Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cedara

"My God, what happened?" The sound of my voice breaks the silence around me. Well, mainly it's silent. Dewdrops drip, and there's the sound of birdsong. The occasional rustle of something moving in the undergrowth.

And my voice. My human voice.

I push myself up into a sitting position and stare down at where my hands are curled into the mossy dirt of the forest floor.

Hands!

I don't know what surprises me more: the fact that I'm looking at my own hands or that they're covered in blood.

My mouth tastes of copper.

I raise a hand to sniff it and pick up the overwhelming scent of human. Although not quite. I flick the tip of my tongue against my skin. There's an animal undertone, rich and wild, and its taste causes a strange sensation to unfurl in me. I turn my hand over, studying the crimson streaks caked under my nails and smeared across my palm.

Whose blood is this?

Did…did I hurt someone?

A shiver runs through me as a sense of unease prickles at the back of my neck. I wrack my brain, sifting through foggy memories, but nothing comes. It's all just…dark.

Dear God, what have I done?

I swivel onto my butt and pull my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs as I look around me. Dirt streaks my bare skin, moss clinging to me in patches. I don't bother to brush it away.

I'm trembling all over as I take in my surroundings. Tall trees loom above, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. Sunlight filters through in hazy beams, dappling the forest floor. The air smells rich and earthy, tinged with the musty scent of decaying leaves.

But overpowering everything is that metallic tang of blood.

Oh God, please…!

My heart pounds as I slowly turn my head, dreading what I might see. Visions of a mangled body flash through my mind. From the amount of blood I'm covered in, I must have done damage…serious damage. Yet there's nothing except a scattering of dark crimson droplets staining the moss and ferns around me.

Thank God!

A wave of relief washes over me, but it's quickly replaced by confusion.

How? How did this happen?

How did I end up here…and covered in blood? And more importantly, how am I human again after being stuck in my wolf form for so long?

I run my tongue over my teeth, tasting that coppery tang.

Run! Chase!

Flashes of memory come back to me. The thrill of the hunt. Chasing something through the trees. Leaping. My fangs sinking into yielding flesh…

Then nothing. A total blank until I woke up like this.

My gaze drifts down to my hands again. They're shaking as I turn them over, rubbing the blood. It's dried and beginning to flake. Whatever I did must have happened hours ago for it to be dry like this. I curl my fingers and swallow thickly. I've missed having these hands, being able to feel and grasp things with them. Yet it's been so long since my last shift that I'd started to resign myself to a life on four paws. I'd thought I was lost after what they did to me. To us.

Those men…

Hate floods me, and I swallow again, pushing those images out of my head. The horror of it. The constant fear. Uncertainty. Rage. So much hatred toward them.

And what about Mom?!

Where is she? Still there with the others? Are they safe? Or, at the very least, unharmed. Because I know without a doubt that where they are is not safe for anyone. Certainly not those of our kind.

I filter through more foggy memories – these ones more accessible. I know I've been prowling around here for days, trying to find a way to get to my people. I broke away somehow and found myself here. I know that much, too. A lot of it is so fuzzy it's hard to grasp the misty tendrils of memories that seem to evaporate as I reach for them. I'm aware that I'd been in my beast form, and she'd taken over. Pushed me into survival mode. That much, I'm sure of.

But now, I'm back. Me. Cedara.

"Cedara…" My own name feels foreign on my thick tongue, the sound strangely loud within this quiet grove. It's been too long since I've spoken. Too long since I changed.

Why now? What could have caused it? Was it the thrill of the chase that triggered it? Or something else entirely?

I take a shuddering breath, fighting back the panic rising within me.

Get a grip, Cedara. You're human again; that's what matters.

Bracing my palms on the ground, I push myself to my feet, my legs wobbling beneath me. I have to get cleaned up and find a place to hide out before anyone sees me like this. Then I can start figuring out what the hell is going on.

???

Barrett

I come to with a groan, flat on my back on the damp forest floor.

Shit…what happened?

Wincing, I gingerly explore my chest with trembling fingers. My shirt is shredded to ribbons, the fabric stiff with congealed blood. Deep gouges crisscross my torso in ragged slashes. The edges of the wounds are beginning to heal.

Double shit…I've been out for hours. Longer?

