Lunatics {Book 1 ✔️}

Chapter 23

The silence overcame us again. Tucker's face was guarded, his emotions hidden. I blinked and he was gone, storming out the front door. Ben and I looked at each other, not speaking. He seemed to be wrapping his head around the new information.

"He's not very good at dealing with his feelings, is he?" I remarked, looking after his older brother.

Ben let out a tired laugh, nodding his head a little. Silence filled the space between us but he broke it as he looked at the ground.

"Gray's okay."

My heart sank for the second time. How did I become friends with people who were targets of a bunch of homicidal murderers? My fingers worked on their own as they dialed the number. He picked up on the third ring.

"Lou, hi. I was going to call you in a second. I just heard what you did," Gray's voice sounded rushed and solemn.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I wasn't there when it happened but I wish I was."

My face turned into confusion even though he couldn't see it.

"Why?"

"I would've stopped them- I could've stopped them."

Something about the way his voice broke over the last word made my heart go out to him. I couldn't imagine the kind of loss he was experiencing right now. There wasn't a lot I could say to make it better but I wanted to. His loss made me feel powerless. What do you say to someone whose family members had been ripped away from them?

I could only see Tucker holding Elias' limp body in my head with torment and anguish plaguing his face. If Gray was experiencing anything like that, there was nothing I could do to help.

"Gray," I muttered into the phone, "I'm sorry."

He was silent for a moment. I heard voices in the background. Wherever he was, it sounded chaotic. He let out a heavy breath over the phone and I could practically see the fair-haired boy sighing.

"There's nothing you could've done."

I was about to respond when he interrupted me.

"But," he began sharply, "you can tell the Joy boys that their alpha won't get away with this."

"Wh- what?"

Ben seemed to notice that my demeanor had shifted. He leaned forward in the armchair and examined my facial expression carefully. I must have looked green because I felt like I was going to be sick all over the expensive rug in the living room.

Gray's voice had shifted from the sad, resigned voice he answered the phone with. Now, listening to him, there was venom and rage in his tone.

"When the hunters came, there was an alpha with them and my mom knows it was Owein," he spat but then his voice softened, almost as if he were whispering. "Look, Lou. I know you have some weird bond with the Joys, but please consider what side you're on. Even their father knew to stay away from Owein. Look at the pack they chose and what they've done to innocent people."

The silence on the phone was palpable. I couldn't respond.

"There's a war coming and you're on the wrong side."

That was all that I heard from Gray when Ben snatched the phone from my grip and ended the call. He must have heard the whole thing. I gaped at him and the news that Gray had just shared. I looked up at my fuming best friend and Gray's warning sounded in my head.

Was I on the wrong side?

The Joys seemed to be innocent in this equation. They were the ones being attacked, not doing the attacking. As far as I knew.