SWNOVELS Chapter 29 War
Yep I was right. Quinn was furious, she had good reason. The stunt I had pulled was unbelievably dangerous and could have backfired. “I guess I got lucky.” I shrugged. I saw the fire in her eyes. “Reese! You could’ve been killed!” Quinn hissed. I had dragged her outside in an effort to keep the pack in the dark. “Yes, you’re right. But I wasn’t. I’m right here with you. I’m not going anywhere.” I gently stroked her check. She knocked my hand away but grabbed my wrist and pulled me into her. Her face was an inch away from mine. “Reese, please don’t do that again. I can’t lose you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” I kissed her lips passionately. “Baby, you are my whole world,” I soothed her. I kissed her again.
Her body trembled, she melted into my arms. “Please, Reese, never again.” I held her close, “Never again” I repeated. It was so nice to hold her. “I need you baby. I can’t live without you, Quinn,” I whispered to her. Quiet sobs wracked her body. “I’m right here. I’m here with you. I’m gonna stay here with you. I’m not going anywhere.” I held her tight and rubbed her back. “Let it all out. Give me your tears. Let it all out baby.” Quinn whimpered into my chest, “After everything that happened with Jules…. When I couldn’t find you…Reese…I was so scared they had gotten you too.” I squeezed her twice. “I’m right here baby. I’m not going anywhere.” Quinn squeezed me twice back.
Quinn caught her breath. We found our way into the kitchen. Ellis and Kai made dinner, Robin watched intently. I sat down on the couch and pulled Quinn into my lap. I kissed her again, a moan escaped my lips. She tasted better than I remembered. She giggled and kissed me back. She got up to help Ellis and Kai. I sighed contentedly. I was happy. Our world was on the brink of destruction and I was happy, it made no sense. Quinn winked at me from across the kitchen. My heart skipped a beat. I blew a kiss at her, she caught it and brushed it on her lips. We were so cheesy it hurt. Dinner was done sooner than later, we grabbed our plates. It was delicious. I helped Drew, and Max clean up. It was late so we all went to bed.
I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned all night. When I did finally pass out, I had nightmares so vivid I couldn’t tell if I was awake or asleep. I dreamt the hunters found us and stabbed us to death in our sleep. I dreamt that an enemy pack of wolves attacked us and slaughtered us without mercy. I dreamt that my parents screamed at me because I failed to keep my pack safe. I dreamt that the rain turned to fire and burnt our house to cinders with us trapped inside. I dreamt that Jules returned from the dead as a zombie wolf and ripped my face off. I was dizzy and sweaty, I tumbled out of bed and stumbled to the kitchen for water. I bumped into the door jam. My head spun. Shadows danced eerily in the dark.
I saw two points of green light dance. I knew something was wrong. I drew in a breath, gathered my power as Alpha, and roared, “Get Out of My House!” My scream instantly woke my wolves and knocked the two intruders to the ground. I scurried to the light switch and flicked it on. The two intruders yowled in pain, they wore special night vision goggles. When I turned the light on without warning, I had blinded them. I pounced on them and ripped the goggles and masks from their faces. I recognized them as the two who had accompanied Chance the night they killed Jules. Anger bubbled in my chest, “What are you doing here?” I snarled. They rubbed their fists in their eyes and tried to regain their sight. “Answer me!” One of them found their courage, “Killing werewolves!” I growled and slammed their heads on the floor, they fell unconscious immediately. I turned around and saw everyone but Quinn peered at me.
“Max, Ash, tie them up. Make it hurt. I’m finding Quinn!” I pushed past them and stomped to my room. I found her lying on the bed. Sweat drenched her face and neck. My heart shattered. There was a little tranquilizer dart in her neck. There was an identical one on my pillow, I was hit with one too. I must have pulled it out while I tossed and turned in my sleep. I gently pulled the dart from her neck and checked her pulse. She was alive but her breath was hauntingly shallow. Tears filled my eyes and dripped down my face. “Quinn baby, wake up. Say something!” I begged. She opened her eyes slightly and coughed. “Reese?” She called. “I can’t see you. Are you here?” I sobbed, “Quinn I’m here.” I pressed her hand to my face. “I’m right here.”
