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Series 10 Episode 3
"Cowardice"
Running towards the lakehouse felt like an easy morning jog for Freddie. Sprinting straight through the forest would have been an impossible task just a few years back, when Freddie was still human, but now, it was basically as easy as a five-minute walk. His fitness levels had never been stronger.
Exercise wasn’t at the forefront of Freddie’s mind, though. All he wanted to do was get to George, and he’d have crossed the whole country if necessary. He needed his brother.
Though Josh had done a good job at calming Freddie down, he still felt on-edge. He had so many questions, but didn’t have the courage to face his dad again to ask them. After all, he was the only one with the answers.
Talking to George was more important, anyway. He was the one who had been burnt worst by their dad. He was the one who had to pick up the most slack. He was the one who became Freddie’s parent-figure when their mum died. Freddie owed it to George to be the one to tell him.
Freddie felt an immediate sense of relief upon seeing George’s car on the driveway. Nervously, he slid the key into the lock, though it took a couple of attempts to line it up correctly; Freddie couldn’t help himself shaking. Inside, the lakehouse was eerily quiet. Nobody was home. No Alex. No Lily. No Mia. And, disappointingly, no George. Where was he? Freddie was beginning to stress out again. He needed George. Waiting was only going to worry him more.
“Freddie?” a voice called out from the doorway. George’s voice. Relieved, Freddie ran to meet him. He and Mia were carrying a couple of shopping bags each.
“Hey, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent,” Freddie skipped over the pleasantries.
“Um, okay, can’t it wait a few minutes? I’ve got frozen stuff in here,” George looked confused.
“Dad’s back,” Freddie dropped the bombshell. George’s face said it all. They were in the deep end, and neither of them knew how to swim.
Exercise wasn’t at the forefront of Freddie’s mind, though. All he wanted to do was get to George, and he’d have crossed the whole country if necessary. He needed his brother.
Though Josh had done a good job at calming Freddie down, he still felt on-edge. He had so many questions, but didn’t have the courage to face his dad again to ask them. After all, he was the only one with the answers.
Talking to George was more important, anyway. He was the one who had been burnt worst by their dad. He was the one who had to pick up the most slack. He was the one who became Freddie’s parent-figure when their mum died. Freddie owed it to George to be the one to tell him.
Freddie felt an immediate sense of relief upon seeing George’s car on the driveway. Nervously, he slid the key into the lock, though it took a couple of attempts to line it up correctly; Freddie couldn’t help himself shaking. Inside, the lakehouse was eerily quiet. Nobody was home. No Alex. No Lily. No Mia. And, disappointingly, no George. Where was he? Freddie was beginning to stress out again. He needed George. Waiting was only going to worry him more.
“Freddie?” a voice called out from the doorway. George’s voice. Relieved, Freddie ran to meet him. He and Mia were carrying a couple of shopping bags each.
“Hey, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent,” Freddie skipped over the pleasantries.
“Um, okay, can’t it wait a few minutes? I’ve got frozen stuff in here,” George looked confused.
“Dad’s back,” Freddie dropped the bombshell. George’s face said it all. They were in the deep end, and neither of them knew how to swim.
Dylan’s mind was blown. His day was already pretty crazy and it wasn’t lunchtime yet. He was in a daze as he tried to process what was going on around him. The arrival of Aunt Maria was pretty huge on its own, and adjusting to that took a lot of energy.
Never, though, did Dylan expect his aunt to be married to Freddie’s dad. He’d not really given much thought to Freddie’s parents. He knew the story of his mum and what happened afterwards, but his dad almost never got a mention. After all, Freddie never really knew him. Dylan couldn’t imagine how he must have felt.
Begrudgingly, Dylan headed back inside to face his newly extended family. Talking to Maria was the last thing he wanted to do. He was even less enthusiastic than he usually was about a social situation. Freddie was the only thing on his mind. Small talk was not a priority.
“I’m going to get a drink,” Dylan decided, dipping into the kitchen and swerving the living room. He planned to take as long as possible, to miss as much conversation as he could. He struggled to pretend to care when Maria hadn’t been a fixture in his life for a long time.
Jono and Josh followed him into the kitchen like lost puppies. He knew they were aware of exactly how he felt, and it meant a lot to Dylan that they were by his side. They were the people who knew him best, after all.
“You could cut the atmosphere in there with a knife,” Josh commented, trying to lighten the mood.
“I can’t believe that’s Freddie’s dad,” Jono was gobsmacked.
“He’ll be okay, he just needs time,” Josh reassured, “Not like any of us are new to the concept of problematic parents.”
“You can say that again,” Jono sighed, before turning to face Dylan, “You’re doing so well, by the way.”
“I feel like I’m drowning,” Dylan opened up. He was exhausted, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Jono held his hand up to Dylan’s cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb. It felt so soothing, as if Jono was taking each and every worry away from him, one-by-one.
“Wait up,” Josh interrupted, pointing at Jono’s hand, “That’s…that’s a ring.”
“Yes,” Jono smirked playfully, “Well noticed.”
“Are you two…?” Josh’s face filled with excitement. Dylan’s mood was much the same – just thinking about it made him feel so much better.
“Yup,” Dylan smiled proudly. Despite Josh’s distraction, he and Jono hadn’t lost eye contact for a single second.
“Okay, you have to tell me everything,” Josh sat down at the dining table, “It’s not every day your brother gets engaged, right?”
“What?” a new voice entered the room. Caroline. She was stood in the doorway, looking more stunned than Dylan had ever seen before. They needed to talk.
Lights flickering on. Lily shielded her eyes. It was a harsh contrast from the dark room she had been kept in for…well, she didn’t know how long. It had felt like forever. She had no way of knowing the time, and somehow, that made it feel like she’d been there for days.
Everything that had happened was a complete blur. She remembered being outside in the woods with Sammi, but since then, all she’d seen was darkness. Lily was terrified. She’d called out for help to no avail, and she’d not seen a single person since she woke up. Someone must have put her there, but who? Who hated her that much?
At least Lily could finally see where she was. It was an abandoned shop, still complete with furnishings. Lily was sat with her back against the counter, directly behind a row of shelving units with only dust coating the surfaces. The large windows at the front were completely boarded up, not allowing even a small speck of sunlight in. Lily was cut off completely from the outside world. The perfect hiding place, but a nightmare prison cell.
