Security arrived and escorted us to the waiting room. Father continued to hold me. When we stepped in, I saw Claude rise to his feet to meet us. I rushed to his side and felt more comfort in his arms. When the two of us had calmed ourselves, we took our seats. We sat in silence, consumed in our own thoughts and worried for little Alex. It was torture, waiting for someone to come in and tell us news.
"Mr. Moon."
Father stood to greet the doctor as he entered the room.
"I'm Doctor Knight, your son's attending. Alex has developed an infection in his leg. We managed to get him stable and started him up on antibiotics," he pulled his gloves off and tossed them in the trash can, "Luckily, it appears we've caught it in time. However, if the body doesn't attempt to remedy itself, we could be talking amputation."
"He could lose his leg?"
My voice came out shaky as I forced myself up to my feet. I stepped up by Father's side and he introduced me as his daughter.
"It's a possibility. We're going to do all we can to prevent that, believe me, Ms. Moon."
"Can we see him, now?"
"Yes. He's been sedated again, so he's not conscious at the moment, but you can see him now."
That was all I needed to hear. I left Father and Claude to speak with the doctor further and I rushed to Alex's bedside. His face was red and his eyes were puffy, but he looked to be sleeping soundly. I brushed his hair from his face and kissed his forehead gently. Father and Claude came in shortly after. I looked up to see my father's blank, void expression. Then, to Claude's worried eyes. Claude came and sat on the other side of the bed, careful not to disturb Alex. Father sat in the farthest corner of the room and stared out the window.
"It's okay, buddy. Everything's okay," Claude whispered, breaking the silence in the room.
I reached out and held his hand in mine. When he looked at me, I knew he felt the same I did. I gave him a soft reassuring smile and he gave me a small nod. I looked to the door quickly, when I heard it creak open again. Mr. Reeves held the door as Gwen stepped in. She had a hand clutched to her chest and it looked as if she would fall apart. She came quickly over to me and I embraced her in a tight hug.
"Poor baby," she sighed, looking down at him, "I got here as soon as I could."
I nodded gently, assuring her that it was alright. I stood to let her take my place and walked over to Mr. Reeves. We stepped just outside the door so as to not overcrowd the room.
"I caught Gwen at the door and brought her in," he said softly, eyeing the bed in worry, "Is he okay?"
"They said he got an infection in his leg and they're trying to use antibiotics…," I brushed my hair from my face. I looked at Alex and then back to Mr. Reeves, "Sorry, I just left you back there. I just-"
"Don't apologize. I'd have done the same thing in your position."
"He's the world to me…"
"I know," he smiled softly, "He's lucky to have you, "Are you going to stay with him again tonight?"
"I can't just leave him…"
"Then… Would you mind if I stayed here with you?"
I was getting ready to respond when I heard Father clear his throat. He stood and made his way to us. His stoic figure seemed to cast a dark shadow over us. He reached out to place a hand on my shoulder and I fought the urge to move away.
"I'm going to stay here with her. So, there's no need."
"Don't you have work to attend to, Father?"
The words came out sharp, not that I hadn't intended them to be. Now, he wanted to play the protective father? I think not. He didn't want to be here for Alex, I knew that. He wanted to be here instead so there wouldn't be anymore talk with Mr. Reeves. His eyes narrowed into a glare and he appeared to be readying a retort, but Claude interrupted him.
"Father, we really need to review that merger paperwork. It'd be better to have two sets of eyes on it."
Father stood in silence, still glaring at me. He gave a short nod and then stepped between Mr. Reeves and I, disappearing down the hall. Claude rose from the bed and I gave him a hug goodbye. I wasn't sure if there really was paperwork to look into or if he just brought it up on a whim, to give me some assistance.
As the night grew deeper, Gwen was called home by my father. Mr. Reeves and I were left alone. Alex woke up at some point to eat, but the medication still had him super groggy. He didn't eat much before falling asleep again. Mr. Reeves also fell asleep in the bedside chair at some point. I made my way to the window seat and stared out into the dark sky. The stars were just barely visible, a drastic difference to the view I used to find comfort in. The clouds dragged lazily across the moon, dimming her light even. I wasn't sure how long I spent dazed like that, reminiscing.
"You miss it don't you," Mr. Reeves said softly, jerking me from my thoughts as he moved to sit beside me.
"… Everyday…," I said softly, turning back to the window with a sigh.
"... You can't go back?"
I looked at him with a somewhat shocked expression. I had come to accept the idea that Mr. Reeves might have believed me. However, I had never expected he, let anyone else, would ever have been sympathetic towards me. I let my head rest against the cool window and watched as the cars went by down below.
