13. CHAPTER 13
I’m not only back in the same military camp that I’ve called my home for most of my life, but I’ve returned as a wolf with a mate, which will surely earn me a bunch of comments from my family.
“There she is,” my sister announces when I enter the office of the Alpha Captain, who is also known as my mother.
I momentarily ignore my sister to give my mother a salute that’s warranted when stepping in front of a superior. When my mother returns it, I turn to my sister with a big smile on my face.
“It’s good to see you, Mal,” I tell her before pulling her into a quick hug.
Malia makes an exaggerated sniffing sound and even scrunches her face in mock disgust. I roll my eyes, bracing myself for whatever comment she managed to come up with on such short notice.
“You smell like you’ve been more submissive than usual,” Malia says, and though she sounds like she’s teasing, I can tell that she wants to know just how much of an Alpha spirit remained in me.
“Such things don’t exist when you’ve found your equal,” I reply, letting her dwell on it.
Malia tilts her head to the side, her brows furrowing in confusion. I hold back a smile as I watch her, admiring her lean body and familiar face. Now that we’re older, the six-year age difference isn’t as noticeable, and we could be easily mistaken as twins. In so many ways, it’s like looking in the mirror, except that where my lips are narrow, hers are plump, and her jaw isn’t as square as mine.
“Is Blaine still as hot as I remember?” Malia asks, changing the topic.
“He’s my Beta,” I reply, hoping that this will spare me from talking about his physical looks, especially now that the only wolf I can think about is Garren.
“Still as dull as the last time we saw each other,” Malia teases and jokingly punches my shoulder.
“Are you two quite finished yet?” our mother asks, looking at us with a bored expression.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Malia and I reply as one, slipping into our familiar roles.
“Sit down then,” Mother orders, gesturing to the empty chairs in front of her desk. “We should address the fact that your mate is no other than the future Grey king, but unfortunately, we don’t have the time for that right now.”
Thank the gods for small mercies,my wolf exhales in relief, not looking forward to discussing the topic of Garren with anyone, much less my own mother.
“We’ve gotten the memo from the royal advisors, which is why I had Malia and her Lightbringers come to the camp first thing in the morning,” Mother continues, talking to us like the Alpha Captain that she is. “I’ve also read the report on your experience with the witches. Are you and the Dark Hunters in shape to go on this mission? If not, this is your chance to speak up.”
“We’re good to go,” I assure her, my heartwarming as the memory from an hour ago washes over me. Seeing my two Betas, Blaine and Sarah, and the rest of the pack was exactly what I needed. Garren seemed just as happy to be reunited, although the shadow on his face told me that he was missing Esme.
The medicine progresses every day, making incredible steps toward new discoveries, my wolf says, following my train of thought. Some plastic surgery will surely help fix her looks, and the healing process will be a lot faster thanks to our superior species.
If only it was that simple, I say, not needing to go deeper as she knows what I’m talking about. If it’s acid, there’s hope for Esme yet, but if it’s a spell, its effects aren’t as easily reversible as something made by a human.
“There will be two packs wielding Darkness,” Mother continues, her eyes on Malia. “Are your Lightbringers up to the task to support them?”
“Our kingdom is mostly known for its dark abilities and as the wielders of light, and yes, it’s true that we’re a rarity that falls on the opposite side of the power spectrum. In many ways, it’s the same as if the ice wielders such as the Lafayette pack join the fire wielders. It’s unseen and unheard of but only because they hate each other’s differences too much to put them aside,” Malia says with ease, no doubt needing to deliver that same speech to many superiors who have dared to question her. “However, we’re the one pack that dedicated our training exclusively to collaborating and partnering up with the many packs of Darkness. Alyssa can confirm that.”
“Lightbringers and Dark Hunters are very familiar with each other,” I say when Mother’s eyes turn my way. “It wouldn’t be our first mission together, which is also why I asked King Grey to let them join us.”
“Have you met King Gavin?” Malia asks, her eyes shining with excitement. “I’ve wanted to get his Pack of Shadows to partner up with Lightbringers for so long, but always got the same disappointing answer. I can’t wait to see if he’s just as hot in person as he is on the pictures.”
“Are you seriously telling me that you wanted to train with his pack so you could spend more time with him?” I ask in disbelief, not exactly shocked by the idea because, despite all her talk about being a dominating Alpha, Malia always had an attraction to powerful males. For a long time, Gavin was the most powerful in the Grey kingdom. He probably still is.
“Don’t you dare answer that,” Mother orders, not appreciating where the path our comments have taken us. She clears her throat and regards us with a strict expression that is so intense I have to fight the urge to check my ponytail to confirm not a hair is out of place. “You know what your job is, and you know where to go. There’s only one more thing I want to tell you two.”
Without realizing it, Malia and I both lean forward, not wanting to miss even a word that our mother has for us.
“I’m very proud of you, and I’m sure that your father would be as well if he could see how far you’ve come,” Mother says softly in her rare show of emotional vulnerability. “Stay safe and look after each other. The pack is important, but family comes first. Don’t forget that.”
