Chapter 66 Shots Fired
~Anna~
In the early hours of the morning, the car came to a stop. I had slept for a few hours, having been taken over by exhaustion and the adrenaline cooling down my system. I hadn’t met the warriors of the Red Claw Pack before, except for the Delta Unit.
They weren’t bothered by Carson. In fact, he blended right in with them as if he belonged. The remaining members of the Delta Unit were quick to act.
Apparently, the warriors were divided into teams, based on their positions and assigned duties, and under each bracket was an assigned leader. The patrols, the spies, medic, combatants, and as an addition, a special unit to rescue the Alpha, the Beta, and the Head Gamma.
We were in a pinch. If Rigel was here, he’d say, “We’re royally fucked.”
Rigel went rogue. I was shocked when I was informed, but the pack didn’t turn their backs on him.
“He’s our Head Gamma,” was all Leo, the leader of the front lines, said. He had a kind face that hid his experience in battle.
No one voiced out any rejections. When the plan was disseminated, none questioned why their Head Gamma, now a rogue, was included in the plan.
The witch was dead, which meant it was an all-out battle between werewolves. The Blue Moon Pack had an advantage because of the terrain, and I wouldn’t have given them the order if it was futile. Many of them wouldn’t return. This was undeniable. They knew within themselves.
“They’re ready for you,” said Carson, interrupting my thoughts.
We were geared up for the impending battle, but it didn’t guarantee our safety. He offered a small smile, sending butterflies in my stomach.
“The sooner you get marked, the easier it’ll be for me to be around you,” I remarked.
“Trust me. After this is over, we’re going on vacation.”
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. I made my way to the front, the pack’s warriors before me. There was a choking tension in the air, an unnerving tide sweeping over the ranks.
A wolf-less werewolf was leading them instead of their Alpha, their Beta, or their Head Gamma. I was simply their Alpha’s mate – one who had no inherent ability to protect them.
My eyes gave them a sweeping glance. Dawn was breaking from the horizon, and it was eerily silent, one could hear a pin drop.
Carson squeezed my hand, assuring me he was there.
Without glancing at him, I pulled my hand away, clutching at the vial around my neck.
I remember how you fought.
“Red Claw, I’ve seen you fight to defend your people…”
I remember how you grieved.
“…I’ve seen you grieve your loss...”
I remember how you kept going.
“…I’ve seen your strength. I don’t deserve to fight alongside you. I cannot shift into a wolf to lead you. I’m powerless and weak, and this is why I need you. Beyond that clearing is your Alpha, your Beta, and your Head Gamma. I need your strength. I need you to fight. I’m just a wolf-less werewolf, but ask you, will you fight with me?”
I voiced the question aloud, my chest heaving. It was silent for seconds that I thought they’d back out when a unified shout broke out.
“Red Claw Pack!” shouted Leo, and as he stopped, so did the shouts.
They then straightened themselves, and in a remarkable perfect timing, placed their fists on their chests.
“On our honor!” they shouted, then they bowed their heads in respect.
This is the Red Claw Pack – my pack.
I bowed my head in respect of them.
“Let’s go,” said Carson and I nodded, Leo nodding back at me.
The special unit was me, Carson, Sabri, Nalia, and Ethan. They had arrived shortly after we did.
While the pack attacked from the front, we were to enter from behind. There was a small channel, the river, that could easily be overlooked. It was a distance from there to where the packhouse was located, but with a small unit, it was possible.
With them beside me, we sped through the trees as quickly as we could, guns at the ready in case we encountered the enemy. Dawn was breaking, and soon the attack would begin.
Goddess, please keep them safe.
Soon, we heard footsteps coming. Hiding behind the trees, I bated my breath as we waited for the man to be within reach. Ethan was to take him out silently. We were still a distance away – a gunshot would alarm them.
As soon as he was within reach, Ethan came out of his hiding place, a black combo blade swiftly cutting through the air. Then he froze, taking on a defensive position. We came out of hiding, pointing our guns at him.
He was as tall as Ethan, with biceps bulging through the fabric of his sleeves for he had Jaymer’s arm slung across his shoulders.
“Let’s just calm down,” he said, holding out an arm. “Your Alpha asked me to escort him to your army. He’s asleep. Look.”
He shook Jaymer.
