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I was too scared to open my mouth. Ben’s dad, Michael, was smiling warmly at me. I couldn’t trust his kindness, though, could I? He should be outraged by all of this. I felt Ben lightly nudge my side with his elbow. I shut down my fear and tried to focus. Michael held his outstretched hand in obvious anticipation.
I cleared my throat and stepped forward. “Pleasure to meet you, sir,” I said while shaking his hand.
Michael nodded once, dropped my hand and turned to Ben. “Let’s see how fast we can sort this mess out, shall we?” He fell silent for a moment, getting a dazed look in his eyes. A few seconds later, three wolves burst out of the shadows and made a break for the woods, presumably to follow the three runaways that had just confessed to murder and kidnapping.
“Come, boys,” Michael looked between Ben and I while gesturing. “They’re waiting for us.”
A strange feeling filled my chest as I looked at the auditorium packed full of people. It reminded me of my first day here. It had been a mere two weeks ago, but it felt like a lifetime. A few things were different this time, however. I was standing on the stage in the front of the crowd with Silverblood packmembers surrounding me. Blackheart pack was nowhere to be found, even the children had been evacuated last night already. Nobody under eighteen was allowed into the auditorium today, anyway. Councilmembers, excluding Joseph Morgan, huddled together in one corner while whispering to each other. Guard members from the Silver Circle stood at attention by the doors.
I gulped.
There was a loud click as the microphone was switched on and Michael stepped forward. A hush fell across the gathered crowd and heads were bowed in respect to the leader of the Council.
“I won’t waste our time here,” Michael’s booming voice filled the room. “Everyone here knows that the Galager Pack was murdered in cold blood. We suspected it to be rogue wolves, but recent evidence and the testimony of a few people has changed our minds. Members from Blackheart pack conspired with rogues to murder the Galager pack.” Gasps sounded.
The corner of my mouth tugged up. Ben and his dad had convinced the council to listen to me as I told them what I saw on the tapes that day. Other councilmembers were then brave enough to step forward and share their stories of blackmail and abuse at the hands of Joseph Morgan. All of it had happened within an hour after my first meeting with Michael and now we were finally taking action against my family’s murderers.
“The mass murder of the world’s strongest pack was a tragedy to say the least. The pack was cought off guard, raided from the inside while gravely outnumbered. The fight was over before it even began and the dishonorable side rose as victors. The Galager pack was taken out by people who they considered trustworthy allies, and they will always be remembered.” Michael cleared his throat and Finn could relate since his heart tightened painfully. “On the other hand, Blackheart pack will always be remembered as the pack that betrayed their people. They called in the help of nearly a hundred rogues across the world and compensated them nicely for their contribution in this murder plot.”
A murmer ran through the crowd. Nobody had missed the comment about how Blackheart pack will be remembered, as if their going extinct was already a done deal. The three runaway wolves from Blackheart pack that had been left behind to kill me along with the beta had been caught after a short chase through the woods, they were still young after all. They were interrogated and gave up the information quickly enough after the Council promised to spare their lives. They would be facing only mild persecution since they didn’t even participate in the murder and a pack will then be found to place them with.
“Yes. You heard me right,” Michael continued. “Blackheart pack has further tainted their image by kidnapping one of the Silverblood packmembers, Declan O’Donnell, and trying to murder my son’s mate, Finn Galager.” More shocked gasps filled the room. I guess the news of my and Ben’s relationship hadn’t had time to spread yet. Through the gasps, though, I could also hear growls and snarls from the Silverblood pack. I smiled. My pack.
“Therefore,” Michael continued as if he had never been interrupted, “it would be in our best interest to ensure that this sort of threat to our kind does not walk free in this world. A raiding part will set off today to invade Blackheart pack and bring these perpetrators to justice. Our goal will be to capture them alive and let the justice system handle them.”
Ben bumped his arm agaist mine. “Or to execute anyone who refuse to come quietly,” he whispered.
A malicious smile spread across my face.
“But first, I would like to grant my son, Benjamin Thorne, future Alpha of the Silverblood pack, the opportunity to welcome his mate into our pack.”
My heart stopped for a second before it stuttered back to life and started speeding like a train. Ben flashed me a smile and took the microphone from his father.
“Finn, the moment that I laid eyes on you, I knew that you spelled trouble for me. Today, in front of all these witnesses, I want to tell you how much I love you and how big a part of my heart you are by officially making you a part of this pack. I can’t offer you much, Galager, but I can offer you a family that will stand by you no matter what.”
I felt tears sting my eyes. I’d thought that I would never have a family again. Ben’s presence in my life had hit me like a bus, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Ben reached out his hand to me and I took it without hesitation.
“You ready?” Ben whispered. I couldn’t do anything but nod and hope that my answer shone through my eyes. Ben brought my wrist to his lips. He paused a moment to kiss it first and the whole crowd went “aww”. I felt the slight sting as his wolf canines descended from his gums and broke skin.
