Arlo;
BANG, BANG, BANG…
I sat up startled from the pounding on my bedroom door. I looked at my phone trying to get myself to wake up enough to focus; it was 6:30am. Why the hell was I being woken up on a weekend at this time? I looked at Amelia; she too had sat up, clutching her chest, clearly panicked from being woken this way.
'Stay there.' I whispered climbing from the bed. She nodded but the minute that I started walking across the room, I heard her follow me as I opened my bedroom door. Charlie was standing there as white as a sheet.
'Arlo, we have a big problem.' He panted, 'A tracker… a tracker in training has been killed.'
'What?!' I cried grabbing my hoodie that was hanging on the back of my door. I slipped on my trainers and kissed Amelia's cheek. 'Stay there.' I repeated widening my eyes, this time giving her a look that meant business. I did not want her a part of this. This was too much, even for me! But I was the alpha, this was all part of the job description.
Amelia;
I watched as Arlo left the room slamming the door behind him. A tracker had been killed. Charlies words repeated in my head over and over again. How could a tracker be killed? They all went out together for training, no one was ever separated. That is what everyone had been telling me about the non-Elites. I just didn't understand what was happening.
Maybe it was an accident? I thought as I unlocked the balcony door. It was just starting to get light, the horizon was shimmering a pink, golden bronze as the sun was beginning to rise. It was still freezing, I was only wearing Arlo's T-shirt and a pair of my PJ shorts, my feet stung and ached as I stepped out onto the ice-cold concrete balcony floor with my bare feet, but I pushed through it. I could hear shouting from below me, I looked down to see all of the Elite pack members running towards the woods, a bad feeling came over me. It was in that moment that I knew that this was no accident.
Arlo:
'How the fuck did this happen Jeff.' I roared as we finally got to the woods. 'Why was he on his own? And how the hell did all of you trackers not pick up the scent of this other wolf? Some unknown Mutt on our territory.' I was furious, I knew we had someone lurking in the woods every now and then because sometimes we could smell them; they were definitely male, but other than that, it was hard to define much about them. But somehow, after we started tracking him, the scent would just go; disappear as though he was never even there. It was like he had managed to mask his scent to stop us from following him. But that was impossible! There was no way a wolf could completely cover up their own scent from other wolves, especially not with the amazing trackers that we had in our pack. I had seen first-hand how amazing my pack truly were. I sniffed the air and that familiar scent hit me. It was the same wolf that tried to attack Amelia, and the same one who followed her through the woods, not only was she still in danger, but now my pack was too. I shook my head and supressed the urge to growl; I always knew when I was close to losing my shit, my animal instincts would try and take over. I clenched my teeth and stared ahead, following my pack to the spot that they claimed one of our own had fallen. I didn't need to look up to know that we had arrived. I would have smelt the blood a mile off. And from the smell of it, there was a lot. I looked up at the pale faces of my pack as they struggled to get a handle of their emotions. It was always hard losing one of our own.
I was led to the body of a young boy and I recognised him immediately; Jamie, his father was a retired tracker and his mother was one of the waitresses that tended to us most mornings. My heart sank. They were a genuinely nice couple; this news would devastate them. I turned my stare back to Jamie's corpse. He was only 18 years old and he was one of our Trackers in training; I remembered him signing up for this position. He was so excited to be following in his father's footsteps, all he wanted was to make his family proud. My mouth went dry as raw emotion hit me. I closed my eyes for a second before turning my stare back towards him; his throat had either been ripped out or bitten out, there was no way that this was a chance killing. This was done by someone that knew what they were doing!
How did this happen?' I asked, my voice quiet and as calm as it could be. We all stood in silence for a moment and I couldn't take it any longer. 'Answer me.' I shouted spinning around and staring at Jeffery.
'As far as I knew they were all behind me; Arlo, I was leading them all back to the pack mansion as we had finished training for the day. I don't know why but before we got back to the gates, I decided to do a head count; we were one man down and Jamie was gone. I got the boys back in the mansion grounds and took two of the more experienced trackers and went looking for him… that's when we found him… like this.' Jeffery paused for a minute, his voice quivering as he spoke. He closed his eyes and swallowed back his emotions before continuing. 'No one heard a thing; I don't know what happened I swear. Not one of us smelt someone else on the territory. I told them that there was a possibility that there was an outsider around, but nothing. I am so sorry.' Jeffery cried; his face paling slightly, clearly wracked with guilt. I felt the anger bubbling to the service once more and clenched my teeth.
