Moon Crossed (Werewolf Hunter Series): Season 1 (Episodes 1-6) (Crescent Hunter) (18 page)

“Cole, there's
something wrong. Look.” He looks down at his chest.

“Jesus.” He
looks at me. “What's happening?”

“I don't know.”
I feel completely hopeless. I put my hand above his wound and heal it
again, but this time focus on his own healing ability rather than
healing it with my own magic.

Focusing is proving to
be a true challenge with the other boys going insane, growling,
howling, and nipping at the bars on their doors. This night cannot
end fast enough.

Cole's wound closes
again, but I'm feeling lightheaded. “We need to stop your
bleeding.” Cole is insistent.

“I have something
in the cabinet.” I remember some of my healing herbs. I try to
get up, but fall directly back into Cole's arms. “Whoa, I need
a second.”

“You may not have
a second. Tell me what to get.” Cole shifts me off of him.

“No, I'll be
fine. I'll get it. Besides, it would take me longer to explain what
I'm looking for than it will for me to get it.” He helps me to
my feet and walks me toward my desk. Before we pass the threshold of
the corridor, I hesitate. “You stay here. I'll be fine.”

“I'm not going to
shift. I'll be okay,” he says, as though he knows my concern.

“No, just let
me.” I get to the cabinet and find the Gileads balm I made. It
burns like hell being applied to the cuts. I wince and Cole perks up.

“You okay?”
he calls from the door.

“I'm fine, it
just burns.” I pull my t-shirt down over it. I'm sure this will
help with the bleeding.

“Claire, you
should close the door,” he yells over the sound of the other
wolves getting even more riled up.

I run and hit the
button to lower the emergency door. “Are you feeling like
you're going to shift?”

“I'm feeling like
I may have to.” He motions to Tor. “I think he may get
out.”

“Nah, he always
puts up that much of a fight.” I smile; he's a lot of bark, but
doesn't have the bite.

He reaches through the
side bars and takes my hand, leaning his head toward me. A small
smile spreads across my lips, because for this moment I feel at
peace. Even with all the noise, all the chaos, I'm able to feel peace
with him.

Locke increases his
efforts and is snarling directly at Cole. “I think someone
doesn't like you holding my hand.”

“Eh, he's not
going to remember. He's moon-crazed.” I huff a laugh. “It's
sort of like my little dig. Y'all can't remember shit that happens
during the full moon.”

“That's not
always so,” he corrects me.

“Really?”

“Yes, really,”
he says through labored breaths. “Sometimes, we remember.”
He kisses me on the forehead.

“That was sweet.”
I look into his eyes again, but he looks away, as though he were
having a painful memory. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

Somehow I managed to
fall asleep, which was not smart. Cole could have shifted and ripped
me to shreds. He also fell asleep. I study him, relaxed and sleeping.

The sun will be coming
up soon, and we're pretty much out of the woods now.

He stirs, and sits
straight up. “Are we there yet?”

“Just about.”
I check the wound on his chest. “That's still not fully healed.
I wonder why?”

“I'm not exactly
sure.” He gets up. “I'm going to check on Brogan.”

“Yeah, in a few
minutes I'll come in, when I know it's safe and everyone starts
shifting back,” I tell him.

When Cole reaches the
enclosure, he seems concerned. “Hey, Brogan.”

“What's up? Is he
okay?” I'm very worried based on Cole's expression.

“He's asleep.”

“I did
tranquilize him.” I shrug and look at the clock to see if it's
safe to go in. “I've got about an hour more before I can safely
open the gate.”

“Don't worry
about him; his breathing is labored, but he is breathing,” he
says, walking back toward me and surveying the rest of the boys in
their cells.

“Okay, I need to
go up and check on Lili if you think everything is under control.”
This is not something I'm looking forward to.

“Yeah, have you
thought about what you're going to do?” he asks, leaning
against the bars.

“All night and I
still haven't figured it out.”

“Her knowing puts
us all at risk, you know,” he warns.

“I know, and I
wish I knew how to wipe her memory.” I shake my head.

“Well, best of
luck.” He widens his eyes.

“Thanks. I'll be
back in a bit.” I look back with a smile. “You owe me a
sunrise.”

“I haven't
forgotten.” His smile lights his eyes and it moves through me
in a wave of contentment.

All the way up the
stairs, I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to say. I open my
door cautiously, and she's sitting up on my bed with her arms wrapped
around her knees, rocking.

“Lili?” I
say it quietly so as not to startle her.

She startles anyway.
“Oh my God, Claire, what the actual hell?”

“Look, I know
what you saw must have been...” I look up, hoping that the
words I need are there.

“Freaky? Um,
yeah.” She stands from the bed.

“You have to
understand–” She cuts me off.

“Claire, I know
they are all werewolves,” she deadpans.

“Huh?”
She's taking me by surprise.

“It's kind of
obvious.” She pulls her lips to the side.

“Really?”
Now I'm worried; if it's obvious to her, then who else has noticed?

“To me it is. I
mean, look. Every full moon you guys all disappear, your house smells
like dog all the time even though you don't own one, and there's
constantly paw prints all over the porch.” She tilts her head.
“Oh, and the random nakedness that happens here all the time?
Yeah, nobody runs through the woods naked that often.”

