Page 34 of Eclipsed Legacy

“They’re picking us off, one by one,” I say. At this rate, we’re all dead. They have us like rats in a maze, and the joke is there is no cheese, so we’re wandering around aimlessly and frantically.

We both jolt to our feet when we hear the front door slam open.

“Mom?” But it’s only Ray. We exit the gym and are at the top of the stairs to see him pull his mother in closely.

Aunt Angie pulls back to put her hands on both sides of Ray’s face. “Thank goodness you’re okay!” she gushes. “I don’t know what I’d do if—” she pulls him back to her.

“It’s okay, Mama, I’m here,” he says, patting his mother’s back. He sees us and jumps back. “Tala?”

“Yeah?” I say, quickly jogging down the stairs.

“Did you see this?” he asks, holding out an envelope I only now notice.

I take it and see that my name is scrawled on the front. “No. Where’d you find it?”

“It was in the glass door.”

I shake my head. “It wasn’t there when we got here,” I say.

Aunt Angie’s face blanches. “They were here again,” she chokes.

I tear the envelope open, scanning through it quickly. It’s typed, and not very detailed, but after having read it myself, I begin to read it aloud:

“‘Both Michael and Carl are safe. You’ll find your answers at the Woodsmith Warehouse tonight by 7:00. Address is enclosed.’”

I look up, and no one says anything until Ricky says, “Must be a trap,” matter-of-factly. That much is obvious, but I don’t voice those thoughts.

“We have to do something,” I respond. “Trap or not, they’ve taken two members of our pack hostage.”

“An’ they’ve already killed one of us, our alpha,” Ricky counters. “You sure it’s a great idea to roll on up there?”

“I’m going with you,” Ray chimes in.

“You most certainly are not!” Aunt Angie bellows. “I will not have my husband and my only chil’—”

Ray silences her by taking both of her hands in his. “Mother, I love you, and you know that I respect you—”

“Don’t you give me that, Raymond. In my house—”

“Mother, I’m a grown man. I haven’t lived here in over a decade—” Aunt Angie cuts him a glare that only a mother can give. Ray straightens “But that’s beside the point. I’ll be fine. We’ll call for backup—” he looks up, or rather down, at us for help.

“Yeah, I’m callin’ now,” Ricky adds, getting his phone out and walking into the living room.

I nod, as well, and start sending mass messages to the pack, providing information on the current situation. Deciding to delegate more, I tell them to communicate with Ricky their whereabouts.

“I will be fine,” Ray repeats to reassure her. “But I can’t let everyone else put themselves in danger when it’s my father out there.”

Aunt Angie gives her son a skeptical look, before saying sternly. “You’re my only baby—”

“I know.”

“And there sure won’t be anymore.”

“I know.”

“So, you better come back, or else, I’ll kill you myself,” she threatens.

Ray chuckles, “I know. I will.”