Big Bad Wolfie novel Chapter 83

After we found Rose and trainer Marco, he and I drove to a hill near the west edge of the territory where it was deserted and quiet, while everyone else took their own places.

I spoke into the ear piece that lets me communicate with the others, "Check, check. Can everyone hear me? Over."

I got all affirmative responses.

On the hill we'll have the high ground and a visual on anything that's approaching before it has a visual on us.

Not that visual means much to hybrids with their keen sense of hearing and smell, but it's something.

"Alright guys, now that the coms are back online, you know the plan" I grunted into the earpiece. "Draw the hybrid army to the hills on the west corner. We'll use weapon number 5543 and this war will be finished in one battle. Over."

If only there were actually a weapon that could do such a thing.

"What about The King? Over." Rose questioned like we planned.

"Does anybody have eyes on him? Over." I played along.

Everyone said no, as expected.

"If anyone gets a visual on him call it in immediately. If he shows up here without his army the weapon is useless and we're all screwed. Over." I tried my best to act panicked.

There's no way this is gonna work.

"Are you sure it doesn't work on him? Over," Happy interjected.

"Yes. 5543 targets their hive mind. If the king comes and disconnects the sonic holocron arc reactor," hopefully no hybrids are fans of space adventures from a galaxy far far away or super hero hi-jinx, "the jig is up. Over."

"Got it. Drawing front lines towards West Hills now, over." Wolfie responded with one of the first true statements this entire conversation.

. . . Hopefully this was enough to convince the Hybrid King not to take the risk of leading his troops here.

Silence followed over the earpieces but I could still hear the battle going on in the distance.

I guess this is as good a time as any to see if they really do have hive mind.

"Our forces are drawing back there but they're not following, Maria. Over," Wolfie told the group.

Marco and I looked at each other.

Oh my goddess.

For once the hybrids' ability to listen in to radio conversations is going to be to their detriment.

"What?" I couldn't keep the excitement out of my voice, though I'm sure it could easily be confused with panic.

I can't believe this is actually about to work.

I'm gonna kill this b*tch for everything he's done.

I'm not excited about it.

I don't get excited about killing things.

But after all the death he's caused, after my parents, after Desi. . . I'm certainly not going to feel bad about it.

"They're not following to the hills. Over," Wolfie repeated.

Good.

"Try harder. Over," I demanded, which actually meant get back here for backup, but only we know that.

Suddenly the world got a little quieter.

The birds in the forest stopped flying, the crickets weren't chirping, and the rodents had taken shelter underground.

Even the wind blowing through the trees seems to have been scared off.

I slowly turned to the forest behind the hill. Marco, one of the best warriors I've met, the one who taught me and my friends everything, followed.

We were scared.

We knew this would happen. This is what we wanted.

But I could still feel my own fear crawling up my spine and into my throat to suffocate me.

The numbness that had taken hold of me after watching Desi die was gone in an instant, like it was never there. It gave me the strength to climb up this hill, and the rage I felt towards him for killing my parents and cousin gave me the courage to wait for him. But now that he is here, all that is left is the utter terror from my nightmares. I don't have to worry about finding the courage to stay here because I'm hopelessly paralyzed in my place.

I don't know how good I am at hiding the dread, but Marco is doing fine. The only thing tipping me off to his fear being the uncertainty behind his usually confident gaze.

Then his figure emerged from the tree line miles away.

And suddenly I have tunnel vision.

All I see is him.

Marco is gone. . . I'm alone. . . With him.

I don't even feel the pain from holding my breath too long.

All I feel is fear.

I can't even think about running, or fighting, or breathing.

I've just never wanted the world the open up and swallow me whole more than I do in this moment.

Within a second he was on the hill with us.

And I realized this moment already topped the last one.

"Hello."

Kill me.

Just end it. I can't do this. I can't.

His voice is a disturbing mix of animal and human.

Almost like Wolfie's gets when his wolf speaks through him only if he was possessed by evil incarnate.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I felt someone with sharp claws put their hands on me.

But it was only Marco in attack mode grasping my hand.

I hadn't even noticed, how could I when my brain is consumed by terror, that my own claws were out and they were digging into my own arms making long, ugly scratches.

I heard Marco talking, but I couldn't tell you what he said if you paid me.

"You look familiar. And you obviously know me."

Why must you play with your food? Just get it over with, please.

After I didn't respond, he tilted his head in a way that reminded me of Desi.

If Desi came back from the dead as a zombie possessed by a demon who was tilting their head curiously at their next meal.

"I humored your little trick. I'm here. What now little girl? I don't have time for many more games."

I didn't feel myself clawing at my skin, but I did feel the tears fall.

I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't.

The sun started to set behind the king of monsters.

With my heightened senses, it made it look like there was an all consuming red fire ball coming to take us all to h3ll, surrounding his dark figure.

You'd think with the scars, white sinister eyes, and murderous fangs hidden by the shadow he'd look less monstrous.