Alliance of Shadows, Book 3: HUNTER

The Reckoning Tide

Turning to the shout that belonged to a child, I spotted Wyatt sprinting toward me, his excitement unchecked. As he neared, his small foot caught on a loose stone, sending him stumbling forward. Kneeling quickly, I caught him before he hit the ground, steadying him in my grasp.

Jokingly, I asked, “Where’s the fire?”

Bouncing in my hold, his enthusiasm undeterred, he begged, “Hunter, are we going soon? Diana said there were other kids like us, and I wanna go play!”

Tilting his head upward with the tips of my fingers, I raised a brow at him. “Manners will get you far in this world, Wyatt, so you mustn’t forget to use them often.”

His eager expression flickered with realization, his cheeks flushing a gentle pink. “Oops! I forgot to say excuse me,” he whispered softly, his voice laced with sincerity.

I pulled him into my arms and sighed, the warmth of his small frame settling against me. Little ones really did melt me in the worst sort of way. Their unfiltered trust and boundless energy never failed to strike a deep, resonating hope within me. I smiled. "Now that you’re calmer, why don’t we start over, hm?"

He grinned, nodding eagerly as he wrapped his arms around my neck and buried his face in my shirt, his excitement barely contained. “Will we be going soon?"

Nodding, I watched as he ran back over to the other children, his energy rekindling the moment he rejoined them.

Grand Alpha Henry let out a sharp whistle, piercing through the noise like a blade. “Right, ye lot, quit yer yappin’ and pay attention!” His voice carried the grit of a seasoned leader, the lilting remnants of his Irish roots slipping through the command. His tone left no room for nonsense, demanding swift obedience.

He stepped aside, rolling his shoulders as Logan took over, his stance firm, measured.

“After a little bit of back and forth with strategy and planning, the Alliance of Shadows, has come up with a solution that will help every one of us here." My cousin’s eyes scanned the area, making sure that he’d gotten everyone’s attention before speaking again. “It’s been decided that the children, women who are expecting, and the elderly should be moved first. Everyone who is able-bodied should ready themselves to help fight off any potential attack.”

As expected, several voices rose in protest, shouting about how absurd the idea was.

Maria grinned, whispering just loud enough for me to hear her. “Watch this.”

Valik moved to stand next to his brother, a deep scowl pulling at his features. Confusion rippled through the crowd, but it was clear Maria knew something about her leader and friend that I did not.

Then, Valik’s voice sliced wickedly through the wave of nay-sayers. “Shut up! If it wasn’t for the new Valencia Lords wanting to save your sorry hides, we’d make tracks and leave you to Nikolai.”

His words struck deep, ringing through the gathering with undeniable force. A heavy silence followed, proving that despite the earlier resistance, the reality of their situation had finally sunk in.

Well, almost everyone was brought to the realization that there was something heavier than their feud at hand…

Ariel snickered darkly, her lips curling into something between amusement and disdain. “You're just a puppet on a string. Go dance for your Alpha, little puppet.” Her voice dripped with mockery, each syllable sharpened with deliberate cruelty.

Valik laughed, his tone edged with wicked amusement, but there was no humor in his eyes. He stepped forward slightly, his stance shifting into something more grounded, more dangerous. “Calling you a b***h would be an insult to the female Wolves that are putting their lives on the line to help your self-righteous ass.”

His words weren’t just a retort. They carried weight, cutting through the hostility like a blade, making it clear where his loyalties stood.

Glancing around, I spotted Lady Frieda watching the exchange, her expression barely concealing the amusement flickering at the edges. She pressed her lips together, reigning in the laughter threatening to break through before schooling her features into an emotionless mask. In all honesty, I was trying not to laugh myself—the tension, the sharp barbs, the sheer absurdity of Ariel’s arrogance made it hard to take her seriously.

Ariel’s frustration boiled over, her composure crumbling under Valik’s words. “You brazen brat!” she screamed, her voice sharp with fury, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

He rolled his eyes, unimpressed, his expression shifting into something almost bored. “I've been called worse by lower class people,” he muttered, dismissing her rage with a casual shrug, as if her insults held no more weight than dust in the wind.

