Chapter 55

Masha

Chaos broke out.

When the strange man came out accompanied by his fire I leapt to my feet, the Werewolf holding me tumble in frantic surprise as three strange wolves flowed out from the pine trees. I can see my father Keanu, roaring in challenge, immediately engaging a wolfkin as the big brute jumped straight at me. I fell to the hard ground in a flurry of growls and bloody fur.

I could hear Louis calling me through our link, but I was too occupied with the two other wolves who are circling me. I dropped my head and pulled my lips back in a snarl, the stranger wolves both ragged of intermediate browns and grays, a harsh mien in their eyes as they snarled back, saliva dripping from their fangs.

'Masha!' Louis finally broke through, but I had to ignore him, as both wolves leaped at the same time. I dodged, ducking down, my opponent sailing over my head with a frustrated snarl.

'Stop,' I spoke to my attacker, sending the thought as forcefully as I could. The wolf was mid-leap, and I got a glimpse of harsh shock on his face as he went abruptly limp, falling to the ground in a tangle of limbs and tail. I paused, tilted my head, and had no idea what just happened. The strange wolf was still alive, but unconscious. How did I do that.

A yelp sounded behind me, reminding me that I'm not alone. I spun back to see on the other side that Keanu is taking on the other foreign wolf, his first opponent laying still in the snow. His brother and the others from his pack were circling the remaining wolfkin, all of them bloodied and torn.

I ran over to them blocking the last attacker's retreat. The coward yelped and ready to bolt, but I was on him, pinning his bigger body to the ground, my slender hands on his throat. Which is unbelievable feat if you examine closely but I don't have the time to think of my new found strength.

I didn't break anything, just held him still for a split second then out of nowhere a snapping electrical charge into the downed wolf from my hands making him limp, the scent of roasted meat rose as I backed away from the unconscious wolf.

'MASHA!' Louis mental shout made me jump, and then I guiltily remembered my poor mate, who was really frantic with worry.

'I'm fine. Don't worry about me,' I hurriedly explained to my mate. 'One is dead, the other two I stopped.'

Louis relief swept through me, 'Get back now! The pack is under attack! I sent Josh to protect my mother and siblings. Please go with them.' Louis cried across our link, and my head shot up. I was off for the pack lands before I could tell my feet to move. The urgency in Louis mind voice was impossible to resist. 'Please be careful, armed wolves in human forms are at the border near the gates. I'm taking the other survivors with me to stop them. They will not get away with this.'

'Be careful, my alpha,' I told my mate, before watching him from afar paws digging in the snow as he flew through the pines, he's still bloodied and torn but his moves were still deadly as he charged through the throngs of wolves. Our warriors on his tail. If they made it back in time, they might be able to join me and the other survivor wolves of our pack in our counterattack.

I thanked my many years of training to fight for my reflexes when a handful of furred bodies burst out from the groundcover, fangs and claws extended to slash my throat-I ducked in time to avoid instant death, but got a furious beta on my back instead.

*****

Louis

I tore through the gathering winds, the storm screaming across the mountain tops, Me and a handful of my enforcers who survive the siege were heading to the gates where the initial fight was raised by the Enemy's Pack. Most of my tactical team was shifted and a few strides back, minus a few wolves who had died due to the fight. We are only ten wolves, but all highly skilled fighters and the strongest betas of my pack. They all howled and snarled, their cries echoing through the dormant trees, the bending road beginning to straighten as they rounded the last curve before the gates.

I fought back the rising tide of memories, of the last time he ran for the gates to see his kin being slaughtered. The last time he failed to save a lot of lives. This time he would not fail. Even if he's The Alpha King he will make sure to let him have a taste of his fangs.

A sharp, loud report of a rifle blasted through the air, and I dodged, pushing one of my enforcer into the grassy ground as the gravel splintered inches from my nose. More guns fired, flashes illuminating the shooters who took cover behind black jeeps and big SUVs. My enforcers wolves scattered, I ducked behind a thick cluster of trees next to the road, bullets spitting little geysers of snow into the air as the shooters followed them into cover. Bullets bit into the dense tree, bits of bark landing on their fur.

