by C. Larsen
Before I can embarrass myself any further, I change the subject. "So Max, I hear today's your birthday. How does it feel to be a whole ten years old?"
Max heaves a sigh and kicks at a clump of dirt with his boot.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing..."
Grant meets my eyes over his son's bent head.
"Well," I say in an overly cheerful voice. "It's your birthday. What do you want to do?"
"Hmmm... hide and seek?" he says, peeking up at me from under his mop of black hair.
"You just want to play because you know you can beat me." I say mournfully.
Max giggles, the sadness in his eyes replaced with excitement.
"Alright, birthday boy. You're the boss. Why don't you show me how much a ten-year-old can kick my butt?"
Max grins and bounces on his feet. "You hide first!" He begins counting as I take off into the trees to hide.
We're in an area of the forest I haven't been before, so it takes me a bit of time to find a good spot. Seeing as how Silver Ridge claims a large chunk of Green Mountain National Forest as their territory, I doubt I'll ever get to see every square mile of it, but Max seems to know the area well enough. Predictably, he finds me within minutes.
"My turn, my turn!" He darts off into the trees to find a hiding spot. I laugh at his enthusiasm and take my time counting.
Chapter 23
Hours later, I’ve still yet to win a single round against Max.
“After this round we should probably head back,” Grant says right before I head off to look for Max. “Gray and the others will be back soon."
Anxiety pools in my stomach at the thought of seeing Gray again. How should I act? Will he expect an answer? Maybe I can just pretend the whole thing never happened?
My stomach tightens even more as I remember the reason for his sudden trip. Did they find Derek? If so, will Gray have to kill him?
Suddenly anxious to get back, I nod to Grant. "Alright, I guess I better find Max quickly this time." I make a face, knowing just how long it's actually going to take me to hunt him down.
I attempt to find Max's trail, but before I get very far, Grant says, "I appreciate you keeping him in such good spirits today. He was a little down this morning."
"Please, it's nothing." I wave away his thanks. "I have fun with him. I can't imagine anyone able to resist Max."
Grant nods, an indulgent smile on his face as he stares into the trees in the direction of his son.
"He's upset because he can't start school today, right?" I ask.
Grant stills, his gaze coming back to me. "What did Max tell you?"
"Just that he can't start school yet because he lost control of his wolf."
Grant seems to relax, tension leaving him. "Yes, he still has much to learn. Maybe he'll be ready next year."
I nod. "I get that, believe me." At his look, I explain. "When I came into my witch abilities a few months ago I almost killed a girl. So I understand a bit about losing control. I can’t imagine how much more difficult it would be for a ten-year-old werewolf.
Grant nods again, looking out into the trees. "Max is a good boy. He just needs some time to mature."
Something prickles on the back of my neck and I stiffen.
"What is it?" Immediately on alert, Grant’s sharp gaze sweeps the trees around us.
"I don't know..." My skin begins crawling and I search the woods, looking for anything out of place. "We need to get Max. Something isn't right."
Before I even finish speaking, Grant is bounding through the trees in the direction of his son. I'm right behind him. I can't put my finger on what's wrong, but I know we're in danger.
Rogue wolves, my wolf says.
I look in the direction my wolf indicates and curse. I can smell them now. Next to me, Grant freezes, scenting the weres’ as well.
"Max!" Grant yells. "Max, get back here!"
Up ahead, we hear a cry. "Dad! Dad, help!"
We put on a burst of speed, tearing through the trees to Max. We find him huddled in the middle of a small clearing, five werewolves surrounding him; two in wolf form, three in their human bodies. At our approach, a large blond male with close-set eyes snatches Max, holding him out in front of him, one arm locked around his neck.
"That's far enough," says a dark-haired man. He steps forward, blocking our view of Max.
Grant growls, crouching into an attack position. His fangs begin elongating, talons bursting from his fingers.
The two wolves lower their heads, teeth bared. The third man, also dark-haired with eyes as black as night falls into a crouch, preparing to attack.