Of course, Lily had tried to escape. She had barely stopped. The ropes around her wrists and ankles were too much, though. She had many werewolf abilities: enhanced hearing and vision, and the ability to heal. Sadly, super-strength wasn’t included. Furthermore, it had been a long time since she’d had something to eat or drink. She was shattered.
“Lily,” a voice whispered uncomfortably. It felt like the person, whoever they were, had spoken directly into her ear.
“Who are you?” Lily yelled back.
“Lily,” the voice repeated, never going above a whisper. Whoever it was knew how to project their voice. They knew she had wolf hearing.
“Come out and see me,” Lily called out, “Only cowards hide in the dark.”
“Lily,” the voice continued. It was definitely male, but that was all Lily could distinguish. The whisper concealed its identity well, and that did nothing to help her nerves.
“What do you want?” Lily asked the most important question. She was there for a reason, and there was no doubt about that in her mind.
The lights flickered. Floorboards creaked, initially in the distance but the sounds crept closer, slowly but surely. Whoever it was, they were on their way. Lily’s fears were growing. Was it going to be someone she knew? There was nobody that came to her mind. It had to be someone new, but whoever they were, they knew about her. They knew about her family. Had someone been watching them? So many questions.
A door slammed open behind her. The counter blocked her view, but she could hear a heartbeat. Lily wasn’t alone any longer.
“Who’s there?” Lily called, not quite as loudly this time, “Show yourself. Come on.”
“It’s been a long time,” the voice stated, no longer whispering. Lily shuddered. She knew that voice. She’d pick it out anywhere. It was a voice she shouldn’t have heard. He couldn’t have been there. He shouldn’t have been there, “But it’s so good to see my niece again.”
“David,” Lily uttered as he finally showed his face. He looked the same as ever, as if he was living his best life. Lily felt so unsafe.
“And it’s about time I put you out of your misery,” David stated ominously. Before Lily could process anything, David launched at her. His fangs sank into her neck, pain immediately shooting through her body. Lily screamed in pain, but she couldn’t get away.
It was too late.
Jeremy knew that dead bodies were part and parcel of what the pack often dealt with. He’d seen more than his fair share in just a couple of years. That didn’t make it any easier, though. A young man had been cruelly murdered, the scent of his fear still lingering around his lifeless body, with all of his potential snatched away from him in an instant. Whoever did that couldn’t have had a heart.
The small comfort Jeremy could find came from the determination he shared with Yasmin. They weren’t going to let this lie. The killer had to be caught.
Taking a seat next to Yasmin in front of the sheriff’s desk, Jeremy was ready to get to business. He knew that Ed was the right person to be on the case. Ed was darn good at his job, but he was also the only officer who knew about the supernatural. He was able to be open-minded in any cases he investigated, and that was always a big helping hand.
“Was this one of your, you know, premonitions?” Ed queried from the other side of the desk. He’d picked them up from the crime scene while forensics worked their magic. Jeremy was just relieved to be somewhere safer – he still felt shaken from the note, let alone the body.
“I mean, probably,” Yasmin replied, uncertain, “We were just walking. There aren’t any alarm bells in my mind when I have a premonition.”
“Let me tell you, you’re getting a bit of a reputation for finding dead bodies,” Ed commented, “The other deputies don’t know the truth, of course.”
“Guess that makes me the grim reaper of Crystalshaw, huh?” Yasmin joked, but she seemed unimpressed.
“No, not at all. Did you see anyone else?” Ed continued probing.
“Nobody,” Yasmin verified.
“Lily and Sammi went in the other direction,” Jeremy chipped in.
“Have you heard from them?” Ed wondered.
“No, not since we split up,” Jeremy answered, before the panic button set off in his head, “What if they’re in danger? The killer could be out there.”
“Relax, the forensics said the body’s been there at least a couple of days,” Ed reassured.
“So the person who sent the note isn’t the killer,” Yasmin pieced the information together.
“Note?” Ed was confused.
“Lily has it. A note to Sammi and me, from our dad, supposedly,” Jeremy replied.
“Your dad? Isn’t he dead?” Ed processed.
“Yeah, so this is some cruel trick. We went to investigate,” Jeremy clarified.
“Weird stuff is happening, I’ll give you that,” Ed mentioned, “Because the injuries on this body are consistent with five other bodies we’ve discovered in the past fortnight.”
“You think it’s supernatural?” Yasmin considered.
“Hard to say either way, but if you ended up finding this body, I’m leaning towards yes,” Ed answered.
“Guys,” Sammi burst in, panting loudly and looking exhausted.
“What’s up?” Jeremy was worried.
“Lily’s been taken,” Sammi announced. Jeremy’s heart sank. They were being targeted.
“I can’t believe him,” George paced up and down the living room. Freddie completely understood how he felt – even after having time to process what had happened, he was seething.
As expected, George was just as furious. He was the person who had been affected the most by their dad. As a child, he’d spent time with him. Built a relationship with him. Then it was snatched away in an instant. In a strange way, Freddie felt somewhat grateful for not getting the chance to get to know him. He was fortunate to swerve the rage and grief that George felt.
“How dare he show up unannounced and try to play happy families?” George ranted, “He abandoned his kids. He left his wife, and she never saw him again. Mom died never knowing why he left. If he steps anywhere near the lakehouse…”
“Hey, take a seat,” Mia urged, her tone soothing and calm.
“I don’t want to,” George continued.
“Dude,” Freddie agreed with Mia. He had every right to be annoyed, but this wasn’t solving anything. They needed a plan of action.
“Okay,” George sighed, collapsing onto the armchair, “How long has he been here?”
“Not long, I came here straight away. He’s married to Dylan’s aunt, George. He’s staying at the house,” Freddie explained.
“Shit,” George only felt angrier.
“You can stay here if you want, Freddie. We’ve got the spare bed ready any time,” Mia offered.
“Thanks,” Freddie nodded, “I didn’t know what to say to him, so I just ran out.”
“You did the right thing, dude,” George encouraged. Freddie knew he wasn’t just referring to his composure, but also his control over the wolf, but Mia was still in-the-dark as far as that was concerned, “He’s not worth your time.”
“I can’t help thinking, though. There’s so much he doesn’t know about me. He doesn’t know that I graduated high school, when I was almost excluded years ago. He doesn’t know about my ADHD diagnosis. He doesn’t know I go to college. He doesn’t know I have a girlfriend,” Freddie continued.
