My silver fur shined in the moonlight as I lunged into the wolves on top of Aces. We had never fought together but somehow, we were in sync. We protected each other and linked up back-to-back. In front of each of us were five wolves. Horrible odds for almost all wolves. But we had a chance… though not without injury.
I was trying to figure out who their leader was. One of the wolves was the one who called the shots. I needed to get this wolf out of the picture first. I decided on a shaggy gray wolf on my side. He was a bit more aggressive and seemed to act on his own.
The loud snarls cut through the air as sounds of yips and blood curdling yelps echoed off the trees. Fur was stained red. The sound of teeth snapping together ricocheted around me. Wolves were on me, but I had the target’s throat in my jaws. There was the sickening sound of blood gushing onto the ground and an ear-piercing cry that was strangled short.
One Down.
Teeth sank into my side, and I turned digging my claws into the wolf attacking me. I didn’t have a moment to check on how Aces was doing. I had to focus on the four wolves in front of me. Killing one of the wolves didn’t have the effect I wanted it to have. Instead, they got more strategic with their attacks. They began to synchronize their movements in a way that I was getting constant wounds on my body. I was still landing blows of my own, but they were planning to exhaust me. It is actually a very clever tactic. You keep a larger enemy on his toes and exhaust him then move in for the kill.
I reared up and slashed my claws into one of the wolf’s greasy matted coats. Chunks of fur and blood splattered over the ground as another wolf lunged at me. I snapped at his face curling my body away from him. I felt Aces’ body against me as we both panted heavily. The strong smell of iron wafted in the air as the red liquid pooled around us.
Then suddenly they all leapt onto Aces. Nine wolves were going in for the final blow against him. I used my body to protect his back. Fangs sank into me, and I mustered all my ferocity into attacking back. This wasn’t over. I had more fight left in me. As another rogue moved in, I grabbed him by his jugular and clamped down as I shook my head. The musical sound of his neck snapping was my sign to drop his body and move on to the next wolf.
Aces had managed to take out a wolf also. We were down to seven but were both injured and exhausted. There wasn’t a moment to breathe. It was chaos. Just as another wolf dove into me a black and white wolf collided with him. Then a brown wolf jumped in next to Aces. A wolf much too large… terrifyingly big. It was like no wolf I had ever seen. He was gigantic. He was over double the size of these rogues and handled them effortlessly. This size wasn’t normal. Aces looked relieved. I didn’t have my sense of smell before, so I didn’t know who they were. Was the brown wolf Sion?
I stood there on shaking legs as the brown wolf easily claimed the lives of the rogues. The black and white wolf walked up to me and Aces. He stood there staring at me and looking over my wounds. Speaking of wounds, they weren’t healing as they should.
Sheena?
I’m trying to heal you, Clover. It’s all I could do to reconnect with you. It’s going to take me longer than normal so try not to overdo it.
The brown giant wolf came over and shifted, it was Conner. “Clover, you got your wolf back, that’s great.” A moment later the black and white wolf shifted into Logan. Where was Sion?
Sheena, you are staying with me, right?
Yes, I am here. But your wounds will need to be bandaged.
I shifted back and heard Conner and Logan suck in their breath.
“Why aren’t you healing?” Conner took his shirt off and began to shred it. I looked back towards where the Chance pack territory was as he tried to bandage my worst wounds.
“Where is Sion?”
“He will catch up to us. Why aren’t you healing?” Logan stepped in front of me to look at my face.
“My wolf said it would take longer than normal.” I was trying to look past Logan feeling agitated. “Why does he have to catch up? Where is he?”
Conner chuckled. “He will be all right. He is leading them in the other direction.”
I furrowed my brows not liking the idea at all. We didn’t know what all Dr. Sinister was capable of. I felt anxious that Sion was all alone. I turned my head to look over at Aces as Conner tied the last big gash.
“Well? Are you going to give Kai control again? You don’t have to protect him anymore.”
Aces sat down and stared at me. It will be good to have Kai to talk to again. I’ve missed him. I knew that I made the right decision by coming out with you here.
A moment later Aces shifted back to Kai. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that but honestly, there were more important things to talk about right now. I could see the instant fear in Kai’s eyes as Aces was informing him of everything he knew.
“Wait Kai and Aces are a team again? What is going on?” Conner asked.
I began to catch up Logan and Conner with the little pieces I knew from the vision I had. And how Dr. Sinister wasn’t working alone.
“So, who is this, Meryl?” Conner asked and that was when Kai spoke up.
“Someone too powerful for us. Aces said Dr. Snyde called her a nycrops. It is some sort of ancient creature. I vaguely remember reading about them. She isn’t someone we can handle. Dr. Snyde isn’t just a werewolf either. She is part witch from the Briar coven. She has pledged her loyalty to Meryl and has agreed to drain essence from the wolves in this pack to give to the nycrops. Furthermore, it was her plan to become Sion’s luna and brainwash him as well.
