"Nathaniel," I whispered as my heart sunk. He hung back taking stock of the events unfolding around us.
'Buy time, you need to stall.'
"You're a long way from your pack, Luna," a council guard sneered. Kevin, the creepy asshat that attacked me in our room at home.
"Why," I snapped, my anger finally showed up.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kevin said stalking over. Our opponents were ringing us now.
"I'm afraid you'll have to dumb it down for me," I drawl.
"Time's are changing, power is shifting," he says with a malevolent glint in his eye.
"Is that what this is all about? This whole fucking conference was just a game?" My temper is flaring dangerously as I feel my heart hammer.
"You'll never get away with this," the Guardian challenges. Defiant to the end.
"Look around you!" He says spinning wide for theatrics. "You have been a fly in the ointment long enough."
The wolves spring at us as the Guardian takes two, snapping one's neck as the other latches onto his throat. My shot's not fast enough as they both fall dead.
Jude snaps one throwing him away as another launches at him my shot is faster as I drop him before he reaches Jude. My last arrow is knocked as I desperately search for the best shot.
I aimed squarely at Nathaniel, planning to take out the biggest threat but I froze as he locked eyes with me. Like the day I had Derek in my sights, I have doubts. I take the next best shot taking out Kevin as something crashes into me knocking my shot off slightly.
"There's no one to save you this time Luna," he snarls on his hands and knees coughing up blood.
Nathaniel walks up to him and for a moment Kevin seems to light up until he is ripped up to his feet by his hair. He screams briefly before Nathaniel rips out his throat, tossing him aside.
The council guards and rogues freeze clearly not having expected that. All too soon the peace was broken as the shock wore off.
Movement to the side catches my attention as a wolf tries to sweep in behind to take Ethan. A feral growl rips from me as I launch myself at it, burying the dagger deep in his neck before slicing him wide open.
Rage like I've never experienced takes over as I take on the next wolf that goes for Ethan. He bites down hard on my forearm but in my blind anger it doesn't even register as I bring the blade solidly into his side, splitting him open.
I scream as I jump on the next one dropping it, but in my blind rage I missed the one who came up behind me. I gritted my teeth as it sunk its teeth into my shoulder pulling me off of the last wolf but it's too late for it.
My shoulder burns as he drags me away from Ethan and Jude. A second wolf joins in snapping and lunging for my throat. I kicked wildly catching him in the snout. Suddenly I'm flying face first to the ground as the wolf releases me.
Tucking and rolling I land in a crouch to see Nathaniel tossing the newly deceased wolf to the side. I scramble for the dagger and tuck Ethan behind me as Jude finishes the last wolf.
"When I said to keep your friends close I meant more than one in the middle of the forest," Nathaniel chided.
"Well I didn't exactly have any warning," I snapped.
"Jess, get away from him," Jude growls as he steps in between us.
"Relax Gamma, I'm not out to hurt her," Nathaniel said, stepping back as he put his hands up in surrender.
"What's going on," I growl. My head is throbbing as my body burns, I can't even feel the bites through all of it.
"Silas decided to roll the dice, him and Sylvia apparently are starting a new world order. They're not alone," Nathaniel warns.
"You expect us to believe you aren't a part of this?" Jude accuses.
"No, but I didn't know this was going to happen," he admitted.
"It's not safe here, you need to get her out of here now. They are capturing or killing as many Alpha's and Lunas that aren't sworn to the council as possible. Dimitri is their war chief. I don't know all the players yet, but if those three get their way, the wolf race won't be worth saving," Nathaniel says in disgust.
"Why are you telling us this?" I ask dumbfounded.
"Consider it a thank you for the scissors," he replies with a smirk, confusing Jude. "Watch your people, Chris and Kane are their biggest threats. They will stop at nothing to cripple them, including using you. Helena went to warn Kane. Stay alive Luna," he says as he turns, heading back the way he came.
"Let me take a look at that," Jude says grabbing my arm. "They're already closing, I'm kind of glad you're healing has kicked in now."
"I don't know what to do anymore Jude," I whisper in defeat. It's just me and him left in the middle of the woods as a war rages around us. How will we ever be able to protect Ethan.
"Breath Jess, one foot in front of the other," he says holding my shoulders trying to calm me. "Focus, can you feel anyone familiar?"
I shake my head, it's all static and my headache is making it really difficult to focus.
"Dig deep Jess, clear your mind, reach. You need to pick the safest direction," Jude practically begs.
I close my eyes and focus, forcing my heart to stop hammering as my breathing slows to normal. I push past Ethan and Jude's energy searching further and further away. There are people hiding everywhere but no one feels familiar.
Two energies hit at the same time snapping me back as I groan. I rub my eyes hard trying to push the pain away.
"Definitely not that way," I say pointing ahead. "There's a Councilor and a squad at the forest edge."
Ethan has been busy and has retrieved all of the salvageable arrows from the area bringing me back up to 6 and he's got 8, it's better then we were.
