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Zoe
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The lake had sucked back all the demons’ cloaks when my purple light destroyed them. A calico-colored wolf bolted from the house, running full speed toward the beach. She dropped to the side of the white Alpha and desperately nuzzled his neck, but the white wolf didn’t move. After a terrible moment, her head tilted to the sky, and she let out a lone, mournful howl that twisted my heart. In that call I could feel all her heartache and loss. The other wolves congregated around us and lowered their heads in respect of their fallen Alpha and all their brave comrades.
Then Cali’s form appeared in the doorway of the house. Her hands held onto the threshold. Vash, still in wolf form, ran to her side, beating me to her. I wanted to pull her into a tight hug, but someone grabbed me from behind. Strong arms held me back.
“Wait,” Jackson, now back in human form, whispered. “Let Vash. She needs to hear it from him.” I tried to shake him loose, but his grip was like a vice. “You should be dead. No human has ever gone up against a Marq and lived. No one.” He hung his head. “I need to go be with my parents. Let them do their thing.”
“What’s going on?” Cali asked, her voice trembling with fear. “Who are you?” She stood as if in a trance, staring at the huge wolf, and then she shook her head. “No. This makes no sense. How’s that possible? How can you be Vash? You’re a wolf.” Her eyes grew huge. “And how are you speaking to me in my mind?”
“Let it out,” I heard Vash say. “I know you feel the animal inside, melt into it and feel it. Let go. It’s safe, just let go.”
Her body shuddered, and her knees buckled. “I can’t. What’s going on?” she cried.
“Relax. Trust yourself.”
Her blue eyes pleaded with mine. “Zoe. Help me.”
“I’m sorry.” I tried to pull free of Jackson, but he held me tight. “You need to do this without me. Vash is here to help you. He’s—”
Her body convulsed, and she rolled onto her hands and knees. She screamed as her back arched, and her clothes started to disappear. Tears streamed down my face, and I looked away, helpless. Bones audibly cracked then broke, and white fur sprouted between Cali’s skin and what remained of her clothes. Her nose and ears elongated in a process I couldn’t bear to watch, and a tail grew on her backside. Within a minute a beautiful wolf stood before us, her coat glistening as white as a freshly fallen snow. Confused blue eyes looked at me.
“Zoe?”
Cali’s soft voice spoke to me in my mind. I looked at Kieran and Sidelle, but their attention was on her wolf form.
“Yes?” I silently answered.
“Can you understand me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m a wolf?” Cali lifted her paw and examined it. “Why ... how ...”
“Zoe?” Vash’s voice echoed inside my head. “How is this possible?”
“I don’t know what’s happening either. Could it be an angel thing?”
“Angel thing?” Cali asked. “What’s going on?”
“Cali, don’t freak out or anything, but I have a lot to tell you,” Vash said. “Right now, though, I’m needed on the beach.”
I watched the snow white wolf swish her tail, examine it, then wrap it around herself. I imagined it would be somewhat daunting to learn that you’re a wolf. I sort of understood what she was going through—except for the learning to walk on four paws part. Without another word she marched behind Vash, turning to look at the tan wolf’s dead body as she passed.
“Hey, K?” I said.
“Yes?” Kieran and Sidelle both replied.
“I can talk to and hear the wolves.”
“How?” Kieran asked.
I shrugged and continued on to the beach without answering. There wasn’t anything I could do to stop my powers from emerging, so I decided to go with it. When I glanced back, I noticed they were still standing with their mouths hanging open like fish out of water. I ran to catch up with Cali.
“Hey, you’re taking this well,” I told her. “I thought you’d freak out or something.”
“It’s still early,” she replied.
When we arrived, the calico wolf’s body lay over the white one. I suspected she was the Alpha female, Vash’s mom, Lilli. She barely lifted her head, but she glanced at her sons and daughter—all in wolf form—as they approached.
“Vash,” she whispered. “Your time has come, and you will be a great leader. Listen to your heart to know what’s right. When you falter, seek guidance from your mate. She will need you as much as you need her. Now, more than ever. Be strong, my son.”
The rest of the wolves stepped forward, creating a semi-circle around the group. For a moment I was confused. Why did she look so weak? So ... resigned? Then I remembered a conversation I’d had with Vash not long ago. He’d been explaining to me about the wolves’ soul mates, and I hadn’t thought it fair at the time.
“So you only get to find love once?” I had asked. “What happens if you don’t find her, or if one of you dies?”
His explanation had been matter-of-fact. “Usually, fate seems to work it out that we find each other. A force draws us to find each other. But if you die after you are mated, your mate will follow. One half of the soul cannot live without the other.”
It certainly wasn’t fair now.
Lilli’s eyes went to Cali’s. “I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to spend any time with you, to introduce you to our world. But my son will be a great Alpha with you at his side. Behind every pack leader is a strong, capable female. He will need you now more than ever. Pack, listen to your new Alphas. Encourage them. Respect them. Support them.”
She took a deep breath and nuzzled her husband again. Alpha Vash and Cali, Era, Jackson, my pack ... remember me as I will always remember you.
Her last breath died on the wind, and a white flame flickered out from both their mouths. The fires joined together and traveled as one into the sky and out of sight.
The members of the pack bowed their heads for a minute then turned to look at Vash. The brown wolf sat quietly next to a small, white one. His head bowed over his parents’ still bodies. A long, low howl filled the night. Small white paws stepped forward, and Cali nuzzled the fallen Alpha pair. She stepped back to join Vash, and together they howled again. More members joined, mourning with them, and paying respect to their dead leaders.
