by Bethany Shaw
Nora was thankful Daniel had taken over the conversation. Although, he wasn’t a leader, he did possess qualities of a leader
Emily sighed. “I’m not a fighter, Daniel. I just want to help.”
“I know,” he said simply. “We’re just here as a backup. If all goes according to plan, you won’t have to worry about it.” Daniel smiled. “However, I do know you have impeccable eyesight and hearing. We have two vulnerable points, they are going to come from that ridge,” he pointed to his left, and then in front of himself. “Or they most likely will come from this direction. I want you to stand over there and keep watch. Lark and Nora will be shooting into the camp. You can be an extra set of eyes to make sure no one sneaks up on us.”
“I feel like you’re just feeding me a line, Daniel,” Emily said, jabbing her brother playfully. Marcus laughed behind her and shook his head. “And if things go wrong and I have to fight?” Emily asked.
“Then you hang back and look after Nora and Lark. Only engage someone if they break through our ranks,” Daniel offered.
“Okay,” Emily mumbled.
“You’re stronger than you think, Em. I saw you hold back that wolf that was attacking me. You’ll be fine,” Marcus said, wrapping Emily in a tight hug.
“Devon just texted,” Lark said as she approached. “They are in position and ready to attack. So far, none of us have been spotted.”
Nora patted Daniel on the arm as she followed Lark to the bag on the ground.
“The guns are loaded,” Lark said, handing her a rifle. “I’ve got plenty of ammo packed and we have two extra guns just in case we need them.”
“Okay,” Nora whispered.
“Remember, just take your time and concentrate,” Lark advised.
Nora took in a steadying breath. “Got it.”
Lark lifted up her rifle and squinted, peering through the scope. Nora followed her example. She pressed the tiny circle to her eye, blinking a few times until her eye adjusted.
The trees rustled in front of her and she watched as a black wolf slinked across the ground toward Juarez’s camp. The wolf’s neon green vest shone in the moonlight and followed his movements as he drew closer. This was it, she thought.
***
Devon crawled across the grass, his belly dragging against the ground. Male voices carried from Juarez’s camp. One of the men was saying something vulgar and the others were laughing hysterically. His anger grew with each step. Did they have no respect—no conscious, he thought.
One thing was for certain, they clearly weren’t doing their job. Not that he minded. The Harris pack’s were now close enough that they should have been spotted, at the very least Juarez’s men should smell them. Goodness knew Devon could smell the rank scent of sweat, blood, and fast food on Juarez’s men.
He turned to his right and met Gene’s golden eyes. The alpha nodded at him, they both turned back to look at their men. The wolves’ neon vests shone in the moonlight a bright contrast to the dark foliage around them. Nearly the entire pack was here. A few men had stuck close to home; they were ready to run to the ranch, or here if needed. Devon hoped neither would be needed.
Warmth swelled in his chest. Anger and hope; it was an odd combination. He wanted retribution for everything Juarez had done to his family, and yet he had hope that things would end tonight. That his pack and Gene’s would finally be safe—that Lark would be safe.
Devon stared at the trees on the opposite side of Juarez’s camp. He saw a blur of white fur and knew that Jackson and April had reached their destination. Juarez’s camp was surrounded on all sides.
Ready to attack, Devon rose up to his full height and darted forward. Paws pounded on the dirt behind him. The men who had been talking and joking turned. Their eyes widened in horror as the pack descended on them.
Devon lunged, tearing into one of the men. He sunk his teeth into his enemy’s throat, relishing in the metallic taste that flooded his mouth.
A bell tolled to his right, alerting Juarez’s men of the attack. Gene dove at the man ringing it, dragging him to the ground with a growl.
Men sprang out of hotel rooms. His pack attacking before they had a chance to change. Gunshots rang out and echoed off the walls in the compound.
***
Fernando Juarez stood up from his desk and briskly walked to the window. Howls and gunshots filled the air. Men frantically ran through the motel parking lot, some towards the fight, others cowardly ran into the woods. He was under attack; he couldn’t believe it.
