Stray Echo

Breach on the North Border

POV: Echo

“It’s about damn time!” he snarls, stepping forward. He zeroes in on me immediately, eyes blazing as he sees me in another man’s shirt. While his aura of fury is nothing compared to Atlas’s, I can’t stop the waves of fear it gives me. He relaxed only slightly when he saw I was unmarked.

“Alpha Brady, we will be returning to our pack sooner than expected,” Atlas tells him firmly, moving to stand between us.

“What about the deal we were to make? You would leave without even discussing it?” He demanded to know, staring daggers at me. He shifts his gaze to Atlas before adding, “And you most certainly will not be leaving with my Little Doll.” A deep growl rumbles from Atlas’s chest.

“The Blood Moon Pack is no longer interested in making any deals with the Red Stone Pack.” His tone of voice left no room for discussion. He turns towards me, eyes meeting mine as he continues. “As for Echo, I am sure you have realized by now that she is my fated mate. She will be coming with us to take her rightful place as my Luna.” His voice takes on a lethal tone as he turns back to Brady. Alpha Brady shakes with rage as a growl rumbled from his chest.

“She is mine! You will not leave here until she is returned to me!” He snarls, coming undone at the thought of me leaving his pack. He makes his way towards me, stopping when Atlas steps toe to toe with him, and Brady is forced to tilt his head up to meet his glare.

“Alpha!” A warrior from Alpha Brady’s pack comes rushing down the hall, interrupting what most likely would have been the start of a short-lived fight. “There has been a breach on the North border! Warriors from Blood Moon!”

I can feel Atlas’s relief. This is what they were waiting for, why we hadn’t been in any rush. Alpha Brady’s face turns a deep shade of purple

“AND WHAT DO THEY WANT?!” He roars, stepping back and moving to stand in the doorway as he glares at his warrior like he’d like nothing more than to remove his head from his shoulders.

“Th-they say they w-won’t leave until the safe re-return of their all their wolves who came for the meeting.” He says, feeling the murderous energy pouring off his Alpha. Brady turns to me, eyes gleaming in triumph, sending a shiver down my spine before the warrior continues.

“Th-they al-also d-demand that th-their L-Luna be a-allowed to t-take h-her r-rightful p-p-place i-in th-their p-p-p-pack.”. Atlas looks down at me with a smile in his eyes, winking, before putting back on his hardened Alpha’s glare.

“We will take our leave now,” he states, kneeling next to me and lifting me in his arms again. One of his warriors slips through the door, retrieving the suitcases and retreating. Brady roars in a rage, eyes flashing between his blue and his wolf’s dark eyes, staring at me with murder in his eyes.

“If you do not move from the doorway and allow us to leave without disruption, I will be forced to make one of two choices,” Atlas snarls.

“One, I can order all of my warriors both in the pack and on your border to attack, which will most likely destroy your entire pack. Or two, I can challenge you and take your entire pack from you by force. Either way, you will be dead, and your pack will no longer be a threat. Or you can MOVE!” His aura slips out at the end of this statement, causing Alpha Brady’s warrior to drop to his knees and extend his neck in submission.

I can feel the sheer force of it, but am unaffected by the need to submit to him. Atlas glances at me in curiosity, but seems pleased that I can withstand it. Even Alpha Brady seems to struggle to resist, debating his options when Beta John makes his way down the hall, looking furious.

“Alpha! We made an agreement not to disturb the Alpha, his Luna, or his men while they retired to their room!” He stated, his steel-grey eyes narrowed in on Brady.

“I have heard the demands of the warriors, and the options provided to you by Alpha Atlas.” He bows his head towards Atlas as he approaches, neck out, before returning to stare down Alpha Brady.

“You would have your entire pack destroyed over the fate of one orphaned she-wolf?” He asks, disbelief colouring his face, as he stares at his Alpha as though truly seeing him for the first time.

“Your obsession with her is disrespectful to your Luna and will leave the pack questioning your ability to lead us if you do not stand aside.” He roughly grabs Alpha Brady’s shoulder, pulling him back a bit, facing off with him as his Alpha growls threateningly at him.

“You are stripped of your title as my Beta and banished from the Red Stone Pack! As well as your pathetic excuse for a father!” Brady screamed into John’s face, spit flying everywhere. He spared one more glare at me, growling lowly. “I am not done with you, Little Doll. Your Alpha will not be around to protect you forever, and when the time is right, you will be mine once again!”

He spins on his heel and storms off toward the Alpha quarters, leaving his warrior and exiled Beta completely at the mercy of Alpha Atlas. We watch as his warrior stands there, shaking slightly, unsure what to do.

“Please, return to your post, warrior, you have done nothing but your duty to the Alpha, and I am sure he will see that once he returns to his senses,” John states, giving the poor wolf the out that he was so desperately waiting for. He rushes down the hall, more than happy to be out of the way. Atlas takes a moment to assess the exiled Beta standing in front of them, as he drops to his knee, head bent submissively.

“I apologize Alpha Atlas, and Luna Echo. Alpha Brady may be even more disturbed than his father was, and it seems he is becoming completely unhinged.” John stays as he is, lifting his eyes to mine with what can only be described as the look of a man who has been to hell and back.

“Luna Echo,” he starts, choking on his words as tears pour down his face. “It has been ten years since my father saved you from Brady’s father and ten years that we’ve had to stand by and watch them mistreat you.” His voice is tinged with pain.

“When your parents brought you to this pack, you and I became fast friends. You were like a little sister, and while you may not be able to remember those times, I do. Over the last ten years, I have wanted to do so much to help you! After I saw what they did to you when I stripped my own quarters that one day, I realized any help I offered would come at a grave cost to you.” His eyes shut as he remembers seeing me the next day, black and blue.

I wiggle gently, letting Atlas know I’d like to be set down. He looks into my eyes, seeing that I am determined to stand. He gently sets me down on one leg, holding me up around my waist so that no weight goes onto my broken ankle.