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Previous: "Trust"
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Next: to be released
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Series 13 Episode 8
"Alpha"
Though the treehouse was Jono’s safe place, Dylan’s own was a little different. Cuddled up in Jono’s arms was just where he wanted to be, and the treehouse gave them the best possible view, too. The moon was a crescent, far from its full power over him, but it still fascinated Dylan. How could a huge rock in the sky, thousands of miles away, have any sort of power over him? That was a question he figured he’d never know the answer to.
The rules of the supernatural were something Dylan was still trying to wrap his head around, too. The power hierarchy of alpha, beta and omega. Why did it matter? Evidently, in the supernatural world, it was paramount, but what purpose did it really serve other than conflict, power struggles, and death?
Becoming an alpha wasn’t something Dylan had envisioned for himself. He was still adjusting to being a werewolf in any capacity, so to have status, and the inevitable attention that would attract, was terrifying. His friends had faith in him, but Dylan needed to find that for himself.
“Do you think any famous people are werewolves?” Dylan pondered aloud, trying to consider the bigger picture.
“Definitely,” Jono replied confidently, “Statistically, some have to be, right?”
“Beyoncé gives me alpha vibes,” Dylan laughed to himself, successfully distracting himself from his own reality for a moment.
“Kelly and Michelle as her betas,” Jono chuckled, “I can see it.”
“How do you think she would handle it?” Dylan wondered.
“With strength and control,” Jono replied, “She knows herself and her pack. It all works in sync.”
“But where does that come from?” Dylan queried.
“Practice, I guess. Practice and time,” Jono answered, “You’ve been an alpha for a few hours, Dyl. It will come. If anyone can figure this out, it’s you. I know it’s you.”
“What if I can’t?” Dylan stressed.
“If Beyoncé fell on stage, her dancers would help her up. You’ve got Yasmin, Freddie, Drew, Lily, and you’ve got me,” Jono reminded, “You’re never on your own, Dylan. You’ll never be alone again, if I have anything to do with it.”
Jono leaned in to kiss Dylan. The feel of his boyfriend’s lips against his was something Dylan could never tire of. Jono made him feel safe and cherished, and with that, he could conquer the world.
The rules of the supernatural were something Dylan was still trying to wrap his head around, too. The power hierarchy of alpha, beta and omega. Why did it matter? Evidently, in the supernatural world, it was paramount, but what purpose did it really serve other than conflict, power struggles, and death?
Becoming an alpha wasn’t something Dylan had envisioned for himself. He was still adjusting to being a werewolf in any capacity, so to have status, and the inevitable attention that would attract, was terrifying. His friends had faith in him, but Dylan needed to find that for himself.
“Do you think any famous people are werewolves?” Dylan pondered aloud, trying to consider the bigger picture.
“Definitely,” Jono replied confidently, “Statistically, some have to be, right?”
“Beyoncé gives me alpha vibes,” Dylan laughed to himself, successfully distracting himself from his own reality for a moment.
“Kelly and Michelle as her betas,” Jono chuckled, “I can see it.”
“How do you think she would handle it?” Dylan wondered.
“With strength and control,” Jono replied, “She knows herself and her pack. It all works in sync.”
“But where does that come from?” Dylan queried.
“Practice, I guess. Practice and time,” Jono answered, “You’ve been an alpha for a few hours, Dyl. It will come. If anyone can figure this out, it’s you. I know it’s you.”
“What if I can’t?” Dylan stressed.
“If Beyoncé fell on stage, her dancers would help her up. You’ve got Yasmin, Freddie, Drew, Lily, and you’ve got me,” Jono reminded, “You’re never on your own, Dylan. You’ll never be alone again, if I have anything to do with it.”
Jono leaned in to kiss Dylan. The feel of his boyfriend’s lips against his was something Dylan could never tire of. Jono made him feel safe and cherished, and with that, he could conquer the world.
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Mind racing. Thoughts firing back and forth, left and right, desperate for one to stick. Dylan was feeling the pressure, but he couldn’t crumble. He wouldn’t let the pack down like that, especially when most of them were stood around him. He was the alpha; it was his responsibility.
Nobody knew the pack’s strengths like Dylan, either. Everyone brought something to the table, and if everyone were to remain safe, all those skills needed to be deployed effectively. There was nothing they couldn’t accomplish as a team as far as Dylan was concerned.
“Alright,” Dylan began, “Everyone who can’t heal needs to get out. Sammi, when the fighting begins, lead the way to my bunker.”
“Fighting?” Edmund worried.
“Yes. We have to be ready to fight. Anyone who doesn’t feel confident to fight can go with Sammi, no pressure,” Dylan expanded.
“I’m staying,” Yasmin affirmed.
“I was hoping you would say that,” Dylan smiled. Though Yasmin couldn’t heal, she had a skillset unlike any other.
“Take Belle,” Lily instructed as she turned to George.
“You can’t stay, you gave birth yesterday,” George replied, concerned.
“I can heal again. My body feels stronger than it has in a long time,” Lily insisted.
“What if they catch up to us? We’ll be sitting ducks,” Sammi panicked.
“Lily, go with Sammi,” Dylan directed, “Not because I don’t think you can fight. It’s because I trust you to defend everyone if you’re caught. Remember, we’re not monsters. We fight to survive, not to kill.”
“What about me?” Jono timidly asked, “I want to stay and help.”
“The most important job. Mission control,” Dylan entrusted, “Be our eyes and ears from above, and if you need help, shout. I’ll hear you.” Jono nodded and winked. Dylan was terrified, but he was confident in the team. They had this in the bag; he had to believe that.
“Anyone who’s staying, come with me,” Ed commanded, “Anyone leaving, wait in the kitchen.”
Dylan locked eyes with Caroline, who had a nervous Libby by her side.
“Hey,” Dylan jogged over and immediately crouched down to be eye-level with Libby, “You’re going to go on an adventure with mom and Sammi. It will be fun.”
“I want you to come,” Libby insisted.
“I’ll be there soon,” Dylan replied, “Give me a cuddle.”
Libby wrapped her arms as far as she could around Dylan, squeezing him tight. She was so mature for her age, and she was one of Dylan’s biggest reasons for pushing on.
