Hey guys! Sorry I couldn't update in forever, Hurricane Sandy took my power ALL WEEK!! You have no idea how cold it is at my house. Now I have a cold. But nonetheless, here is a chapter. Yay!
Picture is Candice Accola who plays Elle!! Not my picture :)
Remember to comment and vote!!
Chapter 5
I stared at him, my face an emotionless slate as he prowled around me much like a predator would circle its prey. I didn't like it. I wasn't accustomed to being at the other end of the predatory stick. I was the predator, the world my prey.
My breathing evened, and I gazed at him levelly. His eyes were unwavering in an attempt to break down my walls. The corner of my mouth twitched at the thought. Impossible, the walls I had built were titanium. Unbreakable. Or so I thought.
"I know who you are, Lori." He breathed. He pronounced my name mockingly. My blood boiled.
"Then you know," I said flatly. Jonah nodded, his eyes suddenly understanding. My heart raced under my feverish skin. If he knew, who else knew? Did anyone suspect that the ringleader of the mysterious, notorious Resistance was truly the skittish, shy murderer of Aliana Dawson; Laurel Langley? My heart leaped to my throat at the thought. But if so, why hadn't anyone said anything?
I paled. Who else knew that I was Zane's mate? Had he said anything to the pack after I left? No, I reassured myself. No, he wouldn't. He swore he would never tell. However, the pack must be somewhat suspicious after all this time. An alpha should have found his mate by now. Everyone knows that. The alarm must have shown on my face, because Jonah smiled soothingly.
"It's only me, I swear. He kept you a secret. As bewildering as it is, everyone believes that the Alpha is unmated." I let out a long sigh. Relief washed over me, and ceased my anxiety. My cover was secure.
"Where is he?" I questioned. The beta shrugged and leaned on the Alpha's desk. The mahogany table creaked under his weight, but held strong. Jonah crossed his arms and gazed out the window distractedly. My icy eyes narrowed to slits as I realized that even the Beta had no idea what his precious, oh so mighty alpha was up to. It concerned me even further that no wolf, not even Jonah seemed eager to know what their Alpha was doing instead of leading the pack.
Finally, Jonah spoke, "He travels a lot. The Alpha is secretive. It is true that he rarely is ever here, but Alpha Charlie and I care for the pack." Alpha Charlie Vanderblue was Zane's father as well as the alpha of the last generation. He was a kind man with the wisest eyes I had ever seen. I remember him being a good leader in my childyears. Alpha Charlie was the type of man who proudly bore smile wrinkles and and labour-roughened hands. He was one of the very few people I missed when I left. I believed that Alpha Charlie was the reason Blue Moon hadn't fallen in light of Zane's nonexistent leadership.
Annoyance radiated from me as Jonah spoke of Zane's negligence. "He is a terrible alpha then." I said flatly. It wasn't a question. It was unquestionable. An alpha that does not tend to his pack is not an alpha at all.
"No, it's not that. He's just... busy." Jonah struggled to find the right words. His tanned cheeks flushed, and he warily scratched the back of his neck. I snorted at his attempt to defend his leader. Zane did not deserve Jonah's sympathy and support. Regardless, it was in his Beta blood to protect his leader, no matter how shitty the leader may be. It's a wolf thing.
"Back to the matter at hand, what happened after you left? How did you get with them?" Jonah quickly changed the subject. I raised an eyebrow at his condescending tone when regarding my family. My pale lips pulled back in a feral snarl.
"The Resistance is the pack you all failed to be. They are my family. You best watch your tone," I barked. My words pierced through the Beta, causing him to flinch violently. Jonah nodded and stared at the ground as if the smooth wooden floors could save him from my wrath.
"I'm sorry," Jonah apologized solemnly. A twinge of sympathy arose within me, but I quickly pushed it away. I had no sympathy for him. I had no reason to. He spoke ill of The Resistance. He made it sound like I traveled with a carnival of freaks, and not a noble pack of warriors! I swallowed my fury down my throat.
"After Zane banished me cruelly and unrightfully, I was homeless. I was alone." Jonah looked up at my brisk tone. I could sense his regret and awe as if it were my own. I hastily brushed away the feeling, scolding myself once more. Why did I feel such emotions from him?
