The battle of the rogues

The battle of the rogues
Bella and the three men in the room all looked at the screen in absolute silence. Bella wished there was sound to accompany the video, or in this case, the lack of video.

Minutes passed that felt like hours. Then the image on the screen changed. It looked like Logan was getting up and brushing off some small twigs and leaves.

Bella exhaled and let go of Bastian’s hand and sent him an apologetic smile for crushing his hand. Then she focused back on the screen. Logan and the female had joined the others inside the pipe and they were making a quick pace through it even though they were running almost folded in the middle.

The woman raised a fist, and everyone stopped and squatted down. She pointed to something above them, and the camera tilted upward as Logan looked at the grate that covered a drain hole. Everyone in the team nodded. She then held up a finger in front of her masked mouth. Even Bella knew the signal for keep quiet. Everyone nodded again.

They all stood in a line and waited as the female used holes in the concrete pipe to climb up to the grate and push it to the side. She then signalled for the first to climb up. One by one, they used the holes to climb up and past their leader. She was standing with half of her head out of the drain, keeping a lookout.

When it was Logan’s turn, they saw him scale the holes and when he came up on ground level; they saw he was inside the fenced area. It looked to be in a back alley. There were crates and old pipes stacked around them. Bella could see that the team had used this to take cover behind the debris and they were scattered in the alley.

Finally, the last member of the team climbed up and then lastly, the female that closed the grate behind them. She squatted down and held up a finger and then pointed her whole hand in a direction. A section of the party nodded and moved in that direction.

Bella knew they would split into three groups. One for the main gate, one for a smaller back gate and a third would stay back and make sure the way they had come stayed open. The female held up two fingers and pointed with her hand in another direction.

This time, Logan joined the group that set off towards the main gate. They stayed in the shadows and moved low to the ground, stopping every so often. Bella presumed it was because they had heard a noise. She wished again that the video came with sound.

The front gate team could now see the front gate and the guards that protected it. Bella counted ten different guards that moved around the area. She soon saw a pattern in their movements. There was a crackle from the speakers.

“The back door team has linked that they are ready to go,” a voice said.

They had full access to the communication system that alpha Sam had provided for the mission. At least they could hear the commands.

“Front gate team ready to go,” they heard Graham’s voice after a while. Logan must have mind linked him.

“Emergency exit team reports there’s no activity in the area. We are good to go,” alpha Noa’s voice said. The one video on the screen turned into ten as the assault teams switched theirs on.

“Enter in three, two, one,” alpha Mikael counted down.

As the count reached zero, the screen exploded in activity. Most of the warriors shifted. They only once still in human form were the once with body cam or communication equipment. Bella looked towards the video from Logan’s camera.

The team by the gate had charged and the rogue guards looked to be confused if they should protect the gate from the outside invaders or from the onslaught from inside. Their hesitation caused them their lives as Logan’s team tore through them. Logan and one other warrior in his team had stayed in human form and were now opening the main gate.

Bella could see warriors pour through the gate. She saw Graham in his half-shifted form and held her breath as he stormed into the mass of rogues that seemed to pour out of the factory building like ants out of an anthill.

It was hard to distinguish between friend and foe on the screen. But the constant narrations from the communication system helped Bella keep track of what was happening.

“Ten rogues dead, two friendly wounded at the south corner,” a voice said.

“Eighteen rogues down by the north fence,” the warrior from Blueriver reported proudly. Bella knew they would be blood thirsty after losing both their alpha and gamma in the shooting.

“One friendly to join the goddess from Silverlake, eight rogues down at the entrance to the factory,” someone said.

Bella’s heart skipped a beat. The first casualty on their side. She looked at George. He was keeping a count on his tablet. He nodded grimly. Bella felt bad that she was relieved the dead warrior hadn’t belonged to their pack.

The battle continued, the death count rose steadily. Their side didn’t suffer from the same number of losses as the rogues, to Bella’s relief. But there were still casualties and injuries.