There’s too many. We can't take them all on.
“What do you want?” I ask, playing for time. A growl works its way up my throat, my wolf begging to be released, but I yank her leash back. I can't lose control now, not with Max's life in danger.
We need to attack! my wolf screams through me. They threaten Max pup!
I force myself to think. How can I get Max out of this? I can’t fight them all and hope to win, and with Max trapped by the blond, running is out.
“We can’t allow Nikolay to harbor our enemies any longer,” the man in the front answers. I assume he’s their leader. He’s certainly the most dominant of the five.
“What enemies?”
Grant glides to his left, away from me, trying to keep Max in his sight. His eyes gleam gold, and I doubt there’s enough human in him right now to understand anything we’re saying.
“The only enemies we have. Tell Nikolay if he hands over the coven, we’ll let your pup go unharmed.”
The coven? Then it comes to me—I've been focusing so much on my werewolf half this past month I've completely forgotten I have another advantage. I'm a witch.
The blond man repositions himself, loosening his grip on Max briefly. Taking advantage of his slip, I strike, flinging my hand out and throwing him backward ten feet. As soon as he’s free, Max dives to his right, away from the others.
"She's one of them!" the leader calls out, a snarl ripping up his throat.
All heads snap towards me. I use the distraction to throw the two wolves through the trees.
Max darts around them, running straight for Grant. He shoves Max behind him and bares his teeth, ready for action.
They aren't down for long. The wolves shake themselves off and dart into the cover of trees. The three in human form charge us, aiming for me.
With a shout of rage, I direct my energy out into an arc, knocking back two of them before they reach me. The leader stumbles, but regains his footing and tackles Grant to the ground.
Max lets out a cry and jumps onto the man's back, trying to choke him. The leader jerks around, flinging Max's small body off, sending him crashing into a nearby tree.
I dive forward to help Grant. I don't notice the wolf behind me until he slams me face first into the ground. Pain slices through my bottom lip, the taste of blood and dirt filling my mouth. Razor-sharp claws slice into my back. I struggle to roll over, breath wheezing.
The wolf is massive, his weight crushing me. With another burst of energy, I manage to throw him off, but he just comes right back.
I roll onto my back, hands raised to block my face from his deadly claws. For a moment before his body makes contact, his eyes lock with mine, and my control over my wolf falters. She burst through, overtaking me, filling my body with a rage the likes of which I've never felt. I let her instincts guide me, giving her control over my body, while my mind focuses, finding the calm center deep within. Energy gathers, dark and dangerous. I focus my will, my entire being, on the wolf in front of me.
Stop! I command. A dark flash shoots from my hands, striking the wolf, and for one unbelievable second, he falters. He stands frozen, one paw raised in the air, seconds away from disemboweling me.
I watch as his eyes glaze over for the barest moment. He blinks several times and then they clear, rage and death once again staring down at me.
Something huge slams into him, catapulting him off me in a blur of black fur. Gray rears up, his wolf magnificent in its fury. His massive paws knock the other wolf back down, dazing him. Claws flash, blood spraying into the air.
Off to my left, Grant is fighting both the leader and the second wolf at the same time. There’s blood on his chest, but his moves are strong and swift, so he must not be hurt too badly. Max is still in the trees, but he’s sitting up now, shaking his head as if to clear it.
Thank God he's alive. I leap to my feet, heading in Max’s direction, but a noise behind me pulls me up short. The blond and the dark eyed man have spotted me. Like Grant, they've both partially shifted, their claws fully extended, fangs protruding from oddly shaped mouths. A chill runs through me.
I attempt to knock them back using my telekinesis, but they barely stumble. I've used too much energy; I don't have enough juice left to stop them. I know I’ve used quite a bit of magic already, but my energy shouldn't be drained this quickly...
I don't have long to puzzle over this. They're still coming for me. I crouch into a fighting stance, a snarl ripping up my throat.
Move! Don't stay in one place. I listen to my wolf, letting her guide me, sidestepping as the blond lunges. His claws miss me by mere inches. Dark-eyes comes in from the side, trying to pen me in. Drop back, don't let them surround you.
