A power like none I’d ever felt coursed through my veins and I hit Robert in the side. I heard several ribs crack and break.
Kill him. Kill him. I will KILL HIM.
In that moment all my humanity disappeared. I was nothing but a wolf. A wolf intent on protecting its pack mate. A wolf intent on the kill.
Fear flooded Robert’s eyes.
I struck down and slashed his neck open with my teeth, cutting through his pelt and skin. His blood rushed into my mouth, hot and rusty. The light went out of his eyes and with death he reverted back to his human form. His coppery blood coated my mouth and soaked the earth.
I had killed a man, a boy really, in a matter of seconds and hadn’t felt a thing.
I padded cautiously towards Bryce, who wasn’t making a noise.
His eyes were closed but his chest rose and fell. He must have passed out because he was now in his human form. When we’re wolves we only change back to our human form if we want to, we’re killed, or we pass out.
His throat had a pretty big cut but it was healing. It would heal faster if he was in his wolf form but I didn’t want to attempt to wake him up. It would be better if he could heal without feeling the pain.
Bentley limped over. Hannah had bit his leg and blood oozed out, dripping with little, plop, plop, plop, sounds to the ground.
She’s dead. Bentley said.
Robert’s dead too. I said.
Remind me, I never want to be on the receiving end of your anger. His tongue lolled to the side in a wolfish grin. His gold eyes seemed so bright against his black fur.
A bark and howl sounded a few miles away.
Caeden and Travis.
Worry coated my tongue with an acidic taste. I tried to spit it out but instead only succeeded in looking demented.
Bentley and I looked at each other as we listened to the sounds of the war raging nearby. We were both breathing heavy and the same fear that resided in my soul was reflected in his eyes. I could hear the blood rushing through my body.
The sounds from Caeden and Travis increased in pitch. Someone howled in pain. If I had been in my human form I would have covered my ears with my hands. As it was, I pawed the earth and whimpered.
Growls and the snapping of jaws filled the air.
There were many times in the past months when I’d thought I’d been truly fearful.
When I found out I was a shifter.
Caeden being my mate.
Caeden showing up to my door, bleeding, and dying.
Being kidnapped.
Being tortured.
But it all paled in comparison to now, to this moment.
This was true fear.
The sun began to set, igniting the sky into a fireball of reds, oranges, and pinks. My eyes began to adjust to the different light. My ears prickled at every little sound and then… all sound seemed to disappear.
It was as if the forest was holding its breath. No animals moved, the trees did not stir, everything was on pause.
And then there was a cry.
The cry of a wolf.
Dying.
I held my breath and watched the trees where Caeden and Travis had disappeared.
Please let him be okay, I pleaded with God, with Bentley, with whoever cared to listen.
And then a wolf emerged between the trees. It stood mightily, it’s fur stirred by the wind, and then I was running.
Running as fast as my paws would carry me.
Running and then crashing into the wolf.
Fourteen.
We both shifted to our human forms at the same time. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed kisses there, to his cheeks, his chest, and finally his mouth. I didn’t even care that we were completely naked and Bentley was bound to be watching. Nothing else mattered except that Caeden was alive.
“Caeden, Caeden, Caeden,” I said, over and over again. “Caeden, Caeden, Caeden,” I could never tire of saying his name. That was something people took for granted. A name. I couldn’t imagine never being able to say his name again so I just said it over and over. “Caeden, Caeden, Caeden,” in between kisses.
“I’m okay, it’s okay,” he said, his hands rubbing soothing circles on my back. His hands moved slowly up my back, over my shoulders, and to my cheeks. Holding me away from him he said, “Sophie, I’m okay.” He wiped my tears away.
Tears? I was crying? When did that happen?
“I’m okay, really, it’s over. It’s over,” he said.
“It’s over?”
“It’s really over,” he said.
“Are you hurt?” I asked, looking him over.
“No,” he said. “I’m fine.”
“But there’s blood on you,” I accused.
“His, not mine,” he said.
We were resting on our knees, twigs pressing against my skin, but I didn’t care.
“Oh Caeden,” I sobbed and tightened my arms around his neck. “I love you so much.”
He buried his face in my hair. “I love you too, my light, my she-wolf, my mate.” Seeming to finally realize that I wasn’t supposed to be out here, I was supposed to be with Logan, he said, “Why are you here? I told you to stay put!”
“I heard Bryce get hurt. I couldn’t just do nothing!” I began to cry harder. “I killed Robert. Oh my God, Caeden! I killed someone! I killed him!”
