Moonshifter High

Chapter 14: A Love Like War

Juliet and I stormed out of the dorms as soon as the door was down. No door can hold us! Although a stronger one might… But we won’t say that!
Juliet called Garret, saying we escaped the claws of our nagging alpha. Garret told us he had had some vampires keeping an eye on Golden Path territory. He had something important to tell us. This was going to get dangerous. He was coming to us, with all the vampires that were willing to join us, and we had to round up Trace and all the wolves that wanted to help us.
That was going to be hard. Trace will not be happy!
‘What the…!’ Trace began as we walked back to the school. He had found out about our escape and looked about ready to burst.
Not this time.
‘Hold up Trace. You’re going to listen, and you’re going to listen carefully.’ I interrupted him. My whole pack -everyone was there- looked at me with widened eyes while Jules stood behind me with her arms crossed and a smug look on her face. My heart was beating frantically in my chest. I could not screw this up.
Trace opened his mouth with a raised finger, ready to give us hell, but I made the ‘zip it’ gesture saying: 'Zip it. Didn’t you hear me?’ Trace crossed his arms, looking furious, and opened his mouth again. But I was too quick, once again. ‘You listen with your ears, Trace, not with your mouth. So keep it shut.’ Some pack members watched with an amused look. I had to admit: this was kind of fun.
‘Garret is coming this way with his vampires. Golden Path Pack’s up to something, and no, this is not a fairytale. I haven’t gone crazy. He watched them. So how about you open yóúr eyes and realize the world isn’t one happy, peaceful, safe place for everyone. We’re going to help Garret. Either you help us, or you stay in your little bubble where everything’s perfect. But you will not keep us away, nor lock us up, ever again.’
Trace had actually listened without trying to interrupt. His eyebrows were furrowed. ‘Are you serious?’
I nodded. ‘One hundred percent.’
Trace looked from me to Jules, to our pack –who all watched with an expectant look– to the school building, and finally back to me. ‘I… believe you, but what about the pack? I’m supposed to keep everyone safe, and this is far from safe.’
‘The pack can choose for themselves,’ Harry cut in, ‘they can decide whether they stay or help.’ He joined me, facing the pack. Jules stood on my left side, Harry on my right side. ‘But I’m going to help them.’ I smiled at Harry, even though he was kind of the last one I expected to help us.
Rose and Adrien looked at each other before joining us too. Hunter, Mick, Jim, Logan and Matt soon walked over to our side too. Missy, Lyla and Charlotte joined us too, and I nodded at them with a smile. Trace looked around, his eyes clearly showing the doubt. He wanted to join us too. Everyone could see it.
‘It’s okay, Alpha Trace, we’ll stay here and keep an eye on everyone.’ Lee spoke up. ‘I can’t fight that well. I’ll probably only distract you guys.’
‘Me too.’ Naomi spoke up. Actually all the other girls and John agreed.
‘Fine,’ Trace sighed, finally walking over to us. He looked back once. ‘I’m counting on you then.’

