Chapter 56
Elara's POV
The bow felt good in my hands. Solid. Familiar.
I ran my fingers along the string one more time. Checked the tension. The flexibility.
Adrian was watching me. I could feel his eyes on my face.
"You know how to use that," he said. Not a question. A statement.
I looked up at him. His expression was unreadable in the darkness.
"I've practiced," I said.
Another lie. But what else could I say? That muscle memory from a past life was kicking in? That I'd killed people with weapons like this before?
Yeah. That would go over great.
Adrian stared at me for another second. Then he nodded toward the trees.
"They went that way. Dragging at least three students."
I followed his gaze. Saw the trampled undergrowth. The broken branches.
My brain automatically started tracking. Reading the signs.
Three wolves. Maybe four. Moving fast but not running. They were confident. Not worried about being followed.
That was their mistake.
"Let's go," I said.
We moved through the forest. Adrian took point. I stayed a few steps behind. Bow ready.
The screaming had stopped. That was either very good or very bad.
My heart was pounding. Not from fear. From adrenaline. From the familiar rush of moving into a fight.
God I'd missed this. The clarity. The focus.
Then I felt guilty for thinking that. People were in danger. This wasn't supposed to feel good.
But part of me—the Lynette part—was practically humming with anticipation.
Adrian held up a fist. I stopped immediately.
He pointed ahead. Through the trees I could see firelight. Movement.
We crept closer. Staying low. Staying quiet.
The clearing came into view.
There were wooden cages. Rough. Hastily built. But sturdy enough to hold people.
Seven or eight students were crammed inside one. I recognized a few faces from school. They looked terrified.
Three wolves were standing guard. Big ones. All with those red claw marks on their shoulders.
They were in human form now. Dressed in dark tactical gear. They looked military. Professional.
Not random attackers. Not Rogues.
This was organized.
Adrian looked at me. Raised his eyebrows. Asking a silent question.
I held up three fingers. Pointed to each guard in turn. Then I made a gesture—splitting up.
He got it. Nodded.
I moved left. He went right.
My hands were steady on the bow. I nocked an arrow. Drew back the string.
Aimed at the first guard's leg. Lower thigh. Meaty part. Wouldn't kill him but he'd go down.
Adrian burst out from the right side of the clearing. Yelling. Drawing their attention.
All three guards spun toward him.
I released.
The arrow flew. Hit the first guard exactly where I'd aimed. He screamed. Went down hard. Clutching his leg.
The other two guards reacted fast. One shifted. Bones cracking. Fur sprouting.
The other pulled a knife.
I was already nocking another arrow.
The shifted wolf lunged at Adrian. He dodged. Barely. The wolf's claws raked across his shoulder. Tore his shirt.
But no blood. He was fast.
The third guard—the one with the knife—was moving toward the cage. Like he was going to use the students as hostages.
I aimed. Fired.
The arrow hit his shoulder. Went clean through the muscle. He dropped the knife. Stumbled back.
Two down. One to go.
The shifted wolf was circling Adrian. Snarling. Teeth bared.
Adrian had his bow up but the wolf was too close. Too fast.
I saw the opening. The wolf's attention was completely on Adrian.
I aimed at the wolf's back leg. The knee joint.
Fired.
Direct hit.
The wolf yelped. Leg buckled. It went down on three legs. Turned to look at me.
Golden eyes. Full of rage.
It started toward me.
My hands moved automatically. Nocked another arrow. Drew. Aimed.
But before I could fire Adrian tackled the wolf from behind. They went down in a tangle of limbs and fur.
The wolf was injured. Slower. Adrian got it in a chokehold.
"Go!" he shouted at me. "Get them out!"
I ran to the cage. The students were pressed against the back. Staring at me.
"It's okay," I said. Trying to sound calm. "We're getting you out."
The door was tied shut with rope. I pulled at the knot. My fingers were shaking.
No. Focus. Breathe.
I forced myself to slow down. To think.
The knot was simple. Just pulled tight. I found the end. Started working it loose.
Behind me I heard Adrian grunt. The wolf was still fighting.
Come on come on come on.
The knot gave. I yanked the rope free. Pulled the door open.
"Out! Now! Stay together!"
The students scrambled out. Falling over each other in their panic.
I counted. Seven. All accounted for.
"This way," I said. Pointing back toward where I'd left Chloe. "We need to—"
"Well well well."
The voice came from behind me.
I spun around.
More wolves were emerging from the trees. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty.
All with those same red claw marks.
And leading them was Coach Warren.
He looked different. His expression was cold. Calculating. Not the gruff but fair coach from training.
This was someone else entirely.
"Coach?" one of the students whispered. "What—"
"Shut up," Warren said. Not loud. But the command in his voice was absolute.
The student's mouth snapped shut.
Warren's eyes scanned the clearing. Took in the three injured guards. The open cage. Adrian still holding the shifted wolf down.
Then his gaze landed on me.
I felt my stomach drop.
"You're full of surprises, aren't you, Elara Grey?"
The students behind me were starting to panic. I could hear their breathing getting faster. Could smell their fear.
Some of them were shifting. Preparing to fight.
This was about to turn into a bloodbath.
I looked at the twenty wolves surrounding us. At Warren's cold smile. At the students—terrified kids who'd just wanted to go on a camping trip.
At Adrian. Still on the ground with the injured wolf. Looking at me with desperate eyes.
My brain was working overtime. Calculating odds. Looking for exits.
We couldn't fight. We'd lose.
We couldn't run. They'd chase us down.
There was only one option.
I raised my hands. Slowly. Palms out.
"Stop," I said. Loud enough for everyone to hear. "Everyone stop. Don't attack."
"Elara—" Adrian started.
"I said stop!"
My voice cracked like a whip. The students froze. Even Adrian looked shocked.