Blood and Truth
Out of nowhere, Lucas yelled at Scarlett to check her left side. The surrounding noise made everything hard to hear.
Mist hung low when wolves slammed into one another. Jaws cracked open misandry. Fur ripped as claws found purchase. Just then, Scarlett turned eyes, catching the blur of a Shadow Pack attacker lunging. Movement came sharp; her heavy brown shape thudded down, twisting through dirt to dodge.
A fight broke out near the water. Sounds of howling rose fast. She stood with her few allies, pushing back as best they could. Yet it didn't sit right. Wolves from the Shadow Pack kept veering off away from the clash.
Out of nowhere, Rachel spoke up, her words slicing the air like ice. That moment, everything shifted.
Down went Scarlett's heart. Around she spun fast. Up on a little hill her cousin stood, curls dancing in the breeze. Not among the fighters was she. A finger aimed right fixed on Scarlett's group.
Rachel's lips lifted, though the look didn't match the warmth Scarlett remembered. "Cousin," she said, "duties come before feelings."
Back he moved, smooth and steady, palms untouched. A glance toward Lucas, then a single dip of the chin. His expression? Blank. Not even a flicker.
Out of breath, Scarlett changed shape again. "You as well?" she said, voice low. Damp strands clung to her skin. Has it really been going on forever? That thought hit hard
Alex shrugged like it was nothing. "Lucas needed to know your moves. I just did my job."
Falling into that trap left a mark worse than fangs ever could. From the beginning, those closest twisted things behind her back. Information flowed to the Shadow Pack. Rachel made sure of it. All along, Lucas got updates through Alex without her knowing.
A growl ripped through the air as Lucas pushed forward, skin smeared with mud and red streaks. One beast lunged his boot and hit its ribs, sending it sideways. Now at her side, chest rising fast, he faced the snarling circle.
"Scarlett, we have to work together," he said, blue eyes locked on hers. "Right now."
Fleeing felt like the only option. Yelling rose in her throat. Yet shadows moved through the trees, more of them arriving and those beside her stumbled under the weight. The ground cracked beneath boots and breath alike.
A howl ripped through the forest, low and heavy. For one breath, nobody moved at all. From between the dark trunks, the true leader emerged larger than legend. Power burned in his stare, sharp and quiet.
Ethan laughed beside him. "Told you she'd be useful. The girl still thinks she's leading this."
A flicker lit Scarlett's green gaze. The beast inside pushed harder now, closer to the surface. Yet just as she started forward, Lucas caught hold of her arm.
"Not yet," he whispered close to her ear. "There's something you need to know first. About five years ago. About what really happened to your family."
Her breath came fast, fingers pulling back. "You will not touch it like that again."
"I'm not lying," Lucas said, his voice rough. " I never betrayed you. I was protecting you from the one person who wanted you gone. Your own "
Out of nowhere, a sharp snap ripped through the silence. Her shoulder lit up with fire as if struck by lightning. Off balance, she wavered, skin tingling, fabric turning wet beneath. Crimson spread quickly across the cloth, deepening like storm clouds at dusk.
Down she started to fall, but Lucas was there. Around her went his arms, solid and sure. The world faded, only he remained. Heat from his body, the smell of him, those wide blue eyes full of worry.
"Scarlett!" he said sharply, his palm going hard against her injury.
Out of the blur, a shape came forward Emily, slipping between tree trunks across the field. Lucas's sister stood still, not moving to fight. Her gaze locked onto Scarlett, unblinking. Something shifted behind her stare, as if a distant thought had just clicked into place.
Rachel burst into laughter, even stronger than before. "Go on, end it."
A low growl rose as the Shadow Pack leader stepped ahead, jaws open, aiming to finish them off. One snap away, he paused, eyes locked, muscles tight, waiting.
Her vision wobbled, blurry at the edges. The room leaned sideways, heavy with every breath she took. From somewhere distant, Lucas was talking, his arms locked around her like an anchor in a slow collapse.
"Stay with me," he begged. "You're more important than you know. You were always meant to be the Luna of this pack."
A hush fell over her when the trees trembled again. Then came that scream splitting the dark.
Everything went dark.
Awake came suddenly, though Scarlett barely moved. Fire ripped across her shoulder without warning. The faint glow above made her squeeze her eyelids shut, then try again.
Floating just above, Lucas stared down. Worry lived in those blue eyes. Held fast, she stayed pressed to his chest by unyielding arms.
"Easy," he whispered. "You're safe for now. Just breathe."
Up she pushed, yet the room twisted like a shaken bottle. Red marked the fabric over her chest. Each pulse brought a fresh wave of ache through the injury from the bullet. Stillness didn't help, pain kept ticking along with her blood.
Far off, the crash by the water felt like it never happened. A hush draped over the trees, thick and odd. Here and there, dark shapes slipped between trunks of wolves on silent paws.
Close by, Emily moved near. Up a little nearer, Lucas's sister seemed changed. Soft in the face, yet quiet in manner. Down she went on one knee, silent for some time.
"I knew it was you," Emily said quietly. "The moment I saw those emerald eyes. You're back, Scarlett. And you're more than just the girl who wants revenge."
Fog sat thick behind Scarlett's eyes. A howl echoed in her memory, sharp at first then fading. Pain followed close, dull but constant. Words slipped through. Lucas spoke of Luna's voice was low. Pieces refused to fit, each thought of a weight pressing harder.