Chapter 29 - The smell of fear
1387 Words
Everyone was holding their breaths, standing completely still, waiting for John’s sign.
The crackling sound of a twig breaking made him flip his head to the side, prepared to attack whoever was to come out of the thickets. However, he could temporarily let his guard down; it was Zack who stepped out from the shadows, his soft fur in shades of fawn and silver shining as it was touched by the light. His brown eyes locked with John’s, making it possible for them to mind-link even though they belonged to different packs.
“The main building is only a couple of minutes away. We just went there to look, but... it’s very quiet. It’s odd, I don’t know what’s going on over there. We’ve circled the house, but we saw no one. Not a trace of any attackers, and the doors and windows are barricaded so we couldn’t look inside… but we could sense there are both adults and children behind the door, and there has obviously been some fighting and bloodshed over there... Maybe the aggressors have given up their attempts?”
“Perhaps… but it could be a trap. They might be surrounding us as we speak…” John blinked and turned around, facing the groups that now had assembled in front of him, except for group five that was yet to arrive.
He decided to continue with soundless communication since they didn’t know the whereabouts of their enemy, so he made sure they all saw his eyes as he widened his mind-link to include them all.
“The house is still barricaded and there are both adults and pups inside. No aggressors in sight, but we cannot let our guards down, they might be luring us into an ambush. Stay vigilant! Zack, your group will go on another run around the main building, see if you can pick up their scents. Luke, your group will find strategically hidden spots surrounding the house, where you can shift back into your human forms and be ready with the crossbows.”
John’s gaze moved over to Liam, now a massive wolf with chestnut brown fur, standing ready to obey John’s orders, his group of fighters behind him.
“Liam, your group will carefully investigate the smaller buildings, but make sure not to be seen.”
“And what do we do with the ones we find? Kill them?” Liam's eyes were filled to the brim with bloodthirst.
“You better be sure they’re not Pine Ridge Pack members first! And try to catch them, but keep them alive.”
“They don’t deserve to stay alive,” Liam growled quietly, using his physical voice, making everyone stare at him.
“Liam! Use the mind-link!” John thundered through his eyes. “Do you think we’re doing this for fun? Don’t be stupid.”
“Whatever” Liam looked at him defiantly, but then lowered his head in obedience.
John was irritated. Liam should know better! But he had always been like this, a little thoughtless, a little defiant. Not thinking things through. Now, if they couldn’t have eye contact, they would have to use their physical voices since they didn’t all belong to the same pack. That should be avoided for as long as possible, though. They did not want to reveal themselves to the enemy. Wolves had exceptional hearing, and already one little step wrong, breaking a twig, could reveal their positions.
The final group, led by Warren and Rebecca, had just showed up when Zack and Liam came back a second time to report.
“Nothing,” Zack looked confused.
“No one,” Liam nodded.
“Luke’s group have their positions,” Zack added.
“Good,” John replied and turned to face the others. “We don't know what's going on,” he mind-linked them. “No one is to be seen. There are people inside the main building, but that’s all we know.”
“It sounds fishy,” Rebecca stated, her blue eyes glistening.
“It does,” John nodded. “But we don’t have much choice but to go in. We need someone to approach the house and call for Ralph. Someone he knows well and trusts.”
“That would be me,” Warren took a step forward. “Me and Ralph go way back. I will go there and call for him. But then what? What’s your plan?”
“Well, we will stand ready if someone attacks you. And I guess we will find out quickly if they’re OK. They should come out when they hear it’s you. Does he know you by your wolf, or do you need to shift?”
“No need. He knows me well enough.” Warren’s confidence was gleaming in his fiery eyes.
They all moved closer to the Pine Ridge pack’s grounds, the main building being an old large villa with a Victorian front porch, and they stopped right before the tree line. Warren stepped out into the light, the sunrays bringing out the almost bluish tone of his black fur, and he slowly approached the main entrance of the building. He stopped in the clear vicinity of everyone and gave away a howl.
“Ralph!” he barked.
There was no response. Warren walked towards the main entrance with slow, cautious steps, noticing the marks on the doors and windows from werewolf claws and fangs.
“Ralph!” he repeated. “It’s Warren!”
The front door swung open, but no one came out.
“It’s a trap,” Rebecca hissed. “I can smell fear. And blood.”
John couldn’t wait any longer. His father was standing on his own, right in front of the unknown. As no one came out through the door, it was obvious something was very wrong. He quickly made up a plan in his mind, mind-linking Luke.
“You hold your positions,” John told him. “Be ready with the crossbows, but don’t shoot unless I give you the command.”
“Understood,” Luke mind-linked back.
John quickly joined his father, who was standing steadfast facing the open front door. There was still no one in sight, and the place was dead quiet. They exchanged gazes, and Warren nodded approvingly.
“Forward!” John howled, and waves of black, fawn and brown wolves leaped out of the woods, quickly surrounding the villa. Rebecca was the only white wolf, and she went to stand by Warren’s side.
“Stop!” John barked, and everyone stopped, all in positions and ready to fight. John placed himself in the front, with Zack standing to his left and Liam to his right. He shifted into his human form; it was easier to communicate with strangers in the human tongue. He stood up tall among the wolves, the withers of the biggest ones reaching him to the chest.
“Whoever’s inside, it’s time to come out!” John shouted with a clear voice. “You are surrounded on all sides. We are here from the Western tribe, friends of the Pine Ridge pack, and we will not leave until we know that everyone in that pack is safe.”
They saw some abrupt movements inside the house, and then, suddenly, several hefty men and a few well-built women came out, all of them holding hostages in steady grips. A few children were also pushed out into the gravel, crying and trembling with fear.
Lastly, a tall and muscular man with long sandy brown hair appeared, dragging a struggling young woman in his arms. She was totally nude, and she was bleeding from several deep cuts on her torso that were only beginning to heal. The blood had stained strands of her long blonde hair, her eyes wide with terror, and she was fighting to get loose. The man had a firm grip around her neck, though, his elongated claws digging into her skin, making sure she couldn't escape.
His lips were curved into an unpleasant, vicious smile as she tried to wriggle out of his hands, and he let his claws dig in even deeper into the soft flesh.
“Joanna,” Liam growled on John’s right. “He has Joanna.”
"MATE!" a roar echoed between the trees. "Take your hands off my mate!"
- Writer
