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“Of course. I’m just glad I can finally put my abilities to good use.” She beamed. “Eleanor should be back soon. She went to the airport to get her sister Julia.”
“Julia’s already here?” I said in surprise. “That was fast.”
“Yeah, she came straight away,” Lola said.
Tori grabbed her hand. “I can’t wait to hear more about what you’ve been learning. It sounds fascinating.”
“Catch up with Lola,” I told Tori, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. “I need to check on a few things around town, but I won’t be long, okay?”
“Okay.” The smile she gave me made my heart skip a beat. Tori’s smiles always did.
I reluctantly left Tori and Lola at the café. They had plenty to discuss, and my thoughts were too heavy with the hunters’ impending threat to make me enjoyable company. I needed to make sure everyone in Blackwood Creek was prepared for the battle ahead.
I walked through town to where the many of the displaced shifters were staying. The new houses, though not yet complete, provided shelter and a sense of community for those who had lost everything. I nodded my greetings to the wolves I passed, some of whom I recognized from other packs. Their presence here was a testament to the unity we all shared in the face of adversity.
“Alpha Ridge.” Isaac Frost’s greeting was firm but respectful. “How are things progressing?”
“Getting there,” I said. “We’re doing our best to prepare, but there’s always more to be done.”
“I certainly agree,” he said, worry creasing his brow. “The Montana Pack is ready to stand with you when the time comes.”
“Thank you,” I said, thankful for his support. “Every bit helps.”
“Ridge.” Pete, the foreman, greeted me as he approached us. “We’ve been working on reinforcing some of the structures. It’s not much, but every little bit helps.”
“Good work.” I nodded in approval. “I appreciate your efforts.”
“Anything for the pack,” Pete said.
My resolve hardened as my thoughts again turned to the hostile witches aiding the hunters, granting them unnatural abilities that made them nearly as strong and fast as shifters. Somehow, we needed to sever that connection, to eliminate the advantage it gave our enemies. If we could do that, perhaps we could truly make a difference to all paranormal creatures, not just those in Blackwood Creek.
Pete and I strode through the bustling construction site, my gaze taking in the determined faces of the wolves who weren’t part of the Northeast Pack. They hammered nails into wooden beams and hauled lumber from one spot to another, their efforts focused on fortifying the town against the imminent hunter attack by creating shelter. The steady thuds of hammers punctuated the air, accompanied by the occasional grunt or barked order.
As we approached the boundaries, Pete pointed out some of the shifters. “This is Graham Mackie.”
The grizzled older shifter greeted me with a firm nod, wiping sweat from his brow. “We’ve been reinforcing the outer walls and setting up more security checkpoints.”
“Thank you,” I said to Graham. “Every measure we take makes Blackwood Creek that much safer.”
Despite Christie Greenthorne’s lingering influence, it warmed my heart to see most of the visiting wolf shifters united against the hunters. They clearly grasped the importance of solidarity in the face of our common enemy.
Pete and I moved on to the temporary cabin he was using as an office. “Come on in,” Pete said. “I wanted to run something by you.”
We walked into the one-room structure, and he took me to a table where a pile of blueprints were laid out. He shuffled through them until he found the right one, then pulled it outand set it on top of the others. “We’re thinking of adding some hidden escape routes in case of an emergency. What do you think?”
“Sounds like a good idea.” I studied the blueprint with him. “Make sure they’re discreet but accessible.”
“Will do, Ridge,” he said. With that, he hurried off to relay the information to the rest of the team, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
As I continued my rounds, I considered the ramifications of a potential victory against the hunters. Even if we managed to destroy or eliminate Giselle’s “mass cure,” it wouldn’t be the end of the hunters. They would simply fall back, regroup, and continue training. More hunters would be recruited, each as strong and fast as a shifter, thanks to the hostile witches aiding them.
“Something on your mind, alpha?” a shifter named Jared asked, noticing my frown as I passed by.
“Always,” I said with a tight smile. “Just thinking about the bigger picture. We need to find a way to end this cycle of violence.”
He gripped my forearm in a show of solidarity. “Whatever it takes, we’re with you.”
“Thank you, Jared. It means a lot.”