Anger surged through him. No one had ever dared to attack his camp before.
His door burst open and Malakai ran in. “Papa, we are under attack,” he shouted as if it weren’t already obvious.
Fernando rolled his eyes. “Get the men assembled now. We need to drive them out. I won’t have my home destroyed by the Harris’.”
“Papa we haven’t yet received the men from the camps yet. I think we are outnumbered,” Malakai said.
Fernando growled, realizing he had waited too long to bring in his reinforcements. He’d wanted to bring them in all at once, in force so the Harris’ wouldn’t have any warning. However, the West training camp had fallen behind, a mistake they were soon going to pay for.
He stared out the window as anger gnawed at his vision. Damn the Harris packs for not cowering in their homes as everyone else had. Sure, the others had fought back, but never to this extent. No one had ever sought him out before. They’d always stayed and defended what they considered theirs.
“Get all the men out there. Anyone who runs is a traitor and will be treated as such. Let’s fight,” he growled, striding to the door. “We will not lose! And for God’s sakes get someone up there to take care of those guns.” Damn humans and their weapons, he thought. There weren’t many things he feared, but that rifle was one of them. Although, he hadn’t met a wolf yet, that wasn’t afraid of them. It was in their instinct. “Tell them to leave Lark and the other women alive,” he added. He was highly interested in Lark Davies. She was unusually strong-willed—alpha material.
Chapter Twenty-three
Daniel paced back and forth. Lark and Nora fired their rifles in rapid succession. Wolves and humans dropped to the ground. Devon and Gene seemed to be holding their own too. He caught a glimpse of black fur every few seconds and knew both alphas were still fighting.
“Daniel,” Emily screamed, running toward him.
Daniel spun to meet his sister’s wide eyes. “There are men coming. Five wolves and three men.”
Daniel let out a long breath. Eight men could be swiftly dealt with if he had a good team. He looked around at his companions. Natalia was the only one here who had some combat experience and training. Although Amelia had handled herself the other night, she’d never really been in a full-blown fight before. And as much as he loved Emily, she really wasn’t a fighter. Marcus was a good guy and he approved of him for his sister, but the wolf had no skills as a fighter either. Not to mention there was his injury too. That left Nora and Lark.
“Nora,” Daniel called as he slowly approached her. The metal gun in her hand made the hairs on his arms stand on end. He was not a fan of the weapon, but did understand its importance. “I need you over here,” he said.
Nora turned to him. “What’s wrong?”
“We got company coming. I need you to help thin them out before they get up here,” he explained.
“You need my help too?” Lark called over the bang of her gun.
“I don’t think so. There are only eight of them. Keep your eyes peeled though and try to help our guys at the camp.”
“Got it,” Lark hollered.
Daniel took Nora’s hand and they dashed over to the other side of the hill. He pointed to the tree line. “Can you make them out?”
Nora squinted and placed the scope up to her eye. She bit her bottom lip and Daniel remained quiet, letting her concentrate. Her finger curled around the trigger and she squeezed. One of the wolves slumped to
the ground. The rest scurried into the confines of the trees, they didn’t stop their pursuit, but they had slowed down.
“We should transition, and come at them from both sides. I’ll take Amelia and you and Marcus take the other side,” Natalia said observing. She took a step back and he heard the rustling of clothes.
Daniel agreed. He lifted his shirt and tore it off his head, depositing it on the ground.
Nora fired another shot. The bullet zinged off a tree, missing its target.
Daniel turned to his sister. “Emily, get the vests for us to put on.”
Emily scurried off to their car. “I’ll be right here,” he assured Nora.
“Be careful, Daniel. I love you,” she whispered, her amber eyes meeting his for a fraction of a second before she turned back to the attacking wolves.
“I love you too,” he said as he unbuttoned his pants and slipped them down. Once down to his boxers, he lunged, triggering his change.
