Falling Leaves

Jodie

Moonlight filtered through the twisted, bare branches, casting a soft glow on the forest floor.

The sound of dead leaves crunching under our paws echoed through the quiet as my brother Brandon and I weaved our way through fallen trees, thick brush, and scattered rocks.

A cool autumn breeze ruffled my fur, sending a shiver down my spine.

Every rustle, every chirp, every bird call heightened my anxiety.

I wasn’t usually one to roam the woods at such a late hour.

Even for a werewolf, it was past bedtime.

It was that strange time of morning when the world was still deciding whether it was night or day.

The darkness felt endless, like it could swallow us whole.

But having my big brother by my side made it bearable.

Brandon was fearless.

Growing up, I never saw him back down from anything, whether it was man, beast, or anything in between.

He was the only person—or wolf—I knew who could keep his cool while running for his life through the dark woods.

But his bravery was a double-edged sword—it was the reason he was on the run.

Werewolves had always believed it was against nature to mate with humans.

It was seen as a threat to our existence to let those without our magic into our lives.

If a werewolf wanted to be with a human, they had to turn them.

While this was frowned upon, it was becoming more common.

But Brandon broke the rules.

He fell in love with a human, fathered her child, and left his pack to join mine, Vulpes.

In our rocky fortress, he, his wife Jeanette, and their daughter could live free from the old-fashioned laws of the other packs.

They could start fresh in a society that welcomed werewolves and humans alike, where everyone could share their knowledge, experiences, and abilities.

Brandon’s steel-blue eyes shone with hope as we navigated through the darkness.

He nudged me with his snout, pointing towards a quiet creek a few yards away.

Through our mindlink, he told me: ~We’ll walk in the creek to cover our tracks.~

~Good plan. We should reach the cottage in about half an hour.~

~Are you sure Vulpes has the place well-guarded? If any pack spies are following us, we don’t stand a—~

~Everything’s under control, brother. No one from your—or any other—pack will get near Jeanette and Quinn.~

Brandon let out a sigh of relief as we stepped into the cold water.

~Do you really think this will work, Jodie? I’m worried this route is too close to their territory.~

~Trust me, brother. This is the only route that’s close enough to Vulpes’ territory for you to escape.~

His worried expression turned into a smirk.

~I bet you’ve never seen your brother scared like a rabbit before, huh?~

I smiled back at him.

~Even with the jitters, you’re still the bravest wolf I know. Jeanette and Quinn are lucky to have you.~

He paused, looking at me with love in his eyes.

~I haven’t had a chance to thank you properly. Without you, none of this would be possible. I owe you more than I can ever repay.~

I nuzzled him gently with my snout.

~You’re going to be living with me now. I’m sure I’ll find a way for you to repay me.~

A little further down the creek, a faint glow of candlelight peeked through the trees. I nudged Brandon, pointing it out.

~Why are the candles on?~ he asked. ~Don’t they know they’re giving away their location?~

~The guards were told to keep all lights off. Something’s not right.~

Fear gripped him. He feared the worst.

Without a second thought, he sprinted towards the house, leaving me behind.

~Brandon! Wait! Stop!~

I called out to him, but he didn’t listen.

He leaped through the window like a wolf on the hunt.

I ran after him.

As I got closer, I saw Brandon fighting off a group of wolves.

Their coordinated attack told me they were trained members of his old pack.

I ran around to the front door, hoping to catch them off guard.

I burst through the door and came face to face with Alpha Galahad, the leader of Shadow Moon Pack.

He bared his teeth at me.

And then everything went black.

Quinn

My aunt Jodie’s face was wet with tears as she recounted the terrifying events of that night.

My heart felt heavy in my chest.

~Shadow Moon Pack? Could she mean…~

“What happened next?” I asked, not sure if I wanted to hear the answer.

Jodie sighed, “I woke up in the cottage, bruised and barely alive. Your mother was standing over me. Your father was gone. His old pack, Shadow Moon, had taken him.”

The room started to spin as the truth hit me.

“Your mother had taken you and hidden in the forest when the wolves arrived. They were waiting for your dad when he got there.”

I felt sick, like I might pass out from the shock.

~My father was killed by the pack I now lead as Luna? By the father of the man I call my mate? Did Jax know about this? How could life be so cruel?~

“Quinn, sweetheart! Are you okay?!” my aunt’s voice was filled with worry. “You’re as white as a sheet!”

I crumbled into her lap, tears streaming down my face.

She gently stroked my hair, trying her best to comfort me.

“I know this is hard, honey,” she whispered, “and I hate to be the one to tell you, especially now that you’re involved with Shadow Moon.”

Time seemed to stand still as I lay in my aunt’s lap, crying and grappling with this new reality.

The thought that my father had died protecting me from the very pack I had joined was unbearable.

What a brave wolf he must have been, willing to die for those he loved.

And what a noble cause he had fought for—the peaceful coexistence of werewolves and humans without the need for transformation.

I hadn’t been given a choice in the matter.

Even though I had grown to love my new life as a werewolf, I knew it wasn’t for everyone.

My mom, for instance, could never have handled it.

How many lives had been ruined because of this?

I had no idea that the rogues…that ~Vulpes~...were advocates for equal rights in human and werewolf relationships.

Jax had always portrayed them as mindlessly violent anarchists.

But maybe he was wrong about them.

I just hoped that I wasn’t wrong about him.

Jaxon

~“Quinn! Quinn! Where are you?” I shouted into the darkness, desperate to find my mate.~

~“Liar! Deceiver! Murderer!” A voice echoed back, familiar yet distorted.~

Why did I let us stay here? They’ve taken her. Her wicked aunt and my traitorous brother. They’ve got her!

~“Liar! Deceiver! Murderer!” The taunts grew louder as I stumbled blindly.~

I have to find her! I have to save her!

~“Liar! Deceiver! Murderer!” The voice was now a deafening roar, its tone becoming clearer...~

~It was Quinn’s voice!~

~“Quinn! Where are you? Answer me!” I yelled. But her voice just kept repeating the same words.~

~Who was this “Liar! Deceiver! Murderer!” she was calling out?~

~Her Aunt? Carl?~

~It couldn’t be me, could it?~

“Quinn!” I woke up with a start from the horrifying nightmare.

This wasn’t the first time I’d dreamt about Quinn.

I’ve had countless nightmares about Carl killing her while I could do nothing but watch.

But this dream was different. It felt like she was haunting me, accusing me of a crime I hadn’t committed.

~Really fucking strange.~

But I knew seeing Quinn sleeping peacefully next to me would soothe my racing heart.

It always did.

But when I turned, all I found was an empty space.

Panic surged through me.

~If any of these fucking rogues have laid a finger on her, I’ll slaughter them all!~

I jumped out of bed and dashed towards the door, wearing nothing but my boxers.

“Hold your horses, hotshot! What’s the rush?” a teasing voice echoed in the darkness.

I spun around, my fists clenched, ready for a fight.

There, perched on the window sill, was a curvaceous silhouette.

Two glowing eyes shone from within the shadowy figure.

Even in the darkness, I knew who it was.

~Katherine.~