Dead Moon Rising

Chapter Eleven

Reggie stood still, his youthful face contorting into the serious demeanor of a man twice his age. His eyes were fixed on a large brown bag on the ground, which contained another friend, another family member. The body was now covered, but Reggie still remembered the gashes across its torso. He blinked hard, shaking away the image, and forced his gaze elsewhere.

He looked down at his hands instead—large and open, with tiny cuts across the calloused palms. He had helped Alcide put his friend in that bag moments ago, but he could barely recall it. All he remembered was the initial pain in his chest and the rage that followed. What kind of sick bastard could have done this? he thought, his hands now clenched into tight fists at his sides.

This rage wasn't new to him. He'd struggled with anger for years, ever since his mother left. He had been pushing down these emotions, but they spilled over now and then. Recently, however, Reggie hadn't been able to keep a lid on his anger. It had been spilling out uncontrollably, and he didn't understand how to manage his outbursts. He was aware that his rage was fear-fueled, but to those around him, it appeared as red-hot ferocity. What was he supposed to do? In moments like this, he had no choice but to release the tension building in his chest. With friends being killed and the girl he loved seeming as foolhardy as a child, what was he supposed to do? The only thing he knew was to protect the pack, as Alcide had taught him years ago. The pack had failed his mother and was now failing the people he cared about. It was up to him to protect the ones left.

Reggie snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the hole being dug before him. Alcide was digging the grave while Helen stood close by. This was the second death in the pack this month, and no one knew how to handle it. Reggie sighed heavily and reached for his cigarettes, as he did in times of crisis. He had picked up the habit again when the first body was found, and he could feel the tar in his lungs becoming cozy with each puff. He loved the feeling but hated the habit. He found a pack of mint gum instead and cursed under his breath, regretting his decision to quit. He had just started again, and today he needed a cigarette more than ever. His eyes fell on the body once more as he reluctantly popped a piece of gum into his mouth.

"Alexander was a good kid," Alcide said, driving the shovel into the ground. "He didn't deserve this." Helen nodded, gripping Alcide's forearm. Reggie stood silently, staring at the large burlap sack that now held his blonde friend. He chewed the gum aggressively and popped another piece into his mouth to replace the quickly diminishing menthol taste. Images of Alexander flashed across his mind—his mangled body sprawled on the forest floor, eerily similar to Maisie's just a week prior. He had been naked and filthy when they found him, which meant he had been a wolf when it happened and had run like hell, just like Maisie.

Reggie rubbed his face, trying to erase the painful image as much as he could. When Alcide called, Reggie had known it was another body by his tone, but to see it so badly disfigured—his friend was nearly unrecognizable.

"When will the others arrive?" Helen asked, wiping a single tear from her face. Alcide shrugged. Reggie couldn't help but notice the theatrics of Helen's sadness. She hadn't seen the body like he and Alcide had, yet she stood here in tears. He sighed; it wasn't fair to discredit her feelings. She loved Alexander like the rest of the pack did, but still, something felt off about her grieving. Reggie pushed the thought aside for now and responded to her question.

"Belle and Marsha are picking up Slick before coming back here, but the rest of the pack was told 8 p.m.," he said diplomatically. He had to maintain appearances. Though this murder cut deep, he had to be strong for himself and the rest of the pack. He needed to be the pack enforcer. Alcide nodded sternly and checked his watch. It was nearing eight, and he knew it would be only minutes before his three friends arrived and then the rest of the pack.