~

Everything was quite gloomy after that. Juliet and Trace avoided each other at all cost. Trace tried to take the lead and give a pep talk, but he had no idea about any of this or what to do, and was distracted by Jules. So when Garret arrived, we left Alpha to sulk in a corner and all listened to Garret. He told us this would most likely become very dangerous. He informed everyone of Golden Path Pack’s magic, the vampires, and about the fact that they’d seen the pack members behave suspiciously. Especially Alpha Percy.
Our “army” wasn’t that impressive: a few people from our pack, and a few vampires from Garret’s school. We didn’t know how big Percy’s pack was, or how many people would actually join him. So our plan was to get to Percy. If we could take Percy down, the pack would have to submit to us. This was probably our best shot.
‘You okay?’ I asked Jules, bumping shoulders with her. She had been staring off into space, her arms wrapped around her waist. I knew violence was something Jules hated and would prefer to avoid at any cost. Besides that, she just broke up with her boyfriend, who was also here and coming with us. ‘You don’t have to come with us.’ I’d actually prefer her staying here, away from danger.
‘You know I will.’ She answered, looking at me with determined eyes. I knew that whatever I tried, she wouldn’t budge now.
So I nodded slowly. ‘I do. Just be careful, ‘kay?’
She smiled at me, nodding as well. ‘Of course.’
‘Okay guys, gather ‘round. We’ll discuss things one more time!’ Garret called. Everyone walked towards him, forming half a circle in front of the slightly higher sidewalk Garret had stepped on. ‘We’ll head out after this. I want everyone to be very careful. Do not attack any pack members, unless they attack first. We’re there for Percy…’
‘Sounds like a good plan.’ We heard from behind us. Since Jules and I stood a little in the back, we could see who it was when we turned around.
‘Jayden?’ I asked, confused. ‘What the heck are you doing here?’
Trace and Garret immediately pushed past the crowd, getting ready to fight if needed.
Jayden casually strolled forward, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. When he saw the wary looks of Garret, Trace, and everyone standing behind them, he raised his hands, showing us he didn’t carry anything and didn’t mean any harm.
Not that he needed a weapon.
‘Don’t worry, wolves and vamps, I’ve come in peace.’
I heard Trace growl next to me. He took a threatening step forward, not believing a word he said. I saw Garret carrying a frown too. Was I the only one who believed him?
I stepped past Trace, stopping him with a hand on his chest, before taking a few more steps towards Jayden. He looked surprised by my act of trust, but smiled soon after.
‘Lexi, come…’
‘Why did you come here, Jayden?’ I asked him, interrupting Trace, studying the first.
‘Because you’re right. You’re right about Percy planning something. I didn’t want to see it at first. But now…’ Jayden buried his hands in his pockets, kicking a random stone on the ground. ‘He’s… different. He used to be a great leader, but ever since he… discovered something, all he wants is power.’ Jayden continued bitterly. ‘I know it’s wrong of me to betray him, since I’m his beta, but what he’s doing is worse. I’m here because I want to fix where I went wrong.’ He looked back up, locking eyes with me. He held  my gaze for a few seconds, before letting his gaze slide over all of us. ‘I’m here because I want to do good.’
No one said anything for a while. Everyone was reluctant to trust this Golden Path wolf.
‘I believe him.’ I spoke to Jules. I could see her nodding, so then I spoke up: ‘I believe him.’ I said, for everyone to hear.
‘Me too.’ Jules supported me.
‘Me too.’ I heard someone whisper behind me. I turned around quickly, to see a guy I’ve never seen before. People started walking away from him, forming a circle around the newly arrived boy, who stood right behind me.
Jayden made his way to the boy, smiling from ear to ear. ‘Dylan!’
‘Dylan?’ Jules whispered to me. I shrugged, staring at the scene in front of me.
Dylan turned to Trace and Garret –who were standing next to each other– with a grin. ‘You’re lucky I’m on Jay-Jay’s side.’ Jules and I burst out laughing at Jayden’s nickname.
‘Dylan!’ Jayden hissed, looking a little flustered as his eyes shot from me back to his friend.
‘What?’ Dylan asked innocently. ‘You shouldn’t have told me about it if you didn’t want me to use it!’ He had told him about that?
‘So who are you?’ Some vampire cut in.
‘Oh, excuse me,’ Dylan said, ‘I’m Dylan, Percy’s delta and Jay’s best friend. Oh and I can teleport myself and objects or people I touch.’
‘That.’ Jules started.
‘Is.’ I continued.
Together we finished: ‘Awesome!’
‘And you’re here, because?’ Another vampire asked, looking grumpy.
‘I’m here to support my friend. And I kinda agree with him.’ He then turned to Jayden, a serious look on his face as he lowered his voice. ‘Chris agrees with us too, actually. He found out about you leaving and saw me when I was about to leave. He wanted to stay with Percy, though, since he pities him because two of the three highest ranked wolves after him already left him. He couldn’t be the third.’ I don’t think I was supposed to hear that. I don’t think anyone else heard that, so I just pretended not to have heard it.
‘Well, we’re already taking risks, why not add them to the equation?’ Adrien asked. I agreed with him: we could use some help, especially some wolves with super-powers.
‘So how about we stop chatting and start stopping some crazy wolf?’ Jayden asked, earning some kind of warrior-cry from almost everyone here.
‘Let’s go then!’ Dylan added, and we all started walking.
‘Lexi?’ Jules whispered when we started walking.
‘Yeah?’
‘I’m scared.’
‘We’ll be fine. I’ll protect you, I promise.’ I could see that Jules wanted to say something else, but Trace came closer, telling us we’ll shift. Juliet refused to say something to him and Trace refused to look at her. Stupid stubbornness of them both.
Every wolf shifted, while the vampires ran at vampire speed, forming blurs. Jules slowed a little, then speeded up when she changed sides, so she ran on my left side, while Trace was on my right. Trace shot her a look, but stopped doing so when he almost crashed into a tree.
It was a little hard to communicate for the wolves, since we couldn’t talk. So everyone had to use their mind link with Trace, so he could inform everyone of the important things said. It was not the best solution, and it drove Trace crazy after a while. I could see his head move a little in the direction of the person talking to him, and not only did it distract him, but he also couldn’t keep up with it since everyone was so nervous they would only blab about useless stuff. At least that’s what I heard when he asked us –one by one– not to ask him things unless they were about what we were about to do.
I guess no one listened, because eventually, everyone heard him yell: ‘Shut up!’
After that, we slowed down to a trot, a little awkward and not sure what to do. We were nearing Golden Path territory. I could just feel everyone’s nervousness.
Jayden and Dylan walked next to each other, a little away from everyone, and led us past every possible patrolling wolf without being seen.
‘How far do you think we are?’
‘Halfway.’ I answered immediately.
I heard Juliet’s chuckle in my head before she said: ‘Of course you would know!’
‘Come on, I had to learn eventually!’ I couldn’t exactly keep on entering Golden Path territory, especially after Saturday. But look what I’m doing now!
Every wolf shifted back after a while and the vampires slowed down, so we wouldn’t get worn down before we even got to Percy. Jayden appeared on my right side then.
‘Thank you, for believing me back there.’ He quietly said.
I smiled up at him. ‘You’re welcome, Jay-Jay.’
Jayden looked at me with raised eyebrows. I grinned at him. He chuckled as he shook his head at me.
‘Uh, Lex? What’s that?’ I looked ahead when I heard Juliet’s voice and was quite surprised. We just passed the last tree line and entered a clearing. I could see Trace and Garret discussing things immediately. In the distance, everyone could clearly see a group of wolves.
‘I swear I didn’t tell anyone about anything.’ Jayden hissed when Trace stormed towards him. Apparently, Trace accused Jayden of telling Percy about our plan.
Because the latter? Yeah, well he was standing on the open field with a group of wolves behind him. And believe me, he looked pissed.

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Hey guys! Yes, I'm aware this is suddenly moving real fast! I'm gonna like the next two chapters though :3 The song on the side has the same name as this chapter (maybe it's because I kinda named this chapter after the song but shhh) so of course I had to add it!
Thanks for reading and enjoy!
-XXX- RainbowRose8