Shapeshifter

Chapter Twenty-Six: Weapons

I was exhausted, but I couldn't sleep. I just sat in a corner, by myself, and my mind wouldn't shut off. Everyone else was fast asleep, a little more relaxed now that they had a chance for survival; me. I was their hope. I was the strongest now that Mark was out of action, yet still I was the weakest. This pack didn't trust me completely. If I hadn't shown up, none of this would have happened.

A sigh escaped me as I thought far back, to when I was at home. Home. Where I was born. Where I spent the first sixteen years of my life. It had been ages since I last called and guilt crept in. Standing up, I walked into the pack office, taking the phone and then made my way out to the living room, looking out the window, watching the sunrise as I called my brother. The phone was picked up two rings later, a distressed, tired, pained male voice offering a 'Hello?'

"Cal? It's Cj..." I paused, biting my lip. "How... how have you been?"

There was a pause. Something wasn't right. "Amelia is dead."

I almost dropped the phone. "Wha... what?" My stomach twisted into knots.

"Two nights ago. A werewolf came. He killed her. I killed him." My eyes stung. No. This couldn't be happening. "Before I killed the asshole he said you'd know who sent him. I've been up waiting for you to call. I haven't slept. Or eaten. I've just waited."

"Zac." I whispered. It had to be him. There was no one else it could be.

"He a fucking werewolf too? I'm going to rid this damn country of those mutts!" He growled.

I frowned. "Cal, listen to me. I know who has been after me. I finally know. And we are about to-"

"We? Who are you with, Cj?" He demanded.

"It doesn't matter. I'll explain to you in person. Callum, please promise me something."

"What?" He grumbled.

"Don't let a few werewolves make you perceive them all as evil. Not all of them are bad." I said, wishing with all my might that my brother would be forgiving and not attack Sam and Leo. Or me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"Just trust me. Ponder on it. Don't hate them all because of a few idiots. Please." I saw movement outside. "Look I've got to go." He paused, thinking. A wolf came out of the shrubs and I recognised him. Leo. "Marley! Get everyone up! A wolf just came, It's Leo! They must have escaped! Marley!" She ran up the stairs and joined me, calling a few men up, in case Zac was lurking about.

"Cj?" Callum spoke through the phone and I gasped, hanging up. He would have heard me. I bit my lip but it was not the time to worry over my brother. Leo was back. I put the phone down and hurried to the door, opening it and stepping outside. Marley and the four men followed me out and as I peered back at the house, people were at windows, watching.

"Leo!" I shouted excitedly, hurrying over. He shifted and stretched, and there was something that didn't feel right, a wave of something unusual that swept through me. Uncertainty. I didn't trust him.

I shook it off and proceeded. "Did you escape? What about Sebastian and Sam? Are they okay? Where are they?" I threw question after question at him. He remained still as I approached. Something definitely wasn't right. I was right in front of him, and he didn't turn his head to look in my direction. "Leo... look at me." I whimpered as his eyes finally locked onto mine. They were different. Cold. Hard. Evil. Then something else flickered, pain and...

Fear.

"I can't... stop. I'm... sorry." He struggled to say and I just hugged him, tightly.

Pain licked up my body and I yelped, letting go of Leo and reaching my arm back to find the source of pain. My hand hit something and I grasped the handle, pulling it slowly, crying in pain. I removed the object, a knife, and looked at Leo, betrayed. By my best friend. But as I watched him mentally battle with himself, the feeling subsided. It wasn't him. "I don't... I don't want... to do this!" He growled. "Stop!" He fell to his hands and knees then looked up at me. His eyes alternated: good, evil. Good, evil. "Run." He whispered and I shook my head.