by Kody Boye
Either way, I can’t help but think on the matter at hand.
Paxton Wells knows what’s happened. Who’s done it. Why they’ve done it.
There’s no denying it any further.
The conflict has come full circle.
Now, it’s time we settle the conflict once and for all.
Chapter Seventeen
We wait for Scarlet and Shadow to return with the knowledge that we are all in danger of being hunted. Scared witless over the new development, but knowing that I have to maintain a semblance of calm, I pace back and forth in the room that has been designated as my own, careful to avoid passing in front of the window for fear of being shot at once more.
Though a part of me can’t believe what’s happened, another horrible part of my brain can.
Paxton Wells witnessed my transformation—and in the field, no less.
It’s no wonder this hasn’t spread like wildfire, I think.
But, I then realize, there is a reality I have not yet considered.
Paxton Wells is not a stupid man. As a business owner, he has had to work from the ground up, building a hunting and fishing empire that could compare with some of the biggest companies in North America. This determination, and his hatred for the red wolf of East Texas, has emblazoned his need for revenge, especially since it was his son who was injured by the Dark Wolf.
But I wasn’t the Dark Wolf when I turned, I think.
Regardless, the fact that he saw me change into a wolf, and saw another attack his son, would be enough to enrage him. Perhaps he isn’t even thinking logically in terms of what color the Dark Wolf was and what color the Light Wolf is.
Either way, I know that I cannot dwell on this for very long.
Soon, Scarlet Jane and her companion will return, and with them, will bring news of who exactly the Lillock Brotherhood are.
A knock comes at my door, startling me from thought.
“Hello?” I ask, lifting my eyes to face the threshold.
“It’s me,” Jackson replies. “Can I come in?”
I hesitate for a moment, though why I can’t be sure. Maybe it’s because of the near-death experience, or the threat of potentially seeing a man tortured, that has me so on edge.
It doesn’t matter, I think. It’s just Jackson. He’s not going to judge you.
For that reason, I step forward, and open the door.
Jackson steps inside a short moment later.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
“I just—“ he starts, then pauses. A short moment passes, at which point he leans forward and drags me into his arms, hugging me tight.
“What’s this?” I whisper.
“A hug,” he replies.
“I get that. But why?”
“Because I could’ve lost you, Oaklynn.”
“I—“
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard the gunshot,” he says. “I thought I was imagining things. But when the second shot was fired, I thought, Jesus. Oaklynn’s out there! I was ready to go charging into battle when Scarlet yelled for me to stay back.”
“We’re lucky she and Shadow are supernatural too,” I say. “Because if they hadn’t been…”
“Who knows what would have happened,” Jackson finishes.
I nod.
Sighing, Jackson draws back and runs a hand along my face. “I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing you again.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Jackson.”
“Still…” He leans his brow against mine. “Thank you for not dying on me.”
“You’re… welcome?” I ask.
He laughs. “I can accept that.”
A smile passes over his face a short moment later. “I just feel bad for Scarlet’s RV. Did you see what those shots did to it?”
“Remember? I was there.”
“Yeah. Right.” Jackson chuckles.
The sound of several hard knocks filters into the room from up the hall, causing my blood to instantly run cold.
“Is that—“ I start.
But Jackson stops me before I can finish, by saying: “Yeah. It’s them.”
Neither of us hesitate to leave the room.
“So,” Jackson says after Shadow and Scarlet have arranged themselves on the plush seats in the living room. “Who are the Lillock Brotherhood?”
Scarlet takes a long, hard swig from a glass of sweet tea that has been provided to her and says, “Angels to some, demons to others.”
Bernard exhales.
Justin sighs.
Jackson reaches down to take hold of my hand, and I hold tight to his the moment our fingers snake together.
“You’ll have to explain,” Zachariah begins. “This is new territory for us.”
“For you? Or your kids?” Scarlet asks.
“I’ve always known there were hunters. That’s why I’ve always encouraged my son to be careful when he’s shifting.”
“And the girl?”
I swallow as Scarlet turns her eyes on me.
“She’s new,” Scarlet continues. “I can tell.”
“Yeah,” Zachariah says. “She is.”
With a nod, Scarlet sips her tea once more, then leans forward to set the glass on the coffee table before saying, “The Lillock Brotherhood are the elite wolf hunters in the state of Texas. They are individuals who have bore witness to events in the supernatural world—either because they themselves saw something happen, or their families did. Most of them are human. Some, however, are not.
“Which is where this gets complicated,” Scarlet continues.
The room takes on a deathly chill. Unsure what to think, and even more unsure what to say, I remain silent and tighten my grip on Jackson’s hand as the woman before us prepares to continue her statement.
“Derek Lillock,” she says, “formed the group in the late 2020s, after a group of Howlers devastated several ranches across the state. They weren’t killing for food, but sport; and though the Agency knew what was going on, we could not intervene because—“
“They weren’t exposing the supernatural world?” I offer.
