The Summer Moon
Chapter 32 -

Malia

My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to push my way out of the two girls' arms surrounding me. "Don't touch me," I repeated over and over again as I stared across the patio to see the giant black wolf that had replaced Ty's body. Any trace of the warm fuzzy feeling I had from the alcohol had now faded. My body had turned to ice, and a chill ran down my spine as the wolf in front of us growled towards us. Would he hurt us?

I tried to take a step back but the girls continued to hold my body as I flailed my arms. I couldn't take my eyes off the wolf. My heart felt like it was breaking in half. Ty. The other wolf had changed back into Jesse's body and mind raced so fast it felt like my head was going to explode. They were shape-shifters, they all were.

I recognized those same soft eyes in the black wolf. They were Ty's eyes, dark and mysterious. But now they were filled with sadness, staring at me behind the fur of a wolf. He almost looked afraid as he looked between me and the two girls I was with.

Suddenly, he turned and ran faster than anything I'd ever seen towards the trees that bordered the property. My eyes followed him and I felt my breathing pick up. Where is he going? Is he coming back?

I stopped struggling and let my arms fall to my sides. The girls stepped back slightly to give me my space but still were close enough to grab me if needed. I couldn't move, my body felt frozen in place. I had to be dreaming. I was going to wake up soon. This would all be over and I'd be back in bed with Ty upstairs in Jesse's room. I must've fallen asleep.

Emily kneeled at Jesse's side, completely okay with the fact that she had just watched her brother change back from a wolf's body. "Girls, I need you to help me get him inside," Emily said, standing up. The two girls that had been holding me nodded their heads.

"Malia, just stay right here, okay? We'll be right back," Emily looked over to say to me. I nodded my head, still staring off into the distance where the wolf had gone. I wasn't even listening to what she said anymore, my mind had completely closed off.

I took a startled step back when I heard the wolves howling in the distance. Another chill ran through my body. I noticed that Emily and the other girls had gone inside carrying Jesse.

I took a deep breath and stepped towards the shredded remains of the jeans Ty had been wearing when I watched his body change into a wolf. My hands shook when I caught the sparkle of his keys on the ground, and I bent to pick them up. I turned the cool metal in my hands. I have to leave. I have to go home. My heart was pounding in my chest as I turned and ran around the side of the house. I had to get out of here before the girls came back. I jumped in the driver's seat of Ty's car and felt the engine roar to life. I nervously put the car in gear and started down the street. I had my license but my mom never let me drive in New York, so being behind the wheel was really nerve wracking for me, but I took my time and tried to keep myself calm. I just wanted to get home.

Just as I was parking the car on the street in front of my house, my phone began to ring and I quickly switched it off without even looking at who was calling. I didn't want to talk to anyone, not after what just happened. I ran into the house, heading straight for my room. I slipped on a pair of shorts and caught a glimpse of my tear-stained face in the mirror. I looked like a total wreck, but the girl staring back at me wasn't one that I recognized. She had just seen her boyfriend turn into a giant wolf. This couldn't be real. I had to be dreaming.

Deciding to get some fresh air, I found Kali and Thomas sitting on the steps of the back patio staring off into the forest. "What are you two doing?" I asked them as I took a step closer. Both of them had scared looks on their faces. "Malia!" Kali suddenly perked up and looked at me, relieved. She ran to wrap her arms around my waist. I watched the tears run down her face and wrapped my arms around her.

"You're okay," I shushed her. Thomas smiled at me too, but then quickly turned his eyes back to the forest. He didn't look as afraid as his sister, but he still looked nervous.

"Where's mom and dad?" I asked them. The two of them exchanged a strange look and I felt my insides turn. My heart picked up the pace once again when Thomas dropped his eyes to the ground and tears trickled down his cheeks. "T-they're in the woods," he stuttered out and another howl broke through the air. My mind flashed back to yesterday as I made the connections in my brain. Daddy's a big wolf.

