Insight

"Get back to your posts." Bastian barked at the Shadow wolves as they ran passed him.

"Bas!" Callie ran up to him with wide eyes.

"Why are you here and not on patrol?" He probed.

The ran was dripping off her crimson tipped, dark brown hair. She wiped her face, looking at her Alpha anxiously.

"I just came from the living room." She gestured toward the smoking wall behind her. "Darren was taken down. His entire back is burnt."

"I know. I'll ask again, why are you here? Go back to your position." He rolled his eyes at her.

"But we have wounded to-"

"Forget the wounded and the dead, unless you want to join them. This is a battle, Callie." Bastian interrupted her. "I wasn't suggesting you go back to your place. That was an order."

The rogue looked at him as if his words were surprising to her. This would have been amusing to Bastian, if it hadn't been for Callie's obvious disobedience.

"Close your mouth." He smirked before allowing it to fall away. "Go do your job. Otherwise you're useless to me."

Callie closed her jaw and turned away, running toward the trees. She'd always known that Bastian was calculating, cold, and determined. He never let anything stand in his way. No wolf, no rule, no law, no amount of reason. Still, she'd thought he cared about the Shadow pack. About his pack.

Now, it seemed like he didn't. Just like the rogue factions, humans, StarLight traitors, and everyone else in his life... He was just using them. Callie shook off the thoughts as she quickened her pace.

In her mind; Bastian had to care about them. He simply had to. Otherwise, she'd wasted years following him around as a pawn. Callie couldn't accept this reality. She refused to. However, she froze inside the tree line as a figure came into view. It was Scott. His neck had been broken and his body had been left on the wet forest floor.

She saw another body in the distance. A newly recalled wolf by the name of Jeremy. Until recently, he'd been hidden safely in the valley. His brother, Carter, lay near him with a similarly twisted neck. They had all clearly been dead for several minutes. Bastian was right. The battle was already upon them. And the Shadow pack were the last to know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside the cabin, there was still no power. Worse even, the second floor was shaking periodically as if settling precariously into place. Eve was on the bed with her arms around Onyx. The teenager was scared an unsure of what to do. Selena has hovering over them both, waiting for more destruction.

A loud cracking sound came from under the floor. Onyx whimpered. Eve and Selena made eye contact. They were both thinking the same thing, and looking at the same obstacles. The longer they were in the room, the more danger they were in. However, Eve was in no condition to move quickly.

"Onyx, honey. You have to calm down." Eve stated in a soothing voice. "We have to leave, okay?"

"We can't. Bas said-"

She was cut off by another loud cracking noise as the floor shook dangerously.

"We have to. I think whatever happened, damaged the house." Eve stated firmly.

"Okay." Onyx took a deep, calming breath. "Okay. Let's go."

The teenager stood, as did Selena. Eve got up slowly. She hadn't fully realized how weak her legs were until they had to bear her full weight. She looped an arm over Onyx's shoulder as the girl hugged her waist. They began the slow walk toward the stairs, one agonizing step at a time.

Selena walked in front of them. She kicked off her heels, using her bare feet to feel for breaks or bends in the flooring. She paused at the top of the staircase. Eve peered around Selena, bracing herself against the wall. The stairs had taken damage. The last three were smoldering, as were parts of the floor below.

"There." Eve pointed to the closet in the hall behind her. "Grab some sheets, pillows, blankets. Anything. Wet them in the bathroom sink, the toilet if you have to. That door."

Selena and Onyx set to work gathering things. Eve leaned on the wall, trying to catch her breath. The power was swelling from the excitement. It felt like simply standing there was using all her strength. She slid to the floor, lowering herself as carefully as she could.

Onyx scrambled down the cracked steps and threw the wet bedding across the smoking and broken wood. Eve began scooting on her butt from step to step. Slowly descending, toward the teenager. Once near her, she tried to hoist herself up to her feet and she couldn't. Selena approached behind her with an arm full of wet pillows and towels.

She and Onyx both had to lift Eve until she could stand. Her legs were shaking uncontrollably. Eve stumbled over the damp comforter. She fell onto the floor, landing heavily on her hands and knees.

"Evie!" Onyx yelped, jumping down to help her.

"Oh dear goddess." Selena hurried down the stairs to join them.

Eve was heaving her breath, trying to come to terms with the power that was swallowing her. Onyx took her by the shoulders and pulled her to sit, leaning against the girl's chest. Selena threw the towels and pillows across the smoldering floorboards. She quickly crouched in front of the Luna worriedly.

"I'm... Okay..." Eve panted weakly.

"Can you stand?" Selena asked, touching her stomach.

"I can walk." She responded with a tired smirk.

"We can help you stand then." She smiled in relief. "Right, Onyx?"

There was no reply. Eve glanced over her shoulder at the teenager's face. Onyx was pale. All the blood had drained from her cheeks and there were streams from tears lingering on her face. Her amber eyes were open wide and her blue hair was stuck to her forehead.

Eve followed her gaze to the living room. There was smoke lingering in the air. The couch had been obliterated. There were chucks of foam and wood everywhere. There was a hole in the wall. It was crumbling and there were broken braces and exposed wires showing. Some rain was pouring onto the insolation.

Worse was Darren. His entire back was bloody and burnt. The smell of his charred flesh was suddenly smothering. His eyes and mouth were open, but he wasn't breathing. His wounds had clearly overcome him. From the fresh blood on the floor, Eve estimated that he'd just died a moment ago.

"Onyx." Eve squeezed her hand. "Close your eyes."

"Darren..." She whimpered.

"Onyx!" Eve spoke in a sharp tone.

"Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay." Onyx closed her eyes and began chanting this word to herself in a whisper.

"Selena." She extended her hand. "Help me."

Selena ignored her hand and hugged her tightly, lifting her slowly to her feet. It was a struggle, but Eve was eventually standing. They glanced at Onyx, who was crying on the floor with her eyes squeezed shut.

"Leave her." Selena whispered. "We have to go."

"We aren't leaving her." Eve shook her head.

"She won't be any help." She sighed.

"I don't care." The Luna replied.

Eve extended her hand toward Onyx. Selena helped her to reach the girl's trembling hand.

"Come on. Follow me." Eve stated in a soothing tone.

Onyx stood, keeping her eyes firmly closed. She held Eve's hand like it was her lifeline out of the carnage. Selena braced Eve and they moved toward the back door. On the way, Eve glanced into the kitchen. The door was gone, as was the frame. There was wreckage and rainfall everywhere.

"You really did a number on this place." Eve stated quietly.

"That's just the beginning." Selena responded softly. "The rest is out there."

The Luna looked to the backdoor. The sounds of the growls, howls, and thundering rain were ominous. Yet, more than anything in the world, that's exactly where Eve wanted to go.