“And that’s his fault,” Mia replied, “Look, I come from a close family. I’m fortunate to have both my mom and dad, so I can’t pretend to know how you both feel. What I do know, though, is that the next step is yours. Make sure you’re deciding for the benefit of yourselves and not him.”
Freddie couldn’t help considering Mia’s words. He was too annoyed to consider what he truly wanted. The jury was still out, but he had a decision to make. Whatever it was, he and George had to be on the same page.
Having spent so many months hiding in the shadows, it felt strange to Oscar that he was out in such a public place. Crystalshaw town was the closest he had been to home in so long. Being around so many different people, observing the varied faces and personalities that brushed past him. It was far too exciting for something so mundane.
Of course, Oscar knew he had to take precautions. There was no way Cody would let him walk around in such an open space like nothing had happened. They had a deal, and Cody wouldn’t ever risk jeopardising it. It wouldn’t have ended well for Dylan, anyway, so Dylan ensured he kept his hood up, pushing his shaggy blonde locks behind his ears. Nobody would easily be able to identify him that way.
It wasn’t a casual day out, though. Nothing as ever that simple as far as Cody was concerned. Oscar knew that more than most. Keisha had a lead. A lead that could potentially lead them to Johnny. Brett had been buzzing ever since Cody promised an update. It felt like they were making good progress. They were so close to Johnny.
Keisha led them down an alleyway. The tall shop buildings either side blocked out any hope of natural sunlight, so an ominous shadow was cast along the long, narrow path. Oscar brought up the rear as the group meandered around wheelie bins and lampposts along the way. Brett walked just in front; Oscar could sense the electric anticipation he was feeling. He was expecting good news, and Oscar was so pleased for him. Brett deserved to be happy.
“What are we looking for?” Oscar enquired. He’d been told precious little so far. Keisha was keeping him just as in the dark as Brett, who was an outsider to their pack.
“I’m tracking a scent, I need silence,” Keisha hit back. Oscar rolled his eyes. He was used to her attitude, but it didn’t make it any easier to put up with.
“Keisha and Mariana took one of Johnny’s shirts around to some contacts. Someone recognised the scent and directed us here,” Cody explained, playing mediator as always.
“Have you been here before?” Oscar wondered.
“The town? Yeah, who hasn’t?” Brett answered, “But not this place. I’ve never even noticed it before.”
“Is that relevant?” Keisha rudely barked.
“Yes, actually. Why here? There are so many places he could be. Nothing is ever random,” Oscar kept his composure, as much as he wanted to shout. He knew that would only make things worse.
“Bullshit,” Keisha scoffed.
“Enough,” Cody demanded, “We have to keep an open mind, but first, rescuing Johnny is our priority.” Oscar nodded. Cody kept the peace so well, as if he was born with the ability to please everyone. Oscar was envious.
“We’re close,” Keisha changed focus. Brett’s excitement levels were peaking, Oscar could feel it against his skin. He felt more pessimistic, though. The alleyway turned a sharp left, but still, there was very little in sight. Where was Johnny supposed to be? There were clearly no other people around, even despite the lack of natural light illuminating the walkway.
“Stop,” Keisha ordered, “The scent’s weaker again. Move back.” Oscar shuffled backwards, swerving a large rubbish bin parked next to the back entrance of a shop.
“In here?” Brett wondered. Oscar felt sick. Why would Johnny have been in a random bin? It wasn’t sealed shut, even a human would have been able to climb out. Nevertheless, Cody opened the lid and peered inside. Immediately, he withdrew, coughing as if he’d smelt something hideous.
“What?” Brett’s excited face quickly bled into anxiety and panic, “Is he there? Is he unconscious?”
“Brett, I’m so sorry,” Cory composed himself, but his cheeks were almost as red as his hair. His eyes filled with tears in a way that Oscar had never seen before. He was never very emotional, certainly not in front of strangers.
“No,” Brett went to look inside, but Oscar blocked his way, “You don’t want to see it.”
“I have to,” Brett insisted, trying to struggle, but Oscar didn’t let him past. He held him firm as Brett’s struggle collapsed into a desperate hug, “He’s gone, isn’t he?”
“Yes,” Oscar consoled, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around him. As he hugged Brett, Oscar couldn’t help noticing the body inside the bin. Johnny’s eyes were wide open, his throat slashed, with blood stains layered over his naked body. Oscar tried his best to keep his own tears at bay, but it was hard. Johnny didn’t deserve this.
“Put your hands in the air,” a command came from behind them. Flashing lights. Footsteps. Heartbeats. Oscar looked around to see armed police.
“Come on,” Cody held out a hand.
“Hands up,” the officer yelled, pointing a gun directly at Oscar and Brett.
“I can’t leave him,” Oscar insisted. Cody and Keisha leapt upwards, climbing the surrounding brick walls and escaping before the officers could react. Oscar broke the hug and held his hands up, setting the example for Brett. Whatever was going on, they had to co-operate. Cody would help them out later.
Now, Oscar had to look after Brett, and he had to do it on his own.
Deep breaths in and out. Dylan felt so nervous. His hands were shaking and his right leg was bobbing up and down uncontrollably. He knew this moment was coming, but he wasn’t prepared for it just yet.
Facing him across the dining table was Caroline. Jono and Josh had given them space to talk, but Dylan couldn’t help feeling exposed. His day had been hectic, and Jono and Josh had been his protective barriers. Without them, his emotions were out in the open.
Dylan found it difficult to consider why he was so nervous. Caroline had always been the most supportive mum he could possibly ask for. She never once took issue with his sexuality or his relationship with Jono, and all things considered, she got used to him being a werewolf pretty darn quickly too. Her acceptance wasn’t in question, but Dylan couldn’t help feeling anxious.
“Show me,” Caroline requested. Dylan obliged, placing his left hand on the table. Caroline held his hand, admiring the ring, “I love it. Looks expensive, though.”
“Jono said it wasn’t. It’s beautiful,” Dylan corrected.
“How long ago did it happen?” Caroline queried.
“Just yesterday. We were going to tell you, I promise. Josh is the only other person who knows, and that’s because he guessed about two minutes ago,” Dylan insisted.
“I’m so proud of you, Dylan,” Caroline said as a tear fell from her eyes, “You’re growing up. If someone told me you would be engaged at nineteen, I’d have been worried, but not now. Jono is your one, and you are just right for each other.”
“Thanks mom,” Dylan felt more at ease, “I want this more than anything.”