“I’m so proud of you,” Caroline said as the hug broke and Dylan stood up, “I don’t tell you that enough.”
“I know it, don’t worry,” Dylan assured, “I want to protect everyone. I can’t lose anyone else.”
“Harry wasn’t your fault,” Caroline reminded, “You don’t deserve to carry that burden.”
“But I could have done more to save him,” Dylan insisted, “I’m the alpha, it’s my job.”
“Don’t forget that your life matters just as much,” Caroline advised, as wisely as always.
“I won’t,” Dylan promised, “I’ll see you soon.” A little part of Dylan’s heart broke as he hugged his mum, realising that, in the worst-case scenario, it could be the last time he ever saw her.
There was no doubt in Jeremy’s mind that he was going to stay and fight. For all his father’s flaws, he raised Jeremy to be able to defend himself in any situation. This was the moment he had trained for.
What he hadn’t foreseen was who he’d be fighting for. His twin sister and his husband were his driving force, not to mention an extended family and pack. He’d waited so long for all of those things that fighting to protect them was a no-brainer. Nevertheless, the goodbyes were destined to hurt.
“You look petrified,” Jeremy said after kissing Felix.
“You don’t,” Felix chuckled, “Your bravery is what I love most about you. Nobody’s stood up to more terrible people than you.”
“Plenty more to come,” Jeremy assured with a loving smile.
“I’m holding you to that,” Felix winked before stepping back, allowing Sammi her moment.
“You know, I really hate not fighting side-by-side with you,” Jeremy thought aloud.
“You are, just not in the same way,” Sammi chirpily reminded.
“True. I just hate that we missed so much time together. I know we’ve sad it before, but we could have had so many years together,” Jeremy thought.
“We’ve got those to come. Maybe a little twin therapy session one day too,” Sammi suggested.
“Deal,” Jeremy nodded. He was certain he’d see Sammi and Felix again, but it was going to be an uphill battle to get there.
The glass side room on the balcony level of the warehouse felt alarmingly exposed, Jono thought. It gave him a perfect bird’s eye view of the whole lower level, but everyone below could see him, too. He had to maintain trust in the rest of the pack to do their job in keeping him safe.
All he had to his aid were one of the burner phones and Freddie’s laptop, plus a gun Ed had given him for the worst-case scenario. Jono had no desire to ever use it, having been shot before, but if it came to it, he’d choose survival above all else.
“Aren’t you scared?” Edmund queried, standing anxiously by the door.
“A little,” Jono replied, “But I know Dylan. I know every person in here. We can do this, you know.”
“I guess this is still new to me. I don’t really know how to use my powers,” Edmund shrugged, “And they’ll be there, right? The Murrays?” Jono had ever heard him speak so openly before, but he was keen for it to continue.
“Yes, but you don’t have to go near them. Nobody will let them harm you, Edmund. They have no legal power over you, either,” Jono reminded, “Besides, it took me a while to learn my powers, when I had them. More important than using them is knowing how to stop. Dylan told you about finding an anchor, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, I’ve got one,” Edmund replied, “Was Dylan your anchor?”
“He was,” Jono explained, “He still is, in a different way.”
“I guess I feel that way about Jonah,” Edmund timidly continued.
“Okay,” Jono processed, “Do you know if he feels the same way about you?”
“Um, yeah, we kinda just, well, we kissed,” Edmund blushed.
“Wow,” Jono smiled, “You make a cute couple.”
“Thanks,” Edmund unleashed a smile at last.
“Thank you for telling me,” Jono smiled back. He felt warm inside; knowing that Edmund trusted him was the best feeling, “Dylan and I meant what we said. We will always have your back. Always.”
“I know,” Edmund nodded, “Thank you. Nobody’s ever understood me like you before. Least of all the Murrays.”
“They’ve got nothing on you. Don’t worry,” Jono reassured.
BANG! BANG BANG BANG!
The racket of a forceful slam against the warehouse door reverberated through Jono’s ears. It was beginning. He nodded at Edmund, encouraging him to get into position.
If Jono wasn’t scared before, he certainly was now.
Sammi didn’t need wolf hearing to know what was beginning in the warehouse. The pounding on the door, attempting to force it open. The door was strong, but it wasn’t just anyone trying to get through, it was the FBI.
Behind her and Lily was the group of people whose lives were in their hands. The pack’s family and loved ones. Parents like Caroline, Helen and Autumn. Partners like Felix and George. Friends like Leah. Not to mention the undiluted innocence of Libby and Belle. Everyone tucked away in the kitchenette meant something to someone, and to Sammi too, but only Lily had the ability to heal. For everyone to survive, they had to get out, and fast.
Sammi was used to being responsible for a group. She taught up to thirty teenagers at a time, so responsibility wasn’t a new concept to her. The stakes were higher, though. She felt the pressure, but she couldn’t buckle.
“Stay absolutely silent,” Sammi warned the group, “Murray is an alpha. She could hear us. We can’t afford for her attention to shift to us.”
One final blast against the door and it violently swung open. From around the corner, Sammi observed as a swarm of FBI agents flooded inside. Boots stomped, before silence filled the room. No fighting. No movement. The calm before the storm.
Then came a howl.
A commanding, bold, audacious howl.
The howl of an alpha.
The howl of Dylan.
Then came the noise. Sammi watched as Freddie leapt from the balcony, slamming an agent to the ground as he landed. Sammi winced. Freddie was now directly in the firing line.
BANG!
The first gunshot. Freddie swerved like it was nothing. Sammi’s stomach dropped. Her heart was telling her to run in and save him, but her head knew better. The plan had to go ahead.
Rapidly, the battle accelerated. Dylan, Josh and Jeremy jumped down. Ed fired his gun from behind a flipped desk. The number of agents didn’t seem to faze them, with every bullet being dodged as they used their speed to their advantage.
“Now,” Lily commanded. Sammi nodded. Just like they had discussed. It was time to make a run for it.
Sammi led the way, keeping as close to the front wall as possible. Caroline followed behind with Libby sandwiched closely between them. The attention was firmly on the werewolves, giving Sammi a direct route out.
Reaching the open door, she locked eyes with Freddie for the briefest of moments. His eyes were so kind and genuine, but the wolf was in control, and she knew it was necessary to keep them both safe. She smiled at him before stepping into the tunnel. The first part was complete, but they weren’t out of the woods yet.
