Dark of Night

by T. F. Walsh

  I wondered whether Enre registered what we said. Probably not. I moved to the doorway, pressed my brow into the frame, and blinked hard to avoid the waterworks. It still baffled me how Sandulf sacrificed Enre to please the dracwulf.

  “Daciana, you should rest. I’ll keep guard over the dracwulf.”

  Sleep was the last thing on my mind. I left the bedroom and staggered through the darkened house to the kitchen, listening to the persistent shrieks of the animal in the basement. I debated on the one thing left to do — how to finish what Sandulf had started. I retrieved the longest knife off the magnetic strip on the wall. Feeling the comfortable wooden handle, I tightened my grip. The animal didn’t deserve to suffer. It wasn’t her fault she was brought into this world. She was doing what came naturally. So, I would end her life quickly.

  Botolf joined me. “You’re doing what Sandulf couldn’t.”

  “I can never make up for what I’ve taken from you.” I turned around. “But I promise I’ll do whatever I can to make things better.”

  “It’s not your fault.” His voice quivered. “You’ll be a stronger alpha than Sandulf ever was. We all have flaws, but he let his consume him.” Botolf’s words broke off; obvious he struggled to control his emotions.

  “We’ll get through it together.” I wrapped an arm over his shoulders, and for a short while, silence enveloped us.

  He pulled away and wiped clean his flushed cheeks, though the pain in his eyes was clear.

  The rage streaming through me intensified. Sandulf managed to leave behind a distraught family, frayed and disoriented. Not caring for the mess he made. “We can make the pack what it should have been.” I raised my chin. “Things will get better from here.” I started to believe myself.

  His gaze lifted to the ceiling. “Do you hear that?”

  “No. What?”

  Botolf bound to the back door, and I tracked him. “She’s free.”

  He was right, the dracwulf no longer howled. I unlocked the door and rushed outside where the vivid sunlight shimmered and stung my eyes.

  The need for stealth had passed. No more running or hiding. The dracwulf skulked into the clearing from beyond the overgrown shrubs and trees engulfing the back yard. Even from a distance, I recognized her bared teeth as a warning.

  For the length of a heartbeat, I believed the dracwulf broke free of the prison bars, and defeated Lutia — brawn was not her forte after all. But when Lutia emerged from around the side of the house, I realized the awful truth. She had freed the dracwulf. Stupid me. Why had I trusted her?

  I regretted many things, but nothing compared to the guilt of not stopping her earlier. Damn my conscience. So much for giving her a second chance. That won’t be happening again.

  “What have you done?” Botolf’s voice demanded of her.

  Lutia stepped backward, away from the house, her gaze targeting me. “You don’t deserve alpha status. What have you done for this pack? Exposed us to a human. Went against Sandulf’s orders, yet you live. And then you killed him for no reason. For that, the pack should rip you to shreds. Instead, they bow at your feet.”

  “And I guess killing a human is justified?”

  She snarled and flashed her teeth. “Just like Matias, I’m leaving this pack. It’s falling apart. And your soft spot for humans will get everyone else killed — Botolf, Radu, and Enre. All because of you.” She turned and strolled away.

  I licked my lips, and gripped tight the blade in my hand. The rules allowed the alpha to kill any wulfkin who abandons the pack. Anger burned away rational thoughts. I moved after her, but noticed movement in the evergreens to my side, and stopped.

  The dracwulf raised her square head, ears flattened against her skull. Her solid, fiery eyes locked onto me. She rose from the undergrowth, like the dead climbing out of a grave. Black matted dreadlocks of fur bounced against her body and revealed her earlier injury still bled.

  “Daciana,” Botolf said. “Forget her. Focus on the dracwulf.”

  The animal rocked forward, and an unvoiced snarl rumbled within her chest. She moved toward us, her body hunched low in the dancing evergreens, narrowing the distance between us.

  My pulse grew too wild, too loud. I focused on the beast and stretched my spine. In a split second, I flung the knife at Lutia, aiming for her back, then threw open the floodgates to my wolf. Lutia’s screeches fell into the background. Within seconds, I embraced the torturous pain of my skin splitting and shook myself free in the cool breeze.

