Wolf #2: The Beast Within [COMPLETED]

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Amelia. She reaches out to me. Dark, brown hair. Blackened hands that radiate with heat and a heavy, dense feeling of dread. I can't see her face properly...but I know her. I know her...

Amelia. She whispers my name. Or maybe she's shouting. Either way, I can't tell as I slowly surface from my sleep. She reaches out to me just as I try to get a better look at her face.

Yellow. Her yellow eyes are infected with madness—insanity and murder just like Orion's.

Amelia!

I open my eyes, looking over at Rachel. She moves a lot in her sleep, and has accidentally jabbed me with her elbow, which roused me from my own troubled sleep.

"Sorry," She smiles as she sits up and pats her shoulder, "I can be the pillow for a while if you want."

I laugh quietly and stretch out across the backseats, "I don't know how you sleep with your neck at a ninety-degree angle. I'll just lie on your legs."

"More cushioning there, for sure," She winks, "You forget that I have to sleep in mud and through rainstorms when I'm on patrol—your shoulder is like a cloud compared to that."

"You'll do just fine in Alaska then," Mateo chuckles, "That's what we deal with all summer."

"Winter is when patrol gets real fun," Kiana chuckles, sharing a look with Mateo that only can mean it's the complete opposite, "But hopefully you won't be having to hiding up there for that long."

I smile at them but say nothing. There is no saying how long it would be before I'm deemed ready for The Order. The deal is that I will continue training under the Diurnal healer, Nancy, and that Mallory will make regular check-ins. Until then, I'm to continue staying in Alaska.

Kiana's brows are furrowed together, and she nods quietly. She and Adrian must be talking.

"We're crossing over into Umbriel," She says quietly over her shoulder, looking around the car warily, "The motorcade is going to split."

Welcome to Washington.

I'm filled with a sense of irony as we pass the sign that officially marks the border between Oregon and Washington. I also feel a feeling of finality. I'm no longer in familiar territory—no longer in my home state. From here on out, everyone and everywhere is considered dangerous, unfamiliar.

"Keep your eyes open, girls," Mateo murmurs as he follows several SUVs to the right. Several cars moved all at once. Our car and three others part to the right towards Walla Walla, while the other Diurnal cars turn towards Ellensburg. Behind us, the Breccian Wolves promptly turn around and back towards the Ameku border.

We are on our own now.

Rachel and I scan the surroundings. We're making good time and will be hitting the Canadian border sometime in the evening. Still, no one speaks or sleeps as we drive through the Eastern Washington pack. For hours, we all keep on watch and make several detours. Kiana is constantly mind-linking the other navigators in the other cars, and relaying Adrian's orders to Mateo. I suppose it's too distracting for the drivers to mind-link and drive at once.

"Turn left here," Kiana points at the one traffic light, "Angie's spotted someone tailing us."

"Umbriel?" His gaze flickers to the mirror. I takes a deep breath as I see a blue truck following us extremely close, so close in fact that I can make out the driver's features. George.

"He's a Palus Wolf," I say.

Kiana eyes me, "Are you sure?"

"I've fought him before."