Howl And Growl Complete Collection

by Cloe Cullen

  “It’s Cadogan’s…” Magnolia breathed while Remus and Lowell shifted back. “He must be dead, otherwise these Changelings wouldn’t be going wild.”

  “Then Bronwen’s plan worked?” Remus asked, more to himself than any of the others. He got no response, but his head pounded with anxiety anyway.

  “If it did, then you need to get to Bronwen, now!” Finn said. His weary eyes locked with Remus’, pain hiding behind each hazel orb. “She’s in danger! Silvan won’t just stand by after learning she attacked Cadogan for us…”

  “Then we need to move, now!” Remus said, his mind racing with images of Silvan betraying Bronwen the moment her guard went down. He couldn’t believe how stupid he’d been! How hadn’t Remus seen Silvan for what he was? What was his game? Did he really kidnap Finn just to sway the others to leave? Why wouldn’t Silvan just slaughter them all, like Cadogan wanted to? All these thoughts surged through Remus’ mind as he lurched forward, only to have his attention snapped back as Lenna called out.

  “Wait!” she said, falling to her knees as Finn collapsed, wheezing. “He won’t be able to make it all the way to the manor. Finn needs to rest.”

  Remus swung his gaze back around, eyeing the forest. He recognized this place...the forest surrounding Cadogan’s manor. He looked away, spying one of the telltale hills that further marked the edge to Cadogan’s domain. “Then you and Finn stay here, go back into the prison tunnel, if you need to; I doubt Changelings will be able to fit in there. If Cadogan’s dead, then the Changelings will go wild.”

  “Then I’m staying too,” Keanu announced, moving to help Finn. “I’ll make sure this fool doesn’t get himself killed by accident.” Finn shot his friend a grin, but fell into another hacking fit.

  “Okay, then Lowell and Magnolia, you two come with me. It’ll be easier for us three to move about anyway,” Remus said. Magnolia clicked her tongue, gazing at Keanu, but ultimately sighed as she made off to follow Remus and Lowell into the darkness.

  The forest whirled behind them as they shot forward through the dark, Remus chest thumping in anticipation of confronting Silvan and arriving at Bronwen’s side once again. It was all he wanted, and with every second that passed his uncertainty grew as to her situation. He just hoped to make it in time. Finn had explained everything, how the Changelings that had attacked him and Lenna and kidnapped him after knocking him unconscious had been under the orders of Lord Silvan. Remus couldn’t think of why, beyond simply wanting to scare off the rest of the shifters under Bronwen’s care. The story had frightened Remus, realizing how very wrong his lover’s plan could go because of her ignorance.

  As they sprinted closer to the manor, its jagged shape rising up under the full moon, Changelings and Vampires began to fill their vision. Battles raged all around, with Vampires trying to tame the Changelings, but being leaped on and mauled for their efforts, dropping their torches and lighting trees on fire like beacons of light. Remus did his best to avoid the myriad of brawls going on, hoping to be ignored, but more than once he had to duck or backtrack to get out of the way of black-furred wolves and bears crashing into earth, watching Vampires sail overhead the whole time.

  One Vampire picked up and threw a cougar Changeling into the air, its body sailing towards Lowell. Lowell slid underneath it, continuing his run and sighing heavily in relief.

  The manor gate was bent inwards, the metal spikes broken off and laying everywhere in the grass. Three Vampires cornered a single Changeling in front of the door, and seeing no other way forward Remus cursed and shifted, Lowell following suit and Magnolia right behind as Remus charged the fight. The cougar leaped out of the way as the three Vampires swiveled on their feet, going bug-eyed as Remus crashed into them, not stopping as he barreled into the front door and finally slid to a stop inside. Lowell slipped inside as well, but Magnolia stopped and turned.

  “Go!” She shouted. “I’ll keep the rest of them here for the time being...just go save Bronwen and Nyx!”

  Remus howled a thank you and burst forward again, Lowell hot on his trail. He used his instincts and heightened sense of smell to pick up Bronwen’s scent, navigating the maze until he came upon a door, hearing Silvan’s voice inside.

  “...get the chance to betray me too.” Silvan said from inside, sending Remus’ fears into overdrive.

