Chapter 26

LAINEY Working with Hunters pack won’t be easy. They’re a very hard bunch of wolves, but over the last week, so far, they’ve been quite receptive to me and my ideas on how to make life a little better for them.

I know it’s not really status quo, but I feel like I do belong here. That it’s my kind of place.

The aggression is still there, they are still Alphas after all, but I’m finding it at a level that’s not impossible to work with.

I’m told there’s no training here because the units so close. If I know anything about aggressive males, it’s that the anger and frustration very rarely gets checked at the door.

This town needs a fight club. Something to legally and safely let out frustrations when it’s needed and that’s what I plan to do as my first order of business here.

I will also have to have a talk with Hunter about my hive. If it’s true and I am Luna, my hive will have to come with me. I won’t make them live in the Unit without me. If the pack accepts me, they’ll have to accept my people too.

For now, we both need to get to work. I have hives to destroy.

“Lainey!”

I was walking through the halls after saying goodnight to Hunter. I look at my phone.

“Willow. You’re up early. It’s 7pm.” I look at her concerned.

“I couldn’t sleep anymore. We're deploying tonight right?” She clasps her hands behind her back.

I nod. “In three hours. Is anyone else up?”

She shakes her head. “No. Just me.”

We walk through to the dining hall and grab a drink to eat.

I pick a table away from the large windows since the sun is only now starting to fade.

“So how are things with Hunter?” Willow asks before sipping her cup.

I smile. “Good. Really good actually. He thinks we may be fated.”

Willows brows went up. “Really? Lainey that’s great.”

I sit back and sigh. “He’s so excited. I just hope he’s not disappointed. If the fates come through we will literally be making history.”

Willow leans forward. “Well, if you had to make history, Hunter is at least a sexy one to do it with.” She wiggles her brow.

I chuckles. “Stop. You’re terrible.”

“My dear sister. I’m not terrible, I’m jealous. It’s not fair you get all those rippling muscles.” She giggles.

I laugh. “Your time will come, Willow. Be patient.”

“Lainey. It’s been 70 years. My patience is wearing thin. I’m about to do a little kidnapping myself soon.” She says with a smirk under her breath.

“Yes well, fate has everything planned out. I’m sure there’s someone out there for you. A nice, handsome male just for you.” I smile.

“Do you remember?” She grins.

“Remember what?” I ask.

“Mothers sitting room.” She supplies.

I start to chuckle low. “How could I forget.”

“The handsome fighter would whisk us away to his castle and make us his queens. How naïve we were.” She looks down.

“We were children, Willow. Children dream.” I say.

“Then reality bites your neck.” She mumbles.

“I’m sorry.” I say low.

“It’s not your fault, Lain. Damon made you do it. I’m just glad the bastard’s dead.” She glances at me.

The memory of Damon starving me while my family laid on the floor crying, came to mind. My eyes close as I relive my thirst for their blood. Tearing into my father and mother. My two other younger sisters and drinking from Willow. With my family dying, I knew who I wanted saved.

Damon gave me the choice. Who do I want saved? I cried because the choice was impossible. My mother died first, then my 5 year old sister. My father soon followed. The torture of my choice haunts me still.

I chose Willow because she was the only one that still had a chance. Once I chose, Damon bit her neck. It was selfish of me and that’s why I blame myself right up to this day. The life I subjected my sister to, just so I wouldn’t be alone, was horrible.

She can say she harbors no ill thoughts, but I know she does on some level. I just hope what I’m doing now will make up for all the sins I’ve committed in my life.

“Never mind all that.” I wave her off. “We have a battle to win.”

We stand and I hook my arm in Willows and we head to the deployment area.

Once there, my hive filters in with Unit 14. The wolves look…tired. Not used to the night shift.

I stand with my sisters as Alpha Hyde gives us our orders. There’s a hive about 3 hrs from here. We will have to be quick if we want to beat sunrise.

The shifters load in the trucks while my hive takes in as much cows blood as we need. We will run. It’s faster.

