The delicious, sweet, rich scent of chocolate filled the room as I made the buttercream filling for the cake. I was trying my hardest to avoid temptation, and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into the moist sponge. My stomach growled as Riley walked into the room laughing.
“Haven’t gotten used to your bigger appetite yet?” he asked.
“I love my food, but right now I can’t keep up!” I replied.
I took a knife out of the drawer and slathered the buttercream into the centre of the halved cake. I wasn’t measly with the filling, I liked a good ratio of cake-to-icing, unlike the shops with their barely-there offerings.
Riley hovered over my shoulder like a little child waiting to lick the bowl clean. I contained my laughter, though it increased his adorable factor.
“Looks scrummy, but I think you’ve missed a spot. Hold on,” he said.
I watched as he swiped his finger into the bowl, and pasted the chocolaty goodness onto my nose. I shrieked and looked at him stunned.
Determined that I wasn’t going to be outdone I retaliated, and grabbed his arm to keep him still. I wasn’t going to be the only one covered in buttercream.
I reached up on my tiptoes, and as swiftly as I could I tried to run my fingers across his face. He caught my arms before I could get close enough. I struggled against him, and attempted to wriggle free. He was alarmingly strong, but I didn’t feel threatened. I was excited!
He held on to me long enough, that I decided to admit defeat. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to move out of his hold, I decided I’d catch him unawares. Just when he’d thought I’d relinquished, I’d strike!
He let go of one of my arms and lifted his hand to stroke my face. I leaned into his palm, and forgot about my revenge, it didn’t matter anymore. The warmth of his hand seeped into my skin, which intensified the magnetic pull I always felt towards him.
He licked my nose, and cleaned away the buttercream. Hope surged through my chest as he moved towards my lips. Riley affected me more than I cared to realise, and I’d never felt that way with anyone before. He was inches from my lips when he coiled back and grabbed at his head, groaning.
“Riley! What’s wrong?” Panic invaded my body, and I flapped my hands uselessly in front of me.
“Head…hurts.” The veins in his hands showed up much more prominently as he gripped his head harder. “Get Nick and Shane. NOW!” He panted, his chest heaving between breaths.
I ran out of the kitchen and slammed my way into the study. I didn’t have time for knocking. Before they could question me I grabbed their arms and rushed them into the kitchen.
Riley kneeled on the floor, bent over. He was in a lot of pain.
“What happened, Luna?” asked Shane.
“I don’t know. One minute we were messing about, and then this!” I fluttered my hands out towards Riley who hadn’t said a word.
“Maybe it’s happened again,” said Nick.
“But it didn’t hurt him with Luna,” Shane added.
“What do you mean I didn’t hurt him?” I asked, confused.
“When you were turned, it registered inside Riley. Only that time it didn’t hurt. It’s the only explanation I can think of,” said Nick.
Riley’s eyes flew open as he yelled, “Paper. Pen!”
I searched through the drawers until I found a notepad and pen. I handed them to Riley, and he silently scribbled a bunch of words. I couldn’t make them out from the angle I was at.
Nick and Shane both looked at the paper and stared at each other.
“These are all connecting street names in town. Are there more, Riley?” Shane asked.
“Yes.” He slowly stood and sat at the table, rubbing his forehead.
“Feeling better?” I asked as I handed him a glass of water. I rested my hands on his shoulders and noticed how tense he was. I tried to ease his muscles with a quick massage and he visibly relaxed. I was glad to help.
Nick and Shane stared at us, and smiled together. I looked questioningly at them, but they shrugged and sat down. Weird.
“Thank you, Luna,” said Riley. “We have a problem. If the size of my pounding headache is anything to go by, I’d say we have more than one hybrid and they’re close to one another. We need to locate them and bring them here. We don’t have time to waste, something is very wrong.”
“Let’s go,” said Nick. He looked happy to be moving. Riley stopped at the doorway.
“Luna, can you tell Faye what’s happening. We’ll be back as soon as possible.” He kissed me quickly on the lips and left.
I had a gut-wrenching instinct that something wasn’t right, and I couldn’t begin to think of the danger they would be in.
Roxy had left the kitchen earlier with complaints of being tired, and Faye had followed a few hours later to check on her. Considering she hadn’t returned I headed to Roxy’s room to find her.
I knocked on the door and waited, it wasn’t my place to barge in.
“Luna? Is everything alright?” Faye asked, creasing her brows as she scrutinised my face.
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” I said. Roxy sat on a sofa in the middle of the room and I settled beside her before explaining the situation to them.
I quickly replayed the scene, omitting the kiss. I felt secretive about it because I didn’t know what it meant. We’d kissed a few times and each was becoming much more electrifying. I didn’t know how many more I could take, I was beginning to need Riley like my life depended on him.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine, Luna. It’s just a routine follow-up, like they did with you. It just seems worse because it affected Riley so much. Don’t worry about them, we should be more worried over the fact it’s happened again.” I nodded at Roxy. She was right, I was overreacting because I felt extremely protective over Riley.
