Chapter 88: Chapter Thirty-Five

***Amina’s POV***

“Unbelievable! She’s not listening again.” 

'*Shit*!' I told myself as Roxanne's voice floated to my ears and pulled me out of my thoughts for the umpteenth time tonight. I could already hear the lecture that was to follow shortly on my bad habits, for, once again, I was guilty of not paying attention. How could I, though?

While the last three days with her and Ophelia were a good distraction, I couldn't help but fall back, more often than I would’ve liked, into the endless abyss of my reeling thoughts. Life's issues were too difficult to ignore, and no matter how hard I tried, they always got the best of me.

“I’m so sorry-”

“Don’t even, Mina!” Roxanne cut me off, raising her hand. “It’s like you’re never listening. Always somewhere else, never here with us.”

“Give her a break, Roxy. She’s got a lot of things going on.” Ophelia said in my defense.

“I know that, O, and that’s exactly my point.” She replied before looking back toward me. “I want you to talk to me, Mina. You always keep things bottled up, and it’s not healthy. I mean, when has hiding stuff ever been helpful to you?”

“Please, don’t.” I sighed before getting up to clear the table of our late dinner.

“I’m sorry, but I will. Just talk to us, babe. And look, if you’re worried about Benji, you don’t have to be. Everybody tends to go radio silent during a mission; it happens.”

“Or maybe they’re just out of range and can’t link us.” Ophelia added, shrugging her shoulders.

“Or that too!” Roxanne exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “You see, it’s normal. You don’t have to worry about him. They’re all fine.” 

“I wasn’t thinking about them, Roxy.” 

“Alright, then who?” 

“No one. Just drop it, okay?”

“No, I won’t! Tell me!” She yelled out as her deeply rooted frustration set in. “Tell me so that I can save your ass right now, instead of having to do it later when everything goes to shit!” 

“Roxy!” Ophelia screamed, stunned.

“You always do this. You lie, and you keep things to yourself. You never trust anybody, not even me, your best friend. Face it, Mina, you know it’s true.” Roxanne kept going as I turned to the kitchen sink to end the conversation. “Suffering in silence when you have people that care for you isn’t saintly, you know? It’s stupid.”

“Oh my God!” I shouted, smashing the dishes to bits inside the sink. “Are you seriously talking to me about trust?” I yelled at her. “Well, I’m sorry, but if I don’t seem to have any, it’s because of you. You’re to blame along with everyone I’ve ever loved that lied to me.” I kept screaming, losing more control as a fit of vicious and sudden anger pervaded my entire body. “Shit, Roxy! You say you’re my best friend, but you’ve lied too and kept secrets for years. Then you brought me here, knowing what you were getting me into exactly. Oh yeah, I remember everything about the night I met your brother. ‘I knew it. I’ve felt it for years,’ you said. How could you have kept this from me? I’m so mad and sad, lost, and fucking hurt. And it’s no big deal for any of you. My mom sends me an apology text and expects me to come back, and you say you’re sorry and expect me to celebrate all your happiness. Well, I can’t, okay? That's what happens when you've been tortured, beaten and raped. For fuck’s sake, I’ve lost a baby! I’ll probably never be able to have another one either. So, forgive me if I fucking space out from time to time. I’m dealing with a lot of bullshit, and I could sure do with a little less coming from you!”

Breathless, I finally stopped lashing out and narrowly grabbed the back of a chair to avoid an assured fall. I was beginning to feel nauseous, and my head was spinning. I had never lost myself like this before with my best friend. I had never let anger or grief or anything else come between her and me, and I could tell from the heavy, uncomfortable silence that had taken over the room Roxanne, too, was shocked.

A spat was one thing, but this was unlike anything we've known. I was afraid I had crossed a line I could never get back from, and because of it, I watched speechlessly as my friend and Ophelia cried. Despite wanting to hug them both and apologize more than anything, shame froze me in place.

“Mina, I- I’m-”

“I know,” I said to Roxanne tearfully.

She wanted to apologize, I was sure, but she didn't have the words. I could understand that. I felt the same way. “Me too.” I whispered before walking away. “I’m going to bed. I’m tired.” 

“Mina?”

Ophelia's soft voice stopped me short as I neared the kitchen entrance. “What?” I asked her without looking back.

