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“We need to be ready for whatever comes our way. We can’t let them hurt our pack or our loved ones.”Her steely voice echoed in my mind.
I stroked her fur. “We’ll stand strong together, side by side. As alphas, we’ll protect our family and our territory.”
With a firm nod, Tori shifted back into her human form, her eyes never leaving mine, I handed her my shirt to cover her nakedness. “Let’s go. We have work to do.”
Jaxon’s nose had already healed, the blood smeared across his face a stark contrast to his pale skin. “I’m going with Clawson,” he said. The determined set of his jaw was so like Tori’s when she was being stubborn. “I’ll help with security and see about getting some law enforcement and shifters to clean up this wreck so humans don’t stumble across it.”
“Be careful,” I cautioned gruffly.
“Always am,” Jaxon said with a half-smile before disappearing into the night with Clawson.
I turned my attention to Tori, needing to know she wasn’t harmed in any way. I cupped her face, then ran my hands over her body for any signs of physical harm. Luckily, I sensed through our connection that she wasn’t in pain, just shaken up.
“Watching you fight was impressive,” I said, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “But I’d rather not have to witness that again. I want to keep you safe.”
Tori’s eyes searched mine, her fingers brushing against my arm as she checked me over as well. When she saw I was fine, she nodded. “Do we still have clothes in the wreck of a truck?”
In the wreckage, I located our go bags and transferred clothes for us both into one bag, and we shifted back into our wolves. Picking up the strap with my teeth, I carried the bag in my mouth as we ran to the edge of town. When we arrived in a suitable clearing, we shifted again. I handed Tori her clothes, and we dressed in silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts over what had happened and what was to come.
As we walked into town, Audrey jogged up to us. “A lot of the shifters are agitated over the news of an attack,” she said. “Some are rearing to take the fight to the hunters, while others are being more reasonable. They’ve gathered in the woods where the Northeast Pack typically meets for official pack meetings. The other alphas are controlling the chaos for now, but you two should get there soon.”
“Thanks, Audrey,” Tori said, and I saw her jaw setting just like her father’s had a few moments ago.
The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the gathering of supernatural beings. They stood together in the woods, their eyes reflecting the silvery light like a sea of stars. Tension radiated from them, and my own anxiety spiked as we approached.
Tori and I stepped into the clearing where the shifters and vampires had gathered. Eleanor and Julia stood with Dean,their faces etched with worry. The tiger shifters paced restlessly, and other vampires huddled in small groups, whispering amongst themselves. Kyle and Mateo appeared to be discussing something serious, their expressions grave. The other alphas, Isaac Frost and Brett Longtail included, worked tirelessly to maintain order.
“Ridge.” Tori gripped my hand tightly. “We need to do something. Quickly.”
“Right.” I nodded, drawing a deep breath to steady myself.
Just then, Kyle broke away from his conversation with Mateo and approached us. “Ridge, listen,” he said hurriedly, his voice low. “These hunters never half-ass their attacks. What happened tonight was them testing the waters. I’m sure William was trying to gauge our strength, and a full-blown attack can’t be far behind.”
His words sent a chill down my spine, but he was right. We didn’t have much time.
“Evacuate the humans,” Kyle said. “Do it ASAP. This will probably be the only warning we’ll get.”
“Okay.” Conviction settled over me. “We’ll take care of it.” The hunters may have started this fight, and they probably thought they’d win this one. I was determined not to let that happen. We were going to end this war once and for all.
Kyle returned to Mateo, and I turned to address the crowd. It was time to take control of the situation.
As I made my way to the center of the group, the chatter slowly faded. “Can I have your attention, please?” I shouted.
The clearing fell quiet, and I could practically hear their expectations battering on my mind. Their anxious faces were a stark reminder of the responsibility I now carried as their leader.
“We have a plan in place to protect both the humans and ourselves from the impending threat,” I began.
The tension in the air eased ever so slightly, but it wouldn’t last long once they heard what we had planned.
“An announcement will be made to the humans in town to evacuate them. They will be told that there has been a train accident involving nuclear waste being transported across the state.” I watched their expressions carefully. “An emergency radiation site evacuation will be orchestrated to get all humans out of Blackwood Creek temporarily. They’ll take shelter in another small town about thirty minutes away.” Murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd, but I continued before anyone could interrupt. “This will give us, the supernatural residents of this town, the time needed to defend ourselves against the hunters. Many of you have heard there was a small skirmish tonight. We believe it was a test, and that the hunters will launch their real attack soon.”
A few among the group exchanged skeptical glances, but I saw the truth in many of their eyes. They were ready to fight, to protect their home and each other.
“Remember,” I said, raising my voice to ensure I was heard by everyone present, “we’ve all been training for this moment. We knew it was coming, and we’re stronger. After we get through this attack and defeat Giselle and the other hunters, we won’t have to fear them anymore.”
I paused for a moment, letting my words sink in. The refugee shifters who’d been on edge since learning of the attack seemed to find some comfort in my reassurances. Tori squeezed my hand, offering silent support.
“Let’s use this time wisely,” Tori said, addressing the crowd with an unwavering confidence that made me proud to call her my luna. “Prepare and focus on what we’ve trained for. We can do this.”