“That’s how I felt with your dad,” Caroline opened up, “There was this magic from when we first met, and it never went away. I always wanted that for you, and now for Josh too.”
“Do you feel that way about Ed?” Dylan wondered.
“You know, after your dad died, I thought that was it. I thought that feeling was something teenagers felt, and that I’d never experience it again even if I did find someone new. Ed proved me wrong. He taught me how to love again,” Caroline continued, “But I can’t help wondering whether your dad would approve.”
“He would, I know it,” Dylan insisted.
“Maybe, honey,” Caroline smiled, “Nobody knows for sure, though.”
“I never told you, because I didn’t know how,” Dylan cast his mind back a few months, “I saw dad, in Yasmin’s vision.”
“Wait, what?” Caroline was stunned. Even more stunned than when she saw the ring.
“She saw ghosts, mom. Dad helped her out inside her head, and she let me see him. I was going to tell you, but I didn’t want to make you upset, and Yasmin was so weak,” Dylan explained.
“How did he look?” Caroline wiped the streams of tears now flowing.
“Just as I remember, but healthy. He looked happy, mom. He met Jono, and he knows everything about me. He’s happy for me, and he’s happy for you too,” Dylan reassured.
“Yeah?” Caroline sobbed, but Dylan thought they were happy tears. They both cared for Dylan’s dad, and they always would. Now they both deserved to be happy too, “Okay, well, I think we’d better get wedding planning.”
Being back at the forest felt uncomfortable for Sammi. The fear she felt was still very much present. She felt exposed, and whatever took Lily could still be out there. She wasn’t safe.
This time, at least she had company. Yasmin and Jeremy were by her side, and deputies were scattered around looking for evidence. That said, they weren’t far away from where Yasmin had found a dead body, and that only made Sammi feel worse. There had to be a link between this murder and Lily’s kidnap. This was far too strange to be a coincidence.
Sammi couldn’t help feeling guilty for Lily’s disappearance. Perhaps if she paid more attention, she could have helped her? Lacking werewolf abilities didn’t work in her favour, though. All Sammi could think about was why Lily had been taken. Why not Sammi herself? Was it random? Nothing ever seemed to be random in Crystalshaw. There had to be a reason why Lily was chosen. This only confirmed what Sammi already knew – whoever this was, they knew the pack. They knew their story.
“It was about here,” Sammi stood in her exact position from when Lily vanished, “I was facing this way and saw nothing, but it was just for a few seconds.”
“Werewolf,” Yasmin identified immediately, “No human could be that quick.”
“Okay, but which one? I’m starting to think there are more werewolves in this town than humans,” Ed commented.
“We don’t know. They were pretty good at covering their tracks,” Yasmin sighed.
“Someone who knows about our dad,” Jeremy added.
“Which barely narrows it down at all,” Sammi reminded.
“Okay, so let’s forget about the werewolf. Lily still has her phone, right? Can’t we track her?” Jeremy suggested.
“I’ll call the station and get a deputy on it,” Ed decided.
“No need,” Sammi corrected, quickly opening her Snapchat app. The map was a lifesaver – quite literally – and the whole pack knew to keep their location on at all times, “She’s moving. On her way into town.”
“Town? What?” Yasmin was baffled. When even she was confused, Sammi knew she stood no chance.
“Call Jono again,” Ed suggested, “Tell him to meet us there.”
“On it,” Sammi nodded. She turned away from the group and dialled Jono’s number for what felt like the five-hundredth time. He was always glued to his phone, so either he was ignoring her, or something serious was happening. Considering Dylan wasn’t answering either, it was bound to be the latter. As expected, she heard the same old voicemail again. Sammi was worried.
In the corner of her eye, Sammi spotted something familiar. Something completely impossible. Something that couldn’t have been there, yet somehow was. Just a few metres away was one of her old toys – a teddy bear – laid down in front of a tree. A toy she hadn’t seen in years. A toy she’d lost and cried over as a young kid.
“Guys,” Sammi called the others over.
“What’s up?” Yasmin queried.
“Look at that,” Sammi pointed.
“Oh my god, I’ve seen that before,” Jeremy recognised, “In the pictures he used to show me.”
“Who? What?” Ed was baffled.
“Our dad,” Sammi uttered. She felt sick. This was too creepy for words.
Collapsing onto the bed, Jono was anxious. All he could think about was Dylan and how the chat with Caroline was going. He felt confident that she’d take it well, but Dylan wasn’t someone who felt comfortable talking too much about himself. All Jono could do was wait, and he hated feeling like a sitting duck.
Jono couldn’t help reflecting on himself in the meantime. He still had to tell his own parents the big news. Things were still somewhat frosty between them, even if they had improved since they first found out he was a werewolf. Hopefully the good news would go a long way.
“They’re taking ages,” Jono commented.
“It’s not exactly a thirty second conversation topic,” Josh reminded. Jono sighed. He was right, but the wait was agonising. For the first time in a while, Jono slid out his phone to pass the time. Usually, he checked it constantly, but it had been about an hour since he last looked. Typically, he didn’t miss very much.
This time was different, though. Jono was shocked to see seventeen missed calls from Sammi, as well as five voicemail messages. Something was clearly up. Jono’s gut feeling was filled with worry. Sammi never tried this hard to reach him.
Thinking fast, Jono listened to the first voicemail. A panicked Sammi was shouting down the phone, her voice drowned out by panting and the harsh wind slamming into the phone. Catching any words was difficult, but Jono picked up on two. The most important two.
“Lily’s gone.”
“Guys,” Dylan burst in, looking just as shocked as Jono felt. Perhaps Sammi got through to him?
“Hey, how did it go?” Josh questioned, entirely oblivious.
“Yeah, fine,” Dylan brushed off. Jono had almost forgotten where Dylan had been in that moment. It was a comfort that it had seemingly gone well, but now, it was panic time, “I just had a call from the sheriff station.”
“What?” Josh was baffled.
“Lily’s gone,” Jono mentioned.
“What?” Dylan was stunned, and in turn, so was Jono. Dylan was just as shocked as Josh was. He didn’t know about Lily already. Something else was up.
“Sammi told me. I thought that’s what the sheriff station called about,” Jono clarified.
“Shit,” Dylan was horrified, “We need to split up, because they found Oscar.” Jono felt like he’d been sucker-punched. That was amazing news, but all he could think about was Lily. What did he need to do?
