23. Colt #2
I paused to let that information sink in as the women reacted, clinging to their men or each other.
As I let them process, I watched, looking for those who weren’t reacting at all or who weren’t reacting in the appropriate manner.
There were a few I took note of just in case Zander didn’t round them up after.
“Finley is fighting for her life as we speak with the help of Vanya and Rath. Thankfully they both have healing magic and will do all they can to save her. My assumption is that the news of our upcoming press conference got back to the Senate and they sent these men to ensure it didn’t happen,” I shared, taking a good long look at my people, then decided it was time to set the tone of how things would be going forward.
“News of this press event was going to be announced to all of you at the dinner tonight, along with the fact that about a hundred and fifty more elves will be migrating here from other communes. As one of your leaders, we’ve tried to be as transparent with you as possible, but when it comes down to it, we are the alphas, and you are our pack.
I’ve never wanted to be the kind of alpha that forces their members to fall in line, but it seems in doing so, we’ve given the impression this is a democracy.
Let me be clear… it’s not. Lane, Zander, and myself are the ones who make the choices for what’s best while you follow them.
Don’t like it, then get the fuck out of this pack,” I ordered, pointing down the road that led out of the pack lands.
Many gasped and whispered to each other quietly to one another. Zander stepped forward, his arms crossed over his chest, making sure his alpha energy could be felt by all. I’d always been a strong alpha, but when Zander let his strength loose, it was intense even for me.
“That wasn’t a suggestion,” he bit out. “The handholding and acceptance of those who don’t follow orders will no longer be tolerated as they once were. That tolerance might cost us our mate and that is unacceptable.” He snarled, lashing out with his energy.
Many of the lower pack members dropped to their knees, baring their necks in submission, while others staggered. Some had murderous looks on their faces and those were the first ones I was going to deal with.
“You get one chance, pack up and leave in the next thirty minutes if you’re unhappy with the way things are going because we will not be hearing any grievances from any of you,” I ordered.
“I challenge,” someone yelled from the back of the group.
The crowd split and there stood a man I’d never seen before. He was shorter than I was, but his bulk was impressive, yet it didn’t mean shit.
“Who the fuck are you?” I demanded. “Only a member of this pack can challenge the alpha.”
“Yeah, but I’m not challenging you,” he stated. “I’m challenging one of your betas which anyone is allowed to do.”
“No one knows that rule,” Zander said. “He has to be a plant, but it doesn’t make sense. Why would he be challenging?”
“It’s a distraction,” Finley’s voice whispered to us. “Before he died, he told me there were more coming.”
“Alright, little one, we’ll handle it. You just rest,” I coaxed. Then reached back out to Rath, “I thought you were keeping her under?”
“I can only do so much when she’s this powerful,” he snapped back.
Elias stalked out of the house and leaped down the steps to sit in front of the man who called the challenge. Seeing him, the rest of the pack made room for them, knowing Elias wasn’t someone they wanted to get into a fight with.
“You wanted to fight a beta. Here is one of our top three betas that holds a leadership role,” I said, motioning him to continue. “Are you going to fight him as a human or wolf?”
Before the man could act, Derven was ripping his head from his shoulders and tossing it away. “Anybody have a match? I find it’s always better to burn evil witches once you’ve killed them. They have a nasty habit of coming back if they have a body to return to.”
I gawked at him, trying to understand what just happened. “He was a witch?” I asked as I walked over to examine the man closer.
“Yup, it sure was,” Derven said, wiping his hands on his jeans.
“Elias gave me a heads up and I figured it was best to deal with it quickly before he could cast some spell. Dark magic witches like to make werewolves their slaves.” He looked up at me with concern in his gaze. “What’s going on here today?”
“We’re under attack, and the Senate is using all its tricks before they can’t stop her anymore. Once she goes public, the world will know the truth, and that will make her someone far too noticeable to go missing,” Zander pointed out.
“Then we need to make this happen fast,” I blurted, my brain coming up with a plan. “Call everyone that was supposed to be there tomorrow and find out who can be here now. Fuck it, call Eli and make him figure out a way to get her on the air before we have more people attacking us.”
“What about them?” Zander asked, nodding to the four hundred people before me.
“I got this. You do what you need to,” I assured him.
He started to go but paused. “She’s in no condition to do this.”
“That’s exactly why it needs to happen like this.
If we can show the world what it looks like to piss the Senate off, then the world will start to turn against them.
Once that happens, they’ll have to do whatever they can to save face.
What they want most is to ensure she doesn’t talk.
After that, they're fucked,” I explained.
With a grunt, Zander headed back into the house, and I motioned Theodas over. “Who do I need to address?”
The elf pointed over at a group of men standing off to the side. “They all have ill intentions toward you and your mate.”
“Derven, Elias, care to ensure our friends don’t leave till we’ve had a chat?” I requested.
Derven flashed me a smile as he appeared next to the group, placed his hand on two of their shoulders, and whispered something that had them going pale.
The rest of the pack shifted nervously as they watched everything going on, but none dared to leave or speak after watching a man get his head ripped off.
“As you can see, things are at work here, not of our doing. The Senate claims to be there to protect us. Well, how’s that going right now?
They send people here to kill my mate and blackmail you into helping.
What good have they ever done for us, really?
My brother was taken and my pack slaughtered.
Where was the Senate then? The Dark Ring is stealing more and more of our kind for sick and twisted desires.
Interestingly enough, the Senate is doing nothing to stop it.
In fact, you could say they are so interlinked that they are one and the same.
My mate has been charged with bringing them down, and they will do whatever it takes to silence her, but we won’t go quietly,” I roared, thrusting my fist up in the air.
“We demand a government that has our best interest in mind and not one that destroys others that might threaten them. Who’s sick and tired of looking over their shoulder wondering when they’re going to be next? ”
A thundering sound of agreement answered me. I grinned, glad to see my people were not going to be the ones that hid from the fight, that they would put their actions into play.
“This pack has always promised to be a safe haven for those who needed it. Right now, that promise is being put to the test, and I’m, for one, not going to back down.
We will fight to keep this pack whole. I refuse to let the Senate, the Dark Ring, or even our own prejudices keep us from doing what we know is right.
As I said, you don’t want to fight for that, then leave, but know that if you come back wishing harm on me or mine, I will destroy you,” I warned.
“Now, women and children, head back home, keep the little ones inside and take what precautions you want to keep yourselves safe. Men who are able-bodied and willing to stand for our pack, we need feet on the ground watching our borders for those who might be sneaking in. Now go.”