Time to move

Adina’s POV

Adina stepped into the big kitchen and smelled the wonderful scent of fried bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Her stomach growled as she gratefully took a plate from Luna Joy and started helping herself to the food on the serving trays. She took her plate and sat down at one of the large kitchen tables, helping herself to a glass of OJ. Sean was, as always, right behind her and sat down next to her, his plate was so full of food she thought it was quite an accomplishment for him to keep it all on the plate.

“Really, are you hiding another wolf under your shirt?” she joked and got a laugh from Eddie who were already halfway done with his breakfast. Sean just growled and started eating. Adina smirked at him but got up and got him a big cup of coffee. He was always grumpy before he had at least two cups under his belt. Adina focused on eating her food and when she had almost cleared her plate Alpha Aries walked into the room. Everyone bowed their head respectfully toward him, even Adina bent her neck. After him came Cernack and Adina realized what that meant with a sigh. She had known this day was coming but it was still an unwelcome surprise. Alpha Aries and Luna Joy had made her stay here so pleasant, and the pack was wonderful and well maintained. Both Sean and she had relaxed into their everyday life here.

“Adina, could we talk in my office in an hour?” alfa Aries asked.

“Of course alpha” she answered before clearing the last food from her plate. She waited for Sean to finish, which he surprisingly did just a minute later than her, before standing up and taking the dishes over to the sink.

“You leave those there and I’ll take care of them” luna Joy said.

“I don’t mind” Adina objected.

“Leave them” luna Joy said and Adina didn’t want to press the issue, so she left them with a “Thank you” to the luna.

She and Sean left and went for a walk around the pack in silence before knocking on the door to the alpha’s office almost exactly an hour later.

“Enter” alpha Aries said. Adina and Sean entered and saw, to no surprise, that Cernack was already in the room.

“It’s time for you to move to the next location” said Cernack and Adina responded with a nod. The thirteen months mark would be coming up in about two weeks.

“Let’s discuss the options for the next location” she said.

“There are the Blood River pack that are down south, and the Stray Wood pack. Although you have already stayed with the Blood River pack” said Cernack. Adina tried to remember the pack but drew a blank.

“When was that?” she asked.

“About 15 years ago” he answered her. “There shouldn’t be an issue if you decide to go with that option” he added. Adina tried to remember the pack and she thought she had some memory of the place. A good pack if she remembered correctly.

“But they are not your top choice?” It was phrased as a question but sounded more like a statement.

“No, my lady, I would suggest we consider the Black Moon pack as your next stay” Cernack acknowledging her hunch. Adina looked at him in surprise.

“Why that pack? It is, as I understand it, one of the closest packs to alpha Aries and they have never come up in discussion before” she said. Alpha Aries had nodded his head to confirm that the two packs were geographically close. Cernack sighed.

“The latest intel we have is that the Order is mounting something big. We don’t know exactly what, but it doesn’t feel good. The Black Moon pack is a good size pack, they are also amongst the most well-trained packs on the continent, and we have several packs, nests, and covens, nearby that are loyal to you. It is the safest option if something big is going to happen” he explained to Adina.

“So why have we not considered them as suitable before?” she asked. Cernack shoot a look at alpha Aries.

“The alpha of the pack, alpha Colin, took over the pack at a very young age.” Alpha Aries explained. “It was sudden, and his father didn’t have time to finish his training, he didn’t have the chance to pass down all the alpha knowledge. We think that there is a good chance he knows nothing about you.” He finished looking at Adina. Adina pondered this for a minute. It was clear to her that the council hadn’t wanted to fill alpha Colin in on the knowledge. She could only speculate as to why, but she preferred the theory that the fewer that knew, the better. At least it was the most pleasant theory of the ones she could come up with. The others included him not being trustworthy or the council hiding information from her about the alpha, or a constellation of both. She drew the conclusion that whatever the reason may have been, the council was now desperate enough to reconsider. That made her acutely aware of the danger they thought she was in. She looked over at Sean and could see that he was deep in thought as well.

‘What do you think?’ She asked him through mind link.

‘I think we need to get our hand on this new intel. What ever it is has gotten them really worried.’ He answered, mirroring her own conclusions.

‘And the new destination?’ She wanted to know what he thought about trusting this new alpha.

‘Their argument is sound, I think it’s our best option.’ She nodded.

“Okay, alpha Aries do you know alpha Colin?” she asked.

“I do. When he was younger, starting out as an alpha, he sought my guidance a couple of times. We have built a friendship over the years” he answered her.

“Could I ask you to do me the favour of accompanying Cernack to alpha Colin? Someone will have to explain all of this to him, and I think a friendly and trustworthy face will help.” She said with a small smile.

“It would be my honour” the alpha said inclining his head.

 “I want you to be honest about the danger this involves. I will not let anyone take on this responsibility if they do not fully understand all that it entangles. He is within his full right to turn us down. Do I make myself clear?” Adina continued, looking directly at Cernack.

“Yes, my lady” he answered.

“Then I would appreciate you arranging a meeting with him as soon as possible. We don’t have much time I’m afraid” she concluded and left the room with Sean trailing behind her.

