The Unmated Love

CHAPTER 7

As soon as Jon, Leyla and Ben returned to their pack house, they received a rapport from one of Jon’s trusted warriors, who had been taking care of pack business, while they had been gone for the annual alpha meeting. It had been a peaceful weekend. No major events, which eased their minds, as the news of Caleb had made them worry about the pack, while they had been gone.

Even though their pack was big with approximately 250 werewolves in total, it was a peaceful one. Quarrels were rare. Bigger issues were practically non-existent, which made their job relatively easy. However, the news of Caleb changed the situation drastically, and actions had to be taken to prepare the pack for the worst possible outcome.

Jon had called for a pack meeting, which was held in their meeting hall. A building big enough to house 500 werewolves in total. He stood on a stage, flanked by Leyla and Ben, waiting for the room to fall silent. As soon as all the voices died out, he made the announcement.

[Jonatan’s POV]

“This year’s alpha meeting went well. The treaty has been solidified, and the alliance between our packs remain as strong as ever. However, we received news about a threat from the south. Caleb, Lucifer’s son, has made a declaration of war against us all.”

The entire pack gasped simultaneously, and all faces revealed the fear that spread across the crowd. A murmur erupted, but fell silent, as I put a hand up to silence them.

“We will take actions immediately to prepare ourselves for what’s to come. As of today, practice will be doubled. From tomorrow, all children at the age of 8 or older will join the training. Their training will be adapted, so that children without a wolf will learn self-defense only. Children with wolves will receive both training in self-defense, but also the art of combat.”

I scanned the crowd’s faces, watching as they turned from fear to worry for their children, but no complaints erupted. They all knew, how serious this threat was, and they wanted their children to be able to defend themselves, if they would find themselves in a situation, where their parents weren’t there to protect them.

“A platoon of warriors will be dispatched to join Zack’s forces in the south. I hope that at least 20 of you will volunteer. If not, we will have to decide for you. Remember that the odds of our survival will increase, the sooner we find the enemy’s location.”

“I hope you all understand, how serious a threat this is to the entire country. Together with the other packs, we will stand up to this enemy. I ask all of you to be careful and alert us, if you notice anything amiss. No information is too small.”

I caught several werewolves nodding, as I spoke to them all.

“We will inform you, as soon as we know more about the situation. For today, you are dismissed.”

Chatter erupted, as soon as the pack was dismissed. They all crowded to get out of the hall. Eager to go home, where they could process the news of the return of the threat of Lucifer. This time in the form of his son, Caleb.

I turned to my beta and gamma. I was met with a grin on Ben’s face.

“What a lovely speech,” he said with a cheeky glint in his eye. The asshat.

I raised an eyebrow, and Leyla snorted at his remark, but both of us were secretly happy that Ben continued his role as comedy relief.

All three of us went back to my office to prepare for the changes to come. Leyla, who was already the combat trainer, was to train all the adults. Ben was going to train the children with and without wolves.

Ben was really excited to train the pups. “This is going to be fun!”  

Ben loved kids. He was the nice play-uncle, who always had a child on his back at parties, running around like a horse, making the children squeal with joy.

Leyla smirked cheekily. “You’re right. It’s going to be a lot of fun, seeing the children kick your ass in a matter of seconds.”

Ben snorted loudly. “I can kick your ass anytime, sis.”

Leyla laughed mockingly at that remark. “I’ve kicked your ass, since I was 16. What changed since our last fight, which have made you so confident all of a sudden?”

They kept on bickering at each other… I chuckled at their sibling quarrel. Happy to see that Leyla wasn’t as affected, as I thought she might’ve been.

After a while of listening to their bickering, I cleared my throat to get their attention.

“Guys? Can we please move on?”

Leyla and Ben went silent but kept staring at each other with narrowed eyes. They were obviously challenging each other. Daring the other to break the eye contact.

I sighed. “Guys…”

Ben was the first to break the eye contact, which made Leyla cheer at her victory.

“Ha! I won!”

Ben looked disappointed and annoyed, but I raised an eyebrow at Leyla, clearly judging her as childish.

Leyla looked at me but immediately looked down, when she noticed the look on my face.

“Sorry…”

I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

“You two should divide our members into teams and schedule their combat and defense classes. Make sure that you don’t end up double booking our training area.”

Leyla and Ben both looked at me attentively, listening and noting my words for later, when a knock on the door caught our attention.

“Come in,” I said with a flicker of annoyance across my face, but my features changed immediately, as I saw a group of our warriors standing outside my office door. One of them stepped forward, into the room.

“Alpha, beta, gamma…” He greeted us with a respectful nod, which all three of us returned. The pack member looked to me for permission to talk.

“What’s up, Lucas?”

The werewolf Lucas stood up straight. “I talk on behalf of all of us. We’re all here to volunteer. We want to join the forces in the south.”

I sat up straight at his words. The surprise must’ve been painted all over my face. Sure, I had hoped and expected a few of them would volunteer but given the size of the threat ahead of us, I had never imagined this many to come.  I rose from my chair, gave Lucas a nod, before my gaze turned to the people standing in the doorway.

“Thank you,” I said with sincerity and gratitude. I had feared that I would have to force an entire platoon to go, but my worries had been put to shame. “Will you please write down your name on this paper? We will return to you with information, when we’ve discussed the details.”

