Derek's POV
I watched Bella stumble backward, the realization of what was happening hitting her like a physical blow. Her scream pierced the night air, raw and desperate.
Her attention snapped to the elderly man standing at the edge of the ritual circle. His weathered hands shook as he clutched a wine bottle, his eyes wide with terror and something darker.
The moment Bella lunged forward, he hurled the bottle with surprising force. Glass exploded against her body, alcohol splashing across her skin. The liquid burned her like acid.
Her agonized shriek told me everything I needed to know. Those bottles contained wolfsbane mixed with the alcohol.
He was already reaching for another bottle. Bella charged again, driven by instinct and pain. The second bottle shattered against her shoulder, soaking her further, but she still managed to rake her claws across his chest and send him flying.