  Battering down the door, Remus entered to spy Silvan standing over Bronwen as she bled out on the floor, her hand trembling as she reached up to cover the wound in her stomach. Not too far away, a naked, wounded and unconscious Nyx lay on her side, also in a small pool of blood. Lowell shot forward to her, sniffing and prodding her to wake up, crying out for her the best he could.

  “Well, now, isn’t this a surprise?” Silvan cooed, turning to Remus, his sword slick with Bronwen’s blood, now dripping to the floor. “I didn’t expect you to break out so quickly. Well, no matter, I’ll just kill you here as well.”

  For a moment everything flipped in Remus, his wolf eyes lingering on Bronwen as she glanced over at him, her body trembling and her hand reaching for him. Time slowed, the sounds of the chaos outside dwindling to nothing more than whispers, his blood beginning to boil and his mind imagining Silvan’s neck in his jaws. Without hesitating, Remus shot forward so fast that the floor broke underneath his powerful leap. Silvan twitched as Remus roared, stepping back and bringing up the sword he carried into a defensive position. But he didn’t have time to swing it, as Remus clamped down on his sword arm, forcing him to drop the blade. Silvan’s other arm looked twisted, as Cadogan had bent it backward just moments before, yet Silvan still managed to catch the sword in mid-air with his free hand, barely able to graze Remus’ side, the point digging into his skin. Remus usually would have let go to lick his wounds, but now he fought through the pain, using all his strength to lift Silvan up and chuck him towards the door. The wall caved in under Silvan’s weight, the sword spinning in the air and sticking into the floor.

  Remus panted, trying to catch his breath as he waited for Silvan to rise, glancing at Bronwen every other second.

  Silvan rose, shouting in anger and doing his best to point at Remus with his least wounded arm. “You’ll all pay for this!” he screeched. “None of this is over! I’ll slaughter you all one day, including that traitor, Bronwen!” He flashed his pointed teeth, “Gah! You twisted her, and so you shall pay!” With that, he ran off.

  Remus was tempted to run after him, to run him down and end the Lord’s life, and along with it, most of their problems, but his worry for Bronwen wouldn’t allow him, so he shifted to his human form and kneeled beside Bronwen, his face twisted as his hands wavered over her and stared down at the blood on her stomach.

  “It looks bad, huh?” Bronwen said through breaths, smiling up at him as if nothing were wrong. Reaching up with a bloody hand, she touched Remus’ cheek. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

  Remus cupped her hand in his, doing his best not to tremble in front of her. “So, how’s your day been?” he said, wanting to make her smile amid the pain. His dumb joke worked, causing her to laugh painfully as she tried to sit up. Sliding his arm under her back, he supported most of her weight. “Take it easy...that wound won’t heal in a day.”

  “It isn’t that bad,” she said, wincing. “Painful...but I won’t die from this.”

  Remus didn’t know what to say, stopping himself from imagining a world without his Vampire lover in it. That would hurt too much.

  “I just didn’t see it coming...even though I thought of the possibility,” Bronwen said, grimacing. “He nearly pierced my heart...dammit, what a fool I’ve been!” Bronwen angled herself to glance over at Nyx, who still lay unconscious in Lowell’s arms, though she breathed sharply. Bronwen muttered a ‘thank you’ under her breath.

  “How’s she doing, Lowell?” Remus called.

  “She’ll live,” he said, unwilling to take his eyes off her. “I’m not gonna let her die in this ugly place.”

  Nodding, Remus saw Bronwen was attempting
to rise to her feet and made to help her. “Are you sure you should be standing right now?”

  “We need to go after Silvan…” she squeaked. “Before he gets too far away and turns the rest of the Lords on us.” She wobbled slightly and then staggered, Remus swearing and catching her before she could fall face first into the floorboards. She glanced up at him, “I’m fine.”

  “No, you aren’t,” Remus said, frowning and forcing her to lay down close to Nyx and Lowell. “Listen, I’ll go after Silvan. You stay here in the meantime, rest up. You can’t fight anymore.”

