STRANGE MOON (Werewolf Romance)

Whose in Charge Part 27

Sansia collapsed into Raydon's arms weeping uncontrollably.

She hadn't really known Belle Junior that well but no one deserved to be torn to pieces like that.

Raydon was breathing heavily; he must have flown through the door and towards her when he heard the scream.

"What happened?" George hurried out of the room and then stared down at the floor in amazement. "I didn't hear anything. It must have happened so fast."

"We should check the door and make sure it's still secure," Teresa Taitt said nervously.

"Robert, Sarah – check the front door," Raydon instructed.

"The body is near the stairway," David pointed out. "Maybe one of those creatures came down, like Belle Senior said they might?"

"This is your fault," George said glaring at Raydon angrily.

"What's going on out here?" Belle Senior asked strolling into the corridor.

"Sir perhaps you should..." Teresa Taitt started to say but Belle Senior had already walked pass her. He stopped and stared at the floor.

"Junior?" His voice was a mere whisper as he raced forward.

"He's gone," Raydon said sadly but Belle Senior didn't appear to be listening.

"Junior?" Belle Senior asked again kneeling beside Belle Junior's lifeless body.

"He's gone, Tony," Raydon said again; this time appearing to force himself to release Sansia from his arms in order to reach out to lay a consoling hand on Belle Senior's shoulder. Belle Senior tossed it off angrily.

"You might have been like a son to me but Junior was my son," Belle Senior pointed out.

"I never thought I could take his place..." Raydon said.

"This is your fault. Clearly one of those creatures came down here and killed my boy," Belle Senior accused.

"You can't blame Raydon for this," Sansia said. "There's no way we could have known..."

"I told him that the wolves at the top of the building were dangerous. He doesn't listen," Belle Senior insisted.

"We don't know who did this," Raydon said his voice progressing to a soft growl.

Sansia found herself thinking that Raydon's wolf did not like his authority to be questioned.

Belle Senior got to his feet and faced off against the younger man.

"Yes we do, you did it just as certain as if you had ripped his throat out with your own nails," Belle Senior retaliated.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Anne Marie muttered turning around and hurrying back to the room.

"I should never have come here," William said. "I thought you told me it would be safe."

Raydon crouched beside Belle Junior's body and prepared to take Belle Junior's lifeless body into his arms.

"I'll take him to one of the empty rooms, we can investigate the attack tomorrow," Raydon explained.

Belle Senior snarled.

"You think anyone is going back to sleep? You're supposed to be the leader, stop sleeping and lead!" Belle Senior roared.

Raydon turned his face towards Belle Senior but Sansia laid a calming hand on his arm. She couldn't help relishing the feel of his muscles flexing beneath her fingers. In the midst of this horrible situation having him so near to her gave her a feeling of comfort.

"Maybe we should go upstairs, we can't afford to have those creatures come back down here again and find us unprepared," Sansia said.

"We post two guards at both sides of the stairway," Raydon said. "That should protect us for what's left of the rest of the night."

"You're no leader," Belle Senior said angrily. "I'm the true leader; I'm the one that brought this company from nothing."

Raydon got to his feet slowly, Sansia's hand tightened on his arm.

"We're going to check upstairs," Sansia said firmly. She wasn't sure where she got the nerve to speak to Raydon like that.

Raydon felt tired, he had fought against the outside pack to save this group just hours ago, he wasn't convinced that he was ready for another fight.

Raydon glared at Sansia. He didn't much like the idea of being bossed about, not even by Sansia.

Sansia glared back at him. She wasn't about to stand down. Raydon's eyes burned, the grey changing to stark silver. Sansia continued to stare back, not flinching. Raydon's wolf was stubborn but she had no intention of caving in. Something inside of her was saying that the group needed them to show strength, to show they could protect them. Sansia didn't blink, her eyes shining an equally bright silver.

Raydon looked startled, the reaction caused Sansia a moment of confusion, her eyes slipped back to their soft natural brown.

"Fine," Raydon said but Sansia wasn't sure what had caused his sudden capitulation. "We'll take Sarah and Ren with us."

"You sure you don't want me to go with you, boss?" Robert asked.

"We'll shout if we need back up," Raydon's words were addressed to Jameson and the other wolves. Robert looked disappointed. "I expect you to keep the peace down here, Robert." Raydon added sparing a quick glance at Belle Senior who was still kneeling next to his son's body and at George.

Robert brightened.

"Of course."

"I'm coming as well," Belle Senior said firmly.

Raydon felt a sense of disappointment. He was hoping to have a little alone time with Sansia to talk about what had happened. Had she known that her eyes had changed colour? Maybe he was not destined to be alone; a creature of some different species, maybe the change he had seen in Sansia was telling him what his wolf had been trying to say all along, Sansia was his mate. The revelation caused Raydon to swallow hard. He had always liked Sansia, but the feeling that washed over him seemed so extreme, primitive and unwavering it brought a lump to his throat. The man's acknowledgement of the wolf's knowledge seemed to empower the wolf's emotion. Raydon swallowed hard, he had never felt anything so intense in his life. It was almost scary.

"What's wrong now?" Sansia asked. "You're not having second thoughts about going up there?"

Raydon was glad Belle Senior was coming now, time alone with Sansia was not what he needed right now; what he needed right now was to try to understand what was happening to him and the feelings it was creating.

"Raydon?" Sansia muttered.

"I'm still going," Raydon said straightening his body and trying to ignore the tired feeling in his muscles.

"There's no need to drag Sansia up there," Belle Senior said.

"I want to go," Sansia said. "I want to see what kind of monster would do something like this."

"Robert, take his body to one of the rooms, we're going to explore the upper floors," Raydon instructed.

The four wolves that seemed to follow Belle Senior fell in line behind him.

"What do you think we'll find up there?" Sansia asked.

Raydon rubbed his face wearily with both hands trying to energise his body.

"I don't know," he said. "But I'm hoping it's not a battle."