Striking Iron

I deserved the looks I was getting from both my packmates. We'd left the others at our den. I was alpha, I could stop the looks and side glances if I wished, but I knew they had the right to questions my motives. I could hear Colt and Zilla's pads thump to the rhythm of mine. I saw Nina's wavering loyalty in my memories.

"Nick, please, think about this. We will die if the rumors are true. There is no greater treason." Nina pleaded when I finished telling her my plan.

I looked away from her eyes, unable to stand the pain within them. "Nina," I whispered, soft enough that no one trying to listen would be able to hear, "If the rumors are true, not one of the packs stands a chance. Our war with their kind had raged longer than the one with the vampires. And now they've infiltrated the agents?" I shook my head, "Nina, we don't have many options."

"Nick, I will stand with you, but deep down, I feel as if we are on the verge of losing each other." Nina ran her hands through her hair, then defeated she said, "Take Zilla and Colt on your mission. I will stay and do my best to hold things down. I'll lead the mission to Emporia."

She looked so determined. It was rare we ever disagreed, but we continued to have each other's back. I gathered her in my arms, feeling at peace when she returned my hug.

"Stubbe." Mark hollered.

I kissed Nina on her forehead, "I will be careful, I will be back, and I love you."

Colt's low whine brought me back to the present. Still running, I looked to my right, his ears in a sharp fold. I slowed my pace, hoping to hear what had tipped Colt. Colt slowed until he finally stopped. Zilla and I prepared for an attack, having seen this behavior before.

Colt brought his snout high, trying to catch a scent. After a minute, he shook his head. When he turned back to us, he lifted his shoulders.

I couldn't remember a time when Colt had been wrong about oncoming danger. It was the reason he was my beta male. I looked in the forest behind him. When nothing showed, I came to a plan. I looked at Zilla and Colt. They were patient while awaiting an order. I took off on a path in the opposite direction we'd been heading.

I ran the pack into a little patch of woods outside a diner. I turned back into my human form. Zilla finished before Colt and me.

As she dressed, she asked, "We are eating at the dinner, yes?"

I laughed, "Yes, we will pick up dinner inside. We have to talk."

Two things turned positive. The diner was open twenty-four hours, and the place was empty besides the staff at this hour. We walked in, the waitress was quick to side-eye our clothing, but given the heat in her eyes, she wasn't going to kick Colt or me out for not having shirts.

We made normal conversation until our food arrived, and the waitress headed to the back.

"What did you hear, Colt?" I asked.

"Stubbe," Colt shook his head. It took him a minute to think of an answer, his eyes begging me when he finally looked up, "I swear, I heard something behind us, there was no scent, then after we starting running again," he shrugged. "Maybe, I'm losing my touch."

"Could it have been the witches?" Zilla asked, the horror clear on her face.

"It would explain the sudden disappearances," Colt admitted.

"They don't have any reason to track us. We've continued to keep our end of the bargain," I reasoned.

"My skin would crawl, Stubbe, and then it would stop, only to start right back up. Someone is following us, and with what we are planning to do in Michigan," Colt leaned back in his booth, not wanting to say what he felt needed to be said. "We can't have anyone knowing that we will be in Michigan, Stubbe." Colt amended.

I nodded, then shook my head. "We don't have any other choice but to go to Michigan. Ansbach can't be the leader of the werewolves. He doesn't believe that the Gewieldas Stefna walks with us on this earth. Ansbach will lead us into gynecide blindly."

"Those agents will kill us without asking any questions, especially if they have a Gewieldas Stefna among them. Stubbe, you are talking about man hunting. And leaving the bodies for the humans to find." Colt rubbed his face. "Have you thought this through?"

"Colt," I sighed, "I wish there were another way. We will be out of town before the agents show up. We will attack the humans with great care and separate our kills. It will slow down the agents. And by then, we'll have framed Ansbach pack and be far away from there. I promise you, both of you. I know this is a disgusting sport, but I will command what is necessary for my pack."

"I'll follow you, Stubbe."

"I, as well," Zilla said behind Colt.

"Eat," I ordered.

I knew their loyalty ran deep. I was alpha and, I expected nothing less. It was I who was leading my beta's into a valley of death. A valley that would possibly swallow more than my entire pack if I didn't proceed with care.

I finished my meal as an encouragement, I'm sure it was good, but I lost my taste. Whether it was my pack or those of my kind, if I did nothing, it was no better than helping the agents slaughter what we had left of my population.

Humans breed like rats. The world filled its brim with the creatures. Surely the other humans wouldn't miss a mere ten of their kind. They killed more than that daily. I refused to become a servant of the Gewieldas Stefna or subject my people to their ways. Even if it meant I had to sacrifice a few of mine own. I considered the fairness of my choices as we headed out of the restaurant.

Zilla led the way, with her adoring Colt following her. I trailed behind the two, memories of our first time crossing paths swarming in my head. I couldn't ask for a better beta set. I smiled, knowing what I had to do.

As we got to a safe spot in the woods, I held up my hand, stopping them in their process of shifting.

"We'll run as far as we can, then we'll get a car to drive ourselves around inside of Ann Arbor, but ultimately we're going to stay in our wolf form as much as possible. The humans that reside inside of Ann Arbor can not spot us. We need to scare them, but we're not trying to attract their attention. Doing so will mean that the agents won't be far behind us. We only need Ansbach to get close enough. There are a few nature areas outside Ann Arbor. We'll scout until we find the right one to hold up in until we complete our mission."

"Hmm, you know it's been a while since we've been in our wolf forms for an extended amount of time," Zilla said, with a smile firm on her face.

Colt laughed, "Let's go."

I nodded. I knew options were weighed and chose to stick by my side. I would make them proud, I vowed to myself.