My discomfort was short lived as I felt the thoughts of hundreds of packmembers fill my head once more. I’ve missed it over the months. Ben pulled back and gripped my hand tight. The bite would heal within a few minutes. Ben drew me close to him and said into the microphone, “Welcome to Silverblood pack, my mate.”
***
Everybody in position? I jumped slightly when I heard Michael’s voice in my head. I wasn’t used to using the pack link anymore.
Yes, Alpha. The replies started coming in from all around. At least one Silverblood packmember was with every team to make communication easier. Over two hundred wolves from forty different packs had joined us in this mission. The official reason was Declan’s rescue, but everybody had a little hunger for revenge in their hearts for the Galager pack’s murder.
Let’s move in. Michael gave the command and the fighters, now all shifted and in wolf form, surged forward as one. Ben and I ran side by side to sniff out our targets. It took us less than five minutes to find Hunter and Joseph huddled in an office in the packhouse. They weren’t even trying to save their pack. Dozens of howls could be heard throughout their lands as their warriors went down. What kind of alphas were they?
They both spun away from the second floor window to face us as we burst through the door. Our orders were clear. If they surrendered, we would take them in for questioning and probably a lifetime of confinement. If they showed any resistance then we were entitled to self defence. I really hoped they resisted.
I smiled inwardly as I heard the sound of fabric ripping. The had shifted into their wolves. I left Ben to deal with Hunter and started circling Joseph. He snarled at me and snapped his jaws. I could still see his smug face as he looked into the camera lens on those tapes that I’d seen. It must have been seconds before he’d murdered my father. Rage drove me into action.
I pounced forward. We smashed through the giant window and fell the short distance into the yard of the packhouse. I rolled and landed upright, facing him once more. I could hear the battle reaching its end around us. People were surrendering left and right. Most had just been following their alpha’s command and had no lust for violence.
Joseph ran at me and I sidestepped him. He could tire himself out if he really wanted to. I wasn’t going to stop him. He snapped at me again. I could see wolves appearing all around us now. Onlookers, most likely.
Joseph barreled forward again just as I launched myself into the air. My claws raked over his back very deliberately before my paws touched the ground again. He was left torn and bleeding. A howl sounded from inside the house. I would recognise the sound anywhere. It was the sound of someone dying. I looked up to see Ben’s dark eyes looking down at me. He had already finished Hunter off.
I trained my attention on Joseph again. He didn’t even look bothered by the death of his son. He continued to snarl and snap at me. I was getting bored of putting on a show. He wasn’t even that good of an opponent. I surged forward in a rush and locked my jaws around his neck. I shook him lightly until I felt his body go limp.
I lifted my eyes to the wolves slowly stepping into view all around me as Joseph Morgan’s lifeless body hit the ground with a thud. The fight was over. I had found justice for my family’s murder.
Ben jumped down from the window and landed gracefully on the grass. He walked over to me and nuzzled my neck affectionately.
Harry stepped into my view. I looked to him questioningly and he shook his head lightly. We searched the entire packhouse and found Declan tied up, beaten and bruised in the basement. Harry tore through the chains as if they were made of cotton candy and while Declan could barely lift his head, he looked happy enough when he met his mate’s eyes that I think Harry had worried about nothing.
The next few weeks were spent finding a place for the former members of Blackheart pack, since most had surrendered. Silverblood refused to take any of the warriors who had fought and killed my family, but we found a place for forty ordinary members, including a lot of the children who were going to become Silverblood warriors in the future.
Now, with a hundred and seventy two packmembers, Silverblood can proudly confirm their position as the strongest pack in the world.
Ben and I had to return to Westridge Academy after all the excitement for our final year of training. Michael called us into his office near the end of that year and told us of his plans to step down as Alpha and Councilman the next year. Ben and I started planning how we would change the pack -our pack- as soon as we became the leaders.
The Silver Circle offered the position of Werewolf Leader to someone of Silverblood pack’s choosing. Michael left the decision to Ben, as he would have to deal with the consequences in the future anyway. Ben gave one sly smirk in his father’s direction and I stepped into the role I had trained my whole life for as a member of the Circle.
It was nearing the end of the year when Ben froze one night and just stared into my eyes. I frowned up at him. We had been in the middle of something that one didn’t ordinarily interrupt.
“I love you, Finn.” I opened my mouth to reply, but Ben held his finger to my lips to stop my words. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want the world to know that you are mine. Can I mark you?”
I didn’t give a verbal answer. I didn’t think that I could form any coherent words, let alone a full sentence. I just held him tighter and bared my neck to him, submitting fully to my mate. His teeth sank into my skin and after I had returned the favor, we were bound together for the rest of our lives.
I closed my eyes that night with a contented smile on my face as my mate lay sleeping in my arms.
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