Asphalt Moon

Chapter 12: The First Strike

Carmen didn't tell us everything.

Not at first. She waited until we were all sitting in the garage office, cups of cold coffee in our hands, the dog curled up at Damon's feet.

"There's something you need to know," she said. "About your mother."

Tío Ray stiffened. "Carmen."

"She deserves the truth, Ray."

He didn't argue.

Carmen pulled out a worn photograph. Same one as before. My mom. Carmen. The symbol on the wall.

"Your mother wasn't just a wolf. She was the Circle's target long before you were born. They wanted her blood. Her power. Her life." Carmen set the photo on the desk. "She escaped twice. Third time, she didn't."

"She was murdered by Hale," I said.

"By Hale. But the Circle was behind it. They hired him. Paid him to kill her and take you."

The words hit like a punch.

"They wanted me?"

"You were the next generation. The one they'd been waiting for." Carmen's yellow eyes were heavy. "Your mother knew. That's why she kept you hidden. That's why she never told you about the wolf. She wanted you to be normal."

"So she lied."

"She protected you."

I looked at the photo. My mom. Her smile. Her eyes. She looked so young. So alive.

"She died for me," I whispered.

"Yes."

"And now they want me to die too."

Carmen leaned forward. "That's why I'm here. To make sure they don't get you."

A knock on the garage door shattered the silence.

Cade was on his feet instantly. Knife out. Damon's hand went to his holster. Nellie grabbed her tire iron from the corner.

Carmen held up a hand. "Wait."

She walked to the door. Looked through the small window.

Then she opened it.

Three wolves stood outside. Two women. One man. All in leather jackets. All with yellow eyes.

"Carmen," the man said. "You brought them here."

"Someone had to warn her."

"You broke the Circle's trust."

"I broke it a long time ago."

The man stepped forward. He was tall. Broad-shouldered. A scar ran from his hairline to his jaw. "The Circle wants the girl. Give her up, and we'll let you walk."

Carmen didn't move. "She's not going anywhere."

The man smiled. "Didn't think you'd make this easy."

He shifted.

One second he was a man. The next, a massive black wolf. Fur thick. Teeth bared. His hackles rose like spikes.

The two women followed. Wolves now. Gray and brown. Circling.

"Lena," Cade said. "Get behind me."

"No."

"Lena…"

"I said no."

Cade stepped in front of me anyway.

The black wolf lunged.

I'd seen wolves fight before.

Greta. Damon. The rogue at the bridge.

But this was different.

This was fast.

The black wolf was on Cade before I could blink. Paws hit his chest. He crashed backward into a shelf. Oil cans clattered to the floor.

Damon shifted mid-air. His wolf was leaner, faster. He slammed into the black wolf. They rolled across the concrete, snarling, snapping.

The gray wolf came for me.

I grabbed Nellie's tire iron. Swung.

The metal connected with her skull. She yelped. Backed off. Shook her head. Blood dripped from her ear.

"Nice hit," Nellie said.

"Less talk. More hitting."

The brown wolf lunged at Carmen. Carmen shifted just in time. Her wolf was smaller. But she was faster. She ducked under the brown wolf's jaws and came up with her teeth in its throat.

The brown wolf whined. Backed off.

But the gray wolf was back.

She leaped at me. Paws wide. Claws out.

I swung the tire iron again.

She caught it in her teeth. Ripped it from my hands.

The iron clattered across the floor.

Now I was empty-handed.

The gray wolf smiled. I swear she smiled. Her yellow eyes glinted.

She lunged.

I dropped to the ground. Rolled. Her claws scraped my back. I felt the burn. The wet heat of blood.

I scrambled up.

Cade was back on his feet. He grabbed a chair. Slammed it into the gray wolf's side. She yelped. Crashed into a workbench. Tools scattered.

I grabbed a wrench from the floor.

"The breaker box!" I shouted. "The wires!"

Cade understood.

He ran to the corner. Pulled the main switch.

Sparks flew. One of the exposed wires whipped loose.

Cade grabbed it with his jacket. Held it out.

"Come on," he growled. "I dare you."

The gray wolf hesitated.

Then she lunged.

Cade shoved the wire into her chest.

Her body arched. Her eyes went wide. Then she collapsed. Twitching. Smoking.

The brown wolf was already running. Out the door. Gone.

The black wolf looked at his fallen packmate. Then at us. Then at the door.

