, let alone act it. That bond truly was unbreakable.

“I’m so sorry.” Reaching out a hand, I pulled back before it could make contact.

It had been too long since I’d allowed myself to trust anyone. I still had to be wary of Victor Roberts.

His smile of appreciation was followed by a shudder. Almost as if he was shaking himself out of his reverie. “It happened many years ago now. I was thrown out of my coven in England and forced to stay alone. Until the pack accepted me as one of their own, despite my mistake.”

“So that’s why you hang around with wolves?” Placing my hands on my hips, I raised my eyebrows at him.

He nodded, a small smile dancing on his lips. “We’re alike, you and I,” he said, pointing at me. “Both disconnected from our roots and living with another kind.”

“And are you happy?”

Sucking on his bottom lip, he shrugged. “The pack is growing up, changing. I’m ready to return to where I came from. However, I’ve heard that a little hybrid-wolf killed the leader.”

“Wait,” I stuttered. “You were from the Brighton Coven? Why didn’t I know you?”

Waving a hand, he tutted. “Because my indiscretion happened before you were born. It was forbidden to talk about it after that.”

His head raised as the wolf nearby held up his hand. I smelled the air, trying to guess why the man had interrupted us.

“I have somewhere to be,” Victor said. “Let me offer you this. Help me reinstate myself into the Brighton Coven and I’ll disconnect you from Kieran Montgomery.”

Frowning, I wrung my hands in front of me. “I don’t mean to be rude,” I started, “but didn’t you kill an alpha trying to do the same thing?”

Laughter bubbled from his chest as he threw his head back. I watched him, almost mesmerised by the warlock dressed in animal print with his straight dark hair. I had never seen anyone quite so bizarre. He would be perfect for Brighton. I shouldn’t have been surprised that he was from the city of acceptance.

“I’ve practiced my craft heavily since that happened, my dear.” Coming closer, he placed a hand on my arm. “Let me assure you that I’ve successfully disconnected familiars many times now. And all with a one hundred percent survival rate.”

Frozen under his touch, I swallowed hard. If he had been able to cut those chords between witches and familiars, would he be the answer to my prayers?