Fight for Me

Layla and Cody are training in the open field.

“Perfect Layla. Just like that.” Cody says as Layla breaks out of his hold. “Now again.”

Just as he tries to get her in a head lock, Cody freezes next to her.

“What’s wrong-?” Layla asks as she turns around and sees his eyes glazing over.

Someone’s mind-linking him.

Cody grips her arm and starts walking her back through the forest.

“You have to get back to the house. Now.” He says with urgency as he rushes her to the front of the house.

She sees how everyone seems to be rushing around. Even Anthony and Tristan. She knows something must have happened. They must have gotten some kind of order or warning through the mind-link.

“What’s going on?” She tries to ask, but Cody isn’t paying her any mind as he continues to rush her back to the house.

That’s when she notices that eerie shadow, standing by the door, - like it’s waiting.

“You have to get to safety.”

“Cody?”

He gets her through the main door and releases her.

“Alpha said to bring her here.”

“Yes.”

Layla looks and sees Margret on her other side, just before Cody disappears outside with the others running around.

“What is going on? Where is everyone going?” Layla asks her. But as she looks out, she notices the shadow isn’t there anymore.

“Alpha said you should stay in the house.”

“What? Why?”

“There is an attack in town, and he’s taking majority of his best fighters to help sort it out. Everybody else is running around to make sure the pack isn’t defenseless without them here.” Layla turns around and sees Abby.

She joins her in the living room, and notices Melinda there as well.

“An attack? In town?”

“Yeah. It sounds crazy. I know. But apparently there’s a rogue that went all berserk. My guess is, we’re being cooped up here because we’re not going to be of any help to them trying to stop it.” She says as she rubs her belly.

Pfh! Melinda huffs annoyed at Abby’s statement.

Layla has seen the damage a simple rogue can do. Even the wild ones she encountered in the recent attack here. But she can only imagine what damage a ‘berserk’ rogue can do, whatever that even means.

“It’s dangerous for them to be out there, - with a berserk rogue. We should go,…..and help.”

Melinda raises a brow.

“Are you crazy? What help can we offer in a fight with shifters? A pregnant wolf, a witch and a human.” Abby points out.

Melinda snorts.

“Nick is just taking fighters with him. Any of them can get hurt. I’m sure he didn’t take any healers with them. I have some medical training. I’m sure I can help is some way. But I understand if you can’t come.” She says as she points to Abby and Melinda. “But I can’t just sit and wait.”

Layla tries to walk away.

“You can’t just leave.” She stops, hearing Melinda finally speak. “Margret will never let you out that door. Not when the Alpha ordered for you to stay here.”

They all look at each other.

“But with a distraction and some teamwork, we may get past her.” Melinda says as she looks at Abby.

“We?” Abby’s eyes go wide as she realizes what Melinda is saying. “Melinda?”

“What? Abby, you can’t seriously expect me to just sit here and wait. Tristan is out there too.”

“And he wanted you to stay here and be safe.”

“I’m not as defenseless as you think. And I’m glad someone spoke up, even if it was the human.” She gives Layla a brief look. “Will you help us Abby?”

Abby sighs. “I understand your reasoning Melinda. But what about Layla? She’s just a human.”

Before Layla can even defend herself, Melinda surprisingly steps in.

“Like she said. She has medical training. She could help anyone injured………And I’ll protect her.” She added last minute.

Abby sighs. “Okay, fine. I’ll help. I’ll get Margret’s attention. You guys so long get the first aid kit in the kitchen, and leave in Maxim’s car.” She says as she throws the car keys at Melinda. “And remember, I know nothing about this.” She says with a smirk.

Melinda nods with a smile and rushes out of the room with Layla, as Abby calls for Margret with fake cries of pain as she holds her stomach.

As the two of them drive towards town, they sit in complete silence. But not for long.

“Can I just ask? Why don’t you like me?” Layla looks at Melinda focusing on the road while driving. “It’s not like I'm someone that expects everybody to like me or something. But you seemed to avoid me ever since you saw me. Did I do something?”

Melinda sighs. “Not really, I guess. Something just tells me you’re…….trouble.”

Trouble? Well, I do have a lot of baggage, and got mixed up with the wrong kind of people. Layla thinks to herself.

“Oh-kay.” Layla says as she nods to herself.

Just as they enter town, they see screaming people running around, and driving past cars and buildings that are damaged.

Melinda stops the car on the side of the road and they both get out.

“How can one shifter do all this?” Melinda asks as she looks at all the damage.

It seems a bit too quiet on this side of town. So they know the rogue is probably on the other side.

As they walk further into town, they notice some injured people pathetically trying to hide, behind anything they can find. There are bodies splayed out on the roads and sidewalks.

Following the trail of damage and blood, they end up in front of a huge building.

“They’re here? In a mall? Just great.” Layla says.

“Come here.” Melinda says as she turns Layla towards her, and chants words as she waves her hands in front of her.

“What ar-“

“Quiet. I need to focus.”

Once Melinda was done with her chant a few seconds later, Layla gave her a questioning look. As if to ask if she can speak now.

Melinda rolls her eyes.

“It’s a spell to hide our scents. It will just make it less easy for the wolf to find or chase us. Now come on. Let’s go. It won't last long.” She leads them into the mall, where they can clearly hear crashing and growling noises.

Walking through the mall, they spot a few of their shifters injured.

They both rush to them and Layla starts treating their wounds as Melinda chants spells to help with the pain.

As they move further and closer in the rummage, the sounds of the rogue get closer. On the way, they spot a limping Tyler. They rush to help him.

“What are you two doing here?” He whisper yells.

“What does it look like? We’re here to help. Here, sit.” Layla says as she forces him to sit on the floor so she can look at his bleeding leg.

“You two shouldn’t be here. Please tell me Luna Abby didn’t come with you guys.”

“Of course not. It’s just us.” Layla gives him a pointed look before she resets his dislocated knee.

Aahh! Tyler partially moans through gritted teeth.

“Where is Tristan? I can’t reach him through our mind link.” Melinda asks seriously as leans down to him.

Tyler gives a stern look. “They’re further in.” He nods his head to the side. “That rogue,…….it’s beyond just wild. It’s ferocious and bloodthirsty. We almost had it, but it basically tore off its own limb just to attack us again. Last I checked, Alpha Tristan and Alpha Nicholas were still on its tail. But,……Tristan was already injured by then.”

Melinda softly gasps as she stands up.

“I have to go to him.” She looks at Layla still bandaging his leg. “I know he’s out there. I know he’s still alive. But I have to find him.”

She nods as she hears the desperation in Melinda’s voice. “Go.”

Melinda turns and rushes through the crumbling mall.

“I didn’t know you were a doctor too.” Tyler says as Layla packs up the first aid kit,- what’s left of it.

“My mom’s the one that taught me the basics.”

“Layla.” He holds her hand before she tries to get up. “I know you’re trying to help. But you shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe for you.”

She gives his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’ve watched too many people die around me, when I just sat and did nothing.”

She gets up and turns towards the same direction Melinda ran in.

“You can’t go there, Layla. You’ll die. If Tristan and Nicholas can’t handle it, you definitely won’t live to tell the tail.” He says trying to get up, but failing.

“I’m stronger than I look.” She gives him a weak smile. “I’ll bring him back.” She whispers as she runs off, knowing Tyler can’t stop her.