I retreat a few steps out of the clearing. The trees are thicker here. It’s harder to maneuver, but the cover will prevent the two men from surrounding me. A yelp sounds off to my right, followed by a series of squeals; a wolf in mortal pain. Please don't be Gray, please don't be Gray, I chant silently.
They continue advancing on me. I snarl again as the dark eyed man looms in front of me, an evil grin spreading across his face.
"You're not getting away now, you little bitch."
Attack! Now! Obeying without thought, I lunge forward, staying low, and slash out at the tender skin on the inside of his thigh.
Blood spurts out. I’ve hit an artery. I glance down at my hands. Three-inch claws extend from my nail beds. I've partially shifted without even thinking about it. More grateful than ever to Gray's relentless training, I slash out again, this time striking him across the abdomen.
He screams and drops to one knee, his hands going to his stomach, vainly attempting to hold in his guts.
The blond one who grabbed Max earlier rushes in from the side, tackling me. I raise my claws, blindly lashing out. He evades my swipes easily, pinning my hands up above my head. His mouth pulls up into a leer and he presses his body down onto mine.
"Not such a tough little bitch anymore, are ya'?" He grinds his body on mine. I feel a bulge against my thigh. A wave of blind terror crashes over me. I buck and writhe like a wild animal, trying to get him off me.
He presses his body harder into mine, laughing. “You like it rough, do you?”
Don't panic. Fear inhibits the mind, my wolf instructs. Calm your mind, wait for the right moment.
My heart thrashes wildly in my chest. Sweat beads my skin. I grit my teeth, trying to ignore his hard-on pressed against my leg. The sharp musk of excitement fills his scent. My stomach heaves. Bile rises in the back of my throat.
I block everything else out, focusing only on my wolf’s voice. He likes it when you fight. Be calm. Wait for an opening.
I glare up into his leering face, bracing myself, waiting for my moment to strike.
His fingers bite into my wrists, almost crushing bone. I bite back a whimper. I won’t give him the satisfaction.
He lowers his face to mine, nose skimming my collarbone. "Mmmm, I can smell your fear."
My muscles tremble from the strain of holding still. Wait. Just a little longer. Wait for it.
"You can try to hide it all you want," he says. "But I know it's there.” Something warm and wet touches the side of my neck. “Maybe I'll keep you around for a little while longer, show you what real fear is."
A scream rises in my throat, but I swallow it back down.
He lifts his head to look me in the eyes. I make my move. Putting all my rage, my pain, my fear behind it, I slam my head forward, driving it into the fragile bridge of his nose.
He screams and rears back, gripping his face. Blood seeps from between his fingers. "You bitch! You're gonna fuckin' pay for that!"
Without skipping a beat, I jam my knee upwards, connecting solidly between his legs. He makes an oomph sound, falling over to the side. Before I can leap up to finish him, a small body flies through the air, landing on his chest. Claws slash violently. The man screams, but it's drowned out by the vicious snarling coming from Max as he rips into him.
Chapter 24
Warm blood splatters my face, its metallic flavor rousing my wolf into a near frenzy. She urges me to join in the kill, to tear the man's flesh, to rip his throat out with my teeth.
I want to, I want to so badly. The things he did to me, the things he would have done to me... Every fiber urges me to join in the killing frenzy, but I resist. I do a quick sweep with my gaze, checking to make sure there are no other enemies waiting in the trees to attack, before dealing with Max and the blond man.
I know by the silence of his chest, not to mention the copious amount of blood covering both Max and myself, that the man is dead. His heart no longer beats, his chest doesn't rise and fall with breath, but still Max tears into him. The fear and rage emanating from his small body nearly knocks my breath away, but I manage to keep my voice calm and soothing.
"Max," I call softly, keeping my distance from those flashing claws. He doesn't pause. Awful squelching sounds fill the air as his claws tear into the chest cavity, releasing trapped air.
