Blue Moon

by Angela Colsin

  With it came the sense that they weren't alone.

  He looked over at the window as another flash of lightning faded away, leaving a dim glow filtering into the room just as Ashley pointed out, “The streetlights are still on.”

  “It's not the station,” Cade returned.

  Someone turned the house's power off to purposefully pitch them into darkness. Isaac? Has to be.

  With the thought, he heard his phone ringing where he'd settled it on the dresser earlier. Grabbing it, he answered and heard Mike on the other end, relaying some important news that left Cade's mood murderous.

  “I'm heading out there now.”

  “What's going on?” Ashley asked as he hung up.

  Cade's voice was harsh as he replied, “That was Mike. He said Isaac appeared, locked them out of the room, and freed Paul. They overheard him mentioning going to Braddock's Field where Paul's wolves are waiting.”

  He wasted no time, grabbing Ashley's hand as he headed to the door, adding, “This is what Aislinn was talking about.”

  “What do we do?”

  A sense of urgency to get out of the house was growing stronger in the pit of Cade's stomach as he made his way downstairs, answering, “The pack's heading up to the field now, so I have to go confront them.”

  “I'm going with you,” Ashley retorted stubbornly, and Cade decided not to argue. Getting to his truck was the main concern in that moment.

  Reaching the bottom landing in the living room, he made it to the front door, but came to an abrupt stop as he picked up a specific scent. Before Cade could react, he also sensed movement behind him, only a few feet away.

  “If I were you,” Isaac started, “I wouldn't go so fast without—”

  Cade turned and swung at the demon without letting him finish, hoping to get the upper hand, otherwise his opponent would be too much to handle.

  Sadly, his fist was caught before it could meet its target. Cade glared through the darkness at a pair of glowing amber eyes just as lightning struck, illuminating Isaac's unimpressed face while he clutched Cade's fist.

  “Really?” Isaac asked plainly. “We're just going at it? No foreplay? Lube?”

  Cade growled, wasting no time in launching his opposite fist.

  Isaac let go and stepped back, then sidestepped another swing with little effort, letting Cade know he was being toyed with—which only pissed him off even more.

  So when the demon ended up to his left, he turned and barreled toward Isaac shoulder first, ramming into and knocking him backwards. They both landed on the coffee table, breaking it beneath their combined weight.

  Sitting back quickly, Cade landed a blow against his enemy's cheek, but missed a second hit when he was caught in the jaw. The force behind Isaac's fist was enough to send his head flying to the side, causing him to lose sight of his opponent long enough to allow Isaac to teleport, burning away from sight.

  Before Cade could even attempt to determine his location, a boot hit his back from above, forcing him down onto the floor completely. The strength was too much to fight against, not that he could when Isaac grabbed one of his arms to jerk up at a twisted angle.

  “Stop!” Ashley shouted. “Just tell us what you want!”

  Cade couldn't see Ashley from where he lay beneath the boot of his enemy, eyes glowing with ire. But he tried to tell her to run just when Isaac said, “I want you to come here, or I'll demonstrate how to break an arm in three places with one move.”

  Snarling, Cade yelled, “Get outta here, Ashley!”

  As if he hadn't spoken, Isaac added, “There's a party being held that I think you'll both be interested in attending.”

  “Ashley, go!”

  While Cade could always change, he didn't want to risk Ashley's life, knowing Isaac would quickly retaliate by harming her before he could even complete the transformation. So he waited for Isaac to break his arm, wanted it to happen so he'd know she'd listened. His rage was such that he'd fight through anything, even a mangled limb.

  But that crack of bone—or three—never came, only the words, “Now let's get this shit over with.”

  “No!” Cade bellowed, but it was too late. He felt his weight growing light, the sight of his darkened living room burning away and another, more hostile scene came into view.

  Cade easily recognized the new area—Braddock's Field—and as he craned his head, he noticed that they were surrounded by nine wolves, snarling in eagerness to attack.

  “What in hell took ya so damned long, Demon?”

  The drawl was familiar. Paul.

  Cade's arm was released and the boot lifted from his back. He pushed himself over and got up as Ashley grabbed his side. Holding her close, he looked to see the ragged Alpha standing several feet beyond the ring of angry wolves not too far from where Henry died the previous year.

  They were within the shroud of a few trees nearby however, not completely out in the open.

  “He was resistant,” Isaac shrugged in response to Paul's question. “But I've completed my end of the bargain. So give me the curse box.”

  “The curse box? I should've fucking known!” Cade snarled at Isaac. “You and Ulric set this up!”

  “Actually, Ulric doesn't know about this, he's already gone for the same reasons I told you,” Isaac replied casually.

  The words were telling.

  But Paul called out before more could be asked, “Take a look at me, asshole, ya really think I got it on me now? It's in a safe back home, 'n yer free ta collect as soon as I get back.”

  Isaac's lips curled into an amused half smile. “Fair enough. I'll just step out of the way so you mutts can wrap up your business.”

  “Whatever,” Paul muttered, turning his attention back to Cade and Ashley as Isaac stepped out of range.

  The wolves around them continued snarling, and one only had a single working eye.

  Johnny.

  They were definitely outnumbered, but Cade wasn't so sure he was right about Isaac being an enemy any longer. After all, Ulric hadn't found the curse box in Burston, and Hunter's Moon was already there—but this group of wolves wouldn't know about that.

  Isaac did. At least, the curse box part anyway.

  So was he setting up Paul's wolves? For what? And more importantly, why?

  Cade had more pressing concerns than figuring out Isaac's motives however, like the snarling wolves surrounding them.

  He kept Ashley close, realizing that her eyes were glowing on the cusp of change. But considering the situation, changing was the best chance they both had for survival until their pack arrived.

  That was, unless Cade could provoke Paul into fighting him alone, which would buy them some much needed time.

  Chapter 38

  Ashley could feel her primal nature rising in the face of danger, unsure whether she should even try to hold on as Cade began taunting Paul to fight him, and she'd never heard him sound so cold—lethal.

  “So now what, you gonna hide behind your wolves like a bitch? Why don't you drag your sorry ass over here and try to take me down yourself?”

  Paul had a smile on his face that she'd love to wipe off. “Ya know, Hodgins, I wouldn't mind takin' ya down myself just fer bein' a pain in my ass. But the way I figure, it'd be a bigger pain after ya kept me locked up fer three days with a fuckin' silver blade in my leg.”

  “Should I tie a hand behind my back?” Cade sneered unsympathetically.

  “Naw, I got a better idea.”

  Without any type of signal given, Johnny lunged for Ashley.

  Before she could react, Cade pulled her out of the way, then turned to slam a leg into the wolf's side when another grabbed the ankle of his jeans and pulled.

  Cade lost his balance. Ashley tried to grab him, but a heavy weight landed against her back, pushing her away. Her cheek smacked the rocky dirt, blood seeping forth as Johnny stood over her, digging his claws through her shirt and into her skin.

  Ashley could hear Paul laughing, and the sound ne
arly ripped her control to shreds. Yet, before she lost it, something unexpected happened.

  Cade was ignoring the other wolves jumping him, even as one bit into his left arm and another tore its claws through his chest. He was too busy trying to help Ashley, ramming his right fist into the side of Johnny's head while bellowing, “Get the fuck off her!”

  That's when a loud, ear piercing screech encompassed the area.

  Ashley jolted in response to it, covering her ears as the wolves surrounding them began to rear back. It wasn't so intense as to be painful, but their enemies reacted as if in agony.

  One by one, they began changing into humans again, crouched over in the grass while cradling their heads. To Ashley though, it was more like nails across a chalkboard—extremely jarring but not excruciating.

  The sound drew out until every wolf there was a human once more, and then finally stopped. Blissful silence ensued along with several pained groans while they attempted to locate the source. But only a few moments passed before the sound began again.

  All of their enemies grunted, and that was when Ashley saw Isaac nearby with a whistle in his mouth. Banshee Whistle?

  The revelation was surprising, but there was no time to consider why he was intervening with the mystical item. She was more concerned about Cade, rage scalding her like a brand when she noticed that his left arm was bleeding and his chest was lacerated.

  She also realized that everyone was distracted by the sound. Now's my chance.

  Ashley didn't try to control herself, her primal nature roaring to life. She stiffened, form changing shape with one thought in mind.

  No mercy.

  Now Cade knew for certain that he'd been wrong about Isaac.

  The demon used his whistle to intervene, forcing their enemies back into humans as the sound would've been much more painful to endure as wolves. By the time the second wave stopped, some of them had blood dribbling from their ears, and even Paul was laid out in the grass.

  Isaac was grinning over it.

  At the same time, with the whistle no longer being blown, Cade could hear howling in the near distance, signaling that his pack was coming, and thankfully, they were close.

  But Ashley lost control. It was likely she couldn't handle everything going on, or maybe it was the sight of Cade with his arm bleeding and chest gashed open by claws that set her off. But whatever the cause, she changed, and his wolf wasted no time in turning on the closest lupine—Johnny.

  Their enemy hadn't recovered yet when Ashley jumped him, sinking her claws into his skin with a feral snarl. She snapped her maul upward, getting a good shot at his neck, blood spurting as her fangs tore into flesh.

  Johnny let a choked yell that turned into a gurgle after Ashley jerked her head and ripped a chunk of his throat out, leaving the skin and tendon dangling as she continued rending his body with her claws.

  He grasped her to push back, but she only latched onto his throat again, tearing away viciously.

  Cade watched with satisfaction—there's one bastard down—and noticed Isaac still standing several feet away, clapping slowly and nodding his approval.

  It was still uncertain why the demon was helping them, but he didn't have the time to ask when shuffling sounded, getting louder until nearly twenty wolves from his pack came rushing onto the scene from the woods encompassing them.

  They surrounded the remaining lupines, keeping them in check as Ashley finished Johnny off, who was lifeless when she stepped back from the body, snarling as if daring him to get back up.

  But Cade was more concerned with Johnny's accomplice now that his pack had arrived. Paul was no longer laying in the grass, and he scanned the woods to locate him. The rain was coming down hard now, making it a little more difficult to see, but he finally caught a glimpse of the bastard in the trees, trying to sneak away without anyone's notice.

  No way in hell.

  Cade wasted no time, taking off in the same direction.

  If Paul's leg wasn't injured, there may have been a better chance for him to escape. The wound impeded his speed however, as well as his ability to change into a wolf due to the silver poisoning. But Cade didn't need to change to beat Paul's ass.

  He moved swiftly and caught up as a human, tackling his enemy to the ground with an enraged bellow. The lupine fell forward, but he wasn't down completely, retaliating by throwing his head back to slam into Cade's face. The flesh of his inner lip was broken by one of his teeth in result, blood trailing down his chin as he stumbled back.

  Paul took his chance, sending his good leg into Cade's chest.

  The air left his lungs when the blow landed in the center of his sternum. Cade latched onto his ankle in order to steady himself, catching his breath while Paul tried to tug his leg back.

  But Cade held tight, growling as he worked his way to his feet in a crouch. The vivid memory of Henry's death fueled his anger, lending him strength which he used to push back on his legs, lifting the bastard and slinging him around through the air.

  Paul ended up slamming into the trunk of a tree behind them just as Cade let go. His body crumpled to the ground unconscious, rolling onto his back with blood streaming from his newly broken nose.

  Cade was ready to finish this once and for all, when an anguished yell caught his attention. Looking back in the distance to make sure his wolves were okay, he saw Isaac holding an arm he'd just torn from a lupine who'd tried to escape, followed by swinging the appendage around to catch another in the face with the bloody stump, yelling, “Sit, bitch!”

  Mike and Hobbs followed up, surrounding the two as Isaac carelessly tossed the severed limb away. The rest of their enemies were surrounded by Cade's pack, unable to move without being snapped at.

  Ashley was nowhere in sight.

  Cade scanned the area for her, locating nothing, though he did notice his twin brothers heading his way just as his instincts told him to turn around. He listened in time to see Paul standing again, his arms lifted with a heavy, jagged rock in his hands which he was bringing down to crack Cade's skull wide open.

  But Ashley was already behind their enemy, a human once more, wielding a thick tree branch that she swung hard enough to break in half against Paul's upper arm. He stumbled from the blow, his aim knocked off right at the last minute. The rock ended up falling from his grasp and landing harmlessly next to Cade.

  In response, Paul growled and tried to grab Ashley, managing to snag her wrist just as Cade slammed his fist into the bastard's cheek.

  The blow knocked him back over, and Cade pulled Ashley away, stepping back while Paul groaned and fought to sit up, cussing them both. But his expression suddenly turned into one that clearly said oh shit when he saw Caleb and Conner coming—just as the wolves lunged for him.

  Paul snarled a shout of anguish when the two silver canines tore into him, viciously rending his flesh with their fangs and claws.

  Ashley leaned against Cade, watching his brothers getting their retribution without any mercy given. Paul futilely flailed against them, but like Johnny, he couldn't make a sound when his throat was ripped open.

  Relief and satisfaction swept over Cade, his struggle to bring justice to his father's name coming to an end before his eyes. He could move on now, get a fresh start, and most importantly, begin his life with Ashley without distraction.

  As he had the thought, she mentioned, “It's about fucking time.”

  “You're telling me,” Cade retorted, latching his arms more tightly around her.

  That's when they heard someone calling, “Cade! You okay?”

  Cade looked back, surprised to see his Uncle Travis there with a number of lupines that didn't belong to his pack—Hunter's Moon had arrived to take care of the renegades. He briefly wondered how they knew where to go, but guessed they'd heard Isaac's whistle being blown, and at the thought, Cade noticed that the demon was nowhere to be found.

  “We're fine, Travis,” he called, deciding to question where Isaac went later. I've had enough of
tracking that asshole.

  “That's your uncle?” Ashley inquired, slipping away.

  Cade knew she was looking for a place to hide due to her nudity, replying, “Yeah, you want me to grab your clothes?”

  “Please,” she requested, turning around to disappear into the bushes.

  He grinned, then looked back at the twins, who were just getting finished with Paul. The body was now a gruesome, bloody mess laying in the mud—a fitting sight as far as Cade was concerned—and he couldn't help thinking one thing.

  Finally got justice for you, Dad.

  Chapter 39

  Ashley redressed with Cade's help before they inspected each others' injuries. The bite wound on his arm was the most severe between them, but thankfully, it wasn't deep enough to require stitches instead of just a bandage.

  She was grateful for that, still trying to let the fact that it was all over with sink in. Paul was dead—not to mention Johnny—and his wolves were being taken in, unable to cause her or Cade anymore trouble. But somehow, it just wouldn't stick.

  Maybe after going home and cleaning up, everything would finally hit her.

  Once they were done, she met Travis, who resembled an older version of Cade with a thick beard on his jaw and silver running through his dark hair. He kindly greeted her, then offered them a ride home, which they gladly accepted.

  While walking to his truck, she noticed that Hunter's Moon had already gotten the renegade wolves out of the area, and asked on the way home how they'd been transported. Travis explained that the Order used a mystical item called a spire shard to teleport everyone to Atlanta where their fates would be decided.

  Ashley wasn't entirely sure what a spire shard was, but decided to adopt Cade's habit and label it mystical stuff. After the events of the evening, it was easier to take on faith that the item worked rather than question it.

  Besides, she was more curious to know why Isaac helped them, or if they'd ever even see him again, but supposed things would probably remain a mystery on that end.

  At least, until they got home and found the demon sitting on the front porch waiting.