Hidden in Sheridan (Tainted Series: Book 1)

Moon: FULL MOON

Levi - The lights from the van stretch out in the dwindling evening light. The shadows from he trees reach across the gravel road making it feel as if they too were trying to attack the van from every angle.

Ity’s speed remains constant. She had no plans to let up on the accelerator, even when the big Black-Wolf appears in the center of our escape road. I recognize him from days before, the Alpha. His wide stance and large stature proves he has no intention of backing down from this game of chicken. Head down, the wolf braces to ram the vehicle.

“Don’t Hit Him! We’ll flip over.” Sebastian shrieks from the floor beside her seat. “Stop!”

We know he’s right, but in exchange, stopping will leave us vulnerable. Ity’s expression twists in consideration. Jaw tight, she looks like she wants nothing more than to run the wolf over.

I put my hand on her shoulder, “We need the van in one piece to get away.”

The brakes squeal as Ity uses both of her feet to press the peddle into the floor. The tires fling mud and send all of its occupants slamming into the seats in front of them.

When I manage to look up, the Black-Wolf is gone.

Ity’s hands fly to her door. She pulls tight on the handle bracing herself to hold the locked door closed, and for a moment, things go still.

It’s the first time I notice the thick smell of blood in the van. Each of the cubs has been injured. Sarah was holding her hand, tears streaming down her eyes but otherwise, silent. Samantha, cradled her identical sister, her own face showing several bruises and gashes. Sebastian remains at Ity’s side, actively looking for signs of the Black-Alpha.

“Levi.” Ity whispers, motioning opposite of me, but I can hear him too.

His steady breathing, as he paces around the back of the van. The construction of the van makes it impossible to get to the back. Kids, no longer cubs, are huddled in the middle and back rows. Misty hushes them each gently, she can move but she isn’t strong enough to fight. As for Mrs. Wolfe and Maddie they are currently were nowhere to be seen.

That left me, the only able body, to stand against this Alpha.

‘Clyde the right is yours’ the thought entered my mind smoothly, but it wasn’t a voice exactly. I just knew, someone named Clyde was on the right.

Where are you Sterling? I pray internally.

Facing off with an Alpha, on my first week as a mutated Werewolf did not carry with it much hope. My claws flexed, my jaw opens showing my teeth, I face the right side door, where I can hear someone steady pant.

A loud thud shakes the vehicle. Followed by the sound of knives tearing through metal. It sends a chill down my spine like human nails across a chalkboard. But my side of the van remains untouched.

Over my shoulder I hear Ity groan in protest as her door crumbles before her. The entire thing slips from her fingers and a set of teeth reach in, grab her arm and throws her from the van. I lunge over the seat, hoping to catch her but my fingers brush past her red hoodie ending up with a handful of nothing.

While I'm distracted my door is attacked next. The middle of which bends outward before being ripped from away. Cold air bursts in and I don’t wait to see who had done it. With a growl I spring from the van and tackle the creature on the other side. A creature that is not a wolf nor a human, but a mutated version of the two.

He was just like me.

I try to hide my shock as I roll to my feet, holding a handful of the creatures clothes. Twisting my body I manage to plant my feet and throw the bulky figure over my shoulder. The Werewolf drops hard, slamming into the snow and mud but easily rolls back to his feet.

He’s twice my size and defiantly older. With thick black hair standing on end, and golden eyes narrowed under thick bushy black eyebrows. His skin had a distinct tone, I’d seen it on the Reservation just north of Sheridan. His clothes were normal teenage clothes, jean and torn ACDC shirt.

‘Why ACDC?’ I briefly wonder, before the Werewolf advances.

His arms were as long as mine though clearly more defined, which meant when his fist made contact with my face … pain shot through my entire body. I struggle but manage to stay on my feet and I spot the second Werewolf. Another man, slightly older but of the same nationality as my attacker. That one reaches into the van and pulls young Sebastian across the drivers seat, out into the slush.

The boy kicks, scratches and bites but he fails to shift into wolf form as his aggressor wraps his fingers around Sebastian’s neck, holding him fast. I watch a moment to long which gives my opponent the chance to slip behind me. He shoves his fist into my stomach and I buckle over. He catches me before I fall and wraps his thick arm around my own neck. I dig my claws into the Werewolf’s forearm but the creature doesn’t let go, it doesn’t even flinch as I draw blood.

Trapped and choking I finally catch sight of Ity. Unlike Sebastian and myself, Trinity is on her feet. Blood tracing down her face from an unseen wound in her hair, she keeps the trees to her back, a long solid branch gripped in both hands. The branch hovers above a large Grey-Wolf, and it dripped with blood.

"Is that Clyde? I choke out the question, my capture doesn't respond, but somehow I knew it was.

Trinity’s eyes glance in my direction briefly but they quickly return to her new aggressor.

The Black-Alpha. In one smooth moment he rears up on his hind legs and shifts into human form.

