Chapter 73 The Battle Begins pt 2
Duncan
We pulled up about five miles outside of Blood Moon’s territory lines several hours later. Each core group will branch off from here in order to maintain our approach from all angles. King Cian and I pulled the contingent of fifty warriors who would stay with us to the side while I texted Elaine an update. She will be teleporting in when we reach the gate, since we will make this last approach in wolf form.
The Beta and Gamma teams formed up, thirty in each group. Julian and Axel gathered their warriors, shifted, and took off to the west. The ground vibrated as paws dug into the earth. Lucian, Malachi, and Tristan lead the next group to the east. Tristan reviewed parts of our plan last night and added what he knew about patrols and the pack landscape. Today’s battle would give him an opportunity to prove himself to the rest of the warriors, as there was still quite a bit of skepticism where he was concerned.
Gideon approached us then. “According to Louise, the tunnels are located almost exactly opposite where we are right now. It will take us the longest to get into position. I’ll link Dad, Axel, and Malachi when we are. Good hunting.” We clasped hands before he turned, nodded at his father, and then went to the ten men he was taking with him. He had the smallest party, but infiltrating the pack house was going to need stealth more than brute force. With our distraction at the gate, they should have a relatively clear approach.
“All right, everyone. Let’s shift and go,” I bellowed. Warriors stripped, packed their clothes away in duffels, and shifted. Grabbing their bags in their mouths, they stood ready to run.
‘Ready, Conn?’
‘It’s about time. Let’s go deal with this stain on the wolf race.’
Conn broke free with a roar, all of his anger at what the Blood Moon pack had done to Seren boiling over. He grabbed our bag and took off, King Cian shifting seconds after us and doing the same. We led our host towards the main gate, stopping far enough beyond the border for us to shift back, dress, and remain just out of sight while waiting for Gideon’s signal. Most of our troops stayed in wolf form behind us. I sent an update to Elaine, and she joined us within minutes. Lucian and Julian both checked in, stating that they were in position, and not long after that, we got the signal from Gideon that he was ready to breach the tunnel.
We approached the gate, King Cian taking the lead. “We require entrance to Blood Moon Pack immediately.” His voice, a cold rasp against the crisp morning air, brooked no argument. The iron gates, glinting under the pale morning light, seemed to mock his command. A gust of wind carried the scent of wood smoke and damp earth. The gate guards, faces unreadable, remained unmoved.
“We are currently on lockdown and are not allowing anyone entry into the pack. You need to return to wherever you came from.”
My father-in-law raised one eyebrow. “You’re denying your king entrance? Are you sure you want to do that?”
The guard’s gulp was audible. “Let me contact Beta George, please, Your Majesty. I am just trying to follow orders.” His eyes glazed over as he reached out. His partner shifted from foot to foot behind him, eyeing the group of wolves and warriors over our shoulders. He looked from our troops to us, then back again, and shook his head, pulling on his companion’s arm.
“Fred, we can’t deny the king entrance. Let them through. Don’t you see they’ve got a small army with them? You’re asking for trouble,” he said, voice quivering.
“Beta George will come to the gate to greet you, Your Majesty. He will be here momentarily,” the guard named Fred told us. “As for you, Jason, you’ll do as you’re told unless you want to face punishment. Sit down and shut up until Beta George gets here,” he hissed under his breath at the anxious guard beside him.
King Cian and I exchanged looks. Elaine’s intel about dissension within their ranks was spot on. “You’re aware that denying your king entrance to your pack is tantamount to declaring war on the Royal pack, per the Ashbourne Protocols put in place eighteen years ago? That refusing to comply with a royal inspection is grounds for pack dissolution and banishment of its members?” I wanted to make the guards turn on each other. If they were busy fighting amongst themselves, then we could push past the gate sooner.
Fred just sneered at me. “Alpha Duncan, this isn’t your pack. Just wait on Beta George.” Jason grabbed his arm again, but Fred shook him off. “Leave it! This isn’t your concern. You’re only on gate guard duty because you’re too damn weak to act as a proper warrior.”
Distant thuds vibrated the earth, feet pounding the ground in the distance, a sound that signaled Beta George’s advance. Fred grinned while Jason stood to the side, looking at his feet. The air crackled with anticipation. Soon, a wave of warriors surged forward, their forms a blur against the horizon, converging at the gate. Beta George strode towards us, a confident smirk playing on his lips. “Well, well. This is certainly a switch from last time. Now you’re demanding entrance to my pack? Entry denied.” He glared at me as he said it.
“Beta George, think twice about that. I’m demanding entry as your king. Alpha Duncan is simply here as my support. We require entrance to Blood Moon now, and if you fail to allow us to enter, we will attack with force.”
“King Cian. With all due respect, but Alpha James is out of the pack and left strict instructions that we were not to open the pack to anyone.”
“I am not just anyone. I’ll ask one last time, and if you don’t allow us entry, the consequences will be on your head.”
“Sorry, King Cian. Blood Moon is closed to all outsiders.”
“So be it.” King Cian turned to me, then to the warriors behind me. “Storm the gate!”