Pushing back, Josh was desperate to wrestle the large gun out of the agent’s hand. They were powerless without their weapons; he could guarantee that none of the agents had been trained in fighting werewolves, given how tightly secured Murray’s cover was. Disarmament was the way forward.
BANG! The agent fired the gun, the barrel pointing vertically, sending the bullet wastefully into the air. Josh pushed the gun as hard as he could, bending the metal as if it were playdough. Josh snarled, baring his fangs as his brazen blue eyes reflected on the shiny metal.
The gun snapped. The agent’s face immediately switched from confidence to cowardice. She backed off as Josh scanned the room rapidly for his next opponent. Freddie, Dylan and Jeremy were facing off like he was, but Josh couldn’t see Murray. She was the head of the snake, and the opponent he was most anticipating.
In the corner of his eye, Josh spotted Yasmin in the doorway of a side room. She was the next line of defence, and if he were able to do his job properly, she wouldn’t need to move a muscle. That was Josh’s main goal. He knew she was strong and capable, but she couldn’t heal like he could, and the last thing he wanted was to see her in any danger.
“Josh!” she called out. Josh’s focus had slipped. Immediately switching his attention back to his ears, he swerved a bullet with just a second to spare. He couldn’t risk making such a mistake again.
A splutter. A wince. A gasp.
Josh turned back to Yasmin. The bullet had hit her instead. It happened too fast for Josh to realise.
Josh sprinted to Yasmin to catch her as her legs gave out. He panicked. He had no idea what to do. The door was at the opposite end of the warehouse, with a battlefield containing more enemies than friends separating them.
“Leave me,” Yasmin croaked. The bullet had hit her stomach, and she was bleeding a horrifying amount.
“Never,” Josh insisted. He had let Yasmin down on too many occasions before. Quickly, he slid his jacket off, wrapped it into a ball, and pressed it firmly against the wound with one hand. His other hand enclosed one of Yasmin’s hands. Black veins protruded under his skin, taking Yasmin’s pain away to soothe her as much as possible.
Losing Yasmin was not an option.
“We have to get out,” Josh decided. He had yet to figure out how, but if it meant Yasmin could get the medical help she required, it was a risk worth taking.
A duck. A swerve. A jump. Freddie avoided every punch, bullet and attack thrown his way. For too long, his family had been a target when all they wanted to do was live. He had so much to fight for. His wife. His brothers. His new baby niece. His friends.
Unusually, Freddie felt calm and in control in the fight. His brain worked exhaustingly fast all the time, so the rapid nature of the fight was just the stimulation he needed. Nobody had even come close to touching him.
Another agent aimed a gun at Freddie. Zoned in, he sprinted to the agent and bumped the weapon out of their hand before they had a chance to fire it. Freddie bared his fangs and growled in victory. He was in full control of the wolf; he knew just how far he could take his abilities.
Buzz!
Freddie felt his body vibrate uncomfortably. Electricity flooded his arms and legs before he collapsed to the ground. A taser. Glancing at his hands, Freddie noticed his claws had retracted. The wolf had been tranquilised, and he had to work extra hard to summon it again.
Behind Freddie stood Jonah, frozen to the spot in horror. He had been instructed not to move unless Freddie was wounded. Terrifyingly, this was his moment.
“Freddie, get up, she’s coming,” Jono’s voice resonated from the control room in Freddie’s ears. Stood in the front doorway was Murray, that same arrogant grin still painted across her face. She wasn’t fighting. She had manipulated the FBI investigation so far that she had human agents fighting the battle for her.
“Come on,” Jonah held his hand out. As Freddie grabbed hold of it, he saw something baffling. Something unlike anything he’d seen before.
Something amazing.
Jonah’s arm was now covered in fur. Fur that was spreading rapidly around his body, underneath his clothing which began to rip and fall to the ground. His eyes glowed that unique tint of green that Freddie had seen outside the school that day.
Freddie managed to stand himself up, but his eyes were still locked on Jonah. His facial features morphed into those of a wolf, though he remained stood on two legs just like a human. Edmund stood behind him, his eyes as wide as Freddie’s own surely were.
“Are we fighting or what?” Jonah spoke, his voice unchanged despite the drastic shift in his appearance.
Freddie growled in response. Fighting alongside his little brother felt like an honour, and for the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel the slightest bit worried for him.
Lily was impressed by how quickly hr body had returned to its full strength. Losing her abilities was worth it for the joy Belle had already given her and George, but it felt freeing to be back at full capacity. She could play her part for the pack once again.
Every ability was essential for navigating the bunker tunnels, too. Sammi led from the front, but it would have been easy for any of them to get lost, so Lily had to bring up the rear. She also had to be sure nobody was following behind; to her relief, the only heartbeats she could hear around her were the people she was protecting.
Though it had been a long time since she last ventured into the tunnels, Lily was sure Dylan’s bunker couldn’t have been far away. Nobody else knew about his bunker; it was considerably smaller, but just as strongly secured, perhaps more so given the supply of mountain ash available to defend the entrance.
The group halted. Silence followed. Lily focused her hearing. Three extra heartbeats.
“Don’t move,” a male voice commanded. Behind her, Lily could still hear nothing. She was needed at the front.
“Be careful,” George whispered as Lily slid forward slightly. She nodded, smiling at Belle sleeping in his arms, blissfully unaware of the terrifying predicament they were in.
“We’re not moving,” Sammi led from the front, “We’re unarmed.”
“Get down on the ground and slowly raise your hands above your head,” the same voice ordered.
“Sir,” Lily inched forward again to stand beside Sammi, keeping her arms raised in front of the three agents, “We have two children here, including a newborn baby.”
“Follow our instructions and nobody will get hurt,” the middle agent repeated. All three agents wore face masks and helmets to protect their identities.
“Put the guns down and we can talk about it,” Lily bargained.
“On the ground now!” the guard repeated once more.
“Alright, alright,” Lily matched his volume, “We’ll get down, but we’re not who you’re looking for.”
“You’re exactly who we’re looking for, Lily Chadwick,” the man continued, “You weren’t discharged.”
Lily froze. The mask obscured his face, but the voice suddenly clicked into place. He was the man from the hospital. The nurse who had tried to grab her. Mr. Murray.