The man was more than six feet tall, broad shoulders and thick torso. His definition and weight resembles that of the MMA fighters Sterling and I used to watch on TV during one, or two, of our late study nights. His dark skin is five shades darker than my own, but his eyes are a sharp silver-blue. His smile taunts all around him and for good reason. Without help, we had already lost.

Finally gaining traction, I dig my feet into the roadside slush. My capture responds with a solid yank, which chokes me and pulls me closer.

“Ity. Who's your friend?” I manage to choke out the sarcastic comment.

“Meet E.B. Wallace.” Ity states, not sounding as winded as she looked.

“You know my name?” The Alpha asks, his tone thrilled at the idea he already had a reputation. Ity doesn’t answer, she just glares. “Rhydian told you,” Wallace smiles again. “You know, he assured me you two wouldn’t be a problem and yet here you are.”

“Rhydian's a teenager. We lie, a lot.” I state. The big guys grip tightens on my neck.

“He was right about you though,” Wallace motions to me, then he motions back to Ity, “but you he’s curious about.”

“So he says.” Ity responds.

“Oh no, it’s true.” Wallace continues, “He does everything I ask, because he wants to join my Pack, but even though I ordered him to kill you, you’re still alive. Why is that, Rhydian?”

Rydian came from behind the van. His body worn, as if he’d been a part of a fight. How did he get out so fast? I try to speak my vocal cords are crushed. My mom? What did he do to my mom?

I glance around but still I smell no sign of anyone else on the road. No one to save us yet. All we needed was more time.

“Not your Alpha, eh Rhydian?” Ity says. Recalling his words from the Police station, I could see the irritation light behind Rhydian’s eyes. “From the looks of it, you’re more desperate to be in his pack than the other way around.” She motions to the other two Werewolves. Rhydian was not amused, he primed ready to shift.

I waved my hands, tried to tap out on the werewolf arm around my neck, anything to get his attention.

“Wait, wait, wait. Let me talk. Please.” I choke. I lift my claws away from my capture’s bleeding forearm to show my submission.

Seeing my posture, or perhaps my pathetic expression, Wallace gave the signal for him to loose his grip on me. “Thank you. you're a good guy. Where's my mom?"

Rhydian scoffed. "Your such a mama's boy."

"Yes I am." I will never be ashamed of that, "Is she okay?"

His eyes glinted with a lie, but E.B Wallace interjected, "He didn't harm her. I need her to accept us when we move into town."

The lie in Rhydian's eyes dissolves into shame. He may not have wanted to follow the order but I could trust he had. My mother had probably gotten him out and instantly he'd run off... which mean she might be looking for him again.

We have to end this... fast.

"The others you mentioned, Rhydian. The ones you bit. It’s these two? They’re the only ones that survived?” I motion to the werewolf holding me.

Rhydian shrugs, “These were the only ones that follow commands.”

“So you killed the others, and these only answer to you…like I was supposed to?” Rhydian’s eyes shift from me back to his Alpha and the truth flooded my brain.

They didn’t want me as a distraction, they wanted me as an inside wolf in their plans. How much easier it would have been to take over if they had control over me from the start.

“Figured out the plan now?” Wallace asks, “So I don’t have to do the monologue?”

“The thing I can’t figure out is, why Rydian’s not the Alpha?" I speak passed Wallace and address Rhydian, "I mean couldn’t you have gone out and made your own Werewolf army? That would have been much easier than trying to buy into his pack.”

The Alpha signals and my werewolf tightens his grip. Clearly E.B. Wallace doesn't appreciate being ignored. He moves closer, breathing into my face as he speaks, “I don’t need a little trinket to keep my Alpha status. But Rhydian needs it to be of value. It’s that simple.”

At the mention of the trinket, Rydian’s hand unconsciously shifts to his pocket and that’s all Ity needs.

With a split second decision Ity runs to Rhydian in a few short strides. The branch in one hand like a sword she jabs and hits him in the gut. Then she redirects it, aiming for his head. However, before it could make contact, Wallace’s thick hand reaches up and stops it. Had it been an actual blade it would have gone right through the man’s hand and a flash in Ity’s eyes prove she wished it had.

Wallace grips it tight before he pushes back and sends Ity stumbling into a tree stump. Her hands brace the bark and she manages to stay on her upright.

“You said it didn’t work on her,” E.B. Wallace laughs.

“It didn’t,” Rhydian coughed, yet the Alpha found this laughable.

“There was some strength in that.” E.B Wallace insisted. "More than a normal girl her size."

Taking what looks like a steadying breath, Ity shakes her head and reaches down to retrieve a second long stick. It wasn’t as thick and strong as her previous one but it held an interesting whip like quality to it.

Intrigued, E.B. Wallace takes a few steps closer to Ity, and pushes Rhydian farther behind. “Little red hooded girl surrounded by wolves … did she happen to become a Wolf herself?”

CHAPTER END