"Max," I try again. "It's alright Max, calm down. He's dead. Max, he's dead. You can stop." The slashing claws slow, Max's lungs heaving with exertion. "It's okay, Max. He's dead. He can't hurt you anymore. You can stop now. You're okay."
Max's arms finally stop swinging and hang limp at his sides. He sits there, straddling the man, arms elbow deep in his chest cavity. He gasps in air, the rage in his scent fading, replaced with absolute terror.
He looks up at me, covered head to toe in blood. His eyes widen, tears filling them.
I leap forward now that he's in control again and gather his blood-soaked body to me. Max's arms circle my waist as he clings to me, shaking. Sobs rip through him, his tiny form shaking so badly I'm afraid it might tear him apart.
“I did it again,” he keens in a high-pitched voice. “I lost control. I did it again.”
"Shhhh," I say. "It's alright, shhhh." Holding his small body close, I pick him up and carry him away from the dead werewolf and the fighting still going on through the trees.
I don't know how many more werewolves are left. The blond one is definitely gone, and I'm pretty sure the one I fought has a severed artery, which means he won't be alive much longer either. But that still leaves two in wolf form and one more in human.
Dragging both Max and myself into a thicket of blackberry bushes, I attempt to comfort Max while keeping a lookout for any more enemies. After a few minutes, Max's sobs subside and he clings to me, shaking, his head pressed into the crook of my neck. My wolf is desperate to join the fight, to help Gray and Grant, but I know I can't leave Max like this.
"It's alright Max, shhh, you're okay."
"I killed him," he says, the sound muffled by my neck. "I killed him." His voice cracks and he dissolves into sobs again.
"You did what you had to," I tell him, heartbroken to see him like this. "That man was going to kill me. You saved my life."
His sobs quiets, and I repeat, "You saved my life Max. He was trying to kill me. You had no choice."
He sniffles, lifting his head to look at me from under his eyelashes. Smears of crimson blood cover his face, drying into a dirty rust color. His wild hair is soaked with it, and I have to suppress a shudder at the image of this little boy tearing wildly into the dead body.
"Really?" He asks, wiping his nose.
"I saved you?"
Staring into his woeful blue eyes, I don't have the heart to tell him that I had already broken free before Max attacked. And really, there’s no guarantee that the man wasn't going to pin me again even though I got in a few good shots to his face and groin. It's entirely possible I would have been killed if Max hadn't intervened.
"Yes, really. You saved my life."
Max hiccups, and buries his face back into my neck again. "He was hurting you. I just wanted to stop him."
"You did, Max," I soothe, rubbing his back. "You stopped him."
Pounding feet nearby startle me. I thrust Max behind me, further into the thicket.
"Oh my God," I hear Grant whisper, his voice reaching us from where we left the dead man’s body. "Max! Emerson!"
"Over here," I call out, keeping Max behind me in case my shout brings any unwanted company. Two sets of feet, one human, one canine, barrel through the leaves towards us.
When Gray's massive black wolf comes into view, I breathe a sigh of relief. He's alive. Thank God.
Of course he is, my wolf responds to my thoughts. He is Alpha. Those others are weak pups.
Grant’s right behind him, face white with terror. "Max! Is he alright? Where is he?"
"He's fine, he's right here." I crawl out from the thicket, Max following, his arms still clinging to me from behind.
"Daddy?" he says when he catches sight of Grant. "Daddy!" Max flies into Grant’s arms, nearly knocking him off his feet. Grant hugs Max to his big chest, eyes squeezed shut, an array of emotions pouring off him: relief, joy, pain, fear...
I barely have time to analyze it all before I'm knocked off my feet, two hundred and fifty pounds of werewolf crashing on top of me, licking my face and neck.
I laugh in relief as his rough tongue tickles the skin under my ear.
"Gray, thank God you're okay." I bury my hands into his thick pelt. His body trembles, terror for me still lingering in his scent.
"I'm alright," I say, answering his unspoken question. He inhales, shoving his nose into my hair, then he stiffens, muscles bunching.