Jaymer let out a snore.
“Why would Alpha trust you?” asked Sabri raising her Glock, aiming it at him.
He didn’t look scared. Rather, he seemed amused. His eyes scanned all of us, then his eyes landed on me.
“Hey, Bella,” he said casually. “I’m sorry about your Father.”
“You know him?” asked Carson.
“No,” I said. My hands gripped my arsenal of choosing, the M4A1 Carbine. “How do you know about Father?”
“Didn’t he tell you?” he asked, raising his brow.
My eyes widened in surprise. “Andrix?”
“Woah… Woah… Woah.” Sabri moved closer to him.
“He’s my uncle,” I said, and she stopped. “If Liam trusts him with Jaymer, I see no reason why we shouldn’t.”
“If Bella says so,” said Carson, lowering his M4.
“The Alpha, mangoes, and the rogue are over that way,” he said, pointing at the direction from which he came from.
“Why aren’t they with you?” asked Sabri, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Sabri,” warned Ethan.
“It could be a trap,” added Nalia. She had a push dagger protruding from her left fist, her body a little twisted to the side to discreetly hide it from view.
“They’re going to rescue some other guy named Flynn,” he said. “He… was detained somewhere else.”
He adjusted Jaymer to keep him upright.
“Let him go,” I said. “We’ll deal with him later… after we finish the mission.”
Sabri lowered her arm while Nalia narrowed her gaze, her guard still up.
“Thank you,” said Andrix. He moved towards me, stopping when Ethan aimed at him again.
“That’s far enough,” Ethan warned.
“You look just like your mother,” he said with a smile.
I returned it. “We’ll talk it over a barrel of beer… later.”
“And just as brave.”
Jaymer chortled and he chuckled.
“Bring her back,” he said, addressing them but looking at me.
“You can count on it,” said Carson with a grin.
“Let’s get moving,” said Ethan.
We continued towards the direction Andrix led us to, quicker than when we started, hoping to catch up with Liam and the others.
What were they thinking! Rescuing Flynn on their own when they needed rescuing themselves!
Howls soon sounded from the packhouse. It had begun. Alarms sounded and werewolves started to descend. Soon, the woods would be crawling of them.
A powerful growl came from where we were headed. The Delta Unit remained unfazed and continued, going faster.
“They’re close!” shouted Ethan.
Liam…
Butterflies exploded in my stomach at the thought of seeing him again.
We came upon an ongoing fight. Three wolves against three. The black wolf turned his head to me, and the enemy wolf lunged at him, pinning him to the ground.
Instinctively, I raised the gun and aimed. Then the enemy wolf fell on top of him. Two more gunshots followed, and the other two were no longer standing. My beautiful black wolf shifted back into his human form, and Liam stood there with a shocked expression.
Two. I’d taken two lives. And I doubt that’d be the last.
In an instant, the gun in my hands was thrown to the ground and he had an arm wrapped around my waist. He stared into my eyes for a few seconds then his lips pressed into mine. I moved in sync with him, explosions happening in my head.
“What are you doing here?” he whispered, tugging on my lip.
“Rescuing you,” I replied breathlessly.
Carson cleared his throat, garnering our attention. Liam growled at him and pulled me to his side possessively.
I missed you, too, my jealous Alpha.
I molded my hand with him, hoping the sensations we shared would get his head back in the game.
He grinned.
“There will be more of them,” he said. “Any idea how we can get up there?”
If anything, we were still at the base, with a clearing right in front of us and an uphill fight ahead.
“Not a clue,” replied Gale. “Did you, by any chance, meet some-”
“Yes,” I answered, cutting him off. “He called you mangoes.”
Gale blushed. That was weird.
Sabri stomped her way to Rigel and slapped him, twice. Aiming the gun at him, she spat, “Give me one good reason not to pull the trigger.”
Rigel looked at her calmly, but Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed.
“Because I want to be Dad,” he said.
Sabri’s eyes widened, her mouth slowly shaping into an “o”. She lowered her arm, and he took advantage of her distraction to kiss her. The rest of them groaned while I stared in shock.
“They’re mates,” said Liam.
I can see that!
“I’m sorry, Sabri, baby,” said Rigel. “I didn’t know –“
“Shithead,” she said bitterly.