  Galloping through the foliage with purpose, I roared. No sooner had I taken a great leap forward than the dracwulf slammed into me and sent me flying backward. Pain hit me as I struck the outdoor table. The wood splintered beneath my weight. The dracwulf was right there, next to me, ripping into my leg. Her assault knocked the air out of my lungs, and I gasped for my next breath. Bright lights dotted my vision.

  Botolf, now in wulfkin form, charged the dracwulf, colliding into her side. It gave me the distraction I needed. A whimper streamed from the animal, and she staggered sideways. I ducked and rolled forward, jumping on top of her. She thrashed, half-howling, half-whining. I sank my fangs into her neck and tore into the flesh. Blood dampened the dracwulf’s pelt and transformed the greenery at her paws into a sanguine puddle, and I slipped off her.

  She snapped around, unaffected by the massive blood loss. It was obvious that, like me, she ran on pure adrenaline. Her lip curled and deadness consumed her expression.

  I rushed her. The dracwulf mimicked my actions. Thrust into a clash of bodies, we smashed together, and then I bounced backward. A severe dizziness weaved through my skull, not to mention the double vision. The dracwulf clawed my torso, and I reeled, sacrificing my arms.

  I growled, waving my tail in the air, which made the dracwulf snap her jaws at me. Her head shook with rage.

  Botolf crept up behind her.

  Saliva dribbled from her mouth. Our eyes locked. I crouched low, ignoring the pain in my leg. She copied me, and a fiendish yowl rumbled out of her.

  Botolf attacked and snatched her tail as I leapt forward. But it didn’t stop her. While my jaws clamped on the side of her neck, the dracwulf’s teeth latched onto my shoulder, her incisors impaling deep. My spine arched, and my legs wobbled. I slackened in her grasp, my grip released, and I started to slip into human form.

  Blood filled my mouth. No. That’s not how it would end.

  Botolf threw himself into the beast. I dropped from the dracwulf’s mouth and slumped on the ground.

  Motionless.

  Get up, I told myself.

  The dracwulf tore bits of flesh from my back, and I gritted my teeth with each bite, but couldn’t move. My body refused to budge. Botolf’s new roar ceased her attack, and she leapt out of my vision after him. The thudding of their paws against the ground vibrated in the earth, and grew more distant.

  I dug deep within myself, concentrated and drew on every last bit of strength I owned. A sudden spark jerked down my body, and I shuddered again and again. On the next breath, a blend of flavors smeared my tongue. An earthy kindling scent wrapped me in warmth, and in my mind I spoke to Botolf — keep running, get away from her.

  Then the sweetness of tree sap engulfed my senses, and images of Sandulf torturing Radu sent a twitching sensation through my limbs. Everything fell aside when the rawness of wet soil and fur spread in me. I needed my pack, but Radu remained comatose.

  Enre stirred in my thoughts. I said his name, called him. No response.

  My inhalations grew brassy. In the distance, the dracwulf was now trotting my way. There was no sign of Botolf. Barely able to push myself upright, I willed myself to stand and fight. I wasn’t going down easy. I edged toward the house, but the beast was almost upon me.

  Then something black emerged from within the house. It dashed past me in a blur an
d knocked me off my feet. I froze on the spot, not even a breath escaped my lungs as I expected the beast to tear into me. Nothing happened. Instead, an eruption of barks and yelps erupted. Wood splintered and cracked.

  Pushing off the ground, I caught myself and watched a wulfkin fight the dracwulf. Part of the house had been smashed in, leaving a gaping hole in the laundry room.

  My first thought flew to Botolf, but he was staggering into the yard from the woods in human form. And it hit me. The wulfkin with the thick black pelt with silver splashed over the tuffs on his ears, his chin, and underbelly was Enre. I stumbled forward.

  The pair tangled in a brawl. I no longer saw where one began and the other ended. When Enre’s body tumbled across the yard, blood caking his torso and snout, I threw myself at the dracwulf who had eyes only on him. Something came over me, a new sense of purpose and a newfound strength. I bit her flesh, and wounds dotted the animal’s body. Her yelps and whines did little to stop me.

