Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
Jack
A sound so horrific, so murderous, it couldn’t have been real reached Jack as his vision blackened.
So this is what the afterlife sounds like, Jack thought. That’s disappointing. I thought I’d get trumpets, or angels singing, or something.
Suddenly, the weight was gone from his chest, and the battle sounds died around him as werewolves whimpered in the presence of the terrible roar.
Jack was able to open his eyes. He was still lying on his back, the pain in his head and chest alive with agony, and he had to blink to realize what he was seeing as his eyes told him the impossible was taking place in front of him.
A giant, white werewolf hovered over him. It stood on two feet, roaring violence at both Aareth and Kimberly, as well as the pack of werewolves around him.
Jack had seen enough interaction between animal packs to understand that this was the pack alpha. His heart filled with hope that the alpha was also his father, and that his actions had not been in vain.
A moment passed where nothing happened. Jack could only see the back of the gigantic white werewolf, so it was still too soon to know for sure if it was his father or not.
The white werewolf finally came down on all fours and the menacing sounds of destruction coming from its throat ended. Everyone else stood or crouched, unsure of what to do next.
The werewolf who had saved Jack finally turned to face him. His eyes were yellow now, his face nothing like it had been before, but somehow, somewhere, deep down in his soul, Jack knew this was his father.
The werewolf stared deep into Jack’s eyes before nudging him playfully with a snout as large as Jack’s foot.
Jack winced past his pain and struggled to a seated position. Fear was a secondary thought to his relief as he extended a hand and placed an open palm on the werewolf’s long jawline.
The white werewolf pushed into his hand, long, hot breath coming out of his mouth.
Kimberly and Aareth joined Jack’s side, close enough to be seen out of his peripheral vision, but not so close as to disturb the moment.
“I knew it was you,” Jack said as he finally moved to regain his feet.
Tears streaked down his cheeks as he stared into his father’s eyes.
“When you died, it was like losing both parents. I never knew Mom; you were all I knew, and you were always there for me. When you died, I was lost. I didn’t understand how much I loved you until you were gone.
I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry that all of this has happened to you. ”
Jack fell to his knees. He wasn’t sure what would happen, but before he could second-guess himself, he wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. In that moment, he felt like a child again.
His father rested his furry head on his shoulder in return.
“I … I don’t know what you’re going through in there”—Jack pulled himself out of the hug—“but I need you, Dad. I need you to do whatever you have to, to come back to me. Fight it, come to grips with it, make peace with what you are. Whatever you have to do, do it. Please, without you, I can’t do what needs to be done. ”
Tears formed and then fell from the white werewolf’s yellow eyes. It took a step back and began to change. White hair fell in clumps around the beast as it transitioned from monster to man.
One moment, there was a gigantic white werewolf standing in front of Jack; the next, the father he had come to love and respect slumped naked on the ground.
Jack took off his long, brown coat and draped it over his father before wrapping him in another hug.
“I can’t believe you’re back,” Jack repeated, over and over. “I can’t believe you’re back.”
“I’m here.” Marcus held his son close. “I’m sorry I couldn’t control the animal inside sooner. Seeing you is exactly what I needed.”
“I don’t want to ruin this sappy moment”—Kimberly took a step forward—“but should we be worried about the rest of the pack?”
Jack looked up to see the rest of Marcus’ werewolf pack looking to one another in indecision. Some rested on all fours, content to let their leader make his decision, while others stood on their hindquarters, sniffing the air as if the answer was on the wind.
“They’ll obey me for at least the time being.” Marcus rose, wrapping Jack’s coat around him. “There are those in the pack who will see this as a weakness and make a play for the alpha position, but I think we’re okay for now.”
Jack wrestled his gaze away from the dozen werewolves who looked at him with half curiosity and half hunger.
It was only then that Jack realized Aareth was lying down.
He had been so fixated on his father that he hadn’t taken the time to notice that both of his friends had sustained serious injuries.
Kimberly was a mess of scratches and cuts, and one of her wings was bent at an odd angle. Although the gargoyle hid it well, it was obvious she was in a fair amount of pain.
As bad as Jack and Kimberly were, Aareth was worse. His black fur was a mass of crimson red, and part of his body had been completely ripped open. It seemed in the fight he had taken the brunt of the attack.
“Aareth!” Jack ran forward and skidded to a halt beside the werewolf. The forest floor dug into his knees, but all of that was secondary to the scene in front of him. “Aareth, can you hear me?”
Aareth didn’t say a word. Instead, he transitioned back into a human, and he lay on the forest ground, naked and covered in his own blood. Kimberly limped over, bringing his own coat from her bag and covering his wounds.
Jack was no doctor, but life in the Outland meant you were familiar with injuries and knew life-threatening damage apart from minor cuts and scrapes.
“Good … good to see you, Marcus.” Aareth grunted past the pain. “You … you take care of Jack now. Tell my wife?—”
“Shhh…” Marcus joined Jack at Aareth’s side as the two examined his wounds. “Save your strength. You’re going to tell her yourself.”
Aareth was turning pale. Blood slipped down the corners of his mouth and into the short, black beard that ran over his cheeks. He was shaking now, teeth gritted to stave off a scream.
Jack lifted the black coat covering his body.
He tried in vain to mask his face, but it was impossible.
Aareth was covered in angry bruises and bloody bite marks, but one in particular caught Jack’s eye: the bite mark that wrapped around Aareth’s right side—it covered his tan skin from chest to torso, and the open wound was a mess of raw meat and torn skin.
“He needs a doctor.” Marcus motioned for Kimberly to give him the satchel of clothes she held in her hand. “First, we have to stop the bleeding to buy him some time.”
“There’s a doctor in Term.” Kimberly grunted as she extended her arm and handed Marcus the bag of clothing. “At least there was one when we left, but that was before Term was an occupied city. There’ll be a vampire garrison there now.”
A dozen different scenarios rushed through Jack’s mind, each one ending with Aareth dead if they decided to do nothing. A tiny voice in the back of his mind kept reminding him that this was all his fault.
Aareth only came to help you, the voice poked at him. If it wasn’t for you, he’d be fine. Now, he’s going to die because he helped you save your father.
“We have to try.” Marcus pressed Aareth’s shirt into the wound to stop the bleeding. “I’m sorry, Aareth. This isn’t going to feel pretty.”
Aareth screamed in pain as the makeshift bandage was pressed into place.
Then Aareth went limp. His chest still rising and falling, but his body finally giving in to the pain and falling unconscious.
“We have to go into Term.” Jack looked at his father, who was already nodding along with his words. “If Aareth doesn’t get help soon, he’s going to die.”