Claws // Colby Brock

💫 64 💫

"That should be fading out soon. We've been spreading the word of his misdeeds and warning even our own adversaries against working with him," I told Kian, pride in my voice as I let my lips twist up at the corners. "Anything you can think of that might work in this war, we're already doing it, most likely."

"I'm glad. Colby's always been seen as one of the strongest leaders, and not because of his strength." He glanced at me briefly then sighed, deflating in place. "Can we please talk about it, when this is all over?"

I lifted one leg over the other and placed a hand on the table, drumming my fingers at a slow pace to a tune in my head. Quietly, I said, "I don't know what's going to happen that will end all of this, so I don't know if we'll even be friends or alive anymore... but yes. If all goes well, we can talk about it."

"Thank you," he breathed. "Anyway... this is the point where I can't really help any more. It took a lot of effort to get out of the pack today and I don't think I can do it again, certainly not without arousing a hell of a lot of suspicion.

"And since spending too long away will also do that, I've written it all down for you." He reached into his pocket for a piece of paper, which he slid across the table to me. I instantly recognised his perfect handwriting that rivalled a computer's, and scanned over the information.

Most of it explained the weaknesses he'd witnessed, the behaviour of both Aiden and Paula when they were and weren't around one another, the strengths of the pack alongside everything they're doing wrong, and most importantly, a word-for-word of everything he'd heard regarding Anna's planned assassination.

"Remember," he added, "that everything I have found out from the man himself, could end up being a trick to lure you into a trap. I don't know and I don't have the capacity right now to figure it out. That's why I came to you in the first place."

"You've done enough," I assured him. "I'll look this over properly and show it to the others, and we'll see what we can do. It'll be a lot harder for Aiden to notice a vampire stalking him."

"Do you have someone in mind?"

"Maybe," I admitted.

"Okay... Be safe, Amira."

"I will."

I stood from the table and reluctantly walked away. I wanted to stay with him and talk more about all of this, but the longer we spent together, the more our scents would rub off and the easier it would be for Blake and Anna to figure out he was helping me. If it got to Blake, it would get to Aiden, and then everything would go to shit. So I had to go for now, but in my head, I promised him we would have that proper talk someday.

My intention from here was to go to the other clan I knew — Tom, especially after the big fight that'd happened — but a notification on my phone halted my plans in its tracks.

Something had happened back at the house that'd woken everyone up, and now they all knew I was missing. I hadn't had the time to plan my excuses or well-thought-out explanation yet, so I would be screwed the moment I got there.

A downstairs window had been broken, which had woken up Sam, who in typical white guy fashion, headed downstairs to investigate, only to come face-to-face with a goddamn werewolf. The fight that ensued woke everyone else to help him, and it was only after the werewolf was swiftly knocked out and tied up that they realised someone was missing. Colby wasn't the one to text me all this, though, it was Cassie, who for whatever reason already knew I was safe.

I replied that I was on the way back home, choosing not to question how she knew I'd just gone out for a bit and hadn't actually been harmed, despite the worry my disappearance would normally cause.

From the driveway, I could see the broken window, which Corey was in the process of boarding up. He glanced over his shoulder to look at me as I climbed out of the car, a small smile on his lips. "Hi, Amira. How was your adventure?"

I paused, frowning. "Um... fine, and hardly an adventure."

"Glad you enjoyed it."

Corey wasn't acting strange, he was trying to hint at what was awaiting me inside. I wasn't going to be allowed out of Colby's sight for decades because of this, especially as we happened to get attacked the same day and I probably worried him at first when he woke up to my absence. As much as I understood it, I had no intention of allowing him to control me like that, and I knew the only way to get away with it was batting my eyelashes.

"Thanks, Corey," I replied casually, making my way up to the door. The usual chatter of the living room drew my eyes toward it, but the man I was looking for wasn't there. I quickly found Sam instead, calling, "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Sam assured me. "Where've you been? You just woke up, like, yesterday."

I looked away toward the stairs. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure," he mused.

"Is he here?" I asked, knowing they'd understand my question. Mike snickered, which made me unreasonably nervous, while Cassie rolled her eyes.

"What do you think, Amy? Think he'd leave the house without knowing where you are?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Riiiiiight." Leaving the group, I jogged quickly up the stairs with my head tilted back. "Coooolbyyy?" There was no answer, but I could smell him somewhere up here. I pushed open our bedroom door and glanced around, taking a few small steps into the room. "Um, Colby?"

The door slammed behind me.

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