Chapter 7
GERRY
If Aurora was my woman, I’d put her over my knee and tan her backside until she couldn’t sit for more than a week. What she thinks this is going to achieve, I don’t know. But now we have eleven hostages and not ten! I’m going to have to get back to Councilman Flint and report.
Watching her drop from the tree and literally hand herself over has my heart pounding, but the signal to run and report nearly had my heart stop.
Turning, I shift into Asher and head back to the border. I’m going to have to run hard and as stealthily as I can, but anything, man or beast, getting in my way will be dead.
The journey has me killing three, leaving their carcasses for anyone to find. I don’t have time to hide their bodies. My aim is to get back and devise something to get Aurora and her pack members out of that camp.
War is coming. I know that will happen now!
‘Asher, can you keep going or do you need a rest?’
I can run for a little longer, but I’m tiring. If we have to fight I won’t be at full strength.
‘Let’s look for somewhere to get our breath back. We have covered many miles and we can’t do more than we are doing. We will get back during the night.’
Yes, we rest, then we move fast during the night.
Finding a hollowed-out tree, I shift and squeeze myself inside, allowing Asher to curl in the back of my mind and sleep. I lower myself down, resting the best I can, but keeping alert enough to hear rogues passing now and again.
Once darkness falls the last part of the journey is covered without incident. I’m able to dodge the patrol and cross the border into Blood Pearl Pack territory.
Reaching out to Councilman Flint through the mind link. ‘Councilman Flint. I just crossed into Blood Pearl Territory, and I need an urgent meeting.’
‘Is Alpha Aurora with you?’
‘No.’
‘I will wait for you at the packhouse after alerting acting Alpha Raina.’
By the time I reach the packhouse and shift to my human form, I am exhausted, but I know I must inform them of what has happened. A decision on what to do about Alpha Aurora and her packmates has to be made, and made quickly.
Inside the office, I take a seat and catch my breath. I’m truly exhausted. I traveled at twice the speed I’d taken when running with Alpha Aurora, taking into account that myself and my wolf are used to running fast over long periods of time.
Alpha Raina walks into the office and hands me a tall glass of water. “Thank you,” I say as I drink the whole glass in one.
Alpha Raina, Councilman Flint, and Head Warrior Wallace are sitting waiting for me to report. I gather my thoughts and relay the information regarding the journey, what we heard, and what Alpha Aurora did when seeing her pack members.
“What happened to the pack members to tip Alpha Aurora over the edge?” Councilman Flint asks.
“The Alpha rejected a she-wolf who was at that moment the Luna of this disgusting show of rogues, and he pointed at one of Aurora’s she-wolves and said she would be the new Luna. With that, Alpha Aurora reacted so fast I had no time to stop her. She entered the camp and gave me the signal to get out and back here to report.”
Alpha Raina stands and paces back and forth behind the desk before turning to look at me. “You know you wouldn’t have been able to stop her. She was determined to either get them out or die trying. I know she was at the end of her limit waiting for something to give, allowing the rogues to keep taking from the pack, and us all on rations because of it.”
“I realize that, but I can’t help but feel guilty that she’s now going to be a hostage, and she could also be picked out as the next Luna.” Turning I look at Councilman Flint, but before he speaks the door opens and Warrior Roul walks inside.
“Tell me she didn’t do something stupid?” He asks.
Head Warrior Wallace sighs, “Of course she did. We would expect nothing less from her. She is the best Alpha this pack could have had. She gave of herself more and more, and we could all see she was tired and needed this situation to end. I hoped she wouldn’t do something stupid, but she wouldn’t see this as stupid, she’ll see this as getting inside the enemy camp to find out exactly what is happening. She will then strategize to get her people out, or take down the leading rogues to cause mayhem.”
The door opens and bangs against the wall, having us all stand quickly and into our fighting positions. But we calm when we see it’s Taria. Our relief doesn’t last long when we see the worry on her face as she realizes her mother isn’t among us.
“Where is my Momma?” Taria asks as she steps in front of me.
Again, I go over what happened from us leaving here to my getting back. I can see the tears forming in Taria’s eyes, but she doesn’t let them fall. It’s easy to see her mother’s strength in the way she pulls herself together, not allowing herself to fall apart.
“No more titles while in the office, it’s time wasting and unnecessary,” Raina states, then takes her seat once more behind the desk and not at the long table where meetings are usually held. “Wallace, triple the border patrol. We need check-ins every thirty minutes. I’m taking no risks with the patrol or the pack’s safety.”
We can all see Wallace mind linking and know the extra patrol will be in place in no time. Giving Raina a nod, Wallace remains standing next to the desk, fully alert and ready for whatever is going to happen.
Flint speaks, gaining everyone’s attention. “Raina, you need to announce it to the pack. They have to know their Alpha is in danger, and that you are doing everything you can to bring her home with the other hostages. But they have to be fully alert themselves and ready to fight if the pack border is breached.”
“It’s nearly morning. I’ll call the pack once we’ve eaten and are ready for the day. But I need every piece of extra information I can get my hands on. I’ll need to speak with Alpha Lyle too, because his pack is at as much risk as we are,” Raina states.
“I’ll do that, Raina. Giving him just enough information would be better at the moment than spilling it all. We don’t know what is going to happen regarding Aurora. I just wish she had restrained herself, because now we have to rescue her, too,” Flint says with some bite in his words.
