A Friend To The Elements

Chapter 31

Flies buzzed around our faces forcing us to huff and shake them off every few seconds. When looking forward I could see that the majority of the space was used to house a large collection of torture devices. I moved closer seeing most of them covered with dried blood. I dipped my head and looked to the side where the smell was coming from. The room was small with a morgue style table on one side and another crumbled up wolf on the other. Glass and dried blood covered the floor. I could see from his coloring and lack of smell that it was Henry.

Every wolf has their own unique smell. It alters slightly between human and wolf form, but this wolf only smelled like rotting flesh. Large rats crawled over the body and rather than scurrying away hissed at us.

'Let's get out of here Noah. We'll see if the others found anything.'

We jogged back towards the main house where the other wolves were beginning to gather.

Rowland's voice came through the link first. 'Nothing was found. Looks like the place is empty. Dried blood and a few baby items upstairs but looks like they are long gone.'

'We found Henry's body in the back building already dead.' The wolves looked between each other shifting their weight. We came for a fight, and they worked themselves up for it. The tension was palpable, but this was the best-case scenario. 'Rowland stay here with your group and call the police. We opened a missing person case and need to see it closed. The rest of us will head back home. I would like to get more information from the she-wolf.'

He nodded and we ran back out of the compound. The sun was starting to set, and I longed to be back with Lily. I still couldn't feel the pull of the mate bond and was desperate to make sure she was okay. I went to where Harmony and Cane sat still in hiding and urged them to follow us as best I could.

I broke out into a full run not caring about staying in unison anymore. The danger as we knew it was alleviated and getting back was the priority. The wolves around me huffed as they tried to run faster to keep up with others with longer legs.

Once we got back to the pond the wolves surrounded the water lapping it up greedily, but I paced back and forth anxious to keep moving. I shifted into my human form to make sure all could hear me.

"I know this has been a long day for you all. This is a good place if you wish to rest or stay the night and recover. Please stay in groups. Noah and I along with anyone who wishes will head straight back home." Noah perked his head up from where he was drinking and walked over to my side. Water still dripped from his snout and open panting mouth. I looked over at him and was met with hot breath in my face. I pushed his snout away from my face and rolled my eyes. A few others along with Harmony and Cane joined our group while the rest stretched out on the ground rolling in the dirt.

Once I was satisfied that everyone who wanted to continue was ready, I shifted back to my wolf form and started running at full speed back home again.

We didn't stop again despite a few of the wolves lagging behind. The closer we got to home the more I felt Lily's energy pulling me towards it. I pushed forward dropping my head lower to try and get as much speed as I could. I knew Noah and the rest weren't able to keep up, but my body didn't care.

When we broke the trees, I ran straight to our back door shifting as I stepped onto the porch. My body protested at the constant shifting back and forth in addition to the exertion from all the running. My joints ached and muscles wobbled threatening to give out any second.

Dad cut my off at the door putting his hands up. I growled and attempted to step around him. "Where are the others? I need a status update." I growled louder as the rest of my group broke through the tree line. A few laid on the grass trying to catch their breath. I used this opportunity to step around him and make my way into the house.

"Noah can give you an update."

Walking into the house I noticed all the furniture was pushed back to the walls or taken out of the room altogether. A pallet of blankets and pillows were formed in the middle of the living room with Lily stretched out on it still in wolf form.

She was eerily still, but her breathing was steady. I looked around for Josh for an explanation, but he was no where to be seen. The doctor stood up from the chair in the corner of the room and made his way to me. He was a slightly older man that was balding at the top.

"She hasn't been able to shift back yet. We have her sedated in hopes it will help her recover enough to shift so we can treat any injuries."

"And the she-wolf?"

He glanced back at Dad who stood behind Mom at the table. "We've sent for a doctor for her. It looks as though she recently gave birth and is in the same state as the future Luna."