Thorn (Werewolf) ✔

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"If Cole doesn't return with her then I promise we will go back out there and find her," Dominic says. "But in the meantime, you need to get your pack ready." He passes me a bag like the one that's already in my hand. "It's the cure. It'll stop them from transitioning tonight as long as they take it before sunset. Get your hands on some guns and you might stand a chance."

"Take it back to them." I give the bag to Kira.

Her eyes soften with sadness. "You're not taking it?"

"I have to know that she's safe."

"She isn't, Thorn. None of us are! That army isn't just coming to wipe out the mountain. They're coming for all of us. We have maybe three guns between thirty of us. How the hell is that...?" Kira's head twists over mine.

"Do you hear that?" Sky says.

I listen like the rest of them as a set of vibrations come running towards us from the west. The vibrations are weighted as human but they're running too fast to be human.

"One of yours?" I ask Shadow.

He shakes his head. "I told them to stay on the mountain. One of yours?"

"Everyone's back at the camp," Kira says.

"It could be Cole," Sky says fearfully.

My teeth snarl. "I hope it is."

The vibrations slow down but there are more of them heading this way. Lots more. Shadow drifts to Kira's side and takes her hand. So much for her rejecting him. I knew he'd talk her out of it. Sky and Dominic cower into the tree.

A man with blonde hair walks through the clearing. He places his hands up in a surrender position.

"That's Malachi," says Sky. "The alpha that was going to trade the weapons to Cole."

Devon told me about him. She sounded like she trusted him. By Sky and Dominic's reaction, they don't.

"What is he doing here?" Kira says.

"Let's ask him."

I walk towards the mysterious alpha and we meet halfway. His people stay back in the trees, observing from a distance.

"Are you Thorn?"

I nod.

"So you know that I'm telling the truth." He reveals something dusty and grey in his hands. It's my book. The one that I gave to Devon. I run my hands over it slowly. "She really is quite something."

"She told you to come here?"

"Yes, she was supposed to meet us. She saved one of my pack members so I owed her." He flicks his hand behind him and a man walks towards us carrying a large bag that even he is struggling to hold. "The weapons that you need to fight Cole." Malachi rubs his chin regretfully. "I told Devon that I would join our forces but this doesn't feel like my fight. I have interfered with a war between two alphas before and it did not end well. I hope the weapons can pay my debt."

What he really means is that he won't go against Cole because he might need access to his rare herbs in the future and there's no chance of him getting them if Cole sees him fighting on my side. It's a strategy that I'd use too.

I kneel down at the large bag, pulling the zip across. Holy shit. Kira walks closer too. She picks out a powerful launcher and studies it with excitement.

"I was wrong about her. The girl came through."

Malachi clears his throat. "There's more." More of his pack cross the clearing with heavy bags, dropping them at my feet. "GPS trackers. Spy equipment. Poisons. They are not labelled so make sure your pack does not confuse them for herbal remedies."