"The scouts believe the Scopan Lake Beta allied with around twenty-five packs. From experience, we know that the average number of fighters in each pack is around thirty to thirty-five, so you're looking at hostile numbers in the range of eight hundred." Zyron sighs; frustration is edged on his face.

"Let's be on the safe side and assume they're nine hundred." With puckered lips, I stare at the territory map of the Eastern US seaboard, recalculating the number of hostile packs. Twenty-five seems a little high, but then again, there could be smaller packs we've never even heard of. Some Alphas make their packhouses disappear within remote human settlements.

"Even if we call upon every fighter of our pack, we won't be able to round up more than eight hundred," Falcon says. "That puts us into an equal position or maybe at a slight disadvantage."

Not a feasible solution. "We can't pull the border patrols back from the new territories we conquered last year. The new system is still too unstable. If former leaders or their offspring get wind that their borders are unprotected, they revolt overnight." And after Mother got rid of her weretoy, the situation is even more volatile. Seth's old pack is itching to avenge his death.

"That leaves only six hundred wolves. That's not enough," Zyron remarks as if I don't know this already.

Cedar's lips twist to an impatient grimace. "Maybe we should allow the younger wolves to join our troops. We have at least fifty that are close to finishing their training. I'm sure they're eager to fight."

I shake my head. My mother will have a conniption if I take my sister Kenna into battle, and I'm sure most of the other mothers would feel the same. "But that gives me an idea. We can recruit fighters in the new territories to join our army. That way, they'll move up the ranks and don't have to feel like they are being oppressed."

"And you think you can trust them?"

"If we make them switch packs, yes."

Zyron doesn't look sold on the idea. "Best case scenario, you'll get fifty or so of the more inexperienced fighters to sign up, and we'd have to train them for a few months to get them up to an acceptable standard. These territories haven't even been conquered for a year and no respectable wolf will bow to the enemy. Personally, I think you're wasting your time."

My wolf stirs with unrest, but since the meltdown in the woods, I've been able to keep his anger in check. Zyron is now second in line; if something happened to me, he'd easily prevail in Trials to become the next Alpha. I should at least listen to his opinion.

"But how else can we increase our numbers?" Cedar asks.

I stare out the window. What a fucked-up situation. I never thought I'd have to crawl back to him. "I'm gonna ask Gabriel."

Zyron's laugh is incredulous. "You serious?"

"What other solution is there?"

"He will want something in return."

"I'm sure he does." I get to my feet. "I'm gonna leave first thing tomorrow. While I'm gone, you'll be in charge."

"You're going alone?"

"Sure, why not?" Gabriel might be a sly wolf with plenty of tricks up his sleeve, but he's no threat.

