Chapter 60

Chapter 60
The woods were filled with wolves fighting each other, the savage sounds of the battle drowning out everything else. Hundreds of wolves from both sides were locked in combat, fur and blood flying everywhere. The rogues had the numbers. A good three or four hundred to Blackstone’s maybe two hundred warriors plus around twenty five or so from TallTree's. Even with the numbers, they didn't have the discipline or training the pack warriors had and it shown as rogue after rogue was being cut down.

Cassidy could not see James, but she could still feel him close through their bond and it was enough comfort to know he was still alive at least for the moment. She turned back to Jennifer to finish the other she-wolf off but mid turn she was plowed into from the side and strong jaws clamped down on the underside of her throat as she was thrown off balance. Cassidy thrashed and growled, clawing and kicking at Jennifer with her feet but the she-wolf had a good hold and refused to let go even when Cassidy tried to get up onto her feet.

Jennifer had a death grip of a hold on Cassidy’s throat and Cassidy was feeling the effects of it, her breathing was becoming labored and her head was swimming and fuzzy feeling. She needed to get out of this wolfs hold before it became an irreversible situation. Beginning to the struggle all over again, the she-wolf held on through it all until Cassidy felt the warm spray of something wet and tasted the copper metallic taste of blood.

Jennifer lost her grip on Cassidy’s jugular and staggered away, shifting back into her human form with a terrified look on her face as she held her hands to a deep slice across her neck that wasn't healing as fast as it should.

Cassidy staggered away, shaking her head and taking in deep breaths as she recovered, watching as Max stood over Jennifer with a white knuckled grip on a silver bladed knife as the life left her body.

“I thought she loved me.” Max said in a regretful tone, his blind eyes closing against the pain of betrayal. “I didn't want to believe she hurt James or was against you… I'm sorry sister. I will do better.” He said in a guilty tone to the shock of Cassidy who had not even known the youngest of the triplets was involved with anyone let alone Jennifer.

She felt for him and could see the pain on his face and heard the truth in his words. Cassidy walked over to Max and leaned her head against his leg. The man was just as old as James at twenty six, but he was very much sheltered like a child in many ways. She wanted to tell him everything would be alright, but even words would not help heal the rift that woman had caused to the people she cared about. Cassidy spent a few minutes with Max to give him strength and comfort before she turned and headed towards the woods to lend herself to the fight. Max shifted and came out of his clothes to follow closely behind his Luna much to the surprise of Cassidy.

She knew max was not classified as a warrior in the pack. As far as she knew he had no real ranking other than being part of the alpha family. The man was kind and gentle and smarter than anyone she had known before. From what she had seen, he had been working harder than most to earn his worth as a fighter and once they entered into the fray of fighting wolves, getting past the pack warriors to the quickly diminishing number of rogues, he was proving how far he had come.

Cassidy was savage when it came to fighting. Jett had trained her well over the years and she took everything she had been taught and applied it with her wolf form. The rogues were not nearly as well trained and she and Max both fought together against them, taking them one by one until there was a heavy push of the pack’s warriors.

She stopped and panted heavily, her once white fur stained crimson from the several rogues she and max had taken on together, watching while the rogue pack began to retreat. Her eyes searched for her mate. Jett. Alaric… Someone that was with James when he took off after her father. Her father… Anxiety began to rise and she let out a soft, worried sounding whine. Maybe it was the difference between an alpha and a Luna that Macy was talking about. Most likely it was the fact of how her family had been taken from her and how her dreams had tormented and haunted her for years… but she didn't think she would survive it if her father was killed all over again. She could taste the need of revenge on her tongue and her wolf was warring with the human side of her mind.

We must kill them all. Now. Remember what they did to us. To our family. Mother. Father. Brother. Grandfather… Everyone. They must pay for it. her wolf growled aggressively, not caring that it was her father leading them or not. Traitor the word was spat with such venom against her father it made Cassidy flinch for a second before she growled and took off to give chase. Her wolf was right… She needed to take them out. Every last one she could get her teeth into to make sure they never hurt anyone else again. Never attacked another pack again.

