Bared

XVI

As soon as I texted the number on my phone, I heard an earth-shattering boom.

It came from the direction of the school. Jon, Quincey, Emma, and Whitney crouched in fear, their luminous eyes glowing with fear. Ben growled, but I stayed silent. As the only one in human form, my ears weren’t as sharp, but my mind was clearer.

A text from the same unknown number appeared on my screen. I opened the text, and almost threw up.

Such a pity, young wolves. A pity, that is, that you didn’t solve it in time. I had such high hopes for you, yet you almost seem to wish for everything to burn. But, if you want everything to touch the ground in the form of ashes, I’ll be glad to help. Another riddle awaits you on the tomb of John.

Choking back tears, I bared, and raced to the Js. There were too many John’s. I look at Whitney, but she shakes her head. Wolves normally don’t have last names, unless their disguising themselves as humans. I sense a black shape running, and send Emma after it with a simple growling command. She was fastest, and her shadow powers could help her melt through anything the other had to go around.

Anger surged through me, and I let it. So close, so damn close. I don’t notice the light appearing around me, or my pack’s fear. Anger just surges through me, wave over silver-tinged wave. Then, I notice something: a silver trail, almost like blood, leading away from the graveyard.

The homing signal in my body tings, and I start following the silver trail. My pack falls into step behind me, Ben just a step in front of everyone else. Then, excitement runs through my veins, and I start running.

I don’t realize how far I’ve run until we stop where the silver trail ends. My legs are burning, my lungs feel like I’m breathing sand, and my heart is beating as fast as the drums in Hawaiian dances. Whitney gasps when we stop, and I look back at my mother. Her wide eyes, full of green fear, stare right past me.

I look back to the center of a clearing, which we mysteriously came to. In the middle was a proud tree standing tall under the moonlight. Its great black roots stretched in all directions, covering the clearing floor. A strange sense of deja vu swept over me as my emerald eyes traced the edges of the towering master of life.

My sharp eyes catch the glint of something on one of the roots: a strange marr, carved by sharp claws. The message was clear, if horrible.

I stood back as Quincey read the riddle, as he had the best night vision. “Emeralds burn bright in the heat of the light, shadows dance upon the walls. Storms are coming, and the oaks will fall. All under-what?” I shake my head, and hear Ben growl. “The Song of New Moon,” Whitney whispers in horror. Strangely, I felt calm. Looking around, I see nothing. But then I look up, and see a human figure in the tree.

A voice comes from my chest, and though it sounds like me, I know it isn’t. “All under the fire of the song. A heart of steel and eyes of gold, shine under the heat of the moon. When lightning strikes the tallest spire, the Nameless shall know themselves, and the Voiceless shall speak again soon. All under the fire of the song. Emerald, tiger’s eye, moonstone, and azurite shall band, to defeat the alpha that rules the land. Daughter of fire and fox, shall rule under the Moon of Knox. All under the fire of the song. Isn’t that right, Kit?”

A laugh sounds from the branches, then the human figure leaps nimbly to the ground. “You were always born with the gift of knowledge, Alexandra. Who knew that it would take so long to find me out?” Whitney growls, and takes a step forward, but I don’t stop her.

“Your brother promised me and Alexis security. But only if I mated to you, and he kept my second child. Why blow up our town? Why hurt my daughter?” Kit only smiled, and I finally saw that it was the smile of a man who knew everything, and one who had killed to get only a sliver of knowledge.

“My brother only promised protection if you bore me a child. A strong heir to the Alphahood, since obviously his son is honorless.” Kit glares at Ben, and I see realization dawn in my friend’s eyes as he realizes what the man who raised me was going to say next.

“Pity that Jason had to die. He was a better pup than you. But, of course, the strongest wolves never die. Would you like to meet your brother, Benjamin?” Kit laughed as two more figures that I hadn’t noticed before dropped to the root floor of the clearing. On Kit’s left stood Austin, his evil eyes glowing with golden light. And, on his right, stood someone I had never thought would see the wolves, let alone know about them.

“Chase?” Emma’s strained voice came from the back of the group, and I felt guilt for not realizing my sister had arrived earlier. “Gave you a chase, didn’t I, Soun?” Chase laughed at his own joke, then grew serious when Kit growled.

Kit’s eyes looked back towards us, and in their golden brilliance I saw his past. He had loved Whitney, just as his brother had. But, once Whitney fled and John was dead, Kit offered to chase them, them being Whitney and I. I heard a growl, but didn't back out of Kit’s mind. No, I ripped through it, tearing apart his sanity.

A howl answered my destruction. Pain flared across my chest, and I felt myself being boweled over; I still didn't back down. Tearing, ripping, shredding. No memories, no recollection, no identity remained. Kit’s final howl of dismay and horror filled the quiet night. When I shredded his last memory, the memory of him and a black wolf laying in the warmth beside their mother, I knew that Kit was no more.

I opened my eyes, and beheld a horrific scene. Austin, in human form, was pinned to a small tangle of roots by Whitney and Quincey. Chase, a black-gray wolf, was pinned to the tree trunk by Emma and Ben. And, in the middle of the clearing, stood a beautiful wolf.

As gold as a wedding ring, it stood with massive eyes looking at me blankly. Eyes the color of an autumn leaf were ringed in summer blue. Massive paws, as gray as storm clouds, stepped lightly on the old tree roots below them. Hind legs, with spiral designs of silver, had visible muscle rippling beneath them.

The wolf looked at me, and the utter blankness in its eyes broke my heart. Reaching out tentatively, I touched the massive wolf’s mind. It was white, with nothing in it. Not knowing what I was doing, I walked forward towards the larger animal. It bowed its head to touch mine, and I breathed in the scent of pine.

A silver aura appeared around me, a silver wolf. But it wasn’t the angry wolf that had battled Emma. No, it was a kind wolf, small and lithe like a runner. Its eyes were the color of sunrise, mixtures of reds, golds, oranges, and pinks. I started humming, and a strange fire started flowing through my muscles.

I couldn't decipher the words hidden within the humming, but knew that I was creating something. The golden wolf’s autumn eyes started to gain life, but I didn't stop there. I continued to hum, continued to weave my spell. I created a new identity, new memories. When my song ended, and I stepped back, the wolf who was once Kit’s eyes glowed with purpose.

Drowsiness swept through me, but I fought it. I locked my muscles, the muscles that still sang the words to my song. Facing the wolf’s beautiful eyes head on, I asked,”Who are you?”

Autumn eyes blinked, then a voice as light as a spring breeze came from a golden chest. “I am Lila the Autumn Feather. And whom are you, white wolf?” I bow my head in respect, and say,”I am Alexis the White, Alpha of the Oak Pack. Welcome, Lila the Autumn Feather.” I hear Whitney’s gasp, and turn to look at her.

She shakes her head, saying that she’ll tell me later. I nod, then look over at Ben and Emma. They’re still looking at Chase, but look over at me when they sense my gaze. I nod to the pair, and they haul Ben’s brother upright. I sense Whitney and Quincey do them same to my own brother, but I ignore them.

“Lila,” I say, and the golden wolf turns toward me,”Do you recognize this wolf?” Chase growls, but a snarl from both sides silences him. Lila cocks his head, then shakes it. “No, Alpha. I do not. Should I?” I smile secretly, but say,”No, you shouldn't,” aloud.

I reach out to my pack members, and feel an electric tingle when Lila’s fiery line joins the group. I send the message to go home, and to take the prisoners with us. Howls answer me, and we all turn north, towards the rock spire. Little did we know that amber eyes watched from the shadows. Or that a silent call we couldn't hear echoed through ranks upon ranks of waiting wolves.