  With the dracwulf dangling from my mouth, I shook her like a toy, just as she had done to me. I cast her onto the remains of the fallen wall and gave no pause as I leapt onto her collapsed body. I spat out a chunk of black pelt on the rubble and barked a threat to the defensive beast. She never whimpered in response. Her breath grew raspy and distant. I stabbed my dagger-sharp teeth into the animal’s jugular, leaned over and let her life bleed away.

  Her pulse faded, slowed, then stopped.

  I stood, leaving behind a crumbled tangle of flesh and fur. The dracwulf lay dead.

  A flicker of electricity hummed along my nape, and a sudden coldness hit me. The ground caught my fall. Botolf appeared at my side, helping me toward the back door where an injured and naked Enre slumped.

  He raised his head and his eyes captured a satisfied gleam. A wide smile graced his lips, and his gaze met mine. “Missed me?”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  I leaned against the house and wiped my brow.

  Radu threw another piece of drywall into the wheelbarrow and stared at the gaping hole in our pack house. “How are we going to fix this?”

  Botolf emerged from the damaged laundry room, carrying a tray with mugs and pastries. “You worry about the mess, leave the fixing to me.” He stepped over the rubble and into the morning sun. I helped myself to a cup and croissant.

  “Yeah, you two enjoy yourself while I work hard.” Radu winked at me. “We wouldn’t want a bear to accidentally stumble into the house and terrify us.” His gaze locked onto Botolf who pretended not to hear a thing and placed the tray on the ground. He stuffed a pastry into his mouth while gazing out into the horizon of trees.

  I broke into laughter, croissant crumbs flying everywhere, and cherished the ease of things in the pack. There was a time I didn’t think I’d ever smile again, let alone laugh. But it was over. The end of the world for the pack had vanished. My life returned to some kind of new normalcy, given my new duties as pack leader and the unknown situation with Connell, though I have never given up on getting him back. I figure a bit of time might make his heart grow fonder, not to mention letting him get used to the idea of me as a wulfkin. My love for him hasn’t dwindled and I can’t stop thinking about him.

  A week has passed since I killed the dracwulf, whose body we buried so deep in the mountains I doubt we could find it again if we tried. The police continued to scour the Carpathian forest, aided by the park rangers — the pack. I survived the Lunar Eutine and transformed into a full-blown super wulfkin. So, anything was possible.

  Even though I didn’t quite understand my new abilities yet, time was on my side for once. And I planned to research my powers and understand what they all meant.

  Botolf glanced my way. “I know Sandulf would be happy for us.”

  He was right. The heaviness no longer burdened our shoulders. We gave Sandulf the burial he deserved in the wilderness and paid our farewells to the wulfkin we remembered from happier days. I don’t feel guilty about his death. I killed him to save the pack. In a macabre kind of way, it was probably the best thing that could have happened. Plus, Sandulf returned to Alina’s arms. I knew that.

  But a few other problems remained unresolved, like Matias’s and Lutia’s whereabouts. After the fight with the dracwulf, Lutia had vanished, and her blood trail dried up deeper in the forest. We all agreed Lutia posed a danger, and if seen again, we wanted her dead. I suspected our pack was not the first she had betrayed. Matias’s whereabouts, on the other hand, caused us concern, more for his safety than anything else. Every few nights, a couple of us took turns to search for him without any luck.

  I finished off the last bit of flaky pastry with tea. The biggest surprise came in the form of Enre. He was alive.

  Connell had taken up residence in my mind, more each day as I waited for him to visit me. I’d never been strong when it came to him, and I doubted that would change. In hindsight, I realized my mistake. My purpose was never about getting what I wanted or what made me happy. No, it was about protecting the pack, even if it was at the sacrifice of Connell’s love. Despite this realization, it still hurts, and I can’t shake off how much I long for him every day. Every hour. Every second.