I felt as if the air had been sucked out of my lungs. My dad and Savanah had gone to the forest, just like Ty. They were wolves too. I closed my eyes hard, feeling overwhelmed about everything at that moment, but Kali's arms tightened around

me.

"They'll be okay, they're always okay," she said to me and I immediately felt guilty. As overwhelming as this was for me, I should be worried about their safety. Clearly, whatever was happening between the wolves right now was bad, it was dangerous. The wolf that had been attacking Jesse was huge, he injured him. Ty killed him.

I took a deep breath, then sat between the two of them on the steps. Thomas and Kali leaned into my sides and I gave each of their shoulders a tight squeeze. Together we waited for time to pass and I watched as the night sky began to lighten. Morning was coming.

I looked down at my watch to see it was already 5:15 in the morning, but I didn't feel tired at all. My heart was still racing. Kali and Thomas suddenly ran out of my arms and into the open field. I jumped up and noticed my dad and Savanah walking out of the forest hand in hand.

Their arms wrapped around Kali and Thomas, pulling them in. My eyes met with my dad's and his whole body tensed. His eyes widened slightly and he knew. He knew I knew the secret they'd all been keeping from me. My blood was suddenly boiling and I clenched my fists at my sides. How could they have kept this from me?

A loud howl ripped through the air around us and many howls followed after it and my body suddenly felt like ice again. Every hair on my body stood up, Ty. My mind became consumed with thoughts of him. Was he okay? Was that him howling? But I knew it was, somehow I could sense it.

My dad jogged towards me and reached out to me, but I took a step back as he approached. I couldn't bear his touch right now. Yet, somehow, all my anger had drifted away and I felt more focused than ever.

"I have to go,” I mumbled out, turning Ty's keys over in my hands, then running towards the car.

"Malia!" My dad called after me but I wasn't listening anymore. I didn't know what had come over me, but I had to get out of here. I had to see Ty. I had to be sure he was okay. I had to return this car, it was worth more than my entire life and I'd be in so much trouble if they reported it stolen.

I sped down the street, surprised at how well I remembered how to get to Ty's house. When I pulled up to the iron gates surrounding the property, I cursed under my breath. How was I supposed to get in? Just tell them I'm Ty's girlfriend? These people were rich, they probably had people trying to get in here all the time. I looked around the car and found a small fob sitting on the centre console. I pulled it out, then reached it out the window towards the box and was surprised when it beeped and a green light appeared.

"Welcome Tyrese Blackwood." Flashed across the screen and I tensed up. The gates suddenly unlocked and opened up, allowing me to drive up the driveway. I crept up slowly and parked beside a Tesla, then took a deep breath and willed myself to get out of the car. I dropped the keys on the seat. Maybe I should just leave. At least I returned the car. Deep down though, something was telling me to stay. Like I was needed here, but that just seemed crazy.

Just as I was about to walk away, a black jeep came racing up the driveway and jerked to a halt. I watched as two guys I didn't recognize got out of the car and opened the back seat. An older woman and a younger boy came running out of the garage pushing a stretcher.

"Fuck Liam let me go," I heard Ty's voice gasping from the back seat, something was wrong. Liam climbed out of the car on the other side and came running to the side that they were pulling the stretcher towards. He paused for a minute, looking me over as he realized I was there. I watched as he opened the last door and I saw a pair of legs covered in sweatpants come out of the car.

"What happened?" A voice boomed over the people and I turned to see an older man coming out of the house. He looked a lot like Ty and I immediately realized he must be his father.

"I'm fine," Ty's voice came out again, he paused between words gasping for air. My heart pounded in my chest. He climbed out of the car and Liam immediately pressed his hand to Ty's side. I took a step back and widened my eyes, Ty's torso had blood smeared all over it and the gauze Liam had been pressing to Ty's side was quickly saturating with blood. Ty pushed Liam away from him and held the gauze himself.

"He was attacked from the side," Liam said.

"He must've punctured a lung," one of the men I didn't recognize said.

"Ty let them help you, we need your arm down so we can start an IV," the woman pushed the stretcher closer, then pulled the bars down.