'Then you have the job of telling his parents, he was killed on your watch.' I snapped, I turned towards Charlie and Matt. 'Matt; you carry him back, Charlie; you go and get a sheet, I need him covered. Take him straight to Benjamin. Jeffery; Once you have told his parents, we need to call an emergency pack meeting! Make sure that you get everyone gathered. Mutts and Elites alike!' At my orders I watched as Charlie turned to look at me after studying the body.
'I think…' He paused for a moment, his face contorting in an emotion that I struggled to place.
'What? Spit it out!' I snapped, glaring at him. I knew that this wasn't my packs fault. But I was furious with them. They should have been watching Jamie. Especially as this was his first-time out tracking. Charlie cleared his throat and turned his stare back to the bloodied sight and sighed.
'I think that Amelia and that Mutt did this.' He said, his voice barely above a whisper. I was stunned. I knew that I had to pay attention to what he was saying; especially as he was my beta, my second in command. But it infuriated me that he had such hatred for his sister, it disgusted me that he could easily put the blame on her. We all knew she hadn't even shifted yet, how the hell could she rip someone's throat out… but Ethan could shift, and he could rip someone's throat out… but then no one could shift on demand; none of this was making any sense.
'Don't be fucking stupid; Charlie.' I snapped, balling my fists tightly.
'I am not being stupid! I bet it was her and that thing, they probably sliced his throat and made it look like a bite.' He replied. Who was he trying to convince? Me or himself?
'I can guarantee you it was not Amelia! And I know that because she was with me all night.' Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me in surprise, Matt was the only one who carried on with the tasks that I have given him. I turned and glared at my pack once more, they knew better than to defy their alpha. 'Is there any more theories about the murderer? Or shall we wait for the pack meeting?'
Amelia;
I watched as the pack rushed back into the building, the younger ones looking a little more shaken than the others. I guess that they have never experienced anything like this before. I know that I have never even seen a dead body. I watched as Arlo, Charlie and a few of the others stormed back up the grass towards the mansion. Arlo looked up and locked eyes with me momentarily; I had never seen him look so worn down. This was clearly taking its toll on him. I watched until the last pack member disappeared below me; entering the mansion; and knew that it would only be a matter of minutes until Arlo was back up here. I hurried back into the warmth of the room and stood awkwardly, waiting for his return.
Arlo walked back into the bedroom and went straight into the bathroom, he looked angry and tense, I couldn't help but wonder what the hell had happened out there. It couldn't have been good no matter what it was. My heart went out to him. He was far too young to be going through all this stress. I know that it is all part of what comes with being alpha, but it wasn't fair. I knew deep down that this was affecting him more than he was letting on, but all I could do was be there for him. I closed my eyes and tried to think of any way that I could help him. But it was hard. How did you try to help someone run a pack that hated everything about you?
I walked over to the bathroom door and hesitated. Maybe it was best to leave him alone for a while. I had seen Charlie and Matt carry the body back with a sheet covering it, they both looked upset and for once it seemed that Charlie was showing real emotion.
I sat on Arlo's bed and looked around the room, wondering if I should knock on the bathroom door to see if he was okay, it was silent in there, I decided it was best that I leave him in peace.
'Arlo; I am going to go now okay? I said knocking on the bathroom door, I waited for a reply, but he didn't say a word to me. I sighed softly, and slowly crept from his room. I knew he was hurting; I just didn't know what I could do to help him. My stomach rumbled, so I decided to head down to the kitchen. Could I even eat yet? What if Arlo didn't come back down any time soon? We wouldn't still have to wait, would we? I got to the dining hall and glanced in at the open doors. The room was empty. There was an eerie stillness to the air that left shivers running across my skin. I glanced over my shoulder and followed the sound of pots and pans clanging around. I hesitated for a brief moment before placing my hand flat on the swinging doors and pushed. The minute they were open a friendly voice caught me off guard.
'Lia! What are you doing in here?' Piper asked, grinning as she pushed a trolley full of Pancakes, waffles and croissants towards the dining area. I could tell by her happy face, that she, and others still didn't know a thing.
'Fancy some help in the kitchen today?' I asked grinning. Piper stopped,
'You're not allowed to do that; you're an Elite. Kitchen work is the Mutts job' I bit my lip to stop myself from saying anything; but the more that I heard the non-Elites called Mutts it grated on me. I sighed and shrugged before turning into the kitchen.
