Page 106 of Dead Wolf Walking (Bad Moon Academy 1)
I blow out a breath. Twelve.
“This year,” he adds.
My eyes bug. “Exactly how long has this been happening?”
“Two years.” Draco twists the blanket, squeezing it in his fingers. “Twenty-four shifters in total.” He’s not happy about this.
Too bad. I was almost taken by the damn thing. I deserve to know what’s going on.
“What about the pack? Do they know about this?”
They all share a look. Lips pressed together and scowls locked in place.
“They’ve been notified,” Everett finally says once their silent conversation is over. “They don’t care about changed shifters.”
Well, there goes my idea about asking for help.
“Has anyone ever come back?”
They all shake their heads in a definitiveno.
Whatever the thing in the ballroom is, it has my wolf, or at least part of her. I’ve never heard of a spirit being able to take from our world, but then again, my mother is the only person I know who had the same powers. She didn’t have friends and there’s not really a good way to strike up a random conversation with strangers to find out if they can also see the dead.
If it can take from our plane, does that mean I can do the same?
The answer is obvious, but I don’t know if I want to venture down the unknown road of traveling to the beyond. What if I get lost?
A part of me already is, and no matter how much I want to stay where it’s safe, I don’t think I can live with myself and leave her in there.
It’s not right.
“I need to go back.”
Draco grinds his teeth and shakes his head.
“Over my dead body,” Everett says with a gruff edge to his voice.
Scowling and releasing a long sigh, I lift my hands. “I’m going. It’s not up for debate.”
Carter lifts his hand when Everett starts to protest, and to my surprise, the alpha shuts his mouth. He doesn’t look very happy about it though. No, those lines marring his forehead are deep and frustrated.
“We can’t talk her out of it,” he says to the other two, then he slides his eyes in my direction. “If you insist on going, will you wait a few more days? You still look exhausted from the other day.”
“She’s also covered in bruises.”
I glare at Everett. “It’s nothing.”
Draco shoves off the bed, and before I can move, he’s grabbing my arm and yanking on the material around my neck. The fabric groans in protest before it rips.
“Don’t,” I whisper when he goes to touch the marks.
His fingers pause an inch from my skin, and gooseflesh pebbles in response. “Little Red, you’re keeping secrets.”
“Like you aren’t? What’s with the matching bracelets?” Flicking the leather band on his wrist, I glance around him to where Carter and Everett are now standing. They’re all puffed up, ready to fight my invisible villain.
It’s only a little endearing since they’ve been keeping secrets of their own. First, they misled me about my fate here at Bad Moon Academy and now they’re telling me something’s taking wolves.
“We can’t take them off,” Everett says, forehead contorting in pain.
