40. DEVRIM: AN INTRUDER

The sound of a twig snapping from outside had my eyes snapping open. I held my breath and listened carefully. No sound followed immediately after.
I blew out the breath and relaxed again. It was probably one of the wild animals looking for food.
Turning onto my side, I reached for Vanya, and pulled her against my chest. She muttered something but didn’t wake.
I stared at her face that was only a few inches from mine. Her long lashes brushed against her cheekbones, and her lips were swollen and slightly parted. Her nose twitched, making me smile.
I never thought that it would be possible to find someone for all three of us. The first time I looked into her eyes, I knew that she belonged to us.
But my smile faded as my mind trailed off to what Obsidian had said.
Vanya moved again, throwing a leg over my hip and snuggling closer to my chest. I chuckled. She liked cuddling and I fucking loved that about her.
My eyes darted over to the window and my body tensed as I heard it again; a twig snapping followed by another sound—one that instantly had me on alert.
I carefully detangled myself from Vanya’s hold and got up. Walking over to the window, I made sure to stay in the shadows as I looked outside.
Nothing looked amiss.
But something was wrong. That sound wasn’t a. . .normal sound. It wasn’t something you usually heard out here in the forest.
With one last glance at the bed to make sure that Vanya was still asleep, I walked out of the bedroom and made my way down the stairs.
I used the secret exit Obsidian had insisted on, to slip outside.
It was deadly silent. I noticed the fact that none of the usually sounds of nature surrounded us. No crickets or animals scuffing around the bushes, no night birds singing. Nothing. Just a deadly silence.
Had the killer decided to come for Vanya?
With a beating heart and a flash of fear, I allowed the shift to take place.
It was easier to move about in animal form. I could be stealth without making a sound, and hopefully catch the son of a bitch who wanted to hurt our Vanya.
I stepped around the corner of the cabin and froze.
Someone stood a few feet from the front door, staring down at something. Judging by the size and height, it had to be a man.
I carefully stalked closer.
Whatever was at his feet held his attention.
I realized exactly what it was when I stepped out from between the bushes. The smell of death surrounded the man, but it didn’t cling to him.
My lips curled up in a silent growl.
A light suddenly flicked on inside the cabin, startling the man. He straightened and turned. The light eliminated enough for the man to spot me.
Horror flashed across his face.
And then he did the most stupidest thing someone could do in a situation with a wild animal.
He ran.
And the animal I was, I went in for the kill.

***

“If you kill him, we won’t get any answers.”
I dug my claws deeper into the man’s shoulders before I raised my head to hiss at him.
Orion stepped into view with his hands up. “Don’t attack me. I’m just pointing things out to you.”
With a low growl, I turned my attention back to the man. I had leaned onto his back while he was running. His blood was already seeping into the ground. I might have ripped some of his skin off in the process of tackling him.
“He pissed on my tree,” Orion said. “And he triggered the alarms Ezra had set up.”
Alarms? What alarms and where had Ezra gotten the time and stuff to set up alarms?
“Alpha, I know you want to kill him, but let Dorian and I question him first.”
No! He was mine. He came to hurt my Vanya.
I climbed off his back and used my snout and head to roll him onto his back. He wore gloves similar to what the doctors at the facility wore when they took blood samples.
I took a step closer and froze when a piercing scream shot through the air.
Vanya!

***

Obsidian reached her before I did.
Vanya’s scream wasn’t because she was in danger; it was because she had found the body. She was kneeling next it with her hands hovering over it but not touching.
Obsidian was crouched behind her, seemingly unsure what to do, but when Vanya moved so did he.
Another scream tore from her throat when he jerked her away from the body. She trashed in his arms as he picked her up and held her against his chest.
I moved closer. Why was she reacting that way?
I had no idea what to do. A body had been dumped outside our home—a home nobody but the pride knew about. So how had the man known where we were?
Obsidian grunted, snapping my attention toward them.
Vanya had elbowed him in the ribs.
He hissed at her and let her go. I winced when Vanya hit the ground.
She instantly scrambled towards the body again, but before she could touch it, Obsidian grabbed her again.
“N-no,” she cried. “N-no.”
“Stop screaming,” Obsidian growled.
He spun around and stormed into the house. After a moment’s hesitation, I followed him into the house. Vanya was no longer screaming or trashing. Obsidian had placed her on the couch where she sat staring unseeingly off into the distance.
I shifted back to my human form and moved towards her.
“Vanya.”
Crouching in front of her, I reached out and placed my hand on top of hers. Tear-filled eyes shot up to mine. The pain I saw knocked the air from my lungs.
“Rosebud,” I whispered. “Do you know who it is?”
Tears started dripping down her cheeks. Vanya let out a sob and threw herself at me. The action was so unexpected that I lost my balance and fell to my ass.
My eyes shot over to Obsidian when he moved.
He stared down at Vanya for a few seconds before looking at me. Obsidian ran a hand through his hair and shook his head.
“It’s her friend,” he muttered. “Her name’s Charlene.”