Chapter Twenty-Two

Dylan

This kid is literally so freaking creepy. He just stares off into space and every now and then he'll grumble something under his breath. The first time he did it I asked what he said and instead of responding he just glowered at me. I've never felt such a mixed energy off of anyone. Thanks to countless hours and days training with Dre to get more in touch with my foresight I've gotten a lot better at reading people's auras and energies. It's like a part of him wants to be happy, it's clawing and fighting tirelessly to come out, but another part of him, a darker part, won't allow it. It's almost like he's forcing himself to be unhappy. Sad stuff, really.

Initially when Dean told me he was going to stay with me to watch my back tonight I was uneasy since I always have gotten a vibe from him but I went along with it, knowing how important tonight is. But once he got here with that look on his face, I wanted to send him right back out the door. I'd rather take my chances alone.

"So," I drag out the word, "Are you hungry?"

He shakes his head no in reply.

My eyes drift in an arch to the high ceiling and then back to him, only to find his eyes are already on me. His dark brown gaze chills me to the bone but I don't look away, I can't. It's like we're caught in a dangerous staring contest, one I refuse to lose.

He raises his eyebrow slightly and a smirk quirks the corner of his mouth as if I amuse him.

I take the time to observe him. His hair is an inky black and spiked up like bed hair, his eyebrows are thinner than most guys, like he threads them, his nose is straight and slightly broad. Those lips of his still wear a slight smirk but it isn't appealing or funny, it's frightening, like he's planning my death in his head. His top lip is much thinner than the bottom and pointy ears lead down to the gauges in his lobes. He has the finest amount of peach fuzz along his rounded yet angular jawline.

He looks away first, rubbing that same peach fuzz as he mutters under his breath again.

"What is your problem Kid?" I ask, a lot sassier than I intended, my true feelings coming through.

"First of all," he starts, slowly turning his head back around to me, his voice deeper than I expected, "I'm not a kid. And second, if you must know, I'm missing out on an extremely important op because I'm babysitting you, Luna." The name is an acidic curse from his lips.

"Well I-," I stop myself from apologizing, "I didn't ask for you to be here. I would've rather had Grey stay with me." I really would've rather had Dean here but that's none of his concern. If he's not going to make an effort to like me then I dḁmned sure will do the same.

My response seems to spark his interest as he sits up straighter on the sectional. "I'm sure you would've but Karter left me here so that should tell you something."

"Yeah that he didn't want to have to deal with a tantrum throwing child tonight," I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest.

His eyes widen and a vein appears in the middle of his forehead as if he's restraining himself. He opens his mouth to speak but immediately closes it and starts to mumble under his breath again.

"There you go with that old man grumbling," I gripe, getting up to walk to the kitchen, "Maybe you're right you aren't a child, you're an eighty year old grouch stuck in a twenty year old's body."

I hear him shoot up from the couch behind me, the leather protesting loudly.

"You're very disrespectful you know that?" he asks rhetorically.

"So are you," I reply with a shrug.

He hops up to sit on the counter across from me. "Well I'm not the Luna of a pack now am I?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? I'm not aware of your bedroom activities," I respond, grabbing a bottle of wine from the wine cooler.

"Disrespectful," he grits out from behind me.

"Yeah yeah yeah," I take a drink from my glass, "You keep saying that but you see the way my hearing is set up..."

He glares at me before a smile starts to appear more and more on his lips. Trying to cover it up he wipes his mouth but I can see it in his eyes and his energy.

*

For the past few hours Connor and I have watched every single episode of Supernatural that's on demand and we've worked our way through most of Dean's beers. Even though he's only twenty, Connor's very mature for his age. I figure his brother passing the way he did forced him to grow up a lot faster than he should've. He told me about how he and Derek used to watch Supernatural together all of the time, how it was their show. He's really enjoyed tonight, just hanging out, I can tell.

"I like you," he says suddenly, "You don't let me bullshit you. That's a great quality for a Luna to have."

My heart swells with pride knowing that my normally snarky no BS attitude will be helpful with this whole Luna thing.

"I like you too Kid. Once you get past that dark cloud you wear over your head you aren't half bad company," I reply with a genuine smile. I didn't think I would enjoy spending time with him but I really have. I can see us becoming good friends.

"I told you, I'm not a-" he stops mid-sentence and zones out, getting that faraway look on his face like Dean gets sometimes.

When he tunes back into the present he tries to smile it off like nothing happened but I know better.

