I own none of the original.
If I have any fight-or-flight instinct, it has always told me to fight. But this time, I know I have to get out of here as fast as I can. The Academy has been infiltrated with Nether creatures. Both types of Guardians are in the fray, dueling with the invaders. Nowhere is safe.
Someone pulls on my wrist; I whirl around, fangs bared, and then relax when I see it's Dad. "We have to get out of here. They want us."
"Because of the Cross," I realize quietly, nodding.
We both shift into wolf form, sheathing our claws as best we can in the middle of a battle. Our bloodlust is trying to get the better of us, but with Dad's experience and my lessons for control, we know not to. He weaves through the Academy's disaster expertly, his days here obviously coming back to him. I keep up at his heels, afraid that if I lose him, I will lose my life. His tail-tip flicks across my ear every few seconds, reassurance to both of us that we are still together. My head spins as it echoes with unearthly screeches and horrible screams.
A living nightmare.
"Adne, get out of here!" the Arrow shouts. Anika locks gazes with me as she speaks. The Weaver follows her eyes and ducks out of the battle. I hear a faint "Good luck."
Shay races around a corner and stops. This hallway is not infested with fighters like the last few. He glances at Adne and stares at me. Give her your necklace. It's the only way we can move faster.
I don't like this… I protest, but I still slide the gem over my head. She takes it from me knowingly. Next she is standing beside me as a wolf.
Dad barks softly and curtly. He spins around and lopes off, setting a steady pace. I recognize the smell of fading battle, feeling a rush of relief to get away from the chaos. Dread fills my stomach and clenches it into a tight knot. What happened or is happening to my friends?
Guys, this way, Adne suddenly informs, veering off. Everyone Anika wants to take care of you and the Cross mission is in here.
With a low grumble, Dad follows her, dropping back to brush his pelt against my own. I press against his side, never knowing the true meaning of fear until now. I hope that "everyone" includes Ren and Brady, who I never saw during our escape. My heart twists painfully at the thought of either of them getting hurt.
My fears prove futile when the two brutes jump at me, knocking me onto my side in their excitement. Aqua! they exclaim together.
I scramble to my paws, shaking out my pelt, and cuff them both over the head. I'm fine, idiots, I reply, keeping my own emotions in check. They back away at the sight of the full alpha. We have a job to do, and I can't have you acting like a pair of newborn pups. I bare my teeth. Now, if you don't mind, I have some things to discuss with the others. Try not to get too involved, if you can. I know I am being cold, but it has to be done.
"What's our plan?" I ask, taking my necklace back from Adne.
Connor, Ethan, Sabine, and Adne exchange a glance. Connor speaks up: "Get the hell out of here."
Adne opens a door. Ren and Brady bring up the rear, me and Dad in the front. The other four cannot be enough to reach all the sites – then again, it makes a small but formidable patrol. Maybe I should really trust Anika on this one… if she just risked her life for us. I cannot help but notice the rest of the pack is left behind, yet I step through the portal all the same. This has to be what Mom felt like when she chose between the union and the new pack, or Dad.
He drapes his arm around my shoulders. "We'll find them, Aqua. I wouldn't count them out of the fight just yet." His half-hug tightens. "You know alphas don't abandon their packs without a reason. They won't get hurt if Bosque thinks he can use them to get to us." I rest my head on his shoulder, feeling younger and weaker and overall not ready to handle this.
Ren steps up on my other side, Brady flanking him. "Calla's still with you," Ren reminds me, taking my hand. Shay slips away, and the others take the lead with him. I glare at their backs; they left me to deal with these two.
Brady drops back and then reappears on my other side. "Jazz and Nick weren't in the battle," he tells me, entwining his fingers with mine.
Supported by the two wolf-boys that might be my downfall, I straighten up and try to find the alpha strength I exerted before. It is high time I acted like who I am. And that means embracing being one of the Chosen Three.
"Beware modesty, grace, and elegance," I quote. "Beware the innocence of power."
I feel the Guardian Angels at my back. "Jasmine," Ren sighs with a slight shake of his head.
"Pearl and moonstone," Brady chimes in quietly, oddly subdued. "June. Nick."
With a nod, I catch up to the rest of the patrol, leaving them to take in what this means. I just hope they don't abruptly get jealous and ruin it. From the smell of them, they healed each other from the fight, but…
Lupus, this is so hard!