Jen POV
My scent had changed? How was that possible? Was I ready for this?
I sat pondering my future. Beta An promised she'd try to keep the others aways from me. I had to find a way to get out of here. I had to not only for Ami but for this new life. A life I didn't even know if I wanted yet. I rested my hand on my still flat stomach thinking about the future.
Then a thought hit me. What would my father think? He was livid when I got pregnant with Ami. Unfortunately he had to get over it quickly because the loss of my mom. But now, now he would be livid. Maybe I wouldn't go home. Maybe staying with Josh was the answer. Maybe moving out of my fathers house was best. I'd have to consider that possibility.
Suddenly I felt the presence in my head again. Once again it was peaceful, and again it made me think of Josh.
"Jen...Jen" I jumped and looked around. No one was there. "Jen...Jen" 'I must be going nuts', I thought to my self. "No Jen, your not nuts baby." this time I jumped up and looked around. "Who's there." I said. I got no response. "Jen honey, I don't have long so listen closely. There's a bond between true mates. It's rare between human's and wolves, but not unheard of. You my love are my true mate. That is how you can hear me now. I've been trying for as long as you've been gone to get though to you. I'm coming Jen, I'm coming for you, soon. I love...Jen..."
Just like that, the presence was gone. Josh was coming for me. I would have to be ready. I would be ready. I should probably tell An. She could probably help, but could I really trust her. I decided not telling her was better. Ami was to important to risk something going wrong.
The sun was setting. I could tell by the color's coming in though the windows. I sat on the bed and leaned my head against the wall. I closed my eyes to rest them for just a minute.
Suddenly I heard a commotion. It sounded like a chair falling or being nocked over then glass breaking. I opened my eyes and noticed how dark it was. I must have fallen asleep. I could hear someone running up the stairs. I tried to make myself smaller. I didn't want them to find me. I had to protect my unborn little one.
I heard the door crack as something or someone hit it. The next thing I new the door was on the floor and a bright light was shining in my eyes. I shielded my eyes not only from the door but from the bright light. All I could see was a shadow of a man.
Josh's POV
The house stood in the clearing just ahead of me. The paint was faded, the tree's and shrubs were all over grow and it looked like maybe a window was broken, but other then that the house was solid and strong looking. It was the original pack house, but after the war was over there was no need for a secluded pack house so this one was abandoned and a new one was built.
I heard Jenea and mom come up behind me. "O my gosh! This place looks terrible!" I turned my head to scowl at my mom. "All it need is some TLC and it'll be great!" My sister rolled her eye's. I ignored her and went to start work on the exterior of the house. Mom and Jenea proceeded to the interior of the house and began working there.
We worked till it was almost dark. I managed to get the grass cut, and I even found the drive way that lead to the road. Afterwords I cut back the tree's and shrubs then pressure washed the house so it would be ready for a fresh coat of paint. I also checked the roof and was pleased to find it was in almost perfect shape. Meanwhile mom and Jenea managed to get the living room walls cleaned, then the kitchen and dining room cleaned. The hard wood floors on the first floor sparkled like they were brand new. The upstairs still needed more work but it would come with time. I decided to measure the broken window so I could replace it on my next trip out here.
Jenea, mom and I headed back home as the sun was setting. As we neared the house I noticed strange cars in the driveway. I looked to mom, "What's going on?" she smiled, "Your father called Uncle Anthony, and asked him for help. He wasn't sure what we would be up against so he though a little extra backup would be a good idea." I nodded and hustled to the house.
Uncle Anthony is dad's younger brother. He fell in love and mated with a women from the neighboring pack. Aunt Olivia is pretty awesome. Her father was the alpha, but when she met Uncle A he stepped down and went into a retirement.
Connor met me at the door. " Where have you been! I've been trying to call you all stinkin day!" "Sorry dude I was out cleaning the old house. What's up?" "We found a way for you to communicate with Jen." "What! Really?" he nodded. "How?" he motioned for me to follow him. We climbed up the stairs to dad's office. Apon entering I noticed Uncle A and dad talking seriously along with a few members of his pack just sitting around waiting. Dad looked up when we walked in. "About time you show up! We have a lot to do and very little time to accomplish it in." He turned around and pulled his chair over infront of me. "Sit." I did as I was told. "Now close your eyes and take a deep breath. Concentrate on Jen and nothing else." I did. I slowly felt my self being pulled to her. I could still hear my dad but he sounded far away. "Call to her using your subconscious, think it don't speak it." "Jen..." I called to her. "Jen..." I got no response, but I could sense she could hear me. "Jen..." I called again. "Jen..." 'I must be going nuts' I heard her think. It made me chuckle. "No Jen, your not nuts baby." I felt her start but I got no response. I felt my self getting tired, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep the connection long. "Jen honey, I don't have long so listen closely. There's a bond between true mates. It's rare between human's and wolves, but not unheard of. You my love are my true mate. That is how you can hear me now. I've been trying for as long as you've been gone to get though to you. I'm coming Jen, I'm coming for you, soon. I love" I felt my self slip"Jen..." I felt my self slump in the chair as she faded from my consciousness.
