Back to the Crypt

Avery

The white wolf turned to look at me, its eyes were blue and like the black wolf something about its eyes felt human. When it heard my friends coming it also disappeared while they surrounded me. “ What the hell were you thinking coming out here alone?” Michael asked but I was still shaking and trembling with fear.

Seeing how shaken I was by the whole thing, they led me back to Derek’s house and they both tried to calm me down. Emily made me hot chocolate while Michael left the room angrily muttering something about that “damned crypt guy”

Michael returned soon after and he tried to shut the door after him but Derek held the door and entered the room. He was shirtless and his black hair was ruffled but when he saw me, his bright blue eyes suddenly went pale. When his eyes met mine, he looked away probably feeling guilty that while I was in trouble he was having the best time of his life with Nina.

“What’s this talk I hear about a wolf?” I heard Nina’s annoying voice say as she entered the room. She looked flushed and her lips were swollen from all the kissing she and Derek must’ve been doing.

“Emily, what’s with her?” Nina asked but Emily just shot her a glare and said, “What the hell were you two doing when she was almost killed tonight?”

“Don’t be like that, we were just…together,” Nina said, her cheeks getting redder as she probably recalled vividly just how “together” they were.

“Avery, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,” Derek said moving close to me where I lay on the bed.

“Sure you didn’t,” Emily muttered.

“What really happened?” Derek asked and this time it was Michael who spoke. “What do you mean by that?” he asked, ”I already told you, a big, black wolf tried to attack her and it would’ve but for some reason, it stopped,”

“It just doesn’t make any sense though,” Derek said, running his hand through his hair.

“Oh so three of us imagined the whole thing?” Michael asked angrily.

“ I didn’t say that,” Derek said, he too sounded angry.

“I don’t see what’s not adding up dude. We went to that crypt and since then weird stuff has been happening,” Michael said, giving me a concerned look.

“We better face it, something has changed since we got to that crypt and the way I see it, that Ryan guy wasn’t lying because of all of us Avery is the most affected,”

“What the hell are you talking about Emily? You believe his stories about wolves and –“

“- yes I do! If you hadn’t been letting Nina smother you all night you would’ve seen what we saw. This is not a fucking game Derek! And I say that we go back to that Ryan guy and join hands with him before anything else goes wrong,”

“I’m with Emily on this one. And if I were you, I’d shut down this party right now and send everyone home because if something strange happens to anyone, you would have a lot to answer to,” Michael added.

They all sat quietly with me in the room, looking at the ground, the ceiling, the chair – anything other than each other.

“I need to go back to the crypt,” I finally said, breaking the silence.

“Avery, you have no idea what that could mean. That guy talked about your blood and honestly, it doesn’t sit right with me,” Derek argued.

“What doesn’t sit right with me is you dragging us out there and trying to gaslight everyone into thinking nothing is wrong” I replied coldly.

Derek seemed shocked at my tone. He gulped and looked at Nina, then at Emily and Michael.

“I know this is my fault but – “

“ – She’s made her choice Derek. I may not be the brightest in the room but I know for a fact that that wolf we saw today has got to be the killer hybrid. We’re going back to Ryan and we are going to awaken the guy who can kill that thing before it kills anyone else. You are totally free to chicken out if you’re not man enough to finish what you started,” Emily said sternly.

Derek left the room without saying another word while Nina followed him closely. Emily and Michael talked about the black wolf and their theories but I had questions I wanted to ask. So far they didn’t mention hearing it talk like I did and they didn’t mention the white wolf. Could it be that I am the only one who experienced this? And if that is true, why didn’t they see it too?

I kept thinking about this until my eyes gave way and I fell into a deep sleep.

***********

When I woke up the next morning, Derek, Emily Michael and Nina were in the room but there was also one more person in the room. I had only just met him but I knew that cocky smile anywhere. “Good morning Avery,” he said with a smile while I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

“What is he doing here already?” I asked.

“Harsh…I heard you finally chose to do the right thing so I came quickly because like I said, we don’t have much time. All these deaths could’ve been prevented if you had just done what I said before,”

“What deaths?” I asked, looking at Ryan.

“Some students were found mauled just before Derek’s house. If I hadn’t come sooner, the police would’ve seen that and then you all would’ve been in a lot of trouble,” he said.

“Did the hybrid do this?” I asked and he nodded, this time he didn’t smile. Even he looked scared for a moment but he masked with an exhausted sigh and looked at me.

“I’ll admit, I’m surprised that he is operating in his wolf form. He is more of a vampire guy you know?” Ryan said.

