Chapter Three

                                    

                                          
My room felt crowded. I felt like I was suffocating on everything going on downstairs. My skin had dried blood on it, flaking. The silky shirt I had on was spattered with blood. I just couldnt feel. I was numb.
                          
Addelynn was gone. That's two of the most important people in my life. Taken away from me in the blink of an eye. My wolf howled in agony. As close as we were in human form, our wolves were closer. A pack wasn't just a group, it was a family.
                          
My mind replayed the scene helplessly.
                          
Addelynn was running for me, her eyes bright. I smiled and held out my arms. Then, as though from nowhere, a grey blur swooped by, there one minute, gone the other next. And in a horrific slow motion, I watched as Addelynn's body dropped to the ground, her throat slit.
                          
Panic erupted. Demetri and Connor didn't miss a beat, following the blur. I screamed and ran the distance to Addelynn's, collapsing next to her. I picked her up, holding her against my chest. Her eyes were so dull, devoid of the once glowing bright life. I buried my face in her hair as I screamed again, the sound empty in my chest. The rest of the boys huddled around the girls and I, on high alert.
                          
My heart broke again. I yelled at her, at the sky. I screamed as loud as I could, my throat raw. The boys came back into the clearing, shaking their heads sadly. Demetri was behind me, kneeling down and placing his hand on my shoulder. I ignored him as I cried, little pathetic wailing.
                          
"Misty."
                          
I barely hears him. I was completely numb. It all seemed so...surreal.
                          
"Misty. Let's call the Council."
                          
More tears flowed down my cheeks. I could still smell her on my clothes, hear her laughter. Who had done this? Why did they kill Addelynn? Was Lawrence trying to make an point?
                          
My wolf growled a warning. I growled back, sending her images of nine years prior. She backed grudgingly. She was still angry I would think of our Mate like that. I ignored her and laid my face in my arms.
                          
I was curled up on my bed and held my knees to my chest. My room was dull. I didn't have to look at it to see the pictures of my friends and I. Addelynn was in a good portion of them. She'd been under my care since she was a young pup.
                          
I smelled someone at the door and looked up to see Matthew. He looked like a skeleton. He had a bruise on his right cheek from when he'd tried to take me from Addelynn. I felt bad.
                          
"Hey, champ," he said quietly. "You okay?"
                          
"No," I croaked. My throat was so raw it hurry to even utter that one syllable.
                          
He shifted his feet. "They'd like to see you downstairs."
                          
My heart fell. I'd have to face her parents and mine. If have to face my Alpha and Beta. And, worst of all, Lawrence. Sucking it up, I slowly moved from my bed and went to the door. Matthew put an arm around me and led me down the stairs.
                          
All eyes went to me. Addelynn's parents, Josephine and Aaron, say on the couch. They gave me smiles and my eyes went to my Alpha and Beta. They waved me over, where I bowed my head.
                          
"Alpha, Beta," I said hoarsely.
                          
"MistyAnne," my Alpha said. "Firstly, we want to tell you, no one blames you. It is not your fault. Do you understand?"