"Josh, dude come one, open your eye's." I could hear Conner's voice. At first it sounded far away, but towards the end it sounded clear and close. I opened my eyes and had to blink to focus. Everyone was looking at me. "Well did you get her the message?" I nodded. "Good." My dad turned around and focused his attention back on Uncle A. "While you were gone your uncle and I came up with a plan of attack." I nodded. "We've been going over maps of the area. We decided its going to be best if we circle around them. We'll have to be stealthy, to help us I was able to get my hands on more of the sent cloaking powder. I have a friend who is a chemist. He was able to make it into a spray. " Uncle Anthony really was a clever man. He was studying to be a biology major when he met Aunt Olivia. He still had connections with smart people. "The goal is to subdue. Try not to kill, we can't risk another war beginning. However do what ever is necessary to save your own life." Uncle A hated violence, but he was a very strong, fierce warrior. "There will be two waves of men. The first will primarily be focused on subduing the men outside. You men in the first wave will stay outside, keep sharp for an ambush. The second wave will make a B line for the house. Our main objective is to find Jen and Ami and get out." "Don't be afraid to take Cam down in the process or anyone else in your way." As much as I wanted to be the one to take Cam down I knew it may not be possible and I didn't want to risk him coming for them again. "Ok you all know the plan and you have your orders. Let's move put." My father was a very strong man, and a great leader. I hope I could be half the man leader he is one day.
All the warriors moved outside and the first wave proceeded to shift. The warriors for the second stood around discussing, planning, preparing. I watched feeling the buzz and excitement in the air. Uncle A sprayed them with the scent blocker. When he was finished the first wave took off running into the woods. The second wave shifted then, me included. Uncle A sprayed the rest of us, then handed the scent blocker to my mon and shifted as well. We waited until the first wave was a mile out then we started after them. We ran silently and swiftly. When we had run for approximately 50 miles I could smell other wolves. None I recognized though. We ran another 10 miles before a house came into view. The first wave had done there job well. I could smell the enemy wolves, but non were visible to my sharp eyes.
We stopped 100 yards from the house. Dad motioned to scouters to go around and scope the situation. "Two guards on each corner if the house. They are in human form, each armed with a pistol." Dad nodded one short nod. "Matt, Colin, Shawn subdue them." They crept off towards the house. The three of them we're our strongest fighters. In pack competitions, much like human olympics, they always got first or second place in the events they participate in.
We followed behind, when the guard were subdued we crept to the window. Inside was a dining room. In the middle of the room was a table with four chairs. Cam was sitting at the table with Jo-Ann and another women. Ami was sitting in a high chair. Cam was trying to feed Ami baby food and Ami didn't want it, she was fighting him. Cam was getting madder and madder. He kept yelling at her which made her cry and not want it more. Then he did something that made me furious. He through the jar of food across the room, shattering it against the wall, then slapped Ami so hard her high chair collapsed on the floor her still in it. I lost my temper at that. I lunged through the window at Cam. He saw me the instant the window broke and bolted out of the room. I shifted back to my human form and I sprinted after him but he had disappeared. Them I heard a thump and a door crack. I followed the noise to the bottom of a set of stairs. I saw Cam crash through a door I started running up the stairs after him. When I was about half way up Cam came out of the room dragging Jen with him. I froze instantly. He stood behind her with one hand wrapped around her and the other holding a knife to her throat. "Take another step and I kill her!" "Calm down Cam it's going to be ok. Just let her go." "Back up...back up now!" I slowly walked back down the stars my hands in front of me. He also started down the stairs dragging Jen with him. I backed into the living room. There were many wolves there fighting. I saw the strange women cowering in the corner with Ami hidden behind her, almost protectively.
Cam worked his way around keeping Jen between us. "Tell your men to stand down, NOW!" "Father, Father! Tell the men to stand down." My dad who had been on the other side of the room nodded. Like that our warriors bowed showing they were standing down. "Beta Smith" Cam called. A graying wolf appeared at his side. "You and your mate bring my daughter." He started to back to the door. "NO!" He looked up and the strange women who was shielding Ami stood tall, proud and defiant. "Excuse me? Did you just tell your alpha no?" "Yes, yes I did." she said. He looked mad, "Beta Smith control your mate!" the beta wolf look at his alpha then to his wife. Very deliberately he stared at the alpha and walked over to crouch protectively in front of his wife. "So this is how it's going to be? My own beta's are turning against me. Fine you will be killed for this treason. Suddenly Cam through Jen across the room and lunged at the beta's. The male lunged as well, the female sprinted across the room to we're Jen had landed leaving Ami standing in a corner. My pack was so stunned we just stood there watching. The fight didn't last long. While the beta was older and more skilled when it came down to it he didn't have the strength of an alpha to beat Cam. He delivered the final blow then leaped to where the beta's woman was crutched, in human form, over Jen. With one bat of his paw he threw her into a wall. He then went to lunge at Jen. I was seeing red, I was ready to attack, when I was distracted, just as everyone else in the room was, by a high pitch blood curtailing squeal. Then suddenly a blur of fur flew past me and landed on Cam.