“I’m sorry…” he whispered.
Howls suddenly came from all directions.
“You two, talk it out later,” said Liam firmly. “Gale, Ethan, Nalia, you’re with me.”
He looked at Carson next. “I take it you’re coming?”
“He’s my Alpha,” Carson simply replied.
“What about me?”
“You’re going back with Rigel and Sabri.”
The pack was out there fighting!
“I will not turn my back on you and run!” I replied, looking him dead in the eye. I fixed the gun on my arms. “I’m a trained warrior… and I got a score to settle.”
I turned my back on him and shot down an approaching enemy wolf. It whimpered before its legs folded.
“So, how do we get up there?”
“Use the tunnels,” said an all too familiar voice. I looked to my left and there was Salina, wearing a tank top and shorts like she was taking a stroll and there was no pack war happening.
“Where’s Fynn?” I asked, aiming my gun at her.
She scoffed. “Locked in Daddy’s study. He’s using your ex as bait.”
“What are you doing here?” asked Rigel, growling as he pulled Sabri behind him. She rolled her eyes and stepped beside him.
Salina raised a perfectly shaped brow at them. “I see you’re over Maya.”
The howls came again. Gunshots sounded in the air and explosions shook the ground. “Follow me or you all die here. I don’t care either way.”
“Why are you helping us?” asked Rigel. “We won’t hesitate to kill him.”
She smiled sweetly, but there was no innocence in her smile. It was a beautiful smile that hid an evil intention.
“Believe me, cuz,” she replied. “I’m counting on it.”
Minutes later, Liam held my hand as we ran through a dark secret passage, single file, with Salina in the lead. If it came to it, we could use her as bait too. What she was after was none of our concern. In my mind, it was the Alpha ship.
Typical.
“We’re here,” she announced. “Step back a little.”
We did as instruct then the walls before we parted slowly, revealing a luxurious bedroom that looked like it came straight out of a fairytale book. Every part of the room screamed royalty, princess; it made me cringe.
The Delta Unit, including Rigel and Carson, stepped into the room immediately, guns at the ready. Gale peered out the blinds while the others checked the closets, the bathroom, and the rest, guarded the door. Until they gave the signal, Liam kept me inside the passage.
“I found this tunnel when I was little. Used to escape to the back because Daddy won’t let me out,” she explained. “He should be in the ‘safe room’ by now. Daddy handles business from there.”
“His pack is under attack and he leaves his daughter unguarded,” said Liam, stepping in front of me. “Why?”
“This pack hasn’t lost a single war,” she said with pride. “Daddy’s confident –,“ she paused, sneered at me, then added, “- that your warriors will die.”
Liam growled.
She rolled her eyes.
This stunning little…
“What are you still doing here? Go do what you do… you know, killing…”
She waved her hand at them like they were peasants.
My fist was shaking in anger. She deserved a hit from me. Just… one hit!
“Why?” asked Liam, holding my fist tightly.
I inhaled his scent to calm me down. Never would I ever want to have her scent on him again. He was mine!
“Can’t you tell?” she asked, folding her arms. “Daddy’s getting old. It’s time for a new Alpha and he doesn’t want me because ‘there’s never been a female Alpha’.”
Salina smiled sweetly again.
I’m going to be sick.
“So, if you kill Daddy, the pack won’t have a choice. I’m the only heir!”
“You’re sick,” I spat.
Myron might have been a horrible person, but he was still her father. Karma was a bitch – they had the same rotten mind.
She fluttered her lashes prettily.
I’m gagging…
“Daddy’s study is guarded. It’s off-limits to me.”
“You can still be Luna,” said Gale. “You’re mates with Alpha Flynn, aren’t you?”
“Daddy won’t allow it,” she whined, pouting.
Liam held a stony face.
Good Alpha…
“He has him locked up so he could blackmail him into giving the White Lake Pack to him. My stupid mate would rather die, and I don’t want that happening.”
“Liam…” called Gale.
Can we trust her?
“Ethan, Nalia, and Carson, you three go with her. Rescue Flynn, then escape through the tunnel,” he ordered.
“Yes, Alpha,” Ethan and Nalia said in unison. Carson nodded in response.
“Where’s this ‘safe room’?” he asked.
Salina smiled evilly.
Beauty only is skin-deep.
