The Lost Alpha

A pack destroyed

Alpha Karter Storm was woken up by a mind-link from one of his warriors.

Alpha, there’s an army heading in our direction.

How many?

Close to 200 wolves, possibly more. What are your orders?

Alpha Karter knew this day was coming. His pack had a long-standing feud with the Death Valley Pack just over the border in Nevada. Their alpha, Roman Archer, had been threatening Karter’s pack, the Solar Eclipse Pack, for over a year. Roman wanted Karter’s daughter, Celeste, to be promised as his son, Samuel’s future mate and Luna. Sam was 8 and would be the Alpha after he turned 18. Celeste was only 6, but she was already showing special abilities at her young age.

Alpha Roman knew of the Solar Eclipse’s Alpha bloodline and the powers they could develop. Roman wanted Celeste to make his pack stronger when his son took over the Alpha title.

Alpha Karter knew that his pack didn’t stand a chance against Alpha Roman’s pack. The Death Valley pack was larger and had more warriors. He knew the best thing to do was to allow as many pack members as possible, time to escape.

Alpha Karter? His warrior was still waiting for an answer.

Set the emergency escape plan into action; sound the alarms so pack members can get to safety as quickly as possible.

Yes, Alpha.

After the mind-link was cut off, Alpha Karter woke up his mate and Luna, Daphne, so she could get the kids to the underground bunker. The alarms started blaring as soon as she was awake.

“What’s wrong, my love?” she asked him, worry clear in her eyes.

“We’re under attack.”

“Alpha Roman?”

“I believe so. Dan just mind-linked me and informed me an army of 200 wolves is headed in our direction,” Karter answered her. “Roman is the only pack in this region with that many warriors.”

Daphne gasped, panicking. “He’s gonna take Celeste! Karter, we have to stop him!”

“SShhh, calm down Sugar. You are going to take the kids into the tunnels and bring them to the bunker. Some warriors will be sent to the bunker to ensure everyone’s safety. The remaining warriors will stay behind to hold off the army.”

“And what about you? Will you come with me?” Daphne asked hopefully.

“I will join you as soon as I can. I have to stay and help my warriors. Luke and Tony will be with me. Marlene and Jackie will help you with the women and children,” Karter responded. Daphne looked defeated. She knew there was no point in arguing. Every wolf knows that a good Alpha stays to lead his army and Karter was a d*mn good Alpha.

“Promise me you will be careful and get your *ss to that bunker as soon as possible,” Daphne said firmly, knowing she was asking a lot from him.

Karter put his hands on his mate’s face and looked into her eyes. “I promise to try, Sugar.” Then he kissed her with as much love as he could pour into the kiss. “I love you so much my beautiful Luna.”

“And I love you my brave Alpha,” Daphne replied with tears in her eyes. She knew it was very possibly the last time she might ever see her mate.

As Karter left the room, he mind-linked both his Beta and Gamma.

I know you heard the alarms. Alpha Roman has an army of nearly 200 wolves headed our way.

Karter’s Beta, Lucas, answered first. We heard the alarm Alpha. Jackie went to grab Marlene so they can help get everyone to safety.

Perfect! I want both of you to meet me out front immediately.

Yes Alpha! They both replied in unison. Karter cut the mind-link and continued to run downstairs and out the front door to meet up with his second and third, as well as his warriors. Most of the warriors were already assembled and awaiting instructions. Lucas and Anthony joined him two minutes later.

“Where are the rest of the warriors?” Karter asked Lucas.

“We have about 20 wolves spread out around the border of the territory. There are another 35 sent to help the rest of the pack members escape to the tunnels. All the other warriors are present, Alpha,” Lucas replied.

“Good. Tony, I want you to have 20 of the 35 that are helping the escapees make sure all the tunnel entrances are sealed and hidden inside the pack house and around the pack lands. All houses are to be checked as well to make sure no one can be followed. Make it as quick as possible.”

“Yes Alpha,” Tony replied before mind-linking the warriors and giving them their new instructions. Just before Alpha Karter could give the rest of his group instructions, he received a mind-link from another warrior, Wayne.

Alpha, the army is about 10 minutes out.

Thank you Wayne. Stay put and have your warriors hold the line as best as possible.

Yes, Alpha.

Karter turned to the army of wolves standing in front of him.

“OK, men. This is it. Alpha Roman is en-route with his large army. They may have higher numbers, but we have more strength, more spirit and more heart. Remember your training, watch your flank and always be on guard. We are taking no prisoners, so go for the kill. Take down as many of Roman’s warriors as you can.”

“YES ALPHA!” the warriors all responded.

Alpha, the army is almost here! We will hold them off as long as possible.

Thank you Wayne. Be smart and be careful!

Yes, Alpha. You be careful as well.

“OK men; get ready to shift on my cue!” Karter shouted to his men.

Karter heard when the army hit the borders. He could hear the growls, barks and howls coming from both armies. He felt it when one of his warriors died, and then another. It hurt, but he had to be strong. He had to fight to protect his pack, his family and his daughter.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, sensing the incoming danger.

Alpha Roman and his army burst through the tree line and came to a halt. Roman was still in human form; he hadn’t shifted yet.

“Alpha Roman,” Karter started, “you are trespassing on Solar Eclipse lands. Remove yourself and your army or we will be forced to rip you all apart!”

