We followed the screams.
It was harder than I thought it would be. Will's cries could be heard clearly from outside the apartment buildings, but hearing them wasn't the problem. The problem was that they were distant, almost an echo, and seemed to surround us at every angle. If it weren't for Raven, I would have been lost in finding where they were ultimately coming from.
We darted through the streets, my footsteps at Raven's ankles. She didn't mind but even pulled me closer to her, at times. We found strength in each other. My weaknesses were her strengths, and it seemed the other way around, too. When she'd hesitate, I'd push forward. When I was too reckless to regard danger, she had already searched for it.
The one thing I hadn't lied to Raven about was the fact that I needed her. She led the way, as it was easy for her to pinpoint the direction of the noises. I followed closely behind, not only because she could hear Will, but also because I had no idea where we were. When Samuel brought me home from the hospital, I hadn't bothered paying attention. At that point, I was so drugged up, so tired, and so defeated, I didn't see a point. And now, I was paying for it.
Raven's gaze again darted around a corner, her mouth pressed into a thin line. The coast was clear, as usual, but that didn't stop her from shaking her head and muttering to herself. She'd repeated this phrase almost every minute since we'd left the apartment, and after a while, it was too hard to drown out.
"This is too easy."
Though at first, I denied it, I had to admit Raven was right. It was late, and no one would normally be awake at this hour, but our flight from the apartment had almost been too easy. The fact that we hadn't encountered a single soul in almost the hour that we'd been following Will's screams was enough for even me to question. I wanted desperately to ignore this pressing thought, but my brain wouldn't allow it. Not only that, but Raven reminded me every few feet. Each time she reminded me, another thought struck my core.
There should have been someone else watching us. The door should have been more enforced. We should have been caught.
But, we weren't. And though my mind screamed at me to think about my actions, I wouldn't. I forced the anxiety and panic from my chest, telling myself that at this point, it was too late to turn back. And though the odds were stacked against us in every way possible, I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, something was going to go right. That maybe there was some high and mighty being that decided to finally give me a break and allow me to save my brother.
Raven pulled me into another back alley, where she scanned the area around us. When she was satisfied, we walked halfway down the street and stopped next to a dumpster. I waited, impatiently, as she surveyed the area once more. It was hard to have patience with Raven's constant caution when I wanted so desperately to sprint in the nearest direction I thought Will would be. However, she never took a step without first deciding where that step would lead.
Our bodies were plastered against the green metal, attempting to blend into the surface. I had to hold back from rolling my eyes because this was how we'd been moving the entire night. Though I was appreciative that Raven was careful, it was beginning to wear on my nerves.
I counted another minute before I finally huffed and turned to face her. "Raven," I harshly whispered. She whipped her gaze to mine, the streetlights from the end of the corner illuminating her wary expression. "We're never going to make it at this rate."
She started to speak, but abruptly shut her mouth. Her gaze turned back to the street, but not before she pressed her fingers harshly against my lips. I watched the spot she was looking, but when nothing appeared, I rolled my eyes and pried her hand away from my mouth.
"What are you even-"
Her gaze whipped back to mine, and for a moment, I saw something glinting in her eyes; something more than caution of an empty threat. It silenced me immediately, just in time for me to hear the soft murmur of voices coming from the end of the street. My eyes widened, and my breath hitched in my throat. It was barely there, but once I heard it, there was no denying the sound. There were two voices. They were speaking in low, rushed, and undiscernible tones.
Raven's hand on my mouth fell as soon as she knew I saw what she'd heard. For a few, long, agonizing minutes, the two of us didn't move. We stayed rooted in place, eyes trained on the spot the voices were coming from. They weren't in our line of vision yet, but we knew they would be, soon enough.
Two figures eventually emerged around the corner. They hesitated in the opening of the alleyway, one of them glancing around, tiredly. The yellow light of the street lamp sent dangerous shadows across their bodies, and it made it impossible for us to tell who these people were. However, I could see one thing. It was illuminated and glinting off the harsh yellow light, hanging limply from one of the figure's hands.
