The Royal Wolves

Ambush

* * King Stefan’s POV * *

With a heavy heart, I reluctantly leave my mate and my pups behind, as I venture on this mission. In the past, I never understood why my warriors would wear sombre faces on our departures, until I met Erin, but today, my face matches theirs. Today, I am one of them. Today, my heart and mind are in two places and it takes all of my mental strength to get my head in the game.

We leave the safety of our land and move at a quick walk towards the forest, where we will separate into our groups and run our way to the other packs. We could travel by car, but being on foot means that we can cut through the forests and arrive to the packs quickly.

The sun is currently beating down upon us, cascading it’s heat all around. Heavy, black rain clouds look in the distance, giving warning to the storm that will soon descend upon these lands. I’m hoping we’re back home before the storm hits.

‘Alpha, I see movement to the east, in the forest. Do we have any patrols out?’ A young warrior asks through the mind link.

‘I’ll link the gate and check patrol locations. Keep moving and keep your eyes open,’ I instruct and then open my link to the gate.

‘George, I’m just checking the location of our patrols? One of the warriors has raised concern about movement in the forest to east.’

‘One second,’ George responds and I visualise him tapping away at his computer. ‘There’s no patrols in that location, sir. How should I proceed?’

‘Link the patrols and ask them to divert to that location. We’ll pick up our pace and rush these packs back home,’ I advise him.

‘Heads up. There’s movement behind us. We shift and rush to our allocated packs and bring them home, no delays.’

Jenson’s familiar presence becomes stronger as he comes forward for the shift. I remove my backpack and sit it on the ground, then I embrace the sensation and wait for my joints to dislocate and my form to shift. Jenson’s powerful jaws pick up the backpack and we wait for the others.

The pack follows my lead and shift, as we will run the first few miles together, I decide to take the back of the pack just in case there is a threat. Florence and Darran are far enough ahead to lead the pack. I watch my wolves run ahead focussed and determined.

We follow behind them, our ears trained on the sounds behind us. Nothing approaches and the pack begin to split up and head for their allocated packs. Our nose tries to detect any scents that do not belong but there is none.

There’s three groups remaining on this trail and I continue to take the rear of the group. Something is amiss, the wolves are on edge and nervous. Jenson tries harder to detect what is amiss and shudders.

‘FLORENCE, STOP!’ Jenson commands through the link and her wolf Kate skids to a halt, her legs buckling under the intensity of the command. Jenson moves towards her, smelling her aura and I pick up the change in her scent.

‘Florence, what is the meaning of this?’ I ask her in disbelief.

‘I’m doing my job,’ she answers innocently.

‘Don’t f**k with us, Florence!’ Jenson snarls at her and her legs tremble once again. ‘How far along are you?’ He asks her.

’10 weeks. I’m fine,’ she answers firmly.

My blood boils and I’m not sure if I’m hurt that she felt she couldn’t tell me, or pissed off that she would come on a mission. ‘You’re not fine! You should not have come. But I also can’t send you home without protection. We’ll be having words about this later!’ I snap at her. Furious that I’m going to have to change the allocation of the groups.

‘Change of plan, guys. Florence, Sadie and Darran are going to head the group that goes to the pack two miles from here. I will take the lead to the other pack. Florence, I command you, that if anything happens: you do NOT fight. You turn tail and run the f**k home!!’

There’s several protests from the Darran and Sadie about leaving me without another ranked wolf, but I pull rank and command that this is my final decision. Florence is to be treat like the members of the packs we are rescuing.

I’m reluctant to leave Florence, but the pack they’re going to, has the more skilled warriors and is the closest to home. It kills me to know that I must deliver a punishment upon her for putting everyone at risk by not disclosing her pregnancy. A part of me is over the moon for my cousin, who deserves all the happiness in the world, but the fact the other part of me oboes that as King, I have to set an example that the safety of the pack must be prioritised above all else.

‘I’m sorry Stefan. I really thought it wouldn’t be an issue,’ she whimpers through the link as her wolf trots away with her group.

‘Please believe me that I am beyond happy at your news, but furious at your decision. Stay alert and do as Darran says. I’ll see you at home,’ I tell her and close the link.

We run at a steady pace circling the edges around of the nature reserve, the group discussing the fight and the challenges we may face from the bears.

In this expanse of green, there are more hues than anyone has ever named, yet here they are for any eye to see. The land rolls as it always has as if it feels that time and space are one thing, that it rolls through the ages as much as to the horizon. Over it is laid a path, one that branches through the open landscape, and as I begin to run there is a frisson of joy that eases my frustration at Florence and my anxiety of the unknown to come.

I find for a brief time that I’m lost within nature’s beauty. My nerves and anxiety subside, at least for now. I let my gaze wander, as my ears register sound in the distance.

I see a soft blue stream in the forest. It’s seeping and weaving as it swerves through the trees. There’s a lake up ahead, so I know we’re heading in the right direction. The stream jumps for joy over the timeworn rocks. I heard once that rivers are the arteries of the forest. This one is sparkling like a diamond. The fluttering butterflies drift over it lazily. The aroma of the forest is very powerful. I allow a brief five minute reprieve for the group to drink from the lake, and then we power towards the Lakeside pack; they’re like located at the other side of this lake and should be ready to depart.

The sun has retreated behind the dark clouds and the rain begins to fall, slowly at first, and then torrential. Jenson’s new form has little fur, but thick flesh with an oily coat that seems to repel the rain and keeps him from being soaked.