The rogues, that had seemed so overwhelmingly strong when they attacked, seemed uncoordinated and surprised to be attacked at their base. The tables had been turned and to call it a slaughter was too kind. Bella felt slightly nauseated as she watched the scenes play out.

‘You don’t need to watch, luna,’ Bastian mind linked her. He must have noticed her turning a shade of green.

‘It’s okay, I will get through this,’ Bella told him, but send him a smile.

Bella kept a close watch on Graham. He was easy to spot in his half-shifted form and Logan had rotated so that he and Graham moved through the waves of rogues together.

Slowly but steadily, the packs pushed inside the buildings; the rogues were constantly losing ground. Bella flinched as a big, scruffy looking wolf jumped down from a platform onto a wolf that she recognized as Winston. She yelped as she saw the blood that gashed from the wound on the warrior’s neck.

Winston tried to buck the wolf off him, but it clung to him. Bella watched as Graham took three long strides towards Winston and the rogue. The rogue never saw him coming as Graham grabbed it by its scruff and his other hand smashed into the snout of the rogue. It let go of Winston, and Graham tore its head off its body.

“Twenty-one rogues down on the inside of building A, one friendly injured,” Bella heard Graham’s animalistic voice say through the speakers.

Everyone in the room let out their breath at the same time, out of relief. Bella’s father stood up and came to stand behind her.

“How are you holding up, peanut?” he asked.

“A little frayed around the edges, but I’m okay, dad. How are you doing?” she asked, not taking her eyes off the screen.

“This is not something I’m used to. It’s not something I enjoy. But I’m fine, don’t worry about me, peanut. Do you need something to eat or drink?” he asked.

“No thanks, dad,” she said, and he returned to his seat after squeezing her shoulder.

Inside, the battle had become bloodier if that was even possible. The restricted space made the wolves more feral. They felt trapped and reacted out of instinct. Then, as Bella thought she couldn’t take it anymore, the rogues stopped fighting. They all drew back and started shifting into human form.

“Hold off, let’s see what’s happening,” alpha Mikael’s voice sounded.

Everyone watched how every single rogue shifted into their human form and sat down with a lowered head.

“It’s a trap of some sort,” Bastian growled. Bella could relate to how he felt. This seemed to be too easy.

“Where is your leader? Who speaks for you?” Graham’s gruff voice called.

A tall female, covered in blood, dirt, and scratches, stood up. Her long blond hair fell forward, covering her naked breasts. She took five steps forward and then stopped.

“I speak for the rogues,” she said.

“You are not Devon,” Graham growled.

The woman flinched. Apparently, she wasn’t expecting them to know who Devon was.

“No, I’m Tabitha, his beta,” she said.

“I don’t give a fuck. I want Devon in front of me,” Graham spat at her.

“H–he isn’t here,” she stuttered.

“He was here yesterday. Don’t screw with us,” alpha Mikael’s voice sounded through the speakers.

By the look on the woman’s face, she hadn’t thought they would have that information either. Next to Bella, Bastian scoffed. She knew it was a comment on the poor performance of this so-called beta.

“He left once you took down the main gate,” she confessed.

“This place was surrounded. How did he get out?” Graham asked her.

“There is a tunnel that leads from his private quarters to the lake a few miles south of here,” she said. She looked defeated in more ways than one.

“Why didn’t you go with him? Why are you all here?” alpha Mikael asked.

“He told us he would take a team of warriors and attack from behind. He took fifty of his closest warriors and left. When we didn’t see them attacking when they should have, I went to investigate. He had locked the opening to the tunnel. No one knows the code but him. We were trapped here. That’s why we surrendered,” she finally told them.

Bella could understand the look she had. She had been betrayed by her alpha. She had been left to die, hoping he could get away. That must have hurt.

This also meant that Devon and fifty of his best warriors were still on the loose. The packs onsite seemed to have come to the same realisation. Over the speaker came orders to organize a search and track party.

