Chapter 3

Tristian

We had narrowed it down to 10 possible packs and were discussing the Howling Moon pack when Stormie's head whipped around so quickly that her braid smacked the window loudly and suddenly we were all watching her She was pale and had a frown on her beautiful face.  She must have asked her brother to repeat the name which he did.  Suddenly she ran over to the desk and pushed my beta out of the way to see the map we had been pouring over. When she found them on the map she growled loudly and said “It’s them.”

Her voice was just a beautiful outloud as in my head and her growl made my wolf shiver in excitement.

Alpha Adam stood up and asked her how she knew. She was signing so quickly he had to have her slow down and repeat it. By then all of the Elites had moved closer to see what she was signing.  I watched her amazed at how quickly she could move her hands before I noticed the tears on her cheeks. The Elites moved in closer to her to comfort her and both me and my wolf wished we could as well.  Her tears felt like daggers to my heart and were making my wolf angry.

My beta tried to interrupt but Alpha Adam apologized and asked for a minute while she finished. He pulled her in for a hug when she finished and then released her wiping the tears from her cheeks.  You could see how close they were.  He asked her why she didn’t say something sooner and she replied in sign. I decided at that moment that I was going to be learning sign in the very near future.

Alpha Adam nodded in understanding and turned back to me while the Elite moved in closer to Stormie. I had to hold back a growl feeling jealous of their closeness and I wondered if she remembered our time together the week she had first arrived. Her sad cries had called out to me then and her tears now were even worse.

Alpha Adam explained that this was Stormie’s old pack. She didn’t remember much except that her parents had told her they were leaving that night because the alpha had told them that he was going to take her away. She remembered her parents saying that the alpha was a bad man and she remembers seeing beatings, and hearing of neighbors getting thrown into the dungeon and never seeing them again. She said they told her they were taking her somewhere safe and going to get help.

He explained that Stormie said that the alpha probably recognized her today because of her hair. She said she couldn’t remember the name before as she had been so little when they left and to date the Elite hadn’t gotten any orders for around their pack so she hadn’t heard the pack name before.

Sandess and anger both fought for dominance in my heart.  I ran my fingers through my hair and paced a little before speaking to Stormie through the link.  I asked her why she didn’t just tell me all of that instead of signing it and making her father repeat it. She stood there frowning at me, her cheeks slightly flushed. I then asked her 'Don’t you remember me little wolf?'

I watched her flush turn into a blush before she repllied 'Of course I remember you, my king. You were my first friend here, well really my only friend here.' She bowed her head slightly to me before continuing, her eyes sparkling.   'But you are no longer the boy you were back then, just a young prince. Now you are grown and a king no less.'

I smiled before replying back 'And you too have grown. No longer the grumpy little ankle biter, but now a beautiful fierce warrior. One who doesn’t hold her tongue, or well her hands I guess I should say.'

Her blush deepened and she laughed out loud, causing every head in the room to turn to her in surprise. It was a husky and almost sensual sound that had my wolf practically panting in my head.  She pointed to her head and scrunched up her nose in a gesture I assumed meant that it was something funny in her head.  

“This pack is bad news. I only have glimpses of memories, more like strong feelings about situations I guess, she said in my head before walking back towards the map. Out loud she said “We should start here, This area I believe is lightly wooded, not dense. Better for camp. ”

I could tell she did not often speak out loud as most of the faces around the room had a stunned look on them.  I watched as she looked up and frowned at them and wrinkled her nose again before stating softly “Just because I choose not to speak does not mean that I am mute.”  Her face was so expressive and I watched her facinated. 

Her father stepped in and said “We were just all surprised to hear your beautiful voice with our ears instead of in our heads my dear child. ” She smiled back at him and I could see the love between them. 

“If we start there what reason would we have as to why the Elite 8 are there,” my beta, Anders, asked. Aerick stepped in and stated, “Well we have a few options. You can say that we are inspecting all packs and surrounding areas for more info on this, but you would need to divide us to make it believable. We could sneak in and just knock out the guards but chances are someone’s gonna spot Stormie. Her fur is too light. The only thing that helps it is charcoal powder and well ... that didn’t turn out so great either.” Stormie flared her nose and growled at him while the other Elites looked like they were holding back laughter. I could tell there was a story there and hoped to hear it at some point.

“Or Stormie can call her friends and maybe have some rogues do a few small attacks around that pack so we have a reason to go,” Aerick finished. His words sparked chaos in the room as Stormie started signing furiously while striding over to him. Anders and Caleb, my gamma, began yelling about treason while my father was trying to ask questions.  The Elite were all yelling at Aerick, who was backing away with his hands up. Goddess help me.  I growled loudly before yelling for silence and immediately everyone stopped except Stormie who punched her brother, the only sound being the smack of her fist against his skin and of him falling over a chair.

I rubbed his temple before continuing. “I know I am going to regret this but Stormie please explain,” I said watching her. She growled at her brother as he picked himself and the chair up before sitting down and rubbing his jaw where she hit him.  She put her hands up to her temples and spoke through the link.

'Not quite a year ago during one of our take downs of a camp we found two teen girls - sisters one wolf, one witch. They were rogue because their parents were banished for being each others mates - a wolf and a witch. So all they’ve known is rogue life. Their parents had died a few years before and the girls just stayed with the rogues and took care of the camp. No one bothered them and they enjoyed their freedom - it was the only life they’d known. They instantly took to me like kindred spirits. They stayed with our pack for awhile learning sign and some self defense and what not.'

“They were Stormie’s shadows,” Aerick said out loud.

I grinned at that remembering when she was my shadow. She smiled too her eyes bright probably remembering the same.

'Yes much the same just less furry' she linked to me, giggling.  A sound that shot straight to my loins. She continued.

'My father had asked them to join our pack and they declined, preferring to be nomads. They’ve kept in touch. I’ve always been able to find them like some invisible connection. But they enjoyed moving around, floating through random rogue camps and towns, sometimes collecting information for us, helping us set up the bad rogues and stealing their supplies. Sometimes just being general nuisances. They’re rogue but not. More like nomads. I'm sure the girls could find some rogues and rile them up to attack but if what we think is true then they could get hurt. What if they approach the wrong rogues - the ones in league with the alpha?'

Aerick replied “Why don’t you have them find some of the other nomadic wolves - those who aren’t a part of the New Force and just want to be left alone.” When I heard his reply I looked around the room and realized that she had linked all of us at once, the look on Anders and Caleb's faces relaying their shock.

'But what would make them want to attack a pack? It’s not their way Aerick, that’s the whole point,' Stormie replied to her brother. When she shrugged I realized that was all she had to say.

My father, King Travis asked “You can link to others outside of your pack and you can link to multiples?” I blinked at him a few times almost in disbelief.  We're in the middle of a discussion over rogues and a pack or an alpha potentially going against us and that's all he's got to say?