Jinxing The Alphas: A Paranormal Werewolf Romance (Hex My Heart Book 2) Read Free Page A

palm out, calling on the source of her strongest power—the moon. Coolness flooded her palm seconds before gold and lavender ripples of energy danced a few inches from her outstretched hand then webbed over the sphere.
    Her entwined magick flickered and dimmed. Gone.
    Whispered words flitted along the edges of her hearing. She jerked around. “Who’s there?” The bond answered for her, sending her heart into a sporadic beat.
    Her name danced on the wind, tendrils of magick crackled and popped.
    Still, her mind raced with what else it could be. Shifters wouldn’t hurt her, rogues and the different, otherworldly creatures who liked to stir up trouble were another thing. With her magick tank sitting on empty and no way to defend herself… “You’re full of all kinds of great ideas lately, Ambrosia,” she muttered, trying to shove her heart back into place.
    Howls jerked Ambrosia from her thoughts. “Hellz, I hate being right…” Her breath hitched and her heart paid no mind to her wishes—the thumping mass of muscle lurched in her chest.
    They’d arrived.
    Were they here to stop her? Keep her from freeing herself from their grasp? Or was she wrong, and the muddled senses and the night were playing tricks on her?
    Mind in turmoil, she dragged in a lungful of cold air, all signs of her waning powers gone. Make up your mid already!
    Her coven sisters and she had picked this spot for the powerful lay lines that crossed the land along the outer edge of her sister’s property. The natural energy boosted their magickal powers. Maybe other supernatural creatures sought it out for the same reason? Honor had mentioned once how the energy served like a balm to the pain shifters felt when shifting to wolf form. Yeah, that was it.
    With a smoky sigh, eyes closed and mind calm, Ambrosia slipped one foot forward, then the other.
    Summer-warmed air swept over her like the caress of a lover.
    With a zing, energy rushed her, seeking out her powers. She loved that feeling of connection and belonging. Something she hadn’t felt since her time with Luke and Evan, if she wanted to be honest.
    With a heavy heart Ambrosia moved deeper into her circle and placed her bag beside the large stump in the center.
    No more avoiding the problem. Everything else would fall into place. It had to.
    Ambrosia toed off one boot, then the other and wiggled her toes in the warm grass. Next she loosened the knot to her cloak and let the thick, heavy material pool around her feet to reveal her favorite black silk gown. There were no rules to what a witch wore for rituals, but there was something about the way the soft material moved over her body that made her feel connected to the ancient energies. As if the soft touch of the moon knew how to caress her just right.
    She straightened her shoulders. “No turning back now.”

CHAPTER THREE
     
    Ambrosia flipped back the flap of her satchel and pulled out her spell book, the various small bottles of herbs, and the essence needed for the ritual.
    And the second vial she had to take.
    The golden and indigo shimmering ingredients swirled with an intensity that mirrored her rampant heart. So beautiful no one would suspect the brew could kill her this eve.
    And how did she forget that tiny detail? Honor had been so good at spitting it out on a muffled whisper before shoving it into her hands and pushing her out the door.
    So, yeah, if she was too late and the bond too deep, well, she didn’t want to jinx anything.
    She gently placed the teardrop-shaped bottle in the center of her altar, careful to leave the flip-style clasp closed until it was time.
    Kneeling, she opened herself up, accepting the infusion of power from the shafts of moonlight that penetrated her body.
    With ease, the words to a prayer for guidance from the goddesses slipped past her lips on a swirl of rhythmic eloquence. Welcomed fingers of light searched out the invisible threads bonding her with Luke and Evan. They were creatures of the moon,