'Who cares. I am not asking to get paid for it, I just want to do something to help.' I looked around, taking in the sight. The kitchen was just as big as I had imagined, it had a built-in freezer and four fridges, as well as four ovens. No one had noticed I was in there; they were all too busy working hard. The smell of freshly fried bacon filled my nose and my stomach rumbled; it was so loud that they all turned around; goddam werewolf hearing!
'Oh, my goodness! Amelia! What are you doing in here?' Pipers mother; Tanya asked. 'Shouldn't you be in the dining hall?' I opened my mouth to answer her when it suddenly dawned on me. I didn't know who it was who had been killed; and I certainly didn't know if their parents had been told yet. I drew in a deep breath and smiled.
'I should really, but I would rather help you guys out.' I smiled innocently.
'Oh, my dear girl, that's ever so kind, but I don't want you getting in trouble.' She replied, sounding a little panicked as she stood stacking a plate full of hot crispy bacon.
'Don't worry about me, honestly. I really do just want to help and if anyone has a problem then I promise I can deal with it.' I reassured her. 'And as for everyone in here, if they say anything then I will make sure that I tell them you asked me to leave but I didn't.' I paused and looked around the room at all the worried faces, before forcing a smile. 'So, what would you like me to do?' I looked around the large kitchen once more, it appeared that everyone had a designated area.
Some were cooking meat, some were cooking eggs, someone was cooking and buttering toast and some were making hot drinks. I spotted the overloaded sink full of used kitchen appliances. 'Can I wash up?' I asked rolling my sleeves up. This was nothing new to me, I always tidied my grandparents'
house out of sheer boredom, and I noticed that although considering there were many expensive kitchen appliances, that there wasn't a dishwasher! And this kitchen needed at least three of them! Tanya looked over to me; a little surprised, nodding.
'If you want to sweetie. But like I said, you don't have to help us at all. We are used to this busy workload.' Tanya replied, smiling sweetly. Wow. This woman truly was something special. After the way that she is treated by the Elites, she is still down here doing her best for them and is not complaining at all. I nodded in agreement then turned away from her. I wasn't quite sure what was getting me so emotional, but I needed to get stuck in with all this washing up to get my mind off of everything.
I got lost in my thoughts as I continuously washed up thinking of what had happened earlier that morning. Did the rest of the pack know or was it all a big secret? Who died? Arlo was so upset, and I didn't know what to do or say to him to make him feel better, maybe it was for the best that I kept out of the way.
'Oh my gosh!' Piper whispered not very quietly. 'There is not a single Elite sitting at the main table, it's just the rest of the pack in there this morning, something bad must have happened.' Play dumb Amelia. I thought to myself as I scrubbed a frying pan.
'Oh really? That is strange.' I replied still not turning around. Piper stood beside me holding a T-towel and picked up a freshly washed plate.
'Yeah, everyone is talking about why they think it is, but no one really knows. It is so odd, this never happens.'
'Piper; that is not our business dear; we must just carry on working and wait for everyone to eat. It is not our place to speculate or spread gossip!' Her mother cut in, taking the now dry plate from her daughter's hand. The phone on the wall rang and Tanya hurried over to it; plucked it from the dock and placed the receiver to her ear.
'Hell- Arlo? Oh, what a pleasant-' She was cut short by something he said, and her face fell slightly. She nodded and mumbled some uh-huh's and yes's but remained professional. She sighed deeply, nodded and placed the phone back in its cradle. 'Ok, ladies. Arlo has asked that we serve breakfast now. He said that he and the other Elites have an important issue to attend and doesn't want everyone else going hungry, so, lets get moving!' Tanya called sweetly. The rest of the ladies in the room sprang into action, each grabbing one of the many fully loaded trollies and hurrying out to the dining hall.
By the time we had eaten something ourselves and deep cleaned the whole kitchen, it was time to start preparing lunch. I was exhausted already, how the hell did these guys all mange to do this nearly every day? It was slave labour and I didn't think it was fair, if this was my pack, I would make the Elites work too.
'Amelia; you really do not need to help us, why don't you go and have a rest?' Tanya said looking concerned.
'Honestly I am fine. What would you like me to do?' I asked re tying my hair up as it had become loose.
'Why don't you cut up some sandwiches?' she said still unsure. I nodded and smiled.
'Sure thing.' Piper had left to serve some drinks with the other waitresses, so Tanya and I started talking.
