Page 5 of Moonlight & Mayhem

"I can't explain it, really,” Moon said with a shrug.

"Give it a try,” Tempest insisted. Moon closed her eyes. She let herself reach for the strange sensation inside of her instead of pushing it away. It felt like darkness every time—cold mixed with something else. Something that felt ancient.

Her wolf whimpered, and Moon's eyes snapped open. "They know."

Tempest frowned. "Who are they, and what do they know?"

"I don't know,” Moon said.

"Jesus Christ, Moon,” Tempest growled. “You can’t give me anything else?”

"I'm trying." The monitor in Mayhem's room suddenly began screaming, and Moon spun around. His heart rate shot up. "Mayhem!" She rushed through the door. His entire body had gone rigid, and his back bowed off the mattress as a guttural roar tore from his throat.

Moon grabbed his shoulders. "Mayhem! Wake up!" His eyes flew open. They weren't brown anymore—they were a golden amber color and completely wolf.

"Tempest!" Mayhem shouted.

"I'm here,” she said.

"Hold him down for me," Moon ordered. Tempest moved immediately, grabbing one of Mayhem's arms as Moon checked his IV. His veins were turning black, and Moon's heart stopped. "No,” she breathed.

"What’s wrong?" Tempest demanded. Moon followed the dark lines traveling beneath his skin with her fingers. Silver poisoning didn't do that. She had treated silver wounds before. Silver burned, and it slowed healing. Enough of it could kill a shifter, but it didn't turn their veins black.

"What the hell is that?" Tempest asked.

"I don't know,” Moon admitted.

Mayhem roared again. His wolf surged so violently that claws burst from his fingertips. "Moon!" Tempest shouted.

"I'm trying!" Moon spat. She grabbed a syringe and quickly drew a sedative. Mayhem's hand shot out and caught her wrist again. Only this time, his grip was crushing.

Tempest growled. "Let her go." Mayhem didn't seem to hear her.

His wolf eyes locked onto Moon. "Mayhem." His lips pulled back over elongated canines, and for one terrifying second, Moon wondered if he even recognized her. Then he inhaled and everything stopped. His claws slowly retracted, his grip loosened.

"Moonlight,” he whispered. Her name came out broken.

"I'm here,” she assured.

His chest heaved. "Something's inside me."

Moon's blood went cold. "What do you mean?"

"I can feel it inside my body,” he breathed.

"Where?" she asked, quickly looking him over.

"Everywhere." His eyes squeezed shut. "They put something in me." Tempest cursed, and Moon looked at the black veins again.

"During the attack?" Moon asked.

Mayhem nodded weakly. "One of them stabbed me after I went down." Moon remembered the wounds. There had been so many that she hadn't questioned the small puncture near his lower back. She had assumed it was another blade, but she should have known. Her instincts had been screaming at her from the moment he arrived, but she hadn't listened.

"Moon." Tempest's voice was firm, and Moon looked at her. "This isn't your fault."

"I missed it,” she whispered.

"You saved his life,” Tempest insisted.