Us Against the World

Chapter 11

Luke POV

I felt like crap. I was punishing Ava for not wanting a relationship with me. I was hurt because she didn’t want me or what I had to offer. I wanted her to get jealous, but I crossed a line when I judged her work. It was unfair and I wanted to apologize. Mila and Tobias stayed in the hall where the welcoming gathering was taking place. She said something about refreshing up, again. She was getting on my nerves. I didn't notice any of this from her before, but she liked to provoke Ava and I let her. I sighted, not happy with my behavior. Ava was a great beta and friend. I needed to fix this. I kept looking at Ava going over the plans laid in front of her, she asked all the questions to figure out loops in their plans. She was a warrior you could be proud of. Alpha Raphael trusted all of her advises and with reason.

Once we were done, I stayed back so I could speak with her.

- Ava- I called her. Her back stiffened at the sound of my voice.

- Alpha. - She replied. Way too formal for the kind of relationship we had before.

- I'm sorry for what I said before. - I started to say but she interrupted me.

- You will have to excuse me Alpha, but I really need to use the bathroom and freshen up. - She let me stand there and kept walking. I deserved it but not having the opportunity to apologize was going to eat me alive. That’s not the kind of Alpha I want to be for any of my pack members.

After a couple hours of talking with pack warriors and checking the territory we went to the gathering they had prepared for us as a thank you for our support. I kept trying to make eye contact with Ava, but she wouldn't look at me. I really f****d this up.

- Babe! - Mila calls to me when she sees me.

-Yes Mila. – I wasn’t on a good mood right now.

-Why don't we go lay down, we had a long day. - I was considering just going with her so she could fall sleep already when I saw someone approaching Ava. No just someone but Carter. Why was he here?

-Babe! - Mila tries to get my attention again.

- Go ahead and go to bed Mila, I am not quite tired yet. - I kept looking directly to Ava and Carter, she kept laughing and touching his arm and he kept trying to whisper in her ear. She then turned around and looked at me, I gave her a question look but she just ignored me and when back to her conversation. Did she invite him? I decided to mind link Tobias. – Why is Carter here?-

- Who? – He asked back to me, now looking in my direction from he is at.

- Carter, the Black Moon pack beta – I said.

- Oh, I think he was invited to the gathering. Why? – Tobias is now raising a brow and staring at me.

- Just wondering – I cut the communication. The last thing I needed was my best friend adding fuel to my already bad mood.

Ava

The gathering was nice organized. We were on an open tent outside, lots of food and drinks were being served. I was so involved in the conversation with Carter that I forgot for a moment how painful the ride was. Carter was a flirt; I could see that much but he was funny and a nice person to hang out with. I knew Luke was shooting daggers at me with his eyes, but I couldn't care less. The music wasn't too loud out here but you could see people dancing and chatting all around, especially in a small hall fully decorated a couple feet’s away from us. The people from this pack felt safer now that we were getting involved in their protection strategies. We knew rogues wanted to take down the pack and take it over, but we wouldn't let that happen. I wasn't drinking, I didn't feel comfortable enough here to do so.

I kept talking with Carter. – I would not never guess; Alpha Raphael was your uncle.

-I know right? He was my mom’s bother, they grew up out here but when my mom found her mate, meaning my dad, she left with him to the Black Moon Pack and that’s where I grew up. I have visited Point Black often but after my mom passed it wasn’t the same.-

We kept talking for a while until I turned around because I had the feeling of someone looking at me, but I couldn't see anything. With the music it was impossible to hear branches breaking or leaves moving. I decided to get closer to my Alpha in high alert. I excused myself and started looking around making my way to Luke.

Tobias intersects me. - Everything ok? – He asks. I didn't want to scare anyone, but I couldn't not do anything. I mind linked the two guards that came with us, Tobias and Luke.

- Stay alert please, I think I saw movement in the woods behind the tent. Nothing confirmed. It might be a false alarm. – I explained to them. I smelled the air, it smelled like rogues.

-Rogues! – I yelled to the whole pack.

And with that rogues came in from everywhere attacking everything and everyone within their reach. We shifted and started fighting back, I located Tobias on the other side of Luke. We had to protect our Alpha first and the innocent lives next to us. I mind linked Mila and ask her to take all young wolves inside and closed the doors. This fight was bloody. I felt one rogue biting one of my legs and I whimpered but grabbed him by his neck and cut it open. Luke was shifted and fighting next to me, his black wolf was huge, the biggest one on site. He was killing rogues left and right. I recognized Carter’s wolf on the other side, protecting the entrance to the house where Mila had taken the young pups.

We fought for what it feels like hours, but we were winning. We were more organized, making our attack more lethal. We saw them retreat but armed humans started emerging from the shadows.

- Who are these? - Tobias mid linked us.

- Hunters- Luke replied.

We were gathering next to each other again until the head of the hunters spoke up. All wolves growling at them.

- We don't have to do this this way - He shouted - Just surrender and safe the life of your pack members. You have lost enough of them already. - He was talking to Alpha Raphael. - I know you got a little too comfortable thinking because other pack was backing you up, we were going to retreat but let's be honest, they are miles away. If we don't make it today it will be tomorrow. You have not heirs to take the Alpha position after you, please just give up.

- That's where you are mistaken. – Alpha Raphael shifted back and was addressing the hunter- We already have someone for the position.

- It's that so. And who is he? – The hunter asked.

I saw Carter shifting back, I was surprised. He told me he was here because he was related to Raphael but not because he was taking over the pack-

-I am- He shouted back to the hunter.

- I see - He says starting at all of us. - That just means an extra Alpha to KILL- He shouted, and all hunters stared shooting silver bullets our way. We kept defending our ground and I saw how a bullet hit Alpha Raphael who was now laying on the ground. Luke was killing unstoppable but getting too closed to the hunters, I tried to get closed to him and saw the headhunter retrieving but aiming with his gun and shooting.

Everything was in slow motion now as I saw Luke's wolf kill a female hunter by beheading her and the loud scream of the headhunter could have been heard miles away. He points the gun at Luke, who is not looking his way and pulls the trigger.