'You know, my daughter is so lucky to have you as a friend.' I smiled at what Tanya had said, I felt lucky to have Piper as my friend too. 'And this pack is lucky to have you here. Us guys, the non-Elites really do like you. We have never had anyone stand up for any of us and for you to defend my daughter has not gone unnoticed.' The kitchen was silent for a minute, all of the staff listening in on what Tanya was saying. 'And you are perfect for our Alpha.' I paused for a second as the blush swept across my face.
'There isn't anything going on between Arlo and me; we are just good friends.' I said, my mind wondering back to last night. There was something going on between us but not even I knew what it was, and I didn't think Arlo knew either. Tanya straightened a little and her face fell.
'I am sorry. There was me telling Piper not to gossip and speculate and there I was doing just that. Forgive me. I forget my place.'
'Your place?' I asked sounding confused. 'Please Tanya, don't feel that you cant be yourself around me. If I am honest, I feel like I fit in with all of you better than the Elites. So, your place, is being who you are and nothing else. No class lower than anyone else's and you don't have to treat me like one of them!' I said, jerking my chin towards the door. Before either of us had a chance to say another word Piper rushed burst into the kitchen; causing us both to flinch; pushing her empty trolley.
'The Elites are back; they are all ready for lunch. We need to hurry and get the food out quick.' She cried picking up silver trays full of sandwiches. I watched as all the other waitresses started stacking their trolleys full of food, all equally looking terrified. I can't believe that people in this pack were made to feel so small by those around them. Maybe that was why I sympathised with the non-Elites. Maybe it was the fact that I had been treated the same way by those that were supposed to love and care for me?
'Do you need me to help?' I asked picking up a tray full of cut up fruit.
'No, it's okay. They will have a fit if they see you in here. Arlo already looks irritated and on edge.' Piper answered swiftly plucking the tray out of my hand. I knew why he was so on edge and yet I couldn't say a word as to why, the pack obviously didn't know anything as Piper would have said if they had announced it. I glanced up at the clock it was now 1:30pm, I had been in the kitchen since 7:30 this morning and yet the kitchen staff had started at 6am. Did they even get a break? Piper hurried back into the kitchen and started loading her now empty tray up with more food to take out to the tables.
'Piper when do your shifts change?' I asked as she walked back into the kitchen, my poor friend looked exhausted, everyone did.
'We have to clean in here first, but then we should be finished by 2:30pm and then we all need to be back at 4:30pm to prepare dinner for 6. Tonight, it is a yummy roast.' I watched as everyone eagerly cleaned the kitchen desperately so that they could eat some lunch and then go home for a break. I was definitely going to be speaking to Arlo about this. The way that these people were treated was appalling. Something has to be done about it.
Arlo;
I glanced over at Amelia's empty chair and narrowed my eyes. Last, I had seen her she was stood in my bedroom waiting for me to come back from collecting Jamie's body. She must have thought that I was so rude. I strode into the room and didn't even look at her. If only she knew that was because of how disgusted I was that her own brother could accuse her of something like that! I turned my stare to Matt; I knew that the two of them had gotten close lately, maybe she told him that she was busy doing something else? I turned my stare to Matt and noticed the way that he picked at his food, seemingly uninterested, and he stared at Amelia's chair also. Ok, that made it perfectly obvious that he didn't know either. Me and Matt locked eyes and I nodded slightly towards Amelia's chair. But he just shook his head in answer. Me and that girl needed a serious talk! This was only going to fuel Charlie's vendetta against her. FUCK!
Amelia;
Tonight, was going to be the first full moon since missing the last one. Tonight, was the night that I was going to have my first shift. The thought of it caused my stomach to clench and I thought that I was going to throw up. I sighed heavily and shook my head. As terrified as I was, I knew that I was finally ready. The pack would be in for their dinner right about now, so it gave me the perfect opportunity to go and see Pretty Girl. I was secretly hoping that she would calm me that much more. She always had that effect on me so… fingers crossed.
I sat on the hay bale, brushing Pretty Girls mane, feeling the silky hairs beneath my fingertips, which sent rolling waves of calm over me.
'Hey, is everything ok? You weren't at dinner?' Piper asked, stepping into the stables and pulling an apple for pretty girl out of her pocket. I glanced over my shoulder to my best friend and forced a smile.
'I was hoping to see you before tonight.' I responded anxiously, turning back to face Pretty Girl as I placed my hand on the side of her neck, stroking gently.
