Page 22 of Beautiful Madness

“Silver at first,” I said, “butnot now.” Silver would have worked for a while, but I’d have forced my waythrough its blocking properties hours ago. Then I pressed my hand against mychest. “Magic,” I whispered. “Fucking magic.”

“Whose magic?” he murmured.

“Impossible. She’s frozen andwithout the very thing that transfers her power.” I shook my head. “No. That’s impossible.”But was it, really? She was a witchwolf. There was magic inside her and thoughher wand was her treasure, her strength, and her power, that didn’t mean shecouldn’t find another way to release some magic or at the very least lay down afucking spell. “Son of abitch.”

Joe grinned. “There you go. Youwere just too close to the problem to see it.”

“I felt nothing, Joe. I wantedto believe that was because I would have felt it if he were dead. I wanted tobelieve I couldn’t feel him because he was too…injured or unconscious. Butyou’re right. You’re right.” I grabbed him and hugged him hard. “I just have tocancel that spell and I can find him. Wherever they’ve hidden him, I’ll findhim.”

It was nearly dark as wehurried out of the woods, and I texted both Zach and Remy to meet me at Jared’shouse. I wanted to visit Lennon and the others needed to take a break and eatsomething.

It was possible that someoneelse had taken Jared and had cast the spell. Maybe neither Eli nor Lennon wasinvolved, but at least now I had something to look at—and I was going to lookat ithard.

We stood for a few seconds atthe tree line, watching Eli and several of the warriors striding toward Jared’shouse.

“Innocent until proven guilty?”Joe asked.

I gave him a grin that wassurely as hard as my heart. “Fuck no. I’m taking the bastard down and if I findout he’s innocent at the end of this thing, I’ll be sure to apologize.”

But in my heart, I didn’t thinkEli was innocent at all. He knew where Jared was, and somehow, Lennon hadmanaged to cover my alpha with a spell to keep him from me.

Either that, or they’d killedhim.

ChapterTwelve

I lost my breath as pain roaredthrough me, and I had to lean over and put my hands on my knees, trying witheverything inside me not to collapse to the ground and wail in agony.

Remy and Zach reached us at thesame time, and when I managed to regain control and straighten, the blood haddrained from Zach’s face and Remy’s was about as blank as I’d ever seen it.

“He’s dead?” Zach asked, emotionless.“You found something?”

“I found nothing,” I said, “andI don’t honestly know if he’s dead.” God, how hard that was to say, to admit.“But Joe made me see something. Jared and I bonded. The only reason I wouldn’tfeel him would be because someone blocked me with a spell. A powerful one.” Ipointed at the beta’s disappearing back. “It has to be Eli and Lennon.”

“She’s not capable of moving,”Remy said, “let alone casting a spell. You said her wand was taken from her andshe’s frozen with a lopped-off hand.” He shook his head. “You’re letting youremotions get in the way of your logic. Somebody silvered him and…” He shrugged,somewhat apologetically. “Likely killed him and destroyed the body. You have toface that possibility, Kait.”

I didn’t get angry. “That’swhat I would have thought. But there’s a chance those two are involved. A bigfucking chance.”

“What do you want to do?” Zachasked.

“I want to take Eli intocustody. He won’t talk, but that’s okay. I’m bringing in the shapeshifter. I’m alsogoing to look closer at Lennon.” I straightened my spine and touched my demonblade, eager to get started. “I’m going to find the alpha.”

“And start a war with thebeta,” Zach said. “The pack follows him with Jared gone. We’ll have to fightthem all to take Eli.”

“Yeah,” Remy agreed. “He’s notcoming easy.”

But rage was already swirlinginside me, and my sweet little psycho was ready to play. “I don’t need himeasy. I need him on his knees.” I smiled, and there wasn’t a man present whodidn’t flinch. “It might take me a little while, but I’m going to get himthere.”

Joe cleared his throat. “Whatabout the daywalkers?”

“We’ll have time fordaywalkers. Bastien will call me as soon as he’s awake. After the bite, I’llcatch the daywalkers’ scent and we’ll slaughter the bastards.” I was no longerhesitant about the bite. It had to be done, so I was going to accept it.Honestly, I just wanted to get it over with so I could concentrate on onething—finding Jared.

Seconds before we reached thehouse, Nell rushed through the front door, her face pale. “Kait,” she yelled.“Hurry. Hurry!”

I ran the final few yards andtook her shoulders. “What happened?”

“Eli discovered he couldn’t getinside the cell and he’s flown into a rage. He’s coming for you. He’s goingto—”

And then Eli flung himselfthrough the doorway, shifting as he came, and my wolf rose to meet him. I heardJoe yell and saw blurs of movement as some of the wolves came to the fight, butthen there was just sweet old bloodlust and the eagerness to kill—thank thegods, because Eli had the exact same desire and intentions.