Fear clawed at Rourke's chest, and he was running before he could reflect on what he was doing.Had the fucking witches attacked already?As he got closer, he slowed his steps.The scent of blood was strong, but the person in Ulric's arms was Ezra, not one of his shifters.
Ezra's head swayed with each step Ulric took, and Rourke's claws split his skin.Had they attacked one of their own?Witches were vicious, but would they attack someone from their own clan?He suspected Ezra was a sacrifice on their part, someone they deemed they could be without, but still.Maybe it was an attempt on Rourke's life.Why hadn't he sensed Ezra losing consciousness?As his mate, he should've felt it happen.Maybe it was different when it was a mating between a shifter and a witch.
Ulric's eyes were those of his wolf, his teeth didn't fit in his mouth, and Rourke noted his hands were clawed.
"What happened?"He closed the distance between them.Why hadn't Ulric sounded an alarm?The smell of magic underneath the blood tickled his nose.It didn't have the rotten scent he'd smelled when meeting witches in battle, but it was still magic.
"He warded the grounds."Ulric flashed teeth as if it was Rourke's fault.
"What?"
Ezra's eyes were closed, but he winced when Ulric tightened his hold on him, so Rourke didn't think he was unconscious.He took in his bloody hands and arms and shook his head to try to clear his vision when it grew hazy.
"I went looking for you when we got back from the hunt, but you weren't in your room, so I chatted a bit with Ezra, and he said he could set up wards around the territory.I said no, things crossed over all the time, and we'd only go mad having to check everything around the clock.But he said he could set it up so we only were alerted if a witch crossed over, and I thought it sounded like a great idea."
Rourke nodded.It was a great idea.
"Yeah, then he started cutting himself."Ulric pushed Ezra at him, and Rourke had no choice but to take him.The heat in his chest let out a happy sigh, but he ignored it as he took in the many, many cuts on Ezra's arms and palms.What the fuck?
"Now what?"
Ulric shrugged and ran a hand through his hair."He connected it to me somehow.He said he can connect it to you too or more people if we want."
"And it will do what?"
"Alert us when someone crosses the border of his magic."
Rourke narrowed his eyes."Alert us when someone steps onto our land?"
Ulric nodded, and Rourke curled his arms tighter around Ezra.It was why they never could get the drop on the witches.They always knew when they were approaching.He looked at Ezra.Could they trust him, though?
"Fucking witches."
Ulric nodded; his wolf was still close to the surface."I didn't think he'd have to nearly kill himself to do it."
How fragile were witches?"Isn't he healing?"
"Not like us."Ulric turned Ezra's left hand to study his palm."These are hours old."
Rourke grimaced.They weren't actively bleeding, but they didn't look as if they planned on disappearing anytime soon.Did all witches heal this slowly or was it only Ezra?If it was all of them, it was good news.
He scanned the surroundings.He'd told Due they needed to focus on building their defenses.They had their land now.They didn't need more.The goal should be to defend what they had, and with wards, if they worked, they were one step closer to being able to do it.
The scent of fear filled the air, and Rourke looked down only to find Ezra staring at him with wide eyes.A second later, he was pushing at Rourke to be let down.
"Easy."Rourke gently put his feet on the ground.He was so tiny."You should rest."
Ezra shoved his hands away and winced as one or more of the wounds broke open.A coppery tang filled the air, and Rourke had a silly notion of licking the blood off him."And clean up."
Ezra nodded and swayed a little before turning toward the pack house and walking off.
"Maybe make sure he eats something."Ulric pursed his lips.
"We should have a meeting.Gather the others in the office, and I'll be in soon."
* * * *
Ezra was too tired to care if someone looked at him as he walked through the pack house to Rourke's room.He'd overdone it.He'd believed he could set up a ward around the closest area, but he should've known better.He was a weak witch.Useless.The last thing he remembered was setting the last marker and connecting it to Ulric.He must've passed out when he'd done it.