"Two months after I left, I encountered The Resistance," my eyes shone as I spoke. "I saw them as the most noble, influential, down to earth warriors I had ever met. They took me in after seeing my potential for greatness." A smile crept onto my lips as I recalled that fateful day.
"They are a family to me. We have a bond that most people never experience. It is a bond that runs deeper than blood, and lies in the soul. We are not just a family, but a united force. The Resistance mentored me, taught me how to fight. They told me I had amazing potential, and that I was wasted in this pack. They told me that I was taken for granted in Blue Moon. I realize now that they were right." Lifting my chin, I gazed at him my blank face never wavering.
"While we all are exceptional warriors, I am the most skilled killer in The Resistance. In other words, I am the best. It is undeniable that I have taken countless lives, but they are all lives of those damned Hunters." I sensed the fear and awe emanate from the Beta. It must have been a strange thing for Jonah, to say goodbye to an innocent, broken little girl only to come back and face the same girl as an unapologetic murderer.
"Yes, I am a killer," I continued, "but I kill for you. All of you. Wolves and vampires, The Resistance protects all of you from those wretched Hunters, in hopes that you will always have the right to prosper. The right to raise your pups freely, without always having to calculate each step you take with the fear that a shuriken will slice your back." I spat my words out venomously. My words cut through him like glass, slicing deeper and deeper into his soul.
I barked out a laugh. "I fight for the very wolves that banished me, left me to die in the human world. You have no idea how cruel humans can be. How unsympathetic and selfish they are. The best they do for a homeless person is a few spare change in a hat, then what? That's right, they forget about you and go on with their happy lives. They go home to the families they take for granted, they waste precious food that I needed when I starved in the cold, and they don't spare your ragged ass a second glance."
"You don't know how fortunate you are until you have nothing," my voice dropped to a whisper. Jonah stared at me in horror, regret, and disbelief. He raised a hand to comfort me, but drew in away in hesitation. I turned away and gazed at the Blue Moon pack lounging in the back yard. The mates sat lovingly on the porch while the merry pups played in the snow. I smiled wistfully to myself.
"You really don't know how fortunate you are until you have absolutely nothing. Until you have no one. I suppose this pack could use a little nothing. Sometimes I would love to see what happens if The Resistance just let all the Hunters attack. If The Resistance just lounged around all the time, let packs and clans be mercilessly wiped out every single hour of every day. I mean, we are fully capable of defending ourselves from the Hunters, we've done it countless times before." I traced a small hairline of a crack at the corner of the window. "You would all die," I said softly. I turned as a presence approached the door.
I stepped closer to Jonah, my gaze piercing his. "You cannot tell anyone who I am. If you do, we leave. We won't raise a single finger to help you when Hunters attack, just like none of you raised a finger to help me." The words were raw and harsh, poison coated each syllable.
My black heels clacked as I marched towards the door. Suddenly Jonah spoke, causing me to stop in my tracks.
"I wasn't going to tell anybody." His voice was feeble and submissive, as if he were talking to an alpha. I placed my pale hand on the intricate golden doorknob, wrapping my fingers around its vintage oval shape. I sensed the presence just outside the door, waiting for me to come out.
Deciding that the he had endured enough of my anger and bitterness, I calmed my voice. "Thank you Jonah," I murmured before exiting, leaving a very quiet and thoughtful Beta.
Closing the door, I was met with sharp green eyes that sparked concern like fireworks.
"What did he want?" Amelia probed, her eyebrow arched. I shrugged as I heard her accusing tone.
"Nothing," I said smoothly. "He wanted nothing." I didn't listen for her response; I was already halfway down the hall.
~oOo~
"We need to talk." I turned to find myself face to face with Peter. His inky hair fell messily over his eyes, giving him a brooding look. Despite his tiredness, I witnessed a faint glimmer in his eyes, most likely due to Skylar. He must have spoken to her recently, due to his enlightened mood.
"Yeah sure," I replied as I followed him into the forest. We had been in the Blue Moon pack for three days. Everything was peaceful, quiet. As far as I knew, no wolf recognized me, aside from Jonah. Since our excuse for being here was to train the pack, The Resistance had to maintain our cover. The Beta and I had spoken further in order to discuss the training schedule. In these discussions, I had bonded with Jonah's mate; Meera. She was a new from a small pack in Florida. I had taken quite a liking to her company, despite the circumstances. All except for the time she told me I would make a great Luna. I didn't talk to her for a while after that.
