Chapter 39
The last few days were intense. Between training and rearranging our strategy, I could see it was starting to take a toll on everyone.
So for the sake of everyone's health, we're taking it easy today.
Since Doris's disappearance there hasn't been a single rogue attack nor have we seen them lurking around which puts me on edge.
Border patrol has been keeping everything tight ever since we pulled them back into the pack and made the perimeter smaller. It meant leaving the actual border of our land empty and shrinking the area, but everyone was safe. Empty land without use was secondary to keeping my pack alive.
We should have done it a long time ago.
The hunters have been securing their areas where they'll be when everything goes down. My grandma Anne grew some more trees to help them have a higher vantage point in some areas.
Some of them also said they'd be on the ground, which worried me because they'd have to be fast with shooting and moving.
The ones who couldn't fight, the children and the elderly who just didn't have it in them, were to be secured within the Crypt.
Before we were going to keep them housed in my grandparents' house since it was located to the South of our pack and the rogues may attack from the north, but Doris knew that so we decided keeping them behind silver doors would be safer.
Doris's house was mostly normal except for her collection of old books that I'd never seen before. Not that I was much of a reader but from the contents of the old werewolf world, it would have been in my studies as Alpha.
That and Finn would have shown me them and geeked out.
From what my grandpa told me when we found the books, they've been missing before he was born. However, Doris's great grandfather was a scholar with werewolf knowledge. He must have kept them in their house and Doris held on to them.
I wish these bits of information came to light before but I guess recalling an old person's ancestry wasn't on our mind.
That didn't matter now, we figured out it was here.
Abel and Holly though... I wish I didn't lose our mind link because I had no way of figuring out if they made it back to the human town.
Doris had her rogues around. Holly's pregnant.
After the war I making it my mission to go find them and make sure they're alive.
But for right now I had to battle my little sister.
"I want to help Everette," Taelyn insisted.
I tried to ignore her as Callum and I trained but she was persistent.
I'd already told her no and explained that because she hadn't shifted yet, it would be safer for her to stay in the Crypt with Thor but she didn't want to hear it.
"Come on, please? I can fight. I can help!" She yelled at me.
Callum keeps shifting his eyes towards her to make me talk to her but I just threw a right hook at him and he dodged me.
We were working on his reflexes because even though Mr. Matchstick here was confident about his abilities, I was making sure he knew how to at least dodge a rogue from using him as a chew toy.
"Tae, mom, and dad said you have to stay safe. You know I can't let you fight when the rogues show up it will be-"
"Dangerous, yeah I got that the hundreds of times you've said it," She huffed.
"Maybe-" Callum started.
"Shh," I shushed him as I pointed a stern finger his way before facing Taelyn. "This isn't up for discussion. You've never been in a fight before and this is different. Those rogues are ruthless and they'd kill you without blinking an eye."
"Everette maybe don't say that?" Cal suggested but Taelyn didn't back down.
She took a step closer and straightened up, "When you were my age you were already training to become an Alpha. I've been here training with the rest of the kids on how to fight. We may not know how to shift, but we can fight."
"You can fight humans, yes. I'm sure you can even take Callum down but a werewolf is different. They're bigger and stronger and faster and they'll knock you down."
"Well if you think I'm going to sit around while my entire family fights for our lives then you're wrong. I will be there one way or another and you know you can't stop me when the war breaks out," The perseverance in her eyes and the confidence in her tone didn't surprise me.
Taelyn has always been level headed and had a strong personality. She was a Blackwood after all.
"I know and that is what I'm afraid of. You getting hurt," I admitted.
"If you two care about my opinion at all," Callum interrupted, "then I think I have an idea."
Tae's eyes lit up and she looked at him in anticipation, "Tell us."
"Ev?" He raised a brow when I turned to him.
I nodded for him to go on and he grinned.
"When I was ten years old I started archery. Taelyn's fourteen, she can handle a bow and arrow. She could stay up in the trees with the hunters. That way she can help and she won't be in middle of the danger on the ground."
"Ohh, that's a good idea," She high fived Cal and was hopping up and down with excitement.
"Woah, let's talk this out for a moment," I raised my hands to calm her down.
"What's there to talk about? All I need is a bow and some arrows and Callum will teach me, won't you Cal?" She pleaded with my mate and he nodded at her with a smile.
"There is a lot to talk about, first thing being that you don't know how to use a bow and arrow. You're not Katniss Everdeen!" I exclaimed.
