Lost Little Wolf

by N. K. Vir

  “The two of you are deeply connected,” Annie observed as her face remained calm and free from the strain her magick was inflicting upon her.

  She was right in her observation and instantly knew what he needed to do. His grip on her tightened and he felt his own magick awaken, blending with the power of the magick that Annie was pumping into Wills. The blue light of her magick intertwined with his green magick creating a brilliant light show in the clearing. Together their light injected into Wills’ small, frail form causing her convulsions to intensify.

  He grit his teeth together and allowed his magick to be freely drawn from him but he sensed it wasn’t enough. “We need more,” he ground out. “Adam, help us,” he begged.

  He expected the ancient witch to hesitate and was shocked when he immediately leant his power. If he was surprised by Adam’s willingness to help he was floored by the true color of his magick. Pure white light leapt from the tips of his fingers. His magick ignited; flaring strongly from Adam and together the three powerful forces of magick brought back to Wills the life that had almost been stolen from her; freeing her from Kane’s poisonous attack.

  Her first real breath in nearly six hours dropped Kieran to his knees. The magickal stream of energy they had been pouring into her was suddenly cut off. The grey tone of her skin lightened returning to a healthy shade. Her breath returned to its normal steady rhythm and even her eyelids fluttered open revealing her deep grey eyes free from the cloud of sightlessness she had been forced to carry for the past few days.

  Her recovery had not been slow. It was instantaneous. Her arms wrapped around his neck holding him as tightly as he was holding her. A deep, grateful sob erupted out of him and he rained kissed down on her.

  “You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re okay,” he repeated over and over. Whether he was comforting her or himself he couldn’t tell; and he didn’t care.

  She had heard every word spoken around her while she remained in her wolf-induced coma. She wasn’t even sure if that was a true magick medical condition but it was how she kept herself sane during those long hours of captivity.

  She had tried several times to communicate with the small group of friends that had surrounded her during her hours of incapacitation. She had tried to comfort Kieran as he rested his head on her bed and clutched her hands begged her not to die on him. No matter how hard she tried she wasn’t able to make them hear her. She could feel her body rotting away around her. She was thankful that there was no pain; but the smell was nearly unbearable. When dawn broke in the distance a single beam of light permeated the room. The warmth of the early morning sun warmed her rapidly cooling skin. She tried in desperation to reach for the warmth of the light and failed. She could feel the darkness creeping in around her and it terrified her.

  Tears welled up in her eyes. She could hear, she could finally see, she just couldn’t speak or move. A scream of frustration echoed inside the hollow shell of her body vibrating the dying cells locked inside.

  She heard the telltale squeak of her bedroom door open and a woman she did not recognize crept into the room. Although her sight had returned last night she still had no control over the delicate muscles of her eyes and could not track the woman nor guess at what she was doing in her room. It wasn’t until the woman’s face hovered above her that she was able to get a good look at her. Her dark hair was streaked with thick swaths of grey and her kindly lined face immediately told her that she was in no danger from the visitor.

  “My name is Matilda Winters,” the woman whispered. “I am an old friend of the Sinclair’s and I know you can hear me Historian.” Inside her head she was screaming that she could hear the old woman and begged her to hear her. “The Seelie are coming. The veil will fall and the world will change. You have a long road in front of you.”

  Then the woman disappeared.

  She had not expected to carry her coma memories with her when her body was returned to her control; but she lost nothing when life returned fully to her body.

  Kieran was sobbing uncontrollably over her. His arms were locked tightly around her body and his mouth was swapping between thankful kisses and nonsense words. She wrapped her arms around his neck and just held him; finally satisfied that she was able to communicate, that she was able to comfort him.

  “I can’t believe I’m holding you,” she whispered into the curve of his neck.

  She felt had heard his grateful laugh and was thrilled that all of her senses had been returned to her. “Don’t you ever do that again,” he lightly chastised her.

  She captured his face in her hands halting his affectionate onslaught. “I will always have your back Kieran Sinclair; I love you.”

  “I told you they were perfect for each other,” a familiar voice spoke up.

  Wills was suddenly very aware that they were not alone. “Help me up,” she quietly asked Kieran.

  Once she climbs to her feet she realized that they are far from alone. It appears she did not remember everything while she was unconscious. Her state of dress was also less than she remembered; she was missing a very important piece of clothing; her shirt. The blood soaked bandages had offered her some modesty but she still felt naked in front of the very large group. She glanced down at her torso, more horrified by her state of undress than the blood soaked wrappings she had been dressed in. Kieran, recognizing her distress instantly stripped himself of the shirt he had been wearing and helped her put it on. She inhaled his warm scent; comforted by the embrace it wrapped her in.

  “Damn the men are fine here,” she heard the male stranger whisper in awe.

  Her head whipped up and she couldn’t hide her smile. “They’re Sidhe,” she whispered stunned that the Otherside had come to visit. “They’re Sidhe,” she repeated to Kieran.