Apparently I gave off a Luna aura to the pack, which would explain everyone's sudden friendliness to me and not the rest of The Resistance. It would explain why Jonah was so submissive during our chat in the Alpha's office. Despite Zane's rejection, the Luna aura must have stuck to me, causing all the wolves of Blue Moon to show unrequited affection and loyalty to me. Despite the respectful, awed manner the pack treated me with, Sammi was often shunned, her being the only vampire. The werewolves of The Resistance were welcomed slightly more, but only on mine and Jonah's command. Sammi on the other hand avoided contact with the pack wolves at all costs. She often suffered mild headaches due to the 'dog scent', which caused her to stay in her room or in the woods all day. The Resistance wolves had acquired a tolerable scent to its vampires, but Blue Moon wolves were overwhelming and distasteful in Sammi's opinion. I sympathized with her suffering, but Sammi was tough. She had live through worse. I admired her for it.
After approximately 6 minutes of treading after Peter, I spotted the rest of The Resistance all gathered in a tight circle. Elle and Amelia stood together, and Sammi patiently waited in the corner. The redheaded vampire watched Peter spitefully as we joined the circle. I stared at her questioningly. Her eyes softened as she acknowledged my arrival, signaling that she wasn't cross with me.
Peter ignored our exchange and sighed. "Sammi gathered us here, because-"
"Because we are wasting time in this damned pack!" Sammi burst out suddenly. Her stance was ridged, anger clearly displayed. I stiffened in shock as Amelia narrowed her eyes and stepped forward threateningly. Elle's glossy pink mouth fell open in astonishment. "Sammi!" the blonde scolded. Sammi turned towards Elle, her emerald eyes blazing with frustration.
"It's true Elle, and you know it!" Amelia growled furiously from Elle's side. I teeth grit as I felt Amelia's wolf rise within her.
"Shut up, Sammi! We are not wasting time! Peter is alive because we are here!" Amelia snarled. Sammi laughed humorlessly, her gaze mocking. I cast a gaze over the two girls worriedly, sensing a newfound tension in the air.
"Really, Amelia?" Sammi scorned. She pulled out a newspaper from her back pocket, tossing it at the young she-wolf.
Amelia unraveled the newspaper in annoyance, reading aloud; "Intense Wildfires Set Texas Forests Ablaze. Wildlife demolished. Twenty-six, including three firemen confirmed dead." Looking up from the paper, she shook her head indignantly. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that Hunters are back, stronger than ever, and they are organized. They have strategies. They are dangerous." Sammi stated flatly. Elle stepped up, laughing nervously.
"Um, let's not jump to conclusions, okay? Maybe it's just a wildfire. Come on, I mean Texas gets wildfires all the time. How does this mean Hunters? Besides, Hunters are dumb. They don't get smart overnight." she reasoned. Sammi shook her head insistently.
"You're a fool if you truly believe that, Elle. I phoned Angela last night. She knew wolf packs from those forests. She told me no pack answered their phones when she called them. Every single line was dead. Don't you dare tell me that's coincidence." My blood turned cold, as if someone had poured ice into my veins. The forest was silent, not a single chirp or bristle to be heard. The sun shone high in the sky, radiating warm that did not reach my skin.
"So they're dead? How many?" I rasped. Dread was clear in my voice. Sammi glanced at me gravely.
"Angela told me that she only knew three packs in that area. None of them answered the phones. I reckon they're either dead, or all mysteriously lost all their cellphones." I bit my lip at her sarcastic tone. How many more packs were dead? Three packs were enough. Imagine how many wolf packs Angela didn't know? How many vampire clans as well?
Amelia scowled at us, her green eyes flat. "This is complete bullshit! How the hell is this our fault? We couldn't have known! And if we did, we couldn't stop them!"
"We could have tried! That's what we do! We try!" Sammi spat. "Rather that than sitting on our asses all day, screaming at fat, lazy werewolves to do cardio!" Amelia growled, taking a menacing step in the vampire's direction.
"You're making a big deal out of nothing! We couldn't have saved those packs, even if we knew about it! This seems bigger than us! A bunch of big wildfires? Since when did we put out wildfires? We kill individual Hunters remember? Not entire organizations." Amelia's shrill voice raised an octave.
