"Yeah, manners are lacking. But why is he acting like that?"
"Could there be attacks?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe. That or they've heard about Moon Mist, Misty Pines, and Silver Peak."
"And act like that?"
"Yeah, he was a bit extreme. Let's settle in and get some sleep. We can find the Alpha tomorrow and get out of here. Hopefully, Winter Lake will feel safer."
We settled into our room and quickly fell asleep.
As the morning sun rose in the sky, the light streamed in through the window directly into my face. I rolled over trying to ignore it, but I was awake.
I lay in the bed for a few minutes, wanting nothing more than to be in my own bed. I heard Ashley talking in the bed next to mine.
"It's too early," I groaned.
"It's Alastair."
"This early?"
"Yeah, we need to leave."
"Leave? Where?"
"Deer Creek. He said that those things were spotted coming toward here."
"We haven't even seen the Alpha yet," I mumbled.
She whispered into the phone for a few minutes before hanging up. "He said to talk with Alpha Charles and then leave immediately and go to Winter Lake."
"This is getting old," I grumbled.
"It is. But I guess Winter Lake is actually securing their drainage system to stop those things from attacking people."
"Okay. Then let's get up and hurry to see the Alpha."
I pulled on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and pulled my hair into a messy bun. Ashley did the same. Normally when you meet with an Alpha you make sure you're more presentable than t-shirts and messy buns. It's usually a more formal occasion.
We were beyond formal at this point.
As we entered the lobby, it was empty. There wasn't anyone at the front desk and the doors were shut.
"Hello?" I called out, but nobody answered.
"Do we search for someone or just go look around?"
I sighed heavily and rubbed my temples. "Let's just look around. This is ridiculous."
We left the hotel and started walking down the street. Small cottages and shops lined the streets. They were cute, but not nearly as extravagent as Silver Peak or even some of our own in Moon Mist.
Everything was also closed and nobody was outside.
"Is the entire town shut down?"
I shrugged my shoulders.
As we walked darkness crept into the edges of my vision. My head swam as I stopped.
"What's wrong?" Ashely asked.
"I need to sit."
"Okay, let's find you a bench or something."
I shook my head. "Nope. Right here."
I dropped to my knees as the darkness took over. My eyes closed momentarily before I stood back up in the abyss. Artemis appeared in a sudden burst of light.
"Daughter."
"Mother. What's going on?"
"Time is running out."
"I know. Those things are attacking more. I saw them."
"You did? What did they look like?" she questioned.
I explained everything that happened in the past two days, including what the creatures looked like.
"How bizarre."
"You don't know what they are?"
She shook her head. "No. I've never seen such things."
"What do I do? I don't know how to fight these things."
"I will ask the others if they know."
I nodded. "Do you think they'll help?"
"I don't know, child. Someone had to of created the creatures. I just don't understand why they would have them attacking my beautiful wolves."
I sighed again.
"I must go."
"Okay. We're going to keep looking for something. Anything."
Artemis nodded as the abyss faded and I could see Ashley's face again.
"I will never get used to that," she said, helping me sit up.
I groaned and closed my eyes while I gained my bearings. "Neither will I."
"Was it Artemis?"
I nodded.
"Does she has any new information?"
"No. She's still trying to find out what these things are and who created them."
"She doesn't know? That doesn't bode well for us."
"No, it doesn't."
"Let's just get to the Alpha and get out of here."
"Agreed."
We hurried along the road until we found the police station.
"Hello?" I called out.
The front desk was empty and the silence was deafening.
"Hello?" I called again.
"Hi! Can I help you?" a woman asked appearing from a back room.
"We're from the Moon Mist pack. Have you heard about the attacks in Silver Peak and Misty Pines?"
She nodded. "I have. That's why the entire town is shut down."
"We noticed," Ashley mumbled.
I elbowed her and smiled at the woman. " Would you know where we can find the Alpha?"
"Yeah, he's actually in the Chief's office. You can come on back."
"Great. Thank you."
She opened a door and led us to a room surrounded in windows. I could see a man sitting behind a large desk and another man sitting across from him. The woman knocked on the door and opened it a bit.
"Hey, Chief, Alpha, there are some girls from Moon Mist here."
"Who aer they?"
"Oh, uh," She turned to us. "Who are you?"
"Elanor, Beta Kenrick's daughter and Ashley, Gamma Arthur's daughter."
"The Beta and Gamma's daughters. They're here about the attacks."
"Oh, yeah, let them in."
"Okay, ladies. Alpha Charles and Chief Bill."
"Thank you." I turned to the two men inside. "Gentlemen. Thank you for seeing us."
"No. Thank you for coming. What do you know?"
"So far, not much. The creatures are using the drainage system to move amongst the packs and their bites are turning wolves into whatever those creatures are."
"What?" Alpha Charles stood in shock.
"Yeah. We saw that happen in Silver Peak."
"What do we do?" Chief Bill asked.
"Well, we've just learned that Winter Lake is blocking off the drainage system."
"How?" Alpha Charles asked.
"That I'm not sure. We haven't been there yet. I do know it will have to be something more than just an iron gate with a lock. They were able to break through that in Silver Peak."
"What would work?"
I sat back thinking.
"What about silver?" Ashley asked.
"Silver?"
"I dunno. I mean it works against us, and if they can turn us, maybe silver would stop them?"
"That's actually a really good idea," Alpha Charles said.
"It is. Can we get enough silver to make gates and locks for all of the packs?" I questioned.
"We have a silver mine that's half way between us and Silver Peak. If we incerease the production and get help, we could definitely mine enough."
"We have silver mines?" Ashely asked.
"Yes. Our weapons are made of silver."
"I have seen the silver bullets. My father has some at the house."
"We don't like using them if we don't have to, but we do if the danger is real enough."
"I think that danger is real enough. I'll call my father and let him know that you are going to increase silver production. Misty Pines does have a factory, maybe they can mass produce the gates and locks for now."
"We'll need the help from all of the packs to protect our realm," Alpha Charles said. "Is Kind Orsand on board with everything?"
"I haven't spoken to him myself yet. We have a meeting with him once we get to the royal city."
"We will get started on those gates, you two get to Winter Lake."
"Right."
Ashley and I stood, making our way back to the hotel. We quickly packed our bags and dropped the key at the front desk.
"Hello?"
No answer.
"We know you're back there. Our room key is on your desk. We're leaving."
We hurried to the car and sped out of Deer Creek making our way to the royal city.