"So we back track," Jude suggests.
We start heading back the way we came. Nathaniels words were playing on my mind. Watch your people. I pulled my cell out and sent a couple quick texts off. I hope I'm being paranoid, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Jude catches a lone rogue while I was distracted dispatching him before he had a chance to do any damage. Rustling in the bushes has me aiming as I wait for my target to emerge.
"Fuck Derek, what took you so long!?" I asked, the relief clear in my voice.
"Thank the goddess, where's Jerrich?" He asks. He looks like he's been through hell but come out the winner.
"He didn't make it, I'm sorry," I mumble.
"Princess, it's ok," he says, wrapping me up in a tight hug. "You've done everything you could, I'm so proud of you."
"Where's everyone else?" I ask, seeing only Dex and a recruit.
"It's a mess, Jess," he says sadly, "most of the Guardians are still stuck at the pack house or Guardian house. We barely got out, lost Roe on the way."
"We have to go, there's a Councilor and squad closing in from there," I say gesturing where we had come from.
"We can't go that way, there's a ragtag group of rogues and guards on our trail," Dex offers.
"You need bait to get Ethan away," I offer.
"Jess, no," Derek growls, catching on.
"Nathaniel says-"
"Don't listen to that viper, he'll say whatever to trap you," he cuts in.
"He could have had us, he helped us, I don't think he's in on it," Jude admits.
"They're after Lunas and Alphas, if I head off in the opposite direction that should let you get him away," I suggest. I'm trying the best to hide my fear but I know I'm doing a shit job. "You know it's the best choice; you have a job to do."
"Fuck," he snarls. He knows I'm right and times running out. "You keep running princess, I'm coming back for you when he's safe."
"Please Jess, don't leave me," Ethan cries, latching on to my waist. "Please," he begs looking up, gold eyes locked on mine in desperation as the tears fall.
"I'll meet up with you soon, I promise," I say hugging him back. "But you've got to go with Derek so they can keep you safe."
"Come with us, please," he begs again between sobs as Derek slowly pulls him away. My heart breaks for his desperation.
I turn away to Jude wiping my silent tears as my heart breaks. I hear him cry out once more as Derek picks him up and takes off. Jude wraps me up and I lose it as the tears flow and sobs rack my body.
"I know it's hard Jess, but we have to start running again," he whispers trying to calm me down.
"You should go Jude, this is a stupid plan, there's no point both of us dying-"
"I'm not leaving you, not now, not ever," he promises, fierce blue eyes locked on mine.
"Promise me if something happens you won't throw your life away, you have a mate that needs you, if I'm gone don't-"
"You have a mate counting on you too, we better start running," he says cutting me off.
I take a shaky deep breath trying to gain control again, at this rate I'm surprised I haven't shifted already. Exhaustion is already setting in as my body fights itself.
He grabs my hand and leads us down a path. I let him guide us as I feel around for opponents. They are going further away instead of towards us. I start yelling Chris's name to catch their attention. My panic soars as I realize how well it's worked.
Poor Jude is practically dragging me along, I can't keep up with him. I pull free as the first wolves catch up. This wave's small, only five.
My first arrow drops the lead wolf before I pick off a second. The third arrow lands true as the beast launched itself at me. Its dead weight floored me. Jude caught the next wolf by the throat but the fifth latched onto his arm before he could snap the fourth's neck.
My blade sunk deep in number four letting Jude focus on dispatching the fifth. I barely had enough time to collect my arrows before the squad showed up.
The Councilor grinned smugly as he eyed us. His energy was repulsive, he was one of the ones I felt the first night that I couldn't isolate.
As quick as I could I had an arrow knocked, aimed and released at him. He pulled a wolf up and used him as a shield taking the arrow and tossing him aside.
"Well that was just rude, Jess," he growled.
I shot another and he pulled another wolf up. He tossed the impaled wolf to the side like it was garbage as I knocked my next arrow.
"Really?" He drawled. "I have more wolves then you have arrows."
"You would throw them away like that? Just to make me play my hand," I snap in disgust.
"To prove a point, yes," he growled, pulling up his next victim to take my third arrow that was flying for him.
"Lysander, enough," a guardsman snapped, "forget it and kill them already." My arrow buries easily in his chest, dropping him.
"Looks like two shots left, better make them count," he growls out, practically salivating.
I fight against the panic as I look it over. He still has six wolves, that's shit odds no matter what. I take out the largest wolf and fire immediately after for him but he catches it with another wolf.
Four wolves and a Councilor are shit odds for a gamma and... what ever the fuck I am now. I can feel myself losing control more and more every minute that goes by.
"There's only one way your Gamma leaves here breathing," he taunts as he throws something at my feet. "Put it on." His energy hits me in waves demanding me to obey.
"Jess, no," Jude growls.
I look down and my heart skips a beat as they land on the collar.