by TJ Klune
“There!” Will shouted. “Coming up from the rear!”
I turned again and saw Gregory standing in the middle of the road into town. Wolves gathered around him. He had blood on his face, but it didn’t look like it was his. He raised his hands, his tattoos bright in the dark.
The road in front of him split, the rumble heavy and loud. The windows on either side of us blew out, glass raining down onto the road. The metal grates shook but held. I covered my face as I lowered my head, the glass cutting into my arms. A piece nicked my ear, the skin immediately going numb. Gunfire exploded around us even as the buildings shook. Grant was knocked off his feet, almost falling off the side of the garage. He pulled himself back up and raised his gun again.
I looked back at Gregory and the wolves. The bullets that should have killed them fell uselessly to the ground in front of him.
“Carter,” Will called. I looked up, and he tossed a small bag down at me. I caught it and, without stopping, spun around, the palm of my hand burning as I hurled the bag toward the wolves.
It exploded upon impact. The contents rained down upon them.
At first nothing happened.
Gregory said, “Is that all you’ve—”
The wolves began to scream. He was startled as he took a step back. The wolves pawed furiously at their faces, drawing blood in their effort to rid themselves of the silver powder. It didn’t hit all of them, but the ones it did hit were blinded, snapping at nothing as their mouths started to froth bloody foam. The ones that had gotten the biggest dose fell to the ground, convulsing. One vomited a black mess, its eyes rolling back in its head.
Hillary raised her gun, pointing it directly at Gregory, who was distracted by the wolves dying around him. “Shouldn’t have come here,” she muttered.
Her finger tightened around the trigger.
She never got the shot.
“Get down!” Will screamed at her. He reached up, grabbed the front of her coat, and pulled her flat, the rifle falling from her hands.
The air shifted.
A terrible tremble rolled through my body.
The stars and crescent moon above were blotted out as if a great darkness had descended.
The ground shook beneath my feet as a beast landed on the street with a furious crash. He hit the sidewalk, and the silver powder began to burn his paws, thin tendrils of smoke rising up around them.
He paid it no attention.
His one red eye stared balefully at me as he rose to his back legs, the hair covering him swaying in the cold wind. He was almost as tall as the building behind him, and Grant raised his gun, aiming for Livingston’s head. He fired. I heard the bullet hit.
Livingstone grunted, turning his head toward Grant.
“Oh shit,” Grant breathed.
Livingstone roared at him. Grant took a stumbling step back toward the other side of the roof.
“Here!” I shouted. “We’re right here!”
Livingstone ignored me. He lunged toward the garage, smashing into the dark sign above it. The metal shrieked as the pole snapped, falling down toward the roof. Grant turned and ran toward the other side, jumping off the edge of the roof just as Livingstone hit the building, the brickwork cracking. Livingstone crawled up the side of the garage, claws punching through stone. The skylights on the roof shattered as he reached the top, glass raining down inside.
Livingstone pulled himself to his full height. He tilted his head back and howled.
It echoed throughout Green Creek. I covered my ears as Gavin whined next to me, curling himself around me, his head against my chest, tail wrapped around my legs.
By the time the howl faded away, Livingstone was looking down at the two of us.
“You,” he growled, his one eye flashing red, and even I felt it, the pull of the Alpha. It was as if claws were raking against my head and chest, the bonds of my pack writhing.
Gavin pulled away, moving until he stood in front of me. He crowded against me, pushing me away from his father. He was growling lowly, and I felt his anger, his fear. But he wasn’t scared of his father. He wasn’t scared for himself.
He was terrified for me.
I put my hand against his back, digging my fingers in, his hair fluttering against my skin.
“Take,” Livingstone snarled. “You take. From me. No more.”
I looked to my right.
Gregory had recovered. The wolves that hadn’t been hit by the silver gathered around him.
I looked left.
Wolves walked slowly down the street, eyes orange and trained on us.
And Livingstone said, “Kill them. Kill them all.”
Gregory ran toward us, surrounded by wolves.
The wolves at the other end of the street hurtled forward.
Livingstone raised his claws high above his head, his misshapen hands curling into fists. He brought them down onto the roof. The building shook, mortar raining down. He did it again and again, and the moment before the garage roof gave way, he jumped. He landed on the street as Gordo’s collapsed behind him with a crash, smoke and dust billowing up toward the stars.
Gavin jerked his head side to side.
There was nowhere to run.
Livingstone took a step toward us.
He stopped when a wolf jumped onto his back, claws and fangs tearing over and over.
He roared in anger, reaching behind him, wrapping his claws around Rico’s back. Rico yelped before Livingstone threw him across the street. Rico disappeared into the diner, the windows shattering, the silver grates breaking as he landed inside.
Chris and Tanner shot through the alley, moving swiftly around Livingstone. He reached for them, but they darted out of the way, striking quickly, like a snake. They bit his ankles, the backs of his legs, drawing blood as they moved in tandem. Livingstone managed to clip Tanner’s hindquarters, knocking him to the ground.
The people on the roofs rose and began firing at him and the wolves running toward us.