'Guess we should have thought this through better,' Dough, one of his enforcer mused, both of them ducking, bullets zinging off the trees they hid behind. 'Any plans that don't involve getting shot, oh Fearless Leader?'

'Shut it, and keep your head down!' I snapped, wishing I could see where the humans were. The storm was covering up any sounds they may be making, and the wind wasn't helping any. Thick clouds were releasing droplets of rain, and the wind was sporadic and undependable. And it's growing stronger, which meant they wouldn't be able to hear or scent the humans ahead of them. I couldn't tell if they were still at the vehicles or if some of them were peeling off, waiting to ambush them in the trees. I tried peering around the nearest tree, but a bullet chewing into the bark made me back up in a hurry.

'Fuck,' I growled, Dough sending a wordless agreement back. 'The others?' I asked, then Dough send his reassurances. My enforcers was blocked off, pinned as they were, and waiting for orders. No one was hit. 'Sam?'

'She went for your mate as you instructed,' Dough replied.

The hail of bullets paused, the wind screaming, and I risked another look. The cloud cover was thick, and his nose was useless. His vision and hearing were suffering as well, and I could just barely make out the silhouettes of several humans as they peel off from the vehicles at the gates and head into the woods. Dough and I saw it, and we both growled. Shifters in human skins in the woods were usually easy prey, but with their senses dulled by the weather and they were armed, things would be more problematic than what they expected.

'Stay low, stay smart, and stay in pairs!' I ordered my team, and they sent back their silent agreement. ' Do not show any mercy. Kill them all.'

I crouched low, and went around the trees, smelling blood and werewolves ahead as they went. Dough stayed in m shadow, the brown brawny beta a reassuring presence in my side. I can't help but remember Josh. We hunted side by side for decades, and this was our familiar territory. But now because of the circumstances he's not here with him. However I am thankful that someone like Dough is here to fill Josh spot. I also knew him for quite long. And I knew where his loyalty lies.

I took a deep breath, and my mind is suddenly filled with Masha.

I took a vow to myself, I'll finish this once and for all. Masha and our unborn children must be kept safe no matter what..

****

Masha

Claws ripped my back, I can feel the sting and smell the blood, but I just rolled with the attack, throwing the bigger wolf off my back. I got to on my feet, and was nearly trampled by a group of wolves fighting to death. They're more bigger and stronger than the other. Snapping and tearing at each other in a flurry of fangs and claws. Blood stained the grassy ground, and I followed the trail, to see my father and two other wolves locked in combat, fur bloodied. I spared no thought for myself, and ran forward, barreling into the bigger of the two strangers. He called to the power deep within him writhing in the storm-eddied winds, and loosed it when it came to his will.

A brilliant flash and the odor of burnt fur filled his nostrils, and the wolf who'd been seconds from hamstringing his father was down. I leapt over his body, and ran to my father's side, he's still on his feet, blood dripping and running freely from wounds on the back of his neck and shoulders. Both strangers must have attacked him in tandem to cause such damage.

"You okay?" I asked, concerned, but he just shoved me aside, protecting me from his last opponent charging ahead, full of vengeance.

Keanu wave his hand, and the ragged stranger yelped, thrown to his back and left exposed to my uncle's lethal teeth. I barely had time to step forward before the other wolfkin was dead, throat torn apart, just like the last wolfkin Keanu fought. I was impressed, and then turned to look for the others, searching for someone who needs my help.

The fight is over but somehow I can feel that something is coming. It didn't take a while before they appear out of the woods, growling menacingly. Keanu and his wolves growled with eagerness, willing to fight to the death, their instincts to dominate and defeat roused by battle. The answering chorus from the new wolves was full of bloody thoughts and death. We were outnumbered, more than I cared to count. But I'm not afraid. I was angry. They growled at us, and began to lope forward.

