Union Bound by Philpitt M. L

Author:Philpitt, M. L. [Philpitt, M. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9781777473143
Goodreads: 59558045
Publisher: M.L. Philpitt
Published: 2021-11-17T08:00:00+00:00

“Don’t stray too far, Adalyn!” Mommy calls, but I’m already striding away and through the thick of the forest.

We’re camping nearby, but all we’re doing there is playing around the tent and I’d much rather explore the area. Mommy never lets me stray too far. Something about how I must be safe in order to rule the coven after her.

As long as it’s a long time away until then, I’m fine with that, but if Mommy is allowing me to check out the forest in more detail, I definitely won’t lose the opportunity.

I walk in a straight line for a few minutes, so I remember how to get back to the tent. Trees and more trees—everything brown and green—are all that I see. Why did I think I would find something interesting out here?

My hand rests on the roughened bark of the trunk closest to me and I sigh, doing another scan of the forest before turning back around. Clearly, our tent is the interesting thing out here.

I take two steps over the crunchy, noisy forest floor when a low growl emits around me before a large form steps in my way.

Wolf. But not just any wolf, I think, as the creature’s gaze pins on me. In the reflection of his eye, I spot recognition. Shifter.

I’ve never seen a shifter, but Mommy says they are incredibly dangerous.

“Um, h-hi.” I lift my hand in a little wave, hoping this one is friendly and will let me pass. Still, I step back slowly, putting more space between us.

Fur brushes my arm and I flinch in time for hot breath to blow strands of my hair over my face. Another wolf comes up behind me, even bigger than the first, and his teeth—inches away from my head—are bare, saliva dripping from them.

Goddess, save me.

He also growls, his body lowering to the ground. I don’t need to speak wolf to understand all this means to get the heck out of here. I sidestep them both, aiming to make a run for it.

My sneakered feet slide over the branches and fallen leaves and my legs pump faster than they ever have in gym class. I don’t even know if I’m running in the correct direction back to Mommy, but anywhere that isn’t here is better.

I think I’m succeeding—think I’m getting away and they’re leaving me alone, but as the thought crosses my mind, my face smashes into the ground below, a wolf’s large body pushing me down. I spin to my back right away, so I can see what’s happening.

Rather than the bared teeth I’m imagining, I see a paw. A paw right over my face and—

Two hands slip beneath my arms, and I’m hoisted to my feet, breaking the locked-away memory. I don’t think about that day often, opting to keep it safely away, where trauma won’t come out to play. I learned after I made it back to Mom that day, mostly in one piece, that forgetting about it was the best medicine. Mom’s failed attempts at healing me proved it’s a piece of me now.

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