Page 101 of Bewitching the Wolf

It chitters and moves toward her, but she holds out a hand, halting it.

“Taket da,” she orders, pointing at me. “Taket da. Tek a Jax.”

For a moment it hesitates. “Taket da. Tek a Jax,” she repeats, then flicks her hand dismissively, her face haughty.

The cape rears up into the air, billows around me, then fixes itself firmly around my shoulders.

And settles.

“There,” Mom says, arranging its thick velvet fabric around me. “It fits you perfectly. Tomorrow, it will have your back. It may behave in ways you don’t expect. But trust it, Jax. Later tonight I will teach you the commands you must learn off by heart.”

With the cape on my shoulders, something strange and wonderful starts to happen. There’s a warm glow in the region of my heart that seems to spread outward, through my whole being.

I don’t understand why, but the fear has left me. At least for now.

“Here, let me show you something.” Mom delves inside the cape’s lining and shows me a tiny little pocket.

“I don’t remember this being here,” I say, perplexed.

“It’s a secret. Only the High Priestess—or Priest—can locate it.”

She undoes the tiny catch that holds it closed. “I used to keep a lock of your and Clem’s hair in there, but now,” she touches the locket at her throat, “they are in here. But if you have anything you want to place in there, something special, to bring you luck, pop it in, and the cape will multiply its energy.”

I think of the three strands from Tippy’s beautiful tail, and for the first time since I arrived here, I manage a smile.

“Actually Mom, I do have something…”

TIPPY

Later that night, Jax comes to my little cottage.

I’d gone home to be alone and just take in the magnitude of everything that has happened this past week. I knew the team of sheriffs would be planning well into the night for tomorrow’s invasion of Sparkle.

And truthfully, my afternoon with Jax had been so sublimely beautiful, his promise to come back to me, and me giving him the talisman from my tail, it felt enough for now.

My sexual frustration at him edging me is a small price to pay to keep our connection strong on this dangerous venture.

Which is why, when I hear Jax’s motorbike outside my window, then his swift footsteps and a sharp rap on the door, I am surprised, but also delighted as I run to welcome him.

We hug tightly and when I pull away, I know immediately that he has something on his mind. Something big. His energy is a strange mix of troubled and elated.

“What’s up, Jax?” I scan his face anxiously. His eyes are burning bright emerald.

“Tippy, I need to talk to you. Something big has happened, really fucking big.”

Worried, I lead him into my little sitting room and we sit on the sofa in the glow of the soft lumen lamps.

He takes my hand in his, plays with my fingers, silent for long moments.

Finally, he says quietly, “Mom has appointed me High Priest of the Dawnwrought Coven.” His eyes meet mine, and I get the sense he desperately needs my approval. Right now, I’m just trying to process.

“Jax, that’s incredible. I mean, is she… is she still going to be the Priestess?”

“No, she’s stepping down.”

“Oh, so what happens with the mission?” My heart tightens.

His jaw works. “Mom will not be coming. She’s told me I’ll be the one to lead the mission to overthrow Marsha.”