“I can’t believe Vash’s parents are ... dead,” I whispered, looking at Kieran and Sidelle. “Did you hear what Vash’s mom said as she died?”
They both nodded.
“That was beautiful.” Then I thought of something. “How did you hear? Can you hear the wolves?”
“When they allow me to,” Sidelle said.
“And I hear Sidelle, so she translated for me,” Kieran said.
We left the wolves to their grieving, and as we passed their bodies, I paid my respects to the fallen. Silently returning to the house, I wanted to talk about all that happened, but some images were too fresh and painful in my mind. I went back to our bedroom and flopped onto the bed, burying my head in the pillow. How would the wolves move on? Some of them would be old enough to remember a time when Keegan hadn’t been their leader but the young pups? The change would be hard on them. I had no doubt that Vash would be a great leader, and with Cali by his side ...
Oh, Cali. Would she continue with high school? She has to. She only has one more year. Would she move here to the mansion? What would she tell her parents?
“Hey, Zoe.” Sidelle leaned against the doorframe. “Wanna talk about tonight?”
“Yes,” I mumbled into the pillow. “No. Maybe.” I shook my head. “I don’t understand how the demons got here. Keegan said we’d be ... safe here.” Just saying Keegan’s name made my nostrils flare, and I fought back tears. My fist hit the bed. “He said they’d never been here. I don’t understand. This is all my fault.” The first traitor streaked down my cheek. I couldn’t stop them as the floodgate opened.
“None of this is your fault, Zoe,” Kieran said softly as he walked into the room. “You didn’t make the demons come here, and you didn’t kill anyone.” He moved to sit next to me on the bed, and rubbed small circles on my back. “Well, except for the Marqs at the end, but this isn’t your fault.”
“That was really badass, Z,” Sidelle said, grinning. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. Those purple streamer thingies were super cool. How did you do that?” She settled in on my other side.
“Jackson said, ... he said that no human had gone against a Marq and lived. Is that true?” I asked in between sobs.
“Yes, as far as I know,” Kieran said.
“So how’s that possible?” My eyes burned; my cheeks felt flushed.
“Another angel perk?” Sidelle suggested. “But first we need to figure out how the demons invaded the wolves’ sacred land. That should be our priority.”
“Agreed.” Vash stood in the hallway, holding Cali’s human hand. They walked into the room, but Jackson and Era lingered at the threshold. “The demons forced our hands,” he said, looking directly at me. “Zoe, my pack has agreed to help you. We will join this fight. Tomorrow’s Sunday—” He checked his watch, realizing the time. “Rather, today is. I’ve decided Jackson and I will attend your high school for the rest of the year, so Cali can complete her junior year, and I’ll come home on weekends to make sure everything is taken care of here. Jackson will stay at Kieran’s house.” He turned to his brother. “Start packing. Whatever you can’t bring, Kieran can get.”
His eyes went to his sister, who still waited in the doorway. “Era, I need you to stay here and make sure everything runs smoothly while I’m gone. You’ll be the lady of the house while Cali is away. She’ll need you to step up and—”
“Yes, sir,” Era shouted. “I’ll do everything, and I’ll make sure it happens. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll make you proud. And mom and dad.”
He held in a smile. “If you need assistance, call Timber. She’ll be here to guide you. Or call me if you have any questions. I’m only twenty minutes away.”
“Okay.” Era stalked out of the room. “All right, you guys, listen up!” she shouted. “Vash said I’m in charge, and we’re going to ...” Her voice faded as she bounded down the stairs, headed for another room.
“I can’t believe you left her in charge,” Sidelle said, frowning at Vash. “Isn’t she kinda young to run a house this size as well as all the other houses on the property?”
He shrugged. “I just told her that so she has something to do. Keep her mind focused on a task. Timber will be the one who’ll actually run the household stuff. She’s my mom’s right-hand wolf and her best friend.” He clenched his fists. “Was. Anyway, she already knows how everything is done around here.” He frowned at us. “Now, any ideas on how the demons got onto pack land—”
“Vash,” I asked. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.”
“You can’t be. Your parents died in front of you.”
“Yes, but I have to be the strong one now. If I’m weak in front of the pack—”
“It’s not being weak to show emotion. It means you care. I didn’t know them long, but look at me. I’m a hot mess.” Tears streamed down my face. “They were your parents. And now they’re ...”
“I know, Zoe. But seeing death is part of life. At least it is for the pack. Our existence is much easier and less complex than an Ordinary human’s.”
“Well, if you want to talk about it or anything, just know I’m here when you’re ready.” I shook my head. “I didn’t think demons could come here.”
“I don’t know, but we’ll find out,” Kieran replied. “You should have some members scout out along the shoreline and see if they find anything strange. In the meantime, I’ll search the lake.” He disappeared from the room.
Vash went to start the pack’s search, while I felt helpless ... again. The energy to do anything had been sapped from my limbs, and my body wouldn’t move from the bed. I turned my head toward Sidelle.
“Did you find out anything about Shay? Please tell me something good, because right now I don’t know if I can handle any more waiting.”
“Sorry, babe. Nothing.”
“Kieran didn’t tell you anything?” My voice came out harsher than I meant. “Sorry.”
“No. I understand you’re on edge. We all are. Especially now.”
I let out a long breath. ‘“On edge doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.”