Free Me From the Wolves

[36] What Forges Obsidian

As soon as I got to the old Everton house, I knew something was wrong. My senses were heightened not for the generations of Everton werewolf legacy embracing my presence, but because my wolf was alarmed. And in that same instance, it was as if she awoke and howled out to Ryder's wolf who had been hibernating until this point.

I climbed up the stairs and noticed the front door to be open behind the closed screen. This was when I was sure my instincts were still intact. At one sniff of the air once inside, I smelled Preston and something else resembling acetone above the faint scent of Andrew, Aaron and Ryder. This mixture of aroma was sharp and direct like a map leading right to the intruder. I led me right upstairs to a room I could guess was my father's. Preston's right hand was on the dresser until he saw me enter the doorway. I don't know what I expected from Preston in terms of his health, but this wasn't it.

Though his marbled skin was gone, he still had the more serious cuts and bruises along with the mold for his broken nose. Instead of looking like every damaged vein was exposed, he looked as if he only had the damage of Ryder and Colin because the full moon washed away any effects that a witch could have done. But maybe that wasn't true because he limped and curved his back as if adjusting to his very real internal wounds. Aside from that, he wore a t-shirt and jeans like he didn't just escape a hospital a few days ago.

When his eyes met mine, they weren't the light caramel color I knew him with. They were a dark, unrecognizable color that truly matched who he was as a person. And still, even though one characteristic of himself was shown on his attractive face, there was one thing that prevailed: his arrogant smirk.

"4253 Obsidian Pass," he recited. "Do you know the origin of obsidian rocks?"

I didn't respond to him. I only took a step backwards while surveying the room and seeing a canister that had a flammability warning on it. My eyes widened and Preston took a step towards me.

"When lava immediately cools without crystallizing, obsidian is formed," Preston answered himself. "It's glossy and black and beautiful. People risk their lives to obtain it sometimes."

"What are you doing here?" I muttered to him. He laughed and looked around the room like someone admiring the ceilings painted by Renaissance artists.

"Don't you think it's crazy how much magic is in this house that it's already been through a fire and it's still standing and getting stronger every day?" When he asked this, I understood that Preston was actually crazy now. I also understood the very real fear of him lighting the place on fire judging by the surrounding smell of a flammable agent he could've poured everywhere. He took another step forward, causing me to take another one to bump into the frame of the door. He laughed once more after scoffing. "I'm not going to hurt you, Ashlynn," but this wasn't said lightly or as truth because he kept walking near me and I turned to run away.

By this time, I was already down the stairs and he had grabbed me due to jumping over all the stairs. He spun me to face him and I was feeling my eyes burning and my teeth sharpening at the threat. He glared at me as if he was going to flash his rank in his eyes, but in return, they became lined with red veins that caused his eyes to water and him to throw me away from him in pain. From the floor, I realized that the wood was already moist from whatever he poured.

"The first fire was set by an Everton and ended up killing all but two of them," Preston began while rubbing one of his eyes with one hand and reaching into his pocket with the other. "After that, everything went haywire because of your father...Now, I'm setting a fire to get rid of this house and this legacy so no pack has to deal with the bullshit repercussions the Everton family has caused. God, I hope it ends with you—"