Page 46 of Chasing Luna
I need to take this outside so I can use my silver dagger.
It stalks me, snarling as it does so. “Isabela! Stay where I can see you!” Katarina yells out, but doesn’t let the man leave her sight. Gregory seems to catch on pretty quickly, and steps aside as I continue backing away.
“Don’t worry about me, Katarina!”I can handle this,I think to myself as I run back to the garden. Gregory takes this as a sign to help Katarina fight the ferocious wolf. “Catch me if you can, you mongrel.” I laugh as the wolf targetting me lunges forward, big paws making a loud thud as they hit the ground beside me. I pull out my dagger just in time, and it plunges itself into my weapon. The wolf, sensing what I have in my hands, tries to pull away but I hold its head against my body. I wrap my legs against it too, and lock onto it as I push my dagger inside its chest to the hilt. It whimpers as it struggles against my hold. I laugh once more.
Too weak to fight back now, huh?
“What happened to your vicious growls earlier? What? You thought I was easy prey?” I scornfully whisper in its ear. The wolf twitches as it spits out foam on my shoulder. I drag the dagger across its chest with as much force I can muster. “I’ll cut you up and feed you to the fishes. You don’t deserve to turn back into a human. You’ll die like this. Unnamed and forgotten.” It squeals like a pig before going limp against me. I drop it to the ground as a huge explosion occurs inside the house. Soaking with blood, I try to run fast to get to my sister. As soon as I step into the foyer, I smell burned flesh and fur emanating from the inside. I resist the urge to gag and look at what’s happening. I spot Gregory standing in one corner of the room, mouth hanging agape while looking at the ground. I try to make sense of what he’s looking at, and I can vaguely make out charred legs and an arm, and two paws. Nothing more. Katarina stands victoriously in the center of the room, grinning at her kill. “Katarina?” I call out cautiously.
“He’s dead.” She smiles and I feel myself wanting to hurl.
“Oh, he’s more than dead, Kat.”
There’s nothing left of him.
Chapter Forty-Five
When did she get so strong?I think to myself as Katarina crosses the room, hugging me.
“Oh, God. What happened to you? Why are you… wet?” She scans me up and down, grimacing as she takes in my bloodied clothes.
“Why were you so disgusted when you did that?” I ask, and then point at the floor.
“Oh, that? Kind of just happened.” She smiles sheepishly.
“Things like that don’t just ‘happen.’ You blew up an entire person.” I stare at the remnants of the Alpha, and the bits of fur scattered around the room.
“Is it some sort of mutation from your power?” I press on cautiously.
“I think so,” she says flippantly. I lock eyes with Gregory, who seems frozen in place. But after a few seconds, he starts moving toward me. Katarina pulls me back, however, and pushes me gently out the door. “You should wait for the pack to return out here,” she commands, but I squirm under her grasp.
“I don’t want to. I want to help search for more.” She continues to keep a firm grip on my arm.
“We need you safe,” she insists under her breath and tries to close the door on me, but another hand shoots forward to stop Katarina.
“I’ll stay with Princess Isabela.” Gregory steps outside and stands beside me. “She needs my protection more than anyone,” he notes simply and stares blankly at Katarina.
I can practically feel Katarina bristle at Gregory’s words, and I don’t know why but it gives me immense satisfaction seeing her this upset. “Okay, I’ll stay here.” I sigh and turn my back on both of them. I start going near the gate of the estate, knowing full well that Gregory is right behind me.
I haven’t even crossed half of the walkway when I spot a familiar light brown-haired boy running at full speed toward me. I sneak a glance at Gregory, who already seems exhausted at the sight of Kenji.Oh, no.
My eyes widen as Kenji comes barreling toward me, taking me in his arms and tackling me down to the ground. “You’re alive!” he yells.
“I am. Welcome back.” I laugh lightly at his antics.
“When we got the call from Katarina, I thought we would be too late.” He sniffles and helps me back up.
“Quit being so dramatic. You know me, you know I can take care of myself.” I lightly push him on his bare shoulder. My eyes trail down his toned body, abs tightening with his every breath.Damn, when did he get so buff?
“Like what you see, Isabela?” He grins.
“Shut up, you look horrible.” I point at his grubby, dirt-ridden face.
“Hey, can you be a little nice? It was a nightmare back at the orphanage.” As soon as he says that, pack members run past us to bring back reinforcements and fight off any other intruders remaining inside the house. “What happened here?” he asks as we are walking back inside. Gregory falls back, silently following us. Though Kenji’s attention is directed at me, he seems a little tense at Gregory’s presence.
“The Alpha of the Midnight Walkers tricked us all. He sent half the pack on a false lead, and then tried to ambush me and Katarina.” He nods, and reaches for my waist.
As he pulls me, two pack members in their wolf forms run past us at full speed. “That was close.” He lets go, but I can practically hear Gregory growling. “Anyway.” He smiles at me. “Where’s the Alpha now?”