Chapter 4: A Fateful Meeting

*The next morning…*

*MIRA’S POV*

I must have finally dozed off at some point, because I awoke the next morning with my bladder nearly on the verge of bursting.

“Come on Duke,” I beckoned. Then grabbing the pocket knife for good measure, I raced toward the trees to finally relieve myself.

As Duke and I made our way back toward the van, my heightened sense of fear seemed to dissipate a bit. After all, I had been backpacking and camping for years with Gran without a single incident.

The gun shot had to have been either hunters or the rangers. The big city was far more dangerous than anything out here. I had nothing to worry about. Right? Determined not to let my fear get the better of me, I decided to explore the area a bit before making some breakfast and setting out for the day.

The early morning sun turned the misty hills a glowing pink as Duke and I strolled. I took out my phone and opened my camera in hopes of capturing the beauty around me when Duke took off into the trees, his hair standing up on his back again.

“Duke, come,” I called, but he ignored me and continued, his nose sniffing the ground in pursuit of whatever had caught his attention.

“Duke! What on earth has gotten into you?” I whispered loudly. As a well trained service dog, he rarely disobeyed. As a precaution, I pulled the knife from my pocket and warily followed after him into the trees.

When I finally caught up to Duke, he was laying in the grass beside something on the ground.

I scolded him as I approached, then stood staring in disbelief at what lay before me. It was a man, a very large and very, very naked man that was badly wounded…

***

*6 Hours Earlier…*

*TRAE’S POV*

We arrived just as the council began to gather. Grayson and I approached the other Alphas, along with their companions, as Noah disappeared into the crowd. He was acting strange, I wondered where he was scampering off to, but didn’t have time to look after him.

Today was the day I was waiting for. The day I would finally be granted the rights as Alpha of my family's once inhabited territory. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily upon my shoulders, but I knew in my heart that I was ready. I was born for this.

As planned, the gathering was small with only a handful of allied Alphas and their selected reinforcements.

My original plan was just for Grayson and I to attend, but Noah’s older brother, Blaine, had asked that I bring Noah along. He couldn't seem to get through to his younger brother and hoped that another Alpha may have better luck teaching him our ways.

Blaine had also just arrived. He greeted us and fell into step as we walked toward the old gathering hall.

As Alpha of the western territories, Blaine was a loyal ally and fierce protector of my people for years. Little did I know that his younger brother carried a secret within his heart, a treacherous one that would soon come to light.

The once great hall was now rubble and ruins after the battle that had nearly destroyed each of our packs.

But after 20 years, it was again filled with dignified wolves. They greeted me, their eyes filled with both curiosity and respect.

At only twenty three years old, I was much younger than they were. It was my duty to prove myself worthy of their trust and demonstrate that I could lead my own pack with strength and wisdom despite my age.

Grayson smiled proudly and slapped a hand on my back.

As I began to address the council, my heightened senses heard the sound of a twig breaking in the near distance.

I paused and listened for a moment, but hearing nothing else, I dismissed it and continued to speak, although a nagging feeling tugged at the corners of my mind.

Something wasn't right.

The other Alphas soon sensed the same unease and they stood and turned to face the trees.

Instinctively, I glanced at Noah and noticed him whispering nervously to someone in the crowd. When he met my gaze a wicked smile spread across his face.

“What have you done?” I asked, now certain that he had played a role.

Noah's eyes hardened. "You were weak… all of you supposed Alphas,” he growled as glowing eyes began to emerge from the trees.

My fangs grew long and I clenched my fists, trying to suppress my wolf. It was ready to rip the traitor's throat out.

“Noah, you fool! Betrayal is punishable by death! What were you thinking?!” snarled Blaine.

“You all lead like women. More worried about ‘community’ and the well being of the pack… It's f*cking pathetic!” he spit at my feet. “My leader Damon is a true Alpha. He offered me power, and I took it. Your family's territory will now belong to us."

The pack of rogue wolves now emerged from the trees to attack. We were surrounded.

But their strength was nothing compared to the four Alphas they encircled, let alone the ability of our Betas. We would rip them to shreds. Surely they knew this?

“And where is your fearless rogue leader? Did he send you here to do his dirty work for him?” I snarled.

“I'm right here.” growled a low voice.

Two of the rogue wolves stepped aside, revealing a menacing figure, Damon. His dark eyes gleamed with malice, a wolfish grin playing at the corners of his lips. In his hand, he was holding a gun and it was pointed directly at me.

“A gun?” I scoffed. "If you think you can take my territory, then face me like a wolf, you coward!"

“Oh, come now, Trae. We all know that I am no match for you,” sneered Damon. “But fortunately for me, it takes a lot more than just brute strength to lead, it takes smarts. Something each of you Alpha idiots has clearly overlooked.”

“You're a f*cking dead man,” Grayson howled, shifting into a large silver wolf.

“Attack!” shouted Damon as he pulled the trigger. The bullet barely grazed my side just as my wolf took over.

I bounded after Damon with reckless abandon.

Blood and fangs slashed through the dark night all around me.

Stopped by the sound of another gunshot, I turned to see where it had come from. Blaine lay bleeding on the ground, his brother Noah standing above him with a gun.

I changed my course and turned to attack Noah, the sniveling coward, when I heard Grayson’s voice in my mind.

“Trae, what are you doing? Those are silver bullets. They aren’t after me and the other Betas. They are after the Alphas. Run! I will stay and happily kill every last one of these mother fuckers myself!” he urged.

“No. I’m not leaving. I refuse to give these low lifes that kind of satisfaction.”

“With all due respect, you won’t do the pack any good as a dead Alpha.”

Grayson cast me a quick glance and then returned to battle.

At that moment, the air crackled with tension. But before I could react, a searing pain shot through me. I yelped and looked down to see a silver bullet lodged in my chest.

The silver was weakening me more with every passing second, making it impossible for the wound to heal rapidly.

As I fell to my knees, the sound of the rogue wolves cheering over their victory filled my ears.

“Grayson!” I called out. “Grayson!”

But Grayson did not respond.

My vision grew hazy, and darkness descended upon me like a shroud…