No Substitutions [Welcome To Wolf's Peak] (manxman)

Chapter Nine - The Friend Of My Enemy

Austin's POV

I was checking on patrols and I'd just stopped at Peter's patrol area to ask if he'd had any problems. Things had been very quiet lately and all of the rogue traps had been coming up empty. "Anything to report, Peter?" I was in my human form but Peter, like the others on patrol, had shifted to his wolf form.

~No Austin everything's been as it should. I thought I caught a strange scent earlier but there was nothing there when I went to check it out.~

"If you notice it again link myself or-" A noise caught my attention and I turned to face the woods just outside our east border. Theo and Charles trotted up to us and growled in the direction of the noise. "Hold your positions unless threatened."

A man broke through the bush followed by five wolves and stood sneering at us from the edge of our territory. I locked eyes with him refusing to back down from his blatant challenge. "Explain yourself," I growled.

"I will explain myself to no one but your Alpha," he replied coolly.

"And who should I tell him is demanding to speak with him?" I watched his wolves from the corners of my eyes, I didn't trust these strangers and I wasn't about to let Bram fall into some kind of trap.

"I am Harold, Beta of The Viper Moon Pack and these are my enforcers." He indicated to the five others.

I suppressed my growl at the mention of the pack who had mistreated Mouse. My gut told me that this was a set up for something else. Had Maurice made a plan with Harold and his Alpha?

~Bram?~ I called out through the link.

~Yes, what is it Austin?~ Came the tired sounding reply. Since his son had been born Bram had been trying to take his turn on the baby night shift. He was always tired the day after.

~We have unexpected guests by the east border and their Beta wants to speak with you.~ I narrowed my eyes at Harold who was silently standing in front of me staring at me.

~Which pack do they belong to?~ He sighed.

~Viper Moon.~

~God damn it!~ His growl reverberated over the pack link and I could hear howls in the distance as well as the pounding of large paws on earth. Bram was coming and he was bringing company.

Bram burst through the underbrush followed closely by at least fifteen of the Guard and he shifted immediately. "What is the meaning of this? You dare to come near my territory without so much as a call to inform me that you were in the area?" Bram bellowed.

"Our apologies Alpha Bram." Harold's smile was overly sweet and I doubted that Bram was buying into it anymore than I was. "We were following a lead on a rogue. We were told he was in your territory."

"A rogue?" Bram scoffed.

"Yes. The rogue is the son of our Alpha. He abandoned his pack and his position within it. We are seeking him for the right to retribution. His name is Kennedy but he goes by the nick name Mouse. Have you seen him Alpha?" The Beta's expression said that he already knew the answer to that question.

"Yes, I have seen him," Bram said crossing his arm over his chest. "He is a member of my pack and I know for a fact that he did not abandon either his position or his poor excuse for a pack, you are the ones who tortured him."

"That is a lie!" Harold spat. "That little bastard entered into a verbal agreement to mate my son and then broke that agreement. I want retribution, bring him here now!"

"If you have proof of your claims I suggest that you take it up with the council. I am not handing Kennedy over to you or anyone else in your pack. Peter make sure that these six leave without any trouble please." ~I've assigned some of the Guard to follow them and keep me updated on where they go and what they do.~ Bram told me through the link.