Avenger(66)

Everyone was fighting and bodies were littering the ground. Luckily, every body my eyes landed on was that of a mutant.

We were tearing them apart so quickly that their numbers had dwindled substantially. I had been right to say we didn’t need a plan. Attacking without though, allowed us to act on instinct alone.

I caught sight of one mutant trying to sneak away towards to the house. I sprinted after him, jumping on his back and knocking him to the ground. My claws dug into his back, ripping and tearing. He screamed and the sound filled me with a sick joy. I shouldn’t have been enjoying myself—the mutants couldn’t help what they were. Travis had turned them into these monsters and they’d once been human. But they were helping him and I was so blinded by rage that I didn’t care.

I moved on from that mutant to another, and then another. I quickly lost count of how many I’d killed. More kept appearing and we continued to kill them.

No more than two minutes had passed till they were all dead and nothing stood in our way of the house.

Told you we didn’t need a plan. I told Caeden.

Seems that way. He responded. But this is nowhere near over yet.

We ran forward, towards the house located what seemed a half a mile ahead of us. I kept expecting another mutant to jump out at us, but there was nothing but an empty field. As we got closer, I decided the house was actually sort of pretty. It was two stories with cheery yellow siding and white shutters. Each window even had a flower box. It wasn’t the kind of place you expected Travis to hide out in. I’d thought we’d find him in a cave or some run down dilapidated house with the roof caving in. Certainly not this. It looked…homey.

We reached the front door and Caeden told us to stop.

We need to split up so we can cover all sides so they can’t escape out the back or from a side window. Bentley and Bryce, you’re with Sophie and me. Garrett, I want you to lead a group around back. Christian, you take a group to the right side of the house. Jeremy, you take a group to the left side. Everyone understand?

There were no objections and Caeden took that as enough of an answer.

He switched to his human form and turned the knob.

It didn’t open.

He shifted back into a wolf and warned, Get back.

Everyone was quick to move out of his way. He backed up and braced himself. He ran forward as fast as he could and smashed the door in. Wood splinters flew everywhere and I ducked down to avoid getting nailed in the eye by one.

Bentley, Bryce, and I followed Caeden into the house. The two guys were quick to move behind me so that Caeden and I were in the lead. Some instinct told them to stay out of my way. Smart boys.

Caeden and I followed the scent of Travis upstairs and to a room at the very end of the hallway. We stopped outside, looking at each other carefully, preparing ourselves for what we might be met with.

With a nod, Caeden pushed his wolf body against the door and the hinges broke with the pressure.

I was not expecting the sight that met us.

The room was decorated as a nursery. The walls were yellow with ducks on them and a white crib sat in the middle of the room. There was even a changing table. It was what you’d expect to see in any home with a baby. What you didn’t expect though, was Travis sitting in the corner in a rocking chair, with my baby in his arms, as he fed him from a bottle.

“Shhh,” Travis whispered, “you’ll wake the baby.”

Holy crap. What was this freak show? This had to be the strangest thing I had ever seen. It made no sense. And where were the elders?

Bentley, Bryce, look for the elders. My tone brooked no argument and they quickly left us. I sunk down, stalking forward, my growl filling the room.

I had to figure out how to get to Travis without hurting the baby, and that was easier said then done. My hackles rose and my lips pulled back from my mouth, exposing my teeth. Teeth I wanted to sink into every part of his body and rip him apart.

“Ah, Sophie,” he turned his head, studying me, “I’m surprised to see you alive.”

I couldn’t resist it. I shifted to my human form and Caeden darted in front of me, ready to protect me if he needed to.

“Why did you try to kill me?” I asked through gritted teeth. “You made it seem like we were going to be a family.” I pointed at him and then myself. “What changed?”

He removed the bottle from Beau’s mouth and set it aside. He lifted the baby to his shoulder and patted his back, like he was burping him. “It was obvious that you couldn’t accept our plan. You would’ve been a weakness. Besides, this little guy is the one I really wanted.” He lowered the baby and cradled him in his arms. He reached out with a finger, rubbing Beau’s cheek as he cooed at him.