Chapter Nineteen
Lea and every single shifter in Maine were crowded into the gym, the only place that could hold everyone in one area. It had been two hours since the rogues attacked, and about an hour since Hann and Michael had ushered everyone in, tending to the wounded and making sure that everyone was accounted for. When they realized that everyone was fine, or as fine as they could be, they went to their office with Ethan, Kato, Britta, and Ross, and closed the door. Even Annie, Hann's daughter, was left out of the meeting, and Lea could see her pacing back and forth while her mate, Lukas, tried to keep her calm.
Lea was with Finn, who she was leaning against in exhaustion on the floor of the gym. Her brothers were laying, stretched out on the floor in front of her. Owen was the only one of the three that had gotten hurt, those his injury was small and had healed by the time they got to the gym.
Every shifter was in the gym’s standard clothing. No one quite knew what was going on, though one thing was clear: something was wrong. Those rogues were so… untrained. They lashed out and had no techniques, whatsoever. It was like taking down sheep, and while some shifters were wounded, no one died.
And that just wasn’t right.
Lea remembered when Kaiser and his group of rogues came to Maine weeks ago. It seemed like another lifetime back then. She was so inexperienced in fighting, compared to how she was now, and she just relied on her shifter instincts, which got her through the whole ordeal. But some people were lost during that battle because those rogues had skill. They had killed before and they knew what they were doing. It was like the rogues from the battle tonight had no idea what, exactly, they were supposed to be doing.
Hazel was sitting right next to Lea, and Lea couldn’t help but notice that she was looking around, anxious for Ethan to come out of the meeting. Ethan was an alpha, albeit a very young and inexperienced one, from another territory. His father and Hann had known each other well, and Hann and Michael recommended that Ethan come out here with some of his pack to learn more. He greatly accepted, and Lea knew that he was just trying to do the best for his pack on a job that was pushed onto him. Lea couldn’t help but feel for Hazel. She knew what it was like to keep her feelings to herself so much it hurt, and as she looked at her best friend, she realized that she was in pain from uncertainty on Ethan’s part.
The rest of Finn’s pack were also near them, and Lea found it amusing when she realized that Desmond had fallen asleep, his head resting in Tatiana’s lap. Lorelei was wide-eyed and searching around the room, waiting for news on what happened. Lea felt bad for the girl. She had been through a lot in the last few days, and she was barely holding it together.
Lea realized that she, herself, had been through a lot in the last few days, too. A rogue had almost attacked and murdered her when no one else was around. She had been in an emotional turmoil state of mind with everything regarding Finn. It was almost like the last few days had happened so long ago. Lea felt like she was thinking about the distant past, not the near past. The battle had drained her, and she began to think of her life in separate ways. Her life before the attack, and her life after the attack.
The need to hear what the alphas were talking about was almost too much for the room. The anticipation, fear, and confusion were evident in the air, as well as on everyone's faces. Some people talked, but the most just sat there in silence, some of them sleeping because of the exhaustion that they felt from the battle. Even though those rogues weren’t trained or good fighters.
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Lea whispered to Finn. She rested her head on his shoulder, and when she felt his arm pull her to his side, the butterflies in her stomach started acting up again.
Lea saw her brothers notice this and shift slightly before turning away. She was thankful that they weren’t going to say anything. She didn’t think she could handle it if one of them said something about her and Finn after all that everyone had been through tonight. She realized that they understood this. But that didn’t mean they wouldn’t question her over it later. And they’d probably get to Finn and question what his motives were before the week was over.
Lea was already dreading it.
“I don’t know,” Finn told her, sighing as he closed his eyes and tried to rest. “They’re probably trying to figure out what the hell just happened. That whole thing was just so weird. Everyone knows it, and I’m sure Hann and Michael are trying to get some intel about it. Because things just don’t add up, do they?”
"No, they don't," Lea admitted, though she was glad the rogues were taken care of. She couldn't even imagine the damage those rogues could've done if they were actually trained or good fighters. There would've been so many casualties in her pack, and she dreaded thinking about it. "I'm glad you're safe."