Stumbling forward, Lily felt hazy. She’d never felt as out-of-sorts as that before. Simultaneously, she felt dozy and ready for bed, yet like she had so much energy fizzing inside of her. Walking in a straight line was near impossible. It was like she was drunk, but hadn’t touched a drop.
Lily knew the way home like the back of her hand. The lakehouse wasn’t too far away, but the road by her side was busy. She had to be careful, because one step in the wrong direction would be very dangerous.
Everything that had happened since the forest was a blur in Lily’s mind. Her memories weren’t clear. All she knew was that her neck was exceptionally painful. A dull, impossible-to-ignore ache was pulsating from her left side. Whatever it was, it wasn’t healing quickly.
So many emotions ran through Lily’s brain. She couldn’t describe how she felt, because it was everything all at once. Rage. Sadness. Joy. Relief. Those emotions and more stampeded over her mind. She’d never felt like that before. It was overwhelming and all-consuming.
Most strangely, though, Lily didn’t feel alone. The path was empty, and there was definitely nobody else around, so why did she feel like she had company?
Scuttling across the ground, Lily noticed a few mice. Completely harmless, but definitely gross. Lily felt encapsulated by them, though. Like she wanted to grab them. Like she wanted to kill them. Like she had irresistible instincts. Animalistic instincts.
Lily couldn’t help herself. She launched at one of the mice, capturing it between her hands with ease. Without a second thought, Lily ripped its head off, not caring how it would look to anyone driving by. The thrill was enough.
“Lily,” a voice called out. Lily looked up, hiding her bloody hands. Sammi ran towards her, but Lily couldn’t think of what to say.
All she could do was bare her brand new fangs, ready to experience another thrill.
Never, though, did Dylan expect his aunt to be married to Freddie’s dad. He’d not really given much thought to Freddie’s parents. He knew the story of his mum and what happened afterwards, but his dad almost never got a mention. After all, Freddie never really knew him. Dylan couldn’t imagine how he must have felt.
Begrudgingly, Dylan headed back inside to face his newly extended family. Talking to Maria was the last thing he wanted to do. He was even less enthusiastic than he usually was about a social situation. Freddie was the only thing on his mind. Small talk was not a priority.
“I’m going to get a drink,” Dylan decided, dipping into the kitchen and swerving the living room. He planned to take as long as possible, to miss as much conversation as he could. He struggled to pretend to care when Maria hadn’t been a fixture in his life for a long time.
Jono and Josh followed him into the kitchen like lost puppies. He knew they were aware of exactly how he felt, and it meant a lot to Dylan that they were by his side. They were the people who knew him best, after all.
“You could cut the atmosphere in there with a knife,” Josh commented, trying to lighten the mood.
“I can’t believe that’s Freddie’s dad,” Jono was gobsmacked.
“He’ll be okay, he just needs time,” Josh reassured, “Not like any of us are new to the concept of problematic parents.”
“You can say that again,” Jono sighed, before turning to face Dylan, “You’re doing so well, by the way.”
“I feel like I’m drowning,” Dylan opened up. He was exhausted, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Jono held his hand up to Dylan’s cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb. It felt so soothing, as if Jono was taking each and every worry away from him, one-by-one.
“Wait up,” Josh interrupted, pointing at Jono’s hand, “That’s…that’s a ring.”
“Yes,” Jono smirked playfully, “Well noticed.”
“Are you two…?” Josh’s face filled with excitement. Dylan’s mood was much the same – just thinking about it made him feel so much better.
“Yup,” Dylan smiled proudly. Despite Josh’s distraction, he and Jono hadn’t lost eye contact for a single second.
“Okay, you have to tell me everything,” Josh sat down at the dining table, “It’s not every day your brother gets engaged, right?”
“What?” a new voice entered the room. Caroline. She was stood in the doorway, looking more stunned than Dylan had ever seen before. They needed to talk.
Lights flickering on. Lily shielded her eyes. It was a harsh contrast from the dark room she had been kept in for…well, she didn’t know how long. It had felt like forever. She had no way of knowing the time, and somehow, that made it feel like she’d been there for days.
Everything that had happened was a complete blur. She remembered being outside in the woods with Sammi, but since then, all she’d seen was darkness. Lily was terrified. She’d called out for help to no avail, and she’d not seen a single person since she woke up. Someone must have put her there, but who? Who hated her that much?
At least Lily could finally see where she was. It was an abandoned shop, still complete with furnishings. Lily was sat with her back against the counter, directly behind a row of shelving units with only dust coating the surfaces. The large windows at the front were completely boarded up, not allowing even a small speck of sunlight in. Lily was cut off completely from the outside world. The perfect hiding place, but a nightmare prison cell.
Of course, Lily had tried to escape. She had barely stopped. The ropes around her wrists and ankles were too much, though. She had many werewolf abilities: enhanced hearing and vision, and the ability to heal. Sadly, super-strength wasn’t included. Furthermore, it had been a long time since she’d had something to eat or drink. She was shattered.
“Lily,” a voice whispered uncomfortably. It felt like the person, whoever they were, had spoken directly into her ear.
“Who are you?” Lily yelled back.
“Lily,” the voice repeated, never going above a whisper. Whoever it was knew how to project their voice. They knew she had wolf hearing.
“Come out and see me,” Lily called out, “Only cowards hide in the dark.”
“Lily,” the voice continued. It was definitely male, but that was all Lily could distinguish. The whisper concealed its identity well, and that did nothing to help her nerves.
“What do you want?” Lily asked the most important question. She was there for a reason, and there was no doubt about that in her mind.
The lights flickered. Floorboards creaked, initially in the distance but the sounds crept closer, slowly but surely. Whoever it was, they were on their way. Lily’s fears were growing. Was it going to be someone she knew? There was nobody that came to her mind. It had to be someone new, but whoever they were, they knew about her. They knew about her family. Had someone been watching them? So many questions.
A door slammed open behind her. The counter blocked her view, but she could hear a heartbeat. Lily wasn’t alone any longer.
“Who’s there?” Lily called, not quite as loudly this time, “Show yourself. Come on.”
“It’s been a long time,” the voice stated, no longer whispering. Lily shuddered. She knew that voice. She’d pick it out anywhere. It was a voice she shouldn’t have heard. He couldn’t have been there. He shouldn’t have been there, “But it’s so good to see my niece again.”
“David,” Lily uttered as he finally showed his face. He looked the same as ever, as if he was living his best life. Lily felt so unsafe.
