Hybrid Warrior Luna

The Hunt Begins

Alina appeared next to Bryn as the BloodMoon Priestess explained what she knew. They continued unphased as Alina listened to catch up. Looking around as she listened, Alina saw the witches working to put the fire out as the wolves and a few vamps used water to help. The buildings had been cleared of occupants before they got here.

"So I refused the meeting, and returned from my run to find the fire starting. It was really small right in the corner and a moment later the whole building was in flames."

"This is getting ridiculous."

"Agreed. We're going to need to find her."

The women nodded in agreement as Alina sighed. The flames were dwindling as the combined power of the witches overtook the spell. They headed off to help with the fire and cleanup efforts, joining in where needed. When they were finally done, everyone was exhausted and said their goodbyes before heading out. Alina mind linked her pack that they were having a meeting after everyone had showered. They acknowledged and headed home.

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As the warriors began filling up the pack meeting room, Alina was already there strategizing with Ryan and Bryson. Maps of the Kingdom were spread out in front of them, the boys marking paper maps as Alina worked on a touch screen. As everyone settled down, Alina sent the map to the big screen for everyone to see.

"Alright, this Hope chaos is getting worse, so we need to get ahead of her. This seems to be bigger and more planned out than anything she's attempted before. The map is fairly self-explanatory. As always, each pack, coven, etc are marked, including land boundary lines. The flames are where we've had fires so far. The H symbols are groups that have reported being contacted. Now, we will be teaming up with two other packs and two covens - SilverHarmony as usual, and BloodMoon. You will be in groups mixed between the packs and covens so more ground can be covered. Ryan and Bryson have a detailed strategy breakdown for the leaders of each group as well as what each group will be focused on and things to be wary of. I'm heading to meet with the other groups' leaders, so please give them your attention and be safe when you head out. I will be reachable always, and they will be out with you." She smiled around the room, and everyone was nodding in understanding. She hugged Bryson, and Ryan and reiterated a stay safe before heading out the door.

Bryn, Zoe, Alpha Mason, and Alpha Seda were waiting as Alina entered her office, "Thank you all for coming. Ryan and Bryson are prepping our warriors as we speak, and they'll be collecting your groups shortly to head out." Alina sat in her chair and pulled up the map on her tablet, setting it in the center for everyone to view. She explained the map, the plan, and the goal of the mission. Everyone listened intensely, nodding as they agreed. Ryan was brilliant with strategy and Bryson knew everyone's strengths so well. The teams were perfect. No one had any changes to recommend and it went very smoothly.

"The hope is that everyone will be done and home before the meeting in two days. If they are still out, Ryan will come back for the meeting, with Bryson in charge in the field. Let's hope this is quick and everyone is home asap."

The leaders filed out of the office, small talk and murmurs as they went. Alina was distracted, going over every angle, listening to the mind links as her pack warriors prepared to leave. She could feel Ryan sending her reassurance, knowing how anxious she was to send out her first mission as Alpha.

Collecting her thoughts, Alina told the Omegas to meet her in the meeting room, and pulled up Bryson's safety plan on the tablet. She would need to explain it to them while he was away. As she headed down, she greeted members and reassured them, others reassuring her. Pups ran through the house and out in the courtyard enjoying the day.

She entered the meeting room, everyone had already settled quietly. "Okay, the hunt for Hope has begun, which means we need updated safety plans just in case." She began as she pulled up the plans and gave them all the information. When she had finished and they went over all the questions, Alina thanked them all and dismissed them, heading upstairs to continue the day.

"Alina! There you are!" Casdian called out as she entered the main floor. "There's a message from another Kingdom!"

Alina rushed to follow Cas, seeing the message bubble floating in the living room. She grabbed it and headed to her office to listen to it. Her heart was pounding as she sat at the desk and took a deep breath. Using her essence to unlock the message, Alina grabbed her tablet to take notes as the King's voice began to speak.

"Queen Alina, I am told you are looking for information about Hope. She went by Harmony while she was here. It wasn't until I saw the photo you sent that I realized they were one and the same. When she was ostracized for her terrible behavior, she was gathering rogues. The last report we had was 25 Rogues under her leadership. We ordered capture on sight of anyone involved with her, and they haven't been reported in our Kingdom since. She is quite powerful, and several of the rogues we know were with her are the sons of ousted Alphas. This is not a group to encounter lightly. We prefer to stay out of other Kingdoms' messes. However, if you cannot stop her, it will become our mess. If you need assistance, reach out and we'll see what we can do." His phone number lit up on the bubble as his face vanished, and Alina wrote it down before sighing and leaning back in the chair. Twenty-five rogues, several of whom were destined Alphas, plus Hope. F*ck. That was far more support than they believed she had.

Grabbing her phone to call Ryan and Bryson, Alina pulled up a list of all the packs known to have had takeovers. Each Kingdom shared these lists in a database since the ousted Alphas - if allowed to live - and their sons, sometimes daughters too, were often a big problem as they adjusted to their new powerless positions. The list included those who formed new packs by finding rogues to follow them, and what lands the new pack was given in what Kingdom. Throughout the Kingdoms in this part of the world there were 15 sons and 4 daughters known to have been ousted in the last two years. Eight of the sons created new packs, all ending up in a different Kingdom than where they started. All four daughters are part of other packs now. Of the seven remaining sons, two had joined other packs, one was married to a Vamp and lived with their coven. That only left four. She could find no record of them for the past year plus some.

The boys answered and Alina gave them the shortest retelling she could manage. Then she sent them the names of the four remaining ousted Heirs, two of whom were from her Kingdom, and two from the Kingdom that sent the warning.

"Okay, we'll pass this along and have everyone keep an eye out. Thanks Alina," Ryan said as he hung up.

Alina grabbed her tablet and headed to dinner, watching as the progress was updated on the digital map. This hunt for Hope needed to end quickly. She needed this to not control the beginning of her reign. She could already envision the chaos of the meeting if they didn't find her first. She ate dinner while going back and forth between the map and the plans for the meeting, everyone carrying on around the table as normal while she worked.

A message bubble flew into the kitchen and stopped in front of Alina, and everyone was immediately silent, "I hear you're looking for me," the voice taunted. "Don't be shy, come find me yourself little Queen. Tag, you're it." And the bubble vanished.