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He ran his hand through Ellie s soft hair, willing her to be okay, to come back to him. He looked
up at Charlotte and started to shake his head then stopped.
There was still that bond.
Why?
Maybe his and Ellie s bond was stronger than most.
He also had all this extra energy and emotion running through him. Emotions were part of life, a
life force unto their own. Maybe he could use what Caym had given him and save his mate. Hannah
could heal even the worse of wounds, maybe he could use part of her power through the Pack bonds
and whatever else he could.
Goddess he hoped so.
Caym had given him only ten minutes, and two had already passed. He closed his eyes and
concentrated on the bond. It was there, thin and thready, but goddess, it was there.
He focused on that thread and found the other emotions running through him. He then funneled all
he could through him and into that thread.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body shook. He gasped as he felt a little hand on his
forehead. He opened his eyes and stared into Charlotte s dark ones.
She looked like a miniature Ellie.
Tears slid down her cheeks just like his, and he closed his eyes again, leaning into Charlotte as
he tried to breathe life into his mate.
The bond thickened, his wolf howling along with the energy flowing through them.
He opened his eyes again and looked down, willing his Ellie to come back to him.
 Ellie mine, come back. Please, I need you. I love you so much, Ellie mine. Come back.
Nothing happened, and his chest ached. He couldn t lose hope.
She had to come back.
He cupped her cheek and lowered his lips to hers.
 Ellie mine, he whispered.
Ellie gasped against his lips, her body stiffening in his hold. He watched as the wound on her
chest knitted together, the energy that had been attacking him before now flowing through their bond,
breathing new life within it.
 Maddox.
He started. She hadn t said that aloud. That had been inside his head.
 Ellie? he asked, using that same fragile path she d used in their minds.
 What happened? And how am I hearing you in my head?
He kissed her hard then pulled back.  We ll talk about it later, Ellie mine. Oh, God, you re
back.
He kissed her again then felt another little hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Charlotte and
nodded.
 We need to go, Ellie. Can you walk?
Her arm and chest looked healed, but considering she d just died, he had no idea how she would
feel. They d talk about it all and what this knew power of theirs meant when there were safe. Now,
though, they needed to go and find the Redwoods.
They needed their home.
Ellie nodded, and he staggered to his feet then pulled her up. Though his side still hurt like hell
from where Corbin had stabbed him, the earlier pain from the attack of energy and emotions was now
gone.
Whatever he had done to the bond by using that curse had helped not only Ellie, but himself as
well.
He hugged her close again then lifted Charlotte into his arms, tucking her at his hip.
 Let s go.
 Why aren t Corbin and Caym here? Ellie asked, her brow wrinkled.
 Caym gave us ten minutes to say goodbye, and we have about half of that. We need to go.
She nodded and walked by his side. Charlotte buried her face in his neck, and he took a deep
breath. He d deal with everything that had happened later. Right now, he needed to get his family out
of this hell.
Caym and Corbin were nowhere to be seen, but he could feel other wolves circling them. He
didn t know if the other wolves would agree to what Caym had said, or if they even knew the promise
had been made. Maddox shook his head. It wasn t as if he believed the word of a demon anyway.
He ran as fast as he could to the weakest point on the wards, Charlotte in his arms and Ellie by
his side. They d done what they d come to do save Charlotte. He just hoped the consequences of
that action, the unknown in what they d done, didn t come back for them.
 Hurry, Maddox, Ellie said in his mind.
He nodded, still not used to this new connection of theirs, though the sound of his mate s voice
made him want to weep with joy.
They made their way to the wards and stopped in front of the inky black magic.  Brace
yourselves.
He took a step through, and Charlotte screamed in agony into his ear. He immediately pulled
back, Ellie following him, and dropped to his knees to take a look at Charlotte.
 What is it? What hurts? he asked, looking over her. He d been so focused on Ellie he d only
given the little girl a cursory look.
God, what if he d missed something?
She shook her head and placed her hand over her heart.  I can t go through the wards. At least I
don t think I can. Caym said he put a lock on me. Is that what he meant?
It dawned on him then.
That vindictive bastard.
 Did he use a spell on you, baby?
 I think so& 
Ellie reached out and pulled her sister into her arms the first time the girls had touched.  I
think it s because she still has those Central bonds, Maddox. I remember Corbin saying Caym was
planning on forcing all the Centrals to stay within the wards unless on assignment. I hadn t known
how he d planned on doing that. Oh, God, Maddox. How are we going to leave?
Maddox took a deep breath.  We re going to have to bring her into our Pack now. Fuck, this [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]