'Piper, would you mind shifting with me tonight? I know that it's a little strange but, I just really need someone there that I can trust.' I hesitated for a moment before glancing back over to my best friend. 'I mean, if I am totally honest, I am completely freaking out.' Piper smiled kindly over to me and shook her head.
'Did you even need to ask? Of course, I will be there to help you through it. Although, it is unusual for an Elite to want to shift with Mutts; but I think that I am finally ready to accept that you are just a freak of nature, Amelia Hunt!' She retorted with a laugh. I smiled over to her and felt a little of the tension that I had previously felt fade. Just knowing that I had someone there to watch my back was all I needed to ease my nerves a little; I was still terrified, but at least I knew that my best friend was there, and she had my back.
I turned back to Piper and wandered over to the stable door. It wouldn't be long until the rest of the pack would be gathering for their shift. I felt as though my heart had turned to lead and I was suddenly feeling extremely sick. Was this part of the transformation? Or was I just continuing to freak out?
Piper and I stood just in the doorway of Pretty Girl's stable, staring up at the dark sky. I could feel the moon, preparing our bodies for the transformation, it was Selene's way of letting us know that the change was coming. It started like a pressure building up inside me; and it was about to be released any minute now. I hesitantly took my clothes off, folding them up and placing them neatly in a pile beside the closed stable door and folded my arms across my chest self-consciously.
I titled my head up to look at the sky above just as the dark clouds parted, revealing the beauty of the full moon. I felt the rays hit my bare skin and a tingling rush, washed over me. The sound of Piper sucking in a shard intake of breath had me looking over to her curiously. Her hazel eyes had turned from their normal green brown, to something else, something darker. They held the look of a cat's eye's reflected in a flashlight. The tell-tale sign that the change had started. I felt my heart hammering against my chest, and my throat felt as though it was lined with sandpaper. This was it. I was finally preparing for my first shift.
I closed my eyes and tilted my head back and bathed in the moonlight as the sound of the other werewolves panted and dropped to their knees. I knew that I didn't know much when it came to shifting, especially when it came to the first shift, but surely it wasn't supposed to take this long. I opened my eyes and looked around at the others out in the field and saw that they stood proudly in their wolf forms. That was when I heard the high pitch whining of a dog. I turned to look at Piper and took in the sight of her beautiful auburn hair in the dim moonlight. Her glowing hazel eyes looked up at me sadly before she hung her head. I dropped down to my knees and gently placed my hand on her muzzle.
'It's ok. Go. I'll be fine.' I whispered, biting back the tears that were threatening to fall. I forced a smile as Piper stood there staring at me hesitantly. I could tell that she was eager to run, but her duty to her best friend was clearly stronger. I smiled once more and stroked her head. 'Honestly, go and enjoy your run. I will be fine. I promise.' I added, climbing to my feet and pulling my t-shirt back over my head, swiftly followed by my jeans. Piper sighed and hesitantly stepped backwards, before I waved her away with a smile.
Without a second thought, she turned on her heel and bound away after the others in the darkness. I stared from the stable door and watched as the wolves all darted between the trees, each one disappearing into the darkness. All except two. A black wolf that was darker than the darkness surrounding him, the only thing standing out were the glowing golden eyes that were full of pity and sadness. And a wolf with fur so blonde that he was almost like a ray of sunshine peering through the dark. His blue eyes shimmering dimly in the low moonlight How ironic. The two guys that I have feelings for, and they couldn't be more opposite if they had tried. I turned from the door and pressed myself up against the wall of the stables and felt as I lost all control of my emotions. I fell to the ground and allowed my tears to consume me.
I don't know how long I sat there in the stables, but by the time that I had gotten fully dressed and head back to the mansion, it was almost 1:30am. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I shift? Was it because I truly was a freak? Or was this something to do with the fact that I missed my first shift because of Lori? I rose to my feet and dusted the dried hay from my jeans and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. If there was once place that I would find the answers to all the questions running through my head, it would be the library. I nodded to myself and exited the stable. All I needed to do was learn about why I couldn't shift. I could either sit here and feel sorry for myself, or I could actually try and figure a way out of all this. But all I knew for certain was that I was done feeling sorry for myself. Now was a time to act!
I entered the mansion doors and a chill swept over me. I never realised how creepy this place was when there was no one in it. I folded my arms across my chest once more and took another step into the building, when a loud growl caused me to jump. What the fuck was that? I glanced left and right, all kinds of thoughts filling my head. Maybe it was demons? Or a monster under the stairs? I took another step into the main hall and the growl happened again. This time louder. A sudden wave of sickness washed over me, and I thought that I was going to pass out. That was when it hit me. I knew that sound… I was hungry!