“No wolf left behind,” Malia and I whisper in reply, a little saying that my family always liked to use.
Keep your head up,my wolf orders, not wanting me to get too emotional in front of my mother. It wouldn’t be because she told me she’s proud of me, but because I am claiming that no wolf gets left behind while I did just that. I left two members of my pack to die. Tom during my last mission, and Adele not long before Garren joined. As much as Tom’s death hurts, at least he died fighting witches while Adele was killed by a pack of rogue wolves that were supposed to cover our backs.
We’re here. We’re alive. Second chances do exist,my wolf says in encouragement.
Except that this is our third chance, I reply bitterly.
Good thing that a third time’s a charm, she comments with a low chuckle that reverberates through my soul.
After we salute our mother goodbye, Malia hooks her arm through mine, and together we leave her office. As we make our way to the north side of the camp where the storage facility is located, we catch up a bit, talking mostly about the mission that we’re embarking on and exchanging the latest intel on our two brothers who are both deployed on other continents along with their respective packs.
My heart goes crazy when I come in close proximity to my fated mate. It’s as if we’re two magnets, connected by an insane pull that cannot be ignored nor resisted. Same as I feel him, he also feels me and is already looking my way before we even come to view.
“He’s a hottie,” Malia whispers, teasingly elbowing me in the ribs. “I always thought he was handsome even when he was ruining himself with drugs and alcohol, but now...Damn, Sis, you really achieved some sort of a miracle. Dare I say that he’s even hotter than any of his brothers?”
“Careful,” I growl under my breath, unable to contain the growing feeling of possessiveness. “He’s mine.”
Malia chuckles, the sound so light and carefree. “You must hate to have such an obvious weak spot now.”
“He’s not weak,” I reply, unsure of what she meant by it or how to take her comment.
“You’re right,” Malia agrees. “He’s not, and neither are you. Don’t forget that and never forget where you come from. Especially when you’ll be forced to enter his world and they try to remind you that you’re not one of them. Keep your head high and make us commoners proud.”
Before I can even dream up a reply, Malia releases my arm and hurries up to the wolves, letting out an especially loud cheer when she comes up to Blaine and throws herself into his arms.
“I can’t believe she completely ignored you,” I whisper to Garren after I give him a quick kiss.
“I sent ahead an order that I’m to be treated as one of you for the time of the mission, and if anyone is to refer to me as something else, I’ll have them whipped,” Garren says, sounding quite serious.
“In that case, you better keep your hands to yourself, Delta,” I order him with a hint of a smile playing on my lips, referring to his new and official title.
“Yes, Alpha,” Garren replies, tucking his hands behind his back. He gives me a wicked grin and lowers his voice, “Mark my words, I’ll have you begging me to use them.”
A sudden wave of heat washes over me, coloring my cheeks with unkind redness. Not for the first time, I’m grateful that my skin is a bit more tanned, and the flush can’t be seen so clearly.
I roll my eyes and offer Garren a small smile, hoping that he can read all unspoken words and hidden emotions behind it. It’s the last time that we’ll be able to get a bit more personal because once the mission starts, we need to be on our best professional behavior. Our lives and the lives of everyone around us depend on it.
“Is everything ready?” I ask Blaine when I reach him and Malia.
“Yes, Alpha,” Blaine confirms, being his formal self as he always is when we’re in public. “The vans are loaded up and the wolves fed.”
“We’d hate the witches to know we’re coming by hearing our hungry bellies,” Malia comments, probably finding the phrase just as ridiculous as I am. “The Lightbringers are also ready. We depart at your say, sis.”
“There’s no point in delaying any further,” I tell them. “The longer we wait, the higher the chance that the witches will have moved on. We might never get a chance like this again, so we better not miss out on our window of opportunity.”
“On it,” Blaine says, then turns to the wolves. “Time to go, Dark Hunters!”
One after another, my pack passes me, each one of them giving me a respectful nod before they enter the van. Even though he’s a Delta now, Garren’s still last in line. Much like the others, he also gives me a slight nod, but unlike the others, he accompanies his with a wink. It’s the last unprofessional and personal thing that we share, because the moment the doors close, the mission is on.
Blaine takes his place in the driver’s seat, and I join him on the passenger’s side with my phone turned on to navigate him toward the spot where Gavin agreed to meet with us with his Pack of Shadows and with the Lafayette pack. Even though I trust the wolves that I’m going on a mission with, it’s safer not to tell anyone about the location. Garren and I have first-hand experience of just how important it is to be on a need-to-know basis.
Malia’s van follows us out of the camp and through the busy roads, leaving the skyscrapers behind. Blaine’s a good driver and keeps an eye on the traffic lights, making sure that we don’t accidentally lose Malia. Crossroads are the worst because that’s where some idiots try to jump in and cut us off, but our Betas are too skilled to let them do that.
My phone vibrates with an unknown number flashing on the screen. I frown and hesitate to answer because I’m not expecting any calls, nor do I want to deal with any arising situations before the mission.