Scarlet nods. “Exactly.” She turns to face Shadow. “Wipers—which is what my friend Shadow here is—tried to infiltrate their cellular networks in order to determine who exactly were a part of the Lillock Brotherhood. Unfortunately, they’ve been unable to do so for the past ten years, especially since personal encryption technology has become more accessible and infinitely more powerful.”
“I’m sensing there’s a but here somewhere,” Jackson says.
“Yes. There is.” Scarlet lifts her eyes to face the two of us on the couch. “Since we now know that a mundane human knows a member of the Lillock Brotherhood, we can use Shadow’s powers on him and his wife to determine where exactly they’ve made base camp.”
“You’re talking about Paxton Wells.”
“The one and only,” Scarlet says.
A sigh passes from Zachariah’s lips. “He’s going to go undercover now that his contact has been wiped of his memories.”
“He will suspect something,” Shadow offers, “but not immediately.”
“Which means we have to act fast,” Scarlet adds, “and infiltrate his home as soon as possible.”
“Wait,” I say. “Infiltrate it?”
Scarlet nods.
“That’s crazy talk,” Jackson offers.
“On the contrary,” Scarlet replies. “It’s the only plan we’ve got. Unless you have another to suggest?”
I open my mouth to speak, but find that I cannot do so.
Scarlet smiles after a moment and says, “He lives right through these woods, right? I mean… he’d have to, if he was snooping around your old property.”
“He’s through these woods,” I reply with a nod.
The Hunter rises. “Give the two of us a moment to put together a plan. We’ll inform you of what your roles will be soon after.”
“You can’t drag these kids into this,” Zachariah says.
“Unfortunately, I will need a wolf or two to make sure that the men who are likely to be stationed around the home are distracted.”
“Why not pick one of us?” Bernard asks from near the doorway, where he and Justin have been standing.
“Because one of you is undergoing alcohol withdrawal,” Scarlet says, “and you are not likely to think clearly because of it.”
Justin lowers his eyes.
Bernard covers his face.
Scarlet returns her gaze to me and Jackson. “Can I count on the two of you?” she asks.
“Yes,” I reply, before I can think on it further. “You can.”
“Good.” Scarlet turns toward the doorway. “Now, if you’d excuse us…”
She and Shadow leave the home soon after.
Mister Meadows asks, “Are you out of your damn mind, girl?”
“I want this over with,” I reply, “and this isn’t going to happen so long as Paxton Wells and his family know about me.”
The man moves to argue, but stops himself before he can do so.
Jackson stands. “All right,” he says. “I guess we’re taking the fight to him.”
“It… would appear so,” his father replies, and closes his eyes.
All I can do is nod.
No longer will I hide behind closed doors, waiting for someone to solve my problems for me.
Now, I will make right everything that has been wronged.
Chapter Eighteen
There is no way that any of us can easily prepare for what is to be done. Like attempting to move a mountain, or conquer the rain, the acts we are meant to commit today are astronomical in nature, and could spell the exposure of our people or even the death of one or more of us.
No matter how hard I try to keep from trembling, I find myself doing just that.
The plan is simple, Scarlet Jane had said. We cut through the woods, subdue any of his security, and then make our way into the home.
And if his security alarm is triggered? Jackson had inquired.
Then Shadow will take care of it.
Now, mere hours after the attempt on my life, I stand outside the Meadows family home, looking on at the thicket of trees that separate our properties by little less than a mile.
God, I think, and shiver.
The air is cold on this late fall day. Threatened with rain, and plagued by doubt, it seems unlikely that anything good could come on a day like this, let alone our salvation.
A sigh escapes me, long and hard, filled with fright and edged with worry.
I can just make out the sound of Zachariah Meadows’ voice as he attempts to argue with his son one last time.
“This isn’t you kids’ place,” I hear him say. “You shouldn’t have to do this.”
“Yeah,” Jackson replies, “we shouldn’t. But we have to, Dad. Otherwise… we all might die.”
I swallow the lump that has been budding in my throat, but remain stoic as the door opens behind me. At least three sets of footsteps file out shortly thereafter.
As Jackson comes to stand beside me, I find myself regretting my existence all the more.
“Are you ready?” Scarlet Jane asks.
“I think so,” I reply.
“Good.” She chambers a bullet in her gun and flicks the safety on before tucking it at the small of her back. “Head into the woods and shift. I’ll be right behind you.”
“What about—“ I start.
But Shadow has already begun to dematerialize, and his smokescreen facade is shimmering ahead.
With a nod, I turn my head to look at Jackson, meet his eyes for one brief moment, then start forward.
The moment we cross the road is the moment the reality of the situation begins to settle in.
We are not only going to break into the Wells family mansion, but potentially kill those who might be surrounding it.
They have it coming, a part of me says.
But do they? Do they really? After everything that’s happened—after everything that’s occurred—do they really, truly deserve to die? A part of me wonders if they do. Another argues that death would be a gruesome but appropriate punishment.
