The Unexplained Transformation

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑊𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑘

I carefully stepped around the broken items and blood as I made my way towards the back door, hoping for some sign of Ryan. My nose was filled with the scent of blood and what I could only describe as the smell of a dead body. A wave of nausea flowed over me as I saw Ryan's mothers body, splayed over the floor, covered in bites and claw marks that oozed with blood.
I slowly stripped off my shirt and shorts and shifted as I got out the back door where I could finally pick up Ryan's scent. I quickly picked up my clothes in my mouth and sped off in the direction he had gone.
I ran around the trees and bushes while easily leaping over the fallen logs and larger rocks before I found Ryan. He was holding onto two women who were crying behind him, pressed against a tree he stood in a defensive position. I quietly made my way behind a tree where I shifted back and slipped my clothes on before stepping out and heading towards Ryan.
Two tan coloured wolves were growling at him and the women, their yellowing teeth barred and dripping with saliva. Mick and Daniel. Though now their eyes were green, not blue so I guess they got a promotion when Conor was kicked out.
"Please, we didn't do anything!" Ryan pleaded and he kept his arms defensively in front of the women
"She's pregnant! You can't do this to her!" The smaller of the two said through tears.
The two wolves just growled in response.
You know it's wrong to hurt a baby Mick
Shut up, alpha's orders trump unborn foetus.
They argued back and forth about who should bite first before I stepped out into the small clearing and the stopped.
"Why are you attacking three defenceless people? Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" I teased
Alpha said to kill what's close to you. Couldn't find your little rogue bitch so we kidnapped your buddy here one of them growled, an evil grin tinting his words
If either of you even breathe on any of these people I'll rip you both to shreds I warned, stepping between them and Ryan.
"Luka, no!" Ryan called
"It's okay Ry, I got this" I assured him
"Leave now, tell your Alpha whatever he needs to hear" I demanded of the wolves.
We are dead if he finds out one said softly
And you're dead if you try anything here. Leave I repeated, stepping forward
"Don't make me force you" I added and both of the wolves began backing up slowly before turning on their heels and running away.
"You're Luka Stone" one of the women said softly from behind Ryan who still had his arms out in front of them.
"Yes, how do you know me?" I asked, turning around
"They all know you. You're like some big time celebrity with the werewolves" Ryan said as he lowered his arms and wrapped one around the pregnant woman
"You know about werewolves?" I asked him
"Well, I'd had a feeling about them for a while now but when I was dragged out of my house by a giant ass wolf it kind of clicked" he shrugged as he helped the woman sit on a nearby log
"Speaking of, I hope my parents don't freak out if I'm not home" he added, a worried look washing over his face briefly.
He didn't know. I could still smell the faint odour of blood and bodies from my feet, despite trying to avoid it. How do I even tell him his parents are dead?
"Oh, Luka, this is Rijeka, and that is Abby. They were in the dungeon with me, along with their mates Lyall and Farkas. Mason and Laura were there too, but they got taken" Ryan said, his voice was showing he was worried but he had a brave face on show for the women he was helping.
"It's nice to meet you both. Look, Ry, get these two back to my house, you should all be safe there. Alexis and Conor said the other wolves don't like to go near there and they should be back by tomorrow anyway" I said as I helped Rijeka up.
"Luka, please. You have to help our mates. They were holding the guards back so we could run" Abby cried as she grabbed my hand
"I'll see what I can do" I offered, with gentle eyes.
"I should get home and let my mum know I'm safe" Ryan said
"Ryan?" I asked softly
"I'm sorry. I was at your house to pick you up and the door was open" I started, his eyes began to twist from his usually gentle look to a worried stare
"What happened?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly
"I'm not sure entirely but they didn't make it" I finished. I watched as Ryan's face showed his heart breaking, his eyes began to fill with tears and his cheeks flushed red.
Ryan dropped onto the log where Rijeka was now sitting again, tears flowing down her cheeks as one hand rubbed her stomach and her other pulled Ryan into a hug.
"I'm sorry Ryan, I really am" I added, unsure of how to react or what to do to help him as his shoulders started vibrating with his quiet sobs on Rijeka's shoulder.
"Her baby" Abby said softly to me
"She has an ability that allows her to see an aura around people and when their emotions are high she begins to feel them. Rijeka has been able to for the last month of her pregnancy" she continued before sitting down on the other side of Ryan and rubbing his back.
"I'll go find your mates, you three should head to my house. Ryan has been there a few times but that's from the road so if you head out this way"I began as I pointed off into the trees.
I finished giving the directions to my house and waved goodbye before heading off in the direction Mick and Daniel had gone in search for Lyall and Farkas.

********

I wasn't walking for long before I heard faint sobbing and pleading sounds coming from behind a few trees. I slowly made my way towards the noise where I found a large man haunched over another in a large clearing with a few buildings scattered. The overwhelming smell of blood filling my senses again.
"I'm so sorry Farkas, I wasn't fast enough" he cried as he held what seemed to be his friends lifeless body
"Lyall?" I asked cautiously, my eyes scanning the numerous dead bodies littered through the clearing. Some were only parts of bodies.
"Who are you?" He demanded as he shot to his feet and stood in a defensive stance over his friend
"My name is Luka, I found your partner and her friend with my friend Ryan" I stated clearly as I raised my arms as if a gun was pointed at me.
"Luka? Stone?" He questioned, his body softening slightly
"Yes. Rijeka and Abby, they told me you were here. Ryan said you were all held captive by my father and uncle" I slowly advanced towards him as he stepped back and dropped to the ground again
"Are they okay?" He asked, tears filling his auburn eyes
"Yes, they are both well. The baby too. Ryan has taken them to my house so they are safe. You should go there"
"I'm not leaving him. I said I'd have his back and I didn't. I failed him, Luka" he cried, grabbing his friends body and pulling it against him
"What happened here?" I asked before repressing a gag as I noticed a bloody, decapitated head laying nearby.
"We fought. Like brothers. The same as we always did. Side by side, nothing got through us. Someone was hiding though, he came up behind us and sent his hand straight into Farkas' back and ripped out his heart. I snapped his neck so fast I ripped it off" he confessed as tears rolled down his blood stained cheeks
"My father ripped my mothers heart out like that" I said softly
"I know. He was gloating about it" Lyall spoke with hatred and his eyes glowed with a dark black as he stared at his fallen brother
"They have taken the rest of the pack to the Storm Forest pack's land. I'll take Farkas to Abby then I'll kill the Alpha's" he said, standing up and lifting Farkas' body.
"You need to be with Reijka and your baby. Stay with them, I'll send anyone else there as I can. Leave the Alpha's to me"
"May the moon goddess guide you my friend, you are true" he bowed his head before he began running off and I began heading to find my father.