He landed on four paws and took a moment to scan the area. As he followed their enemies’ movements, he stretched, preparing for the fight. His muscles were still a little tight in his abdomen, but he felt good. Howling loudly, he sprinted towards Emily. His sister slipped the vest around him and tightened it down. He went to step back, but Emily stopped him, her warm arms snaking around him and pulling him close.
“Be safe. I don’t want to lose another brother,” she whispered, sniffling.
Daniel nuzzled his face against hers and a single tear rolled down her cheek. He backed up and ducked his head down before darting away. Marcus was still on his hands and knees midway through his shift. Marcus’ hands and feet shook as the bones snapped and slowly elongated. He felt for his brother-in-law. Marcus had almost lost his life. The only thing that had kept him alive was forcing a transition. Unfortunately, the action had permanently altered his body.
Daniel peered over at the two alpha females. Natalia and Amelia had just finished their shift, they shook out their coats, and then quickly sprinted off into the woods. Daniel trotted over to his end of the brush, his eyes scanning the terrain. He caught a glimpse of grey a few hundred feet away. Marcus wasn’t ready yet, but Daniel wasn’t going to let the wolf get close to Nora, Emily, or Lark.
He darted into the woods, sending a flock of birds scurrying into the air. The ground was dry and he kicked up dirt and dead leaves as he flew through the landscape. His eyes narrowed, taking in everything around him. A twig cracked to his left and he sprang toward the noise.
Two wolves sprang forward and he jumped to the side just in time. He spun and bared his canines. As they came at him again, he reared up on his back legs and caught one about the waist. He gnashed his teeth, trying to get a good grip on his enemy. The second wolf bent down, enclosing its mouth around his hind leg. Something whistled past his ear and the wolf in front of him stumbled and then fell to the ground.
Daniel looked back, catching the wolf behind him off guard. His attacker released his leg and Daniel sprung on him, tackling him to the ground. He jammed his claws into the wolf, and then bit down into its throat, shaking his head. The wolf gurgled and stilled. Daniel backed off and circled around making sure no other wolves, or humans were there.
***
Nora hurried back over to Lark. She pressed the butt of the rifle into her shoulder and took aim. Between her and the wolves, they had quickly dealt with the intruders. Now, it was time to help take out the men at the main camp.
As she scanned the area, she noted there were more wolves in neon vests than there were without. That was a good sign. We are winning!
“Lark, Nora,” Emily gasped, her finger jutted out, pointing to a section of the hotel. “Look! It’s Juarez and Malakai.”
Nora followed Emily’s gaze with the scope of her rifle. There was a group of seven men together. They were tucked under the awning and barely visible. She wrapped her finger around the trigger but hesitated. They would only get one chance to take him out. She didn’t want to miss and ruin their chances. Not to mention, she wasn’t entirely sure which one was the almighty Juarez.
“I got him,” Lark said, gripping her gun tightly. She squeezed one eye shut and looked through the scope with the other. The blonde let out a long breath and then bit her lip. Nora’s gaze travelled between Lark and the men. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest and she held her breath.
The gun popped and Nora pulled her gun back up to her eye, using the scope as binoculars. One of the men—an older one—clasped his chest. His dark eyes widened as he stumbled forward into one of his men. Lark fired again and another man fell to the ground.
“You hit him,” Emily breathed.
***
Malakai watched in horror as his papa fell forward. He reached out, catching the older man as he slumped down. “Papa, Papa,” he cried out. Another man lurched and collapsed onto the ground. “Fall back,” he ordered; clutching his grandpa to him, he pulled him out of danger and behind the building.
Blood seeped out of Fernando’s white shirt and some dribbled from his mouth. His breaths came in shallow hoarse puffs. “Malakai,” he whispered.
“I’m here, Papa. It’s going to be okay,” he assured.
“The pack is yours, Son, take care of it,” he said, struggling to get the words out.
Fernando coughed, inhaling a deep breath before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
“Papa,” Malakai yelled. His gaze darted to his chest. It remained motionless. “No, Papa.” He shook the older man.
“Sir,” one of his father’s advisors said. “We are overrun. What are your orders?” the man asked.