“Shh, shh,” Caeden tried to calm my hysterics.
“I just couldn’t let him hurt Bryce!”
“Sophie, calm down, it’s okay. You did good.”
“I killed him, Caeden, like it was… nothing. I didn’t even hesitate. It was so quick. So quick.”
He rubbed my arms up and down. “Sophie-”
I shook my head. “We need to get Bryce and Logan. We need to go,” my voice cracked.
I pulled away from him and shifted back into my wolf form. It was easier to deal with what I had done in this form. For a wolf, death and murder was normal, not so much for my human brain.
I heard a rustle behind me and knew that Caeden had shifted.
I got Logan. Bentley said as Caeden and I approached. I turned my head and saw Logan slumped against the ground. Lucy was curled up next to him. He still won’t wake up.
How’s Bryce? I asked.
Still passed out, he pointed with his muzzle.
I examined Bentley’s wounds and found that he was close to being healed.
How are we going to get them back? I asked.
We’ll have to wake them up, Caeden said. We’ll wait a little while though.
Is it really over? I asked no one in particular.
It’s over, Caeden affirmed.
It seems too easy. I said.
I’d say it was far from easy. Bentley said. We can’t all be super wolf like you Sophie, he joked.
Super wolf, I snorted.
I saw you attack Robert. It was amazing! You were like a ninja!
I don’t know why you guys want to call me a ninja. I am not a ninja. I huffed.
Bentley chuckled. We’ll stop calling you a ninja when you stop acting like one.
I growled. Do you want me to bite you? I let a little bit of laughter trickle into my voice so he would know I was joking.
I’m going to check the perimeter. Caeden said. Make sure the rest of Travis’ pack isn’t coming.
Before I could ask to go with him he was gone.
I turned my gaze to Bentley and asked, Does it bother you?
What?
Killing? Murdering?
It’s not like I wanted to, Bentley said. But I had to protect the pack. Protect myself. It was my life or Hannah’s. We were both quiet for quite a while but eventually Bentley added, All I could think about was Christian and that I couldn’t die because I belong to her. I knew no matter what I had to make it out alive, for Chris. But it wasn’t easy ending someone’s life. He hung his head. But it had to be done. We have to keep the pack safe and they were a threat.
So you think it’s normal that I’m…
remorseful?
I’d think you were psychotic killer if you weren’t upset. Death should have an affect on us, even when we’re killing crazies like these, it reminds us that we do have a heart. That even though we turn into a wolf, at the end of the day we’re still human. Remember that Sophie, you’re only human.
I soaked in Bentley’s words and I instantly felt better.
Thank you. I said.
No problem, he said. After all, someone has to be the voice of reason.
* * *
Caeden returned and we managed to wake up Bryce and Logan. Bryce wasn’t a happy camper.
“What the fuck?” Bryce looked around. “Oh fuck, I feel like a truck ran over me.”
Logan seemed startled and then afraid. He tried to scramble away but once he realized it was just us he collapsed on the ground, letting out a sigh of relief. When he looked back up, tears coursed down his face. I had never seen someone as stoic as Logan break down like this.
Caeden switched to his human form. “Language Bryce,” he scolded before going to Logan. “You’re okay. You’re safe. We aren’t going to hurt you.”
I wondered why Caeden felt the need to assure Logan we weren’t going to hurt him when it clicked in my head. Logan would think we were going to kill him.
“You are a part of my pack,” Caeden continued, “and I will protect you.”
Logan sobbed. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“Can you shift?” Caeden asked, his voice soft, not demanding.
“I think so,” Logan said.
“Bryce?”
“Oh? Now you worry about me?” Bryce snapped.
Caeden glared at his younger brother. His blue eyes seemed to burn like fire. “I always worry about you. Can you shift?”
Bryce rolled his blue eyes; just a few shades darker than Caeden’s. “Of course I can shift, dumb shit, I’m awake aren’t I?”
“Lang-” Before Caeden could finish, Bryce had already shifted. Caeden shook his head. “Let’s go home.”
He shifted and a mighty gray wolf stood before us. A moment later Logan shifted. His jeans exploded into the air before falling to the ground like flakes of snow. He shook his blond pelt and his green eyes were vibrant.
He pawed the ground before his voice filled out heads. You’re really not going to kill me?
We could never hurt you, Logan. Bentley said.
You have nothing to worry about. I added.
Just try to keep this hushed around the elders. Most of them aren’t as cool as Lucinda and might see fit to… eliminate the problem. But we will protect you. Logan, you’re safe with us. Caeden said.
