The Moon Phase Trilogy | Protected
Thirty-Four

The three groups came upon the mansion. It looked colder than it did twenty-four hours before. Shaun and Astoria came from the East. Dusk and the girls came from the West. Finally, Gaelan and the guys came from the North. They all met in the open backyard and gazed at one another. Shaun noticed Grant motionless and she felt Blu panic. Dusk whimpered seeing Jayden being carried by Gaelan. Alyx looked at the large wolf and grinned. “Sissy, that’s the wolf that carried you to your bed!”

Ericka wanted to take over so she could actually see the wolf, but Dusk wouldn’t let her. She growled and Ericka grew submissive in the back of her mind.

Shaun looked to the Bluhm siblings and caught the armor Dusk was in. “What happened to you? Did you need to adapt for something?”

She shook her head, ‘No. I was given another animal’s DNA.’ She linked to the others calmly.

“You can finally talk!” Shaun exclaimed. Then her thoughts came together, “Wait a second...who gave you the DNA? And who’s the other wolf with you?”

‘Nightmare. My sister.’ She paused. ‘The DNA was given to me and my sisters by a man in a crow mask.’

Shaun froze and stepped back. “Y--you met h--him?” She gulped as a shiver went down her spine. Her hand went to the inside of her left forearm instinctively. “Hold on a second...” She began to think out loud. “If he was with you, then who was where we were, Astoria?”

Astoria stayed quiet. She wasn’t sure who the person was that stormed S.H.E.D. The stories she was told when she was young never gave a name. Before Astoria could answer, she felt a strange but subtle pain going up her right arm. She ignored it.

Gaelan interrupted, “Can we please just get inside so we can help these two?” He strained. “We can continue these thoughts inside.”

“Yes, of course.” Shaun commented and went to help Gaelan.

The nine of them got inside. Ericka and Maxie had taken back over, but the other wolf stayed the way he was. “Alyx, are you sure that’s the wolf that put me to bed the day of mom’s death?”

Alyx nodded frantically, “Sure is. I’d never forget his eyes, or how soft he was.”

Maxie agreed, “Yeah. He sure was soft when we thanked him for helping us.”

Ericka raised her brows, but left it alone. “Shaun, where did you end up?”

“At a healer’s house,” She half lied. She wasn’t sure if Astoria wanted everyone to know about S.H.E.D. “I met Tori here on my way there.” Her voice went up a half octave.

“More like, I found you and saved you.” Astoria commented.

“Shaun? I know when you’re lying.” Ericka glared.

“Whaaaaaat? Pffff...I’m not lying. Why would you think I’d be lying?”

“Because your voice just went up an octave and a half. What happened?”

“Okay fine. I’ll tell you, but you can’t laugh. Promise?”

“I promise I won’t laugh.”

Shaun took in a deep breath, inhaling Crow’s scent. It was so strong that she almost puked. The mark on her arm burned from memories that snuck into her mind. “Damn it.” She said through her teeth. Her eyes closed shut as she fell to her knees.

“Shaun?” Ericka breathed, touching her best friend’s shoulder. She suddenly felt every emotion Shaun was going through. Fear. Pain. Sadness. Terror.

The others stopped, “You two okay back there?” Gaelan asked.

Ericka removed her hand, “Go. We will meet you there. Astoria, take my sisters with you.”

Astoria nodded, taking the girl’s hands. “But we don’t wanna go!”

“You’re going and that’s final.” A growl could be heard under her words.

“Fine,” Maxie groaned and walked away in a huff. Alyx followed and Astoria ran after them.

Ericka turned her attention back to her best friend, “Shaun, what happened?”

The dark haired teen looked up, fear in her green eyes. “Ericka...I can’t explain it right now. It’s too dangerous. I-I’m sorry...”

“It’s okay. I can wait. I’ve waited this long to know I’m a werewolf. What’s a little longer to know my best friend’s painful past?”

The stench cleared from her nostrils and she stood up, “Thanks, Rick. I appreciate that. I don’t understand why his odor did what it did. It’s never done that before. Not even when I met someone that smelt of him and bird.”

“Oh?” Ericka tilted her head. “I met someone who smelt like that too. Only, he was a bird. A giant bird. I’m not sure what he was though. He helped my sisters and I escape.”

‘That must be the spy Meraki was talking about.’ Blu told Shaun.

Shaun shook her head, quickly changing the subject, “Come on. We should really catch up with the others. We should really be by the guys’ sides when they wake up...if they wake up...”

“I’m sure they’ll wake within the next few days. But you’re right, we should get going.”

The girls took off down the hall, following the others scents. Ericka did more of the leading, since she had the better sense of smell. Shaun didn’t tell her that though. “All these halls look the same in the dark!” Shaun groaned.

“I’m working on it! I don’t have great eyesight in the dark!” Ericka barked back. “We may have heightened senses, but our sight still sucks ass!”

“You don’t have to tell me twice. I’ve known that longer than you have!”

“You two really need to quiet down. Some of us are trying to sleep.” An angry voice yawned behind them.

The girls turned around to see a dazed Noelia. “Hehe sorry, Noel...we didn’t mean to wake you.” Ericka scratched the back of her head.

“Hold on just a second. Noel, you don’t sleep at night.” Reminded Shaun.

“You’re right. I don’t. But it is still daytime, wolf. So keep it down, or I’ll have to put Wolfsbane in your rooms.”

“You don’t have to take it that far.” Shaun submitted. “Can you just tell us how to get to your dad’s office and we will be out of your hair.”

Noelia rolled her eyes, “Down this hall and to your left. It’s lighter there so you can see better.” She left to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

“Well she was nice,” commented Ericka.

“I heard that!”

Ericka snickered and Shaun shook her head. “What?”

“I really don’t want Wolfsbane in my room. So can we please just go?” Shaun pleaded.

“Yeah, sure. What’s wrong with Wolfsbane?”

“It’s poisonous to us. It’s probably what made Jay and Grant unconscious. It’s deadly to werewolves, Rick.”

“Good to know...” Ericka trailed off. “I can see the light. We are almost there. I just hope we aren’t too late.”

“I don’t think so. I’m sure Gaelan is working fast.”

The girls pushed the door open together. The light shone so bright that it almost blinded them. They shielded it from their eyes and Ericka noticed the large wolf was gone. In his place was a familiar looking man. A man she hadn’t seen for months. A man she and her sisters missed dearly. “D--Dad...”

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