I turned and saw Mom and Jessie burst out onto the street. They turned toward Gregory and his wolves. Jessie fired four shots in quick succession, each shot hitting a wolf and killing them instantly. Gregory zigzagged, tattoos glowing fiercely. His magic was building, eyes wide and wet. He raised a hand, fingers flexing.
“Mom!” I screamed.
But she didn’t stop. She ran toward him, and as a burst of light grew around Gregory’s hand, she crouched low, preparing to jump.
I was too late.
My mother jumped.
And stopped almost immediately, hung suspended in the air.
She made a terrible sound, a low whine that she never should’ve been capable of making. Her body jerked in the air as Gregory closed his fist, her paws kicking out into nothing.
I ran toward them, ignoring the glassy voice in my head saying, carter no please carter no no NO NONONO—
A white wolf ran next to me.
It had black on its chest and back.
Its eyes were red.
It said, SonLovePack believe in me for i i i believe in you.
I reached over and pressed my hand against its back even as we ran toward my mother.
A powerful surge burst up my arm, rolling through my body.
The wind whistled around me.
I lowered my shoulder, crashing into the wolves that had moved in front of Gregory. The impact caused my fangs to rattle but I barely felt it. I reached out for Gregory, digging my claws into his chest, raking up his shoulder to his neck as I used him to stop my momentum. My arm jerked as I latched on, blood spilling over my hand as I spun around to his back. He barely had time to turn his head when I growled, “You shouldn’t have touched my mother.”
I drew my claws across his throat.
Blood sprayed out onto my mother’s stomach.
Gregory made a gurgling noise, dropping my mother to the ground. She landed on her feet, shaking her head before she darted in, fangs flashing in the starlight. Gregory’s ribs crunched
as she bit down.
Gregory said, “Oh.”
He collapsed to the ground.
He took one breath. And then another.
And then he stopped moving.
I pulled my hand back. It was coated with blood. Gavin moved, snarling furiously, tearing into everything that dared come at me. The wolves whined and yelped as his jaws snapped closed around them, flesh tearing, matted hair falling to the ground.
My mother pressed her snout against my chest.
I said, “I know, I know, I—”
A large hand covered my face. I kicked as I was lifted off the ground, claws prickling the back of my head. I reached up and grabbed the thick forearm. Hot, rank breath blew over my body as Livingstone brought me close to his face. His one red eye flashed brightly. “Carter,” he growled.
Below us, Gavin shifted back to human, surrounded by the bodies of dead wolves. My mother was at his side. He shouted, “Put him down!”
Livingstone jerked his head toward his son. “Betrayed. You betrayed me. Like all the others.”
“I’m not yours,” Gavin snarled at him. “I never was. I am pack. I am mate. I am Bennett.”
The grip around my head tightened. I could hear the quiet whisper of my skull groaning under the pressure.
“You take from me,” Livingstone rumbled. “I will take everything from you.”
The pressure increased. I felt like I was floating away even as my eyes bulged from their sockets. The skin on the back of my head split and blood poured down my back.
And then it all faded away as another voice rang out.
It growled, “Let him go.”
And I knew it.
I knew it very well.
The bonds that stretched between us all vibrated.
The hand around my head opened.
I fell to the ground, legs buckling underneath me.
Gavin knelt next to me, saying, “Carter, Carter, look at me, look at me.”
My mother stood above me, her legs on either side of me as she growled at Livingstone.
But he paid us no mind.
His attention was elsewhere.
I turned my head.
There, standing on the road above the bodies of dead wolves, was Oxnard Matheson.
He dropped the wolf he’d been holding by the throat. It landed on the ground and did not rise.
Ox, eyes red and violet, took a step toward Livingstone.
Three wolves appeared at his side.
Kelly.
Joe.
Robbie.
Behind them stood more wolves, all their ears blinking with lights. Dozens of them. They gathered behind Ox, hackles raised.
Caswell.
Joe’s pack.
They’d come.
Livingstone roared at them. I grimaced as Gavin bent over me, covering my ears.
Ox cocked his head.
He said, “You were never going to win.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jessie pulling Rico out of the remains of the diner. Chris and Tanner moved quickly, joining them, helping Rico toward our Alphas. Rico was limping but otherwise appeared whole. Without looking away from Livingstone, Ox put his hand on Rico’s head, running a finger down his snout between his eyes.
And through us all, his voice was thunderous.
He said, be ready PackLoveBrothersSisters be ready to move move move the house we need to get to the house.
“End,” Livingstone said, his voice deep and harsh. “You will end.”
“Come, then,” Ox said.
Livingstone leapt toward him.
And crashed into a barrier of wild magic.
Gordo Livingstone stepped from the shadows of an alley, eyes narrowed, tattoos alight and vibrant. Aileen and Patrice were with him, their hands raised. Mark stood next to Gordo, his tail curling around Gordo’s waist, eyes orange as he growled at Livingstone.
The beast crashed back to the ground. He rose just as quick. He bashed against the barrier again and again, the bones in his face breaking and reforming, breaking and reforming. Gavin pulled me away from Livingstone, his hands under my arms and gripping my biceps. My mother backed away from Livingstone slowly.
