Fan Fiction ❯ Shape Shift 1: La Manada ❯ Chapter 6

Jinx dropped the body of Disturbance beside Hellhound and backed up, against Trouble and Chaos. Riot's Pack, having just watched two of their friends die by these girls' fangs and claws, were unsure. No one wanted to try next. Trouble looked at Riot. "Well?"

A strangled growl in her throat, Charm flew at Bloodbath. With an answering snarl, Bloodbath braced herself, catching Charm and throwing her to the ground. Charm rolled to her feet and moved toward Clash's daughter, once again. None could quite follow Bloodbath's hand, but when they looked again, Charm was dead. Where her throat used to be was a big, gaping hole. Opening her blood-soaked hand, Bloodbath dropped Charm's flesh beside her body, and then looked up. "Hey, guys." They stared at her. All but Trickster were remembering the little girl with red curls and flashing, silver eyes. She'd left the Pack when she came of age, her hair darker and straight, but her eyes still gleaming silver daggers. A Lone Wolf for years, she had heard of this feud with Riot, Prank and some Kittens. The entire Night World knew about it. Knowing she'd find Clash and Anarchy with Prank, she'd come to help.

Bloodbath looked at Diablo. "Aren't you even going to say hi?" she asked. He swallowed, staring at the Shi Wolf he'd once thought would be his Life Mate. "Hi," he whispered, hoarsely. "That's enough, you two," said Echo. "We have to find Jinx." "Then let's go," said Bloodbath, leading the way.

They found them easily enough. With Chaos screaming obscenities and curses at Riot, it would've been hard not to find them. "Riot!" Riot spun around. "So, little brother to the rescue again? Remember last time? That little blond that you buried in the woods?" A low growl came from Diablo's throat. Riot laughed. "Get a grip, Diablo. She had you in a mind web. Think about it and you'll know I'm right." Diablo looked away, refusing to accept what he'd already figured out for himself. "I see our girls have been giving you paybacks," said Clash, gesturing to the two dead Wolves on the ground. Having fled when their Lead Shi was killed, Confusion, Amulet and Siren slunk into Riot's Pack. "They killed Charm," said Siren. "Big deal. Which one?" asked Creep. "This one," said Bloodbath, stepping forward. "Hi, Creeper." His jaw dropped. "I guess the gang's all here. How touching," said Riot, sarcastically. "So, what now?" asked Trickster. "Now, we kill each other," said Riot, shifting into Wolf form. "Sounds fun," Bloodbath said, also shifting. One by one, each Wolf shifted, until it was just Trouble, Jinx and Chaos, standing between two angry Packs.

"Trouble?" "Huh?" "I think we better move," said Jinx. "I think if we move, they'll attack each other," Chaos said, staring at the Wolf that was Prank. He, Diablo, Discord, Bloodbath and Echo were making their way slowly toward them. Riot stepped forward, growling in warning.

"I swear it! I was going to go pee and I saw them change! There was a bunch of guys and they turned into Wolves!" All Wolves and Kittens froze at the annoying, human girl's voice. "Shut up, Trina! We're going, aren't we!?" said an exasperated male. By unspoken, mutual agreement, Riot's Pack disappeared into the trees. Chaos, Jinx and Trouble slid onto Prank, Echo and Discord's backs and the Pack silently moved into the safety of the forest's shadows. They faintly heard three human men laughing. "Trina, there's nothing here!" Then, the girl again. "But, Adrian, I swear, I saw it! It's not funny, Micah! Ty! You guys, it's not funny! I swear, I saw it!" "Trina, go home and sleep it off…"

Diablo grabbed Prank's arm and pulled him outside. They'd just reached home and Chaos, Jinx and Trouble were finding Bloodbath something clean to wear. Diablo closed the front door, and then turned to Prank.

