Page 34 of Bad Moon Rising
If he’s out in the open, he’ll be impossible to catch.
Daisy, where are you?
Brooks grabs the nearest person—Rachael Tetters, student president and head of the prom committee. He shakes her roughly. “Have you seen Lily Dean?”
“Who?” Rachael’s eyes widen as she takes in my brother’s imposing frame and intense eyes. I know that look well—ever since he started high school, girls have been falling over themselves to get to my brother. With his tousled blond hair, dark eyes, permanent scowl, and that ridiculous duster, Brooks has that whole brooding bad boy thing down.
“Lily Dean,” he snarks. “She’s got long, wavy red hair, dark hazel eyes with gold flecks, and she’s wearing a burnt orange dress that hugs her hips so tight…”
Wait a second…I never showed Brooks the photo on Chase’s social media, so how does he know what Lily’s dress looks like?
I don’t have time to think about that. We have to find Lily. Now.
“Oh, her.” Rachael makes a face. “I saw her slip out the south exit with Chase Howards. They looked like they were heading to one of the classrooms.” Rachael’s eyes light up as she strokes her hand over Brooks’s broad shoulders. “I think that’s an excellent idea. What say you and me go and make our own party…”
With the growl of a wild animal, Brooks shoves her away and runs for the exit. We race after him.
My chest burns as we tear down the empty halls. Brooks is a man possessed. He kicks every classroom door open, surprising one couple in the middle of a serious makeout session. My chest constricts as I study their faces in the pale moonlight. But it’s not Lily. She’s not anywhere.
“Maybe Rachael was lying?” Orion huffs beside me. Becka sprints ahead of us, catching up to Brooks. We’re nearly on the other side of the school. There aren’t that many classrooms left to check.
“Or maybe they did go to the field—”
A scream pierces the gloom.
“Lily!” I cry.
We tear out of the classroom, searching for the source of the scream. Lily screams again—I’d know her voice anywhere—and it’s coming from the administration block.
I tear off after her.
Not even the hounds of hell pawing at my skin, sinking their talons in deep, could keep me away from her.
“They’re in the nurse’s office,” I call out to the others, but I don’t slow down.
Of course, Chase would take her there. Back to the place where they first become friends.
The perfect place to take the girl you want to devour.
My heart hammers against my ribs as I run through the open main door and skid around the corner. The nurse’s office door is right in front of me. It’s ajar and the light is on, and someone is crashing and snarling inside.
Someone…or something.
I beat Brooks to the door and yank it open. It bangs against the wall, startling the creature.
Chase turns to me, only he’s not Chase anymore.
He’s a werewolf.
Four furry, muscled wolf legs poke from his torn suit. His soft chin and slightly turned-up nose have been replaced by the powerful jaws and long, curved teeth of a predator. His eyes narrow with deadly intent, and he tosses his head back and howls.
The sound chills my blood and rattles my bones.
Lily’s backed into a corner on the opposite side of the room, but she appears unharmed, thank fuck. Her hair is disheveled and the strap of her dress has been snapped, but other than that, I don't notice anything out of place. Broken thermometers and bandages litter the floor in front of her. She wields a long plunger, probably from the janitor’s cupboard across the hall, and she’s holding it like a baseball bat as the wolf circles closer, its jaws opening wide and its weight shifting to its back legs as it prepares to pounce…
“Jackson!” Lily cries, her eyes meeting mine.
Her cry tears my soul, jerking me into action.