Chapter 31
"You're bleeding?" Callum asked me in a panic as he grabbed ahold of my hand.
I looked down at my arm and then shook my head, "It isn't my blood."
I felt him relax against me as he dropped a kiss on my head and I heard some loud noises behind him.
Peering over his shoulder, I saw Finn and the hunters who just fought at our sides pulling a huge garbage bin to the entrance of the alleyway to block it.
"Did the humans hear anything?" Cal directed to Louis.
"No, luckily the seniors just came in and cranked on the jukebox. You know those old bats turn on that thing on full blast since they can't hear properly." He informed.
Cal nodded as if that was common knowledge and Otis began searching around the back of the building.
"We need to get those bodies out of here and clean up this mess," He instructed as he grabbed a hose and attached it to a ground tap.
"We could take them into the forest and then come back around and move them in wolf form," Finn said as he walked over to the bodies.
"And you guys should try to pick up those bullets," I nodded to the few shells I could see scattered around.
Everyone set to work as Finn and I quickly hauled the bodies into the woods behind the diner and Otis got to spraying away the blood the gravel lot.
Seeing that we couldn't exactly haul the bodies through town, at least not without the local law enforcement detaining us and charging us with murder, we'd just have to come back in wolf form through the forest.
What had me worried was Abel's possibility of betrayal to the pack.
His mind link was unreachable and before the fight even ended I lost touch of his wolf.
I trusted him, but his loyalties now laid with his mate. His rogue mate. Even though he was one of my most loyal soldiers, I didn't expect him to leave the pack. We could have easily taken her brothers and then she could have joined us.
It was simple. In theory.
But then she would have resented him for what he did. Her brothers, however, didn't seem like they had more than two brain cells. They also appeared particularly misogynistic towards their sister.
At least they were dead now, but the cost of that was one of best fighters in an already dwindling pack. Not to mention Abel knew my plans, including the one of having the hunters help us.
"You think he'll betray us?" Finnick asked me as we laid the last body down and walked back to the lot.
"I sure as shit hope not," I groaned. "On one hand I want to say no but on the other hand who knows what he'll walk into when he goes to the rogues or what he'd do if his mate asks."
"If Callum asked you to betray the pack, would you? Would you leave?" He raised a brow in question.
"Of course not, but I'm the Alpha. I'd just tie him to a tree."
"The point is Ev, you won't give up that easily. Maybe Abel won't either."
"Why'd you always have to be wise Finn?"
He grinned, "Cause I'm the designated nerd of the pack...and of course your friend."
I didn't miss the exclusion of the word 'best' before friend but I think that's the last of our issues right now.
"So, what are we going to do now?" He asked.
"Hope that the Moon Goddes send us a miracle and then live happily ever after?"
Snorting he shook his head, "Has she ever been so kind?"
"Nope, but when I see her, I'll ask her why. Might be soon enough because I think she wants us dead." I sighed.
"No, come one Alpha, we got this. We just need to get one rogue to talk. Just one."
"There's something I haven't told you..." I trailed off.
I saw him tense as he eyed me cautiously, "What?"
"I met my Aunt Avery. Jane goofed and told her about our kind so she knew there're rogues around."
He eyed me suspiciously, "And that's a bad thing why?"
"Not that, it's what she said. According to her, the rogues seemed like they were mind linking. Avery said that they won't be speaking but they'd smile, laugh or frown at each other like they were speaking. What else could it be?"
Finn's eyes narrowed, "You don't think that's true, do you?"
I gave it a thought before nodding, "I never thought it was possible, but there's so much we didn't know about. All the old things like hypersthene and silver berry. Alpha of rogues doesn't seem so far fetched."
"That's insane, how would it even be done?" He questioned.
"Jane said it was something she heard of, a blood oath and chant among rogues. Enough to create a pack. Maybe it's a way to ensure survival or werewolves. Fuck if I know." I kicked up some gravel but that wasn't the smartest move being barefoot and all.
