Chapter 63

By the time I was done, the packhouse had awoken.

No one noticed me slip out of her room. I blended in with the visiting Alphas and Lunas walking to the front; their confused chatter swelled around me. The air in the packhouse was anxious, confused, and anticipatory.

I searched for an Omega, any Omega. I found one I didn’t know the name of and stopped her, grabbing her arms. “Keep all the Omegas out of the new wing for the next few hours,” I whispered in as much of a command as I could muster; it still rang through me, and she bowed her head. “And any others,” I added. “Close this place.”

“Y-yes,” she agreed. I hoped that would be enough.

I watched her wait by the door and close it when the last few visitors trickled out.

Someone gently grabbed my elbow, and I turned to find Sam. He kept looking ahead as we walked next to each other, his hand not dropping my arm. It was steadying.

“There’s a new development,” he said.

“I know,” I replied. “It’s part of the plan.” He finally looked at me with wide eyes. “I told you I’m ready,” I stated.

He nodded. I could tell he was trying to process this. A hundred questions flitted across his face, but he didn’t speak them out loud. As we edged down the front hall, he leaned down to whisper, “I told you you have my support; that doesn’t change even if you are doing something I wish you wouldn’t.”

“Thank you,” I replied, my face slipping into a genuine smile. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

The formidable front doors were wide open, something I had never seen before. Alpha Raymond was standing on the steps flanked by warriors; some formed a semi-circle behind the visitors on the front lawn.

Other Alpha and Lunas filtered out around him, and I stood off to the side next to Sam. Ezra caught my eye from where he was stationed beside Alpha Raymond. He nodded slightly, but that was the only indication that he wasn’t the same cool assessing mercenary he was when he arrived here.

On the other side of Alpha Raymond stood Miles. I felt him before I saw him. His arms were covered in long sleeves now, but he still radiated that same inky, oily power. It wasn’t as shocking as the first time, but I wanted to recoil.

I moved behind Sam, half for a feeble sense of protection and half to blend in further, to hide.

At the bottom of the steps, Nova stood tall as if she belonged here, as if she were the one holding court. She was scanning the crowd, and when her golden charcoal-lined eyes met mine, they lingered for a moment; I dipped my head slightly in acknowledgment.

“What is going on here?” one of the Alphas asked. I wasn’t sure if the question was directed at Nova or Alpha Raymond.

“What is the meaning of this?” another added.

I was glad I hadn’t missed much. I was right on time.

Alpha Raymond turned his head slightly to address the guests behind him, but he didn’t take his eyes off the werecats. “They came back to ask for their land.” Alpha Raymond laughed, and some of the Alphas joined in.

Others seemed confused, trying to process what was going on and what it could mean.

“We aren’t asking,” Nova spoke. Her voice rose over the murmurs and did not waver. “Our problem is not with all of you but with The Black River Pack that has taken our ancestral lands.”

“That was ages ago,” someone spoke up.

“Yes,” Nova agreed, her face pained. “Ages means something different to my kind. We have never truly settled elsewhere; we have been restless since. We always knew one day we would return when the time was right, and now is that time.” She spoke in a way that demanded attention.

“And how exactly are you planning on taking this pack back?” Alpha Raymond scoffed, laughter coated his words.

Condescending prick - Aksala growled - I can’t wait to wipe that smirk off his face.

Very soon - I promised her.

A single sound came from the forest. A piercing velvety howl. Then, more joined in, creating a terrifyingly beautiful chorus.

A haunting battle cry.

A promise.

My skin pebbled.

“This is the first time that I have been on my ancestral soil and I do not plan on leaving again,” Nova spoke over the howls. “We are here for the lands. We are not here for undue bloodshed. Enough has been spilled on these lands.” She looked down at the ground, but it was more reverent, remembering.

All at once, the voices stopped.

“You have picked a bad time to start a battle. All of the Alphas in our territory are here,” Alpha Raymond responded, seemingly unphased.

There was a thin line between confidence and ignorance, and Alpha Raymond almost always teetered toward the side of ignorance.

