The Full Moon Effect

Chapter 19: Fear and Failure

Wolf and Flame

The People

who consider you weak

have not yet noticed

the wolf hiding

behind your eyes,

nor the flames

inside your soul.

Let them think

you are weak

and do what

wolves and fire

do best.

Surprise them

when they least expect it.

_________

Nikita Gill

**********

In that moment, the point of Leyton's call became clear. It didn't take long for scouting wolves to locate Cervantes and ensure the area would be free from any surprise attacks from Leyton. The SUV she had taken was toppled, but we didn't have to see inside to know the bodies weren't inside. The bright red atop white snow was clue enough. The two wolves that had accompanied her were still shifted, but unmoving. The Advocate, human as ever, was in pieces strewn across the road.

"No!" Kanaya screamed. "NO!"

I lost my breath at the cruel state our Advocate had been left in. Then Jones was there, back against my chest, pulling me into his warmth and strength. He knew I needed him. And I did. But Kanaya was there, standing in the middle of the road. And after the things she'd told me, it was clear that Advocate Cervantes was closer to her than any blood. I unwrapped Jones' arms from around me and stepped up to Kanaya.

She quickly slapped away the hand I'd placed on her shoulder. When she turned to me, I realized it wasn't out of sorrow that she was shaking, it was rage. Yet there were still tears streaming down her cheeks, pushed out only by the anger arisen within her.

"You should've protected her!" Kanaya's eyes were wild, swinging from me to Jones, who was bristling behind me. "She was under your protection!"

"Yes, she was,"said Jones, pulling me back into him, away from Kanaya's furious form. "And we will mourn her. But before that, we will avenge her."

"It seems like all you ever do is avenge! You're always playing catch-up, always mourning, never protecting those who are most important to you! You're weak!"

Jones let out a thunderous growl behind me and I gritted my teeth with the effort to reign mine in. "Kanaya, stand down."

"No! Why does this side keep losing people? Why does it seem like we're losing? All the time," her voice broke.

I led Jones by hand to a piece of Cervantes' dismembered body, partly because I was afraid if I let go he would attack Kanaya. Oh how the tables had turned. "Because the other side doesn't love deeply. They don't trust. And they don't care who gets in their way."

It was silent for a minute before Jones was calm enough to speak. "Time has proven that a pack divided cannot stand. That's why stories of humans professing themselves to be lone wolves are so humorous to us. We are pack creatures. Families. Lone wolves die quickly. And Leyton has run out of time. He dies. Today."