Buzz! Buzz!
Both Mr. Murray and the agent on his left collapsed, their bodies vibrating from the tasers in the other agent’s hands. Lily paused. She let her nose guide her next move. She knew that scent well.
“That guy is such a creep,” the agent said, removing their mask to reveal their thick mane of curls. Lily smiled as she recognised Brett. She was desperate to hug them as an expression of her gratitude, but that could wait, “Come on, let’s go, there are more on the way.”
Luck was on their side, and to Lily’s relief, Belle was still safe.
Every last bit of energy Yasmin had was being used to keep her eyes open. The pain in her stomach was unbearable, but there was a strong likelihood of it getting worse. Bullets were still firing around the warehouse, and the side room she and Josh were hiding in had no door to shield them.
Josh wanted to get her out, but Yasmin wasn’t sure how. There was no clear path to the door, and as strong as Josh was, he wasn’t indestructible. It wasn’t worth him risking his life to save hers. Yasmin wouldn’t allow it.
“Go and help them,” Yasmin croaked. Talking was hard. The pain in her stomach overrode everything else. Her strength was depleted.
“No,” Josh insisted, “I won’t let you down. Never again.”
“Josh, I forgave you for David a long time ago. I know who you are and how strong we are. You’ve got nothing left to prove to me,” Yasmin slowly but confidently spoke, though her volume was barely above a whisper.
“Save your strength,” Josh encouraged, “Because I don’t know what I’d do if…if…”
“I’ll keep fighting,” Yasmin assured.
CLINK!
Another bullet fired nearby, much too close for Yasmin’s comfort. It pierced through an exposed pipe on the wall, causing water to flood into the room they were in.
“Help me up,” Yasmin ordered. Her physical strength was affected, but her brain was still firing on all cylinders.
“What? You need to rest,” Josh debated.
“I have an idea,” Yasmin justified, “Help me up or I’ll get up myself.”
Begrudgingly, Josh wrapped his arm around Yasmin and supported her in standing up. She winced in pain at every tiny movement, but she just needed to take a few more steps to reach the doorway.
Soaking into her shoes, Yasmin felt the water trickling forwards. It was a soothing sensation against her body, like the cosiest hot bubble bath under candlelight. It was like the water knew her. An old friend she’d not seen in ages. She knew precisely what to do.
“Howl,” Yasmin commanded.
“Why?” Josh raised an eyebrow, “Won’t that just tell everyone where we are?”
“The howl isn’t for them. It’s a warning for the others,” Yasmin clarified, “Now howl!”
Without further ado, Josh inhaled deeply and unleashed a deep, grumbling howl, projected perfectly across the battlefield ahead.
In front, Dylan turned to face Yasmin. He understood the message. Every member of the pack leapt to their stairs, taking shelter.
“Stay behind me,” Yasmin commanded Josh. The only people left on the ground were the enemy. Yasmin closed her eyes. What must have been a few seconds felt much slower. She felt calm. In tune with the nix side of her. The pain had dulled. All Yasmin felt was stillness and serenity.
With one lift of her arms, she felt a wave sweep past her. The water flooded out of the pipe as if it couldn’t wait to escape captivity. It filtered through the lower layer of the warehouse, knocking each agent backwards and their weapons into the stream, flowing away from them.
Yasmin’s eyes stayed closed. She felt herself collapse back into Josh’s arms. With her last spark of energy, she lifted one eyelid. The warehouse had emptied. The water settled, flooding into the tunnel.
The battle was over.
And Yasmin’s eye closed once more.
Jono could hardly believe his eyes. The complete washout of the lower level was like something from a movie. Within seconds, the agents posed no threat. Yasmin was their most valuable tool, but everyone had played their part.
Despite his keen, eagle-eyed surveillance, Jono had lost sight of Murray. Surely she had retreated in the flood? He didn’t see her leap to the stairs like Dylan and the others. Now, the pack had dispersed again, collecting the remaining drenched weapons to deter any agents from returning.
The door into the glass room slammed open. Edmund inched forward nervously. Behind him stood Murray, holding a gun directly to his head with one hand, and keeping the claws from her other hand close to his neck. Jono felt rage stack up inside him. Edmund was still a kid. A kid she had wronged in so many ways. She wasn’t going to harm him anymore.
“Excellent stunt,” Murray smarmed, “But this isn’t over. I still need my pack.”
“You can’t take people by force,” Jono insisted, “Whether Dylan’s here or not, you can’t make us join you.”
“Not even to save this boy you care so deeply about? I knew he’d go running for a pack, but I didn’t expect so much sentimentality,” Murray continued. Jono was angry, but he knew better than to rise to it.
“You took away my chance of a normal life,” Edmund reacted, struggling in Murray’s grip to no avail.
“You can still have that,” Murray enticed, “You can have one father of two. That’s not unreasonable.”
“It is when you’re framing an innocent person,” Jono replied, “That’s what you’re doing, isn’t it?”
“Needs must,” Murray confirmed, “Two alphas in a pack just wouldn’t work.”
“Except it did, in the end. Dylan and I worked it out,” Jono answered.
“And you became the first person ever to be cured of lycanthropy. Well, not fully, isn’t that right? You can still heal. Attack with claws when you need to. The perfect defence mechanism,” Murray detailed her worrying amount of knowledge.
“Thank you,” Jono smirked. The plan had worked perfectly. Murray had fallen into the trap. He crouched down to Freddie’s laptop beside him and pressed enter twice.
“What…what have you done?” Murray’s composure receded.
“I’ve sent the FBI a very revealing recording. Framing an innocent person, child neglect, unreasonable force. It doesn’t bode well,” Jono smiled with a sense of pride.
“But…” Murray flustered, “I can still take the pack.”
SLAM!
A thump around the head sent Murray collapsing to the floor, unconscious. Behind her stood Dylan, his superior red eyes fading back into his dreamy hazel tint. Jono breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. It had to be.
“Are you both okay?” Dylan checked.
“Fine,” Jono nodded.
“I am now,” Edmund calmed his breathing.
“She knew all about me, Dyl. The defence mechanism,” Jono worried
“She was manipulating you. Like she did with me,” Edmund added.