  “But -”

  “But nothing,” Remus said, smiling down at her. He stared into her pleading red eyes, wondering how much pain he’d be putting her through by leaving her in Lowell’s care while he went off to end their troubles once and for all. He didn’t want to leave her side either, but he knew someone had to take care of Silvan, and he wanted to be the one to do it. “Just leave it in my hands. I’ll be back in no time. You’ll be safe with Lowell.”

  Bronwen remained speechless but leaned up to kiss Remus, her lips slick with salty sweat and saliva, and a drop of blood. Being able to kiss her was like a dream, making his adrenaline pump like crazy and giving him the energy boost he need. A tingling sensation crept over his body as he broke from Bronwen’s lips, wishing beyond hope it wouldn’t be their final kiss.

  “Be safe,” Bronwen said, letting Remus go as he stood and nodded.

  “When I get back, I’ll carry you home, alright?” he said, backing away and turning to sprint out the door. He didn’t look back, knowing he wouldn’t be able to take watching her as he left her behind.

  Remus first ran back the way he came, making sure to follow the map he’d created in his head, but also the long bloody footprints and devastation Silvan left in his wake. Floorboards were sunk in, paintings ripped to shreds and scattered on the ground, steaming candles rolling on the floor. Silvan clearly didn’t know how good a tracker Remus was, or any shifter was he supposed, because he pretty much couldn’t have made the job easier for Remus. Eventually the trail led back to the front entrance, where he spotted Magnolia sitting with her back to the door, eyes wide as she panted like a dog.

  “Are you alright?” he asked, jogging over. He winced when he saw the streaks of blood covering her torso, but she smiled up at him.

  “Not mine…” she said quietly. “If you’re looking for Silvan, he left through the front door. He was running quickly, so you better hurry if you want to catch up to him.”

  “Thanks,” Remus said, turning to fly out the door.

  “Wait!” Magnolia said. “Are Bronwen and Nyx alright?” she asked, almost frantically.

  Remus paused to nod and pointed back the way he’d come. “Just follow the trail of destruction back to the parlor they’re all in. They’re both wounded, but alive. Cadogan’s dead body is in there too.”

  With that he lurched out of the front door, noticing the endless sprawled bodies of both Vampires and Changelings alike. A few shouts and cries alerted Remus to a few remaining battles going on, but none of them were close enough to bother him. For now, the way was open to him, and so he shifted, growling and sniffing the ground, eventually picking up the scent of Silvan’s sweat and aura of fright, and darted off into the dead forest. It wouldn’t be long now. The end was near, and Remus was ready to finally move on to a better life.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven: Remus

  Lord Silvan could be seen in the distance, struggling to run forward through the now heavy dark. His curses could be heard from miles away, and Remus stood on the hill as he judged the distance between him and Silvan. If he could, he wanted to sneak up and surprise the Lord, make sure that Silvan was caught off guard, much like Bronwen had been. Remus wanted every advantage possible against this creature; surely this would be the biggest fight of his life.

  Everything seemed to lead up to this moment, his whole life creating a path towards being some sort of hero. If Silvan was allowed to get away, he’d possibly warn the other Lords that Bronwen, him, and the others were dangerous, almost war-like. He’d have Cadogan’s death as evidence, his own wounds as proof. His claims wouldn’t just pit the rest of the Lords against him and the others, but possibly start a war with the Clans of the Oldwood. Darius and Flora passed through his mind one last time, knowing full well that no one up north knew about the chaos going on down in the Blackwood. Remus couldn’t let this whole deal blow up; he needed to end it all right here and now. For Darius. For Flora. For himself. For the others. For Bronwen.

  Taking a deep breath, Remus trotted forward, slowly gaining speed until he was silently racing through the open fields just past the hills overlooking Cadogan’s manor. Silvan hadn’t looked behind him yet, and Remus was thankful for that. Maybe he didn’t suspect anyone to come after him this far out? Or maybe he thought he was already home-free. Whatever the case was, Silvan’s frantic run to get away was working in Remus’ favor.

  He closed the distance between them quickly, doing his best to avoid stepping on stray twigs or trip on nearly invisible rocks. The moonlight helped to hide his lighter color in the night, allowing Remus to appear like a ghost come to haunt Silvan for his terrible actions. The ash and dust covered dirt softened his footsteps as he ran, allowing him to remain undetected until Silvan glanced back as Remus jumped forward. Opening his jaw, he made to clamp down on Silvan’s neck, but the Lord managed to barely duck, causing Remus to crash into the ground and roll to his feet.