Elle raised a perfectly manicured hand soothingly. "Okay, listen. It's not our fault. This is a horrible tragedy, but we are doing good things here! Blue Moon is learning to protect themselves! Isn't that helpful?" she said optimistically.
Sammi didn't seem fazed by the Amelia. She towered over her, making the young werewolf look tiny and childish. Ignoring Elle, she continued. "You're so full of bullshit, Amelia. You're so set on staying here, training these stupid, lazy pack wolves while we could be out there, stopping the danger! Training these wolves won't do anything. Killing the Hunters will save every single life they will ever take from now on! Why can't you get it through your stupid blonde skull that staying here is wasting valuable time?"
Amelia sneered, her once kind face filled with disgust. "By training these wolves, we are protecting them from future danger. So they can defend themselves, and their pups! You need to stop being so close-minded and look at what's right in front of you! Elle's right, we are doing good things here!"
Sammi smirked coyly, her wine red lips bent in a jeer. "You little hypocrite. You're telling me that I need to look beyond my own nose? What about you?" Amelia stared defiantly at the vampire, eyes narrowed as Sammi rounded up on her. "You say you care about these pack wolves, but face it. You don't give a shit about Blue Moon. You hate them just as much as I do, because they made Lori's life hell. You hate them because they can take your precious uncle away from you. You're scared he will choose his mate over you. Face it, you're just going with all this so you don't end up looking like the jealous little niece who's about to lose her uncle." Elle and I stared at each other helplessly. Amelia froze, her green eyes darkening to black.
Sammi opened her mouth to do more damage. Except she didn't even get a chance, because at that very moment, a large blonde wolf ripped open from Amelia, sending shreds of clothing fluttering in the air. The blodne wolfe lunged at Sammi, teeth bared and claws extended.
Sammi fleetingly dodged the large wolf, drawing out her wicked sword. Her eyes blackened and her face withered to gray, revealing her vampire side. Amelia's wolf quickly spun around on her hind paws, starting for Sammi once more.
Elle gasped, rising to end the fight, but I reassuringly placed my hand on her shoulder. She looked at me in disbelief as I shook my head. They needed to solve their problems themselves.
Peter lay motionless, his head in his hands as he sat on a log. I had completely forgotten he was there. It was like time had frozen him. He was oblivious to the two fighting Beings in front of him. He was lost in his thoughts.
Sammi sidestepped the wolf, flicking her sword over the paws. She hissed through yellowed fangs in satisfaction as Amelia came crashing down, howling in pain. Blood flowed freely from the wolf's paws, disabling Amelia's ability to walk or lunge. The cuts had already started healing, due to the rapid cell regeneration all werewolves possessed.
Sammi blew a stray strand of red hair from her face, walking up to the wolf. Her black, soul-less eyes turned navy blue once more, and her vampire features diminished. Amelia lay on the ground, breath coming in short pants. Her wide green eyes stared at the vampire helplessly.
Sammi sheathed her sword and shrugged out of her jacket. Elle took off her fluffy coat and placed it over the injured wolf.
Amelia shifted, leaving her naked as the day she was born. Wrapping Elle's winter coat around her torso, she took Sammi's jacket and tied it around her hips, covering her bottom. Her hair was disheveled, and her wrists stained red. The cuts had healed, leaving only encrusted blood in its wake.
Sammi stared coolly at the blonde, her features giving nothing away. Amelia nodded slightly before sitting on a log.
"What do we do?" I asked suddenly. We needed to figure out what The Resistance's priorities were. Saving the world, or saving Peter.
"We can't make this decision now," Elle protested gently. Sammi snorted and ran her hand through her hair. Collapsing on the cold ground, she sighed.
"While we contemplate this, it is possible the Hunters are planning their next attack. I'm sorry Peter, but The Resistance is about killing Hunters. Protecting our kinds, vampires and wolves. I'm part of The Resistance, and I am made to kill Hunters. Can you say any different?"
I shook my head, gripping my knife. "We're not just killers, but a family. We cannot forget that. It's not that easy, Sammi."
"It could be," all our heads turned to face the previously silent Peter. Amelia gaped at him, her face contorted in shock.