Memories flood back in disjointed fragments. The wolf…the she-wolf. Those molten eyes locked on mine, blazing with a wild energy. And that strange sensation, like an electric current sparking between us. An instinctual pull I couldn't resist, dragging me helplessly closer despite the danger.

Fucking idiot!

I'd been so goddamn stupid, approaching her while she was feeding. Of course she attacked – I basically served myself up as her next meal. But part of me had been so convinced we shared some sort of connection. That she sensed the wolf prowling restlessly beneath my skin, just as I could feel the beast within her, hear the blood rushing through her veins.

Groaning again, I push myself upright, my back against the rough bark of a pine tree, taking stock of my injuries. My chest must have been shredded, but it'll be fine soon. It's my throat that has me pausing. With cautious fingertips, I probe the ragged flesh. The skin is lacerated, and there's a gaping wound in the spot where my neck joins my shoulder. I can feel the indentations where fangs have sunk in, leaving their mark there.

What the hell was I thinking?

Getting mauled by a beautiful beast wasn't exactly how I'd planned to spend my evening. Although…God, she was glorious – all rippling muscle and lethal grace as she launched herself at me. Even with her fangs bared, there was something undeniably alluring about her. Something that reached into my core and set my body humming in resonance with hers.

She bit my throat…

I touch the spot again. Then I shake my head, trying to dislodge the memories seared into my brain. Concussed ramblings – that's all they are. She was acting on pure instinct. Nothing more. I need to get my shit together and focus on the mission at hand.

Still, as I shakily haul myself to my feet, I can't quite banish the image of her magnificent, wild beauty from my mind's eye. Or the feeling that we were connected by something deeper and older than either of us could comprehend.

"Gotta find Alpen," I mutter through parched lips. Fuck, I could really use a drink of water. But as the sunlight streams through the trees around me, it occurs to me that Edirn may be long gone. It's daylight. "Shit!"

I scrub a hand over my face, blinking hard to clear my blurred vision. Things are starting to come back into focus, but I'm still groggy. My steps are staggering as I stumble back to the trail I'd been on earlier. A trail that would have led me to the facility where the wolves are being held.

Why the hell did you go off course, you idiot?

I berate myself harshly as I push forward. What the hell was I thinking, abandoning the mission to chase after some wild beast? No matter how magnetic her presence, how entrancing those blazing eyes… I'm a professional, dammit. I can't afford to let myself get distracted like that again.

Gritting my teeth, I keep moving, each step sending a jolt of pain lancing through my battered body. My wounds are closing, the gouges already starting to knit together, but it's a slow process. I'll be feeling the after-effects of those vicious slashes for a while yet.

Serves me right for being so goddamn reckless.

The trees thin out ahead, and I spot the familiar dirt path winding through the underbrush. Swallowing hard against a surge of guilt, I veer onto the trail, my boots kicking up little puffs of dust.

Edirn…

Shit! He must have been waiting for me this whole time. I was supposed to meet up with him hours ago at the rendezvous point near the sanctuary's perimeter.

What if he went looking for me and got into trouble? The thought has me increasing my pace, ignoring the protesting ache in my muscles. I have to find him, make sure he's alright. Then, together, we can figure out how the hell we're gonna get those wolves out of there.

The sanctuary buildings loom ahead through the trees, and I slow to a cautious creep, straining to catch any signs of movement. That's when I hear it – distant voices, radios crackling with chatter. As I emerge past the trees, the sight that greets me has me freezing in my tracks.

Police cruisers – half a dozen of them at least – are clustered around the main building, their lights painting the scene in an eerie strobing glow of blue and red. Uniformed officers mill around everywhere, speaking in terse codes into their shoulder mics. Even from here, I can make out the metallic shrieks of the radios, the constant buzz of tense activity.

What the hell is going on?

Did they know we were coming? Or…fuck, don't let Edirn have done something stupid. If he's been captured, or worse…

My jaw clenches as possibilities start to careen through my mind, each one darker than the last. I have to get a closer look, figure out exactly what's happening. But first, I need to get out of sight before one of those cops spots me skulking around out here looking like the walking dead.

With a rattling exhale, I turn and melt back into the shadowed tree line, circling around the perimeter as I try to formulate some kind of plan.

