My eyes flash open and I feel rage and fear overtake the pain. Within seconds, I’ve shifted and I’m racing into the trees toward the edge of town. I don’t know how I know where to go, but I do.
‘Lola is hurt. She is at the old abandoned mill,’I send out to the others.
The others shift and chase after me. I’m the fastest, though, losing them in the woods. I’m barely paying attention to my surroundings as I dash through the trees. Everything becomes a blur as I race ahead in a blind panic, my pace not slowing until I reach the mill.
I can feel the cold snow beneath my paws as I slowly move forward. I'm breathing heavily, my heart pounding as I run on pure adrenaline. The metallic coppery smell of blood floats in the air. Fear punches me in the chest as I creep around some old, rusted machinery.
A sudden wave of magic sweeps through the air, and I stop in my tracks, my stomach twisting in worry. I take a cautious step forward, my hackles rise knowing there is a threat nearby. Before I can take another step, something large crashes into me, my body rolling across the ground with the impact. My fur prickles with magic like I’ve touched an electric fence. The aches and pains I’m feeling are pushed to the back of my mind as I rise and look around, finding I’m the only one here.
What was that?
A shiver of fear trickles along my spine, making me tremble, but I ignore it. I need to find Lola. There’s a sense of dread rising inside of me as I follow the smell of blood. I don’t realize what that means until I move around the next corner. Lola is lying in the middle of a ritual circle. Her body has been mutilated. Blood coats the entire snow covered ground in the circle. My steps falter and I shift into my human form, running toward her. I drop to my knees, lifting her limp, lifeless body into my arms.
“Lola? Lola, wake up,” I croak.
I lightly stroke her cheek, blood smearing all over my hands in the process. “Lola?”
Frantically, I look around for any sign of who did this. I notice a pattern of rocks around the ritual circle and frown, my eyes blur with tears. I hear the moment others arrive. Felix swears and paces behind me, still in his wolf form. Shifting, Kai and Mercy look from me to Lola, to the circle full of Lola’s blood.
“What does it say?” I ask.
Mercy moves over to the carefully placed rocks and turns even whiter.
“What is it?” I whisper hoarsely.
When she answers, her voice is unsteady. “You’re next.”
“FUCK!” Kai yells, gripping his head with both hands. “FUCK.”
I close my eyes, tears falling and mingling with Lola’s blood. I search down my pack for her link, her connection to me, and find nothing. She is truly gone. A tiny fracture goes through my chest, and I try so hard to be strong, but the dam breaks. A sob rips free as I bury my face in her neck. I failed to protect the youngest in my pack. I stroke her blood-covered face, pushing the clumps of hair away that are sticking to her cheeks.
“Oh, Lola. I’m so sorry,” I cry, hugging her closer to me.
My anguish rushes down the pack link, and answering howls fill the night. We all feel the heaviness of her absence in the air. Whoever did this will pay with their life. I will tear them apart myself. I scream my sorrow and frustration at the sky for this cruel twist of fate.
The next moment, we hear the sirens and feel our hearts thumping as we exchange a silent gaze.
‘Who called the cops?’Felix asks through our mental link.
‘I don’t know,’I reply.
I look to the others. I’m about to tell them to go when the first cop car swings in, headlights shining over us.
“Freeze! Police. Put your hands in the air.”
“Fuck,” Kai and Mercy say together.
I look over my shoulder and see Felix backing up into the long grass.
‘Go.’
‘I will meet you at the police station.’
‘Okay.’
‘I love you, Salena.’
I close my eyes, tears still streaming down my cheeks.‘I love you, too, Felix.’