Paul said as he approached, his expression caught somewhere between amusement and caution. “He's so much like his brother it's scary. I’ve tried going toe-to-toe with Logan. He’s too damn smart, and nothing gets past him unless you can find a way to surprise him.”

“Why do you think I choose honesty when dealing with my young cousin?” I asked with a smirk, the corners of my mouth tugging upward at the thought.

Magdalena and Regina walked over, their grins sly, clearly amused by something unseen. Maria turned and gave them a little wave, her movements deceptively casual. She stared up at me, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. “What?”

I tilted my head slightly, studying her. “Just curious as to when you connected with them.”

She shrugged, but the glint in her gaze gave away more than she likely intended. “I had some help from your friends in the ideas department, okay? Stanley's still breathing, so don't get bitchy.”

Her words pulled me straight back to when I had asked her not to kill him. The memory flickered in my mind, the absurdity of it now more amusing than frustrating. Nodding, I choked back a laugh as I said, “Fair.”

Regina’s eyes narrowed, her sharp gaze locking onto the movement beyond the camp’s edge. Following her stare, I noted the Vampires poised to raid and kill everyone in sight, their predatory patience making the air feel heavier.

I broke my silence, raising my voice above the noise of the crowd. “My father’s forces only move at night when they are undetectable to the human eye. That is the only reason you and your people are still alive, Ariel. We need to move now, before the next wave hits. There aren’t enough of you left for him to keep torturing, so he’s likely going to kill the lot of you off in one go this time. Regardless of where you run, if even one of you is marked by him, he will keep finding you. This is a game to him—nothing more, nothing less.”

A murmur went through the crowd. Logan’s eyes flashed red, and I knew that he'd tapped his Vampire powers to add conviction to his Alpha command. I could feel Ignacio—Grandfather’s old spirit that was now tied to Logan as though he'd always been with the boy—his strength lending power to the commanding tone of an Alpha at the end of his rope.

“Enough,” he commanded with a deep growl. “If we get moving now, we have time to save everyone without losing a single life in the process. Hunter, how many of your father’s forces are out there now?”

“At best, there are fifteen of them. Then again, it could only be the second wave,” I replied in a low voice, keeping my tone measured despite the unease curling in my gut.

Logan cleared his throat, taking control of the situation without hesitation. “Paul, have our Warriors run the rim and get Triple Trouble to create a focal point. Tell them to do whatever it takes to make the attackers lose their cool. Maria, I’m putting you in charge of the Medics and the spell-casters. Get our Warriors to guard them. Jake, find out if Ember and Heaven are ready with that transportation circle they were working on.”

Neil shouted similar orders to his pack, his voice cutting through the tension before he walked over. “My Warriors are set and ready to fight.”

Henry’s smug, cross-armed stance was unwaveringly sturdy as his Mate and Luna stood beside him. The look of contented pride in his eyes was something I’d spent years trying to get from my own father—something that always seemed just out of reach. No matter how he raised me and my brothers, there was never even a small amount of recognition for our growth, strength, or sacrifices.

The Grand King of all Alphas, however, was different. He was obviously satisfied with the balance of gentle, yet stern parenting that had led to the rise of two distinct Alphas. His presence exuded confidence, not only in his own achievements, but in the legacy he had built through patience, wisdom, and firm guidance.

He noticed my gaze, giving me a slight nod before turning back to his conversation with his Beta—the prestigious pack doctor, Phillip Kade. The two Elders spoke with ease, their quiet yet undeniable authority allowing them to remain out of the conversation unless their guidance was needed.

To me, it was true leadership at its finest.

As the packs dispersed, Frieda’s shaky voice fell over the people around us, “As the matriarch of this Coven, I command you to respect and listen to the young Alpha. He speaks with rationale and has our best interest at heart, so I see no reason to dislike him.”

I exhaled the breath I was holding, my chest loosening as the tension that had weighed on me began to dissipate. Frieda’s words carried undeniable authority, settling the unease that had lingered in the crowd.

“Lady Frieda, shall I escort you and the other Elders?” I asked, keeping my tone steady, respectful.

“Of course, dear,” she replied softly, her voice warm despite the exhaustion lining her features.