Crashers

EVERETT

~What are they doing here?~

Nickolas and Victoria are standing in the middle of the dance floor as couples swirl around them. They look like a pair of rebellious kids who need detention.

If they’re here, Rory isn’t safe. No one is.

I grind my teeth. This was supposed to be a special night for Rory. I nearly messed it up by not coming. Their presence alone is enough to elicit tears on prom night.

~I swear, if they hurt anyone…~

Rory grips my arm tightly.

“Try to stay calm,” she says. “We don’t want to escalate things in front of anyone.”

“Tell them that.”

I should have worked harder to track them down.

How could I have been so stupid?

Of course they weren’t going to run and hide like a pair of scared puppies.

They want blood—Rory’s blood.

“Stay behind me,” I say, putting my arm in front of her.

“They can’t kill me,” she says.

“We don’t know that. Not for sure. Not after what happened with the rogues.”

Even if Rory does still have her abilities—and that’s a big ~if~—they can still hurt her. I won’t allow that to happen.

The music continues, and Rory’s classmates go on dancing as if nothing is happening.

The new arrivals are eliciting some strange glances, but no one has caught on that two murderous wolves have invaded prom.

I hope I can keep it that way.

With Rory safely behind me, I approach the demented duo. Victoria is twirling her hair innocently round her finger and chewing gum, while Nick is grinning like a psycho.

They look like they’re having fun.

~Well, it is a party.~

I just hope I can get them out without them causing a scene.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I say.

Nick scoffs. “Neither should you, Alpha.”

“Leave! Now!” I say, clenching my jaw so hard I think my molars might break. “Before anyone gets hurt.”

“Oh Everett, you aren’t going to take me for a twirl before you kick us out?” Victoria is pouting like a spoiled brat.

~“Kill her, kill her!”~ Chaos is barking in the back of my brain.

“Stay the hell away from my friends,” Rory says, stepping up to her old bully. My heart swells with pride, but we’re not out of the woods and I can’t protect her if she doesn’t stay behind me.

“We’re not interested in your little human pets,” Nick says.

“Then what do you want?” Rory asks.

“That’s the million-dollar question,” Nick replies.

“So let’s talk things over,” I say. “Outside.”

Nick and Victoria glance at each other then back at me. I elongate my fangs just enough to threaten them.

They both shrug.

“Fine,” Nick says.

I turn to Rory. She furrows her brow, but I stroke the side of her face to ease her worry.

“Wait here,” I say. “I’ll take care of this.”

“I should come with you.”

“No, stay here where it’s safe. You shouldn’t have to deal with this—not tonight.”

“How touching,” Victoria says, skipping past us and heading for the back door.

I kiss Rory’s forehead and squeeze her hands before following Nick outside.

The evening air is cool compared to the gym, and the school parking lot is quiet. The thumping bass from the prom echoes behind me.

When we’ve reached my truck, I stop, keeping my fangs at the ready and lengthening my claws.

“That’s far enough,” I say. Nick and Victoria turn to face me. “You two are going back to prison.”

“That’s no fun,” Victoria says. “I haven’t even had a chance to pour blood on your little luna.”

“And you haven’t heard us out, Alpha,” Nick sneers. “Don’t you want to know why we’re here?”

“I honestly couldn’t care less. Now get in the truck.”

“We thought we’d visit you at school because we want to teach you a lesson.”

I lift my claws threateningly. If they make one single move I’ll slit their throats where they stand.

“And what lesson is that?” I ask.

“Sometimes the call is coming from inside the house.”

An explosion tears through the parking lot and I spin around to see fire erupting from the gym.

Victoria bursts out laughing and starts jumping about like she’s won a prize. Nick remains still, the fire reflected in his black eyes.

“What have you done?!” I roar.

“Given the humans the prom night they deserve,” Nick says, ice-cold.

I turn back to the gym as another explosion erupts into the sky.

~AURORA!~

RORY

“Rory!” Freya yells, but I can hardly hear her over the screaming. The explosion tore a hole through the bleachers.

Now everyone is running and screaming, trying to escape.

Fire is spreading like mad around the room, scorching up the walls and engulfing the gym in flames. Streamers disintegrate and balloons pop with every lick of fire.

