Chapter Forty-Two

“Pup?” Loki’s voice was icy as he stared up at me. “What happened to your face? Who did that to you?”

“You did.” I felt my face swell as blood trickled from my eye and nose.

“What?” His voice flashed, and he shook his head. “What’s happening?”

“I would also like to know what the hell is happening. Why was your dad attacking you for Aurora?” Ronnie dropped into a chair, and I let my father up.

“I came to see my dad about something—I can’t even remember what now—but I heard him talking to someone.” I rubbed my healing face and wiped the blood off. “Then I heard him asking what she was doing, and she said bonding, and something inside me screamed. So I kicked in the door, and she was pouring something into his mouth. Then I tackled her and attacked.”

“And then?” Ronnie pointed to my dad, and I nodded.

“He attacked you?” Loki asked.

“Yes.” I nodded again.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Loki, I need the book of shadows.”

“Okay. Give me a moment.” Loki got up and left the room. I looked over at Ronnie, and he grimaced.

“You are healing, but it still looks painful. That bruise around your neck is going to take the longest to heal, I think.”

“Probably,” I rubbed my neck and tried to clear my throat. Loki walked in and handed me the book, but he had a look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

“When I took over to work with the book last night, I felt the need to change the code to the safe. I blocked your father from seeing the code so he had no access, just in case.”

I nodded. “Smart.”

“Well, the safe was clawed at, like someone was trying to get in. I can’t remember if it was your father, and he blocked me, or if someone tried to get in while we were in here.” He shook his head. “I don’t think it is safe for us to have it until this problem is solved.”

I nodded and took the book. “I’ll keep it.”

“Good.” Loki dropped down onto the chair and leaned back. “I don’t trust myself around the pack. I need to use the room."

“The room?” I turned to look at Ronnie, who had paled.

“When your dad feels your mother…with your stepdad, he goes into the room,” Ronnie slowly turned to me.

“It’s a soundproof cell out in the woods.” Loki stared down at me. “Only Ronnie knows where it is, and he makes sure I’m okay.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because I attacked you. I can feel him fighting for control as we speak, and I refuse to allow whatever Aurora has done to put you in danger.” Loki growled out. “Don’t let either of us out until Amy has a solution.”

“You can’t mean that, Loki.”

“I can. And I know your father would feel the same if he was in his right mind.” He cut his eyes to Ronnie. “Walk with me.”

“Okay.”

“Uncle Ronnie, you can’t allow him to do this,” I begged.

“He’s right, Amy. He would never forgive himself if he hurt you, and I walked in on him trying to kill you. For the safety of you and the rest of our pack, he needs to be subdued until you figure this out. I won’t chance this pack or you.” Ronnie stood up, and Loki followed him out.

What the hell is going on? I grabbed the book, ran back to my room, and locked the door behind me. I needed to figure out what she did to him, because whoever that was, it wasn’t my father. I shook as I remembered his hands around my throat. That wasn’t him. Nix’s voice calmed me, but I was still shaking when I opened the book of shadows.

I read every single page twice. I wasn’t seeing anything that would cause him to act this way. “There is no way that was truly him. Something’s wrong.” I shook myself and thought back to everything I had seen since I got here.

I flipped back through the book until I landed on a page. It was a love spell, but this one didn’t fit. The charmer had to be wearing something that belonged to the true mate of the spelled, and the spelled had to be wearing something that held the charmer’s sigil.

But he wasn’t wearing anything of hers.

I needed advice, and I think I knew exactly where to find it. I grabbed a bag and stuffed the book inside of it and headed down the stairs and out the door. I ran all the way there and dropped to the ground, opening myself up, and calling out. “I have need of you.”

“What can I help with?” I opened my eyes to see my great-grandmother settled in front of me in the clearing. “Something is wrong, w…”