“If we were on fire, we would want people’s help.”
“People who cut ties with us aren’t coming to save us, so why should we save them?”
The group continued to argue, but I looked for survivors. You could tell the fire had been going for a while, but not entirely too long. There could be people here, or the place could have been entirely empty. It was a guessing game. I didn’t hear anyone, but that didn’t mean they weren’t deeper in the disaster.
“Brandon.” Jade’s hand reached for mine, her fingers tight. “I feel there are hybrids here, and there are people here. We have to help them. You need to make a decision.”
Of course. I was Alpha. I made the call on whether we should help or turn back and go home.
Jade stepped close, her body pressing against mine. Her eyes softened as she stared at me. “Brandon, we need to help them. Whether or not we are still friendly with them, it’s clearthey need a hand. There could be children. As Alpha, you have to make this call. I know you aren’t the type of person to turn your back on people in need.”
I stared at Jade for a moment, taking in her serious expression, but she had such soft eyes. She was right. I didn’t want to turn my back on people who needed help. But our pack needed us. I couldn’t just ignore the hybrid that was circling our town.
But Kaleb was there. He could handle it. If he really thought he needed us, he would have sounded more urgent on the phone. We could quickly do a search and head back home. That was the right thing to do. If there was no problem, it was just a detour for us, but if there were people in need, we were saving lives.
I looked at the rest of the group. “We’re going to do a quick search before we head back.”
“And what about our pack?”
“Kaleb is there and can handle it for the time being.” It was why I left him in charge. He wasn’t Alpha, but he was Beta, and he could handle it. I trusted that.
“Spread out and search,” I said, waving a hand. Everyone was moving at once, and I looked at Jade, who smiled. She gave my hand a tight squeeze.
“I knew it was in there. That kind-hearted man.”
I felt my heart skip a beat, but I know we don’t have a moment to fall into each other. Every second counted. “Stay close to me,” I said finally before releasing her hand. “And keep your eyes peeled. Anything could happen, and while we are going in there to save people, my top priority will always be you.”
Chapter 24 - Jade
The smoke was thick as we moved, making it hard to see even just a few feet in front of us. I coughed, covering my mouth, feeling my lungs burning. It smelled of wood and rotting flesh, a scent I didn’t think I would ever get out of my nose. It turned my stomach upside down, and I was grateful I hadn’t eaten anything to throw up.
I could hear the snapping of the fire and the sound of houses falling in on themselves. I glanced over my shoulder at the rest of the group. Everyone looked as horrified as I felt.
I prayed we found survivors, and we weren’t walking around a graveyard. I didn’t think I could stomach knowing we could have helped, but we were too late.
I felt that tug deep in my gut telling me we were doing the right thing. I felt there was something here, and I just hoped it wasn’t just hybrids.
Brandon walked next to me, his eyes tracking each movement we made, every step we took. I paused near a house and looked into the window. It was dark with blackness covering the window, but red was smeared with it.
My stomach tightened as I stared at the splatter. A handprint was on the glass, but it had been smeared down. Someone had tried to get out but failed. I swallowed, staring at it, knowing what that meant. Brandon had warned me that things could get worse, much worse.
Brandon grabbed my shoulder, turning me away from the window. His hand tightened around mine for a moment as he gave me a sympathetic look. “Are you sure you can do this?”
I had to. I couldn’t wait in the woods. I would only drive Brandon nuts. “I’m okay,” I said, rolling my shoulders back. “If there are people here, they need our help.”
He nodded. “We have to keep moving then.”
I looked back at the window, taking in the smear. I couldn’t even grieve what was going on. I couldn’t think about how people had died, and their blood was splattered everywhere. There were probably bodies in these homes that would never have a proper burial. We didn’t have time for me to think about what had happened here.
The quiet we had noticed suddenly disappeared as screams filled the air. Blood curdling screams, people begging to survive. Then the sounding of something louder, something bigger.
“Please!” A voice shook the air as we moved past the house. The wind picked up, and the smoke cleared just enough for us to see. Before us stood four hybrids. They were all in their shifted form, blood covering the ground around them. I felt my stomach lurch seeing body parts scattered around them, people completely ripped apart.
A hybrid screamed, charging toward the man who was begging for mercy, and before we could even try and stop it, it ripped him in half. I watched as blood poured out of the body, trailing down the claws of the monster. The man’s body was thrown to the ground with his eyes still open in horror.
I covered my mouth, stopping my own scream from breaking free. I felt like someone had just punched me in the gut.
I suddenly was filled with fear. I thought of a hybrid breaking into our town and killing people. Murdering people I care about. I couldn’t stop my imagination as it formed theimage of Nora being killed. As I thought of hearing Ilsa scream for me while a hybrid ran at her.