Colin’s POV

Colin was looking out over the group that was training. The group of teenagers had just turned sixteen and that meant that they had to start basic training. In his pack everyone went through basic training. Every wolf should know how to at least defend them self if the situation called for it. Not all of them went on to be full fledged warriors in the guard, that decision was left to the individual after the basic training was done. Colin was happy with the progress the teenagers had done but despite of that he shouted.

“Come on, step it up you pathetic mutts, a pack of pups could take you down.” That received some growling from the group and was answered with a deeper growl from him. Fighting spirit was good, but they needed to know their place. His beta, Mateo, came up to him.

“Alpha Aries has just entered pack territory, alpha” Mateo said. Colin nodded.

“Jason, takeover” Colin shouted at his gamma as he turned around and headed back to the packhouse along with Mateo. Alpha Aries had called the previous day asking for a meeting, saying it was important and that he would bring a guest. That had Colin’s curiosity going. His old friend wasn’t usually so secretive. As they reached the pack house Colin could see alpha Aries’ car coming down the road towards them. As the car stopped, three men got out. Alpha Aries, his beta Oscar, and an unknown man. The unknown man was small for a werewolf and well above 60 years of age. His hair was grey and started to thin on the top. He was wearing a grey suit that made him look colourless. Colin took a couple of steps to close the distance, extending his hand to alpha Aries and smiling.

“Aries, nice to see you” Colin said shaking the older alpha’s hand friendly.

“Colin, good to see you and thank you for agreeing to let us visit on such short notice” alpha Aries said. “Let me introduce you to my guest. Colin this is Cernack, Cernack this is Alpha Colin, alpha of the Black Moon pack” Aries continued. The older man bowed his head toward Colin as a sign of respect and Colin acknowledged the greeting.

“I am sorry to say that we are in a bit of a hurry. Could we go inside and talk, in private?” Aries continued, making sure he emphasised the last part. This really peaked Colin’s interest. Aries had never asked him to exclude his beta from a discussion. But Colin knew his old friend well enough to know that if the request was made, it was for a good reason. So, he nodded.

“Mateo why don’t you and Oscar go and raid the fridge” he told his beta and at the same time indicating for the two other men to follow him. He led them to his office, that was located on the fourth floor of the pack house.

‘Forth floor is off bound to everyone.’ He mind-linked to the pack, knowing they would obey him. He showed his guest inside. His office was decorated in a mix of different nuances of chocolate brown. The hardwood floors where a light oak, the walls a deep chocolate brown and the furniture were made with dark wood and the upholstery a cream colour. In the office there was a conference table furthest in. One of its short sides were facing a large window overlooking the training grounds. In the other end of the room, Colin’s desk was facing the door and two guest chairs was facing the desk. Between the desk and the conference table were a small sitting group and on the opposite wall some bookshelves.

Colin closed the door and took his place behind the desk, indicating to the others to sit in the chairs opposite him.

“I have to admit that you have me intrigued with this secrecy Aries. What can I do for you?” he said to get the conversation started. To his surprise it was the small man, Cernack, that answered him.

“Have you heard of the Withe Rose pack alpha?” the man asked. Colin took a minute to think about it. He had no memory of a pack by that name, and it was a strange name for a pack. Not a traditional one, if he had heard of it he was sure he would remember it.

“No, I can’t say that I have” he answered. The two men opposite him looked at each other.

“Because of the way you became alpha, so suddenly and so young, there are things that your father never got around to tell you.” Alpha Aries started. “I didn’t know if it was my place to say anything, so I kept quiet. But now we need your help, so I need to tell you the history of that pack and I am giving you my word as your friend and as an alpha, that what I’m about to tell you is the truth” Aries continued. Colin nodded, he was too surprised by the conversation to do anything else.

“The story starts at the beginning, the beginning of everything.” Aries started and Colin was surprised as he was sitting a listening to a bedtime story for pups.

“The Beloved one needed a council. It was the best of each race that were selected and because the werewolves couldn’t be without a pack, the council became the Withe Rose pack. So it has continued generation after generation,” Aries told Colin.

“The Beloved One was the one that brokered the peace between humans and the magic races. It was she that made it possible for us to go into hiding from the humans. She has done many extraordinary things during the centuries. But there has always been those that have opposed her. They think her title holds too much power, that her power of magic is too strong and should not exist in this world. We call them the Order and they are a constant threat to the world as we know it.” Alpha Aries finished his story. Colin was stunned.

“Okay,” Colin said after a few minutes, trying to digest the information. “So why are you telling me this?” he asked.

“Because, 17 years ago the Order almost succeeded. They murdered the Beloved One, her family and their pack. But what they didn’t know was that their daughter escaped. She took on the role as the latest Beloved One and we have been moving her around to different packs, nests, and covens for the past 17 years. Never letting her stay more than thirteen months in the same place,” Cernack said.

“Okay” Colin added that information to the rest.

“Colin, she is with my pack now. We have had the pleasure to host her, and we would love nothing more than to keep her with us. But the thirteen months are almost up. We need somewhere for her to stay. Somewhere safe,” Aries said. Colin looked at him and he finally got the unasked question.

“You want her to stay here?” he asked.

“Yes, but there are things you need to know before you answer,” Aries said and started to fill Colin in on the situation.