Termination and Tactics

Three Months Later

Teddy’s POV

“Move, move, move!” I shouted at the men around me as we swarmed the safe house the council members were in, giving the signal to move in quickly and take them out. We were able to confirm that this safe house was the one that they had been hiding at; bidding their time until they could flee the country.

Shots rang out as a battle began on the inside, shifted wolves and those of us in tactical gear spilling into the abode and quickly taking care of the unsuspecting wolves. “Over here!” Someone shouted at me after a minute, calling me over to where a few bodies had already been dropped. “Are these the ones?”

I went over and kicked the first body to get it to turn, nodding my head at the first councilman down. “That’s one!” Two more to go. I thought grimly. There was a small explosion from somewhere that shook the floor under me, a scream ringing out as more of my men ran by.

This house hidden in the Tennessee mountains had been built into a hillside, trees and rocks covering it and making it hard to get to. We had managed though, all the signs pointing to the councilmen being here. “Here’s one!” Axel called to me from a kitchen as I passed with more men, holding up a body with half of their face blown off. “That makes two, right?”

“Good! Only Councilman Shepard to go!” Brooks and Feilding are down and with Shepard being the last one, we’ll have it all wrapped up. Raids across the US were happening right now with help from Europe and all our allies across the states, a final effort to get rid of Black Haven and the Old Ways for good. So Shepard being the last one in the house for the Council alive kinda had me on edge. He had always been the most outspoken for never changing.

The longer the raid went though, the more on edge I felt. ‘Does anyone have Shepard pinned down yet?’ I sent the link to my men, the fighting all but over.

‘We have a last batch pinned down in a small office room in the basement, and that’s it!’ Rhett linked me. He had been leading a small unit from the rear, his missing arm from killing Sköll a battle scar that did not hinder him in the least.

‘I’m on my way to help.’ I started to head that way as another small bomb went off with a cheer from somewhere deep inside the house as I walked.

‘We used a grenade; the room is a mess but we have four bodies to identify.’ Rhett sent back, making me jog through the carnage and viscera around me.

The steps leading downward were a mess, as body parts littered the steps. “We’re going to begin cleanup, sir!” A wolf shouted at me as quicksilver drums were being carried in through a basement door, or really a hole in a basement wall.

“Alright, keep your eyes peeled for the body of Shepard!” I called to them, still going deeper yet.

“Over here!” Rhett called to me as I went three flights down, the large building becoming more like a maze the longer we were here. “We’re just piecing them together now.”

I walked up as the bulled the fourth body from the room, limbs missing here and there from the bodies. Rhett took a few bottles of water from his tactical gear and dumped them onto the faces, washing away bits and pieces of blood and who knew what else so we could see the features. He got to the last one and turned, his face going grim. “He’s not here.”

“Fuck!” I ran into the small room that they had pulled the bodies out of, wanting to see for myself that they weren’t missing anything. It was a ten by ten space with computer equipment here and there, office chairs and desks that had been spattered with blood and debris. Most of the equipment had been ruined too, screens flickering and no doors in sight. ‘Are there any more wolves fighting or rooms that have not been cleared?’ I sent out frantically, double checking the walls in this room. When a chorus on no’s replied, I slammed my hand down against the last desk, making the small laptop on it bounce slightly.

I noticed then that the screen on this one was turned off, the small light on it indicating that something was running on it. I apprehensively reached out and touched the power button, making the screen flash to life. Shepard, the last council member, was smiling grimily at me from what looked like a private jet. “I do not appreciate you destroying my house, nor killing my wolves.”

Fallon Shepard sipped what looked like tea on the screen, the blood in my veins boiling at his calm and collected nature. “But, sacrifices must be made in order to preserve our way of life.” He shrugged, setting down his small cup of tea.

“Shepard; you have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Black Haven is done and the Old Ways are finished.” I saw him smile at the screen, his bland hair shaking as he nodded no at me.

“I would think not. If anything, the Old Ways are about to become that more powerful in the future, that is since your mate opened up the way to Nix again. It’s a pity though that you’re locking everything down now though; but don’t worry, I’m a patient wolf and I have a long life ahead of me. Someday, you’ll drop your guard again, and when you do; I’ll be prepared.”

“Shepard, I don’t think you understand. Everyone will be hunting for you! You have nowhere left to go.” My hands were in fists as more of my men filled the room, the tension here palpable as they all saw who I was talking to.