Chapter 100 The war
Logan led his troops, combined with wolves from Starseeker, into Moonshine territory. He nodded behind him, having Thomas and Carson split off with several of the wolves for a frontal attack on Damon’s mansion.
Santino stayed close to Logan, helping lead a smaller group of wolves intent on infiltrating Damon’s home, bringing him down once and for all.
Heads low to the ground, the wolves stalked through the high grass and underbrush. Logan was disgusted with how unkept the territory was. Land that was meant for farming was overgrown with weeds. Orchards full of fruit bearing trees had been choked with moss and vines that crept up the trunks.
He shook his head, snorting out of his nose as they silently padded through the land that had fallen into disarray. No wonder raiding parties had been coming into his territory. They were starving and desperate. No Alpha should let their pack fall into such decay! It was cruel and it just proved how unworthy Damon was to be Alpha. That was why Holly’s father had never named him as his successor.
Logan’s ears perked up when he heard the sounds of snarling and tearing that he knew meant Carson and Thomas were engaged in battle. Lifting his head, he turned his ears in that direction, listening. Santino stopped and listened too. The big fight was meant to be a distraction, but Logan knew that there would be some injuries and losses from the distraction. He also knew that Damon wouldn’t be entirely unprotected. It was his Alpha nature to want to go and help his pack members, but he had to stay focused on the task at hand. Grunting, Logan put his head down again and resumed his silent approach towards Alpha Damon’s mansion.
It was one of the farthest buildings from the Night Sky territory border. Damon thought that meant it would give him an advantage, that he would see anyone coming from miles away, or that he’d be
alerted to their presence long before he was in danger. That was one of the reasons Carson and Thomas had led the frontal attack. All eyes were watching that fight. Damon would never consider that Logan was sneaking in from elsewhere. Since he was a coward, Damon would assume Logan was too, the kind of Alpha that hung back and let others fight for him. Logan wasn’t that kind of Alpha. He was going straight for the kill. Opening his mouth, his tongue hung out as he panted in anticipation. Logan picked up his pace, Damon’s mansion coming into view. He growled under his breath, ready to fight!
There were a few wolves patrolling around the border of the mansion. Take them quickly and quietly, Logan told his pack members through the mind link. Stay low, don’t draw attention. The others murmured telepathic confirmations and moved in. Logan nudged Santino and the two of them went around the back of the house. There, Logan transformed back into human and Santino did too. They’d come prepared, keeping a pair of shorts tied around their calves when they transformed. “Inside, Damon won’t shift unless he absolutely has to,” Logan said. “If he does?” Santino asked. Logan sighed. “We’ll still have the upper hand, and enough time for at least one of us to shift before the other gets shredded” he said with a note of humor. Santino chuckled and nodded. “Can you believe what he has let happened to the territory?” he asked. Logan shook his head.
“No Alpha can call himself an Alpha if he lets this kind of damage accumulate,” he muttered. Logan held up his hand to stop Santino from responding.
The patrol is taken care of, one of his wolves said through the mind link. “Let’s go,” Logan said to Santino. They went around to a back door, slipping into the mansion.
Come in through the sides. If there is any basement access, use it, Logan told his pack members who were still in wolf form. Damon didn’t have the inside of the house well protected. He had clearly been
relying on the exterior patrol as being his main line of defense if his army was broken through It wasn’t a terrible technique. If the battle out front went badly, his wolves would fall back, the patrol being their backup, and added numbers contributing to their numbers against the attacking army. If the battle went well, the patrol wouldn’t be needed. Unfortunately, Damon hadn’t considered what would happen if they broke through his patrol before his army! The basement door opened and a few pack members appeared, changed into their human forms. “There is a very luxurious, newly built wine cellar down there,” he reported. Logan rolled his eyes. “Well, it is nice to see that he has prioritized his resources,” Logan muttered. “Letting his people starve while he builds a new space to hold some hardy Bordeaux,”
Santino grumbled. “Come on,” Logan said in a whisper. “Damon will be around here somewhere.”
Logan motioned down several halls, splitting the wolves up evenly to go explore. He kept Santino with him. If they confronted Damon, it would be better to do it together.
“His house is kept immaculate,” Santino said sarcastically, running his finger along a desk. There wasn’t a trace of dust.
“He’ll be upstairs,” Logan said. “Cowering in the highest room from where we are coming in. There may be a few wolves lurking around, so be prepared.” Santino nodded, pulling a knife out of the shorts he’d brought with him. Logan eyed the knife oddly. He wouldn’t have brought a weapon to the fight, relying on his claws and teeth. A knife could be useful, but it could also be turned against them. “Quietly,” Logan warned. Santino nodded. They headed up the stairs, Logan taking each step lightly to avoid any creaks in the floor. He held a hand up when he heard something at the top of the stairs. Santino
stopped dead. Logan listened intently. He heard Damon’s voice, a voice he’d heard so few times, but one he recognized all too well!
“How stupid are they?” he snapped at someone Logan could not see or hear. “They think a frontal attack will weaken me.” Logan looked back at Santino and smirked. Santino nodded, smiling in return. Without another word or look, Logan approached where he had heard Damon’s voice. There was another voice speaking now. “I think they broke through the territory border here,” someone said. “And they are gaining ground.” Damon scoffed. “They won’t get through. My pack knows how to defend our lands,” Damon insisted. Logan approached the door, turning the knob slowly. He pushed the door all the way open, snarling as Damon rose from his chair at his desk. Santino came in right behind him, brandishing the knife. The wolf that had been speaking to Damon tried to run, but Santino punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious. Growling, Damon glared at them. “Logan, Santino,” he growled. “That’s Alpha Logan to you,” Logan said. “Do you want to know why your wolves are losing ground?” Damon scoffed. “You know nothing about my pack,” he insisted. “I know you’ve starved them to renovate your own home, and in the process, they’ve become weak,” Logan snapped.
“Weak enough to nearly kill you!” Damon hissed. Logan rolled his eyes.
“You’re not getting out of here,” Logan said. He nodded to Santino and the other male closed the door to the room they were in, locking the bolt in place.
“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, boy,” Damon grumbled. He snapped his fingers and a door behind him open, three of his pack members, in wolf form, came in, growling and snarling. Logan and Santino exchanged nervous glances. This complicated things.
Nodding to Santino, Logan tore his shorts off and shifted, jumping at the three wolves, engaging them in a fight. Santino brandished his knife at Damon, ready to fight him. Logan couldn’t watch out for
Santino, he had to focus on his own fight. Snappy his jaws, he closed his teeth around the tendons in the back leg of one of the wolves, a whimpering cry ringing out. Another wolf tried to grab Logan at the neck, but Logan evaded, raking his claws along the stomach of the wolf that tried to biter him. The beast’s intestines spilled out onto the floor. He wouldn’t be a threat anymore.
Logan snapped his jaws tighter, breaking the leg that was in his mouth. Releasing that wolf, he turned around to face the third and final threat. They stared at each other. The other wolf was drooling, eyes glowing as he prepared to attack. Logan snarled, pulling his lips back and showing his teeth. Lunging forward, Logan jumped over his adversary. He latched his jaws onto the thick fur at the nape of his neck, sinking his teeth in. As he landed, he pulled the other wolf down hard to the floor. He went in for the killing blow.