"I don't know if that's even possible…"
"But you would? If you could, I mean?"
I couldn't answer him. Of course, I would want to go back. In a heartbeat. To be back with Devon and the pack again. They were my family. But… I had family here, too. Claude, Alex, Gwen… Arguably, my father… If I went back to the pack, I'd be leaving them behind… And my staying here, meant never seeing the wolves again… One day, I might not even remember them...
"I hope you can go back there someday…"
I looked over at him and he was looking out into the void himself. I wondered for a moment what it was he was seeing; thinking. I let out a small sigh and felt the light smile pull across my lips. The moon broke free of the clouds and I felt the moonlight fall upon me. It was welcoming and my eyes fluttered closed as I welcomed her embrace.
The next morning, I awoke to Gwen's soothing voice. She had woken Mr. Reeves and I both and insisted we go take a break. I reluctantly agreed and took one final look back at my little brother. The two of us went and got some coffee and then went out on the trail that wound around the hospital. We passed a few people along the way; patient's getting exercise or other visitors getting fresh air. I had finished my coffee and thrown away the cup. A heavy sigh escaped my lips and I stopped for a moment.
"You okay, Abby?"
"Just tired," I smiled half-heartedly with a small yawn.
He nodded softly and we walked for a while more until we came up to a large gazebo. He threw his cup away and took a seat beside me. I felt the wind breeze past me and I closed my eyes. I leaned my head back and listened to the nature around us. The birds sang their repetitive melodies and there was a gentle chatter from the people around us.
"I have to ask-"
Mr. Reeves paused, but continued once I looked over at him. He was looking up at the ceiling of the gazebo and his brow was furrowed in distress.
"Mr. Reeves?"
"Did you ever find him? Adam, I mean."
I watched him in silence for a moment, studying him. He had a frustrated look about him and his jaw was clenched slightly.
"You're wondering about that?"
"... In all honesty, it's all I've been able to think about since you told me about Corbin and the other pups… Someone who could do something so vile… They can't just get away with it."
His eyes fell on me with a look of determination and it caught me off guard, briefly. I had to turn away from his intensity. I stared down at my feet and my hands balled into light fists against my knees instinctively.
"Believe me, he didn't… A much worse fate became of him."
Since the ceremony, Benry had instructed members of the hunting party to go out in teams. We were to patrol the borders, looking for where and how the Northerners had been entering our territory. Benry and the Elders had decided we would use their own trails into our territory as means to cross into there's. It was a way to try and cover our scent so we could take them by surprise. Of course, Devon and I went together. Benry had also tasked us with a secret endeavor. He wanted us to also look for any signs of Adam.
The past few days had been hard on me. I still struggled with the guilt in my stomach. How could I have been so stupid? There was only one thing I was sure of, one thing I was focused on. Making the Northerners pay; making sure Adam paid for what he had done.
"Abby…"
I heard his voice, but I didn't acknowledge him. Devon knew that I was hurting, he could sense it, but a part of me hadn't really been able to face him. In fact, I had been trying my hardest to avoid him. When he realized I wouldn't respond, he let out a heavy sigh and we pressed onward.
There was no trace of Adam's scent, now. It was like he really had just disappeared. Everytime his scent blew in on the wind, it was like it raced right back out with it as well. Devon I split off in different directions to cover more ground, but we knew to stay within reach of each other. It was always possible the Northern wolves could attack with us being so close to the border. We had to use the utmost caution.
I kept my senses focused on finding Adam that I had barely paid any mind to where I actually was. A familiar scent caught my attention and not in a good way. I looked up to see that I had wound up back at the stream. The images of that horrible day flashed before me, the smell of blood still lingering in the air. I found myself frozen where I stood. The world was perfectly silent around me, suffocatingly so. It felt like it was shrinking in on me. I heard Devon's voice was distorted as it echoed in my mind. "This is your fault!" "You let him get away!"
I heard a rock roll from behind me and spun quickly with my teeth barred. I saw Adam's face and was ready to lunge. Suddenly, Devon's voice rang through my ears.
"Abby!"
In the blink of an eye, Devon stood where I had sworn Adam had. My breathing started to become erratic as I calmed myself down. He tried to come towards me, but I turned away from him.
"Abby, you have to stop this," his voice came out in a snap, but softened when I stopped, "You can't keep doing this to yourself…"
I didn't move or respond to him. What was I supposed to say? 'Yeah, you're right. So, what if I let that murderer go? No big deal.' I scoffed at myself at the thought. Devon tried to approach me again, pausing briefly when he saw my body flinch. He slowly came to stand beside me.
