Chapter 41

Lucas POV

My heart pounded in my chest as James and I arrived back at Shadow High.

Relief and apprehension coursed through me in equal measure upon seeing Shana's car parked in the deserted lot.

She was here, but where was she?

The school building loomed before us, an imposing structure that seemed to hold the secrets we desperately sought.

Together, we walked through the heavy double doors, greeted by an eerie silence that seemed to permeate the air.

The dimly lit hallways whispered in hushed tones, their emptiness evoking a sense of foreboding.

A chill ran down my spine, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. Something was off, and my instincts screamed at me to proceed with caution.

As we ventured deeper into the building, the haunting echoes of wolf howls filled the empty corridors, their mournful cries reverberating through the emptiness.

James and I looked at each other.

"What the hell is that sound?" he asked me, the color draining out of his face.

I shook my head in confusion. "I don't know. I've only heard that sound one time before—"

"It sounds like a dying wolf," James cut me off. "When I got my wolf, I made the same exact sound..."

Goosebumps prickled my skin, and a shiver coursed through me.

"You don't think that's Shana, do you?"

James shrugged, biting the corner of his bottom lip. "Dude, I'd rather it be her than some freaky ghost. And why is it so dark in here?"

I rolled my eyes at him, not surprised that he was still trying to crack jokes at such a serious moment.

Even though the howling continued loudly, the rest of the building was dead silent.

It was as if the very walls held secrets, secrets that beckoned us forward, drawing us closer to the truth we sought. I clutched my phone tightly, ready to dial for help at a moment's notice.

Driven by an unexplainable instinct, we followed the haunting howls, our steps purposeful but laced with growing unease.

Each corridor seemed to lead us closer to the heart of the mystery, each turn bringing us deeper into the unknown.

I could feel the weight of anticipation hanging in the air, mingling with the fear that gnawed at the pit of my stomach.

The sound led us to the training room, its door ominously locked, barring our path to Shana.

Panic surged through me like a tidal wave, fueled by a surge of adrenaline.

"We need to break down the door," James noted.

Without hesitation, James and I mustered all our strength, unleashing a combined force that shattered the door, sending shards of wood splintering to the floor.

The scene that unfolded before us seared into my mind with a vividness that I would never forget.

Shana lay unconscious on the cold, unforgiving floor, and her face was covered in the word “sorry,” written by black markers.

My heart clenched with a mix of terror and protectiveness as I took in the sight.

Her mouth was sealed shut with tape, and tight ropes bound her, a evil display of her captivity.

"Shana!" I called out, my voice trembling with a blend of relief and concern as I rushed to her side. With trembling hands, I tore away the tape that held her silent and tried to rub the marker’s trace from her face, my touch gentle, yet desperate. "Can you hear me? What happened?"

She stirred, her eyelids fluttering open, revealing eyes hauntingly aglow with a deep, blood-red hue.

Confusion and fear danced in her gaze, mirroring the turmoil that I knew must be consuming her. It sent a chill down my spine, a foreboding presence that left me with more questions than answers. I squeezed her hand gently, my voice filled with determination.

"Shana, it's me, Lucas," I whispered, my voice laced with concern and determination. "We're here for you. Just hold on, we'll get you out of here."

James knelt beside us, his eyes wide with disbelief and worry. "What in the hell happened to her, Lucas? How could Jessica do something so cruel?"

I shook my head, my voice steady but fueled by a wave of growing anger. "I don't know, but we need to get her to the hospital. We need answers, James. And we need to make sure whoever did this faces the consequences."

"Why are her eyes glowing red?" James asked, just as panicked as I was.

I couldn't give him an answer...

With careful deliberation, we lifted Shana's frail form, cradling her gently in our arms. She felt so small, so fragile, and my heart ached at the thought of the pain she had endured. The haunting echoes of the wolf howls seemed to follow us, a chilling symphony that accompanied our every step, a constant reminder of the darkness that lurked within these walls.

We rushed out of the school, our steps fueled by a mix of fear, determination, and love.

The world outside blurred as we carried Shana toward the waiting car, our minds consumed by worry and a desperate need for answers.

The drive to the hospital was a blur of anxious thoughts, the road stretching before us in a blur of streetlights and shadows.

Arriving at the hospital, desperation etched upon our faces, we sought help from the medical staff. Shana was swiftly taken into the care of doctors and nurses, leaving James and me in the waiting room.

The minutes stretched into an agonizing eternity, each second feeling like an eternity as we anxiously awaited news of her condition.

I couldn't even think about how much I wanted to harm Jessica for putting her in this situation. I was too concerned with Shana, hoping that she would be okay.

The walls seemed to close in around us, their emptiness a stark contrast to the chaos within our minds.

Every passing moment intensified my worry, my longing for Shana to be safe and for answers to ease the anxiety I was feeling.

Finally, a doctor emerged, his expression somber, eyes filled with concern. I braced myself for the news, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum.

"Shana is stable, but her condition is perplexing," the doctor began, his voice laced with empathy. "We are conducting further tests to understand what happened."

I exchanged a worried glance with James, our eyes reflecting the shared nerves that gripped us.

"What about her eyes?" I asked, my voice laced with a mix of fear and curiosity. "Why are they bloodshot?"

The doctor sighed, his gaze tinged with uncertainty. "We are still investigating, but it appears to be a symptom of something far more complex. We are consulting specialists to determine the best course of action."

A surge of emotions swept over me—

fear, anger, and a fierce determination to protect Shana.

I vowed to be by her side through this ordeal, to navigate the darkness together and uncover the truth that lay shrouded in shadows.

"She's wolfless," James stated. "Could it be—"

"Like I said," the doctor continued. "We have more tests to run. Just be patient and we will try to figure out what's wrong with her."

As we waited, anger burned within me, a fervent desire for justice. But for now, all I could do was sit in this hospital and hold onto hope and pray for her recovery.