We roll up to the diner where we’re meeting Chloe, Casen, and Severn about five minutes before the meet time. I can see them through one of the windows, a waitress setting down drinks. “Thank the Goddess they’re sitting down to eat. When was the last time we had cooked food that didn’t taste like a fucking tin can?” Gregory says, relief evident in his puffing out of his breath. He quickly unbuckles his seatbelt and hops out of the car. I’d laugh at him if I didn’t feel the exact same way. Gregory and I are the two meeting up with the newly formed trio to take them back to our group of trackers. There are about 10 of us in the group. Three can go home now that these three are here. Well, after a day or two of training and debriefing. We walk into the diner, signaling to the waitress that we’re heading over to CCS’s table. I extend my hand out to the one wolf I’d actually met, Case. “Hey, guys. How was the trip?” Clasping my wrist with his hand, we greet each other in the
This morning, Chloe, Sev, and Case left to go meet up with some of the wolves to track down the Riding Hoods. All would have been good with that plan, except for two things: 1) it wasn’t their turn on the rotation to go out into the field and 2) I could tell that something was wrong. Slade and Chloe have never been able to keep anything from me. Ever. So, when they had trouble making eye contact with me and Slade started fiddling with his belt loop, I knew something was up. Unfortunately, I couldn’t mindlink them anymore, as Slade was a part of the Rising Crescent pack and I’m a part of the Mene pack after fully mating with Donavon. Chloe, Case, Sev aren’t part of a pack yet. But that, weirdly, doesn’t seem to bother anyone around here. They are their own pack and that seems to be enough for right now. After saying goodbye to my friends as they drive off towards Louisiana, I grab Slade’s arm. “We need to talk.” He looks in my eyes and I know he knows exactly what I want to
Slade and Kesha come over to the tech center that we’ve set up in a house near where we’ve set ourselves up. This way, everything is cooled and we can spread out, section the tech into different rooms, but still have a free flowing plan to collaborate and talk to each other. Works well for us. I say us, as the boys have been teaching me a lot about cyber defense. Turns out, I’m a natural. Weird, for someone who hasn’t really had access to tech for five years. Naomi and Slade are actually thinking about leaving the tech center right where the boys have set it all up. They’ve done an amazing job and have enough space to train all of the new tech recruits that have been steadily trickling in since they’ve set up shop. Some of the newer wolves even showed some gifts in the tech field. But today, training has been halted. For today, we’re looking for the orphaned pups. That’s where Kesha and Slade come in. I don’t remember everywhere we dropped the pups off. Between the three
I hate this. I know that I’ve always wanted to be a tracker. A huntress. One who would take down the bad guys for the good of witches, humans, and other species. I had thought it would be a glamorous life. Like the stories that I’d heard of Arthur and Liv, as well as other brave witches out there. No one had told me that I’d be slogging through the swamps of Louisiana in the dead of fucking winter for two fucking weeks. After the first week, Arthur, Winnie, and I had gone back to prepare potions. For stealth, healing, camouflage, and defense. Then, we’d come back on this hellacious game of hide and seek with the Riding Hoods. Now, after two weeks with little comforts, like hot food, a bed, or a bath, we looked haggard and exhausted. And we smelled even worse. I can only imagine how bad we smell to the wolves with us. So, yeah. Like I said, I hate this. The freaking ambushes and near misses with the Riding Hoods didn’t help matters either. Morale in the camp is low
I’m woken by a warning scream from Sev through our mindlink. Incoming! Chloe and I are instantly awake, screaming for everyone to wake up. “We’re under attack!” We notice that the other wolves had when at the same time as we did, apparently gotten a mindlink from Bethany about the attack. Paul and Zola immediately shed their clothes and shift. The witches rise from their sleeping bags, pulling potions out of bags or splaying their hands and activating power which glows around their arms. Arthur, for the first time in days, seems completely present and aware of everything that’s going on around him. Jamal, Gregory, and I remain in our human forms, our gifts easier accessed that way. Chloe also elects to remain in her human form. How close? How many? I link Sev. Following right behind us. Bethany activated some kind of alerting system. Apparently, some of them elected to camp here tonight as well. They were closer to the other campers and their scents were masked by the h
“You seriously thought that we could be traitors? Are you fucking kidding me?” I nearly screech at Naomi. “Those withered Roman Candles nearly killed Brandon! Why in the great holy fuck would we help them?” “I knew that you had no motive, but with everything that’s been going on, we have to rule everyone out.” Naomi’s voice is pleading with me to understand. “Come on, Charlie. She’s right. The only people they could really rule out were those that weren’t part of our planning sessions or on the actual hunt. They really did need to do it this way,” Brandon says, trying to reason with me. “And we’re some of the first wolves they ruled out knowing we had no reason to help the prunes.” He’s right. I hate that he’s right though. With the lack of movement in finding the Riding Hoods and getting ride of this threat. I’m spoiling for a good fight. Maybe my mates will go a couple rounds with me on the training grounds. Loser gets chained up tonight. One second thought, ma
“Bella!” I say the second she picks up the phone. “Gregory? What’s going on? It’s 4 o’clock in the morning! What’s wrong?” Bella’s voice is worried. Rushed. “We were attacked. We’ve got a casualty and a couple wounded, two critically. We need to get medical help. Is there anyone around us that can help?” I say, as I pack up Jamal and my shit into our bags. “Are you and Jamal ok?” Bella’s voice is harsh, full of anxiety. Even with everything that’s going on, the fear, the violence, the anxiety, the grief…even with all that ripping at my senses and my heart, I smile. Because she cares. Because my mate, whom I’ve never met, never even laid eyes on, cares. “Yes, Bella. We’re ok.” I can’t fight the warmth in my tone, the hitch in my breath, the speed of my heartbeat. “Thank Hecate!” She is so relieved by that news that she nearly sobs. But she quickly gathers herself, speaking fast, barely breathing. “Ok, you’re in Hodges State Park. There’s a Maiden coven about fiv
The second that Gregory called, I knew that something was wrong. My heart nearly plummeted to my stomach before he told me that both he and Jamal were ok. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I don’t know how I’ve come to care so deeply about two people, two wolves that I’ve never met in real life. I have no idea what they look like when they smile, how their love for each other shines in their eyes, or how emotions flit over their faces. Shit, I don’t even know what they look like. But I know that they are mine, as destined by their goddess and mine. And I know that I need to get to them. I need to see them. Touch them. Make sure that they’re ok. Bethel’s coven willingly took in our team. Her coven, knowing that our team had been in the area for the past month, had beefed up their knowledge of some dark magic spells and curses, as well as were anatomy and healing. They wanted to be sure they could help with protection, defense, or healing as much as possible. They were the