21- Planning a Plan

*Picture Reference: Why can't this kind of plan work against the evil Fae?! Life would be so much easier, haha. Love this series of movies.*

*[A/N]: This is a bit shorter than usual, and more of a filler chapter. There will be better content on the next update, hopefully. This chapter mainly introduces the next book of the series. :) You can guess who it will be about, pretty easy if you ask me. Comment please! I've been stressed lately so making me smile would be pretty awesome. Psst, comments make me smile.*

"It's hot," Nikolai complained as we exited the airport and waited for escorts from the Salina Pack. Apparently, they were somewhat aware of our upcoming appearance, although I am not sure who told them of our journey.

"No shit, Sherlock." Ambrogio mocked.

"Honestly, they need to fuck and get it over with," Kasey advised through the mindlink.

I smiled and shook my head, "Nikolai is too stubborn and now, Ambrogio is fighting off the mate pull."

"Let's just lock them in a room forever until they fuck the stubbornness out of each other," Kasey suggested instead and I laughed out loud as everyone looked over.

Nikolai rolled his eyes, "No mindlinks if I can't join."

I feel as if Ambrogio just tapped into his mind at that moment and made a comment because Nikolai frowned and snapped out of it as he yelled at Ambrogio, "Not you, never you. Stay out of my head."

"Excuse me? Are you all from the Celestial Hala Pack or have ties with them?"

We all turned our heads towards a timid, tiny male. He wasn't human, nor was he wolf. I couldn't quite put my finger on what he was, but I was greatly interested. I approached him, with both Alphas on either side of me and smiled.

"Hi there, yes, we are here to see the Salina Pack, as they are in great danger."

The tiny male nodded, "Very well then! My name is Hiroaki. Most people just call me Hiro. I will be your escort today to the Salina pack grounds, along with a few other wolves."

Soon enough, we all piled into the provided cars with our luggage in the trunks. All of the Fae warriors were in one car, the Alphas and I in the other, and Nikolai, Ambrogio, and Maddox in another. The cool air circulating the car was calming and gave me a chance to think about the strategy that I'd have to layout for the female Alphas in order to prevent any harm to their pack. I didn't exactly know what was going to happen when we got there, how we'd explain all of the chaos that has taken place. It saddens my heart to think that just because a pack has homosexual leaders, they are considered prey to Aeron. He had no right, no one did.

"We're here now," Hiro mentioned as I was taken out of my own thoughts and noticed the car had come to a full stop.

As everyone piled out of the car, just like the Lacus Pack, one of the female Alphas approached the twins.

"I had heard about your upcoming presence, it is nice to meet you all, my name is Maia. Welcome to the Salina Pack, your names are?" A tall, African American woman spoke with such authority that left me wavering.

She was well built, dark eyes, black and curly hair. Her presence was powerful, as it should be for an Alpha, regardless of gender. Overall, she seemed like a chill person.

"A chill person?" Kasey mocked, and I seemed surprised of myself that I actually thought that about the female Alpha.

"Stop reading my mind! It's quite irritating," I complained and looked at Kaspar in search of help. Instead, he looked down at me and innocently grinned.

I rolled my eyes and looked forward, finding Maia weirdly glancing at me like she was waiting for something.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I simply asked what your names were..."

I felt so incompetent at that moment, here I was, arguing with my mates and I couldn't focus on the task at hand.

I nervously smiled, "I'm apologize for not giving you my utmost attention. I am Lord Elian of the Fae, but you may just call me Elian. These Alphas here are my mates, Alpha Kaspar and Alpha Kasey. This is Ambrogio and his mate, Nikolai. Maddox, here, is from my Alphas pack as help. I have my Fae warriors who have accompanied me on this journey."

"Very well, welcome again. If I could just find my Luna..." Maia looked around and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Maia! You called for me?" A tinier, but well built and tanned woman approached Maia and the rest of us as her Spanish accent wavered in the air.

"Ah, yeah. Baby, we have guests. This is Isa, my mate and other female Alpha of the pack," Maia proudly stated as she wrapped her arm around Isa's waist.

I cleared my throat and kindly smiled, "Nice to meet you, sorry we have had to meet you under such circumstances-"

"What circumstances?" Isa cut me off, looking terrible confused at the moment.

"Oh, just the fact that there is an evil Fae targeting your pack and yourselves as well because you are homosexual leaders of a pack," Nikolai rambled on as Isa gasped and Maia had to start whispering into her mate's ear to calm her down a bit.

Everyone turned to glare at Nikolai, "Oops."

After a few needed minutes, we all moved into the pack house to discuss what this threat meant for their pack. To put it lightly, Maia was angered at the thought of her pack being harmed like Zane and Stefan's pack.

"I don't understand! Why now? We have been leaders of this pack for over three years already and now we are targeted?" Maia furiously asked.

I nodded in understanding but I couldn't possibly explain why the delusional Aeron chose now to be against homosexuals in the supernatural world. I had my own questions for him, but it wasn't like they were going to be answered anytime soon.

