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Unlike with the dragons, the targets of their bloodlust were the civilians rather than one another. She couldn’t hear music or feel the darkness of a cursed object, but she could see and hear the desperation of the wolves to still reach their targets by bouncing off the walls in their make-shift cells.

“Do any of your people know what would trigger a wolf to go berserk?” She asked tentatively. Although she was uncomfortable working with the Coven, she would take all the help she could get with both of her partners out for the count.

Dae rattled off a list of triggers for a wolf, but they all seemed mundane and more of a one-on-one kind of issue rather than a pack. She hadn’t realized how temperamental the beasts could be.

She held her hand up to stop the continuing list. “Sorry, I meant something rare, not day-to-day offences.”

Dae put a hand on his chin and she could feel the slight buzz of magic around him, letting her know he was using a telepathic link to communicate with his cohorts.

“The only thing that really gets the wolves riled up is the full moon.” He glanced up at the blazing sun. With the new moon just arriving the previous night, Rowan was finding the Coven about as useful as a bicycle without wheels.

Rowan examined the makeshift cells again, her eyes sharp to look for a piece that would finish the puzzle, then her sight settled on the largest wolf present.

At roughly six feet tall from paw to shoulder in its wolf form, the wolf’s silver-white fur was a contrast to its sharp emerald eyes. Unlike the rest of the wolves, it wasn’t trying to get out of its cell. Instead, it was low, its attention turned to the wall furthest from the bay, fangs bared.

She tried to establish a link with him, but she couldn’t feel his mind out.

She turned to Dae. “Your telepaths, are they adept at connecting with shifters?”

Because of their beasts, shifters were notorious for being difficult to establish a link with. It was one of Kin’s super strengths and Rowan felt the absence of her partners sting her.

Dae’s shake of the head made her want to curse.

Instead, she took a deep breath and said to him, “I’m going to talk to that wolf. I don’t think it’s under the influence of whatever is happening. If it shreds me alive, wait for an adept telepathic to show up and try to talk to it again.”

Dae raised an eyebrow. “You really are Rowan Dahl.” Something about the way he said it suggested it wasn’t a compliment. “Just so that we’re both clear on this plan, I want to remind you that you’re covered in blood and that wolf is in beast form.”

Yep. Not a compliment. “Well, I am indeed Rowan Dahl.”

As she approached the wolf, its brethren snarled, but her target looked up at her and sat back on its haunches.

She let out a sigh of relief. Dae’s warning hadn’t been totally unwarranted, but it seemed luck was favoring her for the day. “I won’t be able to understand you, but maybe you can understand me?”

The wolf gave a slow nod to her question. Thrilled with the response, she shaped yes or no questions in her mind before she spoke again.

“All the other wolves are in bloodlust. Do you know why?”

The wolf gave another slow nod.

“Is that what you were just focusing on?”

Perhaps if the situation hadn’t been so dire, Rowan would have found the ‘so-so’ head bob amusing.

“Is a wolf cursed?” She needed to get that one out of the way. She wasn’t so sure it would allow her to do what needed to be done if that was the case.

It glared at her and shook its head.

Her initial reaction was to trust it, but if Kin were there, would he allow her to?

Deciding to deal with the consequences as they arose, she watched as the wolf turned to the sidewalls of his cell and made a motion of getting out, once again pointing his snout in the direction he wanted to go when she caught sight of him.

She considered her options. “If I drop your walls, you won’t attack me, or your buddies, right?”

The wolf, if possible, shot her an annoyed look, and she raised her hands in defense, “Hey, I have to cover my bases here.” She undid the magic holding up the surrounding earth, and he was immediately sniffing the air and curving around the cells of his brethren.

Dae was at her side as she tried to keep up with the giant strides of the wolf.

“What are you doing?” He demanded.