Are you losers coming or not? Bryce asked, appearing on the hill above us. Or are we going to stay here and have share and care time?
We’re coming, Caeden snapped. Maybe Sophie should have let Robert take a chunk out of you.
Hey! Bryce said. You know you’d be beside yourself if something happened to me. I am irreplaceable.
You’re one of a kind that’s for sure. Caeden muttered.
Bryce flashed a lopsided wolfy grin before sprinting off into the woods
Ready? Caeden asked.
We didn’t bother answering, we just ran.
* * *
To say Amy was pissed was an understatement. She was so red in the face I was surprised she didn’t explode.
“Caeden Henry Williams!” she spat. “How could you be so careless going off after Travis like that? Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve gone with you! So would have all the parents! You were stupid and reckless and anything but an Alpha!” she growled. Fur started to sprout on her arms and she took a moment to calm herself. As she calmed the fur receded. “And why didn’t you two stop him!?” she pointed an accusing finger at me and Bentley. “You could’ve all been killed!”
“But we weren’t,” Bryce said from the corner, where he leaned against the family room wall. He held a book in his hands and flipped through the pages, obviously unaffected by Amy’s anger.
Amy marched up to him, snatched the book from his hands, and unleashed her full fury on her youngest son. “Bryce, I am so sick and tired of you acting like an immature pup! Grow up! Be a man, dammit!”
Bryce straightened.
Amy shoved the book forcefully onto the shelf. “I’ve already lost my husband. I can’t lose my children too,” her voice cracked. She turned her wrath back to Caeden. “Think things through, Caeden! Think! You could’ve led your friends to their deaths! Your own mate!”
“I had to save Logan.”
“Yes, I understand, and I commend you for that. But you should’ve informed us. I could’ve helped you. So could Jeremy and don’t you think Logan’s parent’s would have liked to have helped?”
Caeden didn’t say anything.
“You’re all so young,” Amy whispered. “Far too young to have to go through this.”
I could see her anger was disappearing and soon the tears would commence.
“Mom-” Bryce said.
Amy turned so quickly she nearly blurred. Oh dear, I think there might be some anger left after all.
“So, help me God, Bryce, if you try and crack a joke I just might lose it.”
Bryce’s eyes widened and he ducked his head down. Shuffling his feet back and forth. “I wasn’t going to make a joke. I just think you’re overreacting.”
“Overreacting!?” she shrieked at such a high decibel I wanted to cover my ears.
“Just shut the hell up, Bryce,” Caeden said and buried his face in his hands.
Amy turned to all of us. Logan, Bentley, Caeden, and I were lined up on the large leather couch. “You are all very lucky to be alive right now, I hope you know that. Logan, I’m glad you’re safe.”
With a breath she turned out of the room and we could hear her marching towards the front door.
“I’m so angry I could spit.” She said spit, like speet.
The door opened and slammed closed behind her.
For a moment we all just sat there, not saying a word.
“Oh shit,” Caeden finally said.
“Language,” Bryce smirked.
* * *
It was past midnight and Amy still had not returned after she stormed out of the house.
“Are we in trouble?” I asked Caeden as I played with the neckline of his blue shirt.
“No,” there was a strained quality to his voice. “She’ll cool off eventually.”
“Babe, you seem stressed about something.”
“I’m fine,” he pulled away from my arms, rolling onto his back. Caeden never pulled away from me.
I rubbed his back. “Caeden?”
“I’m really tired, Sophie, please go to sleep.”
Whaaaaaaat?
“Okay,” I said and rolled onto my side, away from him.
I waited and waited and then waited some more for sleep. But I was wide-awake. I made sure Caeden was asleep, or pretending to be asleep, before I pushed the covers off and climbed from the bed.
I slowly cracked the door open and eased into the hallway, closing the door softly behind me.
I crept down the steps and into the family room. I turned the TV on and was dismayed to find only infomercials on. I stopped on one featuring a fancy vacuum that could apparently do everything! I heard a noise behind and jumped.
“Sorry,” Bryce said and collapsed beside me. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He had a bag of BBQ chips in his hand and offered me some. Bryce was shirtless, gray sweatpants hanging off if his hips, he winced when his bare skin encountered the cold leather. “Geez,” he wrapped a blanket around his upper body. “That was cold.” He crunched on a chip and covered the couch in crumbs. Boys. “What are you watching?”
Insider (Outsider Series) Page 16