“Good luck, ladies. See you there. Save some for us.” Alpha Hyde smirks.

“Better hurry.” I smirk back.

We crouch and break into a vamp run heading west once we reach the open desert.

The faster we run, the higher the sand cloud grows behind us. The glowing moon is rising in the east and the sky is filling with stars.

I turn my head to Willow beside me, both our long, black hair blown back by the wind of our run. Even though we are starting a war, it’s still nice to have these moments with my sister.

The hive we are attacking is in a set of foothills just before the Nevada border.

We all skid to a stop once close. The males and omegas will just be waking up to prepare to hunt. The Omegas will be hunting for the self declared leader at this point in time.

This is when we strike.

We silently climb the rocks and keep our eyes on the entrance. I can smell them and hear them in there.

‘There’s 20.’ I link my hive.

I hear panting behind me.

I quickly, but silently, jump down and stand in front of Unit 14 with my hand up and one finger at my lips.

The pack of wolves stop and move to the rocks.

I climb back to the front and continue to the entrance.

I’m stalking my prey like a cat. We call our fangs and nails.

Soon several gushes of air fly out of the entrance, over us and in the middle of Unit 14.

I turn just as several wolves fly through the air and others attack the vampires that came out of their vamp runs.

“ATTACK!” I yell with a growl.

My hive of 15 ladies, spring from the rocks as more males rushed out of the cave.

I swing and nails my rip out a chunk from the face of one male. He howls in pain and falls. I jump on his chest and drive my hand into it, ripping out his heart. I crush it in my hand.

I’m taking out by another male and we hit a giant rock.

He has my throat in his hands. I hiss and dig my nails into his arms. He tries to fight the pain, but I dig deeper. Finally he lets go and I swing, landing a punch to his jaw. I kick him in the chest. He stumbles back and Willow rips off his head.

More males come out. All of us are tossing heads like balls. The wolves are ripping them to shreds.

Soon, I see the Omegas. They’re afraid to leave with my hive that went in for them.

I wave at them. “It’s OK. Quickly!”

They look at me then the battle. My hive gathers them up and we protect them while we run for the trucks.

I have some stay back with them and the rest of us finish off the hive.

Once the hive was dead, I immediately went to work.

I fed the girls with the cows blood we brought with us.

I explained the situation to them while they still cowered in fear.

“Thank you.” One red headed woman says.

I smile. “You’re welcome. I just hope I can give you a better life.”

“It’s better already.” A blonde woman says.

“Let's get back.” I prepare us all and we run back to Phoenix.

Once the new women were settled in our section of the dorms, I found Hunter coming from the deployment area.

“Hi. You’re back already?” I ask. He left for the lab and I wasn’t expecting him back anytime soon.

He rubbed his nape. “They’re gone. Everything. They cleared it all out. We’re still searching it, but there’s nothing there. I will say, that place is at least as big as this. Zanders thinking of adding a second unit for Christian to run from."

I think about it. “That’s really a good idea. That mountain is a vantage point. If we had control of it, it would be like having two waves for Phoenix.”

He ticks his head. “That’s a good point. How about you?”

He wraps his arm around my neck and we head for the main lobby. “Liberated another 10. Hunter, if we keep this up, we’re going to be too big here. We need somewhere to go.”

He leans to me. “You want them with us, don’t you?”

“I was thinking about it.” I look down.

He stands. “Ok. I’ve been thinking of expanding anyway. I can take over a piece of property on the border and we can build whatever you want there.”

“Just like that.” I look up at him.

“Yep.” He smiles.

“You’re not worried.” I eye him.

“Are you?” He side eyes me with a smirk.

“No, but things may happen…” I say.

He stops and leans to my lips. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it.” He kisses me. “I love you. I love your hive and I see no reason why they can’t join us.”

I smile and wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you too.” He kisses me deep and passionately as people walk around us in the lobby.

He pulls back just a bit. “Let’s go home, my little Queen bee.” He grins.

I giggle and kiss him again.