He shifted back to human. Naked. Bleeding. His eyes were dark.

"This isn't over," he said.

"Yes it is," I said. "Get out."

He walked to the door. Staggered.

"Tell the Circle," I called after him. "Come again. I'll be ready."

He looked back. One last time.

Then he was gone.

The garage was quiet.

The gray wolf was still on the floor. Not dead. Just unconscious. Her chest rose and fell.

Damon shifted back. He had gashes on his arm. Deep ones. Blood dripped to the concrete.

Cade was leaning against the workbench. Breathing hard. His jacket was shredded. But he was alive.

Carmen was already shifting back. Her wolf form receded. She stood in the middle of the garage, naked, but she didn't seem to care.

"First strike," she said.

"That was the first?" I asked. "What's the second?"

"Worse."

Nellie found the first aid kit.

She bandaged Damon's arm. Her hands were steady. No shaking. She'd gotten used to this. We all had.

Cade sat on the workbench. His knuckles were raw. But he smiled when I walked over.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I've had worse."

"You got tackled by a wolf."

"A really big wolf." He held up his shredded jacket. "This was my favorite."

"I'll buy you a new one."

"With what money?"

"I'll fix an extra oil change or two."

He laughed. Then winced. His ribs were probably bruised.

Carmen walked over. She'd found a blanket. Wrapped it around herself.

"Your mother would be proud," she said.

"She'd be yelling at me for getting blood on the floor."

Carmen smiled. It was small. But real.

"Your mom once took on three wolves by herself. With a tire iron, actually. Same as you."

"She did?"

"She was like you. Stubborn. Loyal. Too brave for her own good." Carmen looked at the unconscious wolf on the floor. "But she knew when to run."

"I don't run."

"I know. That's what scares me."

Damon stood up. His arm was wrapped. His dog was wagging her tail, checking on him.

"We need to move," he said. "They'll come back with more."

"Where do we go?"

"Somewhere they can't find us."

Carmen nodded. "I know a place. A safe house. Old pack territory. The Circle doesn't go there."

"And after that?"

"After that, we plan."

I looked around the garage. The broken shelves. The scattered tools. The blood on the floor.

This was my home. My dad's home.

I didn't want to leave it.

But I didn't want to die either.

"Okay," I said. "Let's go."

We packed in an hour.

Clothes. Food. Weapons. Cade's spare parts. Nellie's entire collection of snacks.

Tío Ray locked the garage. His hands were shaking.

"We'll come back," I said.

"I know, mija. I'll be here."

"You're not coming?"

"I'm not a fighter. Never was. I'll slow you down."

"Dad…"

"If something happens to you.."

"Nothing's going to happen."

He pulled me into a hug. Tight. His beard scratched my cheek.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too."

He let go. Walked to his truck. Drove away.

I watched until his taillights disappeared.

Then I turned to the others.

"Ready?" I asked.

Carmen nodded. Damon loaded his bike. Nellie climbed on the back of Cade's Harley.

I swung onto the seat. Wrapped my arms around Cade's waist.

The engines roared to life.

And we rode.

The safe house was an old cabin in the woods.

Two hours from town. Trees so thick you couldn't see the sky. No roads. No lights. Just a dirt path and a rusty gate.

Carmen had a key.

The cabin was small. One room. A fireplace. Bunk beds. Dust everywhere.

Nellie sneezed. "It's like a horror movie."

"It's safe," Carmen said.

"It's also dusty. Do you have a broom?"

"We have bigger problems than dust."

Nellie pointed at me. "I have priorities."

I laughed. It felt good. Even in the middle of everything.

Damon built a fire. Cade checked the windows. Nellie found a bag of chips in her backpack and started eating.

Carmen sat across from me. Her yellow eyes glowed in the firelight.

"Tomorrow," she said. "We start training."

"Training for what?"

"The Circle has wolves. Experienced ones. You need to learn how to fight them. Without shifting."

"I have a wrench."

"A wrench won't always work."

I looked at my hands. Small. Calloused. Human.

"Okay," I said. "Teach me."

Carmen smiled. "Good. Now sleep. You'll need the energy."

I lay on the bottom bunk. Cade climbed on top.

Through the window, I could see the sky. The moon was rising.

Not full yet. A quarter. Maybe less.

But it was there.

Watching.

Waiting.

I closed my eyes.

And for the first time in three months, I didn't dream of the wolf.

I dreamed of my mom.

And she was smiling.