Warning: This story contains violence and abusive themes. Read with caution and at your own discretion.
It was not a long walk to the gate, but it was a tense one. She didn't tell the boys why they were going to the front gate or what the howl was. All they knew is that she knew something they didn't. They didn't like it, but the determined strides that Ada was making had them holding off their questions.
Once at the gate, Ada came to a stop, and she waited. She could smell them out there, and knew the others could too. They shifted uncomfortably, but she remained still, her dark eyes scanning the darkness beyond. It felt like they were standing there for hours before a figure emerged from the darkness.
"Ada! What a surprise. Here I thought the injuries you sustained were enough to kill you." Kyle laughed. Ada kept her face an unreadable mask.
"You already knew I was alive." She countered as she crossed her arms.
"How long have you had your claws in the beta?" She asked, Kyle grinning darkly.
"I should have known you would figure it out. It was always hard to pull the wool over your eyes." Kyle purred to her. Growls from the boys with her sounded their disapproval and Kyle laughed.
"It seems you've managed to become a leader of your own group after all. Good on you. How long did it take and how many did you have to sleep with?" He grinned darkly and Ada put her hand out to stop Vincent from rushing the gate.
"I'm not a leader. I'm part of this pack." She started firmly, to which he just snorted.
"Once a rogue always a rogue." Kyle said to her darkly. Ada simply stared at him. She knew that he was trying to get under her skin, and she was not about to let him.
"Unlike you, I'm open to change." She countered and he just laughed.
"The Valkyrie?" He asked, as if the very idea were nothing more than a joke.
"Where is the Alpha and Luna?" She demanded. Kyle put on a fake pout.
"So serious. Can we not play?" Kyle asked as he grinned, but the blank expression he got back from Ada showed him that she was not up for his games.
"Ugh. Fine. They're dead." He said flippantly. Vincent started forward again, wanting to speak but Ada stopped him.
"You would not kill them. They are too high value a target for you to just kill. To take over a pack you need a way to weaken it. Taking and holding the Alpha and Luna is the perfect way to do that." Ada pointed out and a sour expression came to Kyle's face.
"So you haven't forgotten everything you were taught." He grumbled.
"Even if there are still hints of the old you in there, you've thrown your lot in with pack wolves. You'll go down with them." He warned.
"The only way you could ever defeat me and my pack, is if you teamed up with the humans and brought guns." She said lazily and Kyle growled at her. He was not at all happy that he could not get to her.
"You will regret your decision, Ada. We still know how to hurt you." He hissed before he backed into the shadows and was gone. There was silent for a few moments, Vincent being the one to break the silence.
"Why didn't you let me kill him?!" He roared, spinning to face Ada who still looked unimpressed.
"Because he was not alone. He had at least seven other wolves with him. Attacking him now would not have done anything. There are a few others leading this army. Taking out just one leader would allow another to take their place. That's just how it works." She told him, turning to face him now and looking into his face.
"We have to keep a calm head if we want to win this. You cant let them get under your skin. Once you do, you will have no way of stopping them." She watched his face slowly drop and he sighed heavily.
"You're right. I'm sorry." He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against her own as he sighed.
"Dont apologize. Channel it into your actions." She told him, then kissed his nose.
The tension in the pack compound was oppressive. Ada and Vincent spread word of where the Beta's alliances truly lay. Some of those that had sided with him left, but he still had a small group of fifteen people. Though they claimed they were still loyal to the Alpha, they would hear none of what Vincent was saying and remained beside the traitor. This forced Vincent's hand.
The beta and those that still followed him were exiled from the compound. He could not exile them from the pack because he was not the Alpha that they were sworn loyal to, but he was going to make sure that everyone else would be safe.
"I wish I was wrong." Ada said to Vincent with a sigh as he pulled her I to his arms and held her firmly against him.
"I'm glad your not. It means my parents are still out there alive somewhere." He said to her and kissed her neck.
"I'll work on a plan to get them back." She wrapped her arms around him.
The next few days were tense. The training was ramped up and defences were added to the walls. Patrols were set up with rotating scheduals every three hours, and the four spent their time training and planning. Ada knew that the fighting was going to be starting soon and they were going to have to deal with the fall out after.
The plan was to break off a small war party and make for the rogues camp. They would raid it, kill any leaders and take back any prisoners that were there, including Vincent's parents. Ada did consider that they might not be there, but many rogue leaders liked to toy with their enemies. They would want to keep the Alpha and Luna close by to torment the entire pack.