I try to lift my head, the wolf seizing the opportunity to latch onto my neck when I do. I just need to see her, to do something.
Where is Alpha Daxton?
Save. Her.
The white light explodes forcibly and I swear I can almosthear it.
Strangely enough, I think I can feel it too. The ground beneath me shakes and I wait for the pain to stop as the light takes me. But it doesn’t.
Why does it still fucking hurt?
I’m thrown back into darkness. Somewhere in the back of my mind, there’s a thought that I can no longer feel teeth sinking into me. Yet, the pain is stillhorriblypresent.
I manage to lift my head, my fur soaked with blood as it pours down my body. Blinking rapidly to attempt to clear my blurry vision, I see Sarah sprawled out on the ground, back in human form.
Next to her, a man lay naked, his body lifeless and pale.
Thankfully, her chest is moving slightly, showing that she’s still fighting. Relief floods through me, and I notice someone out of the corner of my eye.
Using the last of my strength, I turn my head, spotting another man next to me.
I stare in disbelief at his still body. Cold, vacant eyes gaze into the darkness, blood dripping down his torso and splashing onto the ground.
More rumbling as the ground quakes beneath me, but this time, it’s accompanied by the sound of rushing footsteps. I try to move, digging my fingers into the dirt for leverage. I’ve shifted too—but how?
My head flops against the dirt heavily and I realize with dread that I’ve finally stopped screaming. Maybe out of relief that someone is here to help Sarah.
Alpha Daxton comes into view, eyes wide with a panic I’ve never seen before on his face.
It makes me want to laugh. He looks so funny when he’s scared. Twenty-one years on this Earth and I finally get to see emotion on his face. Ha—Luna Grace was right after all.
I don’t laugh though. I can’t. My energy is fleeting fast and as I peer back at him, I can see he’s talking to me but no sound is coming out.
The fading continues, and this time, I think I just give in.
Help came. Sarah will be okay.
I did it.
I can stop fighting the pain now.
“We did it, Mira,” I mutter to her weakly, a soft whimper coming back in reply.
The world starts spinning as my eyes roll backwards, someone grabbing my face and tapping it desperately.
It doesn’t hurt now thankfully. I let out one final shaky breath of relief and then everything disappears as I let go.
Chapter Nine
Maverick
“Final names and numbers for your approval,” Darius says, placing a piece of paper in front of me.
I glance down, not at all surprised by the lengthy list. Darius has been working on this list for weeks now, for this exact reason. I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but we were prepared nonetheless. Now, it’s time to put everything into motion.
“Good. I assume everyone on here is ready,” I answer.
Darius nods. “Just give the word on when you want to head back to Shadow Creek and I’ll brief everyone. Would you like me to arrange for us to travel in smaller packs?”
