Hidden in Sheridan (Tainted Series: Book 1)

Moon: WAXING CRESCENT

Levi - The metal gate shivered harshly beneath my weight. Tears streak my dark cheeks, jaw trembling as I beg and plead through locked jaws.

Five minutes ago the moon, only a crescent portion of it, had risen, and already the hot white pain was too much for me. Feeling as if it was eating me from the inside out.

My eyes dart from white spot to white spot. Just like moths as they flutter about my vision while the pain creeps steady upward from somewhere in my stomach. It eats its way into my chest, each breath shortens into gasps. Even though I wasn’t actually burning alive, I would soon suffocate from the pain.

Franticly both of my hands grip the old metal bars, pushing and pulling, trying to rip the contraption from the door frame but it mocks me harshly with several clangs. Of course it won’t give way, someone else has to open it from the outside. It had been built to trap something much bigger than myself.

I need someone to save me.

Pressing my cheek against the gritty rusted-metal, I reach through the space between the bars until my bicep wedges between the square metal poles. Willing my fingers to stretch, or grow. To somehow touch the boy on the other side.

He can save me. Surely, Sterling can stop the agony from taking over me. And if not, if he can’t do that, than -

“Kill me.” The words vibrate from my own throat. Had I not felt it, I would not have known the words belonged to myself. More tears came, cold against my burning skin. “Please. Make it stop!”

Sterling - Fists clenched at my sides, I watch as my best friend writhes on the opposite side of the metal gate. He’s experiencing a degree of pain I have never before seen. Neither do I know how to relieve it. All I can do is watch Levi slowly dissolve into what looks like madness.

Unable to watch anymore, I push the thick metal inner door of the storm cellar closed, blocking the view of my agonized friend but not the sound.Though muffled I can hear a stream of No’s raise into a scream. I run to the top of the stairs, Levi’s muffled pleas on my heals. One plea in particular, a plea for death.

The storm cellar door slams hard behind me, and the screams become even more faint. My face hot against the cold snowy night air. My heart hammers in my chest. I cradle my purpled forearm across my chest.

It happened to fast. The pain had consumed him and he didn’t know what he was doing. I wanted to bring him up out of the basement to find help, but Levi had been too strong for me. It took everything I had to throw him into the cage, and everything Rory had to force me to leave Levi there, alone.

Rory; cool, composed, unfazed Rory, braced his hand on my shoulders and leads me from the cellar doors. He had appeared in an instant to pull me from the cage and close the door, locking it securely. Even now he’d been the one to close the cellar hatch entrance in the back garden.

He was trying to lead me away, but I’ve reached my limit. I pull away from Rory’s hands and sit square on top of the hatch, before burying my face in my uninjured hand. Rory’s gaze stays on me. I can feel his eyes burning into my scalp.

“I can’t leave him alone.” I manage to say from my slumped position. “I promise I won’t let him out, Rory. I can’t leave him down there alone.”

Several moments past where all I can hear are Levi’s muffled cries, then the thunk of metal legs on concrete interrupt my thoughts. Looking up from my hands I notice Rory’s attention had been momentarily diverted to placing one of the heavy patio chairs three feet away. Upon which, he took a seat.

“I’ll stay with you.” Rory says. My eyebrows pull together and Rory shrugs lightly. “I’m not going to risk leaving you alone.”

A part of me is thankful, the other part of me is annoyed at not being trusted.

The cries for help below change to a steady stream of clanging metal. I clench my eyes, gut twisting at the familiar sound.

“He’s not going to make it through the night.” Rory’s words send an electrical charge through my body. My eyes snap open and jaw tightens into a line and I lunge for my brother. Taking his collar into my fists, and tipping the heavy chair onto its back legs. The pain that shoots through my injured arm causes me to wince, but mask it with a growl. Rory merely blinks.

“Sterling down!” Her voice is sharp and the anger in my heart dissolves. My mother had called from the door. Now her light slippered steps are by my side. Her hand gently touching my own. “You losing control and shifting is not going to help your friend. Now sit back down.”

Hands shaking, I release Rory’s shirt before backing away. The two metal legs returned to the cement path with a scratch, followed by a loud slap as mother’s gentle hand turns on Rory. Slapping him harshly in the center of the forehead.

Rory’s hand flies to his face pressing against the soon to be red mark below his hair line.

“Be more sensitive.” She orders.

“I was being realistic,” Rory grunts in his own defense. “There’s no way a weak human body can handle a change into a wolf.”

“We don’t know that Rory.” As she said it I could hear my Mother’s heart skip a beat. Maybe I heard wrong, I think. I look into her eyes which shift hesitantly toward the doors behind my feet. My own heart sinks lower into my stomach.

