Two Halves of a Whole

Chapter 19

The dining hall was already quite full when they finally made it down the stairs. There were more people she hadn’t met yet and she was uncomfortable when she realized some of the other girls were giving her looks that ranged from mild disapproval to open hostility. Lugos didn’t seem to notice as he walked her to their usual table once they got their food.

Her parents were already eating with Lugos’ parents and both beta couples as well as a few others whose names and ranks she had forgotten as she was distracted when she had met them.

The talk at their table was little as it seemed most of them were trying to still waking up. When they finish and rose to leave the table her mother stopped her and told her that she should expect to meet with the council that evening as they should arrive by lunchtime and that would give them time to settle in. She nodded in acknowledgement and followed Lugos to the training area, continuing to ignore the looks she was getting from a lot of the female wolves around her age.

The training grounds were behind the pack house. A lot of the pack was already there and Lugos picked a spot for them towards the front but off to the side. He helped talk her through a lot of the stretches and warm up exercises everyone seemed to be doing on their own as two of the people who had been seated at their table in the dining hall walked into the training area.

Those are the pack trainers, her wolf reminded her.

After pairing up a few of the other wolves as sparring partners and leaving a third older and more experienced pack member to watch them and give them pointers the two trainers made their way over to where she had been warming up with Lugos.

“Good to have you joining us today. Alpha Lugos, Sattira,” the first trainer that her wolf reminded her was named Michael nodded to them in turn as he said their names. “Have you received any training in the past or is this your first time?”

“I may have taken a few classes in the human world before I knew what I was,” she said modestly.

She didn’t like bragging about the various awards she had won or black belts she held in various forms of martial arts. It had always seemed to come naturally for her. Now that she understood what she was and the danger she faced she was glad her parents had suggested all the years of training and encouraged her to stick with it.

Michael called over a she wolf to spar with her as Lugos sparred with the other trainer. His movements fluid and sure.

“This is just an assessment of her skills, Julie.” He gave her a look that seemed like a warning.

She just nodded and gave him a smile before turning to face Sattira with a sadistic grin as she took what appeared to be a fighting stance. Sattira chose her stance carefully as not to give away too much of her skill.

When Michael signaled them to begin Julie immediately charged at her in a very novice move and Sattira used the other girls momentum to carry her past Sattira without even allowing her to make contact. By the time Julie had turned Sattira was already in position and waiting for her next attack and again used Julie’s aggressive forward moments against her as the girl turned again to realize she had not even touched her target. Her anger was clear on her face as she charged a third time but stopped just before reaching Sattira and attempted to swing at her target only to have her attack met with empty space.

“Stop avoiding me you f*****g w***e!” Julie’s face was beet red as she screamed at Sattira.

Sattira didn’t have time to ask what the girl was talking about as she blocked the girl’s next attack, spinning her body with the attack in such a way the force of Julie’s own attack landed her on her backside with Sattira’s leg against her throat.

She had been so caught up in the fight she had missed her mate’s growl at what Julie had called her. She had even missed how everyone in the area turned to watch after Julie screamed at her. Julie let loose a primal growl and her hands became claws as she prepared to slice at Sattira’s leg.

“That’s enough!” Lugos’ aura stopped Julie before she could follow through with her attack. The invisible weight pinning her in place beneath its invisible force.

Michael looked as shocked as the others around them at Julie’s behavior. “What is the meaning of this,” he questioned the girl as she glared at Sattira with hate filled eyes.

Sattira stood back by Lugos, embarrassed by all the eyes watching the drama unfold. She just wanted to hide as she noticed that some of those watching her seemed to be judging her harshly as the girl still on the ground.

“We all know he is whoring around with her, betraying our future Luna and ignoring the pain he is causing her,” Julie spat the words out for everyone to hear.

“What?” Sattira was confused as she glanced around at the group gathered around them. A lot of them were nodding in agreement or looking guiltily in every direction but hers.

“Where did you hear such lies!” Lugos was livid. He wanted blood for the dishonor that was done to his mate.

“It was in the pack memo sent out by Rob. You imprisoned his family because they spoke out on her behalf. There was video evidence you spent the night with her,” Julie was trying to act brave as she was forced to submit to his alpha aura.

Sattira felt her wolf growling inside her head demanding blood even as she fought the urge to run as far away as her legs would carry her. She knew hiding would be admitting guilt and she was not going to further encourage them to believe the lies about her.

“Do you still have this memo?” Lugos had called back his aura but his presence was no less menacing as he watch Julie pull out her phone.