"What's going on?" I ask, my tone serious.

"It's nothing," he waves it off and grabs for the remote.

I grasp his hand in mine, stopping him. "What is going on Connor?" I enunciate every word.

His gaze goes from our hands, up my sweater covered arm, to my face, his look wavering when he looks into my eyes. "There's something going on back on the pack grounds."

He doesn't have to say anything more. Before he can fully finish I'm already slipping into my tennis shoes.

"What are you waiting for?" I ask looking over to him. "Let's go."

*

Karter

"We're sure the entire pack is there Alpha," Elijah, my best tracker and scout reports through the mind link.

"Perfect," I respond to him before speaking to the rest of my warriors, "Leave nothing up to chance. We take as many as we can alive but if anyone gets out of hand do not hesitate to end them."

The assuring nods of heads slice through the night like knives. As much as I want to go in there and rip every last one of them to pieces I know it isn't the right thing to do. The plan is to capture as many as we can and hold them until we get a confession. At that point we'll turn them over to the Elders and let them be their headache.

The thought that this is almost over runs through my mind. No more looking over my shoulder. No more worrying and waiting for the other shoe to drop. After tonight the only thing I have to be concerned about is pleasing my mate and helping her become the best Luna she can be.

I can only imagine the hell she's giving Connor. She never has cared for him, she feels like he's creepy. I keep telling her he's just different and lost, has been ever since Derek was murdered. It took some convincing to get Connor to stay with her instead of coming with us. I had to lie to him and tell him he was the only one I trusted enough to watch her back. Grey and Andrea would have my balls cut smooth off of my body if they knew I said that. The truth is every member of Dark Wood is accounted for so there's no threat to Rose, I just couldn't have him here tonight. As great of a fighter as he is, Connor is impulsive and still fairly immature in a lot of his decisions, especially when his revenge for Derek is thrown into the mix. This whole operation has taken months to set up and I won't allow it to be ruined. Not when I'm so close to being able to have a normal and safe life with Rose.

"Is the first wave in position?" I ask through the link.

"Yes sir," Jade, one of my strongest fighters answers, her voice steady and strong.

"On my count," I pause and wait for the last light to go out in the camp, "Go."

I hear the soft pitter pat of paws connecting with the dirt beneath us and then the alarmed screams of the Dark Wood Tribe.

"Team two, go," I command, "Team three, be ready for any runners."

Once all of the lights in the camp are back on I look over to Grey and nod. He nods back and we run down the hill from our position into the fight in a V formation with me at the point.

A couple of Dark Wood have a few of our members down but not for long.

Owen dives into the burly man on top of Jade and knocks him down before bombarding his face with punches.

Jade immediately hops up and jumps back into the fight, tackling a young man who was trying to run to the ground. I see him grin when he realizes it's a woman on him. Never one to be underestimated, Jade immediately puts him in an arm bar that makes me cringe before putting his arms behind his back and tying hip up.

Grey, ever the peacemaker, is somehow talking a couple into coming along with us calmly. How he manages to make others feel so at ease even in times like these I'll never know.

It seems like everything is under control and just as I turn around I catch movement in my peripheral vision. Taking off like a bat out of hell in that direction I see the silhouette of a man running towards the woods. Something in me won't let me fall back even though I know there's a member of my pack waiting there to catch him. Once he breaks the tree line I thank the Goddess I didn't stop running, there's no one there to stop him.

Tackling him to the ground we scuffle for a moment, each gaining control of the other until he bites me, distracting me for only a second.

"What the fûck?" I snarl, my claws extending as we circle one another.

"Just let me go and no one will ever know about this," he tries to reason.

I growl, "Not a fûcking chance. Just come with us peacefully."

He laughs, holding his head back and I smile, he's right where he needs to be.

A resounding crack radiates through the forest so loud birds fly from their nests in the trees. The man's body falls to the ground to reveal Grey behind him with a tree branch.

"Why are you over here dancing with the man when you need to be capturing him? I need to get home to Denise," he gripes, his gloved hands tying the Dark Wood member's hands behind his back with the silver soaked rope.

I shrug, "I was trying things your way, Pacifier."

He laughs out and pulls the man up and over his shoulder. "I see your way worked better this tie around."

"Now you're getting it my friend. Violence is always the answer," I laugh, walking alongside him.

****

The picture is of "Connor" and the way I imagined him looking at Dylan. One more chapter to upload today for Awake as well as my special "secret" thing!!! Love you guys!!!