Blue Moon (Colors of the Moon #1)

Chapter 37

Larry's name ripped out of my throat, while the bang of a fired shot continued to echo through the giant room.

No, this couldn't be.

As fast as my feet would take me, I limped across the empty room and down the hallway leading up to the wide open doorway. The moment I stepped out of the hideout my eyes landed on the clearing in front of me and I froze.

In the middle of the clearing where once at least fifty women had been gathered, now lay a single heap of fur. The wolf was lying on its side, completely motionless.

Before I could take my first step closer, a shine of movement on my right caught my eye. Walking closer and closer toward the fallen wolf was the hunter Kevin. Just like me, he had a gun nestled in his right hand, however, opposite to me he was aiming his weapon.

Directly onto Larry.

Before he could even finish another step toward him, I lifted my arms. With both of my hands wrapped around the gun I took aim and without a second of hesitation squeezed the trigger. A loud bang pierced the surrounding silence and a second later a loud scream in pain followed it.

Kevin still stood on the same spot as before, but now he was clutching his hands together. And the gun from before was lying carelessly on the ground several feet away.

A flush of bile rose up my throat when I saw the blood dripping down from his injured hand, but I couldn't make myself regret shooting him. It had been either I shot him or he would have shot Larry.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

Despite my words I focused my eyes back on Kevin. This time I hesitated for a heartbeat, wondering if it was really necessary. Then I remembered what the hunters had done to Larry and I squeezed the trigger.

A second after another loud shot disrupted the surrounding silence, Kevin fell onto the ground. This time the bullet had embedded itself in his calf. The shot was clear enough to let me know he wouldn't die, but at the same time it was enough to assure me that he wouldn't been moving any time soon.

My now shaking arms slumped downwards, while my eyes snapped back to Larry's still unmoving form. With an even unsteadier footing I limped over to him. By the time I reached his side, his light brown fur had already been replaced with his frail skin.

"Larry?" I laid the gun onto the earth and knelt down next to him.

The said werewolf was lying on his stomach, while the earth underneath him began to turn into a darker and darker color.

"Larry?" I called his name, but there was no answer.

I was just about to turn him over onto his back, to get a better look at his wound, when a flash of movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. A pale hand was reaching for the gun still resting beside me, so I lunged forward. Just before she would, I wrapped my hand around the gun and aimed it at the person now standing three steps away from me.

Aiko.

"Get away from him," I ordered, while keeping my eyes focused straight on her.

Despite the deadly weapon aimed directly at her, Aiko remained rooted to her spot. There wasn't a single emotion breaking through her emotionless expression. Not even a drop of fear at the sight of being threatened with a gun.

"I mean it, Aiko. Move away from Larry."

"Oh, I know you do." Even her voice was drained of all emotions. "Just like I know you're never going to shoot me."

"You don't know that." I grabbed the gun with my left hand as well, while trying to ignore the way the weapon shook.

"Of course, I do. I'm your sister. You're never going to shoot your own sister."