I rolled my eyes and laughed to myself, not believing how incredibly stupid I could be at times and decided to make my way to the kitchen. Luckily with the amount of time that I had spent in there helping out, I knew where everything was supposed to go, as well as knowing where everything was kept. I hurried around grabbing the easiest thing that I could find, which just happened to be a few sandwiches wrapped in clingfilm on a plate, with my name on; thank you Tanya! And some chocolate. After eating, I poured myself a large glass of water and decided to make my way to the library. The longer that I spent alone in the mansion, the braver I was starting to feel. Well, that's what I was telling myself anyway. I pushed open the library door and hit the light switch, wandering inside and slowly scanning the shelves for anything that would help me figure out why I was so different than the rest.
I stepped back and took in the sight of all the books; there were literally hundreds, it was going to take forever for me to even find one that could be about werewolf genealogy; let alone find one that would explain why I was so broken! I took another step back just as the high-pitched singing of the lullaby filled the air around me. It was louder than I had ever heard it before, causing me to whirl around to see if there was someone behind me. I caught my foot on the leg of the coffee table, losing my balance and stumbling uneasily. I threw my hand out to catch myself and let the glass slip through my fingers. I tried to grab for it with my other hand, but it was too late; I had already lost my balance and was tumbling to the ground.
I hit the wooden floor with a thud and gasped for breath as the wind was knocked out of me and the sound of shattering glass filled my ears. I ignored the pain that was radiating through my ribs and pushed up to my feet, looking from side to side for something to mop the water up with, when a strange noise had me standing motionless. It sounded like… like… a waterfall. I shook my head, certain that I was hearing things when the lullaby rang out around me once more. I growled in frustration and clenched my fists into balls.
'What the hell do you want with me? Why won't you just leave me alone?' I cried, turning around in circles searching the room for the source of the song. In answer to my questions, the singing grew louder, almost to the point that it was deafening. It drifted around me as though the source of the voice was a ghost, circling me like a shark circling their prey, before turning my attention back to the trickling water that was coming from beneath my feet.
I dropped to my hands and knees, careful not to cut myself on any of the broken glass and placed my ear to the floorboards. The water was disappearing through the cracks and trickling through to what sounded like a cave. The sound of the dripping water was echoing up from below me, reminding me of the sound of a waterfall. That meant that there had to be something down there… but what? The library was located on the ground floor. Theoretically there wasn't anything else beneath us. Or so we all thought.
I ran my fingertips along the seal of the wood, trying to figure out a way into the underground passage that I had just discovered. This room was huge, there was no way that I was going to be able to search this entire place before dawn when the others all arrived home. Come on Amelia, think… think… think… I closed my eyes and shook my head; it was so hard to concentrate when all I could hear was that bloody lullaby. That's it! I opened my eyes and gulped down a deep breath, before mimicking the tune of the lullaby and letting it fill the room. With every verse the room filled with power unlike anything I had ever felt before. Whoever was guiding me somewhere was clearly here now. I continued singing and looked around the room, watching for any signs of help. That was when I noticed it. It was only the slightest of movements, but I knew that I had definitely seen it! The furthest bookcase from where I stood rattled ever so slightly against the wall.
I leapt to my feet and ran as fast as I could over to the furthest bookcase. By the time that I reached the case, the rocking had finished and was stood motionless once again. I ran my hand along the edge of the unit and tugged it lightly, noticing that it moved away from the wall a little. I wedged my fingers into the small gap that I had created and pulled with all my might. It was heavy and I was barely able to move it, but I knew that I was on the right track. I pulled once more, this time placing my foot against the wall and pushing with everything I had in me. The sound of the case scraping along the wooden floor was loud, but that meant that my hard work was paying off. My arms burned from all the straining, but I pushed on.
With one final tug, the shelf flew open and I stumbled backwards landing on my arse. I blinked rapidly and shook my head, staring at the blackened tunnel that was located behind it. What. The. Fuck? I climbed to my feet and hesitantly wandered over to the cavernous entrance and peered into the darkness.
'H-Hello?' I called, listening as the only sound that I heard in return was my own echo calling back to me. 'Seriously Amelia? If there was someone in there do you think they would just shout, "Hey, how are you doing?" Who even does that?' I muttered to myself. A sudden breeze whipped around me from the depths of the darkness and caused goosebumps to crawl across my bare arms. I placed my hand on the stone walls, feeling for a switch or something for the lights, but there wasn't one. I sighed to myself and shook my head once more.