The rogues were chased off the pack territory and clear through TallTree’s territory as well. Max had blocked Cassidy from leaving BlackStone lands and had escorted her back to the pack house. Which was just as well because chaos was ensuing back home. Macy had done her best to keep those who could not fight calm within the pack house, but once couples began to feel the distance between them and their bonds were pulling, keeping them within the walls was becoming a struggle.

Cassidy had shifted when she got back home, gratefully taking a robe from one of the omegas who were waiting for the others to come back. She slipped it on and went inside, a hush falling on the wolves within. Cassidy looked like she had been drug through hell and back. Her neck still bruised a little, it took her clearing her throat to find her voice. “Anyone who cannot stay inside… Go outside and help with the body clean up. Go in pairs and kill anything rogue that so much as breathes wrong.” She said to the group, pointedly looking at the few she-wolves that had been challenging Macy over being kept away from their men. When no one moved to leave, she gave little nod of her head. “The rogues are pushed off from our territory. Our fighters will be coming home soon. Be patient.” She said to them all in a calm, soothing tone.

It seemed to work as the wolves calmed down with few grumbles and went back to socializing with each other. Macy came up to Cassidy and frowned, reaching up and touching her soaked and dirty chestnut hair. “Child you need to eat and get a shower. James sent word. He is okay. They are helping the TallTree's Alpha reclaim his lands and then he will be home.”

Cassidy’s shoulders fell in relief at the news. She had been struggling so hard to keep James out of her mind after his shout had distracted her. “Thank you Macy. I'm not very hungry, but I will go get that shower now.”

“Nonsense. You must eat Luna. I insist on it.” The elder she-wolf said, taking Cassidy by the elbow and escorting her to the stairs. “You go and get yourself cleaned up. I will send someone up with food for you.”

There was little arguing with the woman, especially when Cassidy was starting to feel drained after so much fighting. Nodding Cassidy, stepped on the first stair before she turned to Macy, her brows drawn together in worry. “Max saved my life tonight more than once. He is out helping with the clean up… but he needs a day or two by himself I think. Can you make sure he gets it?”

Macy’s head snapped to the back of the house that led to the back yard area when she heard her youngest had been out there fighting, a terrified and worried look on her face before she forced herself to calm down. “Of course Luna. You go now. Take care of yourself.”

Cassidy nodded and went up the three flights of stairs at a slow pace. Each step felt like a mile and she worried something might have been wrong with her. She had shifted daily with her wolf but had never done anything more strenuous than going for runs. She reasoned it was all the fighting and the power struggle she had been having with her wolf to try to keep some balance of control between them. When she got to their rooms, she took a left. She wanted the comfort and the scent of James around her tonight. That and his bed sounded much more inviting than her own.

She stripped from the robe and stepped into the shower, standing under the hot spray of water for several minutes before she shampooed her hair clean and washed off her body along with all the rogues she had killed today in the name of revenge for her family. It felt good, delivering a little bit of justice on her end. She left the shower and went to the bath, filling it with as hot of water as she could stand, strong mint smelling oils and salt to help ease the aches in her muscles. The tub was large enough for two full grown men, but just perfect for her to be able to stretch out and lay in the water, her head cushioned by a towel.

The water was instantly relaxing, enough so she let out a happy soft moan from the release of tension through her body. Cassidy became so content and relaxed, her lashes fluttered down and after several minutes she was dozing quietly.

With the scent of the oils and her relaxed state, she was never aware of the large body that joined her in the bathroom. She didn't hear a single step or breath. The only thing that brought her out of her sleep was the sensation of the fine hairs raising along her body as her senses tuned in to not being alone any more.

Cassidy smiled softly. “Its about time you came home…” she whispered and opened her golden eyes up to James but what she seen instead had her frozen. It was just enough of a delay, seeing her father above her, for the man to grab her by her throat and force her under the water.