“And it’s about time I put you out of your misery,” David stated ominously. Before Lily could process anything, David launched at her. His fangs sank into her neck, pain immediately shooting through her body. Lily screamed in pain, but she couldn’t get away.
It was too late.
Jeremy knew that dead bodies were part and parcel of what the pack often dealt with. He’d seen more than his fair share in just a couple of years. That didn’t make it any easier, though. A young man had been cruelly murdered, the scent of his fear still lingering around his lifeless body, with all of his potential snatched away from him in an instant. Whoever did that couldn’t have had a heart.
The small comfort Jeremy could find came from the determination he shared with Yasmin. They weren’t going to let this lie. The killer had to be caught.
Taking a seat next to Yasmin in front of the sheriff’s desk, Jeremy was ready to get to business. He knew that Ed was the right person to be on the case. Ed was darn good at his job, but he was also the only officer who knew about the supernatural. He was able to be open-minded in any cases he investigated, and that was always a big helping hand.
“Was this one of your, you know, premonitions?” Ed queried from the other side of the desk. He’d picked them up from the crime scene while forensics worked their magic. Jeremy was just relieved to be somewhere safer – he still felt shaken from the note, let alone the body.
“I mean, probably,” Yasmin replied, uncertain, “We were just walking. There aren’t any alarm bells in my mind when I have a premonition.”
“Let me tell you, you’re getting a bit of a reputation for finding dead bodies,” Ed commented, “The other deputies don’t know the truth, of course.”
“Guess that makes me the grim reaper of Crystalshaw, huh?” Yasmin joked, but she seemed unimpressed.
“No, not at all. Did you see anyone else?” Ed continued probing.
“Nobody,” Yasmin verified.
“Lily and Sammi went in the other direction,” Jeremy chipped in.
“Have you heard from them?” Ed wondered.
“No, not since we split up,” Jeremy answered, before the panic button set off in his head, “What if they’re in danger? The killer could be out there.”
“Relax, the forensics said the body’s been there at least a couple of days,” Ed reassured.
“So the person who sent the note isn’t the killer,” Yasmin pieced the information together.
“Note?” Ed was confused.
“Lily has it. A note to Sammi and me, from our dad, supposedly,” Jeremy replied.
“Your dad? Isn’t he dead?” Ed processed.
“Yeah, so this is some cruel trick. We went to investigate,” Jeremy clarified.
“Weird stuff is happening, I’ll give you that,” Ed mentioned, “Because the injuries on this body are consistent with five other bodies we’ve discovered in the past fortnight.”
“You think it’s supernatural?” Yasmin considered.
“Hard to say either way, but if you ended up finding this body, I’m leaning towards yes,” Ed answered.
“Guys,” Sammi burst in, panting loudly and looking exhausted.
“What’s up?” Jeremy was worried.
“Lily’s been taken,” Sammi announced. Jeremy’s heart sank. They were being targeted.
“I can’t believe him,” George paced up and down the living room. Freddie completely understood how he felt – even after having time to process what had happened, he was seething.
As expected, George was just as furious. He was the person who had been affected the most by their dad. As a child, he’d spent time with him. Built a relationship with him. Then it was snatched away in an instant. In a strange way, Freddie felt somewhat grateful for not getting the chance to get to know him. He was fortunate to swerve the rage and grief that George felt.
“How dare he show up unannounced and try to play happy families?” George ranted, “He abandoned his kids. He left his wife, and she never saw him again. Mom died never knowing why he left. If he steps anywhere near the lakehouse…”
“Hey, take a seat,” Mia urged, her tone soothing and calm.
“I don’t want to,” George continued.
“Dude,” Freddie agreed with Mia. He had every right to be annoyed, but this wasn’t solving anything. They needed a plan of action.
“Okay,” George sighed, collapsing onto the armchair, “How long has he been here?”
“Not long, I came here straight away. He’s married to Dylan’s aunt, George. He’s staying at the house,” Freddie explained.
“Shit,” George only felt angrier.
“You can stay here if you want, Freddie. We’ve got the spare bed ready any time,” Mia offered.
“Thanks,” Freddie nodded, “I didn’t know what to say to him, so I just ran out.”
“You did the right thing, dude,” George encouraged. Freddie knew he wasn’t just referring to his composure, but also his control over the wolf, but Mia was still in-the-dark as far as that was concerned, “He’s not worth your time.”
“I can’t help thinking, though. There’s so much he doesn’t know about me. He doesn’t know that I graduated high school, when I was almost excluded years ago. He doesn’t know about my ADHD diagnosis. He doesn’t know I go to college. He doesn’t know I have a girlfriend,” Freddie continued.
“And that’s his fault,” Mia replied, “Look, I come from a close family. I’m fortunate to have both my mom and dad, so I can’t pretend to know how you both feel. What I do know, though, is that the next step is yours. Make sure you’re deciding for the benefit of yourselves and not him.”
Freddie couldn’t help considering Mia’s words. He was too annoyed to consider what he truly wanted. The jury was still out, but he had a decision to make. Whatever it was, he and George had to be on the same page.
Having spent so many months hiding in the shadows, it felt strange to Oscar that he was out in such a public place. Crystalshaw town was the closest he had been to home in so long. Being around so many different people, observing the varied faces and personalities that brushed past him. It was far too exciting for something so mundane.
Of course, Oscar knew he had to take precautions. There was no way Cody would let him walk around in such an open space like nothing had happened. They had a deal, and Cody wouldn’t ever risk jeopardising it. It wouldn’t have ended well for Dylan, anyway, so Dylan ensured he kept his hood up, pushing his shaggy blonde locks behind his ears. Nobody would easily be able to identify him that way.
It wasn’t a casual day out, though. Nothing as ever that simple as far as Cody was concerned. Oscar knew that more than most. Keisha had a lead. A lead that could potentially lead them to Johnny. Brett had been buzzing ever since Cody promised an update. It felt like they were making good progress. They were so close to Johnny.
Keisha led them down an alleyway. The tall shop buildings either side blocked out any hope of natural sunlight, so an ominous shadow was cast along the long, narrow path. Oscar brought up the rear as the group meandered around wheelie bins and lampposts along the way. Brett walked just in front; Oscar could sense the electric anticipation he was feeling. He was expecting good news, and Oscar was so pleased for him. Brett deserved to be happy.
