THE ATTACK

My plan, during this entire partnership, had been to keep Joshua Melrose moderately happy throughout this whole thing.

Well, ‘happy’ is a strong word. Let’s just say I had been planning on keeping the things I was doing to irritate him to a bare minimum.

And to be honest, my plan had been to kind of stick to the shadows and let him do his thing. I knew we would be partners in this entire program but I hadn’t actually expected us to have to work as partners.

And for a task that involved us having to stay discreet and hidden, he sure had the worst of luck in getting partnered with the slowest person in the program.

 I was jogging behind Joshua. He had kept a steady pace for me which I was actually managing. Don’t get me wrong, we weren’t doing too well even if we had a head start but I think we had covered enough distance.

I had no idea which way Allison and Andre had gone which was probably a good thing.

Joshua finally slowed down.

 We stuck up the woods because it would probably give us more coverage. Also, it was better than running through the town centre like crazy people.

”I think we should make our way to the western hill, it’s the furthest from here and they’ll never get us on time.” He spoke still walking quickly not even turning back to look at me.

I looked at him incredulously even though he couldn’t currently see my face.

The western hill? I had barely made it here without fainting.

”Maybe we could shift.” I suggested.

Joshua continued with his long strides down the street. I noticed him looking around as if scared someone would pounce on him.

Now that I thought about it, I should have probably been doing the same.

”I know Bea and Courtney. They will be in their wolf forms. We’ll just be giving them an edge.”

I jogged a little to keep up with Joshua. “What do you mean? If we’re in our wolf forms, we’ll be at least five times faster.”

“Our strategy can’t be running. We will get caught eventually. Especially since you’re not too good on speed.”

Well, ouch.

”Besides, if you were actually on the run, you wouldn’t just be thinking about getting far away. You would be thinking about staying hidden. What we need to do is cover our -“

Joshua stopped talking  and spun around.

He immediately glared at me.

While he had been going on an on about being the perfect criminal.

My body had finally given up and decided it needed a break.

I was so breathless from our little hike and had to lean against the nearest tree.

”Do you need a minute?” He asked with no concern in his voice whatsoever. In fact, he looked really irritated.

Trust me, I understood. Now was not the time for my body to start acting out.

 I wanted to tell him ‘no’ I’d be a strong soldier push on. But my body, my legs especially simply said ‘who are you kidding?’.

And that’s how I ended up leaning against the wall and sliding down to the ground.

“Just give me five minutes.” I muttered as I tried to even out my breathing.

 I saw Joshua roll his eyes and run a hand through his hair in frustration.

Fortunately it was too early for anyone to be out on the street to see my humiliation.

”You’ve got to be kidding me.” He muttered.

Well excuse me for having my lungs literally feel like they were on fire.

“I’m... sorry... just give me a sec, I’ll be fine.” I mumbled.

”There goes our points.” He spoke.

“Hey. It’s not over yet.” I spoke. “Maybe speed isn’t my strong suit but we could devise another plan and hide maybe -“

“Forget it.” Joshua stopped me.

He turned around and rolled his eyes before moving to lean against a tree himself.

Well okay.

I didn’t know how long this gracious break that he had given me would last but we really needed to get moving again. He might have given up but I was still up for trying. As May said, no one in this apprenticeship came in perfect.

”Maybe we could try -“

“You know you seem so innocent and quiet. I bet that’s what fools a lot of people.” He started.

Oh no. What can of worms was about to be opened right here?

I sat up and looked at Joshua. Surprise, surprise, he was already glaring right back at me.

“I haven’t even done anything.” I spoke in a tired voice. “Look, I’m sorry I got chosen for this program when I am most definitely very inexperienced. But I can assure you there was no foul play, especially not on my part.”

“Yeah, I’m sure it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you mated with my brother.”

I froze.

He knew?

Tristan told him?

No, Tristan promised. 

Maybe he was bluffing.

But that wasn’t something you just thought of off the top of your head.

I placed my hand on my chest, feigning disbelief.

Act surprised, Crystal.

“I - I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I responded trying to sound outraged.

Obviously my acting skills could use a lot of work.

Joshua cocked his head to the side and gave me this look that said; ‘really?’.

I let out a sigh.

“How did you know?”

“I’m not stupid. Some halfling girl moves to Woodfell and suddenly my brother is making weird, private rendezvous? And acting like his head isn’t screwed on right? I know my brother, he’s the most focused man I know and suddenly a girl shows up and he’s getting distracted and disappearing all the time? Didn’t take too long to figure it out.”

I pushed myself off the ground and dusted my hands. Okay, Joshua Melrose might not like me but this was my secret he was moving around with.

“So you’ve known this whole time? How many people have you told?” I asked him.

Joshua scoffed. “I’m loyal to my brother. I would never go around spreading his secrets.”

I rose a brow at him. “Not even your twin brother?”

Joshua rolled his eyes. ”Michael finding out was inevitable.”

Great. What? Did the whole family know?