It could be related to the mission, my wolf says, urging me to answer to satisfy her curiosity more than anything else.
“Alpha Hunt,” I answer the phone.
“Alpha,” a familiar voice greets me, but before I can put a name to it, a commotion from the back of the van distracts me.
Garren’s on his feet, making his way past the Dark Hunters and toward the front of the van. He holds out his hand, and with a start, I realize that he’s expecting me to give him the phone.
“It’s Gavin,” Garren says when I don’t react right away. “It’s for me.”
I want to point out that he’s called my number and not his, but then I remember that the pack members have been asked to leave their personal belongings behind and only take the military-issued phones, guns, and knives.
With a sigh, I pass my phone to Garren, who gestures with his head for my second Beta, Sarah, to move aside so he can take her seat. Same as I was, Garren is also aware that thanks to the wolves’ heightened hearing, his conversation is the opposite of private.
“Gavin,” Garren greets his brother. “Glad to hear that your wife let you out to play.”
“Only after I promised her that I’ll kick you in the Claw,” Gavin replies with ease. While I have no idea what he’s referring to, Garren’s face contorts with phantom pain, and he subconsciously rubs his crotch as if to make sure everything is still there.
“What’s the word, Brother?” Garren asks, his voice turning serious as playtime comes to an end.
“I have to admit that Graham is a lot more skilled with his tech stuff than any of us ever gave him credit for,” Gavin says, not bothering to hide the admiration in his voice. “He called me and started talking about how he ran some algorithms or whatever the name is. He said that he cross-referenced it with profiles of known witches and their associates, ran the whole thing through our and Russian satellites, and—“
“Just get to the damn point,” Garren interrupts, his patience running thin. I’m glad he did it because I also didn’t understand much about what Gavin’s been talking about.
“Long story short,” Gavin says pointedly, “Graham confirmed that as of five minutes ago, the witches were still at the target location.”
Garren looks up, his eyes meeting mine. We both understand the value of this information and what it means for us.
“We’ll be there in fifteen,” Garren replies, then hangs up the phone.
“Alright everybody,” I say, raising my voice ever so slightly to get my pack’s attention. “No need to pretend that you haven’t heard the conversation. Shit’s getting real, so you better bring your top game.”
“Yes, Alpha,” the Dark Hunters say as one.
Garren leans forward to give me my phone and when I take it from him, our fingers make contact, the small touch conveying a vastness of unspoken words and emotions. Maybe one day, we will have time to tell them all, but for now, we have to rely on the bond to transmit the intensity and importance of what we are to each other.
I send a quick message to my sister, making sure that the Lightbringers keep their guard up from the moment we arrive at the meeting spot. While we’ll still be several blocks away from the target location, we can’t be sure that the witches don’t have eyes and ears in a wider radius. Hekate seems too smart to be underestimated.
“Five minutes away,” Blaine says with a voice that’s barely louder than the thrum of the engine.
The van is wrapped in silence as every wolf takes a moment to reflect on the size of the mission and just how vital its success is for the good of the future of our species.
I take a deep breath to control my nerves and turn off the emotions as best as I can. My wolf helps, putting our guard up and building some mental barriers that haven’t proved useful in a direct fight against witches, but if by some coincidence manages to buy me one extra second, it could prove to be the time that means the difference between life and death.
This is for Tom and Esme, my wolf says, remembering our fallen and injured members.
For Tom and Esme, I echo, then proceed to say a silent prayer to Fenrir to stand by our side as we dare enter these dangerous waters to protect and serve wolves that aren’t as strong and capable as us.
Blaine drives behind the agreed human apartment building and parks on the spot next to two other vans. Gavin and the Lafayette pack are already here. Malia’s Lightbringers park on our left, her Beta turning off the van moments before we all exit the vans.
Same as all of us, Gavin and the members of the two packs accompanying him are decked out in all black, which counts from standard-issued military cargo pants to black ski masks to keep our faces concealed from stray cameras.
“This is Joseph Jenkins, Alpha of the Lafayette pack,” Gavin introduces the man by his side.
I wave my sister to come closer. Her wide brown eyes are already glued on Gavin, but instead of appearing like a girl with a silly crush, she’s looking at him with admiration and respect.
“Malia Hunt,” she introduces herself and even slightly bows her head even though we made it clear that we’re leaving royal etiquette out of the mission. “Alpha of the Lightbringers and if you don’t mind me saying, a great admirer of the work you and the Pack of Shadows have done throughout your years of service.”
“Thank you,” Gavin says at the same time as Garren groans.
“What?” he asks innocently when all our eyes turn his way. “Try living with that all your life. Gavin this, Gavin that. Gavin, Gavin, Gavin.”
Gavin chuckles and pats his brother’s back. “Good to know that some things didn’t change.”
Garren smiles, the sincerity behind it making it clear that while he did just make a little scene right now, he doesn’t mind his brother getting the attention. The surprise on Gavin’s face confirms that this is a new and quite mature development that Garren is displaying.
Alpha Jenkins clears his throat, his blue eyes shining with icy determination. “Time to hunt.”