“Being here is not a bad thing, you know?” She said lowly. “I wouldn’t have met you if you weren’t here, and you wouldn’t have met Benji.”

Of course, she was right. Blackwoods was, in fact, a blessing in disguise, only, what a truly terrible disguise it was. I was beyond exhausted, so I left them both in the kitchen and quietly rushed upstairs. Not wanting to speak or even think at this point, I slipped into Benjamin's room, closed the door behind me, and cried a little more.

Like all the nights spent without him, his bed seemed just a little too big and too cold, and tonight, more than ever, I didn't want to be alone in it. I cursed Gisele under my breath, for she was the reason he was gone. She took him while I needed him, and I felt abandoned. I chose to curl up on the small sofa at the back instead of the empty bed, and let the big, shining moon keep me company.

I had been sleeping for a while when, suddenly, Ophelia's panicked voice woke me up. She was screaming, shaking me, and pulling me with extraordinary force. Her distress was clear to see, and I struggled to make sense of anything.

“What, Ophelia? What?” I yelled, terrified as a staggering feeling of dread washed over me.

“We’re under attack, Mina! We gotta get out of here!”

“What? What are you talking about?” I screamed louder as she dragged me through the hall and down the stairs. “Where’s Roxy? What’s going on?” 

“Mina, I’m here! Hurry! We have to leave now!” Roxanne called out to me from the bottom of the stairs, ransacking one of the entryway tables. “Where are the keys to the stupid truck, Mina?”

“What is happening, Roxy?”

Her face was wet with tears, and her usually bright sea-green eyes jumped in and out of a heavy fog. “Shit!” She answered, mind-linking with others. “Sheila and Jamal are trying to get to us, but I don’t think they’ll make it. The keys, Mina? Where are the keys?”

“In my purse! Look in my purse!” I shouted, remembering our grocery run earlier today. “Tell me what’s going on, please!” I cried as the three of us ran out the door.

“Here, Mina! Drive. O get in the back, hurry!” Roxanne ordered before struggling to get into the passenger seat. “The pack’s being attacked. The warriors are already fighting. Goddess, Mina! What the hell are you waiting for? Drive!” She shrieked into my ears. “We can’t stop for anyone until we’ve reached my parents’ house. We’ll only be safe over there.”

“Who’s attacking us?” I asked as the engine roared under us.

“I don't know yet. I’ve been told they crossed our borders and keep gaining ground. My orders are to protect you.”

“Me?” I objected, angry and confused. “Roxy, you’re the pregnant one!”

“And you’re our Luna!” Roxanne replied before Ophelia yelled from her seat at the both of us to shut up.

“Do you smell that?” She said, rolling down the back windows. “What is that?”

“A new scent.” Roxanne whispered, sniffing the cool air that was now engulfing the cabin. “Whatever it is, it’s getting stronger. You have to drive faster, Mina.” She said tensely.

“I’m trying! I can’t see anything!”

“Hurry, Mina!” Ophelia yelled.

“Turn on the high beams!” Roxanne shouted at the same time.

‘*Right*!’ I thought as I looked away from the road to pull the light switch. A second later, as the darkness of the night cleared like day, a high-pitched roar forced my foot to hit the brakes and stop the truck as hastily as it had taken off.

I almost wished I hadn’t seen what made the girls scream and wished I were anywhere other than here, for what laid in front of us was horrific beyond anything imaginable. Less than two hundred yards ahead of us were six hellish beasts, as bulky and towering as trees. Wolf-like features may have covered their bodies, but wolves, they were not. Instead, they appeared as ungodly mixtures of both devil and man, and as they began to take long-legged strides towards us, howling and growling, their clawed paws dug into the dark asphalt with every step.

“Roxy, are they….” Ophelia asked, falling silent while those things divided up to encircle us.

Roxanne couldn’t answer. Like the rest of us, fear had her choked up. Both hands rested on her growing stomach as she tried to catch her breath and link with the rest of the pack. Her eyes glazed over a moment before she turned to me and shook her head. Evidently, this time, there was going to be no Benjamin, Ryan, Grace, or Carson to save us. We were all alone.

“Roxy?” Ophelia asked again, shakily. 

“They’re Lycans.” I answered for Roxanne, my eyes meeting with those of the rapidly approaching beasts.

I have dreamed of these eyes for a long time, and I knew what they meant. 

The purple glow. 

My father's pack.