“But is that it? Are we safe?” Jono wondered.
“Almost,” Dylan worriedly replied. Jono began to panic. What had gone wrong?
The war was over, but Dylan couldn’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. The clinical white walls and shiny blue floor of the hospital were synonymous with uncertainty and anxiety, and without hearing good news from the doctor, he wasn’t willing to celebrate freedom yet.
Ed had resumed his sheriff duties, demanding a meeting with the FBI to discuss a full apology. Murray was in federal custody, and she wasn’t going to bother them again. The rest of the pack could resume their lives. Finally, Lily and George could take Belle home. Edmund could rest easy, knowing the alpha who bit him had no power over him anymore.
Waiting nervously either side of Dylan were Josh and Autumn. Yasmin had held on as well as she could, but they needed to hear that she was stable. Dylan had everything crossed for his best friend. She had saved their lives; she didn’t deserve this.
“Yasmin Forsyth’s family?” a doctor approached. Dylan leapt to his feet. He tried to focus on reading the doctor’s emotions, but his brain was too clouded to get a good idea, “Yasmin is stable. We’ve removed the bullet and stopped the bleeding, and all of her vitals are where we’d like them to be.”
“Can we see her?” Josh eagerly queried.
“Of course, but she’s not been awake long, so be very gentle,” the doctor replied with a smile.
“Thank you,” Dylan smiled back. His gratitude was infinite. At last, he breathed that sigh of relief. The worst was over. Yasmin was safe.
Josh led the way into the hospital room, followed by Autumn and then Dylan. Yasmin already looked a lot better than before, with more colour in her cheeks.
“I told you you’d be fine,” Josh held her hand, gently placing it between his palms.
“Is it over?” Yasmin croaked.
“It’s over,” Dylan confirmed.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you,” Autumn added, “I promise, I will listen to you more going forward.”
“I should get shot more often,” Yasmin chuckled.
“Don’t even joke,” Autumn said, wrapping her arms around Yasmin with more force than she should have. Nevertheless, Dylan’s heart felt warm. After everything, they could finally get back to normal.
The new normal.
Nobody knew the pack’s strengths like Dylan, either. Everyone brought something to the table, and if everyone were to remain safe, all those skills needed to be deployed effectively. There was nothing they couldn’t accomplish as a team as far as Dylan was concerned.
“Alright,” Dylan began, “Everyone who can’t heal needs to get out. Sammi, when the fighting begins, lead the way to my bunker.”
“Fighting?” Edmund worried.
“Yes. We have to be ready to fight. Anyone who doesn’t feel confident to fight can go with Sammi, no pressure,” Dylan expanded.
“I’m staying,” Yasmin affirmed.
“I was hoping you would say that,” Dylan smiled. Though Yasmin couldn’t heal, she had a skillset unlike any other.
“Take Belle,” Lily instructed as she turned to George.
“You can’t stay, you gave birth yesterday,” George replied, concerned.
“I can heal again. My body feels stronger than it has in a long time,” Lily insisted.
“What if they catch up to us? We’ll be sitting ducks,” Sammi panicked.
“Lily, go with Sammi,” Dylan directed, “Not because I don’t think you can fight. It’s because I trust you to defend everyone if you’re caught. Remember, we’re not monsters. We fight to survive, not to kill.”
“What about me?” Jono timidly asked, “I want to stay and help.”
“The most important job. Mission control,” Dylan entrusted, “Be our eyes and ears from above, and if you need help, shout. I’ll hear you.” Jono nodded and winked. Dylan was terrified, but he was confident in the team. They had this in the bag; he had to believe that.
“Anyone who’s staying, come with me,” Ed commanded, “Anyone leaving, wait in the kitchen.”
Dylan locked eyes with Caroline, who had a nervous Libby by her side.
“Hey,” Dylan jogged over and immediately crouched down to be eye-level with Libby, “You’re going to go on an adventure with mom and Sammi. It will be fun.”
“I want you to come,” Libby insisted.
“I’ll be there soon,” Dylan replied, “Give me a cuddle.”
Libby wrapped her arms as far as she could around Dylan, squeezing him tight. She was so mature for her age, and she was one of Dylan’s biggest reasons for pushing on.
“I’m so proud of you,” Caroline said as the hug broke and Dylan stood up, “I don’t tell you that enough.”
“I know it, don’t worry,” Dylan assured, “I want to protect everyone. I can’t lose anyone else.”
“Harry wasn’t your fault,” Caroline reminded, “You don’t deserve to carry that burden.”
“But I could have done more to save him,” Dylan insisted, “I’m the alpha, it’s my job.”
“Don’t forget that your life matters just as much,” Caroline advised, as wisely as always.
“I won’t,” Dylan promised, “I’ll see you soon.” A little part of Dylan’s heart broke as he hugged his mum, realising that, in the worst-case scenario, it could be the last time he ever saw her.
There was no doubt in Jeremy’s mind that he was going to stay and fight. For all his father’s flaws, he raised Jeremy to be able to defend himself in any situation. This was the moment he had trained for.
What he hadn’t foreseen was who he’d be fighting for. His twin sister and his husband were his driving force, not to mention an extended family and pack. He’d waited so long for all of those things that fighting to protect them was a no-brainer. Nevertheless, the goodbyes were destined to hurt.
“You look petrified,” Jeremy said after kissing Felix.
“You don’t,” Felix chuckled, “Your bravery is what I love most about you. Nobody’s stood up to more terrible people than you.”
“Plenty more to come,” Jeremy assured with a loving smile.
“I’m holding you to that,” Felix winked before stepping back, allowing Sammi her moment.
“You know, I really hate not fighting side-by-side with you,” Jeremy thought aloud.
“You are, just not in the same way,” Sammi chirpily reminded.
“True. I just hate that we missed so much time together. I know we’ve sad it before, but we could have had so many years together,” Jeremy thought.
“We’ve got those to come. Maybe a little twin therapy session one day too,” Sammi suggested.
“Deal,” Jeremy nodded. He was certain he’d see Sammi and Felix again, but it was going to be an uphill battle to get there.
The glass side room on the balcony level of the warehouse felt alarmingly exposed, Jono thought. It gave him a perfect bird’s eye view of the whole lower level, but everyone below could see him, too. He had to maintain trust in the rest of the pack to do their job in keeping him safe.
