CHAPER TWENTY NINE

Embry and Jake ran close behind Quil, their paws striking the earth in rhythm with their friend's. Neither spoke a word, letting Quil vent his emotions in the only way he could. They knew better than to mention Zahra, not now—not when Quil's mind was a tempest of pain and confusion.

For their part, Embry and Jake were just as conflicted. The scene earlier had been disturbing, but it left more questions than answers. Suspicion lingered in their thoughts like a shadow, and though it pained them to admit it, they couldn't shake the possibility that Zahra might have been involved in Old Quil's condition.

Yet, both knew Zahra. They had spent months getting to know her. She was soft-hearted, the kind of person who cried over the death of a fictional animal on television or mourned the loss of a bug squashed by Paul during one of his tantrums. Her spirit was gentle, her empathy unmatched. The idea of her harming anyone—let alone Old Quil, whom she loved like family—seemed inconceivable.

Jake, unable to remain silent, finally broke the telepathic quiet. "Hey, look," he started, his mental voice calm but insistent. "I know what we saw looks bad, but are we really ready to say Zahra hurt Old Quil? Think about it—she's never shown anything but kindness. What if we're missing something? What if there's another explanation?"

Embry huffed, his scepticism palpable. "Jake, you're reaching. I get it—she's sweet. But what if it was just a facade? We don't know everything about her. She could've been hiding something all this time."

The words stung, even as they echoed through Quil's mind. His pace slowed until he came to a full stop in the middle of the forest. The anger that had fueled his run was dissipating, leaving behind an aching clarity. Was Embry right? Or had Quil let his own panic and grief cloud his judgment? Had he accused Zahra unfairly, driven more by emotion than reason?

"Shit," Quil muttered aloud, his voice breaking the stillness of the forest.

Embry reached him first, stopping a few feet away and tilting his wolfish head in concern. "Quil?" he asked cautiously.

Jake joined them, snorting softly as he approached. "You're thinking about it now, aren't you?" he rumbled. His golden eyes flicked to Embry before returning to Quil. "You two found Zahra months ago. Embry, do you really believe she hurt Old Quil? Come on. She adored him—loved him like her own flesh and blood. Do you honestly think she's capable of that?"

Quil let out a strangled noise, his form trembling as the weight of realization crashed over him. "I doubted her," he admitted, his voice thick with guilt. "What have I done?"

"You reacted," Jake said simply, stepping closer. "It's normal to feel like this, Quil. You were scared."

Quil turned to face his friends, his golden eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But I blamed her!" he cried. "I didn't even stop to ask what happened—I just... ran. I accused her without thinking."

Embry, who had been silent, finally lowered his head in shame. "No, Quil," he said softly, "what have we done? We all doubted her. We didn't trust her when it mattered most."

Their shared remorse was interrupted by the sound of Sam's voice cutting through their mental link. "Where are you guys?"

Jake was the first to respond. "Forest near the cliffs. Why? What's going on?"

Sam's tone was grave, sending a chill through the trio. "It's Old Quil. I need you three at the hospital immediately."

Before they could ask for more information, the connection severed, leaving the three wolves in uneasy silence. They exchanged tense glances, their thoughts a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty. Whatever Sam had to say, it couldn't be good.

Quil was the first to act, throwing his head back and releasing a mournful howl that echoed through the night. Embry and Jake joined in, their voices harmonizing in a sombre chorus that spoke of their shared dread.

As the haunting echoes of their combined howls dissipated into the night, the trio launched into motion, their powerful legs propelling them through the dense forest. The trees blurred around them, dark silhouettes against the pale moonlight that spilt through the canopy. The rhythmic pounding of their paws against the earth was accompanied only by the steady thrum of their anxious hearts. Each wolf was lost in their own swirling thoughts, yet bound together by a singular, unspoken dread.

Quil ran at the front, his breath coming in harsh bursts, his mind a storm of guilt and uncertainty. Memories of Zahra's gentle smile and her tear-filled eyes replayed relentlessly, warring with the accusatory words he'd thrown at her in his panic. He could still see her fragile figure trembling on the floor, her arms wrapped around herself as if to shield her against the weight of his accusations. What have I done? The thought stabbed at his chest with every step.

Behind him, Jake and Embry followed closely, their own doubts gnawing at them. Jake, ever the optimist, clung to the belief that there had to be an explanation—one they hadn't seen or understood in the chaos. Zahra wouldn't hurt anyone, he told himself, over and over, like a mantra. But even his conviction wavered as flashes of Old Quil's pale, still form flickered in his mind.

Embry, however, was wrestling with darker thoughts. The possibility of betrayal lingered, unshakable, despite Zahra's history of kindness. Yet, the deeper he thought, the harder it became to reconcile the image of the sweet, compassionate girl he knew with the idea of her harming Old Quil. His doubt gnawed at him, but so did a growing guilt. If we're wrong, how do we fix this?

The hospital came into view, its harsh fluorescent lights stark against the darkness of the forest. The wolves slowed their pace, their massive forms shifting seamlessly back into their human shapes as they approached the edge of the trees. Quil was the first to grab a pair of shorts from the emergency stash they kept hidden nearby, slipping them on without a word before sprinting toward the entrance. Jake and Embry followed, hurriedly dressing and sharing a glance heavy with apprehension.

Inside, the sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, mingling with the faint hum of machines and muffled voices. The trio made their way to the reception desk, where a nurse gave them a curt nod before gesturing toward a hallway. Sam was waiting for them just outside a private room, his expression grave.