A gun.
Upon closer inspection, I realized one of them was leaning heavily on the other. They had their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders, and the one who was bearing their weight seemed to be looking for something. Their voices were still low murmurs, but I could also tell now that they were arguing. From the rushed words and harsh tone, I knew they were disagreeing about something important, and that something was exactly what had them stopped outside the alleyway.
Raven chanced a glance at me. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth hung half open. I knew she was trying to ask me what to do, but in the moment, I had no answer. The two figures answered for us though, when they began moving once more. But, instead of continuing like we prayed they would, they limped into the alleyway and towards our hiding spot.
The next few moments were torture. From our spot next to the garbage bin, we were concealed from the mouth of the alley. However, if you were to walk further into the alley like these two figures, we'd be in plain sight. Our goal had been to conceal ourselves from people outside the back street, not in it. Not even Raven had planned that they would wander in on us.
A quick and reckless plan formed in my head, and before I could talk myself out of the idea, it was already in motion. Raven looked at me again, clearly not sure what I was going to do, but I gave her a curt nod. This did little to ease her tensions. She pressed her lips into a firm line and tried to push herself further into the ground, allowing me to carry out whatever thoughtless plan I had plastered across my face.
The two figures kept walking toward us. The minute they were just beyond our spot, I tensed my muscles and shifted my position. As soon as we came into their line of view, I pounced.
I tackled the one who was holding both of their weight, immediately aiming for the gun in their hands. The figure was caught off guard, and let out a loud yelp as the three of us came crashing to the ground. We stumbled over the concrete, one after the other, limbs tangling with limbs until the motion stopped, and we were all left on the ground, breathing hard. Grimacing, I lifted myself to my elbows, quickly searching my surroundings for the gun. I'd managed to knock it out of their hand, but instead of holding on to it, the gun got pushed several feet away.
For half a second, I sized up the two figures on the ground. One of them was almost limp, while the other was quickly rising to their knees. I immediately rose to my feet and sprinted for the gun. When I turned back around, one of them was standing, holding up their hands in surrender. The other was barely holding their head off the ground.
We stayed in those positions for a fraction of a second longer. Each of us stared at each other, not fully being able to take in appearances with the harsh and unhelpful light. Then, Raven steadily rose from her hiding spot and came to stand next to me.
"Who are you?" I demanded, as soon as she came to my side.
The figure stilled. "Samantha?"
My brows furrowed at the voice. I recognized it, but couldn't place it, so I bit out once more, "Who are you?" My hands were shaking, causing the gun to tremble. I tried to mask this, shifting it to point directly at the person's chest. I also tried to ignore the fact that this was the first time I'd ever held a gun, and in reality, I had no idea how to use the thing. However, the two figures didn't need to know this. They just needed a threat.
The figure lowered their hands just slightly. "It's me. It's Kade."
I stilled. "Kade?"
"Yes. Now, would you please put the gun down? We're not going to hurt you."
"Like hell," I growled, pointing it firmly at his head.
We were barely two feet away from each other, and now that he revealed himself, I could make out Kade's features. His long and dark hair was pulled back but matted to his head in various placed. Lines were etched into his face, and I couldn't tell if they were wrinkles or scars. His hands were bloody.
Raven shifted next to me. "What's going on?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing," Kade responded. His voice was heavy and tired. As he spoke, his gaze kept darting to the figure beneath him, who had given up on standing. I couldn't see their face, but they looked to be in a worse state than Kade. Dark hair was clipped short, revealing bloodied bruises all over their skull. Their entire body was shaking, whether from the cold, or the effort of standing, I couldn't tell.
"He's part of the humans," I spoke lowly to Raven.
She growled suddenly, her body tensing. The sound was animalistic, and enough to make me falter and steal a glance her way. Her eyes flashed red, just like Samuel's would always do moments before he lost it.
It hadn't really struck me until this moment, but Raven was exactly like Riley and Samuel. A wolf. A deadly, temperamental, wolf. A wolf that would change not only her eye color but her entire being, as well. In a fraction of a second, she could rip us all to pieces. However, for once, I didn't have to fear this wolf. She was on my side, and I was on hers. Those eyes weren't meant for me. They were trained on Kade.