She narrowed her eyes at me, "You've never even read the books."
Guilty as charged.
"I've watched the movies..."
"You watched one and not even the entire thing," Tae pointed out.
"Okay, okay. I didn't but that is so not the point here. You don't know how to shoot and Doris could literally walk her old ass in her any time now."
"I think you should let her try," Cal said.
"I'm with Callum."
"Of course you are," I groaned.
"Come on Ev, just let her try. If she has some potential, she could work on it. If not then she will agree to sit it out. Isn't that right Tae?" He gave her a pointed look.
She immediately nodded, "Absolutely. If you don't let me at least try then I won't promise you and I will definitely sneak out when the rogues attack."
"Are you giving me an ultimatum kid?"
"I'm giving you choices, you choose sis. It's all on you." Her smirk was set because she knew she had me there.
I grumbled under my breath before mumbling, "Fine. But if this doesn't work-"
"Then I promise I will stay in the Crypt like a sitting duck," She crossed her heart.
"Elle should have some bow and arrows we can use," Cal nodded towards where the hunters where training.
Tae dashed off and I immediately tapped Cal over the head as I followed her.
He chuckled it off as he followed me, "You and I both know this is the safest option for her. The determination alone assures me she would put herself in danger which would just put others at risk."
"I know but it doesn't mean I like the idea," I acknowledged.
"It's better than her getting hurt," He said before grabbing onto my arm and spinning me back to him. "Princess?"
"Yeah?" I looked up at him.
"She won't. Get hurt that is. I'll train her myself and ensure she stays in the trees. You have my word."
I grabbed his shirt and pulled his body into mine before giving him a kiss to remember.
He took a second to respond before he wrapped his arms around my waist and deepened the kiss.
"Stop being gross guys and teach me how to shoot this thing!" Taelyn called us.
Cal chuckled into our kiss before pulling away and pecking my nose.
I watched in anticipation as Elle handed over a bow and a very sharp arrow to Taelyn.
My sister didn't waste time aiming as she placed the arrow on the bow and drew it back as if she knew what she was doing.
Before anyone could stop her, she pulled it back and it went hurtling over a wolf's head. I squeaked in fright together with Cal, Louis and Elle gasping as the pack member glared at us before going back to training.
"Taelyn!" I scolded.
She gave me an innocent expression before Cal quickly grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face the woods.
"Rule number one: don't shoot anyone who isn't your target. We need them all alive," Cal laughed but I found the situation extremely far from funny. "Rule number two: treat your weapon with respect and don't play around with it."
"Done and done," she nodded.
"Now listen to me very carefully before you shoot. You only one chance alright?" He said and she rolled her eyes at him.
"Alright," She sighed. "But if I'm going to do this, you need to explain to me in detail. Don't let me mess this up."
"I won't kid. Don't worry you're with an expert," He said cockily.
I couldn't help but snort and he shot me a wink.
Elle grabbed a paper with a target on it before attaching it to the tree with a knife.
Callum stood behind Tae and held her arms up to aim at the target.
"Okay, so you need to hold your arms like this," He positioned her elbow in what I assumed was the way in which it had to be done. "Does the bow feel comfortable in your hands?"
She nodded as her focus became intense on learning.
"Good. Now I want you to hold the bow with confidence. Act as if you've been doing this your entire life because the moment you become tense, you lose the light touch you need."
I don't know if Cal was some sort of magical whisperer of archery but I could see Tae relax as she kept her focus.
It was fascinating to watch as he took the lead and taught her what to do.
He made sure her arm was comfortable, showed her how to align her arrow and aim.
There was more explanation to it but soon enough, he stepped back as Tae took her aim.
'You got this,' I mind linked her and she smirked.
I grabbed Cal's hand in a tight grip as I watched my little sister.
Sure, I'm terrified of having her be in danger. But if this is something she wants to do, then I'll make sure to cheer her on.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled the arrow back and like a flash of lightning, it went hurtling towards the target.
Bullseye.
"H-how did you do that on your first try?" Louis asked with his mouth agape.
Turning around with a smug look on her face, she shrugged as if it was no big deal, "I did exactly what Cal said. Not that difficult to be honest."
Cal laughed and somewhat agreed, "She is right, but I'm also surprised. Took me a couple of tries before I quit dropping the arrow before I shot it."
"So, does this mean I get to help now?" She asked with pleading eyes.
Cal looked at me when a raised brow, "Your call Alpha."
"It depends..." I started and her expression fell, "will you promise to stay with the hunters if I said yes?"