“You don’t know my Momma that well if you think she’ll sit back forever waiting for something to happen. I wish she hadn’t put herself in danger, but she wouldn’t be herself if she had done nothing.” Taria gives a sad smile, then seems to think about something as she turns to look at Raina. “Oh, I found out that this Jackson has a chosen mate. I did some digging around, speaking to people that were associated with him before he went rogue. It seems he keeps in touch with one of his lifelong friends, and bragged about having a mate now. He also said that Jackson’s fated mate died in a river accident when she was fifteen.”
“That would explain some of his past behavior, but being young also explains how he didn’t turn feral. If they never met, then the bond wouldn’t have activated. But he would have felt her die, if she was near to sixteen at the time,” Flint adds.
“I think we should up the training sessions. Some of the pack members have been missing their sessions, and before you bellow at me. I have spoken to them more than once. My next course of actions was speaking with Alpha Aurora.” Wallace informs us and I can see Raina is not happy with this information.
“Would you like Roul to take over the training? He would not mess with them, and as we will leave eventually, it will not cause long-term damage to the pack’s structure,” Flint asks, knowing Roul would take the hard route with missing pack members to sessions.
“Okay, I like that idea,” Raina replies, but looks at Wallace for his opinion.
“I’m okay with that. To be truthful, I think someone from outside the pack to shake them all up isn’t a bad thing. I’ve handed out punishments, but it’s done nothing in the scheme of things. As I said, I was going to speak to Alpha Aurora as my next course of action.” Wallace isn’t happy about the situation with the pack being lazy, because that’s what it is, and disrespectful of pack orders.
“I’ll deal with the training and any issues that ensue. If you are going to announce the hostage situation to the pack, then you can announce my organizing sessions. Wallace, if you could stand by the side of me, that would be great. I can ask you about each member if I need to know their strengths and weaknesses.” Roul grins when Wallace gives a nod of agreement.
“Okay. Let’s freshen up and meet in the dining hall. Once we’ve eaten, I’ll announce who I want to stand in as Beta and everything else.” Raina stands from behind the desk and I look at Flint, who is exceptionally quiet.
After a quick shower, teeth and hair brushed, and dressed, I head down to the dining hall to eat. My mind is still running through what I saw and heard, and how we can get any of them out of that damn camp without getting people killed.
We have to be clever, be sure of the time we go into the camp and how many rogues are around the area. Did you notice how they seemed to appear from nowhere when the fighting started? Asher mind links.
‘Actually, Asher, I did. I also scanned the area and I think they have something underground.’
You could be right. They were not there and then appeared. I didn’t pick up footsteps and if they’d come running, I would have heard that. We may have to go back and do more surveillance, and do a better job of it, too.
I take a seat in the dining room and mull over what Asher has said, and he’s right. We do have to get more information, and do a better job than I just did. I have to admit that I’m extremely worried about Aurora and what could happen to her.
Flint takes a seat next to me, giving thanks to the young she-wolf who hands us a plate of breakfast. “Gerry, you said that this Alpha rejected a she-wolf as his Luna. Did you hear her name?”
“Francis, Flora, Fiora, Gina, I can’t quite remember. Forgina… something like that.”
“Fragina?” Flint asks.
“That’s it, that’s the name. How did you know that?”
“Fragina Stonewalker was and is a nasty she-wolf. I’ll not bore you with the information, but if she is the Luna of this so-called rogue pack, then the Alpha has to be someone ruthless and have no morals.” Flint stands, and as he turns to walk away, he looks over his shoulder. “You both stay here. I’m going to speak to the Shifter Council.”
The meeting is called by Raina, and apart from the border patrol, every pack member is here. I am impressed with the manner Raina speaks to the pack, and announces their Alpha is on a mission to save the pack hostages.
Hands are thrown into the air, and questions are thrown, each one answered clearly and succinctly. Again, I’m impressed. Raina is doing an amazing job as Alpha in Aurora’s absence.
“You will all, and don’t think I’m joking with you. You will all attend two training sessions per day. We are stepping up our stamina and fitness for the war that is coming. If you don’t want to fight for your pack, then you get your belongings and leave the pack before lunchtime. Again, I’m not playing games here. War is coming and if we are going to survive, we have to all be ready.” Raina gives all the pack members a sharp look before continuing. “Council Warrior Roul has been kind enough to step forward and offer to train you to a higher standard. Head Warrior Wallace will work together with Warrior Roul, and I expect every one of you to work hard and achieve whatever goal is set for you. If you don’t, I will meet you in the challenge circle, just as Alpha Aurora would.
“I also need Warrior Ken to step forward.” We wait while he walks over to Raina, and looks more than a little confused as to what is happening. “Warrior Ken is my choice as Beta of the pack, until we have Alpha Aurora back, and I retake my Beta position. Warrior Ken, will you accept the position until such a time?”
Ken looks shocked, but gives her a smile. “I accept, Alpha Raina.”
“Thank you, Beta Ken. Report to the office after the meeting. Dismissed.” I’m impressed with how efficiently Raina has dealt with this and not wasted any time asking for anyone’s opinion.
The rest of the day, I watch Roul training pack members, wait for Flint to give me orders, and generally be on alert. My nerves are stretched to the limit. In my mind's eye, all I can see is Aurora walking into that camp and putting herself at risk.
I receive a message that Flint has left to go back to his home and speak to the council in person. I have been ordered back also, and I had hoped to help Roul for a while training, but he'll have to manage on his own now.