Chapter 3

A pack of wolves circled Shawn's body—stuffed in that black sack like roadkill—with steel pipes gripped tight in their paws. They hammered down on his head with everything they had, the thuds echoing like thunderclaps, the top of the bag already caving in like a busted pumpkin.

"Stop! I said stop, you bastards! You animals!"

I barreled into the middle of those pipe-swinging goons, shoving them aside like they were yesterday's trash. Snatched one of the pipes right out of a guard's meaty fist and swung wild, feral, sweat pouring down my back, lungs burning like I'd run a marathon through hellfire.

Until I couldn't swing anymore, chest heaving, vision spotting.

My eyes burned cherry-red, locked on Zoe lurking behind her wall of muscle, like I could bore holes straight through her smug hide.

"Zoe, you backstabbing bitch!" I reared back with the pipe, aiming to crack her skull wide open.

But my arm froze mid-swing—clamped in an iron grip.

"Sorry, Gina—Joseph's orders: no one lays a claw on Zoe."

The pipe yanked from my fingers.

My lip bled where I'd chewed it raw, tasting copper and fury.

I lunged anyway, hell-bent on getting to her. No pipe? Fine—fists flying, teeth snapping like a cornered hound.

But those guards? They might as well have been a brick wall of fur and fangs.

The same wolves Joseph had sicced on me for protection back in the day.

Now? They loomed against me, every last one.

A gust of wind, and suddenly paws yanked me back hard.

I thrashed like a demon, screaming inside—if I didn't rip Zoe apart right then, I'd haunt this dump forever!

Slap!

The crack of a palm lit my cheek on fire, numb and throbbing like I'd stuck my face in coals.

"Snapped out of it yet?!" Joseph's voice boomed, face dark as a storm cloud, eyes spitting lightning.

Zoe let out this fake-sigh, all pity-party, her gaze screaming "you poor deluded fool." "Gina, your pup's gone—cold as stone. What's riding that husk now? A spite-ghost, born from pure grudge. Probably latched on 'cause of that call you made, dragging me into the crossfire. It's glued to me now, and this? This exorcism? It's not just for me—it's for Joseph, and hell, even for your brother's soul. So why chew my head off instead of thanking me?"

She played the wounded lamb so well, it nearly drove me over the edge.

"Shut your trap, you psycho! If you hadn't blocked Joseph from picking up, Shawn'd still be breathing! If you hadn't run your mouth and pissed off the wrong wolves, they never would've come for me and him! Why? It's your mess—yours and Joseph's—why's Shawn paying the price?!" My voice cracked the air, raw and ragged.

Zoe winced, brows knitting like I'd personally offended her eardrums.

Joseph stepped in quick, cupping her ears like she was made of glass. "Gina, pipe down—Zoe can't handle the noise."

That hit like a gut-punch, hollowing me out. Rage, grief—all of it stolen, leaving just a ragged shell howling into the void...

Joseph's phone buzzed; he spun on his heel and stalked out to take it.

The second his tail was out the door, Zoe yelped like the world's ending. "Whoops—clock's ticking! No more delays."

She rubbed her temples, all dramatic. "Thirty more whacks—make it snappy!"

The guards hefted their pipes, closing in on Shawn.

My scalp crawled, ice down my spine—I flailed that pipe like a madwoman. "Back off! All of you, scat! No one touches him!"

Zoe rolled her eyes, pinching her lobes like I'd given her a migraine.

Guards swarmed me, pinning my arms like a straightjacket.

The rest? Lining up for those final thirty.

"Aim dead-center on the skull—miss once, add an extra swing!" Zoe chirped, like she was calling bingo numbers.

I shook so hard my teeth rattled, eyes bulging, veins popping.

With a surge that surprised even me, I wrenched free—lunged and wrapped myself over Shawn like a shield, hugging his broken form tight under me.

The pipe whistling overhead froze, then pulled back.

Guards shot helpless looks at Zoe.

She shook her head slow, lips curling in disgust. "Lost cause."

And just like that, enlightenment hit 'em—or so they thought.

Pipes raised high—

Then crashed down.

"Urgh—ahhh!!!"