Chapter 66

The wolves who noticed Krey's return bowed at their Alpha. Krey hoped to one day tell them to stop bowing at him, but his Alpha traits enjoyed the pride. He moved to Sid who was prodding his scabbed wounds with a wet towel. Krey sat in front of his Delta wolf who jumped at the sight of him.

Krey leaned forwards and whispered, "Francis is the new Beta. Treat her as such from now on."

Sid showed no surprise, only nodded with a curious smile. "I wondered when that would happen, now that the traitor is dead." Jordan's name was too foul in anyone's mouth. His disloyalty was too raw and too painful.

"You also saw potential in her, didn't you?"

"Yes. I think most wolves here were expecting it. You've kind of treated her like your Beta for a few weeks now. Will you tell the pack?" Sid covered up his clawed shoulder and tightened his self-made sling. His arm was healing, but not strong enough to use.

"Not yet." Krey looked around. Pip was by the kettle, making some tea and talking with Francis. They both had big smiles, and the morning sun basked them in a warm light. Francis was trying to dim her glowing happiness. They still had serious matters to discuss, and a storm brewed in the distance, but there was always a reason to smile.

Makena was sitting on a chair in the corner, staring hard at Francis like she had personally insulted her. Krey shook his head and turned his attention back to Sid. "Got any better ideas than storming through the front door and fighting until one of us dies?"

"I do actually." Sid's eyes flicked behind Krey. "And I think you'll like it."

Francis soon left the room to get in touch with the Shadow Pack and Pip found a chair by the window to drink his tea. He glanced around, trying to smile at the werewolves around him. Some smiled back, but nobody talked to him. Pip didn't try to spark a conversation either, he was too nervous. What could he say to a werewolf? 'Hi, what colour are your wolf eyes?' Didn't seem like the appropriate conversation starter.

Every time his gaze found Krey, he was in a deep discussion with Sid. When Francis returned, she announced that Viktor's Beta wouldn't let her speak to Viktor about the Shadow Pack and that he would come back to get her when Viktor was ready.

Krey was annoyed, but captured her in their conversation, then all three of them started discussing intensely.

Pip could have wandered over to see what they were talking about, but he knew it was about fighting, and getting back their home by fighting. The thought of what was yet to come dug into Pip's gut like a knife, twisting his insides.

Pip just wanted to enjoy his tea and empty his mind while he still had the luxury to relax. As much as he wanted to stare at the snow from the window, his eyes were drawn to Krey like a cat's eye to movement. Whenever Pip tried to blank his mind, Krey was the first in his thoughts. As Pip held the warm mug, he wished it was Krey's hands warming him up.

Pip just wanted to be in his arms again.

The next time Pip glanced to Krey, he was surprised to see a hint of a smirk on Krey's lips as he stormed through the room, stopping in front of Mark.

Mark backed into Victoria, startled. The entire room silenced.

"We're sending you in first," Krey said bluntly, crossing his arms.

"What!" Mark squeaked, seeming to shrink under Krey's blazing gaze, like paper on a fire. "Me?"

"Yes, you." Krey's eyes were dark and intense. Mark struggled to stare back, so he looked to Victoria for help. "We're sending you in first to distract them."

"Wait, krey-"

"Do you have a better idea?" Krey snapped, interrupting Victoria. His voice was deep and could easily overpower others.

"Surely we can think of something better than sending a human in alone! Why don't you send in your mate if you think it's such a good idea?"

A few wolves turned to look at Pip, who sat awkwardly with his legs crossed and his teacup to his lips. He was smaller than Mark, and timid.

"Because he smells like me, and they'll want him, not Mark. They won't even know who Mark is, and they won't know your scent. He can be the distraction while we sneak in."

"What if they kill him?"

"Then they kill him."

Victoria shook her head with frustration. Her blonde curls hung around her face. "Krey, what if the roles were reversed and I was asking Pip to do what you're asking of Mark? Would you agree to it?"

"The roles are not reversed. This is the best we've got. And to be honest, Mark is not much of a loss."

Victoria stood up straight. Her green eyes slashed at Krey. "He's a loss to me. Don't be so cruel. If you're sending him in, then I'm going with him. You said it yourself, they won't recognise my scent."

"No," Krey growled. "That's not a better idea."

Pip watched from the corner of the room. Krey cared about Victoria, so he should care about what happens to Mark. Krey had seen what losing a mate could do to a person. Pip pursed his lips and drank his tea. Pip was ready to put problems aside with Mark if it would just make his life easier, though he wasn't sure if Mark would do the same. Krey and Mark were both too stubborn for their own good.

"If that's the plan to send my mate into a house full of southern wolves, then Mark and I will go in together and be your distraction while you sneak in." Victoria held her head high, showing how powerful the bond was. She would do anything for Mark, despite how horrible he could be. She loved him, and that was enough. "But won't they suspect this plan?"

Pip wondered if Mark had shown her a different side to him, his old side, the kinder side. There were days where Pip felt the grief masking his true-self and running him into the ground, fogging his head, taking away his curious nature, and replacing it with negative thoughts about the world around him, which was very unlike Pip. He had bounced back quicker than Mark and pushed through his pain. Mark had let his pain consume him and distort him until he was merely a puppet on a string, and depression was his master.

"This is why we wanted to send in Mark," Francis said, lowering her head when Krey turned to look at her. "A human wondering into the Packhouse will make the human look nosy, nothing else. If we role him in the snow or something and dilute Victoria's scent, they shouldn't suspect anything more than curiosity from him. Victoria, you kind of tear that plan apart by wanting to go with him."

Victoria and Mark looked at each other with glum faces.

Pip felt bad for them. He would be freaking out if the roles were reversed, and Krey would be stomping his foot and putting a stop to it. Pip liked how Victoria was fighting for her mate, even if her mate was Mark.

"What stops them from killing him for trespassing?" Victoria asked. Her hand slipped into Mark's. They held each other so tightly, their knuckles whitened.

"Well, we know Mark likes to talk shit," Sid added, "so if they threaten to kill him, he can say he has information about wolf packs around the North."

"So, what's stopping me from going in and pretending like I want to sell them information too?" Victoria asked.

"They might know that the Shadow Pack have taken their home. They'll know who you are, Victoria. They'll likely kill you on the spot for revenge." Francis felt powerful standing with Krey and Sid. Her Beta head had been suppressed for years. Now she could finally set herself free, like a bird spreading her wings after years of being trapped in a cage too small.

Victoria still didn't back down. "What's stopping you from sending in one of your Omega's and letting them pretend like they want to sell information?"

"It's too risky to send in a member of my pack. They'll see it as our plan," Krey said, standing so still, he could've turned to stone, and nobody would notice.

"Send in one of the Sea Claw packs Omega's then. They're your allies. They'll want to help." Victoria was desperate to pull her mate out of the line of fire.

Krey turned to look at Francis. His actions were calm and collected, as always. "Go get Viktor," he demanded, not needing to speak loudly to be heard.

As Francis turned to leave, Viktor's Beta wolf entered the room, blocking her exit and grinning from ear to ear. Behind him were many werewolves nobody recognised. "Did you want Viktor?" the Beta asked, staring around the room and locking eyes with Krey.

Pip suddenly felt the need to stand up, and edge towards the handle that opened the window. The tension was thick. Pip somehow knew his feelings were from Krey. If Krey were in his wolf form, his hackles would've risen in an instant.

The Beta wolf's grin widened. "Well sorry, my Alpha won't have much to say." The Beta wolf's eyes then landed on Pip and he stared almost hungrily. "Viktor is dead."