“Let’s cuff and contain these mutts and place them under guard. We will do a debriefing in the morning. Seven am?” alpha Mikael said. The last question was aimed at the alpha group. They all agreed.

Body cams were being turned off and the call with the alphas ended. Bella felt like a wrung rag.

“Bastian, can you join me at the meeting tomorrow morning?” Bella asked.

“Of course, luna,” he nodded.

“And I think we need to increase the patrols. I don’t know if Devon is headed this way, but we won’t take any chances,” she added.

“I’ll see to it, luna,” George said.

“Thank you, George. Thank you all for staying with me tonight,” Bella smiled.

“Now I’m going to chat with the warriors’ mates. I know they are waiting downstairs,” she said.

“I can do that, luna. You should rest. It’s late and you have an early meeting,” Bastian said.

“No, I would like to do it,” Bella insisted.

She walked downstairs and was greeted by a hoard of mates sitting in the dining room. Mickey was among them, he was the one that had organised the get together. Thinking that it was better that they got support from each other than sitting alone, worrying.

Bella briefly explained the situation. Four of their warriors had been wounded, none of them lethal. The battle was over. They were the victors, and they could all turn in. She spent a little more time talking individually to the mates of the wounded warriors. After that, she and Mickey walked upstairs together.

“Do you think they will call tonight?” Mickey asked.

“I think so. If he doesn’t, he will be sleeping on the couch for a month,” Bella said. Mickey laughed.

“You know you will be all over him the second he gets back,” he scoffed.

“Oh, I will. I said nothing about not having sex. The sex isn’t for him, that’s for me. But his ass will sleep on the couch,” Bella smiled.

They parted ways and Bella went up the last stair and into her apartment. Her father was waiting with a cup of tea for her.

“Thanks dad. I think I’ll take it with me to bed,” she said.

“You do that, peanut. I’m very proud of you. Today I got to see you in full luna mode. It’s impressive,” he said, kissing her forehead.

“Thanks dad. You and mom did a good job I guess,” she smiled.

“Definitely,” he nodded, making her giggle.

“Good night dad.”

“Night, peanut.”

Bella got ready for bed and then she sat on the bed staring at her phone. When it finally lit up, she answered it before it could ring.

“Gray?” she said.

“Hey sweetheart, did I wake you?” he asked.

“No, I was waiting for your call,” she said.

“That’s what I thought,” he chuckled.

“I’m not going to keep you long, Gray. I just needed to hear your voice. Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine. Some scratches, but they will mostly have healed by the time I get home,” he told her.

“Good,” she sighed.

“Have you eaten?” he asked.

“Not since dinner,” she confessed.

“Why don’t you ask someone to bring you up some dip and fruits before you go to bed?” he asked.

The thought of food made Bella feel queasy.

“No, I’ll be fine,” she said.

“What’s wrong Ellie? You don’t sound fine,” Graham asked, sounding worried.

“I’m fine. I’m just not up for food yet,” she said.

“Okay, then you get to bed and I’ll see you at the meeting tomorrow. I’m taking most of our men and coming home straight after the meeting. I don’t like Devon being on the loose. We’ll be home before lunch,” he told her.

“I’m looking forward to it, Gray. We have increased the patrols just to be safe. I don’t know. Maybe I should go down and talk to Delilah, see if she knows where Devon is headed,” Bella sighed.

“Not tonight, you’re not. Now you are headed to bed,” he told her.

“Yes alpha, you’re the boss,” she smiled.

“And you better know it, mate,” he said, and Bella could hear his smile.

“I love you, Gray. Thank you for staying safe.”

“I love you too, Ellie. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As they hung up, Bella curled up in their bed and fell asleep at once.

Her sleep was tormented by nightmares. There were mountains of body parts, rivers of blood and in the shadows, just outside of her sight...

Something was lurking...