Caught Between a Mate and Love

Chapter 20: Rushing in Slo-Mo

Rita's POV

I would never have been prepared, despite the week of training heavily. I learned several things that night in battle. The most important being that fighting by yourself is easier than watching your partner fight. The next is to pay attention only to yourself and your enemy while fighting, because watching a pack member die might result in your sudden death. The last was that I never wanted to kill another person even if it meant I would be killed, again. Ever.

Debbie's warning was extremely helpful to us. The soldiers readied themselves while the rest of the pack prepared for the worst. They had to wait for us to either drag our half-dead bodies to the nursing tents hidden in a warehouse I didn't know the town had (which apparently was used for, ahem, 'mob uses'), or to stride sadly from the end of it.

I stood, pistol in my bra (it was brass on the outside), and knife in hand. I went over ways to get out of strongholds, how to shoot at someone's eye when they were trying to squeeze the life out of you, and how Chris preferred to move, while my fellow Unit 1 members ordered lower ranks or mentally prepared themselves. Chris's Beta, John, kept pacing before me, which made me more nervous than I should have been. He was strong, like Chris, and if he was nervous then I should be too.

Probably due to our strong senses, nearly every wolf's head turned when we heard the McClellans walk through the woods, towards us. Not a sound was made from our side, except for those getting into position. Unit 1 was not at front, but two units behind, so the Alphas would have a greater chance of living through this. Two rows of men from several packs were in front of us and before them was a row of wolves. A mix of men and wolves were behind us while most of the girls and smaller guys lined the trees, ready to signal us and then pounce on the unassuming wolf who might trot beneath their chosen tree.

Then, the five witches who I knew and resented were behind us all, setting up charms and enchantments in protection of themselves first, and defenses for us second. Thankfully, it never mattered to me that Zack was back there, probably playing with magic. Even when I tested myself to look back at him and Sarah, all I felt was scared for me and Chris, but slightly uncaring for anyone else. Even Zack.

I didn't look at Chris, he didn't look at me. We simply set up a private channel between us, while keeping the other channels open to Alphas and soldiers alike.

I'm going to step in front of you. I didn't object. As they got closer, both wolf and man versions of the McClellans were ugly and frightening. They were big, but not through genetics. It was like being near the lake again. You could feel an evil magic rolling off them and even see it in their distorted forms; I wanted to back away, all the way to my room and hide under the covers, but I made a commitment.

Instead of waiting for them to jump on us, we had those first rows before Unit 1 rush towards them. Watching the fight was surreal. It was a nightmare. I saw my own brother, as a wolf, weave through monsters, taking out his sized wolves, or whatever he was doing. He was too skinny, even if he was tall, but it made his wolf long and lanky, which was a good target for the McClellans to snap at.

I saw men die, mostly on our side, and I saw them kill. Before I knew it, Chris was leading us in after them, with the unit behind us. I had several options, especially as the only one with a gun and a hundred bullets. Or so. I had a lot.

Chris, I want you to stay near me here, I stopped before we got in the middle of it. He grunted and circle around to me, not touching anyone else. I've got a better shot right here.

I un-holstered my gun, took out another round to keep in my left hand and nodded to Chris to let him know I was ready. He stood to the front-right of me, leaving me space to miss him and shoot openly. I pointed at the nearest McClellan and shot. Between my shots and the roars of wolves, I don't know who was louder. I was deafened, even to Chris's channel. I didn't think twice, only shot. I did my best to shoot around my side, and if it was too close, I let them fight alone and found another target.