Controlled Burn (BxB) (Werewolf)

Chapter 20: The Texarkana Problem

The tension in the air was so thick, Callum could feel it, like gravity increased and put extra pressure on his shoulders. All the werewolves needed was one wrong word to start a fight, and despite being outnumbered, Bella held her ground and stood up for her pack.

"We're just passing through and doing some shopping," Bella told the Texarkana beta. "Are you really wanting to start a war over that?"

Otis spat on the ground. "You started the war when you declared yourself an alpha, gathered a few stray pups, and settled on our turf."

"Is it your turf though?" Bella challenged. "Claiborne Parish is also claimed by the Jackson pack. You make a move on us, you make a move on them."

Otis laughed. "You think you're safe just because you shacked up in contested territory? You think we're scared to go to war?"

Bella shook her head. "Nah, I don't think you're scared. I think you're stupid," she explained crudely, "stupid enough to start a war without asking your alpha... and you might even be stupid enough to start a war in the middle of a parking lot with lots of human witnesses and cameras."

The Texarkana beta shrugged his shoulders. "We don't have to take out our claws or kill you for now," he said while his pack stepped forward. "But that don't mean we have to let you leave without roughing you up first."

Bella crossed her arms defiantly. "You really wanna do this now?" she said with a threatening tone.

Otis nodded. "On camera, it'll just be a parking lot brawl," he concluded.

The massive beast of a woman moved into Bella's personal space. "I'm gonna grind your pretty face into the concrete," she said with sadistic delight.

Callum cleared his throat and stepped out from behind Beau. Though nervous, a strong sense of duty propelled him forward. His soul flooded with essence, making an invisible aura of the magical energy flow out of him. With this energy was his intent... his emotion... and a palpable embodiment of his willingness to use violence to protect his pack.

When Callum communicated with animals, he used his essence to connect with them. And now, he was unintentionally doing the same to every living thing around him. The humans in the parking lot and the store felt a sudden rush of anxiety and feelings of dread and danger. These feelings were magnified tenfold for the werewolves as a consequence of their heightened senses and animalistic instincts. Birds flew away from the trees and power lines they perched on. Squirrels and other critters scurried away in all directions.

The temperature of the air spiked drastically. A sweltering heat, even more intense than the hottest of Southern summers, washed over them. Shimmering heat hazes surrounded the packs.

The large werewolf harassing Bella and the rest of the Texarkana pack backed off as Callum pressed forward with intensity. "Do something," he dared while locking eyes with Otis. "What's wrong? What happened to all those threats? Not so brave and talkative now, are you?"

The Texarkana beta growled in response, but said nothing.

"Make your move," Callum said coldly. "I'm waiting. Give me a reason to turn you all into ash."

Otis' eyes glanced around between his pack and the Claibornes. Clearly, Callum knew he was assessing the risk. The Texarkanas outnumbered the Claibornes, but the Claibornes had a druid... a wild card.

"Let's go," Otis decided. He waved his hand to signal his pack to leave. "Better pack your things and find somewhere else to make a den, or we'll meet again real soon," he said to the Claiborne pack before walking away. Callum overheard one final comment from Otis before he was out of earshot. "We should've brought our emissary with us. Too bad he's stuck up alpha's ass all the time."