Chapter 4

Jax’s POV

“Alpha, they strike again. The Crimson Fangs just attacked the nearby packs. W-We might be their next target!”

I glared at the man reporting to me about the Crimson Fangs. I already knew they were trouble, but that wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

“Damn it! Those packs of troublemakers. Why do they even start waging wars against other packs? They should have returned to where they came from and stay quiet for the rest of their lives,” I said, slamming my fists on the table.

“Do you have any idea why they were causing havoc? That should be one of the things you’re reporting, not the same old news I’ve heard since days ago,” I grumbled, running my fingers through my hair.

Ha! Now, that I’m asking something important, none of them even know what to answer.

“Alpha,” Dave, my Beta, stepped forward.

“Speak. What do you know?” I bobbed my head, giving him permission to speak.

Dave bowed his head and continued, “It seems related to someone named Raven. The Crimson Fangs have been leaving a message to their victims, demanding this person, Raven.”

Raven?

My eyebrows knitted, trying to remember something…or maybe someone.

“Doesn’t that name sound familiar?” I muttered, my frown deepened.

“Raven Kincade,” Dave said, refreshing my memory.

Oh, that Raven. Yeah, I remember now. My mate’s name was also Raven.

“But they don’t mean that Raven, do they?” I asked, looking at my beta.

Dave shook his head. “That’s something I’m not sure about. Forgive me, Alpha.”

I raised my hand. “No, it’s not your fault. This piece of information is better than nothing. If that’s the case, then we can just hand Raven to them. Did that woman do something to offend the Crimson Fang?”

What a mess!

“About that…” Dave hesitated for a moment.

“What is it?”

Dave took a deep breath and spoke. “Raven Kincade… She’s no longer in the pack.”

She’s not here? Where else would she go if not here- Oh, wait.

“Is she dead?” I asked, sounding impatient. If Raven died, the Crimson Fangs would definitely vent their anger to the Iron Howlers.

Dave shook his head. “I’m not sure. But three years ago, she left the pack after you rejected her as your mate. The pack members also encouraged her to leave. And she did… I thought she’d come back after days, but it has been three years and there was no single news about her whereabouts.”

She left the pack, huh? How brave of her. If she had that kind of guts back then, I might have taken a liking to her. Maybe not as my mate, but someone that can be useful in the pack.

“If I had known she was going to cause everyone this trouble, I would have kept her,” I said, rubbing my temples. “Inform the warriors. We’re preparing for battle against the Crimson Fangs. Let’s show them the meaning of real strength!”

Everyone stood straight and replied in chorus with a loud ‘yes’.

“Hold on!” A loud voice echoed through the hall. Slowly, the door opened and the elders walked in. “What do you think you’re doing, preparing for battle? You’re underestimating the enemy, Alpha.”

If there were people I didn’t want to deal with, it would be the elders. They always had a lot to say about the way I rule the pack. They always wanted their opinion to be heard. In the end, it would be me who had to take care of the details.

“Do you have any other better ideas?” I asked, watching them coming my way.

The elders stood before me, their expression unreadable.

“Find Raven. If we could hand over that woman to the Crimson Fangs, the attacks will stop. This isn’t just for the sake of the Iron Howlers,” one of them said.

If it isn’t for the sake of our pack, then why do I have to do it?

“That’s right. If we’re able to stop the attacks, the other pack will be indebted to us. We can use that to our advantage when the right time comes,” another elder agreed.

I let out a deep sigh. “It’s easy for you to say, but where on earth do we even find that Raven? It’s been three years since she left the Iron Howlers. We can’t be certain if she’s even still alive.”

“We’ll have to take the risk. Finding Raven is the best solution we all agreed to go with. If you’re worried about how to do it, then ask for the Ghost.”

Ghost? Did the elders have gone senile?

“I know what you’re thinking, Alpha. But we’re talking about the Ghost and his crew. You may have already heard about them… A group of rogues consisted of strong warriors living among humans. If we manage to get their help, they should be able to easily find Raven,” Elder Erin, the eldest among the elders, said.

“Find the Ghost and ask for their help, Alpha. Then, bring back Raven before the Crimson Fangs comes,” he continued.

I stared at the elders, contemplating whether to go along with their ridiculous plan. Asking the rogues for help was the least thing I’d ever want to do.

“But they’re rogues. If you think finding Raven is the best thing to do, then we’ll find her ourselves. There’s no need to ask the rogues for help,” I said, shrugging.

“You really have no idea what you’re talking about. Raven is probably living among humans for years now. You may be able to find her if you try, but it would be too late if the Crimson Fangs come to find us before you could bring Raven. We have no other choice but to turn to the rogues for help, Alpha,” Elder Erin insisted.

It would only be wasting time if I keep arguing with these elders.

“Fine. I’ll ask the Ghost for help,” I said, giving in. Protecting the pack should always be the top priority. “So, where can I find this Ghost and his crew?”