All he had to his aid were one of the burner phones and Freddie’s laptop, plus a gun Ed had given him for the worst-case scenario. Jono had no desire to ever use it, having been shot before, but if it came to it, he’d choose survival above all else.
“Aren’t you scared?” Edmund queried, standing anxiously by the door.
“A little,” Jono replied, “But I know Dylan. I know every person in here. We can do this, you know.”
“I guess this is still new to me. I don’t really know how to use my powers,” Edmund shrugged, “And they’ll be there, right? The Murrays?” Jono had ever heard him speak so openly before, but he was keen for it to continue.
“Yes, but you don’t have to go near them. Nobody will let them harm you, Edmund. They have no legal power over you, either,” Jono reminded, “Besides, it took me a while to learn my powers, when I had them. More important than using them is knowing how to stop. Dylan told you about finding an anchor, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, I’ve got one,” Edmund replied, “Was Dylan your anchor?”
“He was,” Jono explained, “He still is, in a different way.”
“I guess I feel that way about Jonah,” Edmund timidly continued.
“Okay,” Jono processed, “Do you know if he feels the same way about you?”
“Um, yeah, we kinda just, well, we kissed,” Edmund blushed.
“Wow,” Jono smiled, “You make a cute couple.”
“Thanks,” Edmund unleashed a smile at last.
“Thank you for telling me,” Jono smiled back. He felt warm inside; knowing that Edmund trusted him was the best feeling, “Dylan and I meant what we said. We will always have your back. Always.”
“I know,” Edmund nodded, “Thank you. Nobody’s ever understood me like you before. Least of all the Murrays.”
“They’ve got nothing on you. Don’t worry,” Jono reassured.
BANG! BANG BANG BANG!
The racket of a forceful slam against the warehouse door reverberated through Jono’s ears. It was beginning. He nodded at Edmund, encouraging him to get into position.
If Jono wasn’t scared before, he certainly was now.
Sammi didn’t need wolf hearing to know what was beginning in the warehouse. The pounding on the door, attempting to force it open. The door was strong, but it wasn’t just anyone trying to get through, it was the FBI.
Behind her and Lily was the group of people whose lives were in their hands. The pack’s family and loved ones. Parents like Caroline, Helen and Autumn. Partners like Felix and George. Friends like Leah. Not to mention the undiluted innocence of Libby and Belle. Everyone tucked away in the kitchenette meant something to someone, and to Sammi too, but only Lily had the ability to heal. For everyone to survive, they had to get out, and fast.
Sammi was used to being responsible for a group. She taught up to thirty teenagers at a time, so responsibility wasn’t a new concept to her. The stakes were higher, though. She felt the pressure, but she couldn’t buckle.
“Stay absolutely silent,” Sammi warned the group, “Murray is an alpha. She could hear us. We can’t afford for her attention to shift to us.”
One final blast against the door and it violently swung open. From around the corner, Sammi observed as a swarm of FBI agents flooded inside. Boots stomped, before silence filled the room. No fighting. No movement. The calm before the storm.
Then came a howl.
A commanding, bold, audacious howl.
The howl of an alpha.
The howl of Dylan.
Then came the noise. Sammi watched as Freddie leapt from the balcony, slamming an agent to the ground as he landed. Sammi winced. Freddie was now directly in the firing line.
BANG!
The first gunshot. Freddie swerved like it was nothing. Sammi’s stomach dropped. Her heart was telling her to run in and save him, but her head knew better. The plan had to go ahead.
Rapidly, the battle accelerated. Dylan, Josh and Jeremy jumped down. Ed fired his gun from behind a flipped desk. The number of agents didn’t seem to faze them, with every bullet being dodged as they used their speed to their advantage.
“Now,” Lily commanded. Sammi nodded. Just like they had discussed. It was time to make a run for it.
Sammi led the way, keeping as close to the front wall as possible. Caroline followed behind with Libby sandwiched closely between them. The attention was firmly on the werewolves, giving Sammi a direct route out.
Reaching the open door, she locked eyes with Freddie for the briefest of moments. His eyes were so kind and genuine, but the wolf was in control, and she knew it was necessary to keep them both safe. She smiled at him before stepping into the tunnel. The first part was complete, but they weren’t out of the woods yet.
Pushing back, Josh was desperate to wrestle the large gun out of the agent’s hand. They were powerless without their weapons; he could guarantee that none of the agents had been trained in fighting werewolves, given how tightly secured Murray’s cover was. Disarmament was the way forward.
BANG! The agent fired the gun, the barrel pointing vertically, sending the bullet wastefully into the air. Josh pushed the gun as hard as he could, bending the metal as if it were playdough. Josh snarled, baring his fangs as his brazen blue eyes reflected on the shiny metal.
The gun snapped. The agent’s face immediately switched from confidence to cowardice. She backed off as Josh scanned the room rapidly for his next opponent. Freddie, Dylan and Jeremy were facing off like he was, but Josh couldn’t see Murray. She was the head of the snake, and the opponent he was most anticipating.
In the corner of his eye, Josh spotted Yasmin in the doorway of a side room. She was the next line of defence, and if he were able to do his job properly, she wouldn’t need to move a muscle. That was Josh’s main goal. He knew she was strong and capable, but she couldn’t heal like he could, and the last thing he wanted was to see her in any danger.
“Josh!” she called out. Josh’s focus had slipped. Immediately switching his attention back to his ears, he swerved a bullet with just a second to spare. He couldn’t risk making such a mistake again.
A splutter. A wince. A gasp.
Josh turned back to Yasmin. The bullet had hit her instead. It happened too fast for Josh to realise.
Josh sprinted to Yasmin to catch her as her legs gave out. He panicked. He had no idea what to do. The door was at the opposite end of the warehouse, with a battlefield containing more enemies than friends separating them.
“Leave me,” Yasmin croaked. The bullet had hit her stomach, and she was bleeding a horrifying amount.
“Never,” Josh insisted. He had let Yasmin down on too many occasions before. Quickly, he slid his jacket off, wrapped it into a ball, and pressed it firmly against the wound with one hand. His other hand enclosed one of Yasmin’s hands. Black veins protruded under his skin, taking Yasmin’s pain away to soothe her as much as possible.