“And Mikey might think otherwise but I see right through you and your facade. I know you’re a spy.”

Joshua narrowed his eyes at me and gave me a suspicious look.

Excuse me?

“A spy?” I repeated the words in shock.

I was taken back to the weeks after Roman had been arrested, the trials, the battles to prove myself innocent and even when I had been declared innocent, the mistrust that still existed among the other pack members towards me.

I was angry and hurt then but now I was just angry.

“I. Am. Not. A. Spy!” I yelled as I marched up to Joshua.

“Yes you are!” Joshua argued. “All evidence proves how guilty you are! The courts might have failed to prove it but I know they saw it.”

“Oh enlighten me on this ‘evidence’ please.” I spoke sarcastically. I had sat through all those trials. Joshua Melrose had no right to tell me anything about the evidence against me. I was there.

“Your little boyfriend, Roman was brought here as an ‘orphan’ with no where to go or so the story goes. And weren’t you brought here for the same reason? Because apparently your family didn’t want you?”

Tears started forming in my eyes and I tried to blink them away.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know enough.” He continued, there was bitterness in his voice. “The fact that you mated with my brother must have made things so much easier huh? How convenient. Whoever sent you here must have known what a huge weapon you would be. So when Roman got compromised, you-“

“Do you hear yourself right now?” I yelled. “I didn’t know about Roman’s double life and I am so sick and tired of everyone in this pack making it seem like I did.”

Tears were now running down my face. I was so ashamed because I really thought I was done crying over Roman and all the problems he had brought me. I guess not.

“Then how do you explain yesterday? I saw you with Tristan. He called a freaking security breach because your boyfriend is back.”

I froze.

“Roman is back?”

So that was him I heard yesterday.

I really came this close to seeing him again and I missed my chance?

“Will you stop acting surprised?” Joshua yelled in frustration.

I had had it up to here with this boy and his accusations.

I furiously wiped my tears away.

“If you want answers, ask your brother because I can assure you, I can’t tell you what you want to hear!”

This time, Joshua hesitated. I could see the nervousness on his face.

Wait a minute...

“He doesn’t know that you know, does he?”

Joshua didn’t say anything.

I knew I had the upper hand here now, I was about to say something when suddenly something blurred past me and right onto Joshua, knocking him down.

I screamed.

It was a wolf.

A grey-black wolf.

And It was attacking Joshua. I watched in horror as it snarled at him. Because the attack was so sudden, Joshua barely had time to react, it took its paw to him and put a deep gash in his side.

I winced. I hadn’t realised that I was frozen to my spot until I saw the blood. That’s when I leaned into action.

Without hesitation, I threw off my shirt -

Wait, I didn’t have time to take off my clothes, I leapt into action and felt the change immediately, my clothes ripped off and it was immediately replaced with fur.

I snarled at the wolf as I landed on all fours.

It stopped what it was doing briefly before turning to look at me. If wolves had facial expression, I bet this one’s would be humour.

I knew my wolf form was way smaller than the average size.

I couldn’t even say it was characteristic of halflings because even though Chris and I had fairly small wolves, Roman’s had been relatively large.

My coat also stood out because technically, I wasn’t really a Silvercrest. Silvercrest wolves had their fur in different shades of brown, mine was grey with shades of white, which was characteristic of my original pack. Uncle Victor’s coat was a deeper grey-black.

I lunged at the wolf, using all my energy to knock it away from Joshua.

It only moved an inch.

Okay, that was embarrassing.

New plan.

I stood on the other side of Joshua’s body and growled at it again. Giving it my ultimatum, if it didn’t leave Joshua... I would... I would...

I don’t know what I would do but Joshua’s breathing was becoming more and more ragged and I was getting worried by the amount of blood he was losing.

I heard him groan out in pain and I turned my head to him for a second.

At least his eyes were still open.

“G-go.” I heard him struggle to let out.

As if I would leave him behind.

I wanted to yell, ‘shut up and try not to die.’

But of course I couldn’t communicate with him.

Neither could I communicate with this foreign wolf. It had a scent so I knew it must have been a full fledge werewolf.

It didn’t seem to be backing down. Okay, I guess it’s show time.

Goodness! I was really going to die for Joshua Melrose.

I pounced on it, using all my weight. I sent both of us rolling at least a few feet from where Joshua lay.

When I got up, I expected a blow or something.

But the wolf wasn’t focused on me, it was heading back to Joshua.

I ran after it and pounced again, but it seemed to sense my attack because before I even landed on it, it knocked me back with its hind legs.

I landed hard on the ground.

Ow! Ow!

That was definitely a rib.

I let out a whimper.

Not my proudest moment.

The wolf suddenly turned to me. Was it going to come to me?

No...

Did it... did it look concerned?

Just as the thought came, the rogue wolf turned back to Joshua and started advancing towards him again.

Joshua struggled to push himself up, groaning in pain all the while and clutching his bleeding side. He definitely couldn’t shift in this state.

