Ebony kicks ass

Hazel P.O.V.

“Go inside and stay there, I’ll come get you when the pack is clear.” Grady says, leading around the side of the mansion and watches as I go inside. If he thinks I’m going to sit back and wait for someone else to defend us, then he’ll be sorely mistaken. I make sure Kaia and Lily are okay. Adrian rushes out past me, yelling an apology for almost running me over. 

“Kaia?” I ask, running up the stairs. She’s right there, fright in her eyes and tension in her entire body. “You are scared for him.” I say, and she nods. I raise an eyebrow and she scowls. 

“I am not going soft just because we spent an afternoon and evening together, but Lily really likes him..” She left the sentence hanging. I nod. I know where she is coming from. Adrian, Grady and Joel. Lily has been comfortable with all of them. She is even comfortable with the ever grumpy River. I sigh and shake my head. 

“Lily?” 

“Sleeping. Are you going out there?” She knows I am. Between the two of us I’m the way better fighter. I have trained in combat training, self defense etc the last 5 years. Kaia is always by my side, but she needs to stay here. 

“You make sure Lily is okay.” Kaia nods, but something in her eyes makes me stop. 

“What is it?” I ask, and she hesitates. I just stare at her, willing her to spill it already. 

“Why are you going out there to fight?” She asks, and shrugs. That’s actually a great question. Why am I willing to risk myself out there right now? 

“Because we have to live here for a year, and possibly longer if Lily loves it here. I will do anything for my girl, and you know it. There are real innocent people right now being attacked, and I can and will protect them.” She nods, turning her heels and walking away. “Was that it?” I holler after her, but she mindlinks me. 

‘I just needed to know why and you told me. You are going to be an amazing Luna.’ I almost choke and trip at the same time. What the actual fuck. 

‘Oh no I’m not, and we are not going to entertain that illusion one bit!’ I snap back, putting up a block so I can concentrate. Ebony is rolling over in my mind, finding our best friend hilarious. I don’t even ask her which side she is on, because I know she’ll say Alpha Grady’s, and I can’t deal with that right now. 

People are running for the safe rooms outside, the air thick with tension and fear. I see a group of young moms and their children hurry towards the same area as some other pack members, when one of them screams in terror. I don’t think as I immediately head that way as fast as I can. The group is running as fast as they can, but they are being chased, and catched up by two rogues with foam at their mouths and shaggy coats. The rogues stink of decay, so much so that I gag one time before getting myself together. I block their way in my human form, my eyes shooting lightning. The mom stops briefly to stare at me, as I stand there with my arms spread out. 

“RUN!” I order them, facing the rogues and growl at them. “Get to safety, NOW!” I can feel them move behind me, but I don’t turn around. The rogues growl and snarl at me. 

‘Ready Ebony?’ I ask her, feeling her surging forward in my mind. 

‘More than!’ She answers. I let her take over completely, my body shifting seamlessly. Back where we lived there used to be lots of rogue attacks on lone wolves. It stopped. Even Kaia only recently found out it was Ebony who stopped it by killing the rogues, and scaring the rest. We have been hunting ever since we moved there, seeing the hunting as practice in combat. It has kept us sharp and fit. 

Ebony growls at the rogues, her paws digging into the ground. The snarl back before attack simultaneously. They’re coming from either side, so Ebony ducks under them, letting them hit each other in the air. She moves with lightning fast speed, jumping on the back of one of the rogues, clamping down on his neck and ripping it out. The rogue howls in pain, but Ebony just uses him as leverage to jump into the side of the other rogue. She lands on him, chomping down on his windpipe and ripping it out. Blood spatter all over her multicolored fur, but she doesn’t seem to notice. The wounded rogue is not dead yet, so Ebony rips out his throat as well and moves on. I’m impressed by her, and she snorts. 

‘They were way too cocky.’ She says with disdain. I laugh from the backseat, and follow as she runs further into the packgrounds. 

We see a warrior being assaulted by three warriors, so Ebony speeds up and barrels into one of them, quickly getting to her feet and jumping the other one, getting him off the warrior as well. The rogue attacks and we tumble, claws slashing, teeth snapping. Ebony ends on the top, where she makes a short process of ending his life, before joining the fight again. She grabs one of the two remaining rogues, who are trying to sneak attack the occupied warrior and sends him flying into a tree trunk. His neck snaps on impact, and the warrior ends the last rogue, bowing his head in thanks to Ebony. She does the same, just as there’s a massive roar from a place not far from us. 

Ebony rushes towards the sound, something in her stirring, flickering and spluttering. I wonder what is going on. The roar sounds again, and Ebony pushes herself to the max to reach the wolf calling for help. Something in her pulls us to him for some reason, and just as I think I know what is going on and am ready to deny it, we arrive at the scene. 20 or so rogues are attacking a few warriors and the wolf who roared. Ebony does not even think before she throws herself in the fray of things, killing rogues left and right. Dodging swipes, breaking snapping jaws. The big wolf, who is pitched black, suddenly notices us and I swear he growls at us. Not as if we are the enemy, but as if he can’t believe we are there. He fights his way to us, leaving a bloody and dead trail of rogues in his wake. Ebony is fighting two or three at a time, helping warriors and defending herself, when the black wolf is by our side, fighting with us. His fur touches ours and Ebony purrs. 

‘What is the supernatural world is going on?’ I ask my wolf, wanting answers. This is not like her. She usually strongly dislikes or hates male wolves - Joel excluded because he is our brother. 

‘He is our mate.’ She states calmly. I gasp. I might only be at the backseat right now, but as Ebony feels everything when we are in human form, I do too. And the electricity and sparks from their fur touching does not escape my attention. 

‘We got a second chance?’ I ask, trying to make sense of this. Second chances are very rare, and I’m not sure I want one. Mates are not for me, and I’ve come to accept it, however regrettably. 

‘No. He is our mate, and he has always been our mate. You need to stop being stubborn and stupid!’ She snaps, snubbing me further back, so I can’t speak to her right now. Just to try to get myself together after what she just told me, waiting for everything to be over and we can shift back. I can’t believe this. I haven’t felt the matebond with him. Haven’t felt more attracted to him than others. Why is it different with my wolf? What is wrong with me? Why am I failing as a human, a mother and.. Oh god. As a mate. I don’t want a mate. Do I? No! Or.. Fuck this is just not happening. Things are seriously complicated enough with this twist. And Ebony knew. She knew and kept it away. 

‘You never listened when I told you. Maybe you’ll listen now. The fight is over. We can go back, Do you want to shift here or back at the mansion?’ Ebony snarks, rubbing everything in. 

‘Back at the mansion. Did we win, I wasn’t paying attention.’ I conceded, trying to just get this conversation over with.

‘No, you were spiraling. Stop panicking and give him an honest chance, Hazel. And yes we won.’ I sigh, but don’t answer. I’m tired of fighting with my wolf over this, and maybe she is right. Maybe I just need to stop being a stubborn bitch and give him the benefit of the doubt? Everyone has kept saying nothing happened that night. I’ll need to sleep on it and we’ll see tomorrow.