~They’ve literally destroyed the prom!~

Freya is gesturing at me frantically, trying to get me to join her, but I know Nickolas and Victoria are behind this. They were trying to get to me. And I can’t help feeling responsible for my classmates.

I need to help them escape.

Smoke, thick and suffocating, is making it hard to see. But I do my best to find people and direct them to the exits.

Another explosion erupts to my right, blasting a hole through the wall between the gym and the changing rooms. Lockers fly across the gymnasium, crashing and spilling out their contents.

More fuel for the fire.

“Rory, come on!” Freya yells again.

“Go!” I respond, nearly tripping on my dress. “I need to make sure everyone is out.”

I hear a snapping sound overhead and look up just in time to see the wire holding the gigantic disco ball break. Bethany is standing in the middle of the dance floor crying.

She’s about to be crushed!

Quick as lightning, I dash forward, tackling her like a pro football player. The disco ball crashes to the ground, missing us by a millimeter. It shatters into a million tiny, mirrored pieces.

“Are you okay?” I ask Bethany. She coughs and nods. “Let’s get you out of here!”

There’s so much smoke I don’t know which is the way out. I spin in circles trying to figure out where to go.

Finally, I catch a glimpse of a green exit sign and push Bethany in that direction.

We’re almost out when I hear another crash. I turn and my heart breaks.

“FREYA!”

My best friend is trapped under a fallen basketball hoop—pinned to the ground and not moving.

“NO!”

I race to her side. Her eyes are closed. She doesn’t look like she’s breathing but I don’t have time to check her vitals right now.

I need to get her outside before the fire gets us or we suffocate from the smoke.

I try to tug her free but it’s no use, my hands keep slipping out from under her shoulders.

She’s trapped.

“Help!” I scream. “EVERETT!”

EVERETT

I take a step, desperate to get back to Rory, when I feel the piercing-hot pain of fangs digging into my shoulder.

“Let me go!” I howl.

Victoria has landed on my back, so I spin around, trying to fling her off.

But Nick lunges at me as well.

I feel his claws dig into my stomach as the three of us topple to the ground. With all of my strength, I struggle to get free.

But both of them start tearing into me with their teeth and laying into me with their fists and claws.

~Please be okay, Rory, I’m coming!~

I elbow Nick in the face and he falls away. With my free arm, I manage to tear Victoria off—she takes a piece of my skin with her as she goes.

With a grunt, I get to my feet and begin running in the direction of the gym. I can almost make out Rory’s voice calling for me.

~Please be okay, my mate!~

~Please be okay!~

A sharp pain tears through my side, and I spin around to find Nickolas pointing a gun at me. Smoke rises from the barrel.

I glance at the wound. He’s a bad shot—he’s only managed to graze my ribs.

“What’s the matter, Alpha?” he taunts. “I thought Rory was immortal?”

I can only hope she’s retained her powers. Since we learned the charm had lifted from the rogues, I’ve been worried that Rory’s lost her abilities as well.

“I wonder what she’ll think when she comes back from the dead and finds her face has melted off.”

“You piece of sh—”

“Will you still want her for your mate then?”

“I don’t have time for this!”

Roaring, I leap at him one more time, swiping with my claws and knocking the gun from his hands.

I pin him to the ground, pulling his head back to expose his neck, and I’m about to tear his throat out when a wolf lands on my back.

~Victoria!~

She’s shifted. Her claws are digging into my skin, and her teeth are around my neck.

I roll off her boyfriend, but she doesn’t let go. As I struggle to get her off, Nick shifts as well.

Nick’s wolf form is huge. Saliva drips from his open jaws, his eyes are yellow and hungry.

Unable to throw Victoria off, all I can do is watch as Nick approaches, ready to tear my heart out.

He jumps, and as he lands, his fangs plunge into my flesh.

I cry out in pain as my blood stains the tarmac.

Swiping left and right with my claws, I try to counter, but they’re both on top of me now. I can’t make out who is who anymore.

Their combined weight is bearing down on me and I can’t get up.

Two sets of razor-sharp teeth dig into me and I can feel my energy waning.

My vision goes dark and all I can think about is Rory. I have failed to protect her. I should have tried harder.

The metallic scent of blood floods my senses—my blood.

Death is coming for me.

Is this how it all ends? With me failing spectacularly?

~Rory! I’m sorry…~