Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
There’s a hush as everyone looks confused by this.
My brother immediately turns his chair around, giving us his back, so the others follow suit.
“Shift!” Jase commands and I’m back, scrambling into my bra, underwear, and maxi dress as quick as I can.
Jase’s face is red and he looks furious. I shoot him a look and mouth, “Chill out.”
“Okay,” he grumbles to them, not me, and everyone turns back around.
“Oh my gosh, your wolf is adorable, Bailey,” Ronnie repeats as if I didn’t just hear her in that form.
“Thanks,” I say. “Next time I shift I should do it in front of a mirror because I haven’t seen her, err… myself.”
Some are amused by this, but not Jase. He’s far from entertained because I was naked here for a minute around the council and the doctor. I’m sure he doesn’t care about Cat and the Young sisters.
“Will they know the status?” Grey asks, attempting to get things back on track. “Would whoever cast the spell know you pulled all those plants last night, Erica?”
Erica clears her throat and replies. “No way to know for sure, but I don’t think so. If they could tell what was happening, they wouldn’t have needed the drone.”
“Good point,” Joel agrees.
Erica adds, “There’s protection over the village that prevents magical eavesdropping.”
I sneeze.
Jase straightens up, braced. I sneeze twice more and shift.
Oh, flippin’ heck.
This time I don’t even scramble out of my clothes, just poke my head out of my dress and look at Jase.
He looks irritated. “Gimme your backs again, everyone.”
“It’s really not a big deal,” Linc tries to say, but Jase is looking at him like he wants to beat him up, so Linc clamps his mouth shut.
By Linc’s reaction, it’s clear Jase isn’t looking to spar, but to beat him up for real this time. Linc wisely turns around to give us his back. My brother and Tyson had already turned around. The others follow suit.
“Shift,” Jase commands, and after I’m shifted, he adds, “Maybe you oughta wait at home.”
I shake my head vehemently as I put my clothes back on. “If you think I’m going to sit this out when I could be here helping, you’re very mistaken, Jason.”
He growls at me.
Everyone’s backs are still turned, but Dani looks over her shoulder at me and says, “Possessive Jase rachets the hotness factor to the top of the Scoville heat scale, girlfriend.”
Jase’s gaze snaps to her and his lip curls with what looks like disgust.
And my heart soars, because this is a vast difference from the way Jase looked at her when we all first met her.
Cat, Erica, and Ronnie are trying not to laugh out loud. Erica is epically failing, trying to disguise it as a cough.
His eyes narrow. “Get dressed, Bailey.”
“Command me back to wolf shape. I’ll listen in that form and then if I want you to command me back, I’ll… just… um… give you my paw.”
He doesn’t have to command me back. Suddenly I sneeze and shift back on my own. I stay put on the chair.
“All right guys,” he mutters.
And everyone turns back around.
I make myself comfortable on top of my dress.
Erica, Ronnie, and Cat are all still failing to hide their amusement. Dani isn’t bothering to hide it, and her unapologetic nature makes me think she doesn’t bother to hide much of anything. Joel and Riley are both grinning. Linc is staring at his feet and keeping his expression clear. Mase is regarding the inside of the patio umbrella over us with avid interest.
My brother has a look on his face that practically shouts, “Let’s get on with this.”
Dr. Blakely is silently laughing, his shoulders shaking.
Tyson lets out a sound that has me thinking he’s annoyed with them on Jase’s behalf.
“They’re probably scrambling with the lack of their drone returning,” Joel speaks. “Pretty clear by how Mickey Mouse that was that they’re coming at us without significant material resources, just witchcraft. Lincoln and Mase found no sign of any witches or anyone seeming suss across the lake, but that might be because they’re under a cloak of some sort.”
“Most likely,” Ronnie agrees.
Aphra and Brody are now coming out of the restaurant toward us.
“Thanks for coming,” Erica greets and gestures to an empty chair that was set up for Aphra.
“You hitting the road after this?” Riley asks his brother. “We can have someone drive Aphra to the new place.”
“Not a chance,” Brody says. “You guys are in crisis here. I’m sticking around in case you need help. Hey Bailey.”
He reaches as if to pat my head but Jase growls and Brody’s hand stops mid-air. “Sorry, Jase. Reflex.”
I shoot Jase what I hope is an annoyed look and give Brody a chirpy sort of yip and a wag of my tail. He smiles even bigger.
Linc rises. “I’ll go grab you a chair, Brode,” he offers.