Chapter Nineteen
Caleb and the eleven pack mates he’d brought with him all parked several blocks away. It was too bad that Thomas was still recovering from his silver injuries, given that one of his best talents was knocking heads.
Still, if all went well, they wouldn’t need an all-out assault. That depended on a number of things, though, including getting the drop on the True Sons.
The rest of the pack surrounded him in a half-circle, and he gave them all a nod in turn, looking for anyone who looked uneasy. Even Malcolm looked eager for battle.
“You all know what to do,” Caleb said. “Follow the plan that I sent in the text. If the True Sons mess the plan up, then follow your instincts. But no matter what happens, Jake Silvestri is mine.” With that he shifted. The other eleven shifted.
Caleb let out a long, low growl. He wanted to raise his head and howl, but that would let their enemy know they were on the way.
No. Today they would surprise the True Sons and make them ever regret setting foot in Devil’s Den. He’d prove to Greg and the King that his pack was to be respected.
The wolves padded through the darkened streets, into an alley, and into the warehouse area. Caleb sniffed the air every once in a while, seeking scents, human, wolf, or otherwise. The faint traces of the True Sons hung in the air.
Caleb caught the much stronger stench of BO and alcohol. He let out a low growl and stopped. The rest of the pack halted.
A disheveled vagrant holding a paper bag turned the corner. His eyes widened at the sight of the twelve huge wolves.
Caleb tilted his head, staring into the man’s eyes, reaching into the beast within him and pushing it toward the man with a bit of concentration.
The man stared back. A paper bag containing a wine bottle slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a clink.
The alpha let out a low growl, concentrating harder. A second later, the vagrant collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Animal magnetism. The poor sucker would remember nothing once he woke up, but at least he wasn’t dead.
The pack continued padding forward, still sticking to the shadows.
A low growl from Remy caught Caleb’s attention. The other wolf had spotted the bikes of the True Sons. Remy crept forward and padded toward the warehouse, waiting for a second before padding back.
The scout shifted back into his red-headed human form and whispered, “They are all still there. I counted all thirteen on the first floor.” He shifted back into his wolf form
Caleb snort growled. Too cocky. The damn True Sons thought they still held the upper-hand. Still thought they were untouchable because they were hiding like roaches instead of standing tall like real wolves.
He nodded his head once. All the other wolves nodded and burst into a sprint, quickly surrounding the building. Caleb leapt directly toward a window. The crash of the many wolves smashing through windows was deafening.
His pack surrounded the True Sons. The bikers all shifted. Snapping and growling filled the room.
Everything was going according to plan. He didn’t want to just surprise them and kill them all. He had a point to make, and that required survivors.
Caleb shifted back into human form. “The only reason we’re not fighting yet is because I don’t think all of you True Sons are pussies. So I give you some respect.” He pointed at Jake, remembering his wolf form from their first encounter. “He’s the pussy. When he first showed up at Devil’s Den, I challenged him, and he sent someone else to fight for him, and then he ran.” He growled. “So I’m going to make this easy. I think we should resolve things alpha to alpha. If I die, my pack gets the fuck out of this area, and you get to tell everyone in Arizona how badass the True Sons are. If Jake dies, then you all get on those bikes and leave.”
Jake shifted back into human form. “This is bullshit. What, are you too pussy to fight me pack to pack?”
“Hey, I took on two of your guys by myself already. I just don’t think your pack should have to suffer because you’re a weak coward.”
“We’ll see who the coward is when we gut you.”
Several of the True Sons shifted back into human form. The bald bastard who’d threatened Sarah snorted. “Drakeyboy is right. If he’s wolf enough to challenge Jake, then Jake should be wolf enough to challenge him.”
The rest of the True Sons shifted and started chanting, “Challenge! Challenge! Challenge!”
“All right already,” Jake shouted. “I’m going to be kicking some asses once I’m done kicking Caleb Drake’s ass.” He glared at Caleb. “But if I win, I’m also taking the sweet pussy of that Blooded.”
Caleb snorted. “I hope that’s the last thing you’re thinking when you die.”
His pack spread out on one side, and the True Sons shifted and spread out on the other side.
“I’m going to really enjoy this, Jake,” Caleb said.
“I hope you enjoy hell. You’re going there soon,” Jake snarled. “And soon your bitch will be moaning my name.” He shifted.
Caleb shifted and immediately jumped to the side. The two wolves collided, biting, scratching. Blood stained their fur.
They jumped away from each other and snarled. Pain radiated from several parts of Caleb’s body, but he didn’t care. He could already feel the wounds healing, and Jake wasn’t in much better shape.
Both wolves charged each other again, but this time Jake slid under the leaping Caleb and raked his underside with his claws. His stomach on fire, Caleb landed on the ground, growling.
The two went at each other again, both getting a few bites on the legs and heads in but nothing fatal.
Caleb backed up, snapping and growling at Jake. The other wolf returned the favor.
Ignoring the pain and not waiting for the wounds to heal, Caleb bolted for his side. Jake charged, but then Caleb leapt to the other side. He spun around just in time to leap on Jake’s back and brought his jaw down on the other wolf’s neck.
Jake tried to fling him off, but Caleb tightened his grip. With a crunch of his neck, Jake collapsed to the ground, shifting back into human form, unconscious, his head angled far to the side.
He’d live and regenerate if Caleb walked away, but then this wouldn’t be over. The True Sons would think Caleb was weak, and they’d keep coming again and again, until one of his pack died.
No. Jake accepted the challenge, knowing the stakes. Caleb would expect no mercy if their roles were reversed.
He flipped Jake over and raised his head, letting out a triumphant howl.
All the other wolves, his pack and the True Sons alike, joined in the howl.
Now he just had to finish it. Claws and fangs did their work, and soon Jake’s heart was removed.
Caleb shifted back, wiping some of the blood off his face. “Jake Silvestri is dead. Who’s his beta?”
A middle-aged man with fading blond hair stepped forward and bowed his head in reverence. “You’re not to be fucked with Caleb Drake. I’ll give you that.”
Caleb resisted the urge to shift and attack the man. Even though he wanted to, he wouldn’t risk more of his pack getting hurt just for revenge. The best way to protect his pack was to make sure that the True Sons left.
“Get the hell out of my city before I change my mind. I’ll take care of Jake’s body and his bike.”
The True Sons all shifted back to human and filed out, sparing a glance for their dead alpha lying on the ground. More than a few offered Caleb a reserved nod, newfound respect in their eyes.
When the last biker had exited, the rest of Caleb’s pack shifted.
“Are you sure they’ll leave town?” Malcolm said.
“They have no alpha now. Even if that guy becomes the new alpha, their whole pack dynamic is gonna be off for a while.” Caleb shook his head. “No, if they were going to stand and fight, they would have done it already.”
“And you’re satisfied?” Malcolm said.
Caleb snorted. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t know if you wanted to kill some of the guys who had gone after Sarah.”
“I already had the chance.” Caleb shook his head. “Jake is dead. This shit is done. We’ve spilled enough blood for now. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”