I sit on the couch on Chetan's lap. The little trailer shakes with the wind. We have been cooped up inside the trailer for hours. I hear snoring from the pack members.
"You're not sleepy love?" Chetan asks.
"I am just not here."
Chetan chuckles. "If you sleep, time will pass faster."
I close my eyes. I try to ignore all the images behind them.
Hours later, I wake up, with the light shining into the trailer window. I stand up and stretch my arms. Looking around, I see the pack sleeping. I step outside. I see Ajay picking up residue from the storm.
"Good morning beautiful," he grins.
I smile. Reaching down, I pick up sticks. Our camp was full of sticks and leaves from the trees. Walking to the Firepit I throw the sticks in.
"This storm." I shake my head.
"Definitely magical," he tells me.
"I picked up a new smell yesterday."
"More Sirens?" He asks with a puzzled expression.
"Possibly the scent was very similar, but different."
He nods. "Zare, this war is coming soon."
"I know."
He walks in front of me and grabs my face in his hands. "I'm not sure if we're going to win," he tells me.
"We will."
I feel his breath on my face. The scent reminds me of his lips on mine. Sometimes it's a desire I still have. I remove his hands. Remembering my promise to Chetan. I see Ash coming in from the woods.
He walks towards us. He doesn't look happy.
"I ran into AB," he says.
"Was he confrontational?" Ajay asks.
Ash shakes his head. "His army is huge."
"Great."
"Like how many?" Ajay asks.
"Hundreds, maybe thousands, I really don't have time to count," Ash says.
"Today is the day we need to attack," Smoke interrupts, stepping out of the trailer.
"You mean today's the day we could possibly all die," Ajay yells.
"Are you questioning the pack's ability?" Smokes hisses.
"We have to be realistic, we cannot fight off hundreds," Ajay says calmly.
"What if we use me? I attack at the next full moon, we all saw how vicious I was. We know the vampires will not be expecting a werewolf-like me," Ash says.
"That's a great idea, but what's going to protect us from you?" Ajay asks.
"That's a part of the plan we need to figure out," Ash replies.
Ajay nods.
I see Chetan exit the trailer. He looks so sleepy. I know I kept him up last night.
"Zare, is AB's army the new scents you smelled?" Ajay asks.
"Maybe, but it didn't smell like vampires."
"I smelled it last night, and it was different," Ash says.
"Where is AB's Army?" Ajay asks.
"The caves, his normal hideout," Ash says.
Ajay shakes his head. "So it's obvious he's not trying to hide."
"He's ready for a fight."
"Yeah, well we are not yet, not quite," Ajay looks at Ash.
A few moments later, I sit by the fire in Chetan's arms.
"Have, I told you lately how much I love you," Chetan says. I smile looking up at him.
"I love you too."
Yelling pulls my attention elsewhere. Turning around, I see Forest yelling
at Smoke with her hand on her hip and Smoke rolling his big annoying eyes.
"I told you not to roll your eyes at me," she yells.
"Sorry baby," Smoke says, putting his hands in the air.
I laugh quietly. "Looks like Smoke found someone to put him in his place."
"I told you they would be like us in no time," Chetan laughs.
Then I see them making out, I quickly turn around. I am so happy Smoke is happy.
Ajay sits with Aanya under the tree. They seem to have worked out their troubles. Watching all the pack members, I can never imagine anything happening to them. I care about them all, in different ways.
There's only one way to get a clear reading of the future. Or see the big picture I am missing. I need Zero. He will have the answers I am seeking.