"Peter, you can't just leave Skylar! It will kill you! Your wolf will die, and..." her voice trailed off as he placed a hand on her knee. They exchanged glances, before Amelia lowered her head. Peter nodded and spoke.
"If we have to leave, we leave. My wolf will just have to deal with it. He is selfish and unpredictable, but I am strong. You are right Sammi," he turned to the redhead who smiled sympathetically in response. "We are The Resistance before anything else. Mates can wait."
There was a pregnant pause. A cloud passed over the sun, darkening the forest. The shadow gave the woods a very sinister look, and it made me uneasy.
"Look, we don't have to decide today. It's been an eventful day, why don't we sleep on it?" Elle piped up. Her tone was light as she attempted to ease the mood. Sammi nodded and I agreed. "Yes that would be a good idea," I replied softly.
"Tomorrow we decide, okay?" Elle confirmed. With quiet nods and murmurs, we parted.
~oOo~
I crouched in the dirt, laying the bouquet of multiple flowers on the ground in front of me. I lifted my hand, my fingers dancing like gossamer over her tombstone. My voice shook as I recited the engravings aloud.
Aliana Grace Dawson
September 19, 1993 - October 14, 2012
Loving daughter, sister, mother and mate
Rest In Peace
A watching willow, she weeps, gentle like rain but blazing as fire
We love her, we love him, we love them
Until the last dying breath
We all take
In time
Next to the large one, lay a smaller gravestone. Small, yet just as important. My breath caught in my throat as I read that one as well.
R.I.P
Antonio Dawson Drays
October 14, 2012
Never have we seen your beautiful face
Never have we kissed your cheeks
Never have we touched your gossamer skin
But you are loved
Cradled with your mother
Never will you experience pain
Hurt or sorrow
Only the love we gave
Every day and every hour
And forever more
Her baby got a tombstone after all. I had always wondered what they did for little unborn Antonio. I had wondered if they had put his name on Aliana's grave or if he had gotten his own. I then knew the answer. Smiling, I caressed Antonio's tombstone as well. So her unborn child rests in peace.
"Hi Aliana," I breathed. I beamed as I crouched in front of her stone. The crows chirped in the graveyard, the cold breeze whispering winter. The sun bore no warmth, not here. Not in this place. Not in this time.
"I hope you're fine where you are." My lips trembled as I struggled to remember her face. Her flaming ginger hair, her button nose. "I hope Antonio is with you as well." Green eyes flecked with gold that held every kind emotion you could imagine.
"I know you've heard me say this for about a year and a half," I said chuckling darkly. "And I suppose you're tired of hearing it." She most likely was. "But it's better now, since all this time I've said it to the clouds, to the heavens. It's nice to talk to you, exactly where you lay." I stared at the frosted grass below me, the dirt tomb protecting her corpse. I trembled violently, choking on sobs.
"But I am so, so sorry, Aliana. And Antonio. You shouldn't have died so early, so young. It's my entire fault. If I hadn't kept you out so late, if I had just known what I know now! How to fight and protect people. You would be here, and so would you, Antonio." I stared sorrowfully at the stones. I sat so still, I felt my heart beat through my chest. Is it normal to be able to hear your own heart?
"Last I saw you, you were so pale. So cold. And dead." My voice dropped to a whisper. "Lifeless and still. It was hard to believe it was even you." I mused. "You were always so energetic. So full of life." I let out a shaky breath as I recalled the memory. "I remember when you had to cram for that biology test Mr. Nickal had, back when we went to the pack highschool. I gave you one energy drink to keep you up so you could study." I craned my ears, as if I listened hard enough, I could hear her laugh at the anecdote. Gosh, I missed her laugh.
"You were practically bouncing off the walls! You kept singing silly human pop music, and you were half shifted! You were running around your room with your ginger wolf tail peeking out of the waistband of your pants!" I drew my coat tighter to my chest as the wind picked up.
"I tried to keep you quiet, but you accused me of being an alien trying to take over the werewolf race. It was utterly ridiculous, but somehow you snuck out of the room and into the junior pack movie night. That was something, remember? That's how you met Anthony, right? You were dancing across the yard, twirling and spinning. He thought you were a dream." I snorted in laughter. "Then he realized you were real, and considered locking you up in an asylum!" My chuckles subsided.
"But he loved you anyway, Aliana because that's just who you are. Or were." Tears welled up in my eyes as the story ended.
