Mistress of Blood and Fur

Chapter 27 - Guilt

Grace

I’m a good person. I’m a reluctant wolf. The words spiral out of me, out of control. We manage to get out of the hall while it’s still buzzing. Dash, Onyx and I look more guilty than excited to get out of there, which is the truth.

It makes sense, though. The bigger groups need more time. Our group can get the hell out of there and explore, get to know each other better in more practical ways. The shapeshifter is still in the hall, right in the middle of it all. That’s the main thing, but we have to leave her there for a little while. Hopefully, she won’t cause extra damage.

First things first, though. We need to find Tobias.

“We can do it faster if we shift,” Dash suggests.

“Let’s do that,” Onyx agrees, simply giving me a cursory nod. He doesn’t need my permission. They will shift whether or not I do it with them. They will become wolves whether or not I agree with their methods.

When we reach the edge of the forest, they start stripping their clothes.

“Whoa!” I exclaim, flushing as the two flash me with more than what I can handle at once. Thankfully, Onyx doesn’t tease me. I’ve seen his gorgeous body before, but it’s still a shock. Add Dash to the brew and it’s really overwhelming. I turn around.

“Why can’t we have a look?” Greta complains.

“So, you still alive there? I thought you went off when things went to shit.”

“You need to find Tobias fast enough so that you can deal with the shapeshifter.”

“Don’t you think I don’t know that?”

When I hear growls, I figure that it’s safe to turn around. They’re there – two raging wolves ready to run into the wild to find Tobias. The larger wolf tilts his head at me as if to tell me to follow. I pick up their clothes and run as fast as I’m able after them. In my human form, it’s a struggle. Thankfully, I’m wearing sneakers and jean shorts. So, I’m faster than usual. I’m not shifting in front of the two of them. No.

“What about when Onyx finally claims you?”

“Then, I’ll do it when that time comes,” I say, the crisp air battling the heat on my cheeks as the thought comes to me. I’m free to claim him now, and he’ll gladly claim me his own way. It means embracing the wolf side of me. It means letting go of my inhibitions.

“You’ve let go with him before,” Greta reminds me. She doesn’t have to. The images and sensations remain with me.

The wolves are at full speed. So, I run faster. Bushes and brambles prick my legs but I don’t care. I’ll heal, but who knows if Tobias will ever see the light of day again? The wolves’ howls are close enough. I’m not that far behind then. Oh, I think they’ve stopped. The howls become more mournful.

“Oh, no.”

I believe they’ve found Tobias. I start sobbing even if I don’t know what has happened. Not exactly. Not yet. Still, I have a strong feeling that I’ll soon be looking at a dead boy. What were we thinking? Of course, Tobias would be dead. Shapeshifters eat the bodies that they mimic.

The wolf howls become human, as I hear Dash and Onyx screaming at something. They’re naked on the ground, kneeling over something. Saying it’s still a body is pushing it. As soon as I pass through the threshold of trees that cover Tobias’s remains, I cry even harder. I cover my mouth with one hand while the other still clutches Onyx’s and Dash’s clothes.

On the ground, I see mangled flesh and internal organs. Tobias’s face has barely been touched. It taunts us. The rest of him is torn apart from the middle, spread out like a frog in Biology class. What remains of his skin seems so thin.

“H-here are your clothes,” I stutter, throwing them at the naked men. I can tell they don’t care. Someone from Opium Hills has died. They are mourning, but with their sadness is the trembling guilt that pushes upward to the surface.

Onyx and Dash silently put on their clothes, as my eyes survey the surrounding areas. We need to dig the soil and bury him deep.

“We need to dig,” Onyx declares as if reading my mind. “If my father or anyone in the pack sees this, they will know the shapeshifter has changed appearances. That’s the lesser of two shitty possibilities, though. If the humans sniff any bodies that look like they have been attacked by wild animals, we are dead. They’ll be coming with their torches.”

“Oh, s**t. They will. Dennington is going to have a field day. We’ve just proven to him that we can’t be trusted.”

‘We need to hurry guys,” I beg. “I’ll help. We need to do this fast so that we can still save Sarah.”

“Sarah,” Onyx breathes. His nose flares with emotion. I hope he’s not regretting the terrible things we did. Tobias may not be our fault, but Sarah’s blood will be on our hands if she dies. “I hope to the gods that Fox is watching her closely. I hope Fox is ready for anything.”

With these last determined words, we go into feral mode. The two of them take on a half-beast, half-man form. It’s easier for cleaning up. I hesitate but I give in, let the wolf take over my senses but not quite.

“Down, girl,” I tell Greta. “I just need your strength, your speed, your claws.”

“Understood, human.”

After about an hour, we are almost done. We cover the rest of Tobias with soil. I place my palms over the soil and mutter words. It’s in my power to manipulate scents. I need to change the smells over and around the fresh grave. It must be enough of a change as not to be noticed by the pack and by any dogs the humans may bring to sniff around.

“Onyx! Dash! Grace!”

“f**k, that’s my dad! What is he doing here?”

“Does he know what we’re up to?” Dash asks in a panic. “Are we f*****g dead?”

I hear the rippling stream nearby and have an idea. I strip my clothes while the two look at me with wide eyes. Onyx forcibly turns Dash around so that he won’t see anything more. But I continue to shed my clothes.

“What the hell are you doing?” Onyx growls.

“Follow me!”

I run, passing through the trees. I run fast and jump into the stream. It’s cold, but it’s okay. I was planning on shrieking on purpose. One large splash follows me. It’s Onyx, swimming toward me.

“I like this plan,” he says.

“It has its dual role of getting rid of Tobias’s scent off us, and making your dad believe that we’re here for a tryst. Where’s Dash?”

“He’s running deeper into the forest. Then, he’ll take a different turn to get back. He needs to get back to the cabin with Fox and Sarah.”

I nod, and look into his black eyes. Even though I can hear footsteps nearing us, I don’t care. It’s the perfect excuse. Onyx slants his mouth against mine. He licks the seam with his hot tongue, and I tease him by pressing my lips close.

“Let me in, Grace,” he groans.

I open my mouth to him, letting him invade me with his tongue. We kiss passionately even as rocks fall down to the stream, signaling the arrival of his father and his men. I throw my arms around his neck, not letting him go. Underneath the water, he palms my breasts and squeezes as I moan appreciatively into his mouth.

“Grace! Onyx! What the hell are you two doing there?”

“What does it look like?” Onyx responds to his father.

“Damn it. I was worried. You two were missing. Tobias was missing. Then, Dash. We just had a head count and I realize we’re missing a few wolves. Damn it, I haven’t seen Fox and Carlotta. I can smell Dennington near the area. Get dressed you, two. And Grace? If you want to claim Onyx, claim him right away. Your great-aunt won’t be happy with me if she finds out you’re here, unmated and kissing my son, while, um, you two have no clothes on.”

I feel terrible for Alpha Kele. He sounds embarrassed. At least for now, we are still safe from suspicion. It doesn’t mean that we’re okay. We still have to think about Sarah. The one Alpha Kele counted as her is the shapeshifter because Fox is still with the real Sarah.

The men turn and walk away from the spot where our clothes lay. So, we emerge from the stream and dress hurriedly. Our clothes are drenched, but it’s a small price to pay. Something tells me that I’ll be carrying the heavy burden of guilt throughout the years to come if we don’t save Sarah.