"Back with the wolves, I see," Kade sounded, choosing to ignore Raven's glare. She snarled in response, tensing once more.
I laughed, bitterly, pulling my eyes back to Kade. "It's not like you gave me a choice."
"Look, I'm sorry about all that-"
"Save it."
The figure on the floor groaned. Kade lowered his hands, slowly. "Can I help him up? He can't stand on his own."
"You're not moving," I firmly stated. "Not until you tell me why you're here and what the hell is going on."
"Okay," he started. "Okay, I get it. I promise to tell you all of that. But, first, I need to get him off the ground. He's laying on his wounds and they're going to reopen."
I hesitated, and the moment I did, Kade bent down and scooped the figure off the ground. He let out a large moan at the sudden movement, his body flinching violently. When Kade had him standing next to him again, it was in the same fashion as when we first saw them. Their arms wrapped around shoulders, Kade bearing most of the weight.
"Okay, you've helped him. Now, don't move," I demanded. "Who is he? What are you doing here?"
"This is my brother, Titus. And before you tackled us both? We were minding our own business, trying to get out of here."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," he huffed, shifting his weight to hold more of his brothers. As he did, he winced slightly, his left leg faltering. He hid it quickly though, turning his grimace into stone. "That because Titus was injured, we were sent ahead of the group. We're leaving. They came back to rescue us and now we're out of here."
"It looks like you're injured, too," Raven piped in. "I can smell the blood."
Kade sneered. "Yes, we're both not faring too well. Is that what you wanted to hear? Your friends really are skilled."
"Where are the others?" I shook my head, the gun moving with the motion.
Kade eyed the weapon warily. "I don't know."
"Liar."
"I don't know! They sent us ahead and we were supposed to meet up half an hour ago. We haven't seen them."
"He's not lying," Raven half-whispered to me, never removing her glare from Kade.
I breathed in deeply, but the moment I did, I had to hold back a wince. The adrenaline had run its course through my body and was starting to leave, and with it, came the ever-constant burning of my side. I tried not to make it obvious as I twisted my hips, taking any and all pressure off the still healing wound. It had been getting better, but crawling through splintered wood and tackling men to the ground did little to help that process.
Once again, I eyed Kade and his brother, distracting myself. Raven's words rang through my mind, and I knew she was right. He wasn't lying. They were both in bad shape. Titus's head was now lying limply against his chest, and he made no sound apart from heavy breathing. Kade was breathing heavily, as well, and sweat was starting to form on his forehead. His face was paler than I remembered it, and it looked as if he was ready to pass out.
"How did you get away?" I broke the momentary silence.
"Damaria and what was left of them came back for us."
"I thought Riley and Payton killed them all?"
Kade grimaced. "They did. Most of them. The few that weren't captured got away."
"Where did you leave the others?"
"Samantha," he pleaded.
"Where did you leave the others?" I repeated, more forcefully, re-aiming the gun for good measure.
He sighed. "We were being followed. In the woods next to the beach. Damaria sent us ahead and told us they'd lead a false trail. She told us to meet up at the edge of town half an hour ago."
"What happened?"
Kade hung his head, much like his brothers. "I don't know. I just heard screaming. I panicked and brought us here. We wouldn't make it in the woods, alone."
I stilled. Screaming. Suddenly, I remembered the whole reason we were out here. I quickly turned to Raven.
"We have to go."
She nodded but glanced warily at Kade and his unconscious brother. "What do we do with them?"
I turned my attention back to Kade. He was watching us, cautiously, and I didn't fail to notice how his body was half turned away from the gun. Scenarios flew through my mind, each one of them involving me shooting Kade and washing my hands of him, once and for all. If he was betraying me again, killing him would be the best option to ensure we weren't followed or taken.
