Carlo’s feet no longer touched the ground, leaving him perpendicular to it. If he let go of the tree he’d be levitating.
“Arturo!”
“She is magnificent.”
“Yep, and I’m still flying here!”
He swore men were inferior. It didn’t matter the situation, be they young or old, women always were going to be the smarter and stronger sex. Period.
“This is true, but it’s okay. I won’t hold it against you.”
Shockwaves reverberated through Carlo’s skull and he let go of the tree in his shock. He didn’t know that voice, yet he did. It soaked into his bloodstream, awakening long-dead cravings and needs in one fell swoop.
He slammed into the ground, dazed and angry. Where is she? Where? But when he leapt back to his feet, there was nothing there except Arturo, Dominic, and Isadora laughing. He didn’t care. Where was the woman? The one who owned that voice?
He had to find her.
“You lost, old man.”
And it didn’t matter. None of it did.
“Carlo?”
He didn’t even answer his Alpha. Where was she?
“Carlo?”
“What?” he roared, spinning on his Alpha.
Arturo growled. “Careful, pup.”
Carlo took a deep breath, closing his eyes to still his beating heart. “I apologize, Alpha. The magic …”
Arturo nodded knowingly. “I don’t think using Carlo will be a good idea going forward, Dominic. After what Ottavio and Benedict did, he may not be able to deal with Isadora using her magic.”
Dominic rubbed a hand down his face and lifted his daughter into his arms. “She is a Witch Doctor.”
Arturo slid his hands into his pockets. “Like Zahara?”
Dominic nodded. “Yes. Zahara unlocked it to deal with Isadora’s extra life energy that’s making her wolf grow. But she shouldn’t be able to use it like this.”
“I’d definitely say it’s confirmed she can,” Carlo forced out. A Witch Doctor and a wolf. We’re screwed.
Dominic watched him for a moment. “I am sorry for what was done to you.”
Yeah, but they didn’t know the extent—the hell he’d suffered or the cruelty of Benedict’s true work—but he wouldn’t think about that. Not now. He would just focus on the voice he’d heard in his head; the one that made him feel not so alone.
Because thinking of his past only made Carlo wish he could get away from mages forever.
Chapter Twelve
Hungry.
Months had gone by since she’d had her run in the woods and attacked Carlo, and Isadora was in much better control of her wolf and her speech. It sort of scared everyone, but she couldn’t change that.
The night was alive with all kinds of stuff. Rabbits. Mice.
Food.
