Page 3 of Bewitchingly Hers (Witches of Pleasant Grove #3)

I’d always loved animals, and though I couldn’t talk to them—not directly—I felt a deep connection to their feelings and needs.

Sometimes, I liked to think they understood me, too.

Growing up, everyone had thought I would end up working at the animal shelter, or becoming a vet—especially with my healing abilities—but I’d never had any interest in the field.

I was too tenderhearted to lose patients or perform surgery.

Managing the coffee shop suited me just fine.

Rushing back out with the towels—and a large tablecloth I found in one of the cabinets—I crouched back in front of the wolf.

Pressing one against the biggest gash on his side, I kept applying pressure.

I needed to heal him—the blood was already matting to his russet fur, turning it a deep, angry red.

He was still bleeding, and I knew I needed to act fast. Trying to do it outside in this grimy, dirty alley seemed like a way to get it infected.

Plus, what if whatever did this to him was still lingering around?

I struggled to move him onto the tablecloth, wiping the sweat from my forehead off on my arm once I had finally completed the task.

“I’m sorry,” I said, hearing the creature cry out as I started to tug him into the coffee shop.

“I’m not exactly the strongest. You probably could have found a better alley.

Like, maybe behind the hardware store.” Lou, the man who ran the place, was older, but he could still lift things I couldn’t even fathom.

Being blessed with superhuman strength would have come in handy right now.

Finally, after a lot of huffing, I succeeded in dragging him into the back of the shop.

“You’re really big, you know,” I said to the wolf, who hadn’t moved from his spot.

He lifted his head, stared into my eyes, and then dropped it again.

“I think you might need stitches after I clean you up. And I might need to pack the wound with some gauze. I think we have a first aid kit somewhere around here…” I bit my lip, running over to the spot where we kept it.

There were bandages and ointment—burns and cuts were common in a bakery and coffee shop if you weren’t careful—but I didn’t know if it was enough to help.

I grabbed all of the supplies I thought I needed—plus a basin of water, and sat down in front of the beast.

“This might hurt. I’m sorry.” Talking to him like he was a person was helping distract me from the severity—and insanity—of the situation.

Grabbing more clean towels, I worked to clean his wounds, trying to infuse my magic in the hopes that it would speed up the healing process.

The wolf let out a howl, and I winced. “Hey, it’s going to be okay,” I told him, worried he’d bite me if he got too agitated. “Please, try to stay calm.” Though, that was more for me than it was for him. “If anyone hears and finds you, I have no idea how I’m going to explain this.”

I was fully aware that I was talking to myself, that this babbling nonsense wasn’t something you’d normally say to an animal, but I was out of my depth here. I’d never helped an animal this big before. Certainly not one with teeth that could rip out my throat if he desired it.

Surprisingly, he settled down, only letting out a few whimpers here and there as I worked across his body, paying attention to each spot where he’d been attacked, cleaning and healing as I went.

When I pulled the towel away, the bleeding had slowed significantly, though I couldn’t see just how deep the cuts were.

“What could even do this to a wolf of your size?” I wondered out loud as I took another clean cloth, dipping it in the water before wiping the wound. I repeated the process until they looked clean.

“Do you think an antibiotic ointment would help?” I asked the wolf.

“Probably not. I don’t know why I’m still talking to you.

” Probably because my hands were shaking, and I was trying to ignore the fact that I’d let a wild animal into the back of Willow and Luna’s shop.

“I think I’m just nervous.” Taking a deep breath, I covered the wounds with gauze.

He didn’t seem to be able to move much, so I didn’t have to worry about how I was going to wrap them.

“I’ve never healed anything of your size before.

Mostly just some small birds and cats.” And the occasional rabbit.

Standing up, I took the bowl of bloody water to the basin and washed my hands.

“We’ll probably need to change those again in a few hours,” I muttered, propping my hands on my hips as I looked at the wolf.

“Otherwise, it might get infected.” That was my biggest fear at this point.

Though, what was I going to do with him?

I couldn’t exactly leave him here, and there was no way I was going to be able to drag him up the stairs to Luna’s apartment.

It was hard enough just to get him inside.

“I’m just going to have to get help,” I said, more to myself than the wolf. He needed to be somewhere where I could check on him—without worrying about anyone else finding him or what a potentially wild animal might do as he healed.

Biting my lip, I pulled out my phone, desperately texting two of my friends. Maybe it was a little crazy, but what was I supposed to do?

Eryne

SOS. I need help.

Rina

Where are you? I can head over in 5.

Eryne

Still at the Witches’ Brew. Something happened.

Wendy

I’m on my way! Hang tight, E.

Rina

Copy that. Grabbing my broom.

I snorted at the mental image. Most witches didn’t use brooms to get around anymore, but even I had to admit that it was quite a handy mode of transportation.

Unless, of course, you had a wolf to take home with you. Luckily, my car was parked on the street outside.

I busied myself doing some organization and prep work for tomorrow, making notes of what I needed to order next time I did inventory.

Though we’d hired a new baker, Luna still loved to pop in occasionally and make a random batch of something, and I liked to make sure the bakery was always well stocked just for her.

Staying busy was the only way to keep my mind off what I was going to do with the wolf in the kitchen.

Less than ten minutes later, my friends walked in. They couldn’t have looked more different if they tried—Rina was a brunette with longer hair, a tan complexion and hazel eyes, while Wendy had shoulder-length blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

Witch magic manifested differently in all of us, giving almost every witch a different ability and affinities.