"Do I have to give you my shoes now too?" Callum asked as he approached us.
"I'm not against the idea," I mused.
He rolled his eyes and kicked off his sneakers before placing it at my feet, "You seriously need to stop tearing your clothes."
"I rather let my eyes be blessed after killing rogues." I shrugged and heard Finn make a gagging noise beside me as I slide on Cal's sneakers which were bigger than my feet.
"I am cute aren't I?" Cal winked.
"Okay Mr. Ego, let's get a move on before any more rogues show up."
"Or your head gets bigger than it already is." Finn jabbed and Cal huffed and childishly shoved his shoulder and pulled me to his side.
"Whatever Finneas. How did you even know we'd need help by the way?"
"When Abel mind linked me I knew nothing good would come of the rogues, so immediately left."
Cal peered at him, "Took you a while, didn't it."
"Considering I had to make most of the journey in human form and then ask for directions to the diner, I'd say it was pretty much normal timing," Finn explained. "Now can we leave before more rogues show up? This place still stinks of their blood."
Grabbing Cal's hand, I pulled him towards the exit, "Finn's right, it would take long to get here on foot. Let's be thankful that he was here to help."
"Thanks... I guess." Cal stubbornly muttered to Finn who accepted it with a cocky smirk.
"Any time Máni." Finn patted Cal's shoulder as we made our way around the large garbage bin and to the alleyway.
"Why don't you bring the car around Otis? We're a bit indecent and Ev has blood on her."
Nodding, he and Elle went off and brought the car around.
Cal immediately opened the door and slide me in all the way into the other side of the car before taking his seat in the middle.
Finn sat next to him and Louis got the memo and sat in the trunk.
When Cal pulled his t-shirt lower on my knees and placed his arm on top of my tights to prevent the material from sliding back up, I couldn't help but snort.
"Cal-" I started to protest his actions but when he cut me a serious expression, I stopped.
"Princess, just... let me okay?" I nodded my head and placed my hand on top of his as he took a deep breath.
I guess having Finn sitting next to us with me only in his t-shirt wasn't the most ideal situation. It was also good thinking on his part to keep the t-shirt covering me because I didn't exactly have underpants on.
Finn didn't seem too comfortable by the situation either as he kept shifting and practically molding himself to the door as Cal was sitting between him and me.
"What do you think your friend would do?" Otis asked.
I ran through my thoughts with him and then again to the other hunters when we made it back to the hunters' camp. They were shocked by the turn of events and my pack reacted as if I punched them when I broke the news about Abel.
As I said, we were more than a pack, we're family. Losing him is like losing a brother.
But instead of gaining Holly as a sister, we now had to treat both Able and her as a danger and threat.
"He's gone?" Minna asked for the third time as I pulled on much-needed pants.
Nodding, I pulled her into my arms.
George seemed in disbelief and leaned into the touch of the human who offered her home the day before.
Kelly and Ross were also standing around speechless as well as the hunters all tried to make sense of this.
"If Abel tries to contact one of us-" Finn started but I cut him off.
"We don't share anything with him. I'll ask Otis to contact Jane so that she will call my father and inform him. If he gets caught up with the rogues we won't know his true intentions. If he contacts any one of you, tell him to come back with his mate but if he betrays us, they'll both face the consequences." I stated as my demeanor hardened.
"Consequences?" Minna asked in my arms.
I looked at her and said, "You all know exactly the price a wolf pays for betrayal to his or her Alpha."
Kelly turned to me with a fierce expression, "He won't betray us, I know it."
"He left Kelly," Ross said. "Abel could have come back. He could have led his mate here, but he didn't."
"And now? What do we do now?" George asked through clenched teeth.
I released Minna from my embrace and stood closer to my pack, "The bodies of the rogues are at the edge of the forest behind the human restaurant. We need to move them before any human finds them. Then we come back, map out the possible locations of the others and then kill them."
"Ev, are you sure that's a good idea?" Callum asked from behind me.