"I miss you Aliana, I hate that you died. If anything, I should have died instead of you. The world lost someone good when you left. I for one am a killer. I bring nothing but death and pain wherever I go. I kill because I think I'm making a difference, but really I do it because it's the only thing I can do." The words tasted like vinegar in my mouth. I finally released my tears, my sobs echoing through the empty graveyard.
Standing up I shook my head, tears dripping down my cheeks. "I'm sorry Aliana," I breathed. "I'm just really sorry." It was silent once more; the only sound the whistle of the winter breeze. The tombstones stared at me, their engravings burning into my mind.
"Goodbye," I choked, quickly walking away. Salty drops of water dripped off my chin little by little. I wiped my eyes hastily; the pack couldn't see me like this. I had to be the strong, fearless, dangerous Lori, not some emotional wreck.
Approaching the pack house, I inhaled deeply. Once I was calmed, my feet led me towards the house but not before a loud caterwaul slammed into my eardrums.
An arrow whizzed past my ear, knocking me to the ground in shock. "What the hell?" I screamed. Blue Moon werewolves swarmed out of the pack house, quickly shifting into their wolves. Chaos broke out as black figures burst out of the woods, arrows and other weapons extended to kill.
I gasped as an arrow struck a hazel and red she-wolf in the eye. "NO!" My voice shrieked as the wolf collapsed to the ground in agony. Blood flowed freely from the remnants of the eye like a river.
Quickly picking myself up, I raced over to the wounded wolf I recognized as one of the females in the pack. I took a deep breath before picking her up and flinging her over my shoulder. I huffed under her weight, but to be honest she wasn't that heavy. Just a bit over 100 pounds. Females weren't that heavy anyway.
Using my werewolf speed to bring the wolf into the safety of the pack house, I screamed for aid. "Help!" I shouted as I lay her still body on the kitchen floor. A pregnant she wolf rushed to me, her eyes wide.
"Oh my goodness, someone call Dr. Wales!" she cried. Meanwhile, I prodded at the arrow examining the wound. The eye was practically shredded to pieces under the arrow. It was definitely not salvageable, even with werewolf healing powers. She couldn't regenerate an eye, like she could a simple cut.
I looked up to the pregnant female and began to take charge. "Get me some paper towels. A lot of them." She gaped at me in astonishment.
"Are you a doctor?" she gulped. I growled at her, my eyes blazing. "Just get me some damn towels!" as she scurried off, I gently tugged on the arrow. The she wolf howled in agony, practically breaking my eardrums. She swiped a paw blindly at me, missing my head by an inch. I frowned, laying a hand on her belly.
"It's alright, I'm going to help you." I murmured. Suddenly, a large male came barreling in through the kitchen doorway.
"DIANE!" he howled. He rushed to my side, his brown eyes frantic. "Oh gosh," he moaned as he saw the arrow sticking out of his mate's eyeball. "Oh my gosh, Diane!" he turned to me accusation evident in his gaze. "You bitch!" his scream pierced my ears, causing me to wince slightly. He lunged at me, but I easily slapped him away.
"Calm down, mutt! I didn't do this, those Hunters did!" I snarled. He whimpered as he crawled to my side.
"Mate..." he lamented. I furrowed my eyebrows as the pregnant female came racing back with at least 5 large rolls of paper towel and a first aid kit.
"Here!" she gasped. I nodded gratefully and ripped a long roll of paper towel.
"We need to top the bleeding," I stated flatly. I handed the cloth to the man indicating to press on the wound. "I'm going to take this arrow out. When I do, there's going to be a lot of blood. So you need to put pressure around the wound." The injured she wolf whined as her mate murmured comforting words and wrapped the towels around her head.
"It's okay baby, this girl is going to help. She'll make you feel better, and save your eye. Don't worry my angel, you have to stay calm." I winced as he promised that I would save her eye. That definitely wasn't happening. That eye was screwed. Nonetheless, I wrapped my hands around the arrow firmly, nodding to the male.
"On three," I ordered. He shook his head, eyes fixated on his mate. "One, two, three!" with a quick tug, the arrow came clean out, along with chunky fragments of her eye. Blood squirted onto my face and body, staining another outfit scarlet. Damn it.