While I knew Wendy was clairvoyant, I also knew she resented her powers.

The ability to see, and speak to, spirits couldn’t have been easy.

She was also incredibly perceptive, a skill I definitely needed now.

Rina, on the other hand, had been extremely secretive of hers.

Almost every witch in their coven—thirteen total—possessed a different ability.

I gave them both a guilty smile as they stood in front of me.

“Alright, we’re here. What’s up?” Wendy asked, smoothing her hands down her red velvet overall dress. She had a white long-sleeved t-shirt on under it as well as star patterned tights and a pair of short black booties.

Rina, on the other hand, was wearing a pair of black ripped jeans and a deep purple flannel shirt over a black corset top. She’d probably come from the Enchanted Cauldron, if I had to guess.

“It’s probably better if I just show you.”

I led them back into the kitchen where I’d left the beast. Thankfully, he hadn’t moved.

“Eryne.” Rina propped her hand on her hip as stared between me, Wendy, and the wolf currently on the floor. “What did you do?” The wolf responded with a rumble in his chest, like he was clearly not happy I had brought others around. “You brought a wolf in the bakery?”

“He was hurt!”

Wendy just blinked. “And we were your first call, because?”

I scrunched up my nose. “Because I trust you both. And I’m a little terrified of Olive.

” She was in the coven too, but we weren’t close.

Olive ran the vet clinic in town, made easier by her affinity with animals.

I couldn’t explain why, but I didn’t want to lose my furry patient.

“So… yeah. He’s heavy. Probably close to two hundred pounds.

He was in the alley and I couldn’t just leave him there. Something attacked him, and I just?—”

Wendy shook her head. “You and your bleeding heart. How’d you even get him inside?” She looked out the back door, her skin looking even paler than usual.

“It wasn’t easy.”

“Those look like teeth marks,” Rina said, unfazed, crouching down and inspecting his wounds.

“You think something bit him?” Wendy asked, incredulous.

“It looked that way to me, too. I have no idea what could cause this sort of damage, though. It seems like it just… tore through the skin. Maybe a bear?”

“That would have been one hell of a fight. What wolf would go after a bear?”

I shrugged. These were all questions I didn’t have answers to, since, unfortunately, wolves couldn’t talk. “So what attacked him? I’m open to theories.”

“Or maybe the better question is… who ?” Rina asked.

“ Sabrina .” Wendy shot her a look. Rina hated her given name, saying it didn’t fit her.

Our brunette friend shrugged. “What? It’s plausible. Demons exist, after all. Who knows what else is out there that the elders never told us about?” She picked at her black manicure.

“I was just thinking the same earlier,” I said. “There’s no way they didn’t know, right? If it wasn’t for Willow and Damien?—”

“We’d never know,” Rina finished my statement.

“I know. That’s what has me so uneasy. If they’ve known all this time, why did they choose to keep it from us?

We have no idea what’s out there. Our whole lives, we were taught Pleasant Grove was safeguarded, warded, to keep humans out.

To keep us safe. But maybe there’s more to it than that? ”

Wendy was ghostly white now, all blood having drained from her face. “Like what?”

“You’re the one who sees ghosts, babe. I feel like you should be the expert.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Enough, you two. We can ponder this later. I need to get him home.”

They both blinked. “You’re taking a wild animal to your house ?”

“What else am I going to do with him?” I looked at the wolf. Goddess , I could only imagine how beautiful he was running through the woods. “I can’t leave him here. He needs to heal, and I can help him.”

Rina bit her thumbnail. “True. Okay, well, I guess we’re doing this.” She approached the wolf, who let out a low growl. “Um, Eryne?” Her head turned back to look at me. “Are you sure he’s not going to bite us?”

I frowned, stepping up close to him. “That’s weird. He was fine earlier.” I reached out, stroking my hand down his muzzle. The rumble in his chest immediately stopped.

Rina tried to touch him again, and he bared his teeth. But whenever I did…

Somehow, with my hand on his head, petting between his ears, he stayed calm enough to let the girls approach him.

“This is freaky.” She looked between the wolf and I, shaking her head. “Alright. You stay there in his line of sight. Wendy and I will lift from back here.”

I nodded, and we each grabbed different corners of the blanket, heaving him up before heading out to the parking lot, where my small car waited.

It was much easier with three of us, but he was still heavy.

Opening the back, I was suddenly grateful my seats were still down after transporting decorations to the Witches’ Brew earlier this week.

“Thank you both,” I said, looking at my friends. “I seriously owe you one.” He took up most of the back of my car, but luckily, we got him in. Which meant now, I just needed to get him home.

“I’m happy to take payment in pastries,” Rina said, grinning as she tucked her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

They were always happy to be fed.

Wendy rolled her eyes. “We’re always happy to help, girl. Don’t listen to her.” She straightened her red dress. “But I would happily take some cinnamon twists if you have any left over.”

I laughed. “It’s on me next time. Promise.”

Waiving goodbye as they both set off, I got in the front seat of my car, turning over my shoulder to look at the wolf. He raised his head, blinked at me, and then laid it back down. I let out a breath. “Well, you’re not out of the woods yet, but hopefully the hardest part is over.”

I had to hope. Because I really didn’t know what to do if he took a turn for the worst and those wounds got infected?

All I could do was pray to the goddesses that my healing magic would be enough.