A frown crosses my features as we step into the grass where my home once stood.
A series of thoughts bombard me.
My mother’s laugh—
My father’s smile—
Their loving eyes—
Their adoring hearts—
The thoughts bring tears to my eyes, but I shake my head to dispel them—and hope, to the Mother Wolf and any kind God might be listening, that only Jackson notices them.
I cannot afford to be seen as weak.
Not now, I think.
The moment we cross into the woods, I allow my human inhibitions to leave me.
One moment I am a girl—a young woman who with grief in her heart could raise an army in her parents’ name. In the next, I am a creature of blood and earth: a being who, with all my might, could tear a man to pieces.
Ready? Jackson asks as he comes to stand beside me.
Yeah, I say.
We take off.
Bounding into the woods, careful to ignore the snarling vegetation, we make our way across the woodlands with freedom in our hearts and determination in our minds, all with the knowledge that we may soon commit ourselves to gruesome acts.
Behind us, Scarlet jogs steadily, pumping her legs and keeping a steady pace regardless of the fact that she is human.
Not human, I think. Hunter.
Just like we are.
Just like we soon will be.
It seems to take hours for us to cross the distance between where my old property lies and where the Wells family home stands. But the horrible truth of the matter, which I have come to know from my time as the Dark Wolf, is that we are all much closer than we really believe, especially in the town of Red Wolf.
Within moments, we are coming to stand on the outskirts of the Wells family property.
Shadow has already materialized at the edge of the thicket. Here, he stands at the ready—his weapon drawn in one hand, his other braced at his side.
As Scarlet comes to stand at his side, he raises his palm and says, “I sense only a few of them. Three at the most.”
“Where are they?”
The Wiper points.
Arranged, in the drive just outside the home, is a single black car. Beside it stand two men—both smoking, both in dark clothes. Each has a gun on their belt, and appears ready to use it at any moment.
“Where’s the third?” Scarlet asks.
“In the car,” Shadow says.
“Can you disable it?”
“If I get close enough I can.”
“Good.” She turns to face me and Jackson. “The two of you will cause a distraction. Can you do that?”
Jackson nods.
I, meanwhile, lean forward, prepared to do what I must.
Mother Wolf, I pray. Please… guide me.
There is no time to prepare for what happens next.
One moment, there is silence.
The next, Jackson is howling.
The men snap to attention.
I bolt into the clearing.
The men scramble for their guns.
Shadow’s smokescreen form shoots out behind me.
It seems to take only moments to bridge the gap between me and the first man, and even less than that to launch myself at him. Not intending to harm, only stun, I slam the brunt of my body weight against his chest and knock him back against the car, then whip my head about and use the weight of my massive skull to send him to his knees.
He cries out.
The car’s engine revs.
Shadow appears on the other side of the vehicle and thrusts his hand toward it.
The car’s taillights blow out of their spots.
A gunshot goes off—though where it’s come from I can’t be sure.
One moment, I’m whipping my head about to see where the second man i
s standing.
The next, a bullet impacts with the driver’s side window, shattering the glass and sending the driver into the passenger’s seat in a panic.
Shadow thrusts his hands out.
The two men at my sides collapse.
He calls, “Go!”
And so Scarlet goes—barreling up the driveway, and slamming her shoulder against the sliding glass doors.
The flimsy glass shatters under her body weight.
Jackson and I launch ourselves in.
The fleeting form of Katrina Wells whipping the land line around the corner enters my vision.
I launch myself at the cord.
It snaps under my weight.
Shadow materializes a moment later and disables the woman by pressing his hand against her face.
A shot goes off.
Shadow disappears in a haze of smoke, then materializes a moment later.
Paxton Wells is standing in the threshold leading up to the second floor, a shotgun in his grasp. “I should’ve known,” he whispers.
“Don’t. Move,” Scarlet replies, training her gun upon him.
“First you take my son’s arm. Then you break into my home.” He angles the shotgun at Shadow’s form and says, “What are you?”
“That’s none of your concern,” Shadow replies.
“You’re going to tell us what you know about the Lillock Brotherhood,” Scarlet says, “and we’ll let you live.”
Let him live? I ask. What the hell are you talking about?
Oaklynn— Jackson starts.
But I shift before anyone can respond further.
Paxton blinks.
I point a finger at him. “No one is killing anyone,” I say. “This has gone on long enough.”
“I knew it was you,” he says. “I knew it was you, you stupid bitch.”
He cocks the shotgun.
Scarlet fires her gun.
The bullet goes wide, hitting a family picture directly at Paxton’s right.
“That’s one,” she replies. “Don’t make me miss again.”
Paxton stares at me, hate in his eyes, blood trailing from where his teeth have bit his lip. “You’ve ruined my son’s chance at a future,” he says. “You’ll never get what you want from me.”
“Shadow!” Scarlet cries.
Paxton pumps the shotgun.