“He didn’t change.” I state, unsure if that would alter her opinion. “He’s in a lot of pain but physically nothing changed on him.

Mom’s eyes were gentle as her long fingers slipped under my bruised arm. “He’s changing inside first, and that is what concerns me.”

“It will heal.” I insist pulling back from my mothers kindness. “I won’t let him out. Let me be down there with him. He needs to know someone is there.”

I wait. My mother’s presences keeps me rooted in place. I can’t move. Not unless she allows me to.

“Do you remember your first night down there?” She asks.

I do. Though it’s a dark blur that ends with me waking up with a large headache and a few deep bruises on my body. I glance over at Rory, “I remember being locked in with him.”

Rory’s eyebrows shot up, and then he did the most unexpected thing. Rory laughed, “No, I was locked up with you. I was lucky you got out so I could lock myself back in.”

My eyes roll. I’m used to Rory spinning everything into a lie but I didn’t have to fall for it.

“He’s right, Love.” Mom says. The muscles in my face went lax. I had been the aggressive one? Mom softly strokes my shaggy hair as she continues her story, “You were one of the most aggressive cubs I had. After you bit Mr. Sanchez, you had a taste for humans. We tried to give you rabbit, deer, even a buffalo but you wouldn’t have any. You were determined to get out, and, it was nearly impossible to stop you.

“You couldn’t hear my voice, you couldn’t see anything, it was purely blind rage.” She took a deep breath, “We thought Rory being down there with you would help subdue the aggression. We were wrong.

“You being down there won’t help Levi. If it’s blood lust and adrenaline that are fighting for control, then you being there will have the opposite effect.”

“Even if I’m in wolf form?”

She hesitates. Maybe that was a scenario she hadn’t considered, but it wasn’t enough for her to risk it. “Perhaps we can try that tomorrow.” She suggests.

If he survives, I amend.

“He’s a spry kid. He’s going to pull through this.” She repeats still stroking my head.

“Okay,” I say. Swallowing the thick lump in my throat.

A few days ago it was just a wolf bite. A close call my best friend hadn’t been ripped apart in the woods, but now with the moon barely existent in the sky, we were witnessing something impossible.

“Your dad is still networking with other packs. Someone will know something.”

“They were supposed to be stories mom. You said it was all made up - “

“And unless he actually changes, they still are.” Motioning with her hand she pauses to recalculate current events. “From what you described it sounds more like poison that’s triggered by the moon that’s working its way through his system.”

Something twists deep in my chest. My hands wring through my hair, and I drop back onto the angled cellar doors with splayed arms and legs.

“Does that mean it’s getting strong the fuller the moon gets?” I wonder aloud.

“If he makes it that long,” says Rory. A similar slap follows his thoughtless remark. I don’t need to look up to know mom had reached over and slapped him again.

We watch the night fully take over the sky. The pull of crescent moons rise ripples beneath several layers of my skin. It isn’t powerful like a full moon. In two weeks when the moon was full that ripple will become so overwhelming I have to maintain constant focus in order to keep it from overpowering me. And that’s just to maintain my human shape. My emotions are another level of control entirely.

Another star fights its way through the last rays of dusk, “He heard you,” I say, breaking the quiet of the night. “He heard you mom. When you said that you would kill him.”

She nods from her place, allowing a few long drags of warm air to billow from her mouth into the icy air.

“You were across the yard when she said that.” Rory says. At my nod, a look of amazement begins to surface on Rory’s face. “That means his hearing is better than ours. What else can he do?”

“He ran up the mountain. There’s this place near the Allan’s home. He made it there and back without being tired and on two feet.” Rory sat up in his chair and I continue. “His eye sight is sharp. He managed to see the writing in a textbook from across the rodeo arena and he broke one of my ribs yesterday when he gently nudged me.”

Rory’s disbelieving smirk, made me feel like I’d just won a debate with him.

“And that’s why he’ll survive, Sterling.” Mom says. Her eyes beaming with the confidence I’d been craving. “When we weren’t paying attention his body was preparing for this. Much like yours do when you are cubs. It prepares you for the fight you have with the moon and learning to control it. I’ll bring you something warm to eat.” She nods venturing back up the steps and into the open utility room door.

“Thanks mom.” I sigh while laying my head back onto the cellar doors. I look to the sky above and watch the moon struggle to highlight the world around it. The bright white snow reflects all the light from above into the blue shadowed landscape. It’s the kind of night I love to shift into wolf form and run for miles. However tonight’s different in so many ways and I’m determined to stay right here and wait with Levi.

Eventually the moon reaches the top of the sky, and that’s when the sounds below me stop.

That’s when I wonder if my best friend is dead.

CHAPTER END