Under A Blue Moon | #ONC2022

Chapter 10

I glanced at the clock. Ten past five. My phone, tossed from one hand to the other as I paced around the room. This was taking too long. We needed to be back and preferably with a solution.

"You know, pacing around like that isn't going to make any of this go faster," Penny said while typing away on her phone. I scowled at the witch. But I decided to take a seat next to her.

"Well, do you have anything?"

"Not yet. He's doing some tests."

"Great."

I leaned my head against the wall and watched the long hand of the clock tick by each minute. It was excruciating. Nothing about this day had gone to plan and it was safe to say that it was just going to get even worse by nightfall.

Robin had texted me earlier, said the pack was under lockdown and that a few members of the Belmont pack were coming to help just in case. I laughed at that. They didn't believe there would be another attack, yet here they were bringing in reinforcements.

I was kind of surprised they stayed. I half expected the Belmont's to be gone by the morning, but they weren't. Instead, they were out helping those injured and were now prepping for the inevitable. Something which I should be doing as well instead of sitting on my ass.

But what use would you be? Without my ability to shift I was basically human. A wave of sadness washed over me. I blinked back the sudden tears that sprang forth. I wasn't going to cry. Especially not in front of the witch.

Five more minutes went past when Elaine – Penny's cousin – walked through the door that led into her office-like space. Penny said she would be able to heal Logan and help us with our little issue. Which was why we were currently in her living room.

"Is he okay?" I asked shooting to my feet. Behind her, I caught a glimpse of Logan pulling his shirt over his head. His back muscles were taut with scratches that were almost completely healed.

Elaine nodded. "He'll be fine. I applied a herbal salve that should speed up his healing. Not that he needs it, being a wolf and all." She muttered the last part more to herself than anyone else and eyed me warily. I wanted to snap back saying I wasn't a wolf, but I held my tongue.

"So, you think your pack is cursed huh?" Elaine stated more than asked, crossing her arms. I suddenly felt like I was about to be reprimanded by my mother.

I opened my mouth to respond, but Penny interrupted. "Results are back. There was nothing in your blood. He also asked around to see if there was any talk about a necromancer in the area, but there was nothing."

I rubbed a hand down my face. Back to square one.

"Are you positive what attacked you were corpses and not some...magical creature maybe?" Elaine asked.

"They were skeletons. Some were even still in the decomposing process. What else could they possibly be?"

Elaine studied the floor. Quiet with thought. "We need to check if your pack or your land has been cursed. The fact that it happened only last night means it would have to be something introduced into your pack recently." Like another pack, but I didn't say that. Truth be told a lot has changed in recent months. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

"We'll need access to your lands," Elaine said. I tensed. Most hadn't seen a witch before and there was no question of the welcome they would get. But if this was the only way to save the pack, then they would have to suck it up.

"How long would your testing take?"

"Using the power from the blue moon, it wouldn't take me long. The more powerful the curse the easier it will be to find. Once we can identify the curse, we can break it, and all of this will be over." One can only hope.

I pulled my phone out and sent a quick message to Addie telling her that I found a witch that could help us, but I needed her to ask dad for permission to let me bring them to pack lands. He probably wouldn't be happy with it, but Addie always managed to get her way. She would get me permission.

"What if it isn't a curse?" Penny asked.

Elaine was silent and when I looked up, she had a troubled look. "If it isn't a curse then that leaves necromancy. If there is a necromancer in town, then we're all in trouble. Not just the wolves."

My phone vibrated and I looked to see Addie had texted back.

"Well, guess we'll find out tonight. I was just given permission to let you two on our lands."

I crossed my fingers and prayed that this was an easy fix. But then again, when is it ever?