Hidden in Sheridan (Tainted Series: Book 1)

Moon: FULL MOON

Levi -

“I don’t feel her like the others,” Rhydian insists, speaking to E.B. Wallace’s back. “She didn't turn.”

Wait … “Who’s your Alpha?” The words squeak through my crushing thorax, it was soft but loud enough for my capture to hear.

He doesn’t respond, so I ask again. “Hey dude. Who is your Alpha?”

On purpose or not, the Werewolf turns my body and his, away from E.B Wallace and toward Rhydian. I may have been being cheeky when I asked Rhydian why he hadn’t become an Alpha, but apparently I hadn’t been far off.

Rhydian was already an Alpha.

I search my memory for the things I know about Alphas. Without protest the Pack obeys them. Which means Alpha’s are linked to their pack members, especially in close proximity. They know who they are and what they can do. They are also the strongest because of the Pack that follows them.

“I was right!” I choke out a bit louder. Surprisingly my capture loosens slightly so I can try again. “Don't turn your back on him, Wallace. Rhyidan is already an Alpha!”

Rhydian shifts his glare to me and I know Sterling had been right. We are linked to him. Which makes Rhydian’s plan all too simple: Rhydian adds to his own pack with each human he bites, pretending it’s for Wallace. With more in his pack the greater his physical strength. Then, he allows E.B Wallace to take the territory and lastly, he challenges E.B Wallace and takes it all for himself.

So that’s it, right? We’re linked. I bite him. Kill him and all this is over? With nothing to be linked to, I’ll be human again.

I close my eyes and feel the moon. Full and bright in the night sky and with it there is pain. Deep in my stomach it lingers, threatening to take over but it doesn’t, not yet.

Feeling the slight space between me and my capture, I shove my elbow into his lower torso and as he buckles I peal his arm away from my neck and throw him over my shoulder and into the mud.

My roar echos as it bounces off the trees and fills the cold night sky. With attention on me, Ity runs. She passes E.B. Wallace and Rhydian, then slides behind Sebastian’s capture.

I have to agree she is fast. But surely adrenaline is a very powerful drug. Using her whip, she strikes the werewolf several times until he lets out a yelp.

Attention shifts away from me

… My turn.

Rhydian is closest. I lay my shoulder into him before he has a chance to shift. My claws dig into his sides and I pull him to the ground. Me, on top, I reach for his pocket, but two large arms wrap around my middle and yank me backward.

Still in human form E.B Wallace maintains the strength of a full grown man, plus some. I release Rhydian to be lifted into the air and thrown across the road.

I manage to stay on my hands and feet. I use my momentum to redirect myself for the Alpha’s smell and I glance up in time to see him shift from man to animal. His teeth bared for my neck. I fail to dodge him entirely. His teeth catch my shoulder so I dig my claws into his.

My other hand balls into a fist and I thrust it upward. It catches him square in the chest. The result, he releases my shoulder, but his counter attack is just as effective.

His head bares down and slams against my stomach knocking the wind from my lungs. My eyes clench shut for a moment, and before I open them again the feeling of several knives cutting through my leg overwhelms me. I cry out. His powerful jaws force his teeth to sink in deeper, then a sharp pull is followed by a loud cracking noise.

My head floods with adrenaline, the world spins around me and I fight the urge to black out. With E.B Wallace about to rip my entire leg from my body, I fall helplessly to the ground.

I kick my free leg back, connecting once with the Alphas wolf face but his bite is secure enough it also yanks on my leg. In desperation I kick again, and again, finally I catch him in the right spot and E.B. Wallace releases my flesh, to shake the strike from the bridge of his muzzle. I roll wanting to hold my injured leg but Wallace recovers quickly. I roll to my back in time to see the Black-wolf coming from above.

A howl breaks out across the sky and Wolf-Sterling appears. At full speed he slams his entire body into the side of the Black-Alpha. The force throws him off target, though not very far. Dazed, Sterling stumbles into position between myself and the Alpha. Who pauses to reevaluate the new arrival, because Sterling wasn’t alone.

A beautiful white She-Wolf with gold rings around her ankles and another one across one of her sharp blue eyes appeared with him. She had my werewolf counterpart cornered not far off. The tall golden eyed creature crouches in pounce position but waits for his opening, which she strategically refuses to give him.

Sterling shakes the pain from his head, “Finally.” I mutter. The words in my mouth brought about the taste of blood.

‘Levi looks like crap,’ Sterlings voice rang clear in my head.

“Shut up.” I spit.

Sterlings wolf-ears piqued. ‘What?’

“What?” I reply before realizing I had clearly heard Sterling speak however, he was still in wolf form.