I shifted my thoughts, the more sensible part of my brain trying to take over. It didn't look like either of them could do much harm. One was unconscious, and the other looked like he wanted to be. More scenarios flew through my mind, these ones consisting of me letting Kade and his brother go free.
Nothing sat right.
"What are you doing out here?" Kade questioned, his voice testing.
"That's none of your business."
He shrugged. The movement took more effort than it should have. "Maybe we could help you."
"Right," I scoffed. "Like the time you helped me escape town just to be hunted down? Like the time you got me shot? Like the time you literally threw me to the wolves?" I was almost screaming my words at this point, putting all my pain and frustration into Kade.
Raven immediately shushed me, putting her hand on my back. I shoved it off, forcefully, and stood before Kade at full height. Raven glanced around nervously, listening for any signs that someone else had heard me.
Kade pleaded with me. "I told you I was sorry. I didn't have a choice. I helped you leave though, remember? I cut those ropes. I gave you a chance. It's not my fault if you got caught."
I closed my eyes, desperately trying to regain my composure. If I opened my mouth again, I would lose it. I kept telling myself this wasn't why I was here, that I was wasting time, that Kade was simply not worth my words. He'd betrayed me, played me, and practically signed my death warrant. There should be nothing stopping me from pulling the trigger and ending him.
But, I couldn't. Of course, I couldn't. Not because I didn't want to, but because I had somewhere else my efforts were needed. Someone else deserved these bullets.
I turned again to Raven. "We have to leave. Where do we need to go?"
She turned to the mouth of the alleyway, tilting her head to the side. As she did so, Kade grimaced.
"There's wolves out tonight, you know. Not the kind you're used to. It's why Damaria came tonight, in the first place."
"What?" I demanded, eyes going wide.
"There's wolves without control out tonight. Damaria knew most of them would be focused on that and not the prisoners. It the only reason we got out."
"How the hell did she know that?"
He looked at me, warily. "I don't know. And I'm not lying. I asked her, and she just told me someone tipped her off. One of the old insiders, I'm guessing."
"Insiders?"
"You know." He looked like he wanted to move his hands, but they were still supporting Titus. "One of the people she has on the inside of town. One of the people who would have helped you leave town."
I furrowed my eyebrows, mumbling to myself. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would they know?" I trailed off, searching the silence for my answer. Kade was watching me the entire time, trying to understand my incoherent mumbles.
"I've got it," Raven suddenly spoke. "We need to go before I lose it, again."
I nodded, bringing myself back to the moment, once more. I glared at Kade, adjusting the gun. He kept his eyes on the shining metal, his expression paling further. He looked terrified, and I took pleasure in that fact.
"How many bullets does this thing have?"
"It's fully loaded," he spoke slowly. "It's the last one we have. The others got taken when the wolves killed everyone. Look, if you're going to kill me-"
"I'm not wasting these on you," I cut him off. Kade relaxed almost immediately. "But," I emphasized. "If you so much as cross my thoughts again, I will kill you. Without hesitation."
He raised his eyebrows and nodded, slowly. "I wouldn't dream of it."
"Raven." I turned to her. She looked at me, almost as scared as Kade. "Knock them out."
***
I know I promised lots of crap hitting the fan...and now I'm promising it next chapter xD I didn't anticipate this little interaction taking up so much space! But...
What do you all think?! Kade's back! Or, is he? Why would Damaria and her group have known about Will (or at least something like it)?? What happened to them?? Will Raven and Samantha make it to Will?
I tried to make this chapter a bit longer, due to the fact that it's been a little while since I've updated. Honestly, we're coming around to the ending of this story, so updates might be a bit more sporadic. (That, along with the fact that I'm taking seven classes this semester, along with working full time...) I just want to get everything right!! The next chapters are going to be fun..hard..and pretty much wonderful torture to write. So, let the games begin.
LOVE YOU GUYS!!
mquistey
ALSO (sorry for the long AU) WE'RE GOING TO HIT 100K READS AND I'M FREKAING OUT HAAARRRDDD COOOOREEE!!! YOU'RE ALL SO FREAKING AMAZING I CAN'T HANDLE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!