Hope sprang within her as she nodded, "Yes, I promise. I won't climb down the tree."
I unleashed my smile and nodded, "Okay, fine you can help but until then, you'll be training with the hunters. That means no more wasting time collecting bugs with Sam-"
"Hey, those bugs are apart of our ecosystem!" She exclaimed while pointing a finger at me.
"And they'll be there after the war. I expect you to take this seriously Taelyn, no games or running around. I want you here training with that thing and I don't care how long it takes to master archery, you only have a week at most," Tae gave me a fierce but determined nod at my serious tone.
"You got it Alpha," She saluted me.
"Now, I want to see you do that again to ensure it wasn't beginners luck," I teased as Cal handed her an arrow but made no attempt to help her with her angle.
She took a deep breath before taking aim and the target a few millimeters to the right of the first one she shot.
"She's good," Cal said impressed. "And she's never shot an arrow before?"
"Never."
"Then how is she doing it?" He asked bewildered.
"Werewolf badass instincts?" I shrugged.
"Huh, I thought that was just you," He mused and I elbowed him in the side.
"Stop sweet-talking me and start training my sister."
'But I was planning on something else...' He whined through our mind link.
I looked at him in confusion, 'What something else?'
He leaned in close and placed his left hand behind my back before running the thumb of his right hand on my mark.
'Something that involved my mouth, you relaxing and having to stifle your loud-'
'Jesus. H. Christ!'
'Nope, it's Callum. J. Cain,' He smirked. 'Remember that for later.'
I narrowed my eyes at him as desire snaked its way through my body, 'You're so not making it easy to leave you here Jaxson.'
He smiled at the use of my middle name, 'That's the whole point, Princess. But you better go before I let you drag me off into the woods and have your way with me.'
'Says the guy who brought up this entire conversation,' I remarked.
'Yeah but you and I both know you've been thinking of dragging me off into the woods and pressing me up against the tree,' he wiggled his eyebrows.
'I so was not,' Even my voice through mind link went up a pitch as I lied.
'Ev.'
'I'm not lying,' I interjected quickly.
'I didn't say you were but I could feel your emotions... I know you well enough to know where those feelings had your mind.'
My cheeks were red as I pressed my face into his chest, 'Whatever. Just get home quickly. I want at least one more orgasm before Doris comes knocking and we die.'
'We're not going to die.'
I pulled away and raised a brow, 'I won't take any chances.'
'And I'm not complaining.'
Neither was my lower region.
"I'm going to sort out which rooms we're using in the Crypt. You better be home in two hours." I jabbed my finger on his chest.
"As you wish Alpha," He gave me a heated wink.
I watched as he turned around and grabbed a quiver of arrows for Taelyn.
The smile on her face put me slightly at ease. I was still worried about her, but if this was what she wanted to do, and she was good at it, then I'm not going to stop her.
Shifting, I ran over to the Crypt and met up with Penelope and Charlotte. Together, the three of us worked out which rooms we would use to keep our non-fighters.
The silver doors would hold off anyone until we win. The only way to open the door is through the eye scanner only I could open.
But I removed myself from the system and Penelope programmed it so that it won't be able to open from the outside.
We put Thor into the system as he was the only Blackwood that was staying inside the room, so when the war is over, we'll let them know and he will open the door from the inside.
Thor wasn't too thrilled knowing every person in his family was fighting except him, but he had to stay safe.
If anything happened to us, the Alpha role would be his and he'd have to lead the pack. Despite being a mischievous thirteen-year-old, he had a sense of maturity to him that a child of an Alpha usually has.
My mom was going to be out into the war as well. She plans on healing anyone from our pack to make sure they live and continue fighting but when all hell breaks loose, well I don't know how well it would work out.
But the Moon Goddess said the Lunas are important. Even my grandma Anne was going to help fight by using her earth manipulation. She does have some pretty badass powers.
Everything else was ready.
We had our silver berry, our hunters, our strategy and hopefully a bit of luck.
The only we don't know is when they'll show up.
In the Moon Goddess's name, I hope we survive it.
A/N
Chapter Update: Monday ð
Everyone clasp their hands and close their eyes as we join in prayer and hope our pack survives ð
Song: Bon Iver - Perth
Instagram: @1fandombookgirl
I hoped you enjoyed the chapter!
If you did then please consider:
Voting + Commenting
Be kind, keep smiling and;
Read on wolfies, ðº
-Shania. ð¾