Howler

Chapter XXV

The next morning we were up bright and early in the field behind the main pack house and I was distracted. All of our pack members were there all 100 of us (we lived in a small town) and we were all lined up with our usual sparring partners with dad walking around checking everything, his second in command Clinton walking beside him.

I was with my sparring partner Avery and even she could see that I was distracted and we only train together. "Come on Abigail, what's up your the best fighter our pack has" I played with the knife my father gave me, it was now my weapon of choice because werewolves don't just fight in wolf form. "I am just worried that's all" Avery cocked her head to the side. Every one thought my main worry was me still being without a mate one month after turning seventeen.

I was basically a spinster.

"Come on Abby, you gotta attack me" Avery gestured to herself without even asking me what's worrying me, like I said they filled in the blanks all on their own. I sighed and feigned right and attack left, Avery catching my arm last minute. "Come on you can do better" kicking her leg from below her, she tumbled and I put the knife to her neck "I never lost my touch Avery" and we both started laughing.

"Alright, alright I need to do a lap" Avery dusted herself off ,shifted and took of. I shook my head and walked over to my father. "Hey dad, every bodies looking really good" I looked at the pack appreciatively. Everybody looked in good form but I feel like they had begun to put the attack on Stanley behind them and weren't as aware of the dangers, that included my father.

"Abigail, one day this will be yours and I will step down, you'll chose your second in command and then you will rule these people like the gracious young woman you are" he patted me on the head like he always did when he finished his heart to hearts "thanks dad" then we heard it.

The ear splitting scream.

Avery.

"EVERYBODY ASSEMBLE!" I called and we shifted spreading out in directions. I ran hoping to god it was just a false alarm and she just slipped. "Please be okay, please be okay" I thought to then the thing I wanted to see least off all: Avery cold and lifeless on the grass. Shifting back quickly I checked her pulse to no avail. I heard a growl in the bushes and I turned to see the blue eyes. This time he was in wolf form and his teeth were bared and dripping with blood.

"I told you this was just the beginning" and he gestured his head towards an oak tree and before I could even react he was gone. I walked over to the tree where he gestured and on the tree was a note pinned to the bark and written in blood:

Our ties are greater than you think but I will slaughter every single tie and bond you've made.

I ripped the note off and shoved it into my hoodie pocket. "OVER HERE!" I yelled and bent over again to Avery. My brothers were the first there and they didn't know how to react at first they just stood there silently. Until Ric bent over and picked up Avery gently and began to carry her back to the back house.

The whole pack began to stream in one by one and we didn't know how to cope again, another one of us was gone and we were now playing a dangerous game. Avery was only nineteen, she had a whole life ahead of her. I was friends with Avery we weren't close but she was part of my pact and that meant she was like family.

---

We had the funeral a week later and none of us knew how to cry except for her mum and sister. I wept silent tears but they didn't even feel like tears they just felt like wet lies because this was my fault. It had to be.

We all had the wake or whatever you call it at the pack house all the leaflets reading Avery Lucille Newhouse littered the floor and we all just sat there making awkward small talk and trying so desperately not to say the wrong thing. I wrapped my coat around me tighter and I came to a realisation that I never wanted to experience this feeling for someone I love, I couldn't let Harrison die and I couldn't let him think I would never forgive him.

This was a reminder that I had to protect everyone, I'd do whatever it takes.