Rise of the Banished She-Wolf Chapter 22

Lily

The blindfold came off, and I blinked rapidly as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. I was tied to one of the peeling horses on an ancient carousel, the ropes digging into my wrists. My heart hammered against my ribs as I tried to make sense of where I was.

Jessica paced in front of me, her eyes blazing with hatred. She looked different from the popular girl at school—wild, unhinged, dangerous.

"What do you want from me?" I struggled against the ropes. "This is only going to make things worse for you!"

Jessica let out a cold laugh. "That day in volleyball class, it was your friend Evelyn who stuck her nose where it didn't belong. Tonight, she's going to pay too."

"This is ridiculous!" I shouted, anger replacing my fear. "Just because you got suspended from school? That was your own fault!"

She grabbed my chin with such force that I winced. "It's not just about school, you idiot! That bitch seduced Bryan, ruined everything we had!"

I tried to twist away from her grip. "You're delusional! Evelyn doesn't care about Bryan. He's the one obsessed with her!"

"Oh?" Jessica's eyes narrowed. "Then why is Bryan so infatuated with her? Why would he break up with me for her?"

She pulled out her phone and dialed a number, putting it on speaker. My stomach dropped when I heard Evelyn's voice answer.

"If you want to see your little friend again," Jessica taunted, "come to the abandoned amusement park. Alone." She hung up before Evelyn could respond.

Jessica turned to the shadowy figures waiting nearby. "When she gets here, teach her a lesson. Nothing fatal—I don't want prison time."

Time crawled by as we waited. I worked at the ropes binding my wrists, but they were tied too tight. I could feel my wolf stirring inside me, but I couldn't risk shifting with humans present—it would expose our entire community.

"Looks like your friend doesn't care that much about you," Jessica said with a smirk, checking her watch.

"Evelyn isn't stupid enough to fall for your trap," I shot back, though doubt gnawed at me. "She probably called the police already."

Jessica tilted my head back forcefully, her nails digging into my skin. "She won't dare call the police. I have too much dirt on her."

I cried out in pain, but still managed to spit back: "You're lying! Evelyn doesn't have anything to hide!"

"We'll see about that," Jessica whispered, her smile chilling me to the bone. "Tonight's going to be very interesting..."

Evelyn

I scaled the rusted fence of the abandoned amusement park, wincing as each movement pulled at my healing wound. The silver injury from Jessica's ring hadn't fully healed, and I could feel the bandage underneath my jacket growing damp. Probably bleeding again. Shit.

"My wolf nature is suppressed too deeply," I muttered, trying to enhance my senses to locate Lily. I could catch only the faintest trace of Lily's scent.

I moved silently between dilapidated food stands and broken game booths, staying in the shadows. As I approached the center of the park, I finally spotted her—tied to a carousel horse, her face scratched and frightened.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out from the shadows. "Let her go, Jessica. Your problem is with me, not Lily."

Jessica's head snapped toward me, surprise flashing across her face before morphing into smug satisfaction. She hit a switch on a control panel.

Suddenly, ancient spotlights blazed to life, illuminating the area. The carousel creaked into motion, rotating slowly with Lily still tied to it. From behind rusted rides and broken ticket booths, five burly men emerged, surrounding me. Fewer than I expected, but given my condition, more than enough to be dangerous.

As the first thug rushed toward me, I sidestepped, using his momentum to send him sprawling. Every movement sent waves of pain through my injured arm, but I forced myself to focus. The more I tried to tap into my wolf nature, the more the silver-wounded arm throbbed.

"Eve! Watch your left!" Lily shouted from the rotating carousel.

I barely dodged a heavy punch, using a broken carnival game as leverage to kick another attacker. My movements weren't as fluid as usual, and I was breathing hard already. Two down, but the remaining men grew more cautious.

With a burst of desperate energy, I broke through the circle of attackers and sprinted toward the carousel. I leapt onto the moving platform and began untying Lily's ropes.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of here," I promised, fingers working frantically at the knots.

"Get them! Don't let them escape!" Jessica screamed.

As soon as Lily's hands were free, I pushed her toward the edge of the carousel. "Run! Find somewhere to hide!"

My face was pale, and my injured arm hung awkwardly at my side, but I stood my ground.

I managed to take down two more, but the last attacker caught me off guard with a side tackle. I stumbled, barely maintaining my balance.

"Looks like the mighty Gray princess isn't so tough after all," Jessica sneered from a distance before hurrying away.

Suddenly, Lily emerged from her hiding place, grabbing an iron bar and striking the last attacker from behind, giving us a chance to escape.

"Eve, come on! We need to get out of here!"

We staggered toward the park exit, but my legs finally gave out just short of the gate. The world spun around me.

Lily knelt beside me, tears streaming down her face. "Eve! Hold on, I already called Uncle Devon. He said an ambulance is on the way! They'll be here any minute!"

I looked down at my arm, where the silver wound had reopened, blood seeping through the bandages. Lily's face paled when she saw it.

"Eve, your wound... Did you come to rescue me before you fully recovered?"

I managed a weak smile. "It's nothing... just a little... out of shape..."

In the distance, sirens wailed, and I found myself thinking, "Devon's efficiency is impressive as always..."

Lily held me tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Don't close your eyes! Please hang on!"

My consciousness began to fade, Lily's sobs and the approaching sirens blending into a distant hum. "I'm just... so tired..." I whispered.

The world turned black, the flashing lights of the ambulance the last thing I saw before surrendering to the darkness.