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Usually, we would burn the building down to cover our tracks, but not today. We want it to be found so they know what we did and understand who they are fucking with. Quinn carries Jang’s body, refusing to let any of us help. Vale carries the commander’s head, and Jai collects weapons as we go until we step outside into bright sunlight.
I wince, my eyes watering, and I glance around, wondering where we are. Frowning, I turn back to the brick building and head to the side. My hands still drip with blood, so I drag them down the brick, ignoring the abrasion.
Hunters beware—kill an innocent and you are next.
“Subtle,” Jai scoffs and quickly scribbles underneath.
Don’t fuck with wolves.
Laughing, I turn back to see Quinn nod.
She glances down at her father and swallows. “We will need to run. I know how to get back to the pack, but there is somewhere we need to go first.” It’s clear she’s worried about what’s left of the pack, but we simply nod. We will stand at her side no matter what.
I know her people—if there are any left—might reject us, but they will have a fight on their hands. Unless Quinn tells me to leave, I’m not going anywhere.
She is my home now, my reason to fight and live.
She gave me life, and now I will use that life to protect her until the very end.
“I need . . .” She swallows.
“Anything,” I vow, stepping closer.
She smiles sadly. “When I turn, can you lay his body over my back? I won’t leave him here alone, not even for a moment. He goes home with me. My father never got a burial, but Jang will on pack land. He will be honoured.”
“Quinn,” I begin.
“No, it is my duty. Please,” she begs.
I nod, and she gently places her father’s body down, but his head rolls a little. She winces, closes her eyes, and breathes through it. I can almost taste her agony.
Sitting back, she changes and gets to her paws. We take our time placing his body on her back so he doesn’t slip, and when she nods, we change too. Vale carries the head in his mouth, and with Jai on human feet, we set off into the forest.
We walk in a slow trot so Jai can keep up. Despite being human, he doesn’t complain, and when we stop, she turns back into her human form, laying her father against a tree. “Where is your HQ from here? You mentioned there was one.”
“It’s north of town,” Jai answers.
“So not far,” Quinn mutters. “We are north, so we’ll pass it. I want to leave them a present.” She glances at the head. “Lead the way.”
Jai nods, then she shifts back, and we set off once more.
We march towards HQ, and once we arrive, we shift. “There will be too many inside. All of the hunters will have been called in,” I admit.
“They are not my target, not today. I need to take my father home, but I want them to be afraid. I want them to know I’m coming for them. I want them to understand they are nothing.” Taking our commander’s head, she walks into the carpark, naked and covered in blood.
She grabs an old, forgotten pipe and pierces one of the cars’ bonnets, stabbing the engine and making it smoke. Next, she spikes the commander’s head on top and turns back.
She doesn’t run. She walks back towards us, her eyes hard.
Quinn carries her father’s body the entire way back to the pack. Even as exhaustion wears on and day gives way to night, she doesn’t stop or falter.
It’s hours before we reach familiar trees and land, and once we break through the tree line, she walks straight across the grass.
The bodies are gone, as is the blood, as if the area were washed clean.
The moon shines brightly down on us, illuminating her like an angel.
Her pack house is gone, burnt to the ground, and for a moment, it’s silent until I see wolves and humans step into the clearing, drawn by her scent. A howl goes up, a call, and my throat vibrates with the need to join, but I don’t.
