Page 11 of Rising Luna
And I want my sister in my pack.
The DJ stopped playing when a scream outside caught everyone's attention, drawing their focus to the open door at the back of the club. I ran toward the door, with the others following close behind. A body lay face down in the alley, blood pooling from its neck. Considering the sun was down, it could have been a vampire attack. Everything inside me hoped it was a vampire attack compared to what else it could be.
I walked up to the body and noticed it looked like someone whose name I hadn't learned in my classes. Their hair was long enough to cover the back of their neck. I crouched down and moved the hair to get a glimpse of where I knew to look. A large neck wound mirrored those found on academy victims.
Lupe had been here.
Chapter Four: Dylan
With all the werewolf students cramming into the small auditorium, I felt anxiety pulse through my body. After finding that dead body in the alleyway, I hadn't been able to sleep. The image of the body plagued my mind, knowing Lupe didn't plan to stop her process of turning werewolves into mindless wolves. I knew there was more to Lupe's plan than I knew, but I couldn't figure out what it could be. Once she had everyone build their walls to keep their wolves separate from their humans’ control, what could she want? Maybe control over all the wolves was what she was after. It meant power over our entire species, especially if she overthrew the council. That could be it. People had tried that before, but it never went well. If Lupe broke through the walls and made everyone submit to her, then she'd have an army of mindless wolves to do her bidding.
Jackson nudged my shoulder. When I shot a glare his way, he motioned at his chest. I had been growling about my thoughts without meaning to, and people were looking at me. I gave everyone who looked at me a finger wave and put my head down on Jackson's shoulder. Hunter put a hand on my knee and gave it a squeeze. Having them on either side of me brought me a little peace. They both tried to calm me through our bond, but it wasn't working. We barely figured out Lupe's plan last time before she perfected it. What if this time we are too late? How many lives would be lost before we caught Lupe in the act?
"Love, you are growling again," Jackson whispered to me.
"I can't help it. I keep thinking about that body. We went there to stop that from happening, and it still did because I wanted to have fun."
Jackson kissed the top of my head. "It's not your job to save everyone, Dylan."
If only I felt that truth. Somehow, I felt responsible since no one else seemed to know about it, much less wanted to stop it from happening. Every time I thought I could tell someone to relinquish the control I held onto, something new came up. The way all the teachers talked to one another here made me doubt anyone would believe me, anyway. That thought constantly went through my mind whenever I wanted to tell someone.
Wilcox cleared her throat and motioned for Lupe to address the audience. I smiled toward Wilcox, knowing that the Pack Magic teacher was perhaps the only one up there I trusted. Teowulf stood by Lupe, and whenever she moved, her mate mirrored it. He was her personal bodyguard, and it gave me more doubts that I'd ever win this fight.
He wasn't with her last night. We need to find times when Teowulf isn't near her to expose her.
You're right. He wasn't there last night. I wonder why.
Lupe moved toward the mic and grabbed it from the stand. She gave everyone a pleasant smile, making sure to nod at everyone she looked at. I watched the woman'smovements. The ones she turned acted as though they were wolves in human clothing. If Lupe wanted to break down everyone's walls so their wolf would be one with the body, why hadn't she completed the ritual herself?
She wants to perfect it first.
My wolf made a valid point. Lupe hasn't perfected it yet to work on every person she tries the ritual on. If she perfected it, Lupe would have completed it herself. Unless she didn't want to do it herself and just wanted to unleash those she turned onto the rest of the packs.
No, that's stupid. Why would she want that? It looks like she wants control of our people, making those she turned fightpeople who aren't wouldn't complete that for her.
No. She wants everyone to experience being one with their wolves.
But we are one with our wolves. That's how we shift into our wolf forms and back.
Then it's not her plan. It's something else.
Feedback rang through the air, and everyone grabbed onto their ears. To others, it may have been a tad annoying, but wolves had enhanced hearing, and it was ten times worse. Lupe frowned, apologized, and cleared her throat.
"Good day to you all. We wanted to gather our sector together to make some announcements. Things around our school have not gone well for us. As you are aware, there were students being abducted in the school. We found the culprit and our very own Dylan Pierce helped the school by bringing Cole and his followers to justice before they could kill anyone else."
A round of applause filled the room. People were looking at me, clapping and cheering me on. Many were telling me "good job" and other words of affirmation. Jackson and Hunter moved in their seats, showing people appreciation for their words and cheers. I kept my eyes on Lupe. It was clever to announce to everyone how I was the one to put an end to Cole. It told the school that Cole was to blame for everything, not Lupe. My blood boiled seeing the smug look on her face before she quickly hid it with a normal smile and some applause. I moved to stand up, but my mates kept me in my seat.
"No, Dylan. Bad idea." Jackson whispered to her.
"People need to know she led Cole to do those despicable things," Dylan said through clenched teeth.
Hunter gave her a tight squeeze on her thigh. "No proof, remember?"
I growled, and the smug look briefly returned to Lupe's face. A wave of power washed through the room, and the noise died down quickly. It angered me how my wolf calmed a little as well. Not nearly as much as the others, but still enough for me to see how Lupe's power was strong enough to keep me in check. Hearing my wolf's snarl in agreement brought me a small amount of joy. She was at least as bloodthirsty as I was when it came to Lupe.
"Unfortunately, we thought Cole and his followers were the ones behind these attacks. However, last night in Mystwood, another had been found in a similar way we found those killed here at the school."
The room erupted into growls and gasps. At least they understood this meant the actual person was still at large. That someone could be here at the school.Maybe this is the time to mention that.
