Chapter 48 — Bree
The forest is silent except for the sound of over thirty wolves moving through the trees. I stay close to Rainn, letting him lead the way through the unfamiliar terrain. In any other situation, I would drink in the scents and sounds of the forest, reveling in the freedom of running like the wolf I am, but right now, the mood is all seriousness, all of us carrying the weight of uncertainty.
What if the Cedar Ridge wolves don’t want to help?
What if Hugo and Gage are more powerful than we imagine? What if we should be more afraid? What if we should just give up?
I can feel the unguarded thoughts pulsing around me, and I counter them by channeling confidence I barely feel, filling the air with as much strength as I can muster. I know little about other packs apart from mine, but I know we don’t need to face the Cedar Ridge Alpha with fear in our hearts.
We emerge from the trees into a clearing, where a shallow stream separates us from another line of trees. In the silence of the night, the running water almost seems to sing. Rainn sends for us to stop, then steps forward into the water, standing alone at the head of the pack. Through the wide gap in the trees, the moonlight washes over him as he stands in the water. Alone.
My mate.
Also, my alpha, if I agree to join his pack. Although, I suspect that as soon as we make our bond official, I will become a member of his pack.
As I watch, Rainn lifts his head to the sky and howls. The sound pierces the silence of the night. After a moment, he repeats it. At first, there’s no response, then from the other side of the stream, there’s an answering howl, then another.
Then we wait, Rainn still standing in front of the whole pack. One by one, large wolves step out from the trees facing us until the entire clearing across the stream is full of wolves.
Most of them watch Rainn, their eyes wary. The others look us over with interest. Compared to their numbers, Rainn’s pack seems pitifully small. However, they’d be fools to underestimate us.
The crowd of wolves parts in front of Rainn, and a large black and silver wolf slowly approaches. I can tell he’s the alpha. Beside him is a smaller wolf with honey colored fur. His mate, I guess.
“You guess right,” she sends directly to me over the hum of the other wolves. Her tone is amused. “And I see the young wolf has found his mate.”
Is it so obvious?
The unguarded thought slips through my mind before I can stop it, and she responds with amusement. “Be careful,” she sends. “Nothing weakens an alpha and his pack more than fighting the mate bond.”
“Young wolf,” the Cedar Ridge alpha’s tone is powerful and commanding. “I see you’re still burning with anger. Are you here to challenge me? To force me to let you cross our lands?”
Rainn bristles. He knows, as we all do, that we can’t force our way through the Cedar Ridge crowd of able-bodied wolves. “I’m not here to challenge or force anything,” he says quietly, though his voice is proud and unflinching. “I’m here to present a case to you.”
The other alpha studies him for a moment, then nods.
“There’s a pack in the unclaimed lands,” Rainn starts. “Their alpha, Hugo, keeps them isolated and has led them to believe they are the only pack left on the continent. We believe he does this to keep them under his control.” He pauses. “We know he is working with Leonidas Gage, of the Sierra Pack. Leonidas Gage likely had control of a mooncursed wolf ten years ago.”
“A mooncursed!” The Alpha spits. A ripple of disgust moves through the other wolves.
Rainn continues. “And we know Gage intends to expand his territory. He has already made an offer for me to join my pack with his.”
The Alpha scoffs. “For what purpose?”
“Power? Control? Over other wolves? Over humans?” Rainn stops and calms himself. “That’s not all. We believe this Hugo killed my mother and the other members of our pack.”
“Nobody knows who killed your mother,” the old Alpha says. Sympathy flashes in his eyes. “You want passage to go to the unclaimed lands to challenge this Hugo? A suicide quest, especially if you believe he has already killed an entire pack before.”
“I want you to join me to bring him to justice,” Rainn says. “You have the numbers that we don’t, and…”
“Why? Why would I put my pack at risk?” His head shakes. “You have made a strong accusation concerning the Sierra Alpha and another wolf from a pack we don’t even know for sure exists. You have no evidence aside from conjecture. No. We will not join you, but I will expect you to defend these accusations you have made at the next alpha summit. The Sierras are not our friends, but they are our brother wolves.”
“And this hidden pack? These wolves who think they’re alone because that’s what they’ve been told? Are they not our brother wolves as well?”
“What hidden pack?” the old alpha mutters. “I only have your word for it.”
“And mine,” I say, stepping out from behind Rainn. “My word. About my pack.” I lift my head as the alpha studies me. “Will you help us?”
“Who are you?” he asks.
“I’m Bree, of the Falling River Pack, and Rainn is my mate.”