Zyron smirks. "Then good luck in the wolves' den."

~~~~

Gabriel took refuge on one of the most Northern tips of my territory, a place past Hudson Bay that is so remote and heavily wooded that neither werewolf nor human have set foot there for years. It takes me half a day to pick up his scent that leads me to his cabin. When I pull up, he is out on the porch, chopping wood. The years have been good to him; his coarse hair and bushy eyebrows are now a snowy white, but otherwise, he hasn't changed much. Especially his muscles hint that he hasn't eased up on the training.

As I get out of the SUV, he measures me up, but after a quick glance at the car, he doesn't shift. "Kendrick Raynes. To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

He raises the ax; I'm not sure he truly expects an answer or just wants me to leave.

"Have you heard about Cassum?"

"What about her?"

"She's dead."

The ax stops midair. "How did that happen?"

"Long story." I rub my hands together to fight the frigid wind. "You mind if we continue this inside? It's freezing out here."

His gaze flicks once again to the car. "You alone?"

"I didn't come here to fight but ask for your help."

He arches a brow. "Then come on in."

The cabin is small and dingy; it could use a female's touch. Candles and the glow from the fire are the only light source. The smell of wet wool lingers in the air.

"Sorry about the mess. I wasn't expecting company." With one swoop, he gathers up a bunch of clothes from the backrest of the couch and tosses them into a dark corner.

A couple of glasses and a plate sit on the kitchen counter, otherwise, the shelves are bare. The only remarkable thing about the inside is a long bookstand that takes up one whole wall and even covers a window.

"Have a seat by the fire. That'll warm you up in no time."

I lower myself onto a rocking chair that creaks under my weight. Hopefully, I won't end up with my ass on the floor.

Gabriel plops down on the couch and perches one foot on the makeshift table. "So what happened to Cassum?"

Where do I start? Sorting through the jumble mumble in my mind, I go back to the night of the Lunar Eclipse—the moment I set foot onto Scopan Lake territory for the very first time. It was the night when everything changed.

It takes a full hour before I have filled in the blanks. When I'm done, Gabriel stares into the fire. The muscle in his jaw jumps. He has always had perfect control over his emotions and growing up, this little twitch was the only thing that gave away his anger.

"They broke the most sacred of our laws. It's the absolute right of an Alpha born to rule their pack if they prevail in Trials. I'm surprised the other packs allied with the Beta so easily."

"Cassum was the first Alpha of her kind. I figure they didn't want to bow to a female."

"And the warlocks? Don't you think they could've been used to paint her as a threat?"

I drop my gaze. It's an angle I hadn't considered. "They were with me when Cassum was attacked."

"The Beta could've used this to convince his pack that they only had a small window of opportunity to strike. Where are the warlocks now?"

"At my packhouse."

"So technically, your pack could be viewed as a threat to all werewolves for harboring the ultimate enemy."

I grimace. "I guess, technically, you could say that." And it would explain why all the other packs were so quick to pledge their support.

"And what can I do to help?"

The moment of truth. "I heard that you've built a network of rogues over the years. A small army, supporting each other as everyone fights for survival. Is that true?"

"It is."

"How many wolves?"

"At the last count, a little over four hundred. And considering there'll be war, I assume you want them to fight on your side."

"That would be ideal."

"And what do you offer in return?"

"A new territory, a place they can call home, with you as my Northern tribune."

He smiles. "A tempting offer."

"And something that will likely never arise again."

"I want all the land south of here, with Sept-Iles and Eastmain being the outer border points."

"That's a lot of land."

"Land that is barely used by your pack. I mean, face it, when did you ever hunt north of these borders?"

Prior to today, I don't even remember a time I've visited this part of the country.

"Besides, you expect my rogues to risk their lives for you in this war." Gabriel's eyes sparkle; he knows he has me by the balls. "If I don't have something big to offer them, they'll say no."

I stretch out my hand. "You got yourself a deal."

"There is one more condition. The warlocks have to stand down. One sign of them and my wolves are gone."

That won't be an issue. Andrenior already said they couldn't be involved in the war. According to Rikka, he's facing some sort of reprimand by the Sentinels for helping werewolves in the first place.

"The warlocks will stay behind. You have my word."

"And the hybrid?"

"She doesn't have powers as a wolf, so she isn't a threat in this type of fight." That's at least what I'm counting on.

Gabriel shakes my hand. "Then we have an agreement."

"Send word to your rogues. I want to strike at dawn three days from now."

"That's doable. Where do we meet?"

"Quebec, just outside of the Maine border." When he gets to his feet, I peel myself out of the old rocking chair. "And I have one more question. Why did you leave?"

"After your father died, it wasn't my time anymore."

"You were his Beta. My whole life, I looked up to you. You taught me everything I know about war strategy. I could've used a mentor to help me find my footing."

"Is that blame I hear, Kendrick?"

I drop my gaze. I didn't come here to argue with him. But still, there are some things that need to be said. "My mother struggled to get over her mate's death. She could've used a friend."

"Your mother was the problem. You must've known how I felt about her, how I still do. She is the reason I've never had my own family." The flames of the fire dance in his dark irises. They hold the familiar sadness. I'm not even sure his smile has ever reached his eyes.

"She and my father were true mates."

"And he was my brother, but that doesn't diminish my feelings for her. While he was alive, I was bound to him by my Beta oath, but once he was gone, the pain to see her weep over his body the way she did was just too much. I had to leave or her grief would have driven me insane."

"You didn't have to turn rogue. I would've given you a parcel of land to call your own."

"And that type of favoritism would have looked bad in front of the pack. You were a young Alpha who needed to prove himself first. And trust me, with a grumpy old wolf around who was a wiseacre, it wouldn't have worked."

I smile. "I'm glad we had this talk."

"Your father would be very proud of the Alpha you've become. It will be an honor to fight by your side."

"You know, one day, you'll have to face my mother again."

"Only at your burial, so let's pray to the Moon Goddess that this won't happen in my lifetime."

~~~~

I sit in the heart of darkness with haunting shadows hushing around me. The last embers of the bonfire have died by my feet. For hours, the wind has been carrying Cassum's laughter.

It fuels the dull ache in my chest.

The self-loathing.

The guilt.

No amount of revenge will diminish those feelings; all I can hope for is that it'll make the burden I carry a little easier.