But he looked determined to fight.

Idiot!

Stay down!

Wait a minute... if my theory was right.

I ran, this time, not to attack the wolf but to stand in front of Joshua.

“What are you doing?” Joshua struggled to speak. “I told you to go!” He spoke through gritted teeth.

Will you shut up? I’m trying to help you!

I looked right at the rogue, it hard deep brown eyes that stared right back at me.

I knew it understood my threat perfectly, if you want him, you’ll have to go through me.

It stared at me for a minute longer before it finally slowly backed away and ran off.

I thought so.

Joshua looked confused. “Wait, What was -“ he didn’t get to finish his sentence because at that moment, he fell. I was there immediately, urging him to lean on me for support.

Of course, being him, he tried to resist but I immediately ran up and forced my head under his arm.

I could smell his blood. He wasn’t healing.

I smelt something else as well... Aconitum - wolfsbane.

That wolf must have laced its paws with it.

If I didn’t get him help soon, he would bleed out and die.

I let out a loud howl from deep within me... I knew if anyone would hear it for sure, he would.

I didn’t have to wait long before Instructor Raphael arrived with Bea, Courtney, Andre and Allison behind him.

I don’t know how they knew it was my howl but still, I was grateful, they were here.

When Bea saw the sight she rushed towards us, practically knocking me away to be by Joshua’s side.

Instructor Raphael also rushed to examine Joshua’s wound.

“What happened?” He yelled at me.

I obviously couldn’t respond but I heard Joshua let out. “R-rogue wolves.”

“You two, get back to the school and alert them. Tell them there has been a breach and that a student has been poisoned.” Instructor Raphael yelled at Allison and Courtney, who immediately leapt into action.

“Help me get him to the school.” Instructor Raphael told Andre.

Bea was holding on tightly to Joshua’s hand and whispering something to him. There were tears in her eyes. I don’t think anyone could get her to let go at this point.

Instructor Raphael turned to look at me as if just realising I was there.

He didn’t say anything. I must have been quite the sight, fur dishevelled, covered in blood.

He gave me a look that screamed ‘suspicious’ to me.

“Lead the way, we need the shortest route back.” He ordered.

I nodded before starting ahead. Sniffing for what I found familiar.

I might have been a halfling but my senses were still stronger than there’s while I was in my wolf form.

We had barely gotten to the school grounds, when I started seeing students gathered outside, whispering among themselves.

I saw Allison and Courtney rushing towards us with paramedics pushing a gurney forward.

Michael also emerged from the crowd, sprinting towards his brother and calling his name.

Through all the commotion, all I was concerned with was making sure Joshua still had his eyes open. He wasn’t talking anymore but Bea was yelling at him to ‘not dare die on her.’

We might not have gotten along but if I had any doubts about her loving Joshua, there were taken away now.

Just as we got to the gurney, a silence suddenly fell among the assembled group of students.

I sensed his presence before I saw him.

The alpha had arrived.

Everyone started bowing as he passed by them in his wolf form. Bridgette and an Asian Lady, I recognised as Captain Park, head of the security and defence wing were walking behind him in their uniforms.

Tristan’s eyes were darting from me to his brother.

He walked towards me. I thought he would walk right past me and straight to his brother.

But that didn’t happen.

Instead, he begun to circle me.

Bridgette and Captain Park stood aside. Bridgette looking unimpressed and Captain Park sharing the same confusion I bet everyone else had.

Everyone was dead silent.

Including me. I had frozen in my spot.

I knew what was happening but I didn’t know how to react.

How could I get him to stop?

He walked right towards me after the seventh round.

With us both in our wolf forms, it was impossible to deny the attraction.

He finally stopped right in front of me and let out a loud, long howl.

No Tristan!

I knew that everyone understood. They all looked around in shock and confusion but they had heard right.

I looked at Tristan with desperate eyes and one question; ‘why?’

From behind me, I heard Micheal whisper; “No freaking way.”

As if finally accepting that this wasn’t a practical joke, Captain Park was the first to go to her knee and bow. “Luna.”

Shortly after, people did the same and soon a chorus of ‘luna’ ‘luna’ ‘luna’ repeated itself among the crowd.

My heart felt like it had stopped beating.

This couldn’t be happening.

I saw Kat and Chris in the crowd, looking on with wide eyes.

Tristan nodded at me before walking towards the gurney and the paramedics who had also stopped to kneel.

He growled at them. They immediately leapt into action.

It’s as if he was saying, now that we’re done with that, let’s go save my brother’s life.

Bridgette is the one who walked towards me soon after. She nodded, even though there was no joy whatsoever on her face.

“Come with me, Luna.”

You’re probably confused.

Let me break it down for you. I rejected Tristan when I met him and he accepted it.

But the thing with the law is this... the alpha and the alpha alone has the authority to veto the rejection his mate has evoked on them.

And after four years Tristan just did that, in front of a whole crowd.

My biggest secret is no longer a secret.