Rage is boiling in my veins.

Determined. Destructive. Deadly.

My wolf is out for blood. Revenge will be mine, and once I annihilated every last male of the Scopan Lake pack, I will scorch their territory until nothing but ashes remain. I'll enslave their females and kill all the male pups able to shift. Erase that pack's existence and their future. They will pay for what they took from me. My sister was destined for greatness and they destroyed her.

Almost mockingly, my mind plays tricks on my pain. It nearly sends me to my knees. Cassum's carefree laughter. The image of her smiling face reflecting off the window glass. And her voice, whispering in my ear.

Go and get them, Kendrick.

I blink the memories away.

"Alpha, we'll be ready to move out in fifteen minutes."

I nod at my brother. Cedar has been giving his best to round up the fighters, but the wait is driving me nuts. I want to tear the flesh off the Beta's bones. See him bleed the way my sister bled.

Raelyn stirs on the bed. When she sits up, I glance at her.

She rubs her eyes and shakes her head as if she's still dizzy. "What happened?"

"Andrenior knocked you out after you lost control of your powers." I stare out the window. A few dozen fighters have fallen into formation.

"Is something wrong? You look angry."

My hands ball to fists, tighter and tighter, until my extended claws cut into my skin. My sister's angry eyes fuel my rage. She looked at me like that after I accidentally killed her toy rabbit. Did I ever sincerely tell her I was sorry? "Cassum is dead. That former Beta and the other males of the pack killed her."

"Oh my god, that's horrible." Raelyn's voice quivers with shock. "And Nicollo?"

"I'm sure he fought to his death to protect her." Not that I would've expected anything less from my Beta. A new wave of scorching fury constricts my chest. How am I supposed to break this news to Arabella? The prospect of her grief-stricken face clenches my stomach.

"I'm so sorry, Kendrick." Raelyn gets off the bed and walks over to the window. She circles her arms around me from behind, pressing her cheek against my back. "Is there anything I can do?"

My wolf growls. He's too angry to be touched. I free myself from her embrace. "Sorry, but I need my space."

"I understand."

The hurt expression on her face says otherwise. I'm too wound up to deal with her. "I should go. The fighters are almost ready."

"I'm coming with you."

I frown. "You think that's a good idea? You were out cold for hours. I'm not one hundred percent sure what we'll be up against, but it's gonna be a tough fight. You sure you can handle it?"

"Believe it or not, but I feel quite refreshed."

She can't hold my gaze and I doubt she's telling the truth.

"I don't know, Raelyn. I don't want you to get hurt." Or worse, die. I couldn't handle that. And then there's the risk she'll lose control of her powers and accidentally hurt my fighters.

"Cassum was my friend. Don't deny me this opportunity to take revenge."

My wolf pushes to the surface with a rumble. He's eager to fight and if he can't have one of the Scopan Lake pricks right now, anyone will do who even shows the slightest bit of challenge. It takes all my effort to hold him back. It's a valid request, and Cassum would want her to be there.

"Okay, you can come but stay close to me."

She opens her mouth, as if ready to object, but closes it again when my wolf snaps at her. She will show obedience and respect like any other fighter or feel his teeth.

Not able to control my nature in the confined space of the cabin, I walk outside. The icy night air clears my head. I'm still on edge, but at least my wolf won't tear someone's throat out for merely looking at me.

The forest whispers in the wind. Tempting my nature to break free. The thick branches of a Northern Red Oak catch my eye. Cassum, Nicollo, and I used to race-climb this type of tree to the top. Once, my sister got so high up that she was afraid to come down. I helped her, with plenty of mocking and laughter in between. Those days were the best.

Four troops have assembled by the treeline with twenty fighters each, a fifth one is just a few wolves short. The moonlight reflects off their sharp fangs. Everyone just itches for my command to shift and start the hunt. Many of them have already served under my father; I ensure that only the most experienced fighters guard the borders. They have seen Cassum and me grow up and taught us some of our best moves. I trust them explicitly.

Cedar steps next to me. "We're ready."

Once again, my gaze roams over the assembled fighters. A hundred wolves against thirty or forty, minus those my sister and Nicollo were able to kill before they went down. I shouldn't be worried, but something in my gut doesn't feel right. The Scopan Lake Beta isn't a fool. He knows we'll retaliate as soon as I learn of Cassum's death. His scouts must have told him about the number of guards at the border. Why would he still take the risk to get into a fight where he'll be outnumbered by almost two to one? Pride is one option, but he didn't strike me as the reckless kind, just to prove a point.

"Kendrick?"

My gaze flicks to my brother. Cedar's cheeks are flushed and the glimmer in his eyes shows a certain bloodlust. Twenty-three years of training have turned him into a fine warrior, but his experience in real fights is limited. I kept him away from the territory wars last summer because I felt he wasn't ready. Am I expecting too much by making him my number two tonight?