I reached into my pocket and pulled my phone from within, turning on the flash to illuminate the darkness before me. It was so black that I could only see a few feet ahead of me, so I had to move carefully. I was about to turn back when I heard the sound of the siren calling me from the deep depths of the tunnel. A part of me wanted to turn and run. But the bigger part of me had the feeling that there were answers in this darkness that needed to come to light. Answers that would be brought from the shadows. I drew in a deep breath and stepped a little further into the tunnel… waited… then took another.
By the time that I had moved a few feet from the entrance, the bookcase swung shut behind me, sealing me in and shrouding me in darkness. Thank Selene that I had my phone! There was no going back now. I was so close to finding out something, I could feel it. I just hoped that it was all worth it in the end.
I exited the tunnel and felt as the closeness of the walls disappeared, opening out into a huge cavernous area. I strained my eyes into the darkness. Wherever I was now must have been huge. I couldn't see anything other than the few feet that my phone lit up. I stepped back and placed my hand on the wall and followed it around until I found a large pillar candle that was stood on a wall holder. I patted my pockets, hoping to find a lighter within, but typically there wasn't one. Where was Matt when I needed him? I held my phone closer to the wall holder, praying that there were some matches or something similar standing beside it. But who knew how long it had been since anyone else had been down here? I shone the light down to the ground and then back up above the candle. Nothing! With a growl of frustration, I shook my head and turned away. When the sudden sound of a pop behind me had me whirling around. To my amazement, the candle that I had been staring at only seconds again had somehow sprung to life.
I watched in amazement as one by one, every candle on the wall popped alight, illuminating the darkness slightly. After the first ten candles I stopped counting, as my attention was caught by everything that was in this room. Was it a dungeon? There were shelves that held all sorts of books, mostly written in a language that I couldn't even begin to decipher; and that was just the spine! There was a cauldron, and shelves upon shelves of jars filled with all sorts of weird and wonderful things. I turned on the spot, not sure where to turn my stare to next. There was so much in here that I wouldn't have even known where to start. When I heard it again? The sound of the lullaby; the secret siren that had been calling me my entire life. She was down here with me. I could feel it. What? What are you trying to show me?
I looked around the room, searching for the source of the call. There was a reason that she had led me down here. So now it was time to find answers. That was when I noticed something unusual in the corner of the room. Something that seemed to stand out above everything else. A wooden pillar that held an extremely old, dusty cushion on top of it. I stepped up to the platform and looked down at the wooden box that was rested upon the cushion. With a shaking hand, I reached out and slowly lifted the lid of the box and stared down at two werewolf fangs. I placed my finger against one of them and ran it down the smooth tooth and felt a jolt of electricity rush up my arm. I jerked my hand back and clutched it to my chest, glancing over my shoulder anxiously. What the fuck was going on here?
I reached out once more and plucked the two teeth from the box and held them both in my hand. My arm vibrated with power as it radiated through me. It was unlike anything I had ever felt. I turned my attention to the leather cords that had been wrapped around each of the teeth and realised that they were fashioned into necklaces? That was when I realised that the sirens calling had stopped.
Was this it? Was this what she wanted me to find? What did any of this mean? I thought that I was coming down here to get answers. But all it has done is leave me with more questions. I placed the two necklaces over my head and tucked them into my top while closing the lid of the box. I looked up to see a ghostly white face staring back at me with black lifeless eyes, and a mouth twisted as though it was screaming in pain. I squealed and stumbled backwards hitting my head on the stone floor behind me. Then everything went black.
Matt;
I rolled over onto the grass and stared up at the morning sun. Last night was well needed. There was always something so satisfying about shifting. It made your whole body feel like you had, had a really good work out, stretching out every tense muscle in your body. I tilted my neck from side to side, hearing the satisfying crack and sat up and looked around. I was the one closest to the mansion. I didn't remember how I had gotten here, but all I could think about was Amelia. I had seen the heartbreak in her eyes last night once she realised that she was the only one that hadn't shifted. I walked back towards the mansion, deciding that it was probably best to put some clothes on before I went and found Amelia. I don't think she would appreciate a naked guy searching for her.
