Pierce POV
It was quiet…too quiet.
The grounds surrounding the house felt like it had eyes. It was eery, as if the trees and lake had eyes of their own.
Libby had finally come downstairs. Cassandra had enticed her down, and I know it was only because Reuben had left that she even considered leaving the bedroom. Not that she was engaging in communication with me or Evelyn.
She was curled up in a protective positioning on the sofa watching Rex, Elspeth, Evelyn and Cassandra play a card game.
My warriors were outside, combing the area for suspicious movement. I could see them through the large glass windows of the lake house. Their wolves ‘ eyes only adding to the haunted feeling of the surrounding tree line.
“Alpha, the battle has started. The rogues have arrived.” Archie pushes on the mind-link to me. I had stationed him to cast a watchful view on the battle, from a safe distance where he could update me through the mind- link.
If things turned sour, not that I thought they would, his warning would give me plenty of time to evacuate Rex and the females in the house.
I turn to see Evelyn’s eyes locked in a mind-link, as she is informed of the same news. She should block out the pack link, she’ll feel the pain…the deaths and any emotions on Reuben’s part. But she’s strong and being an alpha means feeling the bad parts as well as the good.
My eyes return to the outside, the sky darkening sooner tonight, the moon not othering her usual strong glow. She’s trapped behind clouds, only able to offer a semi concealed glow tonight.
“Mummy, you aren’t concentrating” I tear my eyes away from the window as Elspeth moans at Evelyn for forgetting to lay a card.
“Sorry baby I’m just making sure both Daddy’s are okay…” She responds laying the first card that she can. Her mind not really in the game but she’s good at pretending.
I walk towards them, finding myself needing to be near Libby. She was refusing to look at me, her eyes trained on the cards in Rex’s hand. Rex seemed to gravitate towards her tonight, seemed concerned of her quiet state… just as I was.
I could feel the mate bond strengthening, feel it casting it’s spell on myself and trying to work its magic on Libby.
Reuben was wrong, she could feel the mate bond even though her wolf was still hiding. I could hear her quickening heart beat at my closeness as I stood behind the back of the couch. My hand resting only centimetres away from her exposed side of her neck. A beautiful bare neck waiting to hold my mark.
Smelling her scent, the smell of vanilla remained potent but I still couldn’t identify the hidden note. It was odd but I had every faith that once she shifts, the scent would become more potent to me.
“Alpha…we’ve picked up two scents.” One of my warriors growls to me through the mind-link.
“Where?” My eyes snap back to the window, my feet already walking to the front door, keen to elongate any potential threat on my mate and extended family.
“Five miles from the lake house.”
“I’m coming, don’t do anything until I arrive.” I command. Whoever these new scents were, did they plan on ambushing the weapon delivery. They could possibly change the fate of this battle, I can’t let them get to it.
I turn to leave, I don’t want to alarm Evelyn.
“Cassandra…” I say quietly enough while Evelyn was during another mind- link. Cassandra hears me, her head snapping in my direction.
“Lock the door behind me, I wont be long.”
I glance at Libby who for a moment flashed her eyes my way. The first time this evening she even looked at me. Hopefully when I come back, we can actually talk.
I locate my warriors situated by a small hut in the woods. The Lake House was in a remote location, humans rarely visited due to the poor visibility by the main road. I just don’t think many know it actually exists.
On closer inspection of the hut it seemed to be used as a place to store logs, keeping them dry from the rain. Why would anyone be out here if not associated with the battle happening at the Silver Moon lands?
A sense of unease starts to wash all over me, something wasn’t right. The deep rooted dread rising from the pit of my stomach was putting my senses into overdrive.
“Alpha.” A warrior’s voice whispers to me through the mindlink. Common practice for us, if I say quiet…my warriors remain quiet..even through the pack mind-link.
I walk to the back of the hut where muddy footprints cover the ground around us. That’s more then two people’s scents…
“Alpha, over here…by the broken tree.” Another warrior communicates to me and I head in the direction of an uprooted tree. That looks like it was damaged in a storm.
“What is is?” I respond back through the mind-link, only to finally see what they see.
Men…
Men with weapons. In the distance.
Human men. Worse than that…human soldiers.
My warriors and I watch, surveilling their numbers, their weapons and any idea on their targets. They were completely unaware that they were being watched, laughing to themselves as they loaded their guns… with green bullets.
Shit these soldiers were sent to attack the Silver Moon defences, the green bullets confirmation of who has sent them. Vicky…
They probably have no clue of werewolves, of the true danger they are in. They were sent for one purpose and one purpose only, shoot on sight. Judging by the guns and bullets, they had received shoot to kill orders.
I can’t let them pass. Not knowing they are here now, I can’t let them leave.
“Orders Alpha?” My warrior’s voices unite as one in my mind.
“They can’t make it to the battle… disarm only who you can. Destroy the guns and the bullets are to be returned to the Grey Howl pack for investigation.” I wanted to know exactly what is in those bullets.
We attack, preventing the loss of life as much as we can but it’s never a sure thing. They were armed but not aware of their surroundings, our attack was a surprise to them. Any that were alive were unconscious and we’d have to drive them miles away and set up some kind of military attack on them. They can’t wake up and find the lake house by accident.
I’m not sure how long I’ve been here, but I knew it was too long. I still had that feeling of unease, even though the immediate threat had been terminated …that horrible sensation lingered.
I was overseeing my men restraining the unconscious humans when I am called over back to the small hut.
“Alpha…look.” One of my warriors points to the sky and it takes me a moment due to the cloudy night for it to click at what he is pointing at…. Smoke.
Smoke coming from the Lake House. Fear. It’s vice like grip tight around my throat, stops me from talking. Almost stops me from breathing.
My wolf moves my feet, the panic coursing through my veins terrifying even myself.
I run at full speed, not even ducking out of low hanging branches…my face just taking the cuts. I couldn’t stop running, I refuse to recognise the small pain as they cut into my skin like tiny knives. Constantly cutting through my flesh, that would heal, only to be reopened.
I don’t talk, I don’t command…yet my I warriors instantly follow me. Running just as fast on my heel knowing their Luna was in potential danger.
