Chapter Twenty-Two - Carried out by the Riptide

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As soon as the game was over, Bates was on his feet.

"I think I'm gunna head home, boys and girls," he said, stretching. "I've endured a trauma tonight that has left me needing some rest."

Luca just shook his head as he stood up, Blaine following suit with a wide yawn. We followed each other upstairs to the living room.

"It is way past my bedtime," I said looking at the clock and noticing it was nearly midnight.

"You're an old woman," Bates told me, walking towards the front door.

"I like to get up early," I defended.

I flipped on the porch light.

As soon as I stepped out onto the front porch with Bates, I froze.

There was a mangy, ash-blond wolf in Luca's front yard, staring at us with eyes that glowed in the porch light.

Before I could say a word, Luca ripped past me and leapt from the porch, skipping all three steps down as he shifted mid-air into a large wolf with thick, black fur.

His clothes landed in strips of fabric next to me, but I hardly had time to notice before a growl that was deep enough to cause shivers down my spine echoed throughout the clearing.

Luca and the wolf, which was puny in comparison, circled each other for a moment. Luca snarled and snapped his teeth before the stranger shifted back into its human form.

Shocked, I recognized the man who now stood naked on the front lawn.

"Johnathan?" I couldn't help but whisper.

His blond hair was a bit longer now, compared to the cropped style he normally kept, but he still maintained the sharp cheekbones and blue eyes I knew him for.

Hearing me, he turned to glance in my direction.

That was when Luca lunged.

"Stop!" I screamed, running off the porch.

I was tackled into the grass from behind as I watched Luca's teeth sink into Johnathan's shoulder, sending him to the ground as well.

Turning, I was shocked to see that it was Bates pinning me to the ground.

"The hell's the matter with you?" He yelled. "You don't jump in between two fighting wolves, especially when one is an Alpha!"

I turned back over to see Blaine had shifted also, carefully circling the pair as though he were waiting for his turn to jump in.

Although, it didn't seem like Luca needed the backup.

Johnathan was screaming as Luca crouched from behind him, his teeth still embedded in Jonathan's shoulder as he yanked and ripped him backwards.

"Stop!" I screamed again. "I know him!"

To my surprise and relief, Luca released him and let out another low growl.

Johnathan laid on his back in the grass for a moment, trying to catch his breath before sitting up slightly and groaning in pain. Blood dripped down his shoulder and was smeared against his neck and the side of his face.

Despite this, he stood to his feet.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked him, pushing Bates off of me.

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