“We know that,” Nova stated. “For your Alpha trials.” One of her dark eyebrows quirked ever so slightly. The crowd shuffled.

“What have you done?” an Alpha stepped forward. His face was red, but the crowd swelled around him, so I couldn’t fully make him out.

“Nothing…” Nova raised a slender shoulder. “Yet.” She looked only at Alpha Raymond.

“As I have stated, our problem is not with any other pack. It is not our intention to harm them. They may go free as your pack members will if you surrender your lands back to their rightful owners,” Nova explained. “We want our lands back. We do not want your people, nor do we want anyone else's lives. We are willing to negotiate to help make the transition easier.”

“I’m not going to hand my land over to you,” Alpha Raymond scoffed. “I do not have to entertain this.” He looked to his warriors, who moved in closer.

Some of the other Alphas and Lunas shifted again, and whispers erupted, skittering through the crowd.

“Alpha Raymond, let's not escalate this,” Sam spoke, trying to reason with him. “We do not know their numbers,” he added in a whisper.

“I am not entertaining this, boy,” Alpha Raymond shot back. “This is my pack.”

“What if we are inviting slaughter?” another Alpha chimed in. “Raymond, be reasonable,” he added lowly.

“Are you afraid of some cats?” Alpha Raymond gawked. “We are Alphas. We do not stand for some meek outsiders' ridiculous demands.”

“We are vulnerable. I hate to admit it myself, but we are,” the same Alpha whispered to Alpha Raymond so lowly it was almost a strain for even me to hear.

“We do not know what they are planning for our packs, what if they are surrounded,” Sam added. “This isn’t just about you.”

“Has any of your warriors contacted you?” Alpha Raymond asked, brushing him off.

I stepped forward, gently pushing some people out of the way. “Did your warriors notice the werecats?” I asked, meeting my future opponent’s eyes. “Or did they walk up straight to your door?”

Alpha Raymond looked me over; he was a mix of flustered and angry. I didn’t dare look at Miles.

“Answer me,” I spoke loud and clear.

“Of course, our warriors alerted me,” he stammered. “And I do not need to defend myself to you.”

I glanced at Nova. She raised her chin and said, “He lies. We knocked on the door and had to send word through the one who answered that we were there for an audience. We waited out here for some time before we were received.”

“And if they can get through here, they can get to our packs,” Sam added, his voice laced with horror.

I couldn’t tell if he was acting or not. I didn’t tell him the entire plan, just that I had invited them, and he could very well believe that the werecats had the numbers to surround all the packs in the territories.

“Unless you’re saying your warriors are lacking,” Sam added.

Alpha Raymond’s face was red as he looked towards Ezra. “They are not lacking,” Ezra stated, emotionless, robotic. “I have assessed the warriors here, and they are strong and capable. The werecats must be as good as they claim to be.”

“I say we hear them out and take it from there,” another Alpha responded calmly. I now recognized him as Sam’s friend's father from his description—Alpha Isaac of Blue Mountain.

“I’m not hearing out these usurpers,” Alpha Raymond shot back, a vein in his forehead popping out. “This is my decision. They are not making ludicrous demands of you.”

That was good, better than expected, actually. He was making himself look bad instead of powerful, as he probably thought he was portraying.

Anger was an interesting thing; it could be powerful if you harnessed it. If you succumbed to it it could destroy you, take hold of you so completely you were blind. Alpha Raymond’s anger controlled him, he was at its will and it was a terribly pathetic thing to behold.

“You are not only gambling with your and your pack's lives,” Alpha John of The White Forest pack said. Sam was good friends with his Beta, Carrick.

It was encouraging to see their show of support for what was logical and right. I hoped that would be applied in a few moments time.

Alpha Raymond was shaking now, looking frantically around. “Where is Addison?” he demanded, trying to grasp at an ally. Even one so feeble as his mate. “This is against my pack, and you are guests here. I will not back down to someone who tries to take what is mine.”

