Rex reacted instantly, slamming on the gas and swerving into the center lane. We narrowly missed a maroon Buick, whose nasal-sounding horn blared down the highway. Before the vehicle could fully regain its balance, Sia lifted herself out of the minivan and onto the ledge of the window.
My heart stuttered as I heard the deafening sound of gunfire. Bullets peppered the dark-colored SUV beside us. They swerved to the right, but it seemed we weren’t the only ones with a bulletproof vehicle. The SUV veered right, trying to run us onto the shoulder.
“Fuck,” Sia snarled, tearing the visor off her head and chucking it out the window. “They’re boxing us in. If you don’t act fast, Rex, we’re screwed.”
When Rex’s grip on the steering wheel turned white-knuckled, I knew I wasn’t going to like what happened next. Rex lifted his head and eyed the four of us in the rearview mirror, his gaze lingering on me.
“Our orders are to get you to the drop at all costs,” he said firmly, locking eyes with me. While mine were wide with adrenaline, his were strong and resolute. Even though I hardly knew this man, there was a sense of honor that was concrete within him. It guided his thoughts, his life, the decisions he made, and the people he helped. I had no clue what Rex’s stake in all of this was, but I trusted him with my life.
I yelped as Rex turned the wheel all the way to the left, hurling us through the right lane of traffic and towards the metal guardrail that led into the forest below. Everything seemed to slow as we clipped the front of one car and tore through the guardrail like cheap ribbon. I felt the impact in my teeth and heard the crunch and scream of metal as it was torn to shreds. My stomach dropped at the sight of the hill we were about to roll down, dotted with thick trees.
I felt like a ragdoll as the minivan thundered over branches and stones, the suspension groaning from the off-road trip. Kieran kept the seatbelt from strangling me as I was thrown forward. Ethan helped keep Kat in place, who was pale-faced and wide-eyed in the back.
A tree trunk clipped us, sending us into a roll that made me miss our previous position. I felt something splash against my face and smelled the brief scent of water mixed with motor oil and blood. A tree finally stopped our descent, forcing the car to a stop. The horn of the minivan blared throughout the forest, loud and shrill.
Blood rushed to my head, and a mix of crimson and onyx danced behind my eyes. Jewels of shimmering color covered the world, moving as I blinked and groaned. I had never been in a car accident before, but the feeling of having my bones crushed was one I never wanted to repeat. The seatbelt dug into my shoulder and waist, glass inches from my fingertips, which hung above my head and grazed the roof of the van. The van itself was upside down, the roof crushed from our roll.
“I’m going to get you down, doll,” Ethan’s voice was a whisper, smoothing out my panic before it could take root. “Hold still; this isn’t going to feel very good.”
My entire body protested as I heard and felt the click of the seatbelt, followed by gravity claiming me. Ethan lessened the impact, but any sensation sent pain skittering along my skin and bones. Glass dug into my skin, but it was a mere afterthought with everything else going on. Half-blind with blood staining my eyes, I grabbed onto Ethan’s hand and crawled as he helped pull me from the minivan. Once I felt the wet dirt beneath my knees, I frantically wiped the blood from my eyes with a dry piece of my shirt.
The van was a crumpled husk, a tin can kicked too many times. Shimmering pieces of glass littered the ground, along with various scraps of metal. Ethan’s strong hands kept me from stumbling forward as Kieran and Kat crawled from the vehicle.
“Shit, we need to fucking go,” Rex grunted, spitting out a wad of blood as he hurried to the back of the minivan. The back window was shattered from the roll, making it easy for him to reach in and grab two backpacks filled to the brim. I went wide-eyed when he wrenched open a duffel bag full of various firearms and silver ammunition. Despite his usual jolly demeanor, it was comforting to know his intimidating looks weren’t just for show. He tossed one of the backpacks to Kieran and urged us to leave.
“Wait-” I stammered, stumbling to a halt when I saw the unconscious figure of Sia.
I hadn’t noticed her before, caught up in the adrenaline and pain. The seatbelt was the only thing keeping her from falling to the floor, but unlike the rest of us, she was unconscious. Blood streamed from a wound on her head.
“No, Sophia,” Rex snarled, using a firm but gentle hand to urge me forward. His intimidating presence was now evident. His grief and pain made my legs weak, but his unbreakable sense of honor let me know that Rex would complete this mission, no matter what he had to leave behind. “Her legs are pinned; one is broken. She understands the cost.”
I had a split second to decide what to do. There was no time for thought, so I acted.
“Don’t make me grab you, kid,” Rex warned, his eyes narrowing.
“Don’t fucking think about it,” Kieran snarled, and I took that as my chance to bolt.
I dug my feet into the earth and turned on my heel. Rex hadn’t expected me to run back to Sia, but the twins did-they saw the decision in my eyes. I half-expected them to drag me back and fling me over their shoulder as we escaped, leaving Sia behind.
Instead, they ran ahead. Kieran to the back of the van, and Ethan to the passenger side. He kicked and tore at the door, finally getting it off after the scream of metal filled the air. Rex cursed, smearing blood on his face, and ran to the twins’ side.
“You two, grab a gun,” Rex snarled at Kat and me, kicking us into action. He shouted towards Ethan and Kieran, “There should be a crowbar somewhere in there.”
Every move sent agony through my bones and ribcage. I had definitely broken a rib or two, perhaps even my collarbone. I could feel myself slowly knitting back together. Each thread of bone was like a stinging pain beneath the skin, carefully making me whole again.
