CHAPTER 3

“Today is the day!” Henry shouted to the gathered pack. “Some of you may not come back, but justice demands sacrifice. I would do the same for each and any one of you that came to me asking for help.”

Tess and Connor stood near the back. Beth and Greta were close by with Greta holding tightly to Connor’s leg. None of them wanted to be too close to the front right now.

“You all have your orders,” he continued, “Hit them hard and fast. Watch out for their guns. They’re loading silver ammunition. I know the lot of you are the hardiest bastards this side of the county, but don’t go becoming a hero. Come back safe so your families don’t have to bury their father. I know what loss feels like and that’s a sting that nobody should have to feel.”

Connor was reminded of his father. It was only a couple months back that the bears had killed him. The sting of his loss still stabbed at his heart. He might not have been the best father, but he was the only one Connor had known.

At the same time, Connor knew that he’d taken a few lives that day. He’d probably taken his own share of fathers and sons on the battlefield, did he really have the right to judge? He struggled to forgive even now as the guilt from what he did sunk into him.

“Stay strong, stay close, and end these bastards once and for all,” Henry shouted. The rest of the crowd cheered. Connor still couldn’t put his finger on exactly why they followed Henry. Was it something he did? Was he the biggest and the strongest one? That couldn’t be right. There were a lot of big strong guys about the crowd. No doubt they could have fought for the right to be the alpha without fail. Yet, they all paid homage to the old man with the eye patch.

He shook off his curiosity as the crowd began to disperse. The men said their goodbyes to their families. The wives, tear stricken, replied with their love; hoping they would return unharmed.

In a wave of roars they transformed into massive mounds of fur, claw, and teeth. The ground shook beneath Connor’s feet, a feeling that he’d grown to fear but was now proud to be a part of.

The beating of the feet was drowned out by the honking of a horn driving into the thicket. Henry stepped further out on the patio to make out the source as Connor and Tess looked on with interest.

Samantha was behind the wheel. She barely had the car to a stop when she started shouting out the side window.

“Guys, this is bad,” she said, “Really, really bad.”

“What is it, Sam,” Henry said as he pulled the door open, “News from the Cliff Walkers?”

Samantha was visibly shaken. The bear that joined her on the trip pried his large body from the passenger side, slamming the door shut behind. He walked to the back side of the truck and flipped down the tailgate.

“I don’t know what happened. When we go there …” She spoke while Connor and Tess walked slowly around the truck. “… I did just like you said, I waited by the mile marker but nobody came. I got worried. I decided to try to sniff it out for myself. I almost wish I didn’t.”

Connor looked in the back of the truck. The Cliff Walker alpha was there, holding on for breath. His wounds were patched but the bandages were soaked through with blood. Any longer in the back of the truck and he might not survive. He needed real medical attention, fast.

Tess was the first to react. Connor expected she would look away in horror but she was strong. She bit her lip, wrinkled up her forehead, and got to work.

“I need a medical bag, right now. If we don’t get these sewn up soon he’s going to bleed out,” she said.

The bear passenger sprinted toward the house to follow her orders. Connor was proud of her for being able to take control of the situation so easily. In moments, Buck, the alpha from the den was being carried into the house. Tess threw Connor a sideways glance, the obvious question was on both of their minds but she was too afraid to hear it. Connor could tell.

“How many?” he asked.

“A lot,” she replied. Samantha couldn’t look anyone in the face; her gaze was planted firmly on the ground as she recalled everything she’d seen. “It was mostly the warriors that must have stayed behind, I still counted a couple women, but no children at least; other than that alpha, I didn’t see anyone else breathing.”

No.

“What about Alex,” Connor asked, “And, Cynthia. Did you see either of them there?” Connor hoped for Tess’s sake that Alex wasn’t among the wounded. Hell, he hoped for his own sake. She didn’t need that kind of loss now. He allowed himself to relax when Samantha shook her head no.

“I didn’t see either of them. They were the first people I looked for. Couldn’t find a trace of them,” she said.

“If I know Alex, there’s only one place that he would have taken the survivors,” Connor said, “There’s only one place close enough to that den that could house that number of people comfortably. I have a good feeling they’re at Crunch’s place.”

Samantha nodded, finally able to lift her head with hope. Connor was sure of it. Alex was smart and strong, even if he hated having to deal with his cocky attitude. If he knew that the bear den was closer he would have brought them here, but even Connor barely knew where here was.

Tess stepped from the house. Her tight fighting shirt was blood stained.

“He’ll be okay. It’s a good thing there’s an actual trained doctor here. I don’t think I could have saved him. It’s nothing like sewing up your leg wound,” she said.

Connor felt at the shotgun wound he’d received a few days ago. It still stung a bit but it was more or less healed. As he felt at the wound he saw Samantha’s head sink back down to the ground.

“Good,” Connor said, breathing out a breath he only now realized he’d been holding in. “I’m going to go find Alex and the rest of those pups that are missing. The last thing I need today is more bad news.”

“I’m going, too!” Samantha said. She stamped over to the yellow truck that never seemed to die. “Alex is my friend and I want to make sure he’s okay.”

Connor sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

“I suppose that means that I can’t convince at least you to stay here, hun?” he said. Tess hopped off the patio to join Samantha by the truck. That was answer enough for him. He dug around in his pocket for his keys, not that they really mattered, and tossed them to Samantha.

“If we’re goin’, you’re drivin’,” he said. Samantha knew the truck almost as well as Connor. Hell, she was half the reason the damn thing still ran at all. It was covered in dents from the impact of bears, shattered glass, shotgun holes, and a very crappy old spray can paint job. Through all of it, the truck started like a champ every time. Another adventure was awaiting the old girl.

Tess took the middle seat while Connor slammed the door shut on the passenger side. Henry came up to the driver’s side window.

“You best be careful,” he said, “I still don’t trust these wolves.”

“That’s where we differ, grandpa,” she said, “I’d trust them with my life.” She stamped on the gas pedal, whirling the truck around the roundabout driveway, and out to another adventure. Connor sat in the passenger seat hoping for a boring trip.