"You didn't take him. You had the chance. Why didn't you take it?" Diablo demanded. Prank was silent. "Dammit, Prank, why didn't you kill Riot when you could've!?" Prank exploded. "He's my brother, Diablo! It's not that fucking easy!" "He's responsible for Discord's death! Even if it was just a mind web she had me in, she didn't deserve to die like that!" "You think I don't know that!? I can't bring her back, Diablo. And I can't kill my brother." He said the last part quietly. That was when Diablo flew at him. Both shifted into Wolf form when they slammed together.

Hearing the fight, the Pack ran outside, Jinx, Trouble and Chaos in their midst. "Prank, stop it!" Chaos screamed. Anarchy grabbed her around the waist to keep her from jumping between them. No one was holding Clash, though. Shifting into Wolf form, in mid-leap, he jumped into the fight.

Amid all the screams and teeth and claws, nobody saw exactly who ripped Clash open from his hind leg to his front leg. At the yelp of pain, however, Prank and Diablo shifted back to their human forms. "Clash?"

He was lying in the dirt, in human form, bleeding all over the place, torn from hipbone to shoulder on his left side. Everyone there knew he wouldn't survive this one. Diablo knelt by his side and Clash reached up and grabbed his shoulder. "Take care of Bloodbath, Diablo. Swear you'll take care of my girl." Diablo nodded, slowly. "Okay, Clash, I swear. I'll take care of Bloodbath," he whispered. With a defeated sigh, Clash closed his eyes. His hand dropped from Diablo's shoulder and it was over.

Prank, on Clash's other side, looked at Diablo. Their eyes met, with a silent truce. Then, both of them looked at the Pack.

Jinx and Trouble had buried their faces in Echo and Discord's shirts. Trickster was turned away, unsure of how to react. Anarchy, staring, stricken, at his dead father, was still holding Chaos. She was fighting his grasp, trying to get to Prank, with tears running down her face. Bloodbath's gaze met Diablo's, her eyes burning like silver fire.

"Let her go," said Prank, quietly. Anarchy released Chaos and she ran into Prank's arms. Bloodbath spoke up. "Diablo and Prank, go change your clothes, then get out here and help me bury my father." No one contested her.

"What are you gonna do now?" Diablo asked Bloodbath, as the others went inside. "Why?" "You heard Clash. I made a promise and I intend on keeping it." "So, what? You want my agenda now? Fine, I'm gonna dig a hole, put my dad in it, fill in the hole, then go tear Riot apart. Satisfied?" He sighed. "I need to know you won't run away again. That you won't betray me again." She spun on him. "Me!? If I recall correctly, it was you who cheated on me, remember? You expected me to stick around after that?" Diablo stared at her, confused. "Whoa, back up! Cheated on you? What the fuck are you talking about?" "Think back, Diablo, think real hard! The night after you proposed to me, you went out partying. Everyone but you and Charm came back, then she shows up, claiming to be pregnant! Any of this coming back to you?" She started to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "First of all, I didn't go to that party that night. I was with Prank and your brother. We came back around midnight and Riot said you were out with Rebel. I never saw you again after that!" "I was out looking for you! Anyway, you believed Riot?" "You believed Charm?" he countered. Her defensive stance relaxed, slightly. He looked down at his hand, holding her arm. He was thinking about how tiny her hands were, next to his, when he saw it. Set in pure silver, shaped specifically to fit her small hand, the obsidian and ruby yin-yang looked exactly as it had the day he slid it into place. He looked up. She was watching him. "You kept it?" "I never took it off," she whispered. "Christ," he muttered, right before she pulled him down to kiss her.

"Prank, what was it about?" asked Chaos, quietly. She was sitting on the bed, her feet tucked under her, watching him pace. He sighed and sat down, lying back, with his head in her lap. "I had a chance to kill Riot tonight. Once, just for a moment, his throat was completely exposed and unprotected. I had a clear shot and I didn't take it." She cradled his head in her arm and brushed the hair off his forehead with her other hand. "He's your brother, Baby. It's okay. Everything you've ever been taught about family and Pack loyalties is working against you." "Yeah, but, Disorder. Clash too, in a way. I can't sit back and watch my Pack die." Chaos kissed his temple. "Calm down, Prank. You'll think of something. In the meantime, however, there's something we should talk about."