Turning to him I said, "It's the best we've got." I walked over to the center of the room where Otis stood and grabbed the attention of everyone, "If the rogues already know we're here and we've killed their own, they're going to be pissed. We need to attack before they do and we need to have the element of surprise on our side. Tonight is my best bet."
Otis nodded, "Most humans will be asleep so it will be perfect, but how do we attack them silently?"
"Is there a way we could get them all in one place, like some human gathering?" Finn asked.
Callum shook his head, "Not possible without humans being apart of that. If the town calls for a meeting, the rogues will no doubt ask the humans they've befriended which makes it impossible for either the humans to not show up or for the rogues to not be suspicious."
"We can ask Everette's aunt to gather some intel on their locations. Their address will be common knowledge in town," Elle suggested.
"And then we can surround their houses and take them out house by house. It should be easy with the guns, meaning we won't have to get too close. We can split up and have a wolf each with a group." I said before turning to my pack, "Ross, Kelly, and George, have some hunters help you get the bodies from the forest and we'll bury them out here."
"Louis will show you where." Otis offered.
"I'll go with them." Callum volunteered and I went to protest but he shook his head, "Let me go help them, Ev. Who knows where those rogues are and I'm one of the best shooters here. I'll be safe, promise."
"That's not very comforting. I promised myself not to let you out of my sight after what happened."
"What happened?" Cal's grandpa asked.
Callum tensed up and gave his grandfather an easy smile, "Nothing to worry about Gramps."
"Now Callum, you don't lie to me." He pointed to his grandson expectantly.
"I'll tell you when I get back," Cal smiled and gave his grandpa a comforting squeeze to his shoulder before pulling me into his arms. "Be careful, Princess. While Avery gets the information, how about you go take a shower and get ready?"
I scrunched up my nose, "What you tryna say, Cain? I smell?" I pulled off his shoes from my feet and returned it back to him. He already got a t-shirt when he came back, thank goodness because I was getting distracted.
He winked, "Just a little."
My hand reflexively shot out to hit him but he dodged me with a chuckle.
"See you later babe." He waved as he followed the others outside.
I reached out to Kelly via mind link before they left, 'Reach out to me if anything happens. Immediately.'
'Got it Alpha.'
Otis pulled out an ancient cellphone from his pocket and flipped it open, "I'll call Jane and tell her to get Avery on it and about that Abel boy."
"Come on Everette, why don't we go relax while Avery gets the information for us?" Cal's grandpa Mitch offered with a smile.
Returning his warm smile I accepted the offer, "I'm not sure if relaxing is in my vocabulary anymore, especially now."
"He'll be fine," Mitch side-eyed me knowingly but I tried to play it off.
"No, I'm not-"
"From the little time that I've known you, I could tell a fight isn't something that worries you. You're a werewolf and a leader, so I suspect that these rogue things happen often and you have to be brave, but when it comes to my boy... well I can see the concern you have for him because you love him."
My cheeks were definitely rosy red but I didn't deny this, "I do and I know he can protect himself, Mr. Cain-"
"You can call me Mitch or Gramps like Callum does. After all, you're his soulmate, right? That makes you apart of the family already, which means you're my granddaughter." He patted my shoulder.
"That's very kind of you Mitch," I said earnestly before finishing my earlier sentence. "I worry about him because of the danger my presence in his life puts him in. About a week ago he was taken by rogues."
Troubled eyes turned towards me from Mitch, "He what?"
"I'm still not sure what they wanted from him because it's not like they planned an ambush to kill me when we found him but he got hurt pretty badly. A few broken ribs and his arm after he tried protecting someone from our pack. He's alive but had we not reached there in time... I don't know what would have happened to him." The memory of seeing him in that kitchen was still freshly imprinted into my mind and it was the one thing that scared me shitless.
Mitch stopped in his tracks, "You said a week ago? And he's healed already?"
