Chapter 2
The ‘werewolves’ sat there, five sets of eyes trained on me, waiting for my reaction.
Growing up in the care system had taught me many things.
The most valuable one? How to put on a brave face.
I wiped all traces of fear from my features and cleared my throat.
These people thought they were fairytale creatures? Okay. I could play that game.
“So, is this a silver bullet, light of the full moon kind of thing, or…?”
“No,” Jonah answered. “Silver bullets are just bullets and aren’t likely to kill us unless we get shot in the head or the heart. As for the full moon, we can shift any time, though we are stronger when the moon is at its peak.”
“Right. Makes sense.” I nodded as if I was mulling their madness over.
“She’s taking this better than I thought,” Dinah said to her husband.
Good. Let them think that. I stared around the table, wondering how the hell I had walked into a house full of crazy people.
This was what I got for picking up a stranded woman on the side of the road. I needed to get out of here.
I took a calming breath. I’d been in tighter spots than this. Figure it out, Iona. First step, put some distance between me and them. I stood, not really sure what my next move was.
“You can’t leave,” Konnor said, rising too.
I swallowed, but didn’t let my smile falter. “Why exactly?”
“This is the part you aren’t going to like.” He looked at his father, as did I. My palms were sweating and I clenched my fists as Jonah began to speak.
“Werewolves mate for life.”
He was right, I already didn’t like where this was going.
“We are split creatures, you see. Skin and fur, but our soul is split too and we can't be whole until we have found our counterpart. When Kara came home after you had driven her into town, Kole scented you on her.” He took a breath. “You’re his mate.”
This was bad. This was really, really bad.
“Okay…” I swallowed, forcing myself to stay calm.
“Do you mind if I use your bathroom? I really need a minute.” Konnor frowned at me, all traces of earlier joviality gone.
He was in soldier mode now, if that even was his job.
Kallum and Kara were staring at their plates, refusing to look me in the eye.
“Please, I really just need a moment to process this alone.”
“Alright.” Konnor said after a moment of silent communication with his father. “It’s this way.” I took notice of every door and window as Konnor led me upstairs to the bathroom.
Inside, I pulled my phone out of my boot, thanking my upbringing for teaching me to keep my valuables hidden.
No service. Great. I shoved my phone back into my jacket pocket and studied the window.
It had a simple latch that wasn’t locked and swung out wide enough for me to fit through.
I guess Konnor hadn’t worried I might climb out from the second floor.
I pulled my waist-length, black hair back into a pony and used a hair tie from my wrist to secure it. I kicked off my boots next. They would make climbing a drainpipe difficult.
“Iona, are you okay in there?” Konnor called through the door.
“I’m fine. I’ll be right out.” I fought to keep the tremor out of my voice.
“Can you let me in?”
“You want to watch me go to the bathroom?” I did my best to sound outraged and flushed the toilet to cover the sound of me opening the window.
“Alright, I’m sorry. I’ll wait downstairs.”
I paused, hearing only silence. I climbed up on the ledge and a moment later the door flew open, coming clean off the hinges.
I was already out of the window and swinging onto the drainpipe.
I heard Konnor’s curses and him shouting Kallum’s name.
I climbed the drainpipe with ease, swinging myself onto the roof.
I shrugged out of my jacket and threw it to the ground, hoping to give the impression I’d run into the woods.
On the roof I was trapped and I knew I had only moments.
I pulled my phone out of my bra, up here I had two bars.
I dialled 911. When it connected, the dispatcher's voice was muffled and broken.
“Hello? I need help. My name is Iona Murphy, I’m being held hostage.” I could barely hear the dispatcher and had no idea if she could hear me. I gave her the address as clearly as I could and hung up, hoping that would be enough. Even if I didn’t get free on my own, maybe help would come.
“Iona…” I spun around. Konnor was standing a few feet behind me, his hands outstretched. “We aren’t going to hurt you. Please come down.”
“Get the fuck away from me. I already called the police. They’re on their way.”
“It’ll take them forty minutes to get here and you’ll be long gone by then.
We’ll deal with them if they do come. I’m sorry but you aren’t getting out of this.
You need to climb down before you get hurt.
” He advanced and I backed away. I made for the drain pipe, sliding myself off the edge of the roof and shimmying down.
I jumped, landing on the unforgiving concrete of the patio below.
I looked up.
Kara, Dinah, and Jonah had formed a semi-circle between me and the woods. I was trapped. A thud landed behind me and I whipped around to see Konnor springing up from a crouch. He’d just jumped off the damn roof and his legs weren’t broken? How?
