Bewitched || P. Jackson

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"Wolves," Piper said. "They sound close." Jason rose and summoned his sword. Leo and Coach Hedge got to their feet too. As Nicki pushed herself to her feet, Ethan caught her arm.

"Why didn't you mention Mount Othrys?"

"Why didn't you?" Nicki shrugged his arm off of her. "I don't want them to know. They don't need to know, okay?"

"They're our quest mates, Nic. They deserve to know."

"Fine then, you tell them we were best mates with the guy who was Kronos, let's see if they love us then."

Ethan lowered his face to the floor. "That's not who Luke was."

"No but it's who he died as and that's as good enough."

Piper tried stand up, but black spots danced before her eyes. "Stay there," Jason told her. "We'll protect you. Nicki? Ethan?" Jason looked back at them with a panic in his eyes.

"On your 3 and 9." Nicki squeezed Ethan's hand with a soft smile, before they moved to stand off of Jason's shoulders.

Then, just outside the firelight at the entrance of the cave, Nicki saw a pair of red eyes glowing in dark. More wolves edged into the firelight—black beasts bigger than Great Danes, with ice and snow caked on their fur. Their fangs gleamed, and their glowing red eyes looked disturbingly intelligent. The wolf in front was almost as tall as a horse, his mouth stained as if he'd just made a fresh kill.

Nicki flipped her ring and let her sword dangle loosely in her grasp. Ethan rolled his neck, his hand resting on the sword in his sheath.

Then Jason stepped forward and said something in Latin. Piper didn't think a dead language would have much effect on wild animals, but the alpha wolf curled his lip. The fur stood up along his spine. One of his lieutenants tried to advance, but the alpha wolf snapped at his ear. Then all of the wolves backed into the dark.

"Dude, I gotta study Latin." Leo's hammer shook in his hand. "What'd you say, Jason?"

Hedge cursed. "Whatever it was, it wasn't enough. Look." The wolves were coming back, but the alpha wolf wasn't with them. They didn't attack. They waited—at least a dozen now, in a rough semicircle just outside the firelight, blocking the cave exit. The coach hefted his club. "Here's the plan. I'll kill them all, and you guys escape."

"Why does everyone forget I can teleport?" Nicki muttered, scowling at the floor. "It's the only cool thing I have."

"You can literally use magic." Jason pointed out. "Stop complaining."

"Someone's in a bad mood."

Jason threw his hands up in exasperation. "We're gonna die, Nicki!"

"With that attitude, yes."

"Coach, they'll rip you apart," Piper said.

"Nah, I'm good." Then Nicki saw the silhouette of a man coming through the storm,wading through the wolf pack.

"Stick together," Jason said. "They respect a pack. And Hedge, no crazy stuff. We're not leaving you or anyone else behind."

Facing Piper, Nicki shot her a reassuring smile. "Deep breaths, we're fine. Done worse."

The wolves parted, and the man stepped into the firelight. His hair was greasy and ragged, the color of fireplace soot, topped with a crown of what looked like finger bones. His robes were tattered fur—wolf, rabbit, raccoon, deer, and several others Piper couldn't identify. The furs didn't look cured, and from the smell, they weren't very fresh. His frame was lithe and muscular, like a distance runner's. But the most horrible thing was his face. His thin pale skin was pulled tight over his skull. His teeth were sharpened like fangs. His eyes glowed bright red like his wolves'—and they fixed on Jason with absolute hatred.