The Silver Wolf (Diana and Talon) novel Chapter 172

Chapter Quered Seventy Two

Chapter One Hundred Seventy Two

“I miss our mate,” his wolf suddenly said inside their shared mind.

Lucian almost laughed.

“We left her only a few hours ago.”

“That is too long.”

“We will see her after the hunt.”

“We should return now.”

“We need food.”

“We can hunt another day.”

Lucian shook his head, though amusement warmed his chest.

“You said that yesterday.”

“Our mate is carrying our pup. We should stay beside her.”

“Agatha threatened to chase us out of the cottage herself if we continued hovering.”

“She did not mean it.”

“She picked up a broom.”

“She would not have struck us.”

Lucian remembered the determined look on Agatha’s face and smiled.

“She would have.”

His wolf became quiet for a moment. Then he grumbled.

“I still miss her.”

“So do I.”

Claim

Lucian truly did. He had been gone less than half a day, yet he could not wait to see her. He imagined returning before sunset. Agatha would probably be preparing herbs at the table or sitting near the window sewing something for the baby. She would stand when she heard him enter. Lucian would immediately tell her to sit again. She would accuse him of treating her as though she were fragile.

He would kiss her before she could continue arguing. Then she would remain beside him while he prepared the buck. Agatha disliked watching him butcher animals, but she always stayed nearby, talking about her day and sorting the meat into portions.

She would insist that they keep only what they needed. The rest would go to their neighbors. Lucian could see the entire evening in his mind. Simple. Peaceful. Perfect.

Chapter Donded Seventy

Clar

He had never known contentment like this before Agatha. She had given him a life he had not dared dream of. Lucian spotted movement through the trees. The buck. It stood near a narrow stream, lowering its head to drink

Lucian crouched. The wind moved toward him, preventing the animal from catching his scent. He slowly shifted his weight, preparing to attack. One clean movement. The animal would not suffer. His muscles tightened. His wolf rose beneath his skin.

Then the pain struck. It tore through Lucian’s chest without warning. A searing, violent agony that stole the breath from his lungs and drove him to one knee

The buck startled and fled into the trees. Lucian barely noticed. His hand pressed against his chest. The pain did not belong to him. It came through the bond.

Agatha.

“Mate!”

His wolf’s howl exploded through their shared mind. Terror unlike anything Lucian had ever experienced consumed them both.

Agatha was in pain. Great pain. The bond between them felt crushed beneath something cold and unnatural. Dark magic.

“Agatha!”

Lucian reached for her through the bond. There was no answer. Only fear. Pain. Then nothing. His wolf roared.

“Go to mate!”

Lucian did not waste time removing his clothes. He shifted instantly. Bones snapped and reformed. Silver fur covered his body.

His wolf landed on four powerful legs and began running before the transformation was fully complete. Branches struck his body as he raced through the forest. He ignored them. The trees blurred around him. He leaped over fallen logs and tore across streams without slowing.

Every instinct screamed that Agatha was in danger. The bond remained faint. Too faint: His wolf pushed harder. Faster. Lucian had always been one of the fastest wolves of his generation, but fear gave him strength beyond anything he had known.

The cottage came into view. The front door stood open. One of the windows was shattered.

Lucian’s heart stopped.

“Mate!”

He shifted back before reaching the doorway and ran inside without bothering to dress. The world collapsed around him. The cottage was destroyed. Glass covered the floor. The table Agatha used to prepare medicines had been thrown against the wall and split apart. Chairs lay broken. Bowls, herbs, oils, and jars had been scattered everywhere. The shelves Lucian built with his own hands were torn from the walls. The cradle he had been carving stood crooked in the corner. Dark magic lingered in the air. It coated the room like poison.

24

~ Chapter Opened Seventy Two

Claim

Lucian breathed deeply, searching for Agatha’s scent. It was there. Mixed with fear. Pain. And the scent of another. A witch. Male. Powerful. Lucian’s wolf slammed violently against his control.

“Where is mate?”

Lucian searched every room.

“Agatha!”

No answer. He ran toward the bedroom. Empty Her shawl lay on the floor. The blanket from their bed had been dragged halfway into the hallway. There was no blood. That was the only reason Lucian remained standing. No blood meant she might still be alive.

But she was gone. Their pup was gone. Lucian returned to the main room, breathing heavily. Then he saw the wall. Dark letters had been burned into the wood.

I AM TAKING BACK WHAT IS MINE.

Lucian stared at the message. The meaning struck him instantly. Gideon. Agatha had spoken of him only a few times. The witch she had been promised to since childhood. The man who believed she belonged to him. Agatha had feared he would search for them. She had hoped he would eventually accept her choice.

Lucian had promised that no one would take her away. He had failed. His wolf threw back his head and howled.

The sound shook the cottage. It traveled through the forest and across the mountains. Grief. Rage. A promise of death.

“Agatha!”

Lucian fell to his knees in the ruins of their home. His hand pressed against the floor where her scent was

strongest.

He could almost imagine her lying there. Afraid. Protecting their pup. The thought of Gideon touching her filled Lucian with murderous fury.

“He took our mate,” his wolf growled.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify