Chapter 34

Chapter 34

I dug my claws into the dirt, following Kora’s path. So far, her scent was leading me to Jessop Town. There was a stash of clothes and supplies there, I knew. Since I’d shifted and had simply run after her without taking a pack, it seemed I’d be using our little depot as well.

It was impossible to know for sure, though, so periodically, I had to stop and sniff the ground and air before catching her scent again. She was a wily one, my Kora, and didn’t want to be followed. Too bad for her.

At one particular stop by the river, I heard something bounding up behind me. I spun around and raised my hackles, snarling low in my chest.

The wolf halted immediately and bowed his brown head.

I sighed and sat down on my haunches. It was Eddie.

‘What?’ I asked over the mind-link in a cl*pped tone.

‘Alpha, the Shadowmoon Pack is invading Fullbright territory. Not just nipping the edges. Full on invading, Eddie said. ‘We need you back at the castle to sort out a battle plan.’

F*CK. I growled, beginning to pace. “They’re invading NOW?! Why did it have to be NOW?!

‘I don’t know, Alpha,’ Eddie replied. ‘I’m sorry, I know Kora means a lot to you.

‘Means a… Kora is EVERYTHING to me!’ I snapped, my heart throbbing with the truth in my chest. ‘Everything! There is no me without her!’

Eddie sat back and sighed. “That makes things problematic.

‘No sh*t. I paced some more.

‘Alpha… Eddie finally said after a long silence. ‘You will have to decide.”

I stopped. Yes, I would have to decide.

Kora… or Fullbright?

Except for Alpha Lyle, the soldiers guarding me were real idiots. They drank heavily, talked loudly, and played dice with their backs to me.

I couldn’t blame them. The smell of blood and fear in this place was pretty strong.

“Did you feed him?” one of the mo rons asked another.

“Today?” the other slurred back.

The first mo ron slapped the second upside the back of the head, causing the

second to weave and spill his drink.

“Awww, justin, that’s wasting good moonshine!” the second complained.

“Mark, you need to feed him. That’s your job.” Justin said.

Mark put his hands on his hips. “Since when?”

“Since always. We voted,” Justin replied.

“I wasn’t here for any vote!” Mark protested.

Justin grinned. “That’s why we picked you.”

“See here now.” Mark said. I’m sure he was trying to point at Justin, but his finger

stabbed the air somewhere to the left of Justin’s shoulder. “You can’t go voting when I’m not here!”

“Seems we can. Now, go give that a shole his slop.” Justin ordered.

Mark puffed up. “You ain’t the boss of me.”

Justin also puffed up. Bigger. “What did you say to me?”

“I said you ain’t the boss of me!” Mark replied.

Mark was pretty short on brains, I decided.

“Aw, come on, you two. Let’s just play dice,” my third guard said.

“Someone has to feed him,” Justin grunted. “And I decided it was gonna be Mark. So you’d better feed him, you dumb b*stard, or I’m gonna rip your arm off and

you to death with it.”

beat

“I’ll f*cking feed him,” the third guard grumbled. “You two work it out.” He picked up a bowl and slopped my food into it.

Food was a strong word.

“So, what’s it gonna be, then?” Justin asked, a growl rumbling out of his throat as he stared Mark down. “You really want to throw down with me?”

Mark kicked the dice aside and stepped up so he was nose-to-nose with Justin. “I do.”

The two shifted and began to go at each other.

“Aw, man!” the third guard complained, tossing my bowl down next to me, most of the ‘food’ slopping out, and going to break up the fight.

He ended up getting slammed into the wall for his trouble.

I scooted closer to the third guard while Justin and Mark fought, two big balls of fur tearing at each other. Though it stung my fingers, I tugged the key to my cuffs out of the third guard’s pocket.

The other two werent paying a bit of attention, too focused on their own scuffle. Careful not to make any noise. I eased my cuffs off onto the floor.

Then, just as the third guard was coming around. I shifted and bolted out of the torture hellhole that had been my home for the last few days.

Mark and Justin didn’t even look up as I pounded past.

“You st upid b’stards! Go after him!” I heard the third guard call behind me.

But it was too late. I’d already made it to the woods.

I weaved between trees and jumped from stone to stone when I could, doubling back a few times and crossing water every time I found it. I couldn’t be sure how long it would throw them off. but I figured the three mo rons would have a hard ume finding me.

If they were as st upid as I thought they were, and that was QUITE stu pid, they’d be too scared of their own mistake to go get Alpha Lyle. Him. I was pretty sure I couldn’t outrun. But these three?

Piece of cake.

I did not, however, expect Alpha Lyle to be far behind me for long, and I didn’t want to do anything predictable. I rejected the idea of traveling to Caswald and instead pressed on through the woods just outside the neutral borderlands.

Jessop Town. That would be my destination. From there, I could access one of our most well-stocked caches and make my way back to Fullbright territory.

My loose-l*pped guards, as well as a posturing Alpha Lyle, had given me a pretty good idea of their next moves.

Shadowmoon was attacking Fullbright.

And I had information that would be invaluable to Alpha Hale.

I ran into the night and then heard the howls.

Alpha Lyle had found my trail.

The time for bobbing and dodging was over. Now was the time for a full-out run.

My claws ripped the ground beneath me, and I picked up speed.

There was another howl, closer this time.

I panted. I wasn’t going to make it. I wasn’t going to make it into Fullbright territory in time. I wouldn’t be close enough to utilize the mind-link for help in time.

Still, I pressed on. What else was there to do?

As I leaped across a wide stream, I heard another set of paws hit the ground next

to me. I turned.

The other wolf was massive, but it wasn’t Lyle. I could smell it.

It bared its teeth and snarled.

This had to be Lyle’s Beta.

There was no use for it. I was going to turn and fight. And I already knew I was woefully outmatched.

I dug my paws into the earth and gave my own snarl.

The Beta launched himself at me, and I at him.

But then, I was knocked out of the way.

I shook myself, just to see a shadow pass over me in the moonlight.