Skins & Needles (COMPLETE)

Crying Out

Arsen

It was by some miracle that I wasn't pulled over on my way out of the city. The Phoenix Pass was under attack, along with my circle, my family, and I'd be damned if I let the fear of a speeding ticket keep me from flooring it. The sorcerers wouldn't win. They couldn't win. The last time they had infiltrated Lycan for its magic-enhancing resources, they'd almost bled it dry. We were the only ones stopping them from doing it again.

I skidded to a stop at the edge of the woods near the north side of the Pass and leapt out of my car. I hurriedly shucked my clothes and then shifted into my wolf form. I could smell blood and magic, even from miles away, and my instincts warred between telling me to run, and telling me to find my family.

I followed my nose to the fight, and it wasn't long before I started seeing signs of the conflict. Magic burns marred tree trunks. A patch of hair sat clumped in the dirt. Llywelyn by the smell of it. There were some tatters of clothes from those who were human when it began, or perhaps from the sorcerers. As I ran closer, I could hear the faint sounds of battle. Crashes in the woods. Yelps and howls. A human scream.

I ran faster.

The first sign of life, or death in this case, was the body of a sorcerer bent over a log with their organs spread on the ground around them. Fifteen feet away lay a dead mountain lion. I paused, only to confirm it wasn't Ryanne, and then traveled on. I was close now. I was so focused in my hurry that I almost didn't see the burst of magic bloom from behind a tree, heading straight toward me.

I let out a reflexive sound of surprise and leapt out of the way just as the bluish white burst scalded a bald spot into the earth. Scanning the treeline quickly, I zoned in on the sorcerer the attack came from, and lunged. The man screamed as my jaws split his shin bone, but I didn't let up. Not even as hot, magic-tainted blood seeped into my mouth. I shook and shook until a chunk ripped free, and then I dropped it and went for his neck. I was on auto-pilot, completely taken over by my wolf side as I killed him. Malice shone in his eyes even as he lay dead, and I did my best to spit his nasty blood out. When I turned back toward the main fight, I was almost excited to find more sorcerers. To kill more. The rush of bloodlust had my vision both hazy, and laser focused at the same time.

I ran until I reached the border. Dozens of bodies were strewn about. Sorcerers, wolves, mountain lions, snakes... I recognized Ethan's wolf among them, and jogged toward his limp body. Before I could reach him, a voice shouted in my head to stop, and I froze.

"He's alive," Kase said, "but barely. Get back in the woods. Quickly!"

I didn't hesitate to listen, and thank Lycan, because as I was running back toward the cover of the trees, a burst of bright purple magic smashed the ground where I'd been standing.

"Fuck," I projected, and glanced around. Near some bushes to my left, I spotted Ryanne and her mate crouched low to the ground.

"They're in the trees," she projected when she saw me. "The clearing is too dangerous. They have a perfect view."

"Where is my pack?" I asked, and she motioned to somewhere behind me. I followed her gaze to where Kase and Adrian waited with a few others. When I reached them, I flinched at the sight of Kase's bloodied back leg.

"It's fine," he said before I could ask. "Worry about the enemy. Their reinforcements are stationed all around. We need to get them out of the trees if we expect a chance to win."

"And does anyone have a plan?" I asked. Kase's eyes flicked around, watching the woods carefully, before returning to mine.

"We need eyes on their locations," he explained. "The Hayatos should be here any minute. Then, the Llywelyns will try and flush them out."