Thirty names were listed on the paper, before the last volunteer left the room. A shocked silence filled the room, though pride of their pack members were sneaking into the atmosphere too.

Ben was the first to break the silence. “Damn… I did not expect that.”

Leyla shook her head slightly. “That was brave of them. Our pack should not be taken lightly,” she said, with pride in her voice, as she looked at me with a genuine smile on her face. I could only agree with her. Our pack was full of brave and strong people, all ready to throw their life away for a cause worth fighting for.

_-..-_

For the next couple of weeks, Ben, Leyla and I spent our time preparing the pack for the time to come. Leyla and Ben were relentlessly working the pack members at training, but the results were beginning to show. The young ones were starting to get the hang of the most basic self-defense moves, which Ben took an immense pride in. The adults were slowly increasing their stamina and strength, which Leyla didn’t even mention.

We had doubled the scouts at their borders, making sure that the border wouldn’t be breached without our knowledge. The platoon of 30 warriors were sent to join Zack’s forces. We had received the news of the platoon’s arrival, but unfortunately no new information regarding Caleb and his whereabouts had been discovered.

I was getting increasingly worried, which made my body tense and my muscles ache. I was waiting for an update on the situation, and I dreaded the information it held. If there was no news in the search, I would have to send help. I would have to send Leyla.

While I was pacing my room, lost in thoughts, a knock on the door caught my attention. I went straight to the door and opened it, to find one of my pack members standing with a letter in his hand.

“Latest news from alpha Zack,” he said, as he handed me the letter. I grabbed the letter and closed the door without a sound. Normally, I wouldn’t be this disrespectful, but my thoughts were somewhere else today. I opened the letter.

Alpha Jon

I am afraid that news regarding the whereabouts of Caleb and his pack have yet to be discovered.

Our neighbors have sadly lost some of their pack members to the same fate as ours – flayed and parted – and with a note similar to the one, we found.

No traces of the attackers were found. We still have nothing to show for our relentless search.

I ask of you to remember our conversation at the alpha meeting.

-          Alpha Zack

I sunk into my chair, reading the letter over and over. My mind went silent, as realization dawned upon me. Damn it…

I didn’t have a choice anymore.

_-..-_

Ben was sitting in the couch, watching TV, when I sat down next to him. Ben greeted me with a quick smile, before his attention returned to the TV, but I took the remote and turned the TV off. Ben turned his attention to me with his eyebrows raised. Ben noticed the serious look on my face and immediately changed his attitude.

“What’s up, Jon?”

I was silent for a moment, looking down upon my hands, gathering up my courage. Ben was going to be absolutely pissed. I sighed deeply, before I lifted my gaze and looked Ben straight in the eye.

“I just got an update. They haven’t found anything. I have to send Leyla.”

Ben’s mouth fell open, as he stared at me. He was frozen for a moment, before he shut his mouth and clenched his jaw.

“No,” he said firmly with determination, but also with a hint of fear and worry.

“Ben… I know…” I didn’t get to say more, before Ben jumped off the couch with his hands clenched, as he threw his arms around in wild gestures.

“No, Jon! You don’t know s**t. She can’t go down there. It will ruin her. We need her here. We can’t send her down there.” The frustration and desperation were obvious in Ben’s voice.

The truth was that if I wasn’t the alpha, I would’ve reacted just the same. However, I was the alpha, and I had to take the safety of the entire pack – heck, the entire country – into account. It would be selfish of me, if I made her stay.

“Ben, I suggest you take it down a notch,” I growled. Yes, I understood Ben’s feelings, but he was being disrespectful, so I had to remind him that he was talking to his alpha – not his friend – at this particular moment.  

Ben didn’t seem to listen anymore. “You can’t send her down there, Jon. I forbid it!”

That did it.

I could feel the anger rise. I was an alpha, and the disrespect made my mind and body react on instinct. As if it was a threat to my position. I went straight into Ben’s face with a snarl.

“Don’t f*****g try ordering me around. I’m the alpha of this pack, and I make the decisions here. If you don’t agree with me, you can challenge me for my position. If not, I suggest you stand down immediately.”

Ben flinched and his eyes went wide with shock and fear. He had seen Jon acting as a true alpha, more times than he could count. He had rarely been on the receiving end, and they had spent so much time together on an everyday basis, that he had forgotten how powerful and dangerous Jon could be, when he wanted to.

He stepped back immediately and lowered his head in submission. His arms fell down to his sides. He looked utterly defeated.

“You can’t send her down there, Jon. I beg of you. Don’t do it,” he said with a quiet and fragile voice, which immediately made me feel bad.  

I lay a hand on Ben’s shoulder with a heavy sigh. Holding him reassuringly, as I looked straight into Ben’s worried eyes.

“I’m sorry, Ben, but I have to. We need her down there. We need her to find Caleb and his followers. We don’t stand a chance, if we don’t find them soon.”  

Ben nodded to signal that he had heard my words, but he didn’t give an answer. I squeezed his shoulder once more, before I let go and walked away, letting Ben process the news. Hopefully, he would see past his own feelings and realize that we didn’t really have a choice in this.