She has been giving Logan these potions without his knowledge that would make him susceptible to her. It is what she has been injecting the pack with too. I don’t think it ever worked on Conner and Sion, but I think that is because… well you two are different. Aces wasn’t sure though. He continued to be cautious not knowing if Dr. Snyde had control of you guys or not. Honestly, it wasn’t until Sion went against her just now that he was certain you guys were okay.” Kai said and I glanced up at Conner. Yeah, he was very different. Honestly, he wasn’t like any werewolf I had ever seen. I wanted to know more about this difference… “One of the reasons Aces stayed separated from me was so Dr. Snyde wouldn’t try to control me. He was protecting me… She hasn’t been able to get the same hold on Logan again since Clover came. Her constant presence around Logan has kept him safe from her influence. Aces says you are very special Clover…” I wanted him to elaborate more but Conner then spoke up.
“What do we do about the doctor and pack?” Conner growled turning his head to Logan.
“There is more…” Kai let out a sigh and shook his head. “What happened… what happened to my mate, to the previous Alpha and Luna, to our pack… that was Dr. Snyde’s fault. What attacked our pack, that was a creature that Meryl had allowed her to use. It was her plan to get rid of Sion’s parents. At this point, she was only using a potion to control the wolves. The injections as you know came later… Apparently, Sion’s father had figured out she was draining wolves. He planned to banish her, but she found out about it and sent that demon.”
My lips parted in shock. That creature is what killed Taylor. Why would a demon that was under her control be at the Sulfur pack? What did this mean? Or was it a strange coincidence?
“You want to tell me about your titan of a wolf?” I asked looking at Conner. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Well short version is I am not a wolf… I am a lycan. Sion and I are cousins and come from a cursed line of lycans that were afflicted to be wolves. The Faust family have had to bear this burden until just recently. Our wolves were always different than the others. They were one with us and that was because they were always meant to be a lycan. Like Sion and I am now.”
Okay, hold up… Sion is a lycan too? Was that the secret he wanted to talk to me about? I guess it makes sense why he never shifted in front of me before. He always ran off and then shifted. I could understand him being more capable since he was an alpha and a lycan. I glanced in the distance and couldn’t help the feeling of fear and dread. Even if he was strong Dr. Sinister could have sent her demon against him.
“Clover you are quite the fighter,” Kai said, and I knew he was trying to distract me. I guess I was being obvious about where my mind was. Even after hearing somehow Conner and Sion were lycans I wasn’t even dwelling on it. All I could think about was Sion and if he was okay.
I looked over at him and smiled. “We both are reunited with our wolves now.” I felt his hand land on top of my head.
“Thanks to you.”
“I didn’t do anything. It was all about the timing.” I listened as he let out an airy chuckle and shook his head. He didn’t say anything else but there was a level of appreciation I could see in his gaze.
“Alright, we need to head out,” Conner said and I snapped my head to look at him.
“Head out? What do you mean?” I felt my chest tightening as I looked into his eyes.
“We need to get farther away,” Conner said simply.
“What if something happens to Sion? What if he needs us?” I could see Conner’s eye twitch and that was when I knew he didn’t want to leave either. He was under orders. “I’m not going anywhere. Not without Sion.” I folded my arms over my chest, planting my feet firmly in place.
“We agreed to meet at an abandoned mine. It is a decent hike from here. He will meet us there Clover.” Logan gave me a reassuring smile that I wasn’t buying.
“There is no—” I started to say but Conner interrupted me.
“I don’t like it either, but this is what Sion made me promise. He wants you safe Clover. It isn’t safe to stay here we are still within the pack’s territory. We need to get somewhere where we can think of a plan.” A soft smile reached Conner’s lips as he stared at me. “Besides, you are our luna. I want to keep you safe.” A tentative luna to a pack of five I thought wryly to myself.
“You are in no position to fight right now. Let’s at least wait until you are healed up and then we can think about what to do next. Besides if Sion plans to meet us there, he will be worried if he gets there and we never arrived.” Kai finally said something that I knew made sense. If Sion arrived and we weren’t there he would panic.
“Fine…” I hated this. If Sion didn’t arrive, I was going straight into the Chance pack. I would dodge all the wolves and relieve Dr. Sinister’s neck of her head.
“It will be faster if we shift. Clover since you aren’t healed, you’ll have to ride. Conner is the biggest and can carry your weight effortlessly.” Logan said as Conner shifted into the hulk version of a wolf. Looking at his size it would be difficult to even climb onto his back. I was just pondering this moment when I felt myself lifted in the air. I glance down in shock at Kai as he hoisted me onto Conner’s back. He looked down at the traces of blood on his hands and frowned.
“Are you even going to be able to ride Clover? Those wounds will be jostled and painful. Maybe we should walk…”
“No, walking will take longer. Let’s go.” I said and Conner instantly sprinted off not waiting for Kai and Logan. I could see he was anxious about Sion too. I was hit with so much at once. I knew Dr. Sinister was an evil bit.ch. She was controlling the whole pack. There had to be a way to reverse the effects. I am finally reunited with Sheena, and I am curious if I will feel the mate pull. Sion… my heart was hurting for him. He left his pack for me and was out there right now running from them. My Sion…
I hope he is alright…