The benefit of being King of the wolves is that I can mind link with any pack I choose. Jenson opens his mind and reaches out for the familiar feel of Alpha Tate’s mind.

‘We’re close. ETA is ten minutes,’ we tell the Alpha of the Lakeside pack.

‘Roger. We detected movement to the west and will meet you at our border,’ Alpha Tate replies.

‘Negative. We are approaching from the east,’ I correct him.

‘Then what was…..’ his question falls short as several piercing screams echo around his mind.

‘Alpha, help!’

‘We’re under attack!’

‘Send help!’

‘Hellllp!’

The screams continue and send my blood firing. It must have been a scout back home. ‘They must have alerted their leader,’ Jenson says to me.

‘Lakeside are under attack!! We must fly, now!’ I tell my pack.

There’s a series of grunts and yaps, followed by the sound of their pace quickening. Jenson makes sure to keep close to our pack as he makes his way to front of the group and pushes their pace. The faint sound of Lakeside’s wolves reaches our ears, they sound distressed and scared.

‘King Stefan, please say you’re close!’ Alpha Tate calls to me.

My eyes can make out his charcoal black wolf surrounded by figures. I’m not sure who is attacking, but they aren’t Werebears. ‘I can see you!’ I tell him, Jenson’s form now flying through the air, leaving our group behind, ‘Drop to the ground in three … two … one!!’

Just as Tate’s wolf Kai drops to his belly, Jenson launches himself through the air, knocking the men and women down like dominoes. Jenson rapidly rolls and lands on his feet, instantly launching towards one of the figures, his lycanthrope hands decapitating the man’s head. A quick look down gives us our answer, as the man’s body turns ashen grey, his skin desiccated.

‘Vampires! They’re vampires!!’ I tell the group.

‘Guess our weapons are of no use here. How do you wish us to proceed?’ A warrior asks.

‘Half if you shift. One man and one wolf to be together at all times. They’re quick and strong. Don’t let them get their arms around any wolf. They’re low in numbers, wipe them out! Show no mercy!’ I give my command and rush to the two female vampires that are circling Alpha Tate.

‘Give yourself over to me,’ Jenson requests.

‘Have fun,’ I smile as I retreat to the back of Jenson’s mind and watch through his eyes. I feel an animalistic rage surge through his body as he moves at a speed I can’t comprehend. His razor sharp claws swipe and slice as they cut through the vampires, injuring or slaying them where they stand.

Remaining silent, I kick back and observe the destruction his new form is causing. Previously, we were comfortable taking on three, maybe four vampires, and yet here he his, having killed his twelfth. His thirteenth kill drops to his knees and cowers before him. “Please, what are you?” He asks, a look of terror in his face as he analyses Jenson’s form.

“I am the wolf King, and I am blessed by the Moon Goddess!” Jenson’s harsh and gravelly voice speaks the the vampire. I’m in utter disbelief that my wolf has used human words.

“Who sent you?” Jenson growls at him.

“I’m not sure. My group leader said we had a job. This was the job.”

Sensing no lie from the vampire, Jenson’s arms move at incredible speed, grip the vampire’s head and rip it from his body. We turn around and assess the battle field; there are no vampires left alive.

‘How did you talk?’ I ask him.

‘I partially shifted the internal parts needed for speech,’ he answers very matter-of-factly.

‘You’ve never done it before.’

‘I’ve tried…. I figured with our new abilities that it would be worth trying again.’

The sound of engines approaching has Jenson turning his head, he quickly turns and sprints in that direction, ready to take out the new threat. Using the trees for cover, he manages to move undetected and circles around, taking a leap of faith, he launches himself through the air, confident in his new and unknown abilities.

‘Jenson, fuucckk!!’ Arthur’s voice pierces our mind, causing Jenson to retract his claws and his form to shift, resulting in my naked body slamming into my Father and knocking him from his quad bike.

My body has forgotten how to breathe, as I lay stunned at what has just happened. A heavy and painful jab to my side, reminds my body how to breathe. Again and again my Father jabs me until I roll off him.

“Does anyone have a gun?” My Father asks.

“Why?” John asks, and I do a double take. Hell, it’s like the retirement home has come to play.

“I’m hoping for another brain injury to erase the memory of my son’s c**k hitting my face,” my Father grumbles and the group erupts into laughter.

“f**k you!! What are you even doing here?” I scoff at him.

“We’ve come for Florence. Her mate and the Queen are not impressed that she is out here. Neither am I, for that matter.”

“Add the rest of the pack to that list. It wasn’t until the shift, that we caught her altered scent and realised what she was hiding,” I tell him.

“Where is she? We’ll get out of your way and take her home,” John says.

“Once I discovered her secret, we were too far out to send her back alone, so I changed the groupings and sent her to the Blue Moon pack. She should be home by now,” I answer.

“Do you think this is the only ambush? Mark my words, the other groups will Have experienced the same. Come on, let’s move,” my Father instructs his group as I help him to stand his quad bike back on its wheels.

“You guys stay with my group, you’re heavily armed. I can reach her quicker than you.”

“No. There’s a large number of vulnerable at this pack, they need your strength. Stay and lead them, remember every step you make will be watched and judged,” my Father slaps my shoulder and mounts the quad bike.

I don’t watch them leave, I shift back to Jenson’s form, running back to the group and barking orders that any person unable to shift and run, be carried by a wolf. I don’t want this group out in the open for any longer than is necessary.

As we run, I pray to Selene to keep Flo safe.