Moonlit Shadows

Doubts and Decisions

The battlefield was silent except for the crunching of large paws through the snow. Jungkook had come to stand behind Jaci, resting his nose on her shoulder. He breathed out a rumbling huff, and his breath became vapors in the air. Jaci's shoulders were still shaking, but no sounds were coming from her.

Derrick's body laid motionless in the snow, the blood slowly ceasing its flow from his side. Jungkook wasn't particularly fond of the man, but he felt he needed to respect that he had been Jaci's mentor. But that was all Jungkook was choosing to respect.

"Ugh," came a raspy voice from behind Jungkook. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Taehyung looking around blankly.

"Tell me that bastard is dead," grumbled Taehyung, letting Sunny help him sit up.

"Shh, Tae. Jaci's grieving," mumbled Sunny, pressing her hand to Taehyung's mouth.

Taehyung rolled his eyes and sat silently, secretly wondering when his life became so hen-pecked.

* * *

"Jaci, what can I do to help you?"

Jungkook reached out to her first. Hoping the bond could help them communicate without embarrassing her or upsetting her too much. But all he received was silence.

He gently nudged her neck with his nose and waited for a few more moments.

"Jaci? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah..."

"How do I help you?"

"I'm angry."

Jungkook was not expecting that answer. It was expected for her to be a bit upset about Derrick's demise, but after everything that had been revealed, would Jaci really be angry with him?

"At me?" he asked shamelessly. He was hoping above all hope that the answer would be no.

"No...not at you. I don't want to come across as rude, but can you get out of my head for a bit? I just want some time to process. Alone."

Jungkook felt hurt by her statement. But who was he to argue with what she wanted?

He backed away from her and headed towards his pack, casting one more hopeful look back at her, but she didn't meet his gaze.

"Take as long as you need, but we have to dispose of these bodies."

"Fine."

Jaci pushed herself up to her feet, looking down at Derrick's face with a confusing mix of sadness and disappointment. Then without so much as looking up from the ground, she headed off into the woods.

* * *

Jungkook whimpered as he watched her go. His wolf was whining, wanting desperately to console its mate, but she was silent as well, meaning neither he nor Jungkook were wanted.

Sunny quickly stood to her feet and started to walk after Jaci, but a cold hand grabbed her ankle.

"No, let me. She's had enough coddling. It's time for her to buck up and face the music." Taehyung scowled as he stood to his feet and stomped off after Jaci.

Sunny's eyebrows shot up and she looked over to see Jungkook's reaction, but he was already checking on his pack mates, tail and head both low to the ground.

Sunny looked at the dead Hunters. Hopefully, this fight would send a message to the Society to not come back to Blood Mountain, but she really had no confidence in that. Hunters hated to leave loose ends and right now there was an entire mountain full of them.