When snow crunches behind me, I turn around and raise my arm to shield my eyes from the blinding flashlight. Gabriel lowers himself on the fallen tree opposite from me. He places the flashlight in the middle to illuminate a circle around us.

"Did you sleep?"

"A little." Nightmares have made it a challenge to close my eyes for more than a couple of hours. If I weren't running on adrenaline, I'd probably collapse.

"Eat?"

"My wolf fights better when he craves blood." I smile at him. "Don't look so worried. I'm fine."

"You look like shit, that's why." Eyes full of wisdom cut into me. "Who'll be your number two?"

"Not sure yet. Zyron and Cedar will both be leading their own troops. I was gonna ask Everest, but she's bound to fight by Killian's side." I chuckle. Her cheeks were flushed when she told me, as if she was about to die of embarrassment. "I think there'll be a mating in the future."

"Why not ask your hybrid? She's a pretty little thing. Can see how you would be attracted to her."

If it were up to me, Raelyn wouldn't even be joining the fighters. I couldn't handle if something happened to her. No matter how rocky our relationship might be at the moment, she's still the light that will eventually break through the shadows of my soul.

"Or you could ask me."

I turn around to squint at the long shadow of the she-wolf who has snuck up on me. Not that I need confirmation. Her scent gives her away. "Don't think that's a good idea. We need our healer in one piece, so you're staying here." Plus she's pregnant with Nicollo's pup. He'll curse me from the realm of the Moon Goddess if I let his mate go to war.

Arabella's gaze begs me to give in. "Please, I need to do this to be able to look my pup in the eyes."

I stand up straight and give her a glare. No fucking around on this one. Not only does she carry a pup, but I can't afford to lose my healer on a sentimental whim. Hell, she has barely any battle training. I have to focus on winning a war and can't keep an eye on a weak fighter.

She lowers her head in submission. A few tears slip from the corners of her eyes and roll down her cheeks. I stand my ground. Hormonal she-wolf or not, she isn't going, and that's final.

I pick up the flashlight. "The attack is scheduled to start in an hour. Everyone should be ready, so let's join them."

Without waiting for a response, I walk toward Cedar's cabin. The big square in the front is buzzing. Zyron is about to leave to meet up with his troop a couple of miles away. My own troop has fallen into formation by the tree line, waiting for my command to move out.

I scan the area for Raelyn. She sits on the doorsteps of the cabin, feasting on a big piece of rabbit. I squat next to her.

"Hi." She smiles with teeth, fired up and ready.

My wolf grumbles at the scent of blood on her breath. "I was thinking that you could be my number two."

She snickers. "A female as your wingwolf. Man, you're really setting a precedent here."

"I don't discriminate."

"And I appreciate the gesture, I really do, but as soon as the battle starts, I was hoping I could go after someone else."

My brows arch. "And that's just coming up now?"

"I was gonna ask you before, but you were busy with the troop leaders. Please, it's something I need to do."

"Who's the target?"

She can't hold my gaze. "The male who raised me."

The spit dries up in my mouth. "Your father? That's crazy, Raelyn. You can't take on an Alpha on your own."

"That's why I'm gonna be there with her," says a voice from behind me.

I spin around to come face to face with Jos. My forehead wrinkles. "What are you doing here?"

"Joined Gabriel's rogue army this week." He bows his head, acknowledging my Alpha status in this battle. "I hope you don't have a problem with that."

"Hell, yeah, I do. You used to be one of them. How can I trust you?"

"I just want to fight."

"Sure, and once I kill the Beta, you'll riot against me as the last Alpha born remaining of the Scopan Lake pack?" Nope, not happening.

"Look, I walked away because Cassum was the better wolf. She didn't deserve what she got. That and growing up, I resented Lance Ward. He never missed an opportunity to remind my father that I was nothing but the illegitimate son. Every chance he got, he poisoned the pack's mind against me. I was the tolerated outcast who didn't deserve respect. So no, I don't feel loyal to him or that pack. I wouldn't want to be their Alpha." He holds my gaze; his eyes are sincere.

"Do you trust him, Raelyn?"

Andrenior hinted there was history between them. Her response will tell me volumes.

"Explicitly."

I clench my jaw, my wolf ready to jump out of my skins. "Is that so? We can talk more after. . ." I let the words trail off to give her something to think about. This situation with her prior males will need to be addressed, but not today. Today, we'll fight. Everything else will have to wait.

My glare drills into Jos. "Given the circumstances, I agree that you can fight with us. And make sure you have Raelyn's back."

"Don't worry, she'll be returned to you in one piece. You have my word."

~~~~

© Sally Mason 2018

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