"Yes, my mother she sort of can heal wounds. Like superpowers," I tried my best to explain and Mitch seemed to take it as it is without question.
"So Callum's fully healed?" He asked with concern still lingering on his face.
Nodding, I put him out of his misery, "He's in perfect physical condition."
He relaxed and continued walking, "Thank you, for taking care of him Everette."
"If I hadn't kidnapped him, he wouldn't have exactly been there. I'm just relieved that you aren't angry at me for that." This must have been the most awkward conversation in the history of conversations.
He went quiet for a few minutes as we walked until he finally decided to put me out of my misery. To be honest, I thought the old man was about to end me for taking his grandkid.
"Don't tell him I said this, but I'm glad it was him," Mitch said and I was startled with confusion.
"But I'm a werewolf and your son Jake-"
"Jake knew what he was getting himself into. He shouldn't have gone after your parents knowing his child was days away from being born. Had he not followed some crazy idea, he would have been here with Callum today and the population of hunters would be larger., He grumbled before taking a breath. "Callum only had me in this world. He grew up with having parents to wish his happy birthday or wrap gifts for him on Christmas. He was an angry kid for a long time.
"I don't know if he told you, but I have Alzheimer's. My mind is still sharp but soon enough I won't even remember him. You're what he needed in his life. A constant, permanent person at his side who loves him despite what your family history entails. He has a family now with you and your parents. You two might even start your own family if you choose. Something he's never had... a family. I've never seen him smile as much as I do when he's around you."
We stopped in front of his house and I swear someone was chopping onions or something because my eyes were wet.
"You're his family Mitch, you raised a great man. He missed you so much. We could never replace you in his heart."
Remorsefully he looked away, "He'll leave soon again. It's better for him if he doesn't miss me. Or maybe it will be better for me?"
I smiled at him warmly, "He hasn't told you yet but I was thinking... if you want to, you can come stay with us? Back in the pack. You'll be with Callum and you'll love the area."
"No, I can't-"
"You can," I assured him. "As you said, we're family, which means we want you there with us. We have a great doctor and Callum and I will be able to look after you. Think about it at least, for Callum."
He pursed his lips but I could see the spark of joy in his eyes, "Fine, I'll give it a thought."
"He'll be so happy, Mitch. We both will." I grinned as he ushered us inside.
"I haven't made my decision yet," He pointed out as he went to the kitchen.
"Well, you better hurry up on that," I called to him before making my way to Cal's room and hitting the shower.
I stripped the t-shirt and pants off of my body before hopping into the shower and getting rid of the rogue's blood covering my skin.
Just I finished up and grabbed a towel, Kelly's mind link echoed through my head.
'The bodies are gone Alpha.'
'What?' I sent back to her but before I could finish get a response I smelt the distinct odor of a rogue.
Looking out the large glass sliding door, I caught the flash of fur zipping through the trees of the forest.
Fuck.
I pulled a t-shirt over my head as I sent a mind link out to my pack.
'The rogues! They're here!'
I heard a string of curses float through my head as I rushed out of the bedroom and to the kitchen to find Mitch.
He immediately looked up and his carefree expression faded as he must have seen the concern written on my face.
"The rogues are here," I rushed out. "How good are you with a gun?"
"Terrible," He said and then added, "I'm not a hunter, just lives with them."
I stared at him wide-eyed before grabbing his arm and pushing him towards the bathroom.
"Lock the door and stay quiet," I instructed him.
Not that it would help if we all died but it was worth a shot.
He started to protest but a howl from somewhere outside stopped him.
"If you go out there not knowing how to shoot you'll just get yourself and others hurt, so stay." I closed the door in his face and when I heard him click the lock into place, I started towards the front door.
Stepping outside, I stared death in the face as five rogues emerged from the woods with one in human form.
"You killed our blood!" He growled.
I shrugged and plastered on a lazy smirk, "What can I say? Fido and his brothers were all bark and no bite."
His nostrils flared as he growled, "You little bitch, we're going to tear you bit by bit."
