Chapter 5 CHAPTER FIVE

MAEVA

"You're going to have to stop staring and say what you want to say."

Taron clears his throat and returns to looking at the road.

"Are we running?" He finally asks.

"No, we're not running. I don't run from anyone."

I'm really not running. I was expecting Alpha Caius to talk to me again and I was ready to reject him again.

"Then why did we leave immediately? We could have stayed back and heard the solutions they come up with now that we've seen and fought the rogues."

I shake my head. "That wasn't a fight. Those rogues came there to die. If they can send forty of their own to die just to send a message, who knows what they're planning and how many they are? We need to get back to the pack and protect ourselves."

"You think so?"

"I know so. I saw how they fought, they had no plans of leaving Moon city alive."

"Then wouldn't it have been better to hear from the other Alpha's? Maybe other people saw the same thing you did."

"My need to protect my pack outweighs the need to listen to a long debate that ends in them telling us to go think about solutions. Taron, we are a small pack close to the black forest. Rogues like hunting in the black forest."

"Shit, that's right. We've not had any issues because they never come close to packs but now that they're acting sane, we are just the right pack to attack. Do you think that's why they left carcases in front of the pack?"

I don't know the answer to that question and I don't want to find out.

"We'll be fine. We've gone through tough shit before and came out on top." Taron says more to himself than to me.

"Yeah, we'll be fine. We'll do what we always do. Join hands together as a pack and send them running."

We've never encountered something like this before but I don't want to be cynical.

"Back to pressing matters. Are you really about to engage in a battle of wills against Alpha Caius?" Taron asks.

"I don't want to talk about him. When we get to the pack, he no longer exists and what happened at Moon city didn't happen, understood?"

"Yes, Alpha."

We drive the rest of the way in silence and the only noise is the one happening in my head. I feel the ghost of his hands on my face. I am angry at fate for turning my life around like this. Caius won't stop. If he isn't already after me, he will soon be.

Soon, we drive into the pack and Taron drives me to my house.

"Gather the pack," I command Taron, exiting the car before he turns the engine off. "Every wolf in this pack. Adult, teenager, child. Everyone."

"It's mid day, a lot of people are still at work."

"Twenty minutes, Taron." I say then walk into my house.

Within fifteen minutes, more than half of the pack members gather with the rest on their way. They all look worried. I've never summoned them like this. Soon they all arrive and it is time to start the meeting.

I climb onto the raised stage, and everyone stops talking.

"I'm sorry to summon you like this but I have to if we're going to survive."

I pause and let them accept my apology before I continue. "By now we have all heard about the animal remains that were left on our borders some days ago by rogues. I'm sorry to say that dead animals will be the least of our worries for a while."

"I and other Alpha's were summoned to Moon city to talk about these rogues. There, the rogues attacked."

Chatter resumes amongst the wolves. They're confused about how rogues can attack any pack, let alone Moon city.

"I am as confused as you are but here are the facts. These rogues think. They function as a group and forty of them attacked Moon city."

More gasps are heard in the crowd and families start holding on to each other.

"The meeting at the High Council was paused because of the attacked and Taron and I came back immediately after the attack. The deliberation will continue but we need to secure our borders before then. We are near the black forest, where dozens of them roam around. We are at risk and we need to be ready for when they come."

"Well what do we do?" Someone in the crowd asks.

I look pointedly at Taron who comes to the stage with me.

“First, we will reinforce the perimeters. The highest threat is the border facing the Black Forest. That is the only part where we have no neighbouring packs. Beta Taron is going to go around, taking volunteers who will keep watch on the other perimeters while our more trained fighters guard the Black forest border."

The decree is met with agreement. Friends start looking at each other, wondering if they'll volunteer together and families start pushing their children forward.

"The second thing we will do is arm up.” My eyes sweep the room. Some pack members who understand what I mean look angry while the ones who don't, look confused.

“Wolves willing to guard the Black forest will be given guns with silver bullets."

A collective intake of breath and cusses sweep through the room. Guns and silver bullets are banned by the High Council. I only have it because my parents refused to submit them to the council after the war ended.

"I know guns have been banned by the werewolf council but we cannot afford to get into fights with these creatures. They are more crazed than regular rogues and they are faster and stronger. We can't loose our brothers, sisters, sons and daughters to these creatures."

"What will the council do when they find out?" A pack elder asks.

I would hope that the council would decide to use guns to kill these creatures, but I can't be sure.

"We are the only pack facing the black forest on this side. We killed them and bury their bodies there. If someone from this pack betrays us and reports to the council, then I will face whatever punishment they give."

It's an answer and a threat at the same time. If it ever gets out, everyone will know we were betrayed and the traitor will pay.

"The only way to beat this is to face it head on and prepare for the worse. We don't know what is going on with these rogues and why they can think rational thoughts and group together but we will get to the root of this mess without dying off."

Everyone cheers and I step down from the stage. Taron handles the volunteers and the schedule with the pack elders while I return home to bring out the guns.

Now we're ready for any way the rogues want to attack.