Diane screamed bloody murder as started swiping her paws. "HOLD HER DOWN!" I commanded loudly over her wails. The pregnant lady stepped forward to help, but I snarled at her warning her to back off.
"She might claw your stomach!" I roared. She stepped back fearfully, cradling her belly protectively. I was not going to have another unborn child's death on my hands. The male pinned down his mate's paws, causing her to thrash even harder.
Suddenly, Dr. Wales appeared quickly rushing to our aid. "I got this," he panted, eyeglasses slipping down his nose from sweat. I nodded standing up hastily. Grabbing my bow and arrow, I sprinted into the battle.
The Hunters were badly outnumbered, yet they had the upper hand with their fighting skills. As I took in the carnage, I noticed at least 7 wolves on the ground unmoving. They were most likely dead.
I swore as I saw a wolf get swarmed by three Hunters. Drawing my bow, I quickly shot them in the heads, freeing the wolf.
A Hunter lunged at me from the side, shooting a black gun. I rapidly dodged the bullets and threw an arrow right at his head. The Hunter fell to the ground with a thud, the arrow sticking out of his forehead.
I sidestepped another enemy, slashing his neck in the process with my knife. He squealed as he hit the ground and bleed to death. Smirking to myself, I scanned the battle field for any more Hunters. A breath caught in my throat as a rather large Hunter cornered Skylar's wolf against the house. Peter was nowhere to be found.
With a loud battle cry, I flew into combat, knocking the Hunter's feet out from under. With a grunt he fell to the ground. I swore I felt the earth shake. Skylar whimpered, slinking away. Her paw was dislocated and scratches covered her body.
I sheathed my blade and leaped at the Hunter. He yelped in surprise as my knife sunk into his chest. Blood squirted in all directions, especially on my clothes. I must have looked like I took a dip in a pool of blood, with the amount on me. I was definitely a sight to behold.
I clung to the Hunter as he thrashed around, fighting to throw me off. I sneered as I snatched my blade from his chest, life juice dripping from the tip.
A loud crunch noise and the Hunter fell silent. Yanking my knife out of his brain, I scanned the battleground for more Hunters. There were none. Bodies were splayed all over the field, most were the corpses of dead enemies. I counted nine still wolves, but one can only hope they were only unconscious.
I stepped off the large Hunter, wiping my knife on my jeans. There goes another outfit. Sammi approached me, drenched in blood. I smirked as I realized that the blood was not hers.
She grinned crookedly at me, her eyes ablaze with excitement. "That was amazing," she panted. I nodded in response. My lips twitched.
"Where's everyone else?" I meant The Resistance. Sammi shrugged, her blood red locks falling over her shoulders. She sheathed her stained sword.
"I saw Peter and Elle were fine. Didn't see Amelia, but Peter looked pretty quiet, so she must be okay." I pursed my lip, tasting human Hunter blood at the corner of my mouth. The taste was metallic and tangy.
"Peter is always quiet nowadays," I corrected. "But I suppose you're right," there was a loud commotion behind me, and it didn't sound very good.
"And there's Peter now," Sammi noted. I rolled my eyes as I spotted Peter arguing with Jaime. Walking over, I called out, "What's going on?" Jaime spun around, pointing a finger at me. His eyes blazed with rage, and his veins bulged from his forehead.
"You did this! You damned Resistance or whatever the hell you call your worthless selves. Rogues! You did this! It's your fault! You murdered my pack!" he fumed. My eyes hardened at his insults.
Swiftly spinning around and stealing Sammi's sword from its sheath, I pointed the blade at Jaime's throat. I pressed slightly on his neck, causing a bead of dark red blood to trickle from the slice. I curled my lip, my eyes turning pitch black. The Blue Moon wolves were still as my silent fury penetrated their senses.
"Listen to me," I said my voice deadly quiet. The whole forest fell silent to my command. Jaime glared maliciously at me, but I didn't care. He insulted my family, and that does not happen. I would not allow it. I would never allow it.
"You are really getting on my nerves, Jaime Luche. But you should know that no one calls us rogues. We saved your sorry asses, without us you would all be dead. The whole lot of you. Your pups, she-wolves and warriors. Every single one of your weak little pack. Your bodies would be scattered like confetti all over this territory. Don't you know that Hunters dont leave their victims' bodies in one piece?" I barked out a laugh, making him flinch. "Blue Moon is a highly inexperienced pack, whereas these Hunters aren't. They're human, but they sure as hell can fight. You should be thanking us, you pathetic mutt. I advise you to not bite the hand that feeds you." He trembled as I twisted the sword deeper into his throat. More blood dripped.