Malakai looked down at his grandfather. He sucked in a deep breath as red clouded his vision, he wanted revenge—to make the Harris’ pay. First, they took his father now his papa. He closed his eyes. Now wasn’t the time. He needed to fallback—regroup.
“Have the men fallback. We’ll gather more forces and then come back and kill every last one of them,” he vowed. Malakai lifted his hand, and gently grazed it over Fernando’s eyes, closing the vacant orbs. This wasn’t over—not even close.
***
Nora lowered her gun as the last of Juarez’s wolves fled. She turned to Lark who still had her gun at the ready. The blonde let out a long sigh before disarming.
“I should have hit Malakai too,” she said quietly.
“You took out Juarez and they’re running. I say it was a win for us,” Nora reminded her.
“I understand. I just want this to be over. We’ve lost so much already and I can’t believe Malakai is going to just let this go. He’ll be back,” she replied. She took a step back and then turned and walked to the car.
“Things will be better now,” Emily spoke up, trailing behind Lark. “The other alphas will fight for control of the pack. The Gulf pack will be in disarray just as Talia said when she went after Juarez last month.”
Nora took one last look out at the devastated hotel before following after them.
“Yeah, but that still doesn’t change how they operate—what they are doing to women,” Lark said quietly.
“Things will work themselves out,” Emily said. “Right now, we should focus on you and Devon’s mating ceremony, and having a burial ceremony for Vincent and Sarah, and everyone else that we’ve lost,” her voice broke and she cleared her throat. “Then we can worry about everything else.”
Lark disassembled her rifle and laid it in the bag. “I love Devon, and I know Sarah would want me to do the ceremony, but it just doesn’t feel right without her here.” She stood up and leaned her back against the Jeep. The blonde turned her gaze to Nora. “You and Daniel are getting close.”
“Yeah. I love him,” Nora said unable to keep the heat from creeping over her cheeks.
Emily grinned and bounced up on her feet. “I am so glad to hear that. Daniel deserves happiness. He’s always been so broody.”
“I’m glad you’ll be staying. I think you make a great addition to this pack,” Lark said, smi
ling up at Nora.
“Thanks.” Nora hesitated a moment and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. She chanced a glance at Emily but didn’t think the girl would be offended. “Do you ever get used to it? Them being werewolves? The war?”
Lark shrugged. “I was a teen when I found out about Gene’s family. We grew up together, and my parents and Gene’s parents were best friends. It was a little hard to swallow at first, but Rick, Beatrice, Gene, and Preston were still the same people I knew and loved. This war, though, it takes a toll on you. I want to go back to living a normal life, but I don’t think that’s going to happen, not yet. But until then I have Devon and his family and Gene is my brother, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for them. So, I guess you don’t really get used to it, but there isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be. This is my home, my family.”
Nora nodded. She could see where Lark was coming from. It made sense. April might not be her sister by blood, but they were sisters in every way that mattered. Everything was crazy and dangerous, but at the end of the day, she loved Daniel and April. That was all that mattered. They were her home and family and she didn’t want to be anywhere else.
“I know it’s rough,” Lark added. “I’m here if you want to talk.”
“We all are,” Emily added. Her eyes drifted to the trees and she narrowed her eyes, cocking her head to the side.
Nora struggled to hear what the wolf did. Crickets chirped and the leaves rustled in the light breeze, but that was it.
Emily sighed as a smile slipped over her features. “They are back,” she said cheerfully as she zipped off into the trees.
“The one thing I don’t like,” Lark said, shoving her hands into her sweater pockets. “Is that they have superior hearing and vision. They sometimes forget that too.”
Nora giggled with Lark.
Several moments later, Emily and Marcus emerged from the woods fully clothed, their hands clasped together. Amelia and Natalia exited next followed by Daniel. The moonlight accented his movements. He moved fluidly, his muscles flexing deliciously with each step. Their eyes met and Nora quickly closed the gap between them. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she breathed, enveloping him in a hug.
