Chapter 05

“Autumn!” I called as I jolted awake immediately, looking around only to see my friends laying in their pool of blood.

“Rico!” I gasped seeing as he was struggling to grasp his breaths. I quickly crawled to his side, trying to stop the blood flowing from his side. At the same time the sounds of NOPD sirens blared. I looked at the entrances and six cops quickly rushed in with the short police chief, Alston.

“I need an ambulance!” I yelled while Alston quickly naked the call as he reached us.

“What happened?” He asked but my mind was too preoccupied to even think about an answer. It didn’t take long for the ambulance to arrive and soon they took Rico and the others away. I felt so much rage scorching my insides like brimstone fire as I watched the scenery. Just like that, I had lost two of my friends. My palms curled and my teeth gritted. Whoever did this was definitely going to pay ten times.

“Are you injured?” Alston asked, referring to my blood drenched clothes. Only then did I realize that my injuries were completely healed, there was no pain at all. I frowned, looking around for Autumn but she was nowhere to be found. That’s right, I collapsed before I could take her out of this place. Where is she?!

“Where’s Autumn?” I queried.

“Who’s Autumn?” He replied. “We need to get you out of this crime scene first,” he beckoned me to follow him outside to which I did. But the answer became clearer by the moment. As we got outside serenaded with the blinding lights of the sirens, I finally understood how I was alive and it brought me more anger than joy.

“How did this happen Ash?” Alston queried.

“Twelve men came in and started firing at us, that’s the most I can remember.” I replied.

“Do you by chance know who could have done this?”

“I don’t know Alston, you're the cop here for goodness sake!” I blurted angrily.

He inched closer to me,

“You and I both know that this attack is from one of your people. You recently became the leader of Silver Clawers, that automatically makes you a target.”

“I don’t give a damn, Alston.” I growled. “Do your job and find the bastard who sent them. I want answers tonight if not this city is going to burn down!”

“Hey, calm your horses,”

“I just lost two innocent people and you’re telling me to calm down?” I grabbed his collar. “Find the bastard tonight unless you want to witness my wrath!”

He heaved a light sigh.

“We’ll find him but I want you to stay off the radar tonight. Don’t do anything rash Ash,”

I scoffed.

“I’m dead serious.” He quoted sternly.

“I need a shirt,” I said while I tore my shirt off my body completely.

“I’ve got one in the trunk,” he said and I followed him to his car.

“I want you to think clearly Ash, perhaps you and someone got into a fight in the gangs or something,” he said while he opened his trunk and my breaths ceased for a split second as realization struck.

“That bastard,” I mumbled in oblivion.

“Who?”

“Leon,” I answered after wearing the black t shirt.

He frowned.

“Leon is your brother Ash, he wouldn't do this.”

“Oh yeah? You should have seen how ‘ecstatic’ he was when Arthur made me the new leader of the gang.”

“Regardless,”

“Leon and I have been having our issues for quite a long time now, it's definitely that bastard!” I walked away from him and threaded quickly to my car.

“Ash, wait! Get a grip of yourself!” He held my arm as I reached the car. “I told you to stay off the radar tonight. Don’t do anything rash!”

“I just want to pay him a friendly visit,” I smiled superficially before reaching for my keys, thankfully it was still in my pocket.

“Leon is quite as dangerous as you, you can’t just attack him like that! We need evidence! And besides, the city has had enough blood spilled for tonight. So please, let me handle this!”

I paused for a while, my rage wouldn’t simmer down regardless. The fact that I could have literally died tonight from a bunch of idiots hurt my ego to the core. And there were my friends too. I was pretty sure Leon was somewhere waiting for the news of my death. My palms curled.

“Ash, please trust me.” He insisted and I exhaled deeply.

“You have tonight,” I growled and only then did he let me go.

“Where are you headed now?”

I smirked,

“I have a tiny bug to deal with.”

I was about to saunter into my car when he spoke again.

“It’s weird though, in a gunfight where you had the lower chance you escaped without any injuries.”

I recalled Autumn’s face before flashing him a fake smile.

“I guess Jesus loves me.” I quipped before shutting my door.

“Remember—“ he was saying something but I didn’t wait for him to finish before driving off. I didn’t give a dime that I was way over speed limits, I just drove down the road as fast as I could till I arrived at Autumn’s place. The guard that I put in charge of watching her had given me her address two days ago, I guess it finally came in handy. I opened my glove compartment and took the hand gun inside before alighting. I headed inside the building and soon reached her door. I knocked gently but no one answered. As I was about to knock again the door slowly opened and I pointed my gun at her forehead.

“Ash!” She gasped.

“Start talking.” I dead panned.

“What do you mean start talking? What did I do for you to point a gun at me?” She queried in fear.

“Autumn, I just lost two people tonight and any little lie from you is enough to make me press the trigger. So unless you want your goddamn brains splattered on the floor, start talking!” I yelled and her eyes and lips started twitching.

“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,”

“I had four bullets in me, enough to kill me but somehow I woke up with my injuries completely healed and you, nowhere to be found. One would think I was probably deluded from the trauma but no! You and I both know what happened when I collapsed.” I paused, gazing intently into those green eyes that tried to lie.

“It was no miracle, Autumn. You gave me your blood to drink and my injuries got healed.” My lips pursed as her eyes lowered from mine. “You’re a werewolf.”

She remained mute and that was more than enough. My grip tightened on the handle and a part of me wished I pressed the trigger but I couldn’t.

“What Pack are you from?”

“I’m a Rogue,”

“For fucks sake what Pack are you from?!” I barked.

“I swear I’m a rogue! I got kicked out of my Pack for a crime and ever since then I came to New Orleans hoping to start a new life.” She said with tears hinting in her eyes but I cared less.

“I know a werewolf when I see one but you hid yours so well from me, how?”

She slowly pointed to her gold necklace.

“It hides my werewolf nature.”

“Why did you save me?”

She stared at me for a while as if she was trying to find an answer in my eyes.

“I don’t know why I did it too. I just couldn’t watch you die.”

I gulped down my saliva and lowered my gun. I exhaled deeply.

“Words around say I’m into some gang stuff, isn’t that what you told me earlier today? Well those words are true. I’m the leader of one of the gangs in this city but we’re not your typical mafia gang. We are werewolf hunters.”

Her eyes widened in horror.

“I should kill you but,” my lips pursed. “I can’t bring myself to do it.”

She heaved a sigh of relief.

“Keep that necklace on you at all times, unless you want to die. Also,” I inhaled deeply trying to allay the pain that came with the thought I was entertaining.

“Forget that you ever crossed paths with me. I don't want to see you anywhere around me. I might end up killing you, Autumn Ivanka.”

I walked away from her.

“Ash! Ash!!” She yelled but I kept walking away. I didn’t know why it hurt me this much but this was the right decision to take. Werewolf and Werewolf hunters were natural enemies.

As I got outside, my phone started ringing.

“Yes,”

“Boss! One of our lairs was attacked. We’ve been robbed of our weapons, assets, everything!” He said and I almost smashed my phone in anger.

“You better find out who’s behind this before tomorrow ends, if not I’m going to kill you myself!” I growled before cutting the call. As I entered my car back, I banged the wheels repeatedly till I was breathless.

Leon was definitely behind all this. This was his act of rebellion against me! But Alston was right at the same time. Leon was just as dangerous and any mistake I made would cost me dearly. I picked my phone and dialed Barron’s number.

“Ash, word is just getting to me you were attacked,” the old man said.

“You don’t need to worry. Call for a meeting tomorrow by six. I think it’s time we had a proper family reunion.” I smiled devilishly.