Page 88 of In the Light of the Moon

Would I be able to fight them all off or create some kind of distraction that lasted long enough to get us both away?

I glanced back at Jasper behind me, and my rage flared to the forefront again. “You should have listened to my warning,” I seethed. None of them spoke of what their plans were for us, but I had to imagine that we weren’t supposed to survive this. Just like Kara hadn’t. And maybe Wesley and River, too.

They’d all looked happy and bright in the photos their families supplied to the news stations, and I refused to end up like that. To never see Orion or Granna again.

Jasper looked like he was about to puke, and I imagined driving my knife into his stupid face. If he was having regrets now, it was far too late.

While I was imagining who I’d take out first, feeling the weight in the concealed pocket of my dress, Graham stopped us in a darkened clearing that made all of my hair stand up on end. We’d come in a completely different direction, but I recognized one of the fallen trees and cluster of mushrooms. Where I’d last seen a thigh bone and blue hair clip. If I started running east, I’d eventually reach Vinny’s.

There was no shred of a doubt that they’d murdered Kara. Chased her down and killed her. Had they intended this for me all along?

Graham’s body began to contort, his fur and claws shrinking back. My stomach churned, and I looked away. Watching Orion shift felt magical. Graham’s shift, on the other hand, was almost grotesque. I heard the thumping of his muscles twisting and the pops of his joints reworking.

Once he was on two feet and in human form, he walked to a pile of rope that’d been placed at the base of one of the large trees that lined the clearing.

Naked and dick swinging, he walked over to Ana. “Tie up and set the other one over here,” he pointed to the ground at his feet. She did as she was told without a word, and I fought to remainquiet as she took my best friend from Jasper’s arms and got to binding her wrists and ankles.

Graham stepped up to me, smug smile on his lips and hair standing on end. I refused to break our eye contact, to back down.

Up close, I saw the redness of his eyes and the strain bracketing his brows. He called to the others, “You all shift. It’s almost time.”

I wanted to spit at him again, maybe have it land in the middle of his face. But I refrained. “Time for what?”

He chuckled, “You’ll see. Gonna be a big show.” He looked to the other Wolves, “Dec, you and Jas make sure she doesn’t run.” The two of them crept up on either side of me and my fingers itched. Which one first?

They hadn’t bound my hands for some unknown, stupid reason, and just before I reached into the pocket obscured by the draping skirt of my dress, a rustling of leaves and breaking of twigs made all the Wolves’ ears perk and their bodies stand at attention.

My own started buzzing in a way I’d never felt before, and my gaze darted frantically in the direction they were looking. What the fuck was happening?

In my moment’s hesitation, a… man—figure—crept out of the black of the forest.

Over seven feet tall, they walked out of the depths of the wood, clad only in dark leather trousers. Their skin was textured, almost like the bark of a tree but a lighter, golden pine color. Loose, red and brown leaves and vines hung from their head like hair, and sprouting from their temples were large horns like those you’d see on an elk.

And their eyes, in the dim light of the fire, were an unnaturally sparkling gold.

Hunched and even more grotesque than Graham’s contorting shift, they took one look around, and their face split into an impossibly wide grin. My stomach threatened to literally fall out of my asshole as I stared in horror at the large pointed teeth that jutted out of their mouth.

“Good work, loyal pups.” Despite their distorted, lanky body and hunched spine, their voice was smooth and deep. Had I not been staring right at this… thing, I would’ve marked the voice as pleasant.

Graham jerked forward, still in human form, and I noted his body twitching even more now. He wasn’t at all hesitant as he neared the unnatural being with relief and excitement in his half-crazed eyes.

With unnaturally long fingers and knuckles like the bends of tree roots, the being offered their empty palm. Graham reached out expectantly as a bright, white light flashed.

As it faded, a golden dagger appeared, and Graham took it in a firm grasp.

Well, fuck this, I thought to myself not a second before my fist closed around the knife hidden in my pocket.

I’d never used it for self-defense, but it was familiar enough in my grip, and I flipped open the blade just before I buried it in one of the Wolves’ neck. With no finesse, just wild anger and the need to survive, I jerked my arm back and wrenched the blade through their throat. Hot blood spurted and splattered on my face, but I barely felt it.

The Wolf dropped to the cold, snowy ground, and I started backing away from the other to give myself room. I wouldn’t have the element of surprise anymore, so I needed to be smart about this. Bargain for Josie’s safety, maybe?

The other Wolves startled and started toward their fallen packmate who was breathing shallowly on the ground, pool of nearly black blood growing beneath them. I held my knife at theready, closed fist and blade pointed outward. I wouldn’t leave my friend, but who was I kidding? Whatever that thing was, looking at me with disdain while Graham barked orders at the whining Wolves, would probably have no trouble finishing me off.

I’d go down fighting in every possible way.

Josie was still lying in the snow, arms and legs bound, and her hands were turning blue. She didn’t deserve to get dragged into this. Kara, Wes, and River hadn’t deserved to be part of whatever sick ritual this was, but I was no longer under any illusions that I wouldn’t fall to the same fate. I wasn’t going to leave Josie, and unless a miracle happened, these were my last few minutes.

What would it feel like to be a ghost?

---