  Silvan was quick, darting forward to plant a foot into Remus' chest, sending him sliding back along the ground.

  “You dare try to end my life!” Silvan screamed wildly, his cool facade gone and his fears taking hold. He trembled, backing away as Remus rose to his feet and shook the dirt off his head. “You’ll suffer for that, you whelp!”

  Remus wanted to charge forward again, to keep the pressure on Silvan, but a sudden urge to question the Lord took hold of his senses, commanding him to shift back to his human form and shout at the frightened rabbit in front of him. “Why?” Remus called to Silvan. “Why would you fight us? Why kidnap Finn?”

  “Because I wanted you gone!” Silvan hissed, his gaze darting around for an escape route past Remus. “What better way than to scare you all. But of course, none of you left. Instead, for some reason, you mutts stare death in the face like it’s just another obstacle in your pathetic lives.”

  Remus knitted his brows, growling. “You could have just joined forces with Cadogan and tried to slaughter us! Why go through so much else to get us to leave?”

  The Lord winced. “Maybe I should have...but Cadogan wanted Bronwen gone as well. I couldn’t have that.”

  A surge of raw anger pulsed through Remus as he shifted and bolted forward, roaring and swiping across Silvan’s torso. Remus barely managed to dig into Silvan’s skin before Silvan swung one of his hands around, smacking Remus in the head and sending him rolling away. Silvan panted as he stepped back, wary as Remus rose and shifted back to his human form. “What were you planning on doing to her?” Remus screamed, arcing in a circle while he waited for an opening to attack again. “I thought you helped teach her when she was first bit!”

  Silvan’s face twisted. “So, you know about how Vampires turn?”

  Remus waved his revelation away. “Weren’t you like a father to her? Didn't you provide for her? She looked up to you, dammit!”

  “You think I turned her because I wanted a child of my own?” he squealed. “The day I laid eyes on Bronwen, I fell in love. I wanted her as a partner. Living for centuries loses its appeal quickly...Bronwen was my escape from that. But then she started to see me as a father, so for decades I waited, hoping her image of me would change as I brought her gifts and the like...but it didn’t!” Silvan’s voice was now a mix of grief, sorrow, and anger, stepping forward to get his point across. “I thought to send her away, giving her to serve under Orpheus, hoping she would come back to see me as the man she wanted and needed. But of course, that
failed too. Instead, she was sent to the Oldwood under Orpheus’ mad orders, met you, of all creatures, and changed...she found someone to fall in love with. And it wasn’t me!”

  “That’s too bad, isn’t it?” Remus hissed, scowling. “She isn’t yours anymore.”

  “She would have been if you had perished by now!” he shouted, this time taking the initiative and barreling towards Remus. Surprised, Remus quickly shifted, but he was too late as Silvan headbutted his thigh, the sickening crack of bone snapping and sending shockwaves of pain up his body. Remus cried out and whirled, crunching down on Silvan’s leg with his jaws and pushing back, forcing Silvan to flop around like a ragdoll while Remus swung his head around. Silvan scratched at Remus’ eyes, causing Remus to let go and dance away as he pawed at his stinging eyes.

  “But the moment I found out that she fought Cadogan solely for you and the rest of you animals...I knew she’d never become what I’ve been waiting half a century for,” Silvan growled, leveling a deadly glare at Remus. “She had to die.”

  Remus howled, finding his vision again and barreling forward, unable to stop himself as he jumped and landed on Silvan. Silvan jabbed forward, hoping to shove Remus away, but Remus fought through the pain and roared in Silvan’s face, the Lord’s face twisting in fright. He screamed as Remus mauled him, fighting to get Remus off of him, but Remus wouldn’t give in. Soon, Silvan’s voice died out, his limbs flailing out to the sides and his eyes rolling back. Dark blood gleamed under the moonlight as it spread out under him, creating streams in every direction; it dripped from Remus’ maw as he stepped off, panting heavily and inspecting his kill.