A phone I couldn’t see rang throughout the house. Faye rushed out of the room to answer it. “Where’s that coming from?” I asked Roxy.
“It’s on the wall in the hallway.”
“I haven’t seen one out there.”
“It’s near the games room. It doesn’t ring that often, usually the calls are filtered into Riley’s study.” That made sense.
“How’s the baby?” I asked.
“Oh, fine. Just wearing me out.”
“When are you due?”
“Middle of June, but with Werewolves it could be any day after the eight month period. It just depends on how well developed the pup is.”
Roxy could pop at any moment, and I felt selfish at the fact that I hadn’t cared to ask before. It slipped my mind, and now I’d realised why Faye checked on her so regularly, though I was sure Shane would’ve known if anything was wrong.
“I’d better go clean up the kitchen,” I said, as the thought of a messy room filled my mind. I didn’t want to leave it that way, and I’d remembered the cake was still unfinished. I bumped into Faye at the door as she came rushing back in.
“What is it, Faye?” I asked. She looked pale.
“That was Lara. The patrol team have found more traps.”
“Oh, no.” I raised a hand to my mouth, that wasn’t good news at all.
“They need help, there’s a lot injured. I have to go,” she said, running down the stairs before I had the chance to find out more. I turned to Roxy, unsure at what to do.
“Go, Luna! I’ll be here by the phone if you need me.” I nodded and rushed down the stairs, and through the house.
I chased after Faye with every intention of helping.
By the time I’d caught up with Faye she was standing on the edge of the patio with her head pointed towards the sky.
“Lara said they’re on the western trail, but I can’t scent them from here. They could be miles away. We’d better shift, it’s the quickest way.”
I nodded, though I didn’t know if I could. The first time I’d shifted I’d had the pull of the moon tugging at my wolf, but I was standing in daylight.
I’m right here you know. Close your eyes and let me take over. I know what to do.
Without another word Faye transformed into a hazel-brown wolf and took off. I was on my own. I closed my eyes like my wolf suggested, and concentrated on the feeling of my body changing shape. The air shimmered around me as I brought my wolf forward, and a satisfying shiver travelled across my body as I stretched and scanned my surroundings.
I dug my claws into the ground and pushed off, running towards Faye. It felt unbelievably good to stretch my legs, and it was ten times better running as a wolf. The morning’s lame attempts couldn’t compete with the speed and agility I had as a wolf.
I caught up with Faye, and slowed my pace to match hers. The pungent smell of blood hit my senses as I sniffed the air. It was coppery and metallic, and tainted the air like a suffocating blanket. I charged ahead, relying on my wolf’s natural instincts to lead the way.
I forced myself to run faster as the smell of blood grew stronger. I didn’t need a trail anymore, my nose was doing just fine.
The woods gave way to a clearing up ahead, and I searched as far as I could before I raced through. A group of people stood at the other end of the clearing near the outer perimeter of the woods.
The drumming sound of Faye’s paws had disappeared, and I turned to see how close she was. I couldn’t see her, and I hoped she wouldn’t be too long.
I leapt over two traps, quickly dodging them, and continued on high alert. I wouldn’t be careless again, I could imagine Riley’s facial expression if I’d been caught.
Lara knelt on the ground surrounded by men I hadn’t met before. I stopped beside her and the sight of blood caught my attention. It dripped and pooled on the ground as a man lay trapped at his leg.
I shifted in one single movement, and grabbed at my jumper. I pulled it over my head, and used it to stem the blood as much as I could.
“There’s two traps back the way I came, can you drop logs in them before Faye comes? We don’t need anyone else hurt,” I said to the unknown men, and they rushed off immediately.
“Did you fly, Luna?” Lara asked.
“Uh, no. Why?” Could Werewolves fly?
“Because you were really fast! It’s only taken you seconds to get here!”
“It has?” I asked. It hadn’t felt like it when I ran, it was exhilarating, but super speed? Is that what she was suggesting?
I didn’t let it faze me for long because the others needed help.
“We need to open this trap and get his leg out,” I said, surprised that they hadn’t done it already.
“We’ve been trying, but it’s really strong,” she said, grimacing.
“I thought Faye said there were several injured?” I asked, looking around.
“There are. This here is Kyle.”
I gently patted his arm as a hello, though I knew he didn’t care much right now.
“Will and Jake have their arms caught over there.” She pointed to the left towards the trees, and I could just about make them out, they were quite far away.
“Faye’s the only one that can save them. We’re going to need her ability.” I hadn’t a clue as to what Lara was talking about.
“She’ll be no good if we can’t open this trap!” said one of the guys with blonde hair.
I looked at the trap and inspected the wound. The teeth were cutting into Kyle’s flesh, and it looked like something from a horror movie. I couldn’t imagine the pain he was in - Werewolf or not.
He kept quiet as he scrunched his face, breathing through the pain as best he could. I couldn’t hang around for a miracle to help him. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust the others, but I couldn’t watch him anymore, I had to do something.
