Page 74 of Moonlight and Mischief
“No,” Slate says. “That’s not..”
I don’t want to hear his reasoning. There’s nothing he could say that would stop me. It’s everything I can do to keep my wolf from bursting through my skin as I sprint toward the exit.
As night air washes over me, I pull my gear over my head and toss it toward a wide-eyed Cedar. Clothes only half off, white fur bursts over my skin as my wolf instincts take over.
I barely register Hazel shouting to Heath as my powerful lupine form plunges forward, vaulting over bodies and foliage alike.
Racing downhill, I barely slow as I wade into the creek. It’s not too deep here. Water slides across my back, but the chill is nothing compared to the fear slicing into me. My claws scrape on the rocks as I pull myself upward. I shake my fur instinctively, barely slowing as I cross the shallows and reach the shore. I’m back inour territory. Muscles coiling, I leap forward and up the slope.
It’s miles back to our pack’s commune and Hazel races behind me the entire distance. There’s no time to thank her, but I’m fiercely grateful. When it comes down to it, she’s my sister, more so than Ember ever was.
My ears strain to hear any hint of noise from our home, though there is still at least a mile to go. Wolves can run fast and far, but as a shifter, I am even faster. Pushing myself all-out, the distance goes by in a blur.
Adrenaline spikes as the scent of smoke reaches me. Past the outlying cabins, orange and gold light glows from the inner circle of buildings. Keeping out of sight, I stalk in a wide circle, creeping closer.
Flames lick around the diner, melting the linoleum and pulling the roof down over the ashes. Crickett will be devastated. I hope she is far from the fire with her two daughters. Hawthorne was tasked with protecting our home. If Granite Ridge has attacked, where is he?
Hazel creeps up beside me, a low whine echoing the feelings of shock and grief flooding our pack bond. Anger, too. So close to her, I can sense her emotions stronger than the others, but if I focus, I can feel a sense of grim resolution from others nearby. Aside from general proximity, it tells me nothing of their location, only that they aren’t in too much pain.
The two of us circle around toward the south, past the burning building. Through the smoke, we watch unfamiliar wolves move in groups between buildings. Theactivity seems to center around our training building. I’m not surprised they’ve chosen it for their headquarters.
A dozen Granite Ridge pack members on two legs march in and out of the steel structure, removing some of our supplies and distributing our remaining weapons. My hackles rise.
Lined up along the edge of the picnic tables lay several bodies. None of them look familiar, and more than one has a crossbow bolt sticking up from their chests. I hope they are all enemies and none of our own packmates. There’s no sign of Hawthorne, Marigold, Linden, or any others that stayed behind.
We move further south, trying to pick up any trail. With the shouts of our enemy and the crackle of flames, it’s overwhelming. Smoke blots out my sense of smell. But Marigold is here somewhere. I have to find her.
MARIGOLD
Smoke blocks the moonlight and panic rises up, choking me. My students huddle in Cobalt’s room - the one with the window facing the forest. As far away from the front door as possible without risking being trapped if the building gets torched.
I pace the living room, all the lights off, waiting to be found. Sending these children into the forest with enemy wolves circling would be a death sentence, but it’s only a matter of time until we are discovered. Thank the goddess my family’s cabin is one of the further buildings from the center clearing.
The sound of soft crying drifts down the hall. Peeking in, I see Briar holding Willow as she softly cries. Elwood is curled against her arm, with Cobalt beside him, doing his best to look brave. A fierce pride rears up. “It’s going to be fine. Alpha Heath will be back for us any minute,” I murmur.
I have to believe it. Heath will come charging back, leading all of our packmates in a rescue mission. Surely, Jasper is safe and sound.
My knuckles are white around two daggers. My gun is empty, drained during the first wave of Granite Ridge wolves. Hawthorne threw himself in their path so I could lead the children to safety. I have to hope Crickett and his daughters are still safe in their home’s basement. Even worse, I have no idea where my brother Indigo is. He was with Linden when they attacked, and the older wolf would have gotten him to safety if possible. All I can do is trust and focus on the children in my care.
Taking a steadying breath, I pace back toward the door, around the sofa. The shouts of our enemies grow louder.
Blood rushing in my ears, I crouch and shuffle toward the front window. Dark figures block the moonlight momentarily, causing my heart to leap into my throat.
The door blows in with a bang. My teeth clench. I will not scream.
Three Granite Ridge wolves dart in, two humans and one shifted. No time to hesitate. Without waiting for them to spot me, I strike from my position besidethe door. My dagger slices into the upper back of the taller man with all of my strength behind it. He drops with the blade embedded into his back, blood gushing in a way I’ve never seen before. His scream turns to a gurgle.
The second man grabs my arm, squeezing until I drop the second knife meant for him. My cry of pain is drowned out by his angry shout. His grip never lets up as he shoves me backwards and onto the sofa.
He looms over me. My nails dig into my palms, my panic bleeding into my muscles and weakening me. I will not give away the children’s location - although the wolf will discover them in seconds anyway. With any luck, they’ll be out the window already.
“What a pretty little thing,” the man says, one hand grasping the back of the sofa beside my head while his grip moves from my wrist to my hair. With an ugly smile, he twists a chunk around his hand. I want to gag.
Gritting my teeth, I kick up, striking him between the legs. He grunts and doubles over, his breath on my face. The hold he has on my hair drags me sideways and tears spring into my eyes at the pain.
Wolf jaws close over his arm, causing him to drop his hold on my hair. A white wolf drags him backwards and to the ground. Shocked, I push myself up and scramble over the back of the sofa to gain some distance.
Another wolf snarls and stalks closer to me while the man across the sofa screams. Spit drips from his bared teeth.
