winter of orphic love | ot7 poly |

Chapter 26 The Ambush

Valentine's eyes are downcast. "They stayed behind but one is gravely injured. They'll be handled. Don't worry about it."

Jimin gasps as a cold terror shoots through his system. Taehyung and Yoongi!

Xander nods. "And the radio station?"

"It should be our's within the hour."

"Excellent."

Seokjin draws in a breath and yells, "Where's Alpha Nikolas?"

Xander reacts with a violent jerk and he glowers at Seokjin. "I'm the Alpha here! You won't speak that name in my presence! He's dead, I killed him, and I'm in charge!"

"Aren't you a treat?" Seokjin mutters in distaste. "Where are my packmates?" he asks, projecting his voice to echo through the air.

Xander scoffs in response. "You should be more worried about yourself."

A small flicker of hope alights in Jimin. He didn't answer him. They may not have captured them, after all.

"Why are you doing this?" Seokjin questions. He steps in front of Jungkook and grabs his hand behind his back. Jungkook is struggle to maintain a human form. Jimin can't stop looking at the guns aimed at their heads.

"Days ago, we received a message from the Nightwalkers, from Alpha Xander," Valentine answers with a note of shame. He refuses to look Seokjin in the eye. "He offered a proposition and we accepted. They offered us protection and allowed us to keep our land during their expansion."

"It was an obvious response," Xander cuts in, "and once Alpha Nikolas was taken out of the picture, my plans finally came to fruition. We will take this entire territory and secure a unique asset in one fell swoop."

"Why do you want our radio?" Seokjin asks.

"It's the perfect tool! It's practically made for us. The expansion will become easier when we have access to the whole valley's network of communication." Xander puffs his chest with pride, "It was my idea. But Nikolas was too timid to take advantage. I was tired of watching him struggle and decided to take matters into my own hands."

Jimin thinks back to Yoongi and Taehyung at home. Yoongi is too injured to try to defend the land, and Taehyung isn't enough to fight off an ambush. He can only pray that they run instead of trying to take on the Nightwalkers alone. The radio system isn't worth dying over.

"And Alpha Grayson?" Seokjin looks around at the humans. "Was it a fake ambush?"

"Yes, a rather interesting strategy," Xander comments. "Although we mourn the loss of Alpha Grayson, his pack should have no issue continuing without their leader. After all, Grayson answered to me and their pack will continue where they left off."

Jimin tastes phantom blood on his tongue as the memory of the fight resurfaces.

They had killed Alpha Grayson, after all.

And that means that his pack was still lurking in their territory, waiting for the right moment to strike and take over the radio system. It meant Yoongi and Taehyung were in more danger than ever before.

The first attack was staged, and Seokjin caught it. The timing of it all was wrong. It was impossible for Valentine to know they needed backup; it had all been planned from the beginning. They separated the pack and weakened their defenses.

Jimin clears his throat and speaks up. "What are you going to do with us?" Why bother taking us hostage and explaining your plans?

"You may prove useful. Although Valentine and Grayson's pack are capable..." Xander spares Valentine a look, "we can't leave things up for chance."