I backed away, thinking quickly. If I could get to the front of the house to my car I could get away.
I took another step when arms encircled me from behind. Remembering every self defence class I’d ever taken, I stepped left and drove my elbow up into Kallum’s face. His nose crunched but so did my elbow and I screamed in pain, a scream that was answered by a deafening growl coming from the woods.
I fell to the ground, holding my elbow, but immediately scrambled away, back up to my feet. I backed up as the rumble grew louder.
“Konnor, get her inside now!” Dinah yelled as Jonah turned towards the tree line. Konnor grabbed me just as a snarl split the air. I froze, my insides turning to liquid as a beast broke through the trees. A wolf. A giant fucking wolf.
I couldn’t scream. My body wouldn’t let me. The tan beast ran straight for us, its manic eyes fixed on me. It looked like it would tear me apart. This was it. This was how I died.
I watched as Jonah, instead of running away from the animal, ran straight towards it, closer, closer before he jumped and shifted into an equally huge black wolf. The two creatures collided in mid-air and tumbled to the ground.
Konnor dragged me into the house, Dinah and Kara following and slamming the door shut behind them.
I didn’t fight, my gaze fixed on the window, the two giant wolves rolling, biting and snarling.
They weren’t regular wolves, these creatures were the size of bears.
Very, very big bears. I couldn’t process what I was seeing.
Werewolves. They were real. And I was surrounded by them. Chills broke out over my body.
The tan wolf threw off the black one, but instead of continuing the fight, it turned to me. Its eyes fixed on me once more. It looked like it wanted to kill me, but the black wolf was up again and slammed into the other, preventing him from getting closer to me.
A hand seized me and tugged me away from the glass. Kara’s hand was in mine. I stared up at her. I felt like I was in shock.
“Mom…” Konnor’s voice was low.
“Go,” Dinah ordered and Konnor slipped out the door, joining Kallum on the other side of the glass. They took up points between the house and the warring wolves.
“What planet am I on?” Was that my voice? Why did I sound so small?
Dinah spoke, but I couldn’t hear her words over the deafening snarls of the battling beasts. The tan one, eyes black, muzzle frothing, fighting with one goal to get to me. The black beast fighting with one goal – to prevent it.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and I ripped away from it.
“Iona, we aren’t going to hurt you,” Dinah said, her voice soothing. “You are our family, our future.”
“Your prisoner.”
“No!”
“Yes,” Kara cut in. “Technically, yes. She saved my life and now we’re holding her prisoner. This is fucked up.”
Saved her life? I’d just given her a ride.
“We have no choice.”
“I won’t tell anyone what I saw,” I told Dinah. “I swear it.”
“I’m sorry.” Dinah shook her head and, to her credit, she looked like she meant it.
“My son needs you and so do we. I wish this wasn’t causing you pain but right now, I have to care about my son more than you.
” Like I hadn’t heard that before. My whole life, someone else’s needs were always more important than mine.
“Go with Kara. You’ll be given privacy tonight to process all of this.
Please, don’t make us force you.” She seemed harder than before.
Kara placed a gentle hand on my arm, turning me to face her. “Iona, I?—''
I headbutted her. I was done with this shit.
I broke her nose and dazed myself. I crumpled to the floor, my head ringing.
Fingers gripped me, her mother’s fingers.
I gripped them, pivoted, and twisted, snapping them back the way I had learned.
Dinah cried out and just like that, everything changed. I became the enemy.
A snarl erupted from the battling wolves. All of them turned on me in unison. Beasts, but loyal beasts at least. The black wolf lunged at the house, but I turned and ran, slipping away from Kara’s grasping hands.
I ran for the front door, thanking whatever deity might be up there when I found it unlocked. I stepped out just as a roar and shattered glass sounded behind me.
I pulled my keys out of my pocket, opened my car, and flung myself in. Trembling hands forced the key in the ignition, and the engine roared to life as twin howls sounded behind me, both wolves were gaining on me. I hit the accelerator and sped away.
“Come on, come on,” I urged the old rust bucket. The black wolf collided with my car, but I regained control, picking up speed as I flew away from the house. I drove into the night, the house fading from view in my wing mirror.
Relief washed over me. I’d made it. Then a prickle rippled over my skin, that same awareness that I’d felt earlier that night. I heard the growl, saw a flash of tan fur, but I had no time to prepare before the wolf rammed into the side of my car.
It sent me spinning. I struggled with the wheel, tires screeching on the road as I fought and failed to regain control.
I had only a second to gasp at the looming tree before I hit it, full force.
My head hit the steering wheel with a sickening crunch, sending me away from this nightmare and into blackness.