  He nodded his head. A broad smile overtook his face wiping away the lines of worry that had begun to invade his face. “I know. Go say hello,” he encouraged with a quick kiss.

  She stepped forward evading Adam’s restraining arm. She reached out her hands capturing the wrists of the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She recognized her instantly. “You’re Annie,” she breathed in awe.

  The woman smiled down at her, “Finally someone who uses my real name without the annoyance of having to be corrected.”

  “Oh,” she breathed. “I know all about you. You’re the human girl from Salem who became a goddess!” she could barely contain her own excitement. She had read about her story. It had been one of the first things she had uncovered in her aunt’s handwritten notes.

  “You see,” Annie said turning to the small group that was huddled behind her. “I am human.” The handsome dark-skinned man shook his head. “You above everyone should understand Robert,” she chastised him. “If I identify as human than I am human!”

  “Thank you,” the words fell out of her mouth before she could veto them. In the Seelie world it was considered a great dishonor to thank them. There gifts were considered to be given freely and only to those who deserved them.

  She ducked her head; ashamed that she had forgotten one of the golden rules of the Sidhe society. She felt an arm pull her back and Adam stepped protectively in front of her. “Forgive her my lady she has been through a lot,” he apologized for her.

  Annie waved him off. “Human; remember? I don’t abide to the old rules,” she reminded him.

  A noise in the forest attracted her attention and she peered around Adam’s wide shoulders to get a better look. In the distance she could see the flash of a male figure, darkly dressed who was obviously growing impatient. “Who’s that?” she asked unable to censor the question.

  “Someone I didn’t see coming,” Annie admitted as if that explained it all. Her eyes fell upon the small group that had stood quietly at Wills’ back. “Keep your friends close Wills,” she advised. “We’ll be seeing each other again soon.”

  Annie turned to leave and she couldn’t stop her hand from reaching out to stopping her from retreating. “Wait!
” she exclaimed. “What about Tanith? What about Lucas?” she asked unwilling to abandoned the friends who had sacrificed so much for her.

  Annie’s eyes met Tanith’s and a fondness passed between them. “I can’t force a loyal friend to follow me,” she told Tanith. “But I wouldn’t turn away another from joining us,” she said laying eyes on Lucas.

  Wills understood Annie’s intentions and she wasn’t sure she was willing to give up her good friends just yet. Her heart was torn. Unexpected tears filled her eyes as she looked up to meet Lucas’. “Lucas this woman is Annie Locke. She is the daughter of your mentor Manny.” She sniffed back the tears she was unwilling to release from her eyes. “Annie this is Lucas, seventh son of the alpha of the Stride pack; and one of your father’s best students.”

  Annie smiled at Lucas. “There is a legend about you in the Otherworld,” she told him unwilling to reveal more. Wills understood; she was giving him the choice.

  Wills kept quiet and allowed her friends to make their own decision.

  Tanith stepped forward and took her hands. “Wills, you gave me everything when I deserved nothing,” she began. “But we’ve left behind a world that is in chaos. I left because I felt the desperation from this side of the veil. There is something we,” her eyes flicked quickly up at Lucas. “I,” she amended, “Need to finish.”

  Wills nodded her head in understanding; finally allowing the tears to fall from her eyes. “Do what you need to do then come home.” She pulled Tanith to her and wrapped her in heartfelt embrace. She released her and quickly threw herself at Lucas. “Don’t you let anything happen to her.”

  “Never,” he promised stepping away from her.

  “This is not the end,” Annie assured her. “This is the beginning.”

  Other Books by N.K. Vir

  The Otherworld Series:

  The Silent Goddess: Book 1 of The Otherworld Series

  Annie is an unusual resident of Salem; meaning she's not a witch or a ghost hunter or any other colorful character that populates the city. Her life is simple, that is until she meets her new neighbor, Duncan. Annie is instantly drawn to him. His strange behavior is just a prelude to a series of bizarre events that cause Annie to believe in the impossible; myth and legends are real.

  https://books2read.com/thesilentgoddess

  The Screaming Stone: Book 2 of The Otherworld Series

  Annie's mind knows she can never be more than a shadow of the goddess that captured Duncan's heart centuries before. However, her heart is beginning to have different aspirations. When the face of death offers them a helping hand they must choose to either accept the help or risk losing both the natural world and the Otherworld to the darkness of the Unseelie.

  https://books2read.com/thescreamingstone

  The Lost King: Book 3 of The Otherworld Series

  Annie, surrounded by friends new and old, sets out on a quest of her own; to find the lost king of the Otherworld who she knows is hidden somewhere deep inside The Trap. For it is said only the lost king can defeat the Unseelie and their selfish King Bres. What she never counted on was a mysterious new friend who swore he would never become the hero she needs.

  https://books2read.com/thelostking

  The Sinclair Witch

  Kieran Sinclair was born into a long line of witches. He has known who and what he was form the day he was born; the only problem has been keeping his talents a secret. When his best friend is attacked and left for dead he is forced to expose her to the very world he had promised to protect her from.

  https://books2read.com/thesinclairwitch

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