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.
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 p
roblem. 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.