“What are we looking for?” Oscar enquired. He’d been told precious little so far. Keisha was keeping him just as in the dark as Brett, who was an outsider to their pack.
“I’m tracking a scent, I need silence,” Keisha hit back. Oscar rolled his eyes. He was used to her attitude, but it didn’t make it any easier to put up with.
“Keisha and Mariana took one of Johnny’s shirts around to some contacts. Someone recognised the scent and directed us here,” Cody explained, playing mediator as always.
“Have you been here before?” Oscar wondered.
“The town? Yeah, who hasn’t?” Brett answered, “But not this place. I’ve never even noticed it before.”
“Is that relevant?” Keisha rudely barked.
“Yes, actually. Why here? There are so many places he could be. Nothing is ever random,” Oscar kept his composure, as much as he wanted to shout. He knew that would only make things worse.
“Bullshit,” Keisha scoffed.
“Enough,” Cody demanded, “We have to keep an open mind, but first, rescuing Johnny is our priority.” Oscar nodded. Cody kept the peace so well, as if he was born with the ability to please everyone. Oscar was envious.
“We’re close,” Keisha changed focus. Brett’s excitement levels were peaking, Oscar could feel it against his skin. He felt more pessimistic, though. The alleyway turned a sharp left, but still, there was very little in sight. Where was Johnny supposed to be? There were clearly no other people around, even despite the lack of natural light illuminating the walkway.
“Stop,” Keisha ordered, “The scent’s weaker again. Move back.” Oscar shuffled backwards, swerving a large rubbish bin parked next to the back entrance of a shop.
“In here?” Brett wondered. Oscar felt sick. Why would Johnny have been in a random bin? It wasn’t sealed shut, even a human would have been able to climb out. Nevertheless, Cody opened the lid and peered inside. Immediately, he withdrew, coughing as if he’d smelt something hideous.
“What?” Brett’s excited face quickly bled into anxiety and panic, “Is he there? Is he unconscious?”
“Brett, I’m so sorry,” Cory composed himself, but his cheeks were almost as red as his hair. His eyes filled with tears in a way that Oscar had never seen before. He was never very emotional, certainly not in front of strangers.
“No,” Brett went to look inside, but Oscar blocked his way, “You don’t want to see it.”
“I have to,” Brett insisted, trying to struggle, but Oscar didn’t let him past. He held him firm as Brett’s struggle collapsed into a desperate hug, “He’s gone, isn’t he?”
“Yes,” Oscar consoled, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around him. As he hugged Brett, Oscar couldn’t help noticing the body inside the bin. Johnny’s eyes were wide open, his throat slashed, with blood stains layered over his naked body. Oscar tried his best to keep his own tears at bay, but it was hard. Johnny didn’t deserve this.
“Put your hands in the air,” a command came from behind them. Flashing lights. Footsteps. Heartbeats. Oscar looked around to see armed police.
“Come on,” Cody held out a hand.
“Hands up,” the officer yelled, pointing a gun directly at Oscar and Brett.
“I can’t leave him,” Oscar insisted. Cody and Keisha leapt upwards, climbing the surrounding brick walls and escaping before the officers could react. Oscar broke the hug and held his hands up, setting the example for Brett. Whatever was going on, they had to co-operate. Cody would help them out later.
Now, Oscar had to look after Brett, and he had to do it on his own.
Deep breaths in and out. Dylan felt so nervous. His hands were shaking and his right leg was bobbing up and down uncontrollably. He knew this moment was coming, but he wasn’t prepared for it just yet.
Facing him across the dining table was Caroline. Jono and Josh had given them space to talk, but Dylan couldn’t help feeling exposed. His day had been hectic, and Jono and Josh had been his protective barriers. Without them, his emotions were out in the open.
Dylan found it difficult to consider why he was so nervous. Caroline had always been the most supportive mum he could possibly ask for. She never once took issue with his sexuality or his relationship with Jono, and all things considered, she got used to him being a werewolf pretty darn quickly too. Her acceptance wasn’t in question, but Dylan couldn’t help feeling anxious.
“Show me,” Caroline requested. Dylan obliged, placing his left hand on the table. Caroline held his hand, admiring the ring, “I love it. Looks expensive, though.”
“Jono said it wasn’t. It’s beautiful,” Dylan corrected.
“How long ago did it happen?” Caroline queried.
“Just yesterday. We were going to tell you, I promise. Josh is the only other person who knows, and that’s because he guessed about two minutes ago,” Dylan insisted.
“I’m so proud of you, Dylan,” Caroline said as a tear fell from her eyes, “You’re growing up. If someone told me you would be engaged at nineteen, I’d have been worried, but not now. Jono is your one, and you are just right for each other.”
“Thanks mom,” Dylan felt more at ease, “I want this more than anything.”
“That’s how I felt with your dad,” Caroline opened up, “There was this magic from when we first met, and it never went away. I always wanted that for you, and now for Josh too.”
“Do you feel that way about Ed?” Dylan wondered.
“You know, after your dad died, I thought that was it. I thought that feeling was something teenagers felt, and that I’d never experience it again even if I did find someone new. Ed proved me wrong. He taught me how to love again,” Caroline continued, “But I can’t help wondering whether your dad would approve.”
“He would, I know it,” Dylan insisted.
“Maybe, honey,” Caroline smiled, “Nobody knows for sure, though.”
“I never told you, because I didn’t know how,” Dylan cast his mind back a few months, “I saw dad, in Yasmin’s vision.”
“Wait, what?” Caroline was stunned. Even more stunned than when she saw the ring.
“She saw ghosts, mom. Dad helped her out inside her head, and she let me see him. I was going to tell you, but I didn’t want to make you upset, and Yasmin was so weak,” Dylan explained.
“How did he look?” Caroline wiped the streams of tears now flowing.
“Just as I remember, but healthy. He looked happy, mom. He met Jono, and he knows everything about me. He’s happy for me, and he’s happy for you too,” Dylan reassured.
“Yeah?” Caroline sobbed, but Dylan thought they were happy tears. They both cared for Dylan’s dad, and they always would. Now they both deserved to be happy too, “Okay, well, I think we’d better get wedding planning.”
Being back at the forest felt uncomfortable for Sammi. The fear she felt was still very much present. She felt exposed, and whatever took Lily could still be out there. She wasn’t safe.
