It didn’t take long before I came to the spot of the attack, and I stayed close to the tree line, skirting the area as best I could. The bodies were gone, but blood still stained the ground as well as marks indicating a fight. I hurried, having no desire to linger here alone. I slowed when I realized I was practically jogging in my effort to get away, my pace quickly bringing me to the path I’d seen Caleb take.
I glanced around nervously, the silent forest disturbing in its own way. There was no sound of birds chirping, even the wind was still, and it left me with a sense of wrongness. I refused to turn back now though, and pushed forward, alert to any possibility as I pulled the gun from my backpack and tucked it into the waistband of my jeans, making sure the safety was on and the bulge hidden by my backpack.
The path was wider than I anticipated and smoother. It appeared well used and intended for more than one person to walk side by side. It wound into the forest for a long way, a couple of miles at least before I saw a break, a brightness which indicated a clearing. My eyes flickered side to side, the fine hairs on my neck rising as the sense of being watched washed over me. I gripped the shoulder strap of the backpack on my shoulders with one hand as I left my other hand hanging loosely, ready to grab the gun if necessary.
No one approached me, but I knew they knew I was there. My mind screamed at me that I was foolish, that the place could be overrun with Hanleys by now and I was taking a huge risk.
I ignored the fearful thoughts that would send me scurrying back. Anna had never responded to my text. The Pack hadn’t show up at school. I knew the Hanleys were targeting them. If I didn’t at least try….it didn’t matter if I was putting myself at risk. I owed it to them after everything they’d done for me.
“Dominic warned them you’d come looking for us. I don’t think they believed him,” Anna laughed lightly, spooking me. “I didn’t believe him.”
“You weren’t at school,” I replied, spotting her next to one of the houses as I stepped into the clearing. There were at least a dozen homes in the large clearing, almost forming a ring as they left the middle area wide open, a space at least five acres in width.
“We weren’t allowed,” Anna admitted, her face contorting like the admission pained her. “Not after what happened yesterday.” I nodded, my eyes taking in everything at once, and noticing that the area was oddly empty for as many houses as there were.
“Where is everyone?” I asked finally, spinning in a slow circle. I could feel the eyes, but other than Anna, it appeared no one was around.
“Hiding from the scary human,” she mocked, the words sounding peculiar coming from her soft voice. She eyed me with determination and said, “You can’t expect to remain ignorant when you walk straight into our compound.”
“I came to warn you,” I answered simply. “The guy who attacked me, Justin? He said some things. Things that make me believe they’re going to come after your,” I paused and then shrugged, “Pack. That’s what you are, right?”
She nodded, a glint of admiration in her eyes.
“You walked in here blindly, completely alone, to warn us?” I nodded and she laughed the sound unexpectedly loud for her. “Dom was right, you are an idiot.”
I bristled at the insult and snapped, “Not a complete idiot. I have a gun.” Her laughter cut off in surprise and in case she was about to question me further I added, “And I know how to use it.”
She nodded respectfully even as she said, “It was still a foolish thing to do.”
I was still glancing around curiously when I told her, “Trust me, I know.”
“Come on, I’m sure Dom knows you’re here, but I’ll go ahead and bring you to him,” she replied, waving her hand for me to follow.
“You don’t have to do that,” I backtracked, wary to face Dominic after yesterday’s events. Anna lifted her eyebrow as I stammered, “I can tell you, or someone else. No need to bother him.”
“He wouldn’t be happy if he knew you were here and didn’t see him. I’m sure he’d like to yell at you for taking such a risk.” She smiled and it wasn’t a nice smile. “And trust me, you don’t want to talk to someone else. Dominic is high enough in the ranking to pass a message along, and maybe keep you away from the more scary members.”
“Scary?” I echoed, running to catch up with her as it sank in that Dominic wasn’t the scariest person around