"I should have let you kill him… I wish I had."
My voice came out in a shaky whisper. At first, we just sat there in silence. When Devon finally let out a sigh and threw his head over my neck, I was caught off guard. I felt guilty for the feeling of comfort he brought me. The same comfort I had always resided in. I felt like I didn't deserve it.
"I know why you didn't," he started, softly. "You were protecting me… From myself."
I felt my body tremble when he pulled back and looked into my eyes. I saw the sadness he held in them. Before I could turn away he continued.
"Now, I'm trying to protect you. Abby, you didn't know. Neither of us did. Things would have been different if we had, I'm sure, but torturing yourself is not helping."
I realized, in that moment, that that sadness was not only from his grief, but it was also for me. Watching me struggle and fight with these demons in my mind, was hurting him. When he came to embrace me again, this time, I returned it. He let out a small sigh of relief and I buried my face into his chest.
"We're going to find him, Abby. We're going to get justice for them. I promise."
His icy blue eyes gazed down into mine and I knew he meant it. I gave him a small nod and went to bury my face back in his fur. He suggested we head back and rest before coming back out tomorrow. I agreed and he began heading back into the wood. I turned to follow him, but something down the bank caught my eye. A dark figure, like a shadow, was hiding just out of the light. It was watching us. When it realized I had spotted it, it tried to slink away. When it turned to leave, I caught a flash of light fall upon a blinded eye.
My body moved on it's own as I raced down the slope and after it. I heard Devon call after me and watched as the shadow began running ahead. I rushed through the low limbs, feeling them snap and break against the force of my body. The wolf in front of me ran as fast as he could, but I kept getting closer and closer to him. He fumbled over a tree root and I seized my chance. I leapt up and onto his back, sinking my teeth deep into his flesh as I brought him down.
We exchanged blows and bites before Adam managed to buck me off of him. He tried to get up and run, but Devon had cut him off. I rose to my feet and the two of us kept pushing him back. Adam flashed his teeth, but continued backwards, knowing he couldn't take on the two of us alone. He jumped when he felt the stone behind him and realized we had him trapped.
"What're you-"
He was really trying to reason with us. I let the vicious snarl tear from my throat and cut him off. He cowered down, only slightly, but his teeth were still barred at the two of us. Devon took a step closer, but I snapped at him. He froze in his steps, but kept himself focused on Adam. I wanted answers before anything else. This wolf had turned on his own pack and I wanted to know why.
"You slaughtered the pups," I growled out. He tried to interrupt, but I wasn't having it. "Why!"
Adam's eyes narrowed as they locked with mine. Intimidation wouldn't work against the rage burning inside me. Eva's spirit was pulsing through my blood, like a second heartbeat entwined with my own. His eyes flashed with a sense of alarm, but, beneath that, there was a darkness.
"Talk!"
My voice didn't even sound like mine anymore. It held a similar power to that of Benry's; a demanding dominance. He shifted against the stone behind him and Devon snapped at him, reminding him of what would come if he tried anything stupid. When he still refused to speak, I readied myself to take him down and Devon copied my movements.
Suddenly, a cold, unnatural wind raced through the trees and all around us. The woods fell into an eerie silence. Devon and I locked eyes momentarily as our eyes scanned our surroundings. I heard Adam let out a dark chuckle and my eyes narrowed on him. He had a look of relief about him for some reason.
"You're mad because some pups died?" His voice was raspy and his laughter dry. "This is so much bigger than that, human girl."
I tensed up at his final comment and he took a step towards us. Devon let out a snarl, but Adam's eyes were fixated on me. He had an unnerving grin across his lips. Fear began inching its way up my spine. It was almost like I wasn't even looking at Adam anymore; like he had become something else.
"You couldn't begin to understand what is happening in these woods," Adam cackled out, beginning to slowly pace in the space between us, "You're not really a wolf after all." He tossed a nod towards Devon and got a deep growl in return. "He does. Say, did they ever tell you what happened to Eva, Benry's precious daughter? How she died?"
I caught the slight jump Devon made in the corner of my eye. His growl deepened and he looked at me. There was something in his eyes that I couldn't place.
"Enough of this, Abby," he growled out, "He's toying with you."
Adam shook his head with a mock scolding sound and a dark chuckle.
"Oh, Devon. We've been keeping secrets haven't we?"