“Then, it will come down to this. To your laws. I challenge you and only you,” Nova said, pausing until she regained everyone’s attention. “It will only be one against one.”

“Dad, if they agree to the terms of our challenge, if they lose, they leave. It might be the best option with minimal bloodshed,” Nolan spoke softly from somewhere I couldn’t see him.

“I have nothing to gain,” Alpha Raymond hissed.

“So you admit you have something to lose then? Is that not worth fighting for? To protect our pack and others in our territory?” Nolan asked.

Raymond stared at his son open-mouthed, his fists clenched, unable to put words to his fury.

Okay, Nolan. Well done - Aksala praised.

I am surprised - I told her - Elated, but surprised.

Nolan was playing perfectly into my hand as if he created the plan himself. “Is that agreeable?” Nolan asked Nova, stepping to the front, completely ignoring his father. “A fair challenge. If you lose, you must leave and not return,” Nolan said with more cool authority in his voice than I thought he was capable of.

“Of course,” Nova responded. “I do not want undue bloodshed,” she repeated.

“No!” Alpha Raymond yelled, grabbing his son’s arm. “You are not to negotiate with them. They cannot challenge an Alpha, not legally. They are not wolves,” Alpha Raymond hissed.

“Interesting,” I stated. “I didn’t know that you knew the laws, let alone abided by them.” I faced him calmly. “Did you not take my lands from my pack only to let them grow desolate?” I asked.

“Shut up and get inside.” He pointed at the door, his red face contorted in confused rage.

My mask dropped and shattered for the last time. I would not pretend anymore. Whoever I was, whatever I was made from because of them, of pain, of thirsting for blood.

I would unleash her. I would set her free. I would not hide her anymore.

They helped form me, and they should see the monster they made. It was only fair.

“Do you deny that you went against our kind’s laws and slaughtered my pack?” I asked louder. “At least they are offering a challenge,” I added, stepping closer to him. “Something that you, as a weak, pathetic excuse for an Alpha, did not.” I let some of the rage coat my words, but my voice did not waver.

“Do you deny this?” I asked. “Do you deny that you could not fight my father one on one and instead damned the innocent, the children, and the rest of my pack to die to try to pretend that you were worth something?”

His eyes were slits. “Get. Inside,” he repeated, his voice lethal.

The corner of my lips curled up into a cruel smile. “It has been fascinating watching what small men do when they are afraid to lose power and how pathetic, men raise others, treat others.” I assessed him, crossing my arms. “But you are nothing, and this display of weakness only confirms it.”

Alpha Raymond was fighting not to shift; shivers wracked through his body.

I could feel the crowd moving in waves, their whispers loud, but I tuned them out.

“Backing away from a fair fight?” I tutted, shaking my head. “Wouldn’t be like a real Alpha, but then again…” I laughed once. “I wouldn’t dare call you worthy of that title.”

“You don’t want to negotiate. You don’t want a challenge,” Nova said; she sounded closer now. “Do you want to cower in your stolen castle, or would you have others try to dispose of us?”

“An Alpha who leads from fear is not one to be followed,” I added.

“You cannot challenge me,” Alpha Raymond snarled.

“Then will someone in this territory challenge Alpha Raymond on my behalf?” Nova called, and the words thrummed through me. I didn’t break eye contact once with Alpha Raymond, even though he was looking at her.

The silence that settled over the crowd was lethal.

Raymond laughed, and it seemed to calm him down a bit. “Over my dead body,” he spat. He laughed again as if the idea was a ridiculous notion, and it might have been if I weren’t here.

I pulled out my mother's tiara and placed it on my head back where it belonged.

It felt right and connected me to them. I felt the weight of my ringing ancestors through it.

I might be the last one standing, but I would continue on. Our legacy would not die because of a coward.

“That can be arranged,” I said.

I felt all eyes from both sides on me. Alpha Raymond snapped his head back toward me, his face tugging down in a confused frown, but his eyes glinted with madness.

“I, Simone Baldour, heir to the Blood Moon pack, challenge Alpha Raymond for The Black River Pack.”