Broomstick Breakdown

Chapter Ten

Sophia slept through the brisk knocking that came the morning after a night of loving the likes of which Aidan could never have imagined. He drew on some pants and a shirt as he walked barefoot to the cabin door.

Opening it, he wasn’t surprised to find Randy wearing only pants and another pack member, Raegen, waiting for him.

Randy smirked. “Jason wants to see you.”

“Just couldn’t wait to go running back to him, could you? I told you I’d speak to him, and I meant it.”

“He’s the pack leader. I owe my allegiance to him, not you. He had a right to know.”

“Whatever.” Aidan knew there wasn’t any point wasting breath with the sycophant who held beta position in the pack, a post won through ass-kissing and not any real abilities. He pulled out some running shoes and put them over his bare feet.

Straightening, he saw Randy sniff the air and leer at him. “I see someone’s been busy. Was she good in the sack?”

Aidan’s face hardened. Around shapeshifters, scent always gave them away, and after the loving he’d shared the previous day with Sophia, the scent of sex hung heavy throughout the cabin and on his skin. A delightful perfume he hoped to wear daily from here on in but Randy spoiled it with his very presence.

“Do not speak of her disrespectfully or you’ll be going back in pieces.” Aidan gave a mirthless smile at Randy’s blanched face. “Let’s go.” Aidan wanted out of here quickly before Sophia woke up. He didn’t want her getting involved, and knowing what he did of her, she’d insist on going. Not if he could help it. He wanted her safe in case things devolved into a fight, something his gut was telling him seemed more and more likely.

It was only when they’d reached Aidan’s truck, Randy and Raegen having come in on four feet with their pants in their mouths, that he realized only Randy followed him.

“What’s Raegen doing?”

Randy spat on the ground before answering. “Making sure your witch stays put. We wouldn’t want her wandering around the woods again. Never know what might happen.”

Icy fingers walked down Aidan’s spine at the implied threat and ignoring the smaller beta for a moment he stalked back to Raegen and loomed over him.

“Let’s get one thing clear. Touch one fucking hair on her head and I will hunt you down and skin you alive.”

If Raegen were in wolf form, he would have rolled over on his back and presented his vulnerable belly. As it was, in man shape he swallowed hard, fear evident in eyes. “I-I won’t touch her.”

Aidan gave him one last hard look then followed Randy to his truck. Things didn’t bode well, but Aidan refused to give up without a fight. He’d been content until now to allow Randy free reign over the pack, but if it came down to a battle for dominance, Aidan knew he stood a good chance of winning. He couldn’t allow himself to doubt. His future and Sophia’s depended on it.

Sophia woke and stretched, a smile curving her lips. What a night! When she’d decided to give herself to Aidan wholeheartedly, she’d expected pleasure, but not the overwhelming contentedness and connection that imbued every inch of her. I love him.

The words didn’t shock her. How could they? They were the truth. She couldn’t wait to tell him. She could already imagine his look-fierce, loving, and protective, then turning into smoky desire. Mmm.

She swung her legs out of bed, slightly surprised he wasn’t there to greet her with a morning kiss. Probably making breakfast.

However, she didn’t find him in the kitchen, bathroom, or living room. Starting to get concerned, she sat down on the sofa to think where he could have gone at this early hour. And without telling me. After a peek out the window, she frowned. Not only was his truck gone, but she caught a glimpse of movement as a strange man, barely more than a kid really, wearing only jeans, shifted position where he lounged against a tree.

Fear knotted her stomach. She tentatively reached for the connection she’d formed with Aidan the day before. She got a brief impression of anger, not toward her, then danger and fear for her. Aidan? She sent a tremulous inquiry at him and thought he hadn’t heard, but to her shock, he replied back, loudly.

“Get out of the cabin. The broom’s in the woodshed. Fly to your brethren. Now!” Abruptly she found her connection to him cut off, but not before the pain. A pain being inflicted on Aidan!

And he expected her to run. Not freaking likely. He’s mine, and I’ll be damned before I let him face danger alone. Sophia snarled as she stalked to the bedroom and rummaged through her purse for clothing more appropriate to flying and invading a nest of shifters.

Magic might not work against shifters, but anger focused her mind, and she suddenly saw ways she could use her power as a force to be reckoned with. With no time like the present, she exited the cabin, flinging the front door wide and startling the werewolf set to guard her.

He recovered quickly and came toward her, hitching his thumbs through his belt loops sucking in his scrawny chest. “Get back in the cabin.”

“Where’s Aidan?”

“He’s with our pack alpha. Now get back inside.”

Sophia ignored his request. “What are they doing to him? Where are they?”

“Listen, Miss, I don’t know what’s going on. Alls I know is Aidan was supposed to have a talk with Jason, and I’m supposed to make sure you don’t go anywhere ’tils they come to a decision.”

“Really?” Sophia smiled at him coldly and started drawing on her power. At a time like this, she found herself glad she’d followed the true magic and not the weakly, potion-ridden Wiccan way. Because what she had planned only the dark arts would do. “I’m going after Aidan, so I’m going to give you one chance to get out of my way like a good little boy or else.”

The young man drew himself up and puffed out his chest with importance. “I know your witchy powers can’t touch me. So, why don’t you go inside like I asked you to. I’m the one in charge here.”

Sophia rolled her eyes, not surprised at his response. “Fine, have it your way.” Since her encounter with the slobbering Randy, Sophia had been mulling over ways to overcome the nullifying effect shifters had on magic. She never wanted to feel so frightened and helpless again. The answer, when it finally came to her, was so simple she wanted to slap herself for not thinking of it sooner. She need to use her magic indirectly.

Using her newfound theory, Sophia sent out tendrils of power. She skimmed it along the ground until it touched what she sought. A moment later a large rock came sailing out of nowhere and struck her guard in the back of the head. With eyes rolling back into his head, he slumped to the ground unconscious. She gaped for a second, shocked it had actually worked.

One down, a whole pack to go. Sophia knew her plan was insane bordering on suicidal, but she couldn’t let Aidan face the wrath of his pack alone. Especially not since she knew the rift was because of her.

Hurrying, she went to the woodshed and opened the door. At first she didn’t spot the broom; he’d tucked it in the corner with a tarp over it. But once she found it, she immediately began chanting and imbuing it with the magic she needed to get it to fly.

Spell cast, she sat sidesaddle on the wooden handle and gripped it tight. Catching movement from the corner of her eye, she saw her guard stirring, stupid werewolf blood healing him quicker than a human. With a cackling laugh that did her witchy heritage proud, she swooped into the air. Only once aloft did she open her connection to Aidan, using it as a beacon to locate him.

Time to save her wolf.