She pulled up an official looking memo with a video attachment that showed Lugos and Sattira entering and leaving each other’s rooms alone numerous times.

“This is what you call proof? I entered and left her room and we must be sleeping together because a traitor to our pack says so?” Lugos looked at them all in utter disbelief.

There were gasps and looks of shock at a ranked wolf being called a traitor. Traitors were most times sentenced to death. What the young alpha had just accused Rob and his family of was an unthinkable crime.

“Oh, you believe a gamma’s son even though he lies but your future alpha speaks and it can’t possibly be true?” He pulled up the video Sattira’s parents had given Alpha Stephan and turned the volume on his phone up for everyone to hear.

Sattira wasn’t sure how he had ended up with a copy but it felt good to see the looks of apology and shame on the faces of those gathered around them as they realized the truth of what was done.

One very guilty looking wolf stepped forward, “Alpha, I need to speak with you in private. It is of the utmost importance,” he looked at Lugos with a silent plea for him to except.

“Ok. Sattira, I need you to come with us as well. It was my father’s command that I look after her until the danger has passed.” His voice was firm and gave an explanation for why he was always with her without sounding like he was making excuses.

Sattira hid the joy she felt when she realized he had given her a cover story to protect her honor that no pack member would dare to question.

They walked into the pack house and into his father’s office where Alpha Stephan was already waiting. Once the door closed behind them his father spoke,

“Dylan, what is this urgent matter you need to speak off?” He addressed the man.

At hearing his name the man perked up a little. For the Alpha to know him by name made him feel honored.

“As your son saw for himself there was a memo sent to everyone but the ranked wolves and anyone deemed too loyal to you to be trusted.” He looked to Lugos who nodded a conformation before continuing. “What very few people realize is that Rob convinced a few pack members to help him. He convinced them that their future Luna is being held in the cells with his parents and they plan on freeing them tonight after shift change.”

Alpha Stephan looked furious but when he spoke his voice was eerily calm, “how do you know of this plan?”

Dylan was smart enough to know that what he said next could very well get him in trouble with his Alpha but his loyalty to his pack forced him to speak up. “I was supposed to have that shift but it was changed late last night. They tried to recruit me to let them in but I couldn’t risk getting caught betraying my pack. My mate is expecting our first pup and she would never forgive me if I wasn’t there when it came.”

There was sorrow and regret in his voice at the thought that he might already have let her down. He knew by rights he should have come to his Alpha as soon as he was approached with the idea but they were so convincing with their story and no wolf wanted to wrong a Luna. Lunas are the heart of the pack and their word actually carries more weight than that of the Alpha. It was only once he realized that it was a complete lie that his wolf would allow Dylan to speak. But would that be enough to save him from his Alpha?

“Tell no one that we know of the plan. If anyone asks we spoke about the birth of your first pup. Seems my Luna will be attending a baby shower.” Alpha Stephan gave him a reassuring smile. “I expect the invite to arrive at her office very soon. You are dismissed to go make sure of the arrangements.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” Dylan replied, still in disbelief that his Alpha was being so generous under the circumstances. He quickly left to find whoever was planning the baby shower.

Once the man had left Lugos turned to his Father, “What do we do about the memo and how do we handle this prison break?”

“Obviously we need to release a pack memo of our own that explains that we have video proof of the Gamma and his family being traitors.” Sattira spoke up.

“I agree with Sattira,” Alpha Stephan said. “I have already contacted my most trusted pack warriors and Beta William to help us plan a little surprise for the prisoners’ rescue crew. They should be here shortly.

Just as he finished the door opened and people started to enter the room. By the time Alpha Stephan was satisfied everyone was there the room was quite full.

“It seems our young Rob has been rather busy. Most of you probably didn’t get the memo he sent to our pack members.” The Alpha brought a copy of the memo up onto the large screen tv in the office that had been hidden by a panel.

The wolves in the room were as shocked as Sattira but for a different reason. Where they were shocked by the lies and the audacity, Sattira was shocked as to how he had already gotten a copy of it. Her curiosity was satisfied when the Alpha continued to speak.

“After my son cleared up a, misunderstanding this morning at training I received a few copies of this memo from some very concerned pack members. It seems he is trying to use lies and false information to sway pack members into helping him free his family. Not to mention the seeds of mistrust he is attempting to sow.” Alpha Stephan paused to allow his pack members to consider the implications this could have for the pack. “It was just brought to my attention that there will be a prison break attempt tonight after shift change. I have called you all her because I trust each of you as you have proven your loyalty to the pack as well as myself. And you are all going to play a very important part in my plans for tonight.”