Wolfsbane, A Paranormal/Urban Fantasy (The Maurin Kincaide Series) by Rachel Rawlings Read Free Book Online Page A

former alpha and his mate. Roul's body was covered with bruises and claw marks. His eyes frozen in shock, reflecting the exact moment he realized he was about to die. His bottom jaw barely attached by a strap of skin on his neck rested on his chest. I swallowed hard, trying not to throw up. Olwyn was stretched out next to him. A hole the size of a Kennedy half dollar in her face where the apple of her right cheek would have been was the only evidence that I had shot her. Never having fired a Desert Eagle before I half expected to see her head blown clear off. Something told me the exit wound would be larger but I wasn't rolling her over to find out. Looking at their lifeless bodies I was surprised, or maybe it was disappointment, at how little I felt.
    While I stood beside Cash struggling with my indiffe rence, grief gripped the pack. Men and women -all of them wolves and now Cash's pack- filled the old military hanger to max capacity. All eyes were downcast in a show of submission and respect as they waited for their alpha to address them. Their pain and fear of the unknown was easy to read despite their averted eyes.
    Cash's voice filled the vacuum. His first command as a lpha caught me completely off guard. "Maurin is under pack protection, my protection. There will be no retribution for the death of the omega from an obvious act of self defense. Any wolf in violation of this will suffer my wrath, for a very long and painful time before succumbing to Wolfsbane. By my order she is free to leave and report back to the Council what she has witnessed tonight."
    I took that as my cue to exit. I had seen more than enough of the inner workings of the pack for one night an yway. I wasn't sure it was wise to make his first order as alpha a threat but if he felt it was necessary I wasn't going to argue. Cash had accomplished two things in making that statement. One, now I knew there was a very real possibility one or more of the pack could come after me. And two the pack knew he would not only cause bodily harm but rip the wolf from their body. A fate I assumed was worse than death since that hadn't even been an option.
    Conry was right on my heels as I broke the veil that separated reality from the between and went home. I could still hear the gasps and whispers of how the hell did I just do that as the rip in reality closed and I collapsed on my couch.

     
     
     
     
    4
     
     
     
     
     
    My phone was ringing incessantly. I had been trying to ignore it for the last hour. Ten rings ago I had decided it wasn't a solicitor and most likely another emergency but I couldn't bring myself to get up off the couch and answer it. Five rings ago it dawned on me it was most likely the wo man I called my mother -since my cell phone hadn't rung once, simply because I never gave her the number- and I had even less motivation to pick up. Certain she was just calling to give me grief for letting Frankie down by choosing work over my sister I was determined to let the phone ring all night - well technically morning. One ring ago I realized what time it really was and that in lieu of leaving hateful messages on my machine she chose to hang up and dial again, I concluded something was actually wrong.
    "Hello?" I never bothered to put the receiver next to my ear, the skeptical part of me ready to hang up at the first insult.
    "I know you are behind this. You're always making a mess of everything. You're miserable and alone, no surprise there but I will not allow you to drag your sister down with you. Put Francesca on the phone now!" She was yelling, a show of passion and anger I had never seen before.
    I was about to hit the off button on my phone when I read between the insults. My sister wasn't home. "Frankie's not here." I croaked, exhaustion still audible in my voice.
    "Don't bother lying. I know she's there. Where else would she be?" She regained her composure and was back to the ice queen I was familiar with.
    "I said she's not here. So she