Page 9 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

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CARTER

Having the pressure of every person in our little pack waiting for me to figure out the correct combination is unnerving. I push the sixth brick in, finishing yet another attempt, and wipe my palms on my pants. Waiting for a second, I hold my breath. Every brick I push in, dread unfurls inside of me like a heavy weight sitting on my chest.

The first time I can actually help, I’ll let her down.

“Try again,” Raven whispers, placing her hand on my back. “We’ll figure it out.”

“Only forty more combinations to go,” Draco drawls.

My laugh is bitter, but she simply rubs her palm around my back, trying to tell me to relax.

Easier said than done. Something about this door makes me nervous. A strange, warning presence pushing against me every time I reach for another stone, almost like it’s repelled by my touch.

Draco’s running countdown isn’t helping either. Huffing, I roll my shoulders and press out the next pattern, cursing when once again it fails. The lantern light dances across the wall, distracting me for a few seconds while I try to think about the next one.

“Let me try.” Raven gently nudges me with her elbow so she can take my place. Grudgingly, I step back and watch with twisted lips as she makes her first attempt. For not even being sure that this will actually work, I’m irrationally angry that it’s taking so long.

“Do you know that when you’re annoyed, the bond pulses with red? Like it absorbs some of your irritation?”

Everett’s question catches me by surprise. I forgot about the bond. I’ve been feeding them nothing but frustration for more than fifteen minutes.

“Sorry,” I mutter.

Raven sighs. “You’re not the only one who’s annoyed.” She pushes the bricks in the next pattern, using the little notepad I wrote on for reference. When nothing happens, she smacks her hand against the wall. “Dammit.”

“Here, let me—”

“No,” she cuts me off, looking down at the paper again. “I’m fine.”

Glancing at Everett, I raise an eyebrow. He lifts a shoulder and juts his chin in her direction to say,give her time.We have all the possible combinations written down, all that’s left to do now is figure out which of the patterns is correct, and the only way to do that is to fail over and over. The same strange sensation washes over me, making me want to pick my feet up and run away from the door. I’ve been waiting two years to get out of this place, and I’ve never felt a stronger desire to leave than I do right now.

On top of whatever my gut instinct is telling me, knowing my luna is in here, where she might be in danger, isn’t sitting right with me or my wolf.

“One, two, three,” Raven counts out the pattern, pausing before the sixth brick. “Six.” Using two fingers, she depresses it.

Nothing happens. She releases the tiniest of growls, and the corners of my lips kick up in response.

“It’s only a matter of time. We’re getting close, we just have to work through the list and wait for the right sequence.”

She looks at me and frowns. “I hate permutations.” The light flickers over her face, highlighting the frustration creasing her forehead.

Everett and I glance at each other and laugh.

A few seconds later, I grow serious and hold out my hand for the pad of paper. “All right, let me try again. I’m calm now.”

Draco studies my face. “You don’t look very calm.”

“I am,” I bite out, probably proving the opposite, but Raven shakes her head and scratches out the last pattern she tried.

“No. I’m doing this. I’m the luna.”

It’s hard to argue with that. If I insist, I’ll take away her power, and if I let it go and she continues, then I’m forced to sit and watch her get angry. Neither option is appealing, but I’ll be damned if I strip her of her luna power for my ego.

“You got this. The next one is it, I’m sure of it.” I wrinkle my nose to fight off a sneeze. All the disgusting scents mingling in here are doing a number on my supe senses.

We hold our breath while she presses the bricks in. It is not the right pattern, and we all groan in unison.

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