This time, at least she had company. Yasmin and Jeremy were by her side, and deputies were scattered around looking for evidence. That said, they weren’t far away from where Yasmin had found a dead body, and that only made Sammi feel worse. There had to be a link between this murder and Lily’s kidnap. This was far too strange to be a coincidence.
Sammi couldn’t help feeling guilty for Lily’s disappearance. Perhaps if she paid more attention, she could have helped her? Lacking werewolf abilities didn’t work in her favour, though. All Sammi could think about was why Lily had been taken. Why not Sammi herself? Was it random? Nothing ever seemed to be random in Crystalshaw. There had to be a reason why Lily was chosen. This only confirmed what Sammi already knew – whoever this was, they knew the pack. They knew their story.
“It was about here,” Sammi stood in her exact position from when Lily vanished, “I was facing this way and saw nothing, but it was just for a few seconds.”
“Werewolf,” Yasmin identified immediately, “No human could be that quick.”
“Okay, but which one? I’m starting to think there are more werewolves in this town than humans,” Ed commented.
“We don’t know. They were pretty good at covering their tracks,” Yasmin sighed.
“Someone who knows about our dad,” Jeremy added.
“Which barely narrows it down at all,” Sammi reminded.
“Okay, so let’s forget about the werewolf. Lily still has her phone, right? Can’t we track her?” Jeremy suggested.
“I’ll call the station and get a deputy on it,” Ed decided.
“No need,” Sammi corrected, quickly opening her Snapchat app. The map was a lifesaver – quite literally – and the whole pack knew to keep their location on at all times, “She’s moving. On her way into town.”
“Town? What?” Yasmin was baffled. When even she was confused, Sammi knew she stood no chance.
“Call Jono again,” Ed suggested, “Tell him to meet us there.”
“On it,” Sammi nodded. She turned away from the group and dialled Jono’s number for what felt like the five-hundredth time. He was always glued to his phone, so either he was ignoring her, or something serious was happening. Considering Dylan wasn’t answering either, it was bound to be the latter. As expected, she heard the same old voicemail again. Sammi was worried.
In the corner of her eye, Sammi spotted something familiar. Something completely impossible. Something that couldn’t have been there, yet somehow was. Just a few metres away was one of her old toys – a teddy bear – laid down in front of a tree. A toy she hadn’t seen in years. A toy she’d lost and cried over as a young kid.
“Guys,” Sammi called the others over.
“What’s up?” Yasmin queried.
“Look at that,” Sammi pointed.
“Oh my god, I’ve seen that before,” Jeremy recognised, “In the pictures he used to show me.”
“Who? What?” Ed was baffled.
“Our dad,” Sammi uttered. She felt sick. This was too creepy for words.
Collapsing onto the bed, Jono was anxious. All he could think about was Dylan and how the chat with Caroline was going. He felt confident that she’d take it well, but Dylan wasn’t someone who felt comfortable talking too much about himself. All Jono could do was wait, and he hated feeling like a sitting duck.
Jono couldn’t help reflecting on himself in the meantime. He still had to tell his own parents the big news. Things were still somewhat frosty between them, even if they had improved since they first found out he was a werewolf. Hopefully the good news would go a long way.
“They’re taking ages,” Jono commented.
“It’s not exactly a thirty second conversation topic,” Josh reminded. Jono sighed. He was right, but the wait was agonising. For the first time in a while, Jono slid out his phone to pass the time. Usually, he checked it constantly, but it had been about an hour since he last looked. Typically, he didn’t miss very much.
This time was different, though. Jono was shocked to see seventeen missed calls from Sammi, as well as five voicemail messages. Something was clearly up. Jono’s gut feeling was filled with worry. Sammi never tried this hard to reach him.
Thinking fast, Jono listened to the first voicemail. A panicked Sammi was shouting down the phone, her voice drowned out by panting and the harsh wind slamming into the phone. Catching any words was difficult, but Jono picked up on two. The most important two.
“Lily’s gone.”
“Guys,” Dylan burst in, looking just as shocked as Jono felt. Perhaps Sammi got through to him?
“Hey, how did it go?” Josh questioned, entirely oblivious.
“Yeah, fine,” Dylan brushed off. Jono had almost forgotten where Dylan had been in that moment. It was a comfort that it had seemingly gone well, but now, it was panic time, “I just had a call from the sheriff station.”
“What?” Josh was baffled.
“Lily’s gone,” Jono mentioned.
“What?” Dylan was stunned, and in turn, so was Jono. Dylan was just as shocked as Josh was. He didn’t know about Lily already. Something else was up.
“Sammi told me. I thought that’s what the sheriff station called about,” Jono clarified.
“Shit,” Dylan was horrified, “We need to split up, because they found Oscar.” Jono felt like he’d been sucker-punched. That was amazing news, but all he could think about was Lily. What did he need to do?
Stumbling forward, Lily felt hazy. She’d never felt as out-of-sorts as that before. Simultaneously, she felt dozy and ready for bed, yet like she had so much energy fizzing inside of her. Walking in a straight line was near impossible. It was like she was drunk, but hadn’t touched a drop.
Lily knew the way home like the back of her hand. The lakehouse wasn’t too far away, but the road by her side was busy. She had to be careful, because one step in the wrong direction would be very dangerous.
Everything that had happened since the forest was a blur in Lily’s mind. Her memories weren’t clear. All she knew was that her neck was exceptionally painful. A dull, impossible-to-ignore ache was pulsating from her left side. Whatever it was, it wasn’t healing quickly.
So many emotions ran through Lily’s brain. She couldn’t describe how she felt, because it was everything all at once. Rage. Sadness. Joy. Relief. Those emotions and more stampeded over her mind. She’d never felt like that before. It was overwhelming and all-consuming.
Most strangely, though, Lily didn’t feel alone. The path was empty, and there was definitely nobody else around, so why did she feel like she had company?
Scuttling across the ground, Lily noticed a few mice. Completely harmless, but definitely gross. Lily felt encapsulated by them, though. Like she wanted to grab them. Like she wanted to kill them. Like she had irresistible instincts. Animalistic instincts.
Lily couldn’t help herself. She launched at one of the mice, capturing it between her hands with ease. Without a second thought, Lily ripped its head off, not caring how it would look to anyone driving by. The thrill was enough.
“Lily,” a voice called out. Lily looked up, hiding her bloody hands. Sammi ran towards her, but Lily couldn’t think of what to say.
All she could do was bare her brand new fangs, ready to experience another thrill.
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Next: "The Decision"
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