Losing Yasmin was not an option.
“We have to get out,” Josh decided. He had yet to figure out how, but if it meant Yasmin could get the medical help she required, it was a risk worth taking.
A duck. A swerve. A jump. Freddie avoided every punch, bullet and attack thrown his way. For too long, his family had been a target when all they wanted to do was live. He had so much to fight for. His wife. His brothers. His new baby niece. His friends.
Unusually, Freddie felt calm and in control in the fight. His brain worked exhaustingly fast all the time, so the rapid nature of the fight was just the stimulation he needed. Nobody had even come close to touching him.
Another agent aimed a gun at Freddie. Zoned in, he sprinted to the agent and bumped the weapon out of their hand before they had a chance to fire it. Freddie bared his fangs and growled in victory. He was in full control of the wolf; he knew just how far he could take his abilities.
Buzz!
Freddie felt his body vibrate uncomfortably. Electricity flooded his arms and legs before he collapsed to the ground. A taser. Glancing at his hands, Freddie noticed his claws had retracted. The wolf had been tranquilised, and he had to work extra hard to summon it again.
Behind Freddie stood Jonah, frozen to the spot in horror. He had been instructed not to move unless Freddie was wounded. Terrifyingly, this was his moment.
“Freddie, get up, she’s coming,” Jono’s voice resonated from the control room in Freddie’s ears. Stood in the front doorway was Murray, that same arrogant grin still painted across her face. She wasn’t fighting. She had manipulated the FBI investigation so far that she had human agents fighting the battle for her.
“Come on,” Jonah held his hand out. As Freddie grabbed hold of it, he saw something baffling. Something unlike anything he’d seen before.
Something amazing.
Jonah’s arm was now covered in fur. Fur that was spreading rapidly around his body, underneath his clothing which began to rip and fall to the ground. His eyes glowed that unique tint of green that Freddie had seen outside the school that day.
Freddie managed to stand himself up, but his eyes were still locked on Jonah. His facial features morphed into those of a wolf, though he remained stood on two legs just like a human. Edmund stood behind him, his eyes as wide as Freddie’s own surely were.
“Are we fighting or what?” Jonah spoke, his voice unchanged despite the drastic shift in his appearance.
Freddie growled in response. Fighting alongside his little brother felt like an honour, and for the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel the slightest bit worried for him.
Lily was impressed by how quickly hr body had returned to its full strength. Losing her abilities was worth it for the joy Belle had already given her and George, but it felt freeing to be back at full capacity. She could play her part for the pack once again.
Every ability was essential for navigating the bunker tunnels, too. Sammi led from the front, but it would have been easy for any of them to get lost, so Lily had to bring up the rear. She also had to be sure nobody was following behind; to her relief, the only heartbeats she could hear around her were the people she was protecting.
Though it had been a long time since she last ventured into the tunnels, Lily was sure Dylan’s bunker couldn’t have been far away. Nobody else knew about his bunker; it was considerably smaller, but just as strongly secured, perhaps more so given the supply of mountain ash available to defend the entrance.
The group halted. Silence followed. Lily focused her hearing. Three extra heartbeats.
“Don’t move,” a male voice commanded. Behind her, Lily could still hear nothing. She was needed at the front.
“Be careful,” George whispered as Lily slid forward slightly. She nodded, smiling at Belle sleeping in his arms, blissfully unaware of the terrifying predicament they were in.
“We’re not moving,” Sammi led from the front, “We’re unarmed.”
“Get down on the ground and slowly raise your hands above your head,” the same voice ordered.
“Sir,” Lily inched forward again to stand beside Sammi, keeping her arms raised in front of the three agents, “We have two children here, including a newborn baby.”
“Follow our instructions and nobody will get hurt,” the middle agent repeated. All three agents wore face masks and helmets to protect their identities.
“Put the guns down and we can talk about it,” Lily bargained.
“On the ground now!” the guard repeated once more.
“Alright, alright,” Lily matched his volume, “We’ll get down, but we’re not who you’re looking for.”
“You’re exactly who we’re looking for, Lily Chadwick,” the man continued, “You weren’t discharged.”
Lily froze. The mask obscured his face, but the voice suddenly clicked into place. He was the man from the hospital. The nurse who had tried to grab her. Mr. Murray.
Buzz! Buzz!
Both Mr. Murray and the agent on his left collapsed, their bodies vibrating from the tasers in the other agent’s hands. Lily paused. She let her nose guide her next move. She knew that scent well.
“That guy is such a creep,” the agent said, removing their mask to reveal their thick mane of curls. Lily smiled as she recognised Brett. She was desperate to hug them as an expression of her gratitude, but that could wait, “Come on, let’s go, there are more on the way.”
Luck was on their side, and to Lily’s relief, Belle was still safe.
Every last bit of energy Yasmin had was being used to keep her eyes open. The pain in her stomach was unbearable, but there was a strong likelihood of it getting worse. Bullets were still firing around the warehouse, and the side room she and Josh were hiding in had no door to shield them.
Josh wanted to get her out, but Yasmin wasn’t sure how. There was no clear path to the door, and as strong as Josh was, he wasn’t indestructible. It wasn’t worth him risking his life to save hers. Yasmin wouldn’t allow it.
“Go and help them,” Yasmin croaked. Talking was hard. The pain in her stomach overrode everything else. Her strength was depleted.
“No,” Josh insisted, “I won’t let you down. Never again.”
“Josh, I forgave you for David a long time ago. I know who you are and how strong we are. You’ve got nothing left to prove to me,” Yasmin slowly but confidently spoke, though her volume was barely above a whisper.
“Save your strength,” Josh encouraged, “Because I don’t know what I’d do if…if…”
“I’ll keep fighting,” Yasmin assured.
CLINK!
Another bullet fired nearby, much too close for Yasmin’s comfort. It pierced through an exposed pipe on the wall, causing water to flood into the room they were in.
“Help me up,” Yasmin ordered. Her physical strength was affected, but her brain was still firing on all cylinders.
“What? You need to rest,” Josh debated.
“I have an idea,” Yasmin justified, “Help me up or I’ll get up myself.”
Begrudgingly, Josh wrapped his arm around Yasmin and supported her in standing up. She winced in pain at every tiny movement, but she just needed to take a few more steps to reach the doorway.