I slink through the shadows, using every bit of my wolf-honed senses to gather information without drawing unwanted attention. Snippets of terse conversation drift my way, painting a grim picture.

"…bodies were shredded, like an animal attack…"

"…guards never stood a chance…"

"…whoever did this is still out there…"

My jaw tightens as the implications sink in. An attack, multiple casualties – this can't be good. Edirn could be in serious trouble. I have to find out more.

Crouching low, I inch closer to the commotion, my eyes scanning the flurry of activity. The cops seem to be focused on the main building, no doubt investigating the scene of the crime. That's where I need to be.

As I creep forward, I catch a flash of movement from the corner of my eye. Spinning my head around, I spot a lone officer sweeping the area, his brow furrowed in concentration. I force myself to remain still, blending into the shadows.

The cop draws nearer, dangerously close. I hold my breath, every muscle tensed and ready to spring into action if needed. Just as he's about to pass my hiding spot, a twig snaps underfoot.

The officer whirls around, his weapon drawn and trained on the spot where I crouch. "Who's there?" he barks, his voice taut with unease.

Shit. He's going to see me.

There's nothing for it; I have to show myself. I step forward, and his eyes widen, his finger tightening on the trigger.

"Freeze! Put your hands up!" he barks. Cautiously, I raise them, grateful I'd had the forethought to zip my jacket up over my ruined shirt.

"Whoa!" I respond. "Easy now. I didn't do nothin'."

"What are you doing out here?" His lips tighten, suspicion clouding his eyes.

"Just out for a hike. What's going on here?" I pray that he doesn't look too closely at my unconventional "hiking" garb. I've spent my time here dressed to fit in with the bikers at the bar. My denim jeans and steel-toed boots might pass for walking gear, but the leather jacket might raise eyebrows.

Thankfully, he doesn't seem too interested in my wardrobe. "This is an active crime scene. You need to keep clear." He jerks his head over his shoulder where I see he's been marking out the area with crime scene tape.

"Crime scene?" I frown. "What happened?"

The cop eyes me warily, like he's trying to gauge how much to divulge. Finally, he gives a curt nod.

"Security breach. Handlers got mauled," he says grimly. "Looks like there was a problem with some of the wolves. We're still trying to figure out what exactly happened, but…" He trails off, his gaze drifting toward the buildings.

My stomach drops as the implication sinks in. If they think the wolves turned on their handlers… Fuck, this is bad. Really bad.

"You mean…some of those wolves got loose?" I pitch my voice higher, letting fear creep in. The cop's eyes snap back to me.

"That's what it's looking like so far," he confirms. "So I need you to clear out of this area for your own safety. We've got units mobilizing to do a sweep, put the animals down if need be." His jaw tightens. "Can't risk having any more civilian casualties if they're running wild out there."

I force myself to keep up the charade, feigning horror. "You're gonna…kill them? All of them?"

The cop remains terse. "Any wolves we come across, yeah. Can't take any chances when they've already turned deadly aggressive." His tone grows firmer. "Now, I need you to head on out of here. We've got an armed search party heading into those trees within the hour."

My mind is racing. "Right…right, of course. I'll get out of your way, Officer." I start backing away slowly. "Be careful out there, yeah? Those things are unpredictable."

The cop just grunts in acknowledgment, already turning his attention elsewhere as I retreat to the trail. But as soon as I'm screened from view, I break into a jog, my boots thudding against the pine-padded soil.

The she-wolf!

I have to find her before those trigger-happy cops do. If they really think the wolves went rogue, they won't hesitate to shoot first and ask questions never. And I can't let anything happen to her. Not after the strange connection I felt with her, the sense that we're somehow bound together.

I move swiftly but silently through the underbrush, all my senses pinging. Scanning, searching for any sign of that sleek golden form. If the cops are planning to mobilize a hunting party to take down the "rogue" wolves, I don't have much time.

Anxiety coils tight in my gut as I hurry onward. What if Cedara isn't the only shifter loose out here? What if there are others, maybe injured or disoriented after an escape attempt? I can't let them get caught in the crossfire, either. Not on my watch.

My pulse pounds with urgency as I push forward, my strides eating up the ground. I have to find them first…have to keep them safe. No matter what it takes.