The Alpha surveys his new opponents. Two young wolves were easy for him to take on, but his behavior proved he suspected there was more.

A yelp came from behind the van as the werewolf nearest to the cubs was thrown over it. He lands, rolling across the ground near Sterling and I. From behind the van, Rory emerges with two new wolves. Their coloring similar to that of the Golden She-Wolf.

The added presence brought Rhydian to a pause and I get another look at Trinity. She’s holding yet another new branch determined to protect Sebastian. The small cub favoring his front paw. The poor kid attempts to look as fierce possible, but with his size and injury, all he can manage is a small growl.

The goal had been to hold off until reinforcements came and she’d done that. We finally outnumber them. My chest fills with hope, which gives me the strength to push up onto one knee and keep pressure off my broken leg.

E.B. Wallace shifts to two legs, in order to speak. “Alpha-Wolfe, you look as though you might have fallen off a cliff.”

In human form Mr. Wolfe steps out from around the van. His clothes wet and torn but otherwise in one piece. His stride is tall and somehow fills the space around him. For a moment, I surely believe he can take down this Alpha with his two bare hands.

“Your Betas were resourceful. However, that Werewolf-Creature was surprisingly easy to take down.” Rhydian's expression looked like he was about to swear. “On our way, we ran into some allies. I believe you know them. They said the bite took one of their children.”

The three white wolves glower fiercely and Wallace’s Pack returns to the sentiment.

“I do remember a young wolf as part of the experiment.” E.B. Wallace says without remorse.

“You tried turning a wolf into a wolf? That’s a bit redundant,” I say, the sting in my leg keeps the full dose of sarcasm from my tone. The Alpha merely shrugs.

In a few short strides, Mr. Wolfe was at my side. He lifts me by the shoulder until I'm on my feet. Stunned, I allow him, and grit my teeth against the wave of pain that shoots through my leg.

“You managed to stay alive, Mr. Vaughn. That’s impressive,” Mr. Wolfe says. “It’s good to see you can hold your own.” A hard pat on my back almost sends me back to the ground.

“Learning as I go, Sir.” I say through the pain.

“Looks like we’re primed and ready to strike a deal,” E.B. Wallace says, his bright white human teeth send a shutter down my spine.

“Count again, Wallace.” Mr. Wolfe glares. “You have no leverage to make a deal.”

The shuffling grass downwind moves again and five more wolves from the Wolfe’s Pack emerge. All varied in ages, bleeding but still in abled condition to fight. I feel another surge of hope, when a yelp comes from the van.

Two more wolves from EB Wallace’s pack appear beside the vehicle full of Wolfe cubs. The white wolf from the ground, Clyde, rolls to his feet filling the space between his Alpha and Rhydian.

Wallace chuckles. “Seems pretty even to me. But I’ll give you a deal. We'll still fight for the territory, but if you kill that abomination beside you right now, I’ll spare that van full of cubs.”

I glance back at the van of injured and fearful children, and my heart sinks. However, Mr. Wolfe steps between myself and E.B. Wallace. “All of my pack fights together.”

My heartbeats rapidly, and my body floods with heat.

“You’re claiming that thing I made, is in your pack?” E.B. Wallace smirks.

“He is,” Mr. Wolfe’s voice is light, as if he’s making a joke. “When you chose to bite him, you underestimated how loyal he is. To us.”

A strange laugh drew attention away from me, to Trinity. She hasn’t moved from her defensive stance, but now a small expression of understanding lit her face. “Your bite worked as intended, Rhydian. Except he already had an Alpha.”

The heat circulates through my body and redirects, draining into my broken leg and collecting around my injury. My jaw tightens at the sensation. Muscles and bone pull themselves together and then … it stops.

I shift my weight carefully onto my leg … and I stand.

No one seems to notice. I glance around at the other two like me. Both still bleeding from the wounds somehow I'd healed faster than them. and I was ready to fight.

Using Mr. Wolfe as a shield, I rush around him, prepared to distract Wallace. But Mr. Wolfe's arm blocks me.

The Strong Brown-Wolf from the house attack emerges. She pulls along with her something long, heavy, and motionless. With a toss of her muzzle a body lands in front of her. It’s dark salt and pepper hair cover its face but there’s no mistaking the smell.

Sterling's mom lay motionless on the ground. Mr. Wolfe prepares to lung for her when the Brown-wolf places her teeth directly over Mrs. Wolfe’s human neck.

Silence stills the space. The trees even pause their rustling and the clouds stick fast to the thick black of the sky. Only the moonlight shows the gentle rise and fall of Mrs. Wolfe’s chest.

She’s still alive. For now. And the exchange for my life, is looking much more appealing.

CHAPTER END