"Lori," Peter warned. I hissed at him, saliva and Hunter blood dripping down my canines. Peter's eyes widened as he slowly backed away. My wolf and I were in sync, both of us ravenous and hungry for this asshole's head. No one got in the way of the wolf and her prey.
"If you ever insult my family again, there will be dire consequences, and trust me. I know all about torture and consequences. I know how to make you suffer, how to make you scream babblings of agony. I can torture you until you are on the brink of death. Then I'll let you heal, and then I will bring hell down on you again. I could make you wish you had died a long time ago. I can make you beg for mercy, plead for death, but I won't give it to you. Every time I rip open an artery, or pull a limb from the bone, I will remember the insults you threw so shamelessly at your protectors. You do not insult me or The Resistance. If you cross us one more time, all that fun stuff will happen and no one can stop me." My demonic, wolvish face morphed back into my human's. I handed the sword back to Sammi, who was fighting to control her laughter. I stared at her oddly, and then it hit me. The salty and putrid scent.
I smirked at Jaime, my eyes flickering. Gesturing to his soaked pants I snickered, "I believe bleach removes urine stains. Just so you know," And with that I spun on my heels and walked away leaving Jaime in his puddle of shame.
~oOo~
"Hey!" I called to Peter as I raced down the hallway. I finally caught up to him. He had this look on his face that told me I had just brought him back from a completely different world. "Penny for your thoughts?" I chuckled. He smiled slightly and shrugged.
"A lot on my mind," he said softly. I nodded in understanding.
"So how's Skylar?" I questioned nervously. "Is her arm okay?" his gaze turned foggy as he was once again lost in thoughts.
"Um, I didn't really check." He murmured distracted. I furrowed my eyebrows and frowned. I slapped him on the shoulder, causing him to yelp. "Lori!" he exclaimed rubbing his arm. "What the hell?"
"You didn't even check up on her?" I exploded. His eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms. "What's wrong with you? She's your mate for heaven's sake! Seriously, what's your damage?" He started to walk away, anger emanating from him. "That's really none of your business Lori, leave it." I stalked after him, my heels clacking on the wooden floor.
"Peter!" I snapped. He didn't listen. He kept walking. "PETER!" I snarled in my Luna voice. He faltered in his step before resuming. I growled in frustration, grabbing his arm tightly. "Peter, listen to me gosh darn it!" he looked annoyed, sparking hurt from within me. "Peter, what is going on?" I pleaded. He gazed coldly at me before ripping his arm away.
"She's fine, Lori." He said shortly. I raised an eyebrow and cocked my hip. "How do you know?" He was silent before lowering his gaze. He looked so miserable, so pained, both him and his wolf. My heart clenched for him. Why was he so sad? He had Skylar, his wolf should be happy.
After a long pause, he met my gaze sadly. "I can feel it." Then he walked away, leaving me utterly dumbfounded.
~oOo~
I steadily poured the milk into the glass as my mind raced with thoughts. "Lori!" gasped Sammi. Her dark blue eyes were wild as she rushed up to me, her sword swinging back and forth in its sheath dangerously. I backed up cautiously with my glass of milk. I did not want to sword to fall out of its sheath and stab my toe, thank you very much.
"What?" I questioned, my head tilting slightly. Her hair was disheveled and awry, showing she had used her vampire speed to reach me. She looked winded, as if she had traveled faster than usual. Concern sparked within me for the older girl. The vampire bit her lip nervously.
"Um, Lori. There's something you need to know, and you're not going to like it," she warned. A smile crept up on my lips at her words. It was like she expected me to turn wolf any moment, with the amount of wariness she emanated.
"Sammi, I-" and then I smelt it. That honey cologne scent, tinged with peppermint. The sweet scent of aftershave and the hint of spiciness. It hit me like a brick wall, causing my hand to tighten around the glass.
"Lori," she attempted to calm me. I barely heard her over the howls and screams of my inner wolf. She screeched, 'MATE!'
Then the glass broke, spilling milk all over Sammi's high heeled combat boots.