Ian was out in the cold. Night fell. He could see the shadowed forms of the three wolves just ahead of him. They’re headed towards the front property. They’d turn around at the main entrance and then circle around back towards the packhouse. The moon showed through the scattered winter clouds, giving him light. He doubted that he’d catch sight of trouble before the wolves ahead of him within this lighting. The instructions he received were correct. He’d be the ace in the hole if anything happened.
The small group stopped and returned to human form before they approached the guardhouse. No one wanted to answer the hard questions about wolves. Never mind three of them. He did marvel at the ease they possessed concerning those backpacks. Everything contained and at the ready.
Ian saw enough of the first dragon shifter’s appearance he understood they were old and formal. First, they wore a modern take on medieval clothing. They looked like they were part of a Viking documentary. Tunics, pants, and boots. The women wore simple dresses that ended just past the knee. In place of winter jackets, they wore a heavy type of cloak. Ian realized the packages they carried were the cloaks wrapped around their clothing. He left the scene. Ian wondered how many generations of dragons flew that same way? Walking through the woods in the dark. It was his job to make sure that none lagged or became lost. Behind him there were vehicles, trucks, SUVs, trailers, and several campers. Ian overheard a child ahead of him asked his mother if they’d stay here for a while or would they be moving again. They didn’t have a stable home. This wasn’t the first event
Ian sat with the others, listening to the various groups of people talking about their lacklustre patrols. Hal and Jaxon sat with him. They ate while making small talk. The twins’ expression told him. They’d something they needed to discuss with him in private. Though there was no space for that. More people entered the conference room. Dragons, by the clothing they wore, along with serious expressions. Gregory followed them in. He stepped to the table’s head. The dragon leader to his left and the Fianna hunter to his right. “Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? Thank you. I know you are all tired. We have news for you. It’s not great. But it’s news.”&
Yolanda stalked through the bushes. Her pack mates spread out behind her. Movement was different within the Dream Realm. There was no sound, wind, or small animal movement to mask theirs. This was the reason not everyone worked in the Dream Realm. Danger lurked behind every corner and bush. Sounds betrayed you to those harmful things. They stalked through the dark mirror realm after one of the worst things in existence. Death here meant true death. They followed a Barguest through the bush hoping it didn’t catch their scent and chomping down on their bones. Their mission was to find where the Fae holed up. So, they could attack them first and catch them unprepared. They wanted to catch the Fae unaware before they revealed the supernatural population to the humans and save lives of the Fae&rs
Yolanda stood at the door to the Alpha’s office. Waiting after she knocked. She could hear many people moving in inside. No one responded to her repeated knock. So, she took a risk entering. It was chaos in it. Alpha Gregory was trying to work with people everywhere, doing their own work. With the door open, she understood why no one responded to her knock. No one could hear it. Where these people come from? When did they get here? At least they’d have help. She dodged a few people to get to her leader’s desk. He looked like he needed a holiday. In the minute it took Yolanda to get to his desk, he’d consulted on five different issues, answered his own phone, and was attempting to do something on his computer. &nb
Trying to sneak into a room full of shifters that are ready for war was not as fun as it sounded. The image of a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs came to mind. In this case, the rocking chairs were half of her armoury and she was the cat. So here she was, looking for her mate in a dark room full of armed shifters. The only thing she could think of was the word crazy. It kept ringing through her head. Finally, Yolanda found him in a lower bunk by the far corner of the entrance. She stood there, looking at him. Yolanda so wanted to climb in beside him. But wouldn’t look good from any angle. If she shook him, he’d make noise in a panic. Okay, goin
“Crap, we’re late!” Yolanda expected someone to interrupt their sleep with some urgent news or need. “What? What do you mean we’re late?” Ian sat up and watched her run into the bathroom. “I forgot to set my alarm last night. Damn it. There’s a meeting right now.” Ian raised an eyebrow at the open bathroom door. “Well, lucky for us then. You didn’t check the time, did you?” Now he couldn’t help but smile at the door. “What do you mean?” Toothbrush in her mouth, Yolanda moved into the doorway.&nb
Yolanda and Ian finally got out of their cottage. They returned to the packhouse and promptly found breakfast platters in their hands, thanks to a rather perky Hilda. “The dining room is still available for those eating up here, but the buffet won’t be until lunch, and you’ll find that served in the main lobby to go only. We’ve more soldiers than we have spaces for. At least the Bears and Vampires are feeding themselves. Everyone else is in the dining room, so mind the crowd, and no, the sitting rooms are off limits to food. I’m not clean sofas and carpets again.” Hilda puttered about the kitchen serving area, adjusting various containers. She’d clearly organized the various meals by dietary needs of the now vari
The group left the dining room quickly once they’d finished their breakfast. Once they found their meeting’s conference room, inside, they found only the back of the room available. Yolanda looked at the people already there. Ambassadors and staff, military, and someone from almost every branch of the pack’s command structure. “What’s going on? I don’t see Edith or Allen. That mage dude isn’t here either.” Ian leaned over and quietly asked Yolanda. “I don’t know, but the Dragon ambassador isn’t here either. The bears are. Maybe they’re just late for the meeting.” As she finished saying this, a screen rolled down and a mage, she didn’t know, cast several images there. Imag