MattI settled deeper into the dirt and propped myself up by the elbows. Through my binoculars, I could see the looming gray wall and the cast iron gate that served as the only entrance. No movement occurred on either side, but I knew they were in there. They were being careful about it, but the building wasn’t as abandoned as they were trying to make it seem.“How do we get in there?” Jack mumbled. He had a matching pair of binoculars to his eyes, the hood of his camo jacket pulled up over his head.“Not easily.”
AlyxHe ran beside his brother, his eyes trained on the trees in front of him. He knew this territory like the back of his hand, but something about it felt different. Something didn’t belong. Beside him, Rocky ran with his nose pressed close to the ground. It was rare for him to be separated from his twin, and Alyx could tell he was uneasy.They stopped for a moment to sniff around, and Alyx nudged his flank with his nose. It had been so long since he’d run with one of his brothers, and he was thrumming with excitement. Rocky picked up on his energy and gave him a playful snap.
The woods were dark and eerily silent.I stepped into a small clearing, grass crunching beneath my paws.“Celeste?” a familiar voice said. Standing across the wide expanse in the trees was Matt. He was still human, and he took a tentative step out of the dense cover. “Celeste?” he called in a low voice. A shiver ran through me, and I moved closer.He took a few more steps, his blue eyes bright. He reached out his hand, a pleading look on his face. “Celeste!”A momen
Weeks went by, and I counted the days by clawing gouge marks into the concrete wall beside my bed. I’d finally mastered getting my claws to appear and retract, though I still hadn’t managed a full shift. Despite hearing my wolf, demanding that I give in, I just couldn’t do it. Alyx, in his infinite wisdom, though I had some sort of mental block.“You’re the one choosing not to shift,” he said, circling me. “You’re afraid to give in.”We were in the training ring. Jeremy stood off the side, his arms folded across his chest. He wasn’t as outwardly impatient as Alyx, but his hits landed just as hard. Sure, I
MattI pulled up to the motel and turned off the engine. The red neon sign flickered in the darkness, and light spilled from the small office where an old woman sat knitting. Lights were on in three of the rooms, but the curtains were closed. The motel was a few towns over from the Crescent compound. We moved every week, picking a new place to stay. We didn’t want them to find us. They knew we were watching them if their increased patrols were any sign.Someone knocked on the window, and my muscles tensed. Seth leaned down to look at me, his brow furrowed.I waved for him to s
I was midway through my second month of captivity when Zoe came into my cell, a half-smile on her face.“Come on,” she said, gesturing for me to follow her. “You’re getting a better room.”I didn’t move at first. As much as I hated this room, it was familiar. Regardless of how nice Zoe seemed, I didn’t trust her. I didn’t trust any of them.Then again, a new room could mean they were getting lax. Maybe they thought I was getting used to this place. Getting complacent. I was still training without complaint. Still sitting through awkwar
Three months had passed, and I still hadn’t manifested any powers. I knew Ronan was growing impatient, that Alyx and Jeremy were supposed to do anything they could to get me to show some form of power, but nothing had happened. It didn’t matter how many times they beat me up, or got me to shift into my wolf, I was still just ordinary.Maybe they got it wrong, I thought. Maybe I’m nothing special.That didn’t bode well for me. I didn’t know what they’d do to me if I never showed signs of the powers my mother had, but I didn’t think it would be good. It was clear, considering how much time had passed, that no one was coming
JackHe walked further into the forest, his back tense, and his hand on the gun at his side. Jack wasn’t taking any chances. Spending three months in close quarters with a bunch of wolves hadn’t warmed him to them. He didn’t trust any of them, and they didn’t trust him.The trees bent in the heavy wind, branches cracking. Leaves littered the ground at his feet, brown and curling with frost.He wore a thick leather jacket, but it didn’t protect him from the wind as much as he would have liked. His muscles were tense from the cold, and from the unease. A