Before I could respond to Maia's questions, Kaspar stepped in as he always does.

"Alpha Maia, we understand that you are confused by all of this news but we need to put your confusion on the back burner and devise a plan on how to keep you and your pack safe."

Isa rubbed the back of her mate's back and tried to reason with her as well, "What they are pointing out right now is true, we need to keep our people out of harm."

Maia nodded and smiled at her mate, "I know, everything that can be done will be done. Don't worry mi amor, all will be well."

They embraced for a while and I couldn't help but sweetly smile to myself, the love in this room was pure and whole. Well, besides Ambrogio and Nikolai, they deeply do care for each other but are too annoying to realize it. All of us were in some room that resembled my conference room back at the castle and we stood around a table that had a map of the pack grounds on its surface. Apparently, this territory did have an underground level where pack members could go in case of an emergency. Perhaps, if we could suggest that we use that feature to our-

"Sorry, okay, so where do we begin?" Maia asked as she interrupted my train of thoughts.

>>

Nikolai's POV

I stood in the conference around the table like everyone else, but I tried my best to not pay attention to their plans to save this endangered pack. There is a slight possibility that Aeron could find a way to take me back to the Fae realm and use me against my leader and those that I care for. I needed to be out of the plan as much as possible, I couldn't contribute the harm that Aeron would cause again. I'd kill myself if it happened again.

"I'll never let you go again, don't worry." The annoying, pestering voice in my head echoed.

I looked beside me, finding the culprit of the intruding voice, Ambrogio. He constantly wandered through my thoughts and spoke to me from time to time. As irritating as it was, I knew how to shut him out but I never did. I couldn't find the will to, it was bothering me to know that I had a connection with him as much as I never wanted to.

"Stay out of my head, bloodsucker. How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from me altogether?" I sneered in disgust as everyone else was conversing around the two of us.

"You know how to prevent me from talking to you, so do it. Or is it that you simply cannot find the willpower to be able to?" He smugly countered back and I bit my lip.

He wasn't right, he was wrong. And I was going to prove it to him. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and envisioned steel walls rising from the ground, closing around my thoughts so that only I could process and hear them. Soon enough, I heard no one else but my own voice. Relief settled through me as I realized that I did it. I turned to my side, and saw Ambrogio's face with a surprised expression.

I wore a smug smile and then guilt settled in without hesitation.

At the end of the day, the damage that I caused towards the Lacus Pack was inexcusable. Day after day, little flashbacks would come to me in my sleep and the more I see what I have done, I wished I died in the fire like the other victims. I can't live with myself anymore, it's eating me alive. Lives cannot be retrieved back from the dead, my heart tightens all of the time for those who were unfortunate.

With that being said, I don't deserve anything. Not a mate. Not an honorable duty to the realm of the Fae. Not a life.

"Nikolai?"

My eyes widened and landed on Elian, "I'm sorry, what is it that you said?"

"It's alright, I was wondering if you and Ambrogio could look around the underground level for security measures. Alpha Maia will have a pack member show you where it is exactly, but I assumed that you would be fine with just the two of you afterwards," he asked and I wanted to grind my teeth in aggravation.

Instead, with a false smile, I agreed and the two of us left the conference room. Outside of the door, was a woman who grinned at the two of us and guided us to the underground level that was not too far from the pack house. I was free to extend my wings out and float over the ground here, and so I did. The trees were bare, with little to no leaves left on them, a sign that winter was soon coming.

"Here is the entrance. Behind the doors, you should find a long hallway and at the end of the hallway is an elevator. There are five levels, so feel free to scope out each and every one. We haven't used the underground campsite in a long time but we still do regulatory check-ups. If anything happens, just come back up, or teleport as I have heard that you are able to do," she advised with calm eyes.

Ambrogio and I nodded, thanked her and began to walk down the hall. The silence between the two of us was uncomfortable, especially in the elevator. The social person that I am, decided to spark up a conversation.

"So, the weather?"

Really? Are you fucking serious?

I glanced towards his way, humiliated and annoyed that all he did was smile in response.

As I was about to say something else, he cut me off, "I think the weather is becoming cold and bitter, just like you. Don't you agree?"

Can you believe this shithead?

"Are you serious? Well, I wouldn't be cold and bitter if you'd just leave me alone."

Ambrogio adorable snorted and I rolled my eyes. Wait, adorably? Control, I need control.

Before the elevator stopped, I was trapped between the wall and Ambrogio's body. His hot, minty breath fanned the small hairs in front of my ears.

"Mr. Kane, you have been doing nothing other than driving those who care and love you away. Soon enough, they'll all stop trying to reach you and give up. And then, you will unfortunately realize that there is nothing that can be done. That you have fucked up."

I closed my eyes tightly and breathed in and out, "Don't call me that, just don't."

The doors opened and a familiar ding alarmed the opening of the elevator, "As you wish, Mr. Kane."