Finn turned his head and gently kissed her forehead, squeezing her arm and comforting her more than anyone else could. She was so lucky she had him by her side during this whole thing. She was so lucky she had him at all, period.
“I’m glad you’re okay.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but right as he opened his mouth, Hann and Michael, with the rest of the alphas and bodyguards, filed out of the room.
Everyone in the gym was now on alert. Lorelei gently hit Desmond to wake him up, hushing him when he started to complain about the bruise he was going to have. Lea’s three brothers all sat up from where they were stretched out on the floor, giving Hann and Michael all of their attention.
The room was so quiet, with everyone holding their breath and not moving a muscle, that one could hear a pin drop.
“Let me first start by saying, again, that I am so thankful none of us were lost in this horrible attack by evil, deranged members of our society,” Hann began, that easy going smile gone from his face. Lea missed it. “Let me remind you all that those rogues were a part of our society once upon a time. And they still are, regardless of how we ignore them or act like their activities don’t concern us. I think we’ve all learned today that everything they do concerns us now.”
"I am aware that you all have questions as to the unusual circumstances of this attack," Michael took over when Hann paused. The two leaders seemed to be in sync in ways that Lea found amazing. She'd never seen an Elder be so close to a shifter, even if that shifter was an alpha. She didn't think it was possible. But then again, Michael was the friendliest shifter anyone had ever encountered, though she knew the Elder could be deadly to anyone that wronged him. "I have a lot of questions, too. And I’m afraid we don’t have all the answers yet, but we are searching for them with every second we have.
We do know some things, though, and we are going to share them with you. “This attack was a distraction.”
Gasps and concerned voices spread throughout the gym, only quieting when Michael gently raised his hand. Lea couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
"I know this is all very surprising," he told them, and Lea felt like he was trying to calm them all down, which was crazy because his whole entire face and body was covered with a black hood and robe, kind of like the grim reaper. "But this is the truth. While we were busy fighting those rogues, Gabriel was meeting with leaders of his rogue community in Utah. They were able to collaborate in ways that we have no knowledge of. This was the first time Gabriel has been back in the States, that we know of, and we have sent our people there to obtain him. Of course, he wasn't there, and there was no sight or clue as to where he would've gone.
“We were also not the only pack hit. Packs around the world, mainly the packs that are working in intel to find Gabriel and these rogue leaders, as well as to find the cure for the magical poison that Gabriel has made. Therefore, Gabriel was clear to invite everyone to his place and meet with these rogues, without anyone knowing because we were all too busy fighting off the trap he sent us.
“Sadly, the other packs were not as lucky as us here in Maine. There have been some casualties, though, it’s safe to say it’s a much lower number than it could have been. We do not know what Gabriel is planning, and we have no time frame as to when the next wave of attacks will come. If they’ll come. We all now just need to be alert, as we always have been, and ready to fight.”
The room was quiet, as everyone took in what Michael had just told them. Lea sighed and shook her head. It seemed like Gabriel had won this round, and she hated that. He had gotten rid of so much rogue life, though – was that all worth it? What was his main plan, if he didn’t mind all of those rogue deaths?
“I know that this isn’t good news,” Hann took over, that easy going smile on his face again as he tried to calm the shifters in the gym. “And I know that it will only get worse from here. I think we all know that. But if we stick together, and if we unite, regardless of what pack we’re from, then we can defeat those evil enough to wish all of our friends and children dead. We are better than them, friends. But we need to unite. We need to become a family. And I’m proud to call you all my friends after tonight. The way you all looked after on another, regardless of what pack you were in, is why we will defeat Gabriel and all of those that defy us. Because we are stronger when we are united.”
A deafening clapping and shouts rose from the shifters, everyone united in that moment as they looked to their leader for courage and strength. Regardless of what pack they were from, everyone in that gym considered Hann their leader. Lea could see it in everyone’s eyes. She could see it in Finn and his pack members’ eyes.
Lea instantly felt like everything would get better – eventually. It would be hard and it would take a lot of blood and fighting, but they would beat this. They would beat those rogues and Gabriel.
They had to.