”Well wasn’t it a full moon yesterday?” Emily said to which Ryan nodded.

“It was but hybrids can choose to turn or not. Lycan’s can also do that too,”

“What’s the difference between the Lycans and the wolves?” Michael asked this time.

“Well they are more aggressive, they are stronger, their senses are a lot more heightened than ours and they have a more murderous tendency. However, after some time they can become tame and calculative.”

Michael nodded with understanding while I played with my fingers nervously. I wondered if Ryan would have an answer about why the wolf spoke to me or who the other white wolf was. After thinking about it, I decided to ask.

“Ryan?” I started, “Do you know what Rayne’s wolf looks like?”

“It’s a huge white wolf,” Ryan said and I looked at him, surprise evident in my eyes.

“Really?” I asked and he nodded with a faint smile. “Did you see him?” he asked.

“Yes, he stopped the Hybrid from attacking me and then he just left,”

“What are you talking about Avery? There was no white wolf?” Emily pointed out softly but I shook my head in disagreement knowing exactly what I saw.

“You guys couldn’t see the white wolf because you aren’t Rayne’s mate. It’s also possible that it was his spirit but that was enough to scare the hybrid,” Ryan explained while I nodded in agreement.

“I want us to go to the crypt now,” I said after thinking about it some more. Naturally, they all seemed to be alarmed to go back, but I wasn’t. Not anymore. Rayne was the good guy, he was the one we very clearly needed on our side and if I was his…mate, then we could be certain that we would be safe from this hybrid’s attacks.

“What do I have to do when I get there?” I asked Ryan who put his hands in his pocket and said with a smile, “You just have to prick your finger and spill a little blood on his tomb,”

Derek tensed upon hearing that I would have to hurt myself a little but I didn’t care for his exaggerated concern now. Where was he last night when I needed him?

“Is there really no other way? Avery is very fragile and – “

“ – Derek it's fine. I’m not stabbing myself with a knife it’s just a needle or whatever,” I interrupted coldly.

“ Well, if you’re ready, we should get going,” Ryan said excitedly.

“I’m coming with you,” Derek said, getting up from where he stood.

“So am I,” Emily said.

“What happens when she does this blood ritual?” Michael asked.

“Rayne’s spirit will be free and he will attach himself to his reincarnate's body,”

“And then what?” he pushed further.

“Then you all should return to school and watch out for two guys in particular that will be drawn to Avery. One of them will be the Hybrid and the other will be Rayne.”

“Will they be able to recognize each other?” Emily quizzed while Ryan sighed in exhaustion as he replied, “No. They will also look a bit different from what they used to. Remember that I told you that it would take some time before their memories are fully transferred to that body but unconsciously, they will be doing what they once did in their past life,”

“So currently, the hybrid is any guy living his life completely oblivious that he is a killer?” Michael said and Ryan nodded.

I got out of bed and looked at everyone before I said, “I’m ready, let’s just get this over with so that I can go back home. My parents will be worried sick about me by now,”

They nodded and one by one we left the room. Since Derek and I were left last in the room, he gently tugged at the shirt Emily gave me to wear and then he said, “I’m so sorry about yesterday and you know…about the crypt as well. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you,”

I looked into his blue eyes and watched as they became heavy with an emotion that I could not decipher. I just knew that this time it wasn’t guilt nor was it about love, it seemed like it might’ve been a desperate need to prove himself and I did not need that.

“You should also make that promise to your girlfriend,” I said and left the room. When we got outside Ryan was in the car talking with Emily and Michael but Nina wasn’t with them.

“Where is Nina?” I asked when I got in the car.

“She went home,” Emily said indifferently.

“On foot? Is she crazy?” Derek asked. His brows furrowed as he searched everywhere with his eyes.

“Seems to me like she’s giving you a choice. Her or Avery,” Emily said bluntly.

“Why didn’t you guys stop her?”

“She was bottling up a lot of anger and I wasn’t about to let her unleash it on me,”

“Derek, you should go find her. I’ll be fine.” I said and with a reluctant look, he shut the door and said, “You guys stay safe and Ryan – if anything happens to her…I might just kill you myself,”

Ryan smirked before turning the keys to his car and zooming out of Derek’s sight. On the drive to the crypt, they all tried to make small jokes and talk probably to get me to relax but the second we arrived at the crypt, I stopped breathing for a while as I recalled everything that had happened here a week ago.

“Avery! Are you coming?” I heard Emily say and then I realized that they had all gotten out of the car and were staring at me expectantly.

“Yeah, I’m coming,” I said, holding my trembling hand with the other before I got out of the car and entered the crypt.