Monsters Beyond the Gate

Chapter Eight: Blood and Water

It was Adeline. I could hear her running-staggering- not too far ahead. I pushed myself harder. I needed to reach her before she got herself into any sort of trouble. 

Slow up, Levi! 

Tessa's voice assaulted my thoughts, reverberating throughout my skull. 

with a shock I realized that i'd let my mental walls down in my frenzy to catch, Adeline. Tessa nearly had access to all of my most private thoughts and feelings. I pulled the walls up tight, only letting enough connection remain to communicate with her.  

I didn't slow. I couldn't.

Abruptly, I heard Adeline's footsteps come to a halt. An awful sent violated my nose. The stench of mold and darkness. 

Erebus!  I snarled, pushing myself to go faster still. 

Tessa accelerated to flank me, but she was panting hard. 

Go back! I demanded. 

No! Erebus's pack members are up there. You can't go alone! she retorted angrily.  

I'm serious, Tessa. It's dangerous. Go get help. Now, that's an order. 

My blood rushed horribly fast at the thought of Adeline facing Erebus's pack members alone and weak. 

You aren't Alpha yet, Levi. I'm not leaving you. We can take them. Together. 

I snarled with rage, but I couldn't stop to make her go. It might have been too late for Adeline if I did. 

Up ahead a clearing came into view, and in it stood Adeline, surrounded by three dark gray wolves. 

She didn't look scared. On the contrary she looked incredibly brave. She was standing up tall with her hands curled into fists at her sides. Her white tee-shirt bore a large rip, as if one of the wolves had already took a swipe at her. 

The rage in my body seemed to fuel me. I leaped into the clearing and landed right in front of Adeline to face the largest of the three wolves. His ruby colored eyes widened with shock and then narrowed viciously. 

I dared a glace at Adeline, expecting her to look relieved, but if anything she appeared frustrated that I'd got in her way. 

"Where is he? Where is my brother?" she demanded without even looking at me. Her eyes were dead set on the largest gray wolf who stared back maliciously. 

There was no way the wolf could answer her in wolf form, even if he wanted to. 

Back at home, the wolf mentally sneered, jerking his head backward to indicate so.

Of course Adeline couldn't hear him, but it looked like she caught his drift. Her sea green eyes hardened and a look of absolute fury claimed her features. 

"Bring him here, now!" she screamed. 

The wolf, very discernibly, shook his head no and stared her right in the eyes as he did so. A stick snapped behind us, all eyes turned to see Tessa enter the clearing. Her light brown fur gleamed in the sun and she stared at the surrounding wolves with a threatening expression as she proceeded into the circle to stand beside me, tail to tail. 

Why have you invaded our territory? the largest wolf demanded, turning his eyes on me. Their color reminded me of blood.  

This is not your land! It's neutral territory! Tell your cowardly master, Erebus, that if he wants to change that he need only show his ugly mug and we can put him in his place, sneered Tessa.