Page 109 of Dead Wolf Walking (Bad Moon Academy 1)
He steps closer, bringing more of his scent with him. Those protective amber eyes search my face. “What happened?”
I reach up and run my fingers over my neck. The pain is gone. Shifting for more than a few minutes healed the bruises. Adler knows me too well if he can look at my face and tell something is wrong. Then again, I guess knowing someone for two years lends itself to that perception.
I fiddle with the edges of the shirt. “We can trust each other, right?”
A corner of his mouth quirks. “I hope so, I don’t make a habit of telling people I don’t trust what I am.”
Casting a glance over my shoulder when I hear a wolf howl, I bite my lip. The wolf sounds angry.
“He’s going in the other direction, but we probably don’t have long.” Adler’s eyes search my face. “Are you okay?”
“Sort of.” I give him the quickest run down I can, mentioning Carter’s news, the phantoms, my missing wolf, and what the men told me about the disappearing shifters.
When I finish, he closes the distance between us and crushes me to his chest. It’s not until his arms are wrapped around me that I realize how much I need the comfort. I melt into his hold for a second then pull away. I don’t like feeling dependent. He cups my elbows, keeping me from fully stepping out of his hold.
“I’m still working on a way to get you out. I’ve heard back from my friend but he won’t be here for a few more days.” His gaze bores into mine. “Do you want me to stay until then?”
It would be selfish of me to say yes, but in all honesty, I do want him to stay. There’s something about him which makes me feel grounded. “No, you should go make sure Aunt Lou is okay. Keep her company.”
His eyes soften. “She’s sad, but Lou is one of the strongest women I know. She’ll pull through.”
“I know,” I say, all the while hating how much pain I’ve caused her.
“The wolf is coming.” Adler crushes me in another hug. “I’ll be back soon.”
He runs deeper into the trees, shifting mid-stride and screeching as he takes to the air.
A brown wolf bursts across the clearing, skidding to a stop in front of me. His mouth is covered in blood, but he eyes me curiously. Lifting his nose, he sniffs then releases a low growl. Suddenly Everett is standing before me.
“Whose shirt is that?” He glares around, searching for someone.
“A friend’s,” I say. “You have blood on your mouth.”
My words distract him for a moment, and he swipes his hand over his lips, smearing the crimson liquid across his skin.
“I was hunting.” His eyes are still yellow and scanning the forest. He looks every bit the wild beast right now.
The silence stretches between us, and he releases a hard breath.
“What?” I ask, narrowing my eyes on him.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, and it’s driving me crazy.” He runs his hand over his short hair. “Do you hate us now?”
Pressing my lips into a thin line and glancing away from the vulnerability shining in his gaze, I stare into the trees. Hate is such a strong word, and yet it doesn’t feel adequate to describe how I feel. I despise the lies. Rue the day I chose to run in the forest. I want to scream at the top of my lungs, letting free every moment of pain, anger, and betrayal I’ve felt for the past three years of my life.
Some of those emotions have nothing to do with Bad Moon Academy, but oh so many do. Since the day my mother shoved her hands into my father’s grave, my life has been stolen from me. What happened when Draco bit me only hammered a nail into the coffin of where my past lies. A past life filled with happiness.
My chest is heavy with the weight of the truth. The lump in my throat grows and grows until I have no choice but to take a shuddering breath, feeling it threaten to break the fragile grip I have on my emotions.
“Please tell me what to do,” he says, and I swing my watery stare in his direction. His face crumples when he sees the full extent of how broken I am.
“What can you do?” I ask with a choked laugh. “This has to be hell.”
He grimaces. “I wish it were. Things would be a lot simpler.”
I swipe at an escaped tear, grinding my teeth together to hold the rest back. This place will not break me. I’ve been through far worse than this.
“Raven,” Everett says, taking a step toward me.
