SIXTY-FOUR | SELF-DESTRUCTIVE

I'm in my wolf form, wiggling free in seconds with a renewed sense of purpose. The fear of possibly being stuck like this rears its ugly head, but I quickly stifle the thought as I face my snarling cousin. She looks down at me in distaste, still in her human form. Like it's beneath her to even engage me like this. Just as she opens her mouth to say something, Ry and Craven appear at her side, eyes wild and annoyed.

"We're leaving," Ryker grumbles to her, glancing over his shoulder cautiously.

"What?" Ivy asks incredulously. "The two of you can't handle one vampire?"

"It's not just any bloodsucker. We'll bring back reinforcements another time." Craven growls back, pushing both towards the exit without so much as a glance in my direction.

"But Parri-" Ivy begins to protest, immediately following the other two as they jog to leave the warehouse.

"Paris can handle the Alpha pup." Ry rolls his eyes - pausing briefly to give me an unreadable look before leaving me alone in the large room. *Alone*. I blink, scanning the gloom.

In my wolf form, I can see the entirety of the warehouse interior easily. Every new scar on the walls and crater where the majority of the fighting had taken place around me. Fear begins to fill me. *Where is Blue? And Mikyle?* Neither are anywhere to be seen.

The something pops up from the ground near the corner Ry and Craven had come from. Glowing red eyes lock on me as a large creature with sandy hair and ripped clothing moves disjointedly towards me. Icy terror locks me in place as the veiny thing gets closer. And the closer it gets, the more horrified I become. My wolf form sheds off me, and I'm on my knees, staring up at the soulless thing before me.

"Mica?" I croak cautiously. The creature freezes, like I just said the magic word and blinks. Once, twice. The bright red fades from his eyes - and he seems to literally melt before my eyes. Until - thankfully - he's in his usual form, but his eyes are still cold and vacant. "Mica," I repeat his nickname again and, again, he just blinks at me. I stand slowly, making sure not to make any sudden movements. I reach out across the foot or two that separates us and gently touch his cheek. "Hey, where are you?" I search his dark red eyes, looking for a hint of the man I've come to know.

"I'm..." He blinks a little more slowly, but I see emotions and warmth flicker to life - changing his eyes into the glowing embers I'm used to seeing. Relief courses through me. "I'm here." He finally replies, frowning and gently placing a hand over mine. His skin's like ice over mine and I fight a shiver. He seems to notice my discomfort and, using his gossamer-like touch, removes my hand from his face.

"Are you...okay?" I ask hesitantly as he takes a step away from me, his expression unreadable, but at least his eyes aren't dead anymore.

"I will be," He takes a deep breath and glances at the opened entrance of the warehouse. "Your...*mate* is having trouble dealing with your cousin. You should go help him." He tells me, without looking at me. I frown, wondering how he knows that.

"What about you?" I question, following his line of sight curiously.

"I'm going to track the others," He begins to walk in the direction Ry, Craven and Ivy left in. "I'll be back." He adds after a moment and his walk turns into a jog, then a sprint.

"Hold on a second-" I try to follow him, but he's way too fast for me and disappears into the forest before I can leave the dark warehouse. Fatigue clings to my body as I huff, slowing when I reach the opened archway to catch my breath as my racing heart lets me know what I already guessed: I'm completely out of strength.

It's only then that I hear the sound of scuffing feet, crunching bone, and unmistakable growls of fighting wolves. I let out a curse and run towards the noise - just on the other side of the lot.

Two wolves are facing off, one huge grey and the other a brilliant blood-red, only slightly smaller. Both are visibly injured, front paws and muzzles dripping with blood, the gate is in a mangled heap behind them. The grey wolf is on the opposite side, facing me, and is the first to notice me. The familiar silvery-grey eyes flicker with surprise and concern as they sweep over me-

Paris doesn't even bother turning to glance my way before launching herself at Blue- catching him completely by surprise as her jaws lock around his throat. I let out a scream of something completely unintelligible, my muscles freezing as my mouth moves automatically. A disembodied feeling shudders through me as the words, filled with my vampiric power of Compulsion, stream from my lips.

Paris freezes, Blue limp in her grasp, before she releases my mate and takes a few jerky moves away. Her cerulean eyes are glazed over and void of any emotion as she looks to me. A moment later, the cloudiness fades and she shakes her head roughly before staring at me in bewilderment.

My entire body's trembling now, shuddering in place as we stare at each other. I take a step towards her and she stumbles back, still in her wolf form, eyes wide. Terrified. I frown, taking another, involuntary step towards her. She growls at me, her hackles raising. I stop, cringing at her reaction. She stops and her eyes dart to the side. I look in the direction she does and see nothing - but when I look back to see what she was looking at, she's gone.

Then I remember Blue. He's shifted back to his human form - unmoving on the ground. My heart leaps up into my throat, my stomach twisting painfully - but then I hear his heart beating. He opens his eyes and blinks at the sky a few times before coughing raggedly.

"Blue!" I run over to him as he sits up and spits something out onto the dirt.

"You don't have to scream, Red." He groans, rolling his neck as the resounding cracks of healing bones echo around the trees. He gives an experimental stretch - and a soft pop makes my already nauseous self feel queasier. "Where's your-" He stops, taking a deep breath before continuing. "*Guard*?"

"He ran after the squad." I mutter, feeling my cheeks burn at his implicating tone. "It's not what you think-" I begin but he turns and glares at me, silvery eyes flashing. Just as he opens his mouth, Mikyle appears a few feet away.

"Princess, we need to get going." He's antsy, glancing around the edge of the woods. We're more exposed out here than we would be at home. I know I definitely don't feel safe out here - especially after the close call we just had. Still...I glance at Blue, unwilling to depart from him so soon.

"I should go give my father a report-" Blue glares at the ground between us, grinding his teeth as he speaks.

"Blue-" I try again, guilty agony twisting at my chest.

"We'll talk later." Blue shakes his head at me, his eyes flicking between me and Mikyle once before he gets up and jogs towards the Azure territory. I move to follow him, but Mikyle grabs my hand and pulls me to a stop.

"We need to get you home, princess. He'll find you later." My shadow insists, tugging on my fingers until I follow him - in the opposite direction my mate ran off in.