Alpha Roman started laughing, which only infuriated Karter more. “That’s very funny, Alpha Karter. We both know my army is twice what yours is and you have no chance of beating us.” Karter growled at this. “However, if you hand your daughter over to me now, I promise to leave the rest of you alive. Defy me, and I will destroy your entire pack and take your sweet Celeste!” Alpha Roman demanded.

Alpha Karter roared loudly. “You will NEVER get your hands on my daughter and neither will your son!”

Alpha Roman grinned wickedly. “Well then, you have sealed the fate of your pack.”

Alpha Karter shouted “NOW!” and his entire army shifted at once and ran at the rival army. Karter and Roman both shifted and jumped at each other.

Meanwhile….

After Karter ran out of the room, Daphne quickly got dressed and threw sneakers on so it would be easier to run. She mind-linked the omegas, the women and the remaining men in the pack and told them to lock up their homes and get to the underground tunnels. She met Marlene and Jackie in the front hall.

“Have you checked all the rooms in the pack house yet?” she asked them.

“I mind-linked the head omega to have her get a search group to go through the house and lead them to the tunnels. There are two warriors with them,” Jackie replied.

“Good and what about the pups in the pack house?”

“I have their babysitters gathering them. They should be here in a minute,” Marlene answered.

Right on cue, the sitters came down with seven sleepy pups ranging from ages 5-8. They belonged to the high-ranking wolves. There was also a warrior with them, Greg. He would remain with the pups and Daphne felt instant relief. She knew they needed to move quickly because the fight would be starting any moment now and she had to make sure everyone else got to safety.

“Marlene, I want you to go with the pups and their sitters into the tunnels to make sure they all get there safely. Greg will go with you,” Daphne said.

“Yes, Luna,” Marlene replied before leaving with the group she was assigned.

Daphne and Jackie continued to search the main floor and found a few stragglers. The ladies ushered them towards the tunnel entrance. When they got there, they ran into another group. It was the head omega with her search team and rescued wolves.

Daphne and Jackie hurried the remaining wolves into the tunnel. “Hurry! We need to get out of here before enemy wolves get into the pack house!” Daphne urged. Finally, everyone was in the tunnel heading towards the bunker. One of the warriors called her name.

“Luna Daphne, you and Beta Jackie need to get in there as well. I will stay here to seal and hide the entrance and ensure your safe escape.”

“George, you don’t have to do this,” Luna Daphne said.

“Some warriors have to stay and conceal all the entrances, so Alpha Roman and his pack can’t follow any of you,” George told her.

Daphne gave him a hug. “Please be careful and try to get to safety as soon as possible,” she said to him.

“I will do my best, Luna.”

Daphne and Jackie followed everyone else into the tunnel and just before George shut the door behind them, she heard her mate shout “NOW!” She urged everyone to move quickly. It wouldn’t be long before enemy wolves were in the pack house looking for Celeste. She wasn’t letting anyone take her daughter.

The tunnels led to an underground bunker that was about 3 miles away from the pack border. It took the escapees a little over an hour to get there. All the small houses on the pack lands had secret tunnels in their cellars that led to the main tunnel coming out from under the pack house.

A few warriors walked in front of the group and the rest walked behind the group. There were warriors standing guard at the door of the bunker, leading everyone inside. Luna Daphne stayed at the entrance with the guards to make sure everyone made it inside.

When the last warrior came through, which just happened to be George, and confirmed there was no one left in the tunnels, Daphne ordered the guards to close, seal and lock the door. The bunker was sound proofed, so even if Roman’s army found the tunnels, they couldn’t locate the remaining pack members.

Daphne looked around for her Beta and Gamma females, as well as her head omega. She found each of them and mind-linked all of them to meet her near the door. She knew they had to establish order and organization, as well as comfort and peace of mind. It was going to be hard, but she had to try.

“Mable,” she said to her head omega, “I want you to gather all of the omegas and hand out pallets, blankets and pillows to everyone.”

“Yes, Luna,” Mable said before going to gather the other omegas.

“Jackie, I want you to make a list of who’s here. I want to know who’s missing, including warriors. When the smoke clears and we have to claim our dead, I need a list of missing to compare to whoever’s passed on.” It pained Daphne to say this, but she knew it was inevitable that they would lose warriors in the battle.

“Luna,” Marlene said, “what can I do to help?”

“I’d like you to stay with the pups and help the sitters keep them calm. Now that the rest of the pack families are here, there are many more pups and we need to keep them under control while we tend to the parents. Some of them have mates out there fighting,” Daphne explained.

“Yes, Luna,” Marlene responded before taking off to check on the pups.

The rest of that first day was spent getting everyone settled as best as possible, while they awaited news from outside. No one came and nothing was happening. By mid-afternoon, Daphne was getting very worried. She hadn’t been able to link with her mate all day. Jackie and Marlene couldn’t link with their mates either. As Daphne checked with other pack members, they were all having the same problem.

Daphne pulled several warriors away to speak with them. “Something is wrong,” she told them. “No one is able to mind-link their mates, but no one has felt the bond break, which would indicate their mate’s death. I need you all to go scope out the land. See if any of you can find anything.”

“Yes, Luna,” they all replied together before heading out the door. The guards made sure to seal and lock it once the warriors left. Daphne knew it would be at least an hour or more before she heard anything from the warriors. She decided to go spend time with her children while she waited for any kind of news.