The area in front of the pack house had been cleared and the pack had gathered around the edges of it. Alpha Jackson stood in the middle of the area. He was guarded by Sam and a warrior. My wolf's hatred for the other Alpha was strong and I shared his feelings. Alpha Jackson was the reason I had lost my best friend. Whether it was by his own hands or not, his actions had caused my pack the loss of our Beta. If it wasn't for Amie, I don't know how I would have made it through the night. I was even more grateful for her stepping up as our new Beta. She walked besideand I could feel her anger. We stopped in front of the defeated Alpha. I scanned the crowd, making sure no pups had sneaked out to see what was happening. When I knew the only ones around were pack members who should be there, I walked up to Alpha Jackson.
Sam had him on his knees and I looked down on him.
"Bring out the representatives of the Rolling Hills pack," Amie called out. The pack members to the left of us made way for a group of warriors who guided an older man and woman to stand a bit away from where we stood. After what the Alpha had revealed in our integration, we had let the Rolling Hills pack choose two representatives amongst the survivors.
"I, Alpha of the Blue Mountain pack, have talked to the council and presented the evidence of the Rolling Hills pack's attack on us. The council has decided the Alpha of the Rolling Hills pack has forfeited his life for his failure to protect and lead his pack to victory. As the winners, we may claim the blood debt for our fallen pack members,” I told everyone with a clear voice. I let the information sink in. "The council left it up to us to decide what to do with the remainder of the Rolling Hills pack. We will deal with the issue next. But first, we will claim payment of our debt. For Beta Martin, Warrior Brian and Warrior Megan, we demand the blood of Alpha Jackson." I smiled down at the Alpha before me. I had no regrets about what I was about to do. I let my claws extend on my right hand and I used one of them to knick his artery. I did not want to give him a quick death. I took a step back, standing next to Amie. Everyone looked as Alpha Jackson slowly bleed out. As he swayed on his knees, the blood loss made it hard for him to remain kneeling. Sam and the warrior on the other side of the Alpha took a grip on his shoulders to keep him up. A while later I gave them a nod and they let the Alpha go. He fell forward into the leaves on the ground and his own blood. We all listened to the gurgling sounds as he took his last, desperate breath. Amie stepped forward and bent down over him to listen. She felt for a pulse. "He's gone," she said. The pack raised their heads and howled. The victory was officially ours.
"Tfor the next part," I said and everyone quieted down to listen. "Members of the Rolling Hills pack, your former Alpha admitted he planned and executed this attack against the will of your pack. That is the only reason you are still standing here alive. Members of the Blue mountain pack, I will leave the decision of what we are to do with the remainder of the Rolling Hills pack up to you. Discuss it among yourself and this evening after dinner, we will have a pack meeting and decide their fates. Until then, bring the representatives back to their pack members," I told the pack before turning around and walking inside the pack house. ie, Sam and Medow followedand we gathered in the meeting room. I walked up to the chair Amie usually sat in and moved it to where it once had stood by the wall. Then I sat down in my seat. Sam and Medow also sat down. Amie remained standing, staring at the chair Martin usually sat in. "It's yours now," I told her.
"It feels disrespectful," she objected.
"He would have wanted you to sit there," Medow said and Sam nodded. Amie looked at me, I could see how uncomfortable she was and the sadness she tried to hide.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"It's okay," I said. She sighed, nodded and sat down on the edge of the chair. I resisted my urge to take her hand to comfort her. After our night mourning together, it felt as if the wall between us had weakened. I could feel it was harder to hold back the urge to be physically close to her. I rained in my emotions, now was not the time. "What is the state on the boarders?" I asked.
"No further attacks seem to be imminent. The warriors report it's peaceful," Sam told me.
"How are the warriors holding up?" Amie asked.
"We have had one shift change so everyone on duty now has had a chance to rest and get food. We are all feeling the loss, but morale is high. The victory did them good," Sam said. We all nodded.
"What about funerals?" Medow asked.
"Tomorrow, after we settled things with the Rolling Hills pack. Then we will lay them to rest," Amie said. I grunted my approval. "I will talk with Megan's family. See if they have any special wishes," she added. Megan was the only one of the dead who had family in the pack. Brian had always said his family was the other warriors, and Martin, Martin was my family, and Amie's, and Sam and Medow's. We would give all of them a worthy send off.
"What do you think the pack will decide?" Medow asked us.
"I don't know," I honestly said. We weren't a violent pack, but everyone was upset over the attack and the people we had lost. Revenge could make the calmest wolf bloodthirsty.
"They won't demand blood," Amie said with confidence.
"Are you sure?" Sam asked. "The anger is palatable," he pointed out.
"I am. They will talk and at first they will be upset, but they will see the truth in the end. The remaining members of the Rolling Hills pack are no threat to us, and they were forced to be here. I don't doubt the pack will find a way to punish them. I just don't think it will involve taking their lives," she said. It was a typical Amie statement, she had absolute faith in our pack but not in a naîve way. No, she was a realist. She just spent so much twith the pack members she knew how the pack as a whole worked. After watching her work with the pack for years, I wasn't surprised the moon goddess had placed her to be Luna of a pack. I would have her as my Luna in a heartbeat. I had met her former mate during the joint pack meetings. He seemed to be a reasonable Alpha. I had met her brother as well and I liked him, he remindedof Aime. Each year I would ask Amie if she wantedto bring a message to her brother. Each year she declined. But she kept sending her postcards. A knock on the door awokefrom my thoughts. Aasked them to cin. My aunt stepped inside the room, pulling a trolly with lunch on.
"Since all of you seemed determined to starve yourself to death, despite someone needing the nutrition more than others," she said, giving Medow a look. Poor Sam paled. "I brought lunch to you." "Thank you, aunt. How are things out there?" I asked. She walked around the table, putting down plates with food.
"As well as can be expected. It was a nice thing to let the pack decide the fate of the poor wolves left of the other pack," she toldand placed a kiss on my cheek before putting a big basket of bread and a pitcher with iced tea in the middle of the table.
"I'm happy you approve," I said.
"Thank you, Matilda. This looks amazing," Amie told her. My aunt placed a hand on Amies' back.
Just a heads up: 5sis the only place to read the complete version of this book for free. Don't miss out on the next chapter-visit us now and continue your journey! "I'm happy to do my part. Don't brood too long," she said and took the trolly with her as she left. We started eating and discussed what was next on our to-do list.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"I will handle the dishes," Medow said as we were done.
"I will help you," Amie offered.
"You have people to talk to," Medow said. Amie just shrugged and Medow nodded. We all needed to be around people we considered family.
"I will be right back, baby. I just need to check on the wounded warriors ded warriors and then take a quick tour around the border to make sure things are as they should be," Sam told Medow. "You can check on the injured warriors, I will run the border," I told him. He looked like he was about to object, then he looked at his mate and nodded.
"Don't worry, I'm not fragile and Amie will be with me," Medow told her mate and kissed his cheek. Sam and Amie exchanged a look and Amie nodded. I knew Amie and I both would make sure Sam and Medow could be together as
much as possible. I admired Sam for not losing his marbles in the situation with Medow being pregnant. He was a strong wolf and we were lucky to have him as our Gamma. 'Be careful, look after your shoulder and mindlinkif something happens,' I linked Amie as I walked out of the pack house.
'There is nothing wrong with my shoulder. Take care out there,' she replied.
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