Once back in my room, I threw on my loose-fitting jogging bottoms and headed back out into the cool November air heading to the one place that I figured Amelia would be; no one had seen her since she had sadly watched us all shift. We were all so disappointed for her; Arlo and Ethan especially. That was the worst part about shifting. We all could sense what the other was feeling. It was a moment that was supposed to bring us all closer. Until the alpha and a Mutt both had strong feelings for the same girl. Then shit got awkward.
I had searched everywhere that I could think of but still couldn't find Amelia. Where had she got to? I was beginning to worry. Would she have used that opportunity to run away again? I closed my eyes and ran through a list of places that she would most likely to have gone. She had missed breakfast, and now lunch. People were seriously beginning to get suspicious. And I didn't know how much longer we could keep her name cleared. I knew that she would never do anything to hurt anyone. But Charlie was getting everyone riled up! And from the look on Arlo's face, he was seriously getting stressed out. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked as though he hadn't slept for a week. I didn't know what it was that was wrong with him, but I was going to get to the bottom of it.
I don't know why none of us had thought about it before, but she had to be with; Pretty Girl! I rounded the corner and there she was, sat under a tree reading a book as Pretty Girl pranced around the open field gleefully. I had to admit, there was something about that unicorn that seemed to call to me. She was super graceful and very beautiful. And I still didn't understand how Amelia thought that we were joking. I mean… Pretty Girl's crystal-like horn stood proudly on her forehead and her coat shimmered like freshly fallen snow under the moonlight. How did she think that that was normal for a horse? I turned my stare to Amelia and noticed that she looked pale and had dirt smudged on her cheek. And there was something about the way that she kept rubbing the back of her head that made me think that something was wrong. I jogged over to her and cleared my throat, doing my best not to startle her.
'You know, people are seriously starting to freak out that they can't find you.' I called, hopping over the fence and running over to her. Pretty Girl turned her head to the side and eyed me suspiciously for a moment before deciding that I gained her approval and continued to gallop. Amelia looked up from her book and smiled at me, tucking a stray strand of her dark hair behind her ear.
'By people, do you mean Arlo?' She asked, raising one eyebrow sceptically. I rolled my eyes and dropped down beside her.
'Actually, I was talking about myself. We missed you at Lunch, where were you?' I asked, bumping her shoulder gently with my own. She sighed heavily; a sound that made it seem as though she held the weight of the world on her shoulders.
'I was just in the kitchen. I was helping them out. I thought that I could keep my mind busy. Especially after hearing about that person that was killed.' She replied, staring off into the distance. There was something that she wasn't telling me. I didn't know what, but I knew that she was hiding something. Did she know that her own brother was accusing her? I turned to look at her once more and really took her in. I knew in my heart that she had nothing to do with this. This was Amelia for goddess's sake!
'You were in the kitchen? You mean, like working?' I asked, as I finally registered what it was that she was saying to me. She creased her brow and pulled away from me a little, looking at me in confusion.
'Matt. Why do you keep looking at me like that?' She asked, still looking very confused. I cleared my throat and shook my head.
'Looking at you like what?' I asked, playing dumb. I know that if she found out that Charlie was accusing her of the murder then it would destroy her. But at the same time, if I didn't tell her then she wouldn't know what's coming. I opened my mouth the tell her the truth when I smelt it. It hit me hard and strong; so much so that it took over all of my other senses. My eyes burned from the intensity of the stench and I sprang to my feet.
'M-Matt?' Amelia stammered, slowly rising so that she was stood next to me. 'What is it? What's wrong?' I ignored her question and sniffed the air. Even though there was a breeze blowing I was pretty certain that I could track this smell.
'Go back to the mansion where it is safe.' I ordered, turning to face her briefly and gently pushing her in the direction I wanted to go.
'What? No! Why?' she cried, fighting back and turning to face me. But I had already hopped the fence and started running out into the forest. I should have known better that she wasn't going to listen to me. I could hear the twigs snapping and the shuffling of the foliage on the ground rustling behind me as she tried to keep pace. The scent was getting stronger. I paused for a few seconds, sniffing the air once more; this time nearly gagging on the fumes.
I leapt around the other side of the large oak tree and continued to run. I pushed harder, needing to see what I was about to lead Amelia. That was when I saw it. Victim number two. This one looked as though it had been cut from chin to groin and all its internal organs were pulled from inside and draped around the body. I turned to warn Amelia not to come any closer, but it was too late.
She tried forcing herself to stop at the slight drop but tumbled in. Landing face first in the remnants of our pack brother. She pulled back and glanced down at her arms; which were now coated in blood.
And screamed.