Royce stood with the other males discussing strategy. He heard his name whispered inside his head and searched the crowd.

Where was Joanie? It was late. All the others were down, save for Clare.

And David.

A feeling of foreboding kicked him in the stomach. Glenis passed by and Brand wrangled her in for a kiss.

“Have you seen Joanie? Or David?”

Her nose crinkled and she pursed her lips. “You leave that girl alone, Royce. She’s been through enough.”

“I think it’s a little too late for that,” Brand replied, a smirk on his face.

“You didn’t.”

“She’s my mate, Glenis.”

“Of all the… oh my Goddess. You men. Always finding trouble where there doesn’t need to be. Look in the woods. She went searching for David a bit ago. He was out playing with the pack kids.”

“How long?”

She lifted her face to the sky. “About an hour. Why?”

His senses prickled and he heard it again.

Royce.

Only this time it was more panicked.

“Shit. It’s her. I hear her. Brand…” Royce moved in the direction his wolf pulled him, his connection to Joanie the only thing he had to help find her. That and what Glenis said about the woods. What better place for Hexen to stalk someone?

***

 

She lay bleeding, the burn marks from the spells he inflicted on her designed to hurt and maim but not to kill. Not yet.

The moon began to rise and she felt a stirring deep in her belly. The wolf inside her began to unfurl and with her so did the memories.

Darius coming at her with a wand in the alley. Tim killing him. Clare as a wolf biting her and shifting into a woman. All of it.

More importantly, her time with Royce and the bite that throbbed in time with her heartbeat as she struggled to stay alive.

Royce. Where are you?

She wiped a tear from her eye and faced the monster down. She would not be beaten. Not when she had just begun to live.

The wolf inside of her howled and, in the distance, she heard the resonating cry of a thousand voices calling out in answer. Her pack. Her people.

Oh God.

She would lead them all here to their doom. Unless she could do something to stop him.

David whimpered, his human voice morphing into the more lupine bark of a pup. He backed up nervously and took off for the deeper woods.

“Let him go. It’s you I really want. I can always catch the little varmint later. There. Do you feel it, wolf? The moon has come out to play. We can see what you’re truly made of now that you’ve become one of them.”

“Mason.” She struggled to her feet, her body broken and aching. He’d struck her, spelled her and worse, but she’d protected the boy and now he’d gotten away. A breath of relief spiraled through her.

“So… you do know who I am after all. Pity. I’m just going to have to snuff you out anyway.”

Joanie’s nose wiggled and she gasped as a strand of something popped free.

Oh shit. Had that been a hair?

No. A whisker.

She gulped, covered her mouth to hide the evidence and then she felt the peach fuzz covering her upper lip. If she didn’t change then maybe he wouldn’t kill her.

“Oh,” she gasped. This was happening. Like for fucking real.

Joanie’s body twisted into a giant muscle spasm and she fell into the dirt, weak and twitching. Joanie cried out as her fingers curved into claws and the fine sheen of hair on her body became the salt and pepper gray of a wolf’s thick coat.

The bones of her face reformed into a muzzle, her body twisting and contorting to fit her new shape, leaving her panting and exhausted.

Mason scrutinized her change, the smirk on his face complete when she finally scrabbled up to stand. On four feet instead of two, she bared her teeth at him. A low growl reverberated up her throat and she took a step forward, wishing she had hands and the damned Taser that lay in the pile of her abandoned clothes.

“Very nice.” He held out the wand but before he could act, a small form darted out of the shadows.

David.

He twisted between the man’s legs, downing him effortlessly. He growled, emitting a few short barks and lifted his face toward the moon.

Eyes shone in the surrounding darkness. A large black wolf trotted forward, eyes on her. She chuffed and he gave a sharp nod of his head.

Royce.

Oh God. He’d come.

He nuzzled the side of her neck and a growl resonated from his throat when she winced. The others surrounded the fallen witch, David retreating into their number.

Glenis emerged from the tree line and walked among the wolves, her face tight with anger. Her eyes glowed with the need to shift, but she stayed in her human form.

“Mason. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“It’s true then. You mated with this… this beast.”

A large gray wolf nuzzled against her leg, teeth bared. She ran her hands through his thick coat and gave Mason a cold smile.

“Yes. Not that it’s ever been any of your concern. Now, you’ve caused harm to me and mine. Get out before I escort you bodily from the premises.”

He raised his wand. “I don’t listen to wolf lovers.”

“Suit yourself.” Glenis raised her hands, drawing power from the land around her. A wall of purple lightning slammed into Mason, knocking him back on his ass, the wand flying from his grasp.

Without thinking, Joanie darted forward. She scooped the wand up in her mouth and danced out Mason’s reach. She sidled up next to Royce and willed herself back into human form.

Her bones snapped and popped back into place. The fur receded and the glow of her white flesh in the moonlight made her breathe a sigh of relief. The shift had mended her. No cuts covered her skin and her ribs had healed where Mason had kicked her.

Swallowing a tearful breath of thanks, she stared at the interloper, not caring that she stood among her pack, naked as the day she was born. She was indeed one of them and no more did she try to deny it.

The wand tingled in her hand and she gasped as the magic reacted to her. She opened her palm to fling it from her but instead it clung to her, demanding her attention.

What was happening?

Royce whined and slid up beside her. She met his eyes and shook her head, letting out a panicked breath.

“Joanie, put it down.” Glenis snapped in her direction.

“I… I can’t.” The wood fused to her fingers, the energy of the implement merging with her spirit. She stumbled, her bare knees hitting the abrading crush of pine needles and debris.

Mason climbed to his feet, his face a mask of rage. “You dare.”

He flung out his hand but the magic he once had was no more. Staring at his hand in disbelief, he choked back a cry. Royce flung himself forward, jaws open wide. Mason screamed as he connected, his throat torn open.

The wolves closed in, pinning him to the ground as his screams echoed through the silent night. Joanie turned her back and Glenis came up behind her.

It was all too much. He deserved it, but it was hard to reconcile this new life. She glanced down at her hand and felt the thrum of the wild magic stirring in her blood.

“Come on. Let’s get you home.”

“Royce,” she called out and he emerged from the snarl of wolves. He shifted effortlessly and took her into his arms. He gathered her to his chest and let the sounds of the night recede as the moon shone down and the blood of their tormenter fed the hungry earth.