Chapter 58 — Rainn

The creature roars again and Hugo snickers, a mocking twist to his lips as he watches me. Around me, the forest has fallen silent. Everything seems to have gone still…the wind, the trees, all the creatures of the night…everything frozen in the face of the horror Hugo plans to unleash on us.

Behind me, I hear my companions bristling. The scent of apprehension and fear rises in the air. Calming myself, I study the monster, noting its size, the sharp fangs, the long claws…looking for any weakness we can exploit.

And I find none.

I expected to find something in these woods more dangerous than anything I’d ever faced, but the reality of Hugo’s creature is far worse than anything I imagined.

It's far worse than anything we’ve trained for.

“Not so brave anymore, are you?” Hugo says. He looks gleeful, his hateful expression twisted around his scar. “Are you ready to die?”

“We’re not afraid of you,” I reply, playing for time. “We came for justice, and neither you nor this abomination can stop us.”

Hugo laughs. “This abomination rid me of your mother and her pack when she came poking her nose in my business. This abomination that’s going to rid me of you. You can try to fight, but you will die. It will fling your bodies across the corners of the earth if I want, and no one will ever find you.”

I don’t doubt him. But if we’re going to die, we’ll die fighting, and we’ll take Hugo with us.

Suddenly, Hugo sniffs the air, then gives me a suspicious glare before turning to look around the clearing. In a moment, my nostrils fill with a fresh scent. Alpha smells. More than one.

A few moments later, several wolves step into the clearing. Leading them is the Cedar Ridge alpha, Zack’s father.

I send a silent thought of appreciation to my dad. While we left to fight, his part was to convince Zack’s father to urge the other alphas to move against Hugo and Leonidas Gage. It seems he succeeded.

“Alpha,” I say silently.

“Your father came to me,” he replies. “And I came…With reinforcements…and witnesses. Well done, Rainn.”

Along with the other alphas, he walks past me to the middle of the clearing, right to where Hugo is standing. Hugo’s creature growls, but the alphas ignore it, as if it’s beneath their notice.

“What do you want?” Hugo sounds angry and defensive.

The old Cedar Ridge alpha addresses Hugo in a firm voice that rings across the clearing.

“We’ve heard enough to see the truth in the allegations against you. I brought the alpha summit here to witness your guilt. You’re not worthy to be the alpha of a pack of shifters. You are a disgrace to our ancestors, both men and wolves. You will forfeit your place as alpha of Falling River and face judgement.”

“I don’t need that weak pack anymore,” Hugo replies. “I’ve used them for as long as I needed them. Their ignorance and weakness no longer serve me.”

“Good thing we stopped by your trailer park and invited your people here. Now they have heard you for themselves.”

Hugo’s eyes scan the trees. A few wolves step forward from the trees. The Falling River wolves. Their gazes are heavy with betrayal as they face Hugo.

“Do you deny that you have purposely kept your pack isolated from the rest of the world and lied to them about the existence of other packs, that you have suppressed the women and used them to attack brethren shifters in these forests for no just cause?”

“My cause is that I used them to attack spies and keep these forests safe for my work.” Hugo growls in reply. “I am creating a new era for shifters.”

“You are creating horror and abomination.”

Hugo sneers. “Then I’ll tear you all to pieces. All of you.”

The old alpha studies Hugo’s creature. “You’d be surprised what a couple of chartered flights can do. There are more than a thousand fighting wolves in these woods, Hugo. Your weapon is fierce, but is it fierce enough to kill us all?”

I can see Hugo wavering, calculating his escape. His plan to murder a small group of wolves clearly won’t work now.

“We will not let you or your abomination stand,” another alpha speaks up in an authoritative voice. “Surrender yourself.”

Hugo roars in anger and starts to shift, but the Cedar Ridge alpha pounces on him, locking Hugo’s neck in his jaws to stop him, but Hugo’s creature reacts to the sudden movement. He pounces and swipes at Zack’s father with one massive paw. The old alpha flies through the air and hits a tree trunk with the sickening sound of shattering bones and splintering wood. He falls to the ground and stays limp.

I hear a scream from his mate, and a bellow of rage from Zack. From all around the clearing, wolves lunge for the creature, eager to take it down.

Or maybe die trying.

I join the charge, leaping with the rest. If we all attack it together, maybe we can kill it before it tears us all to pieces.

Just then, a figure runs into the clearing. Her scent fills my nose before I hear her voice.

Bree.

Relief surges through me. She’s alive!

“Wait!” I yell, my relief at seeing her immediately replaced by fear. She’s running straight toward Hugo’s monster. Straight into danger. “No!” I shout, heading toward her.

“Stop!” Her voice rings across the clearing. Hugo’s creature turns to face her, snarling. The wolves stop their attack, listening to her. I watch in horror as Bree walks toward the monster.

“Stop,” she says again. “Don’t do this.” Her voice is soft, and I take an incredulous moment to realize she’s talking to the monster.

I freeze.

She’s speaking to the creature that killed my mother.

“Stop,” she whispers, tears in her voice. “Please. Dad.”