I placed my hands carefully on either side of the trap and braced myself. I gathered all of my newfound strength and tried to channel it into my arms.
“We’ve tried Luna, it won’t budge,” said Lara, defeated.
“It’s like a deadweight,” said the blonde guy.
They’d both spoken as if they’d been conquered, but if I knew one thing, there was always another way. I pulled at the bars, and felt the weight give under my hands. The teeth pulled apart slowly as I applied more pressure.
“The second I’m done, I need you to pull his leg out and use some form of cloth to clot the blood. Be quick though, I don’t know how long I can hold it,” I said to the others as they stared at me.
I held onto the trap and looked up, they were still staring as I was straining.
“Quick, guys!” I yelled.
“Got it!” shouted Lara, and I let go of the lethal weapon, the echo of it connecting rang in my ears.
“Faye’s almost here, you’d better go see Will and Jake.” I got up to leave as she grabbed my arm. “I don’t know how you did that.” She shook her head as if she had more to say on the matter. “Ty, show Luna the way.”
The blonde from before acknowledged Lara and ran ahead. New faces greeted me again as I bent to look at Will and Jake. They were beside each other, and I could only imagine they’d been taken unawares at the same time. That was seriously bad luck.
I opened the traps the same as before, and freed their arms which were mangled in blood, dirt and nastiness. Everyone around me stood topless, after having used their shirts to stop the blood. They laid on the ground in a sodden pile. Ty took his off at my insistence and carefully wrapped it around Will’s arm, and I used my vest on Jake.
I hadn’t been exposed in front of men in a long time, except for my faux pas with Riley. Saving their lives was more important, so I brushed the thought aside. Between us we managed to get Will and Jake on their feet, and carried them back to Faye.
She was holding her arms over Kyle’s leg while chanting something I couldn’t hear. I watched as the skin pulled itself together, and closed the wound. I was mesmerised, and I couldn’t understand what I’d just seen.
I looked up at Lara shocked, though she didn’t act like anything was wrong. Could Faye do magic? Is that what this was?
“Riley’s on his way,” said Lara. I nodded and checked on Will and Jake.
Everyone was quiet, which was more than unnerving. Where were the screams from pain? The curse words for almost losing a limb?
Their faces contorted with the pain as they laid on the grass, and I was desperate to yell at them for not yelling themselves. The cut marks were deep as the white of the bone peeped out. The blood wouldn’t clot, and I was worried that they’d die of blood loss if Faye didn’t hurry whatever it was she was doing. I held on to my vest covering Jake’s wound and prayed she would be quick.
A big, black wolf burst through the trees into the clearing, and howled at his arrival. Riley shifted instantly as he reached Kyle’s side and took in the scene. His eyes widened before returning to his normal controlled manner.
“Mark, Chris, Ian and Joe. Take Kyle up to the hospital, they’re waiting for you.” I’d assumed Faye had healed him completely, but obviously there was something I was missing.
Riley focused on me after he took a good look at Will and Jake. He handed me his t-shirt. “Put this on.”
“I’m fine, Riley.” I said.
“Put. It. On.” He repeated angrily.
I stared at him, shocked at his abruptness. I didn’t know what his issue was, but it smarted. I shoved his t-shirt on, which was ridiculously big on me. It smelled divine, though I wouldn’t let myself think about that.
Riley stood bare-chested inches away from me, and my body sang in response. I wanted to be scooped up in his arms and carried away from the bloodbath. I wanted him to lay me down in the grass and make sweet love to me. I just needed him.
“Ty, Luke, Steve and Hugh take Will and Jake up too. I’ll be up the hospital as soon as I can,” said Riley.
I couldn’t keep up with all the new names and faces. I turned to look at Faye as she collapsed onto the grass. She looked exhausted.
“I’m OK, I just need to rest,” she said, as Lara, Riley and I rushed to her.
“Lara, take Faye up to the house. Take your time, I don’t want you collapsing too. Nick and Shane are on their way, get them to help you if you need to,” he said.
“You want a piggy back sis?” Lara asked Faye, raising her eyebrows several times.
“Better than being tossed over your shoulder,” she replied as Riley picked her up and adjusted her onto Lara’s back.
“I mean it Lara, slow.”
“Yes, brother.” She sighed as she walked away. Faye’s eyes closed immediately, and it made me realise how much of her energy she’d used on Kyle.
“Wait a minute. How did this happen?” he asked.
“I was playing rugby with the guys, so the patrol team assumed the ground was fine. Hell, we all did!” she shouted in return.
Riley’s expression turned grave, and I hated to think how easily it could have been Lara that was stuck in the traps.
“You want to check the rest of the field?” I asked as his sisters disappeared into the woods.
“I have to, I won’t be able to relax until I know it’s safe again. Do you have enough energy left to help me?” he asked, checking me over.
I beamed at him, knowing it was something I could definitely do.
“Let’s go then.”