“Well.” I
didn't realize that it really was kind of obvious. “So now
what?”

“Your secret is
safe with me. But I have one question.” She sits back on the
bed and takes my hands.

“Okay.”

“Are you a
werewolf, too?” Her brows knit together with worry.

“No, I'm not.”
A sad smile flashes on my face.

“So why are you
with them?” she asks.

“It's sort of a
family thing.” I'm not sure how much I should tell her in the
grand scheme of things.

“How so? Does it
have something to do with why Trevor is a werewolf and you aren't?”

“No, Trevor and I
are not related by blood. He was adopted, remember?”

“Oh yeah, but
explain this family thing.” She props herself up on the bed.

“Several hundred
years ago, the werewolves determined they needed...” I decide
to try the new phrase out on her. “Keepers.”

“So, like, they
are yours?” She's confused.

“Not really.
Basically, here's how it works. During the full moon, they can't
always help but shift into wolf form. If they get out and kill a
human, they become moon-touched and can never shift back to human
form.” I pause to make sure that she's following.

“Okay, so they do
kill humans?” She scrunches her nose.

“Not all wolves
kill humans; they are just like us. They don't want to, but when they
are under the influence of the moon, they can't always help it. And
if they do kill a human on a full moon, they become like a rabid
dog.”

“Oh, so you are
around to make sure they don't kill any humans?” I think this
level of understanding is acceptable.

“Yes, because if
they kill a human during a full moon, we have to kill them.” I
raise my eyebrows.

“Oh.” She
leaves her lips in a circle for a solid ten seconds. “So,
you
have to kill them?”

“Only if they
kill a human during a full moon.” My tone is defensive.

“So if one of the
boys killed a human last night, you would've had to kill them?”
She has a look of disgust developing on her face.

“Yes,” I
say with a heavy tone. “That's why I keep them locked up, so
they can't hurt anyone.”

“That makes
sense.” She nods and looks around, thinking of other questions
to ask.

“So are they all
werewolves? Even Cole?”

Wow, I have no idea if
she even saw Cole shift. He's also not part of the core group, so
this would definitely not be my place to tell. “Cole?”

“Yeah, Cole. I
mean, he was locked up and all,” she questions.

“Let's leave that
for another night,” I dodge, but I might as well have just said
yes.

“Got it,”
she says and thinks of more questions. “So why didn't you want
me to go home last night?”

“Because if one
of them got out, they were already moon-crazed and didn't know what
they were doing. They would have chased you all the way home and
likely killed you.” I play it straight.

“But I was safe
up here?” She gives me a questioning look.

“Yes, my room is
protected from them. They can't come in here.”

“Oh, so this is
the safest place on a full moon?”

“Sort of. Some
moon-crazed wolves have been known to break through the pain of
piercing the seal of a protection. But it's rare.” I try to
reassure her. “Most wolves try to isolate themselves on the
full moon so they don't hurt anyone.”

“Okay, I think I
get it.”

“They are people,
but they just happen to also turn into wolves.” My words sound
so strange, but it's how it really is.

“So they are
magic? Are they immortal?”

“No, they are not
completely immortal. They do heal very fast, whether in human or wolf
form, and can live hundreds of years, but they can be killed. When
they are in wolf form, they are vulnerable to silver. So a silver
blade to the heart will kill them.” My thoughts shoot straight
to Cole, and how it would hurt to have to kill him.

“I see, but when
they are human, they aren't allergic to silver?” she asks.

“Correct. Only
when in wolf form will silver deter or harm them.” Then, I add,
“Well, I mean a silver sword to a human heart has the same
effect on everyone.” She's taking this all too well; I think I
need to screw with her. “Well, everyone but vampires.”

“Holy shit, I
knew vampires were real.” Her eyes are wide open.

I laugh at her. “Ha
ha, you dunce. Vampires aren't real.”

“How do you
know?” she asks, pulling her chin back.

Her question gives me
pause. “Well I really don't, but to my knowledge they don't
exist. I've never knowingly met one.”

“Fair enough,”
she says.

“Okay, I've got
get back down there. Brogan had a rough night and I have to check on
him.” I put my hand on her knee. “And this is so
important, but you understand that it would be very dangerous for
this secret to be made known.”

“It's safe with
me. I promise.” She holds her hand up like a Boy Scout.

“Since I know,
does that mean that Brogan is fair game? I mean, I assume that's why
didn't you want me dating any of them.” A wide look of
anticipation crosses her features.

“It's very
dangerous to date a wolf; besides, they typically stick with their
kind. It's a nature thing.”

“Cole likes
you
,”
she counters.

“I'm different.
He's supposed to like me; it's in our make-up. Because of the keeper
thing.” I hope that gets any crazy ideas out of her head. I go
to the closet and change my shirt while we're talking.

“How do you
become a keeper?”

“You're born into
it.” I smile at her. “Trust me, it's not that great.”

I close the door behind
me and blow out a breath, then start down the hallway. She opens the
door. “Hey, is it safe to come out?” she asks.

“Ah–”

“Like, can I come
with you?” Her eyes widen.

“No, most them
are going to be naked.” I shake my head with warning.

“Cole, too?”
she asks, and I hope she's teasing.

A pang of jealousy runs
through me, and I have to quiet my instinct to claim and protect him.
“No, he's still wearing his pants.”