They took turns jumping back in my car to shift. Meredith and I were covered in nasty. I needed a shower something fierce, but it’d have to wait. We both changed into gray sweats in the other car as the rest were shifting.
While we waited, she handed me a pack of baby wipes, and I cleaned up as best as I could. When it came time for Dastien to shift, I nearly peeked, but stopped myself. Barely.
Once everyone was back to being human, we went in search of the pack.
We found them chowing down on the third floor food court looking completely conspicuous in their all-black getups. It was so strange seeing them among the humans. Normal people going about their day, oblivious to the fact that they were surrounded by werewolves.
A large group of kids and parents were eating burgers and fries. They’d pushed together five tables. Red and blue balloons were tied to the chairs.
Christ. They couldn’t have picked a worse day to have a party at the mall.
The wolves sat scattered among the food court tables. Some stood off to the side, pretending to look in the windows of the nearby stores. I recognized a few from my classes. Including Imogene. A bandage wrapped around her neck, proof that I’d lost control before and could do it again.
Tension stretched thick as the wolves scanned the mall, waiting for something that would never come. Thanks to us. And my cousins’ well-made potions. I was totally going to have to thank them for their awesome packs o’ badass. Maybe if I asked nicely, they’d show me how to make those vials.
I didn’t spot Mr. Hoel until we turned the corner. In the back of the food court next to the bathrooms, a group of werewolves stood around a man. He was standing on a chair addressing the group.
It took me a second to realize that even through all the mall noise, the wolves could hear what he was saying. They might not have been looking at him, but they were listening. The way they moved and nodded with his points and pauses gave it away.
Dastien’s hand warmed the small of my back. “You okay?” He whispered against my ear.
No. I was so not okay. The man was on his soapbox preaching about how even if the vampires didn’t show up they still needed to take the place of superiority tonight.
“They are lesser. They are weak. We’ve been slaves to them for centuries as we kept them safe. Without payment. Without a thank you. Blood shed and lives lost, and they don’t even notice. We cannot hide anymore. Not with cameras everywhere—in buildings, on the streets, in everyone’s hands. We must choose when we reveal ourselves, and the time is now.”
I shoved past Mr. Dawson, Sebastian, and Donovan. Maybe it was the wrong move, but I couldn’t help it. If it made me weaker because I was part-human, then so be it.
I made my way to the center of the group gathered around Mr. Hoel. “Everyone out of my way. Now.”
They scattered at the command.
Dastien moved to stop me, but I shook my head.
Mr. Hoel looked down at me. “Ah yes, the human half-breed here to—”
I didn’t let him finish whatever insult he had. I kicked the chair out from under him, and before he could react, punched him in the face.
When he moved to attack me, Donovan stepped between us. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Dastien grasped my arm. “Come on. Let’s let them handle this.”
I nodded and stepped away. I would’ve apologized to them for going after Mr. Hoel, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I wasn’t sorry.
“Everyone go back to St. Ailbe’s.” The sound of Sebastian’s voice echoed in the mall, and everyone turned to stare at us. “Except for Rupert,” Sebastian said.
The humans looked confused, but then came to whatever conclusions they could as they witnessed the mass exodus of uniformly dressed people.
A few of the wolves had the grace to look embarrassed, but not Imogene. I tried to ignore her as she walked toward me.
Dastien turned us toward the exit and I kept pace beside him.
One second I was thinking about how quickly we could get back so that I could shower, and the next something plowed into me and I was falling two stories to the ground. This time I couldn’t right myself before I hit.
The hard tile cracked against my back. Screams echoed through the mall, but the pain blocked them mostly out. It hurt to breathe, and I was pretty sure I’d broken something.
A foot collided with my side, and I rolled, coughing as I tried to desperately get air into my lungs.
Then everything froze. I wouldn’t have noticed it, except for the sudden silence in the mall. It was mega-eerie.