Chapter 188

Jack

Blood ran through the streets, straining the sidewalks and the pavement. Dead bodies littered the ground. Jack’s heart drummed in his chest as he followed his father, desperate to get to Celeste. Screams of agony and snarls of anger rose around him as the fighting worsened. More and more Crescent wolves had appeared, along with Schreibers carrying silver-tipped blades and guns with silver bullets. They were becoming more outnumbered by the minute.

“Come on,” Henry called. He shot a black-clad Schreiber as he ran by, saving a wolf that quickly rejoined the fray. “We need to keep moving.”

Jack forced himself to hurry after him, his eyes roving over the street ahead. Either one of them could easily catch a stray bullet. One wrong move and the fight would be over long before they found his sister.

By the looks of things, their allies weren’t faring much better. With the Schreibers, there were too many of them. Even with the reinforcements from Nina’s father, it was likely they wouldn’t walk away from this fight. And even if they managed to win, the casualties would be severe. Jack didn’t want to think about who might already be dead.

“Hurry,” Henry called.

Jack picked up the pace, his jaw clenched tight. The last thing he wanted to do was take orders from his father, but there wasn’t exactly time to complain. If they all made it out of this, Jack would be sure to tell him where he could stick his concern.

You’re no father of mine, he thought over and over. He’d been thinking that same thought nearly every day of his life. No war was going to change that. The fact that Henry saved his life wasn’t going to change that. As far as Jack was concerned, he was an orphan.

Up ahead, near the thickest part of the fight, two wolves he recognized were locked in a vicious battle with what looked like four, no, five, wolves. Enzo and Nina were fighting to hold on, but it was a losing battle. They were too outnumbered. Enzo howled in pain as one of the wolves caught him along the side with its claws.

Jack didn’t even think before he darted forward. He shot the wolf closest to him, its large body falling to the ground. A moment later, the shift rippled through it and a human body remained. A stab of regret shot through him. They were rogues.

Jack turned to the next one just as it lunged for him. Henry caught up to him just in time to shoot the wolf before it could tear Jack’s throat out. He found himself flat on his back, the weight of the wolf pressing against his leg. Henry darted forward and shoved the body to the side, giving just enough room for Jack to scramble to his feet.

Nina managed to take down another one of the wolves while Enzo got the other. Jack stepped forward and shot the third just as it lunged for Nina.

“Are you guys alright?” Jack asked.

Enzo swayed on his feet, then landed on his side with a huff. Blood coated his side and his arm hung at an odd angle. Jack had to swallow against the rising wave of nausea as he took in Enzo’s condition.

Nina dropped to her haunches and pushed Enzo with her nose.

“We need to keep going,” Henry said.

Jack ignored him. “Watch our backs,” he snapped as he dropped to his knees beside Enzo. “Shift back,” he said. “Shift back and I can help you get to safety.”

Enzo turned his large head, giving him a questioning look. Blood dripped from his muzzle, some of it from a gash above his eye.

“Come on,” Jack grunted. “Shift back.”

Enzo closed his eyes, and he forced the shift, crying out in pain as he became human again. Bruises and wounds covered his naked, bloody torso. The cut in his head looked even worse in his human form.

“Help me,” Jack snapped, looking up at Henry. “We need to move him.” Nina darted forward to intercept a wolf before it could reach them. “Now!”

Henry didn’t look happy about it, but he crouched down to help Jack lift Enzo to his feet. Enzo wasn’t a small guy, and they both grunted as they dragged him up. Enzo gasped in pain when they finally got him standing.

“Come on, this way.”

Shots rang out in the distance, but Jack ignored them. He had to get Enzo out of the way. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t stand the thought of Enzo dying. He was a good guy. He deserved better.

Jack and Henry dragged him across the street and through an alley. The street on the other side was lined with houses. A few dead bodies littered the road, but otherwise it was silent. The fight was still concentrated near the church and on the main strip.

Nina followed, keeping an eye out as they moved across the street and around the back of a house. It was run down and boarded up. They carefully set Enzo down on the deck.

“We should get him inside,” Jack said.

“We don’t have time!” Henry replied. “Celeste needs our help.”

Jack began shaking his head, but Enzo grunted. “Just go. Leave me a gun. I’ll be fine.”

Nina paced at the bottom of the deck, stopping now and then to nudge Enzo with her nose. His wounds weren’t oozing blood as much as before, but he still needed time to heal. He needed to get them bandaged and cleaned.

“Go!” he said.

Jack gave him his other handgun. “Be careful.”

“You too,” Enzo grunted. “Now go.”

Henry didn’t wait to be told twice. He ran around the side of the house and Jack followed, his gun steady in his hands. Enzo’s blood coated his jacket and jeans, but he couldn’t focus on that. There wasn’t time. He just had to hope Enzo and Nina made it out okay.

They reached the main strip again, cutting around toward the church. Cries of pain split the air, followed by more gunshots, more snarls.

Just as they turned the corner, a few feet from the church, Henry slumped back into Jack, taking them both to the ground. Something wet and warm hit Jack’s face as he fell back, but he couldn’t register what was happening. He hit the pavement hard, moaning as pain shot up his neck and down to his fingers.

A wolf jumped forward and tore into the man in front of them. The one with the gun. The one who shot Henry the minute he turned on the street.

Jack wiggled out from under his father, turning to look down at him. The wolf took a step closer to them, guarding them with its hackles raised. It took him a long time to realize it was Seth–covered in blood and whining low in his throat.

Jack didn’t know where Jenna was. He didn’t want to know.

Henry was dead. The bullet went right through his skull, leaving a gaping hole. Blood and bits of brain tissue were splattered across Jack’s face and neck. He leaned to the side and puked up his guts.

Oh god, he was dead. His father was dead.