Something in me gave up thinking to spare these wolves, while they charged ahead, their malice and intent to harm were clear. I pulled, at the place inside me, I know that I have power. Power, that's powerful enough to defeat them. I didn't hesitate, and reached out.

Lightning, so bright the trees were illuminated in fine detail, and the clouds above were traced by its glow, burst free. The small space where they stood under the pines was naught but light and fire, and burning flesh.

*****

Louis

'Dough!' I snarled, and lunged through the short space between myself and the enemy , the shotgun in his hands still smoking from the blast he'd leveled at my Enforcer.

The rain was falling hard, so thick I was almost blind, but my teeth found the his shoulder and neck, and I shook hard. Bones cracked and then he went limp, the gun falling to the ground with a thud. I dropped the body, and ran to Dough, the brown wolf slowly getting to his feet.

Blood dripped and the rancid odor of silver in wolfkin flesh smacked my senses, and Dough whined. He swayed on his paws, tail drooping. I nosed at his neck, and my heart clenched when Dough leaned into his chest, shivering. They were rarely cold, their kind; but Dough was injured, and badly. The human had come unseen out of the trees, the wind working against them, and Dough took the brunt of the shotgun blast.

'Dough?'

'I... am fine, Alpha.' He panted, groaning. I didn't believe him, but I'm not given a chance to say anything, as I heard the sound of booted feet coming their way. The shotgun blast must have alerted the rest of the humans to where they were.

My team was slowly taking the enemy out, but Dough wasn't the only injured wolf. Several of my wolves were shot, none dead, but the silver would slow the healing process and leave them vulnerable. Many of the enemies were also dead, but enough remained to be a threat. My other warriors were still scattered up at the mountains, protecting the other survivors and their family packs.

I gently pushed Dough back down, and stepped over, head lowered, paws soundless as I stalked through the shadows under the trees. There was someone directly ahead somewhere, I could hear the thump of a heart. Yet I couldn't see where, and was cautious, wary of being shot in the face if he got too close and the human pulling the trigger before I could take him out.

I needed to be able to see, to smell, the wind and the rain hindering me to an impossible degree. I swallowed a growl, the sound of the human's heart coming closer, steady and even. The enemy was not afraid, a practiced killer, to be that unaffected in the woods while hunting in human skin. A soft breaking of a branch made me pause, and then I heard him quivered, the need to kill warring with his better judgment.

A yellow light appeared in the dark sky, and another, a field of light gleaming amongst the falling rain. Tiny flames glimmered, and I breathed out, realizing it was probably my mate's mysterious power. Six lights glowed, spread out ahead of him and to the sides, coming closer. One was within reach, and an easy target with how far I could leap. Somehow I knew the enemy was looking away, and I gathered my legs underneath me, and paused a heartbeat. Then I leapt.

I cleared the space between myself and my enemy in seconds, driving the smaller male to the ground. A scream was cut off as I buried my fangs in the soft skin of his throat and yanked. Blood fountained out, thick in my mouth, hot over my tongue. I shook my head to free off the corpse, blood flying, and looked for my next target.

Ahead and to the right. My big paws sank in the soft ground, the wind covering my approach. The baleful light flickered as the enemy moved through the trees, heart racing faster than the others. Perhaps some instinct told him he was now the hunted, and vulnerable. I didn't even pause; I slinked through the shadows and came up behind him, moving with effortless strides. I was tall enough that all I had to do was lean forward, and then I crushed with a single bite the arm holding the long gun, metal and bone snapping. He screamed, falling to his knees, and I let go of his arm to snap his jaws around the human's skull and clamp down. Bone shattered and brain matter spilled under the intense pressure I bore down on the enemy, and then his body went limp in my jaws.

I spit out the dead wolf, and with the help of my instinct, I hunted for my next target through the rain and trees.

One by one the enemy fell, their blood and screams soothing his wilder side.

But the Alpha King was nowhere to be found.

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