  What I never thought possible, especially after our arguments, was that I could trust him to guard our secret. And I regret not telling him earlier about the wulfkin’s existence. He would never have betrayed me, and instead of darting around trying to fix everything on my own, scared out of my wits, Connell could have helped. Major lesson learned.

  Someone touched my arm.

  Enre stood next to me. “I’ve been talking to you. You didn’t hear a word, did you?” He shoveled a whole tart into his mouth, causing his cheeks to puff out like a chipmunk storing food, except the bridge of his nose pinched and his eyes narrowed, taking away from the cute rodent look.

  “What were you saying?”

  He flung his arms into the air and muttered while swallowing his food. “I said my parents are coming to town.”

  I suddenly had the urge sit down. Regardless of whether they were Enre’s parents or not, I suspected they weren’t coming just to see him. If there was one thing I learned from Sandulf, it was to never trust the Varlac. “Why? They’ve never come before. Do they know about the dracwulf?”

  “What do they really want?” Botolf approached us.

  Enre gave a half-hearted shrug. “You’re both too paranoid. They probably want to see their son. Plus, it’s customary for new alphas to be assessed by a Varlac. So, my dad took the job.”

  “How did they find out so quickly I’d become an alpha?”

  He shrugged again. “Does it matter? We have to fix up the place before they arrive, and … ” Enre distanced himself. “I need a good explanation as to why I’m not the alpha.”

  Really? Just when I thought my life was settling down, it kicked back up. One good thing was that I’d be able to request help from the Varlac against the encroaching pack. If Sandulf feared them, it would make sense for me to get a handle of the real danger. “What exactly does this assessment involve anyway?”

  “No idea.” Enre returned to my side. “I’m sure it’s nothing major.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and his warmth spread through me. “You worry too much.” His fingers caressed my neck. He leaned into me and whispered, “And don’t think I’ve forgotten. You promised me a date.” His breath tickled my ear, and I tried to frown, but instead gave a crooked smile.

  I nudged Enre’s arm off me. “I think we’ve got more pressing issues here.”

  He turned to Radu. “Come on then, let’s get this place ready.”

  I was suffocating in my thoughts.

  Botolf, who watched me, asked, “Are you okay? You look a bit flushed.”

  “Yeah, I just need some time to think. I’ll be back.” As the alpha, I had nowhere to run, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the Va
rlac somehow found out about the dracwulf. No, it couldn’t be. It was my paranoia on overdrive.

  Botolf nodded, and I strolled toward the treeline with no destination in mind.

  I decided to listen to Enre and follow his laid-back attitude. What’s the worst that could happen? I gulped and pretended I didn’t just ask myself that. Pushing into a run, I sprinted forward, interweaving between trunks and relishing the freedom, the sharpness of the wind and how much I loved being a wulfkin. There, I just contradicted myself. But those things happen.

  Stopping near a huge tree to catch my breath, I sensed someone near. Twigs snapped and footsteps crushed pine needles. I peered round the trunk, and in the far distance I spotted several cops, tracking through the forest. But someone else stood right behind me, and I took my time turning around.

  “How’s the leg?” I asked.

  “Pain killers do the trick.” Connell rubbed his thigh. “I never thanked you for taking me to the hospital. So, thanks.”

  I shrugged. “Of course. I couldn’t let you bleed to death. What sort of girlfriend would I be?”

  We stared at each other for a long while, and Connell’s stoic expression gave nothing away. On the bright side, he hadn’t dismissed me when I called myself his girlfriend. But what did that mean? We were on or off?

  I hadn’t heard from him since the day I took him to the hospital, and I wasn’t sure what to say next without sounding like a lovesick teenager. Though, in truth, I wanted to throw myself at him.

  He studied his feet. Was he upset or missing me? Did he desperately want to pull me against his chest and devour my lips? Or was that just me?

  “Did you get rid of the wolf?”

  “Yep. You’ll find nothing here except a peaceful wilderness. But I know you have to go through the motions.”

  I yearned to give in to the ridiculous standoff and dash into his arms. He might tell me how much he loved me.

  “Daci.” He swallowed hard. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this.”