Eva's spirit pulsed within me, suddenly, like it would overpower my body. My muscles tightened and my vision got a little blurry. I felt like I was fighting her to keep myself steady. Adam could tell that something was off and so could Devon. Adam took another step forward and a snarl ripped from my lips. It was met with another chuckle and I made out the smirk on Adam's lips. Devon shook his head wildly and looked like he really had had enough of it. He readied to lunge for Adam and my body moved on it's own.
I had moved in front of him, blocking his path. For a moment, Devon's eyes flashed with outrage. I stared at him and felt this power burn within me. It was similar to that of Benry's. Devon sensed it, too, and his eyes fell back to Adam, his head reluctantly lowering. I realized in that moment, that this was the power of an Alpha. Eva shared Benry's blood, of course, she would have that power within her. I heard the rustle of leaves and turned my head sharply.
Adam froze where he stood. He was trying to take advantage of my distraction and sneak away.
"So, you really are still in there, Eva."
Adam's voice seemed to drip off his tongue like venom. When he said her name, Eva's fire grew wilder within me.
"She said you were, but I still doubted." Another rush of cold wind flew around us and a light fog began growing from out of nowhere. "Poor little pup."
Eva's spirit surged again and this time, she did take control. In a split second, I was standing over him, pinning him beneath me. A flash of fear danced in Adam's eyes until they returned to that dark, unnatural way again. He chuckled when I snapped my teeth at him. I felt like I was in a dream, no longer able to control the body I was in.
"It doesn't really matter." Adam's voice came out soft and menacing. "There's nothing you can do. There's nothing any of you can do. It's already started…"
As he spoke, a disturbing scent radiated off of him. It filled my nose and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Eva jumped off of him and retreated back to Devon's side. His body seemed to grow smaller, like his skin began to cling to his bones. His face became sunken and worn. Then, I recognized the smell. Death.
"Fight if you want… You'll never beat her magic… Little wolves…"
His voice came out in a wheeze as he took one final breath. His body suddenly collapsed. First was a body, then it seemed to be sucked into the ground beneath it until only bones remained.
Devon and I backed away in horror and shock. Eva's spirit seemed to all but vanish within me as I felt a weight fall upon me. I had regained control, now of all moments. The branches above our heads rattled violently as a flock of crows took off. Their cackling cries flooded the woods. One of them flew down and landed on top of the skull that remained. It crooked it's head to look at us and an unnerving feeling raced through me.
For a second, it was like I was being pulled into those eyes. I couldn't look away. I saw a flash of white lunge forward and the crow let out a loud cry before taking off. It flew past my head and I flinched, cowering.
"Abby."
Devon's voice came out cold and distant. I looked at him and his eyes were still fixated on the crow flying away. He had a look of concern and, after what we had just seen, rightfully so.
"We need to report this to Benry."
"You don't think-"
He silenced me with a quick nod. He stepped up beside me and helped me to my feet. My legs were still quivering beneath me. We began running for the pack, knowing we had no time to waste. It felt like I had been thrown in this body all over again; the feeling mimicking what it had when I was first changed. As if that weren't enough to make me slower than usual, my mind was also distracted. Adam's words rang through my mind on repeat.
What had he meant by Devon was "keeping secrets"? Eva's spirit had never been as strong as it was then. She was reacting so violently to Adam's words. And what had already started? My mind was reeling from all of it. What worried me the most, was the absence of Eva's spirit. I couldn't feel her at all. It was like she wasn't even there anymore. And after feeling her so vividly, it left a wake of emptiness within me, now. Something was definitely wrong. Something was coming. I didn't need Eva to feel that.
Devon and I arrived at the mouth of the cave and looked around in shock. At least half of the patrol teams hadn't returned yet. We made our way to Benry and the Elder's slab and only Kala was there. She looked like she had been waiting for someone.
"Devon, Abby," she started in a soft tone, "You've made it back."
"Kala, we need to speak with Leader Benry. It's of the utmost importance."
Kala gave a worried look and stepped past us to look out the cave opening. I had never seen her in such a mood. It only added to the anxiety growing in the pit of my stomach.
"Benry and the Elders have not yet returned…" Her voice was distant. "I felt a disturbance in the woods and I fear the worst…"
Devon and I exchanged a look before he stepped up to her side.
"Kala..."
The old female turned to meet his hard eyes. Without another word, her eyes widened in fear and her voice came out in a whisper.
"The Crow."
***** A/N: If you like what you've read or are enjoying things so far, lemme know! I appreciate any feedback anybody wants to give! Thanks! *****