As Ty took a step towards it and out from behind the car door his eyes locked with mine, but people continued to push him towards the stretcher. As he climbed on, I watched him squeeze his eyes shut and grit his teeth in pain. "Tyrese, I know it hurts but you have to relax your arm and lay down please," the woman said again, but Ty stayed clutching his side. As if on instinct, I ran forwards to the stretcher and placed my hand over his on the gauze. His eyes flew open and met mine again. His eyes were pale blue, his skin pale, he looked so weak.

"I've got it," I said to him. He hesitated at first but then let his arm relax and fall back to his side. I pressed down on the gauze to control the bleeding and closed my other hand around his.

"Lia," Ty whispered, his breathing heavy.

"Shh focus on your breathing," I whispered to him. He had to be okay. He looked like he was in so much pain and with every gasp of breath it felt like my heart was breaking. Tears began to trickle down my cheeks.

"Move," a stern voice came to say beside me. I looked up to see the driver of the car towering over me. I looked around at the group of people that were now crowding around the stretcher, all eyes on me. Ty's hand tightened around mine as I looked down at him. There's no way in hell I'm going anywhere. Ty needs me right now.

"I'm not leaving him," the words came out of my mouth practically as a growl, surprising myself and everyone around me. I looked up and watched as the woman's eyes moved between mine and Ty's.

The woman's eyes came to rest on mine and they softened, "you're her," she whispered, and I squinted my eyes confused."She's his luna, she will not be leaving his side," the woman said louder this time. Luna? What did that mean, but I didn't care. All I wanted was Ty to be okay.

"Then get up on the stretcher, we need to move," Derek grumbled. I awkwardly climbed up onto the stretcher so I was kneeling over Ty. I continued to hold his hand and the gauze as they pushed us forward into the house.

We came into a large room where people in scrubs quickly surrounded us. I watched as they inserted an IV into Ty's arm and began to give him fluids. I removed my hand from the gauze and watched as the nurses and doctors began to work away. I stared down at Ty's eyes, he still looked in so much pain each time they touched him. His jaw was clenched. I gave his hand a small squeeze and he gave me a weak smile.I reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes and ran my hand gently down the side of his cheek.

"Be okay, please" I whispered to him and he squeezed my hand in response.

"Here darling, you can sit here," I felt a hand against my back and turned to meet the woman from earlier. She had brought a stool over to the side of the bed. I climbed down and took a seat, still grasping Ty's hand. The woman walked away, leaving us alone in the room with just the doctors and nurses.

I leaned my head down on Ty's stomach as the doctors worked. Ty squeezed my hand in pain and I squeezed back, letting him know that I was here. We sat like that for a while until the doctor's and nurse's had finished. Everyone left the room and it was just me and Ty.

Ty's breathing was returning to normal but I stayed at his side, holding his hand tightly. I couldn't let go, in fear that he might disappear. I held my head down at his side, almost afraid to look at Ty. I was scared of what I would see. I pressed my lips gently against the back of Ty's hand.

"Malia," Ty's gentle voice broke the silence. I jumped up quickly off of my stool to stand beside him. When my eyes met his, the tears that had passed earlier returned and I began to sob.

"Lia," Ty's hand came up to cup my cheek and brushed the tears that now flowed freely down my cheeks.

"Please be okay," I said between sobs. I felt pathetic, but I couldn't control myself anymore.

"It's okay, I'm okay baby, I promise," Ty's voice soothed me. "Come, lie down with me," he shuffled over, making space for me on the stretcher. I shook my head quickly and brushed my hands against his chest.

"Get over here now before you make me get up," Ty's voice was more stern this time and it actually startled me a little. My eyes widened as they met his, but he was smiling at me sweetly. "Please, I promise lying with you is all I need to get better right now," and so I did as he asked and climbed up on the stretcher beside him. I curled up into his chest and rested my head. As I listened to Ty's steady heartbeat I felt my own calm, and we drifted off to sleep.