“I’m scared! I can’t see you! Reese!” “Casey!” I screamed hysterically. “Casey, help me!” Casey charged into the room and quickly surveyed the scene. They knelt beside and carefully picked up tranquilizer darts. Casey sniffed them cautiously, “Wolfsbane” they muttered. “This is bad. Wolfbane is a flower that weakens us, makes us vulnerable. Quinn must have taken a massive dose. It usually doesn’t blind us.” I murmured, “Casey what can we do?” Casey frowned, “We can flush her system, make her pee or sweat it out. I picked her up, took her to the shower and turned it on full heat. “Phoenix, bring Quinn water and lots of it,” Casey called. I turned back to Casey, “Take care of her, I’m going to get some answers.” I marched out the door, grabbed the two incapacitated men by their collars, and charged out the back door.
The men were large and heavy, but in my rage, they felt like they felt weightless. I ran hard and fast through the woods, leapt ditches and dodged trees. It felt like forever, but I finally reached the hunter compound. “Stirling!” I roared. Lights popped on and hunters poked their heads out of their tents. “Stirling!” I shouted again. The whole compound was now awake and anxious. “Answer me you bastard!” I stomped up to the large tent in the center of the compound where I spoke with Chance earlier that day. Chance darted out of a nearby tent with a huge pistol in his hand. I threw his two men at his feet. “Why did you attack us?! I thought I made it clear that we wanted peace!”
Chance’s eyes shifted from me to his men and back. “Oh they’re alive! They’ll be fine, which is more than I can say for my girlfriend. They poisoned her!” “What are you talking about?” He countered, “I didn’t sanction a mission.” “Then who did?” I snapped. “I intend to find out,” Chance answered. He dragged the two men into the large tent. He slapped them hard across the face, they woke from their stupor. They were groggy but awake. Chance questioned them harshly. “It was just us, no one else.” Chance balled his huge fist and punched the man. “There is a chain of command for a reason! Because you decided to go cowboy, a young woman is sick!” I noticed his choice of words, I hoped it wasn’t a coincidence. I heard whispers and mutters outside the tent, the other hunters listened.
“Whose idea was it?” Chance demanded. “Preston! It was Preston’s idea!” The man in Chance’s grasp explained. “Shut up Billy,” the man on the floor howled. Chance shoved Billy to the floor and stood over the men. “Now I’m going to have to make an example out of you two boys.” Chance’s voice dropped low and quiet, “Seeing you boys know the truth, maybe I hand you off to them the same way they handed us the wolf who killed Jasper and Dave. See, we have a delicate balance, the wolves and me. They just want to live in peace far away from us. And you go and attack them. Do you even know how lucky you are to be alive? Do you know how easily you could’ve been killed?”
Genuine terror filled the men at the prospect of being handed over to me. My inner wolf banged against my rib cage, anticipation drove it wild. It’s bloodlust made it difficult for me to breathe. I forced it back down and listened as Chance berated and belittled the two hunters. I got a sick satisfaction from it. Chance stripped them of their weapons; knives and pistols littered the floor. He dragged the two men out of the tent and threw them unceremoniously into the cage that once held Jules. He slammed the door, the sound exploded and echoed through the camp. He stomped over to me and spoke quietly, “What should we do with them?” I stared him straight in the eye and replied, “Do with them as you will. I do not want to start a war. But know this, if an attack of any kind is launched against us, we will retaliate. There will be nothing left of you, your men, your women, or your children. This I swear!”
Chance’s eyes were cold. He said nothing. He turned around, drew his pistol from his belt, and fired twice into the cage in rapid succession. Preston’s body slumped. Billy let out a shriek. I lunged at him, “Tell me how to fix my girlfriend. Where is the cure!” Billy wailed in fear, “I don’t know the cure! We never bothered to figure it out! I swear on my grandmamy’s grave!” “LIAR!” I snarled. “Chance please! It’s the gospel truth. Please don’t let her kill me! I swear I’d give it to you if I could!” The fire in my heart died, I believed him. I let go of the cage and plodded off toward Quinn. I barely heard the gunshot that ended Billy. I didn’t know what to do. Somehow I put one foot in front of the other. I had no idea how much time passed.
I wandered past countless trees. I felt completely empty. I don’t remember how I got there, I found myself in the living room. Robin looked at me as if she saw into my soul. She stepped up to me, grabbed the back of my neck and pressed her forehead to mine. “The moon as spoken, she whispers to me. Hope. HOPE! Quinn will be whole!”