"Heard it all before buddy, yet I'm still here kicking ass," I sighed.
He glared daggers at me before shouting, "Kill her!"
Oh-oh.
I shifted into my wolf as I leaped into the air and immediately landed on a rogue.
The other four started clawing away at my back as I sank my teeth into the jugular of the one under me.
The force and weight of the others weighed me down and my back felt the searing pain of nails cutting into my flesh and warm blood coated my fur. But as the pain sank in, I howled so loud I felt my own ears ringing.
They had silver berry on their claws and the inflictions they were making felt like being shot with silver bullets over and over again without an end in sight.
I growled and used all my strength to push against them but I think only one lost their hold on me.
Some miracle finally happened when I heard gunshots and felt the wolves above me stop their frantic movements. Their bodies dropped to either side of me as I watched the rogue under me die.
Finn's wolf came to my side immediately and he rubbed his head over my own.
'You okay?'
'If having silver berry cuts on my back is okay, then I'm just dandy.'
'Don't be a-' I watched as a rogue pummeled into the side of Finn and knocked him to the ground.
Getting my sorry ass up, I charged at the rogues and tore into its neck from behind as the copper taste of blood filled my mouth.
Turning around when I heard more gunshots, I heard and smelt more rogues swarming in.
'H-o-l-y shit.' Minna's voice uttered through the mind link.
'Jane called Otis back when we were coming here, it's the rogues from the town.' Finn informed me.
Well looks like our plan failed before it could even start. They found us before we could find them.
And they were pissed.
Not wasting time, Finn, Minna and I charged the rogues head-on as I heard the hunters firing bullets to the rogues around them.
The silver berry was preventing the wounds on my back from letting me heal and the pain was causing me to be slow in my responses.
However, I still killed any rogue I managed to get my canines into.
I yanked on tails, ripped out throats and believe an ear was also bitten off.
Minna and Finn helped me out here and there and I felt the exhaustion kicking in from the wounds on my back.
Just as I finished off one rogue, another approached me with a sinister expression.
Now I was a large wolf. Huge being Alpha and all. Definitely bigger than this guy.
But man this rogue was packing on some weight.
I stood my ground as I waited for him to make his first move but I should have moved first because he knocked me on my back in a split second.
Snarling at me, crazy rogue here drool feel onto my face.
I placed my front paws on his chest and pushed but he barely moved as his rotting canines started snapping at either side of my neck, aiming for the jugular.
Shifting my head side to side and narrowly missing his sharpy pointy teeth, I clawed away at him.
The big boy here, however, placed one of his front paws on my chest and pressed. More like stand on that one paw.
Feeling my breath caught in my throat, I struggling to get air in and fight this maniac off as I was sure a rib or two was broken.
His sinister eyes peered down at me as he stopped snapping at my neck and continued to apply pressure on my chest.
Surely he was about to squish some vital organs.
Peering over his shoulders I saw everyone else was pretty much preoccupied with other rogues to see me meeting kissing death here.
The burning in my lungs didn't stop me from clawing at the rogue above me but I tried my best.
Then, like a beautiful bonfire, the rogue went up in flames above me.
The loud roar of the rogue echoed around me as I watched him collapsed before me as the flames consumed him and burnt him to a crisp.
All around me, the rogues caught fire and their roars, growls and whimpered filled the air.
But like the beautiful man that he is, my mate appeared above me like some revenging archangel.
His extremely warm hands grabbed my cheeks and I saw his lips moving but the thought of his powers flowing through him again pushed all the noises out.
That and the fact that all this pain was making me lose all my senses.
I did hear him yelling, "Stay with me, Princess."
But it's not like I can move, right?
"You're an Angel, you hot piece of man you," I muttered before I closed my eyes.
A/N
Chapter Update: Sunday
OOOOF! What a chapter! Cal got back his powers WOOHOO! ð¥
Next chapter, I promise will be a nice easy-breezy one. Yall gonna love it!
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