Raelyn steps out of the house, fired up and ready. Maybe I'm getting too cautious. Cassum's death shook me up.

I'm about to raise my arm as signal to attack when a wolf jumps out of the forest. Two more leaps and he shifts. It's an older adolescent. Several battle scars have left marks on his face and chest, and his hard and muscle-packed body shows a toughness well beyond his years. If I had to guess, I'd say he's a rogue. My brows knit together. What is he doing here? He positively has never belonged to my pack.

He drops on one knee and lowers his head. "I'm here to warn you, Alpha Raynes. The Scopan Lake pack has allied with many of the packs along the Eastern US seaboard. They're waiting for you just a few miles beyond the border to take you out."

Fuck. "How many fighters?"

"I'm not sure, but they outnumber you."

"And why would you warn us?" Maybe it's a diversion tactic by the Scopan Lake Beta to round up more troops.

"I was banished from their pack and want revenge for what they did to my true mate." When he looks up, sincerity reflects in his eyes.

I still don't trust him. "What's your name, pup?"

"Bay Ward."

My laugh is incredulous. "Fuck, you're the Beta's son."

Cedar's wolf growls and snaps. He wants to take a bite out of him.

"Kendrick, I think he's telling the truth," Raelyn says. "I was there the night he was banished. He and his true mate had run away because the pack leadership had tried to force her to mate with another wolf. After they recaptured them, they ousted him and cut off her foot. They were actually the reason I was punished—they said I put the idea of escape in their head."

The female with only one foot. Cassum wanted me to take care of her. My heart winces at the memory.

Cedar squints at him. "I remember you. You and that female, you were rogues. A few of my fighters and I forced you back onto your pack's territory sometime last summer."

"That's why we were caught." Bay's face twists in pain.

I close my eyes and suck in a deep breath to soothe my wolf. This can't be happening. How can a Beta, an inferior wolf by nature, be one step ahead of me? Although I knew he is clever, I didn't expect him to be a warrior of this caliber.

I turn around and find Rikka leaning against the hood of the SUV. Since we got here, she and Andrenior have mostly stayed in the car, whispering to each other. I walk over to her.

"Is there any way to ascertain if he's telling the truth?"

Her gaze flicks to Andrenior. He nods. Jaw clenched and fists balled by his side, he appears to be ready to explode.

She follows me back to Bay. "On your feet, wolf." Her chin juts at Cedar. "You and Kendrick secure his arms behind his back. This will hurt and I don't want him to take my hand off."

Cedar glares at me with this you-can't be-serious-to-let-a-warlock-loose look, but I ignore him. I can't take any chances. If Bay is telling the truth, I'll lead the fighters into a bloodbath, but if he's lying, I'll give up a strategic advantage. Without even a nibble of guilt, I pull his arm behind his back.

When Rikka reaches for his neck, he flinches, but a stronger pull that almost pops the joints from their sockets gets him to cooperate.

"Open your mind to me and it will hurt less," she says.

When her palm connects with his skin, he groans. Struggling against my grip, a low shout escapes. His body trembles.

"I see Nicollo. He's dead."

My wolf rears up, a sharp pain stabbing at my heart. Even though this confirms my fear, the not knowing kept a sliver of hope alive.

"Do you see fighters?"

"Yes. Many of them. Alphas, sitting in a circle, some from far away. The Scopan Lake Beta is among them. He talks to them. They listen."

Bay's shout gets louder. He twists in my grip.

"That's enough, Rikka."

She drops her hand. "I'm sorry, Kendrick, but he's definitely telling the truth."

Fuck. An attack under these circumstances will be suicide.

"What do you want to do, Alpha?"

I stare at Cedar with blank eyes. If my sister and my best friend don't get a proper burial, they won't be able to rise to the realm of the Moon Goddess. Their souls will be lost. Rage erupts inside my chest. I won't let that happen.

"I'll go alone to recover Cassum's and Nicollo's bodies. Maybe I can sneak by their guards."

"That's crazy, Kendrick. If you go, we all go."

"Not acceptable." Neither Cedar nor the fighters made a promise to them. It's not their time to die.

Andrenior steps out of the shadows. "I'll go. They won't be able to detect me with a location shift, and once I found them, I can cloak their bodies while I track back here. If I encounter anyone, I'll pretend I'm a human boy who got lost in the woods."

"But the Scopan Lake pack have seen you during Trials. They'll know your story is bogus."

He smirks. "Trust me, if push comes to shove, I can protect myself."

I exhale slowly; it's really our only option. "Okay. Just make sure to bring back their bodies."

~~~~

© Sally Mason 2018

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