While keeping his hand pointed toward his father, Gordo lowered his other arm toward Mark, the stump preternaturally white. Mark bit down, spilling blood. Gordo grunted as Mark let go. He flung his stump toward Livingstone, blood spraying out onto the barrier, which crackled as it lit up.
But it wasn’t enough.
I could see the moment they realized.
Aileen paled.
Patrice’s eyes widened.
Gordo said, “Oh god no.”
Livingstone broke through the barrier, the magic breaking apart with an electrical snap. He took a step forward, the pavement cracking beneath his feet.
“Hey!” Will shouted.
Livingstone jerked his head toward the man standing on the roof.
Will had a knife in his hand. He wielded it deftly, flipping it until he caught it by the tip of the silver blade. He brought his arm back and hurled it toward Livingstone, the knife flipping end over end.
Livingstone moved, but not quickly enough.
The knife struck Livingstone, sinking to the hilt in his empty eye socket.
The beast roared.
“Fucking shape-shifters,” Will said, and he was smiling, he was smiling like he knew what was coming. I screamed for him as he held his arms away from him like wings. He said, “You don’t fuck with our town, you hear me? You don’t fuck with our—”
Livingstone was on him before we could stop him.
Will didn’t scream, didn’t even make a sound as Livingstone sank his claws into his chest. There was a horrible sound, wet and thick. Hillary shouted for Will, but it was too late. A bubble of blood burst from Will’s mouth. He blinked slowly as the beast pulled his arm back, his claws covered in gore.
Will said, “I mattered. I mattered. I… I….”
He fell to his knees just as Hillary caught him. She was saying his name over and over, but I heard his heart above all the din and noise. It stuttered in his chest.
And then it stopped.
“No!” I shouted, struggling against Gavin, needing to get to my friend, needing to help him, needing to save—
“Stop,” Gavin whispered harshly in my ear. “Stop. It’s too late. We can’t help him. Carter. Carter.”
I was angry.
So fucking angry.
I shoved Gavin away.
I rose to my feet.
I was moving even before I thought about it.
I shifted, clothes tearing as I launched myself toward Livingstone.
I
am
death
i am
destroyer
i am
wolf
i am wolf wolf wolf
kill him kill him kill him
fucking bastard
fucking asshole
kill you i will
kill you spill your blood spill it onto the ground
tear off your goddamn head
i am going to tear you
apart
and i bite
bite
bite
and i
Livingstone reached over his shoulder onto his back. He grabbed me and hurled me toward Ox. I crashed into him, my shift breaking as I landed on top of him.
Joe and Kelly were already pulling me up, trying to stop me from going after Livingstone again. “Don’t,” Kelly panted in my ear. “We need to get him out of town. Away from the people. Patrice and Aileen will stay with the wolves here and keep the people safe, but we have to finish this. Do you hear me? We have to finish this.”
Ox pushed himself up off the ground, claws dragging against the pavement. His fury rolled through us, a fire that only grew larger. He pulled himself to his full height, and we
We were
We were standing
WE WERE STANDING IN THE CLEARING.
/> All of us. Our pack.
Ox was before us.
He smiled.
Behind him were doors, so many doors, an infinite number of doors. They stretched on as far as I could see. Some were wood. Some were metal. Some were glass. They all shook and shuddered in their frames, the vibrations reverberating through the ground.
Ox said, “My daddy told me I was slow. So slow, in fact, that I was gonna get shit all my life. I believed him. For a long time, his voice was the only voice I heard. Oh, I loved him because he was my father. What else could I have done? He was the only one I had. And when I stood in the kitchen, seeing his suitcase by the door, I was confused.”
Wolves moved around us in the trees, between the doors. They were faint and blurry, but I saw the flash of orange and red and violet in their eyes. One of the wolves howled, and in its song came a voice I hadn’t heard since I was a cub. It said my sons my grandchildren my loves my pack you are strong you are stronger than you know we are here and we will be with you until the end end end.
Abel Bennett’s howl echoed throughout the doors and trees.
The other wolves began to sing.
It was a symphony.
Ox said, “We were alone, my mother and me. And I told myself it was enough. I told myself that it was all we needed. She had me. I was going to protect her from the teeth of the world. I thought….” He tilted his head back toward the sky. The light of the full moon bathed his face. “I thought we didn’t need anyone else. Because having someone meant letting them in. And if we let them in, they could find our secret hearts. They could use it against us. Hurt us. It was easier to be alone than to be hurt again.”
The symphony rose.
Ox said, “But you found me. All of you. You found me and made me realize just how wrong I was. There was this… light. In each of you. It burned so bright, and it was like staring into the sun. There was a tornado of fingers and words and I was cracked open, everything I’d kept hidden away spilling forth. I was helpless against it. I knew, I think. Somewhere deep inside. I knew what you were. You sang to me, and I felt it in my bones. All that I am, all that I’ve become, is because of you. I’ve never forgotten that. What you gave me.” He closed his eyes. “Hope. You gave me hope.”
The wolves in the trees sang louder and louder.