Kat and I stumbled to the back of the overturned minivan. Rex thrust identical handguns into our arms and quickly pointed to the most important parts.
“Turn the safety off. Aim, shoot. And don’t hesitate,” he instructed, his words fast and charged with the weight of impending violence. “They won’t send all they have yet; it takes time to travel. The ones following us will find us before we can get Sia out. Just so you know, kid, anything happens to you, and it’s my skin on the line.”
“They wouldn’t have killed her, would they?” I asked, rather than give in to the guilt bubbling in my stomach.
From the heaviness in Rex’s eyes, he knew what I was implying. No, Maverick’s men wouldn’t have killed Sia, not with how close she was to me. They would wring her for information, and only when she was no longer of use would they dispose of her.
Rex and Sia weren’t mates, but there was a deep bond between them. They were partners, friends in every sense. They saw each other in their entirety and embraced the darkness within.
“No,” Rex said after a few seconds. “They would not kill her.”
Behind the sound of Ethan and Kieran working to free Sia, there was something else in the background. I strained my ears to listen, but the pain behind my eyes made it hard to focus. I naturally looked towards Rex, who was fixated on a part of the forest behind me.
“DROP!” The word was thrown from his mouth with deadly accuracy. The twins had told me about an Alpha command weeks ago. Though I knew its power wouldn’t work on me, I registered the urgency behind his tone.
A deafening blast rang out, followed by a second, as a snarl ripped past my ear. Two dull thuds sounded, followed by the slumping of two wolves.
“You’re an Alpha?” I gaped up at him, trying not to look at the dead werewolf only a foot away.
“You shouldn’t have gone back for her, Sophia,” Rex shook his head, ignoring my question, his bushy eyebrows knitted together. “You are more important than the rest of us.”
“No, it’s the change we’re fighting for that matters,” I insisted, shaking my head to dispel Rex’s assertion. “Thinking that one person’s life is more important than another’s is what allows men like Maverick to sleep soundly at night.”
Rex was silent for a moment, then extended a hand. “You might be right, but your powers falling into enemy hands would be catastrophic.” Once I was on my feet, he added, “We can’t afford that.”
Another shot echoed through the forest. I turned, eyes wide, to see Kat nudging a dead wolf with her foot.
“What?” she said with a shrug. “Dad might be a doctor, but he has hobbies too. Plus, I have great aim.”
“Good, keep that up,” Rex grunted. “I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”
I clutched the gun in my hands, the cool metal warming to my touch. I hadn’t used it yet and hoped I wouldn’t have to. With Sia on Ethan’s shoulders, we trekked through the forest. I noticed Rex holding his hands palms up as we walked.
“What are you doing?” I asked, eyeing his hands.
“Covering our scents,” he said, glancing down at me. “Magic, I suppose.”
“You’re a white wolf?” I asked, my surprise evident.
Rex nodded curtly. “One of many in my family.”
Hours passed, each one filled with anxiety. Every sound seemed like a threat. Fatigue settled in my bones as the sun dipped behind the trees.
“I found a cave system over here,” Rex said, pushing aside some hanging plants. He glanced at Sia, concern flickering across his face. “We need to set her leg if it’s going to heal properly. You four go in. I’ll scatter our scents to buy us a few hours.”
“I can set her leg,” Kat said. “Dad’s a doctor. You got a first aid kit?”
“Back compartment,” Rex said, handing her a bag. “Thanks.”
The cave was damp and partially hidden by a wall of moss and vine. Ethan explored it with a flashlight, looking for another exit. I knelt beside Kat and Sia while Ethan searched.
That night, I sat between the twins, feeling the chill settle in my bones. We weren’t staying long, just until Sia woke up. I traced patterns on Ethan’s arm as he snored softly. Kieran had trouble sleeping, just as I did.
‘What are you thinking about?’ I asked Kieran through our bond.
Kieran chuckled softly. ‘Honestly? I’m thinking about what life will be like once Maverick is dead.’
‘I regret not killing him during our first meeting,’ I admitted. ‘How horrible is that?’
‘It’s not horrible at all,’ Kieran replied. ‘As a Luna, it’s in your nature to protect your people. If you had killed Maverick then, it would’ve confirmed the negative rumors about you. That you’re an uncontrollable monster.’
‘I guess you’re right,’ I said, placing my head on his shoulder.
At some point, I dozed off. When I woke, I felt anticipation, excitement, and fear playing at the edges of my mind. I carefully extricated myself from the twins and headed toward the cave entrance, driven by the emotions.
Just as I was about to step out, a hand wrapped around my wrist. I was spun around into Ethan’s embrace, his eyes serious.
‘I feel emotions nearby,’ I told him. ‘I want to see who they’re coming from.’
‘And you planned to go alone?’ he asked, eyebrow raised.
‘Well-‘
‘Next time, wake one of us up,’ he commanded. ‘We’ll talk about you sneaking off later.’
Rex woke up, followed by Kieran and the others. Sia was the last to wake, groaning as she touched the swelling on her head. Despite her injuries, she couldn’t put weight on her leg.
“I feel emotions coming from somewhere,” I explained to Rex, omitting my earlier lapse in judgment. “There are at least four or five, but they keep fading in and out. It’s hard to get a read on them.”
With Sia awake, we moved again. The cool night air was a relief as we walked. Rex caught the faint scent of Maverick’s men setting up camp. We planned to loop around them, hoping to stay undetected.
The men’s conversation caught my attention. They mentioned Zack’s return and rumors about the Alpha’s experiments with white wolves. The details were horrifying.
I felt rage consume me, blacking out as it took over.