Soaking into her shoes, Yasmin felt the water trickling forwards. It was a soothing sensation against her body, like the cosiest hot bubble bath under candlelight. It was like the water knew her. An old friend she’d not seen in ages. She knew precisely what to do.
“Howl,” Yasmin commanded.
“Why?” Josh raised an eyebrow, “Won’t that just tell everyone where we are?”
“The howl isn’t for them. It’s a warning for the others,” Yasmin clarified, “Now howl!”
Without further ado, Josh inhaled deeply and unleashed a deep, grumbling howl, projected perfectly across the battlefield ahead.
In front, Dylan turned to face Yasmin. He understood the message. Every member of the pack leapt to their stairs, taking shelter.
“Stay behind me,” Yasmin commanded Josh. The only people left on the ground were the enemy. Yasmin closed her eyes. What must have been a few seconds felt much slower. She felt calm. In tune with the nix side of her. The pain had dulled. All Yasmin felt was stillness and serenity.
With one lift of her arms, she felt a wave sweep past her. The water flooded out of the pipe as if it couldn’t wait to escape captivity. It filtered through the lower layer of the warehouse, knocking each agent backwards and their weapons into the stream, flowing away from them.
Yasmin’s eyes stayed closed. She felt herself collapse back into Josh’s arms. With her last spark of energy, she lifted one eyelid. The warehouse had emptied. The water settled, flooding into the tunnel.
The battle was over.
And Yasmin’s eye closed once more.
Jono could hardly believe his eyes. The complete washout of the lower level was like something from a movie. Within seconds, the agents posed no threat. Yasmin was their most valuable tool, but everyone had played their part.
Despite his keen, eagle-eyed surveillance, Jono had lost sight of Murray. Surely she had retreated in the flood? He didn’t see her leap to the stairs like Dylan and the others. Now, the pack had dispersed again, collecting the remaining drenched weapons to deter any agents from returning.
The door into the glass room slammed open. Edmund inched forward nervously. Behind him stood Murray, holding a gun directly to his head with one hand, and keeping the claws from her other hand close to his neck. Jono felt rage stack up inside him. Edmund was still a kid. A kid she had wronged in so many ways. She wasn’t going to harm him anymore.
“Excellent stunt,” Murray smarmed, “But this isn’t over. I still need my pack.”
“You can’t take people by force,” Jono insisted, “Whether Dylan’s here or not, you can’t make us join you.”
“Not even to save this boy you care so deeply about? I knew he’d go running for a pack, but I didn’t expect so much sentimentality,” Murray continued. Jono was angry, but he knew better than to rise to it.
“You took away my chance of a normal life,” Edmund reacted, struggling in Murray’s grip to no avail.
“You can still have that,” Murray enticed, “You can have one father of two. That’s not unreasonable.”
“It is when you’re framing an innocent person,” Jono replied, “That’s what you’re doing, isn’t it?”
“Needs must,” Murray confirmed, “Two alphas in a pack just wouldn’t work.”
“Except it did, in the end. Dylan and I worked it out,” Jono answered.
“And you became the first person ever to be cured of lycanthropy. Well, not fully, isn’t that right? You can still heal. Attack with claws when you need to. The perfect defence mechanism,” Murray detailed her worrying amount of knowledge.
“Thank you,” Jono smirked. The plan had worked perfectly. Murray had fallen into the trap. He crouched down to Freddie’s laptop beside him and pressed enter twice.
“What…what have you done?” Murray’s composure receded.
“I’ve sent the FBI a very revealing recording. Framing an innocent person, child neglect, unreasonable force. It doesn’t bode well,” Jono smiled with a sense of pride.
“But…” Murray flustered, “I can still take the pack.”
SLAM!
A thump around the head sent Murray collapsing to the floor, unconscious. Behind her stood Dylan, his superior red eyes fading back into his dreamy hazel tint. Jono breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. It had to be.
“Are you both okay?” Dylan checked.
“Fine,” Jono nodded.
“I am now,” Edmund calmed his breathing.
“She knew all about me, Dyl. The defence mechanism,” Jono worried
“She was manipulating you. Like she did with me,” Edmund added.
“But is that it? Are we safe?” Jono wondered.
“Almost,” Dylan worriedly replied. Jono began to panic. What had gone wrong?
The war was over, but Dylan couldn’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. The clinical white walls and shiny blue floor of the hospital were synonymous with uncertainty and anxiety, and without hearing good news from the doctor, he wasn’t willing to celebrate freedom yet.
Ed had resumed his sheriff duties, demanding a meeting with the FBI to discuss a full apology. Murray was in federal custody, and she wasn’t going to bother them again. The rest of the pack could resume their lives. Finally, Lily and George could take Belle home. Edmund could rest easy, knowing the alpha who bit him had no power over him anymore.
Waiting nervously either side of Dylan were Josh and Autumn. Yasmin had held on as well as she could, but they needed to hear that she was stable. Dylan had everything crossed for his best friend. She had saved their lives; she didn’t deserve this.
“Yasmin Forsyth’s family?” a doctor approached. Dylan leapt to his feet. He tried to focus on reading the doctor’s emotions, but his brain was too clouded to get a good idea, “Yasmin is stable. We’ve removed the bullet and stopped the bleeding, and all of her vitals are where we’d like them to be.”
“Can we see her?” Josh eagerly queried.
“Of course, but she’s not been awake long, so be very gentle,” the doctor replied with a smile.
“Thank you,” Dylan smiled back. His gratitude was infinite. At last, he breathed that sigh of relief. The worst was over. Yasmin was safe.
Josh led the way into the hospital room, followed by Autumn and then Dylan. Yasmin already looked a lot better than before, with more colour in her cheeks.
“I told you you’d be fine,” Josh held her hand, gently placing it between his palms.
“Is it over?” Yasmin croaked.
“It’s over,” Dylan confirmed.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you,” Autumn added, “I promise, I will listen to you more going forward.”
“I should get shot more often,” Yasmin chuckled.
“Don’t even joke,” Autumn said, wrapping her arms around Yasmin with more force than she should have. Nevertheless, Dylan’s heart felt warm. After everything, they could finally get back to normal.
The new normal.
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Next: to be released
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