Liam
I disregarded I spilled my breakfast all over the floor as I focused on the screen. She wore her red power suit and the sounds of helicopters overhead added to the intensity of the situation as her hair flew around her head wildly in the chaos. It is surprising she is reporting the news as the leader of the human faction. The intention of including the humans in our worl is to keep things under control and prevent us from being exposed to the rest of society. Those that do know of our kind and existence are either mated to a supernatural being or used to hunt us. She happened to be mated to a vampire until his untimely death, so seeing her on the screen isn't what caused me to drop my fork in shock.
"A private school known to educate prestigious students has been blown up. The bomb went off at four am this morning and the authorities are investigating those who are responsible for causing such a massacre. At this time there have been no survivors recovered from the rubble. There are also reports of large fires scattered throughout the land without any confirmed casualties. Back to you all at the station this is Nancy Munoz, news channel nine."
Of course, she couldn't publicly say that it was a supernatural school for shifters and other beings capable of magic since it was on the regular news. Although the school stood in a secluded location a blast of this size wouldn't go unnoticed in the human world and a believable cover story was necessary. This year hadn't been particularly dry warranting drought precautions, so the scattered fires were a made to look like concern for vandalism making this event in the supernatural world too immense to be hidden from the human world. In reality they were locations of varies species homes that had been destroyed.
Scenes of rubble flashed across the television screen with the news crew remaining cognizant of keeping the exact location away from the public eye. The news hasn't been able to pinpoint who would do this, but I have some ideas. Hunters would be the most probable culprit since they know the school exists, but such an action would go against the treaty the factions have with one another. There are rules to follow before accusing any faction of a crime, but the one visit from the Goddess and her words run through my mind. War is coming and this is only the beginning.
Scarlett stirs beside me whispering, "This is what she meant."
If she had a visit from the Goddess, I'll ask her about it later because I'm still on the phone.
"I need you to take in the survivors. I know the news said there weren't anyone left alive and none of the other factions know yet. The few we have found and saved need a safe place to live. This group of survivors don't have a home to go back to anymore thanks to those fires and now as far as the rest of the supernatural world is concerned, the elves have been wiped out along with the dark fae and dragons."
Using the fires as a coverup make sense and they had to be broadcast because the smoke and flames would be seen by the humans nearby. There were so many innocent lives lost as each burning pile were locations of packs, covens, thunders, and flocks that have been destroyed. I heard him clear his throat as he awaited my reply as my scrambled brain tried to form words.
"Hurry up and respond hooman, you look like a fish right now and you're not responding like an Alpha!" Max yaps. "Shut up, mutt and how dare you call me a fishy!" That makes me wonder if mermaids are real for a second until Max growls at me, so I respond with what I believe to be the right choice. Not that I truly had one to make because I would have taken them in regardless without question.
"Did the Goddess visit you last night?" She confirms with a nod, and we get ready for our day that is starting off with a bang, quite literally.
I'm preparing the team to welcome our new members as soon as they arrive so I can have a meeting with the Alphas and continue to investigate who would cause destruction on such a wide scale. Is this connected to the missing females too? It has to be, the Rogue Alliance is a fake organization created by Clover Incorporated. This is bigger than us and the Goddess made it seem like another God is out to destroy her creatures and if what she says is true is has already started with the mass genocide that just occurred.
A few weeks have gone by and as you guessed it, more changes have happened without solid answers. Most leads have wound up as dead ends, further proving that this was an inside job but from what faction?
I still can't wrap my head around the school being demolished. Scarlett and I began using our royal titles to over all the faction and moved the new headquarters to the building outside of Pinewood territory that was once used for the school since it's on neutral territory. We don't believe in dictatorship of course, and will maintain a diplomatic system, with our Betas and Gammas making up the royal court, but ultimately the end decision will fall on us. We met some resistance at first from some of the beings, especially the humans, but overcame it as the goddess herself blessed us with her power was recognized.
After we took over as the King and Queen, we found out that the Assimilation Pack is actually a prison that is used to monitor criminals closely, so we modified it and reenforced its barriers with stronger magic to keep those who need to be there inside. Scarlett and I will be looking through everyone's files personally to determine if they will continue to serve time there or be relinquished of their sentence.
We also confirmed the Rogue Alliance was also a coverup to have people focused on not mixing species while living in fear instead of the number of females that had been kidnapped throughout the decades. It came through fruition of the Clover Incorporation, but we haven't been able to take them down yet or who they are ultimately led by. Eric gives us as much intel as he can, but even that is limited with his resources.
The seven survivors that joined us include a dragon, witch, vampire, fairy, two werewolves, and a demon-dark fae hybrid. I didn't think a demon or dark fae would have a child with anyone outside of their species, so that is surprising. He doesn't know his mother and grew up with the beliefs of the dark fae after he was found at his father's door. A genetics test wasn't necessary as all supernatural beings can tell who they are related to by blood. My guess is his mom is a succubus because as far as I knew his father was mated to his dark fae bride. It is an odd combination regardless, but it makes the most sense from what I read about demons.
I wasn't sure this group would willingly accept to submit since they were all of Alpha blood and in line to take over as the leader of their prior homes when they graduated, but they did. They have also contributed greatly to the pack already in strength and other qualities. I have sent out trackers to see if there are any living innocents from the homes they grew up in, just in case. You never know if anyone could be out there waiting to join a group while they hide away from those meant to destroy us.
"The Goddess said we are the King of all Species, so they must recognize that" Max reminds me confidently. I know that is what she said and all, but it is strange to have other Alphas submit to me based on how we are raised and the need to be at the top runs through our veins.
I'm confident that Pinewood is now the safest place to live thanks to the strength of our warriors and the protection spells we have around our borders. Michael's great-grandfather joined our pack along with the seventeen other members of his coven. He magically enforced our borders, and no one can get in or out without being noticed. The only one who is able to lower the security measures are myself and my high-ranking officers and Michael's great-grandfather. There are a flock of fairies that remain living on the mountainside that I've tried to reach out to, but they've stayed silent at my attempts to create a treaty.
The war has started like the Goddess told us it would, and the School for Leaders being demolished is just the beginning of what is to come. I am beginning to make plans, but it is challenging when I don't know who my foes truly are, or what their end goal might be. I know I'll figure it out, I just need to put all the pieces together.There are some definite issues that I'm aware of, such as the kidnappings and the auction ring though.
Danny will become the Gamma in next week and I know Layla and Richard are looking forward to retiring. Though I'm not sure they plan on traveling like they originally intended with all the crazy things going on within the species right now. Layla is still a highly sought after werewolf being an Alpha female and prior Luna to the fallen Crescent Moon, so I'm certain she will do her best to lay low for now.
It is slightly selfish of me, but I hope he finds his mate soon because I want to use that as leverage to encourage Scarlett on having a pup with me. I know I should respect her decisions, and I do, but I can't stop thinking about having a family with her. She will be so beautiful with a swollen belly growing my pup inside of her and if he finds his mate and the Beta pup is almost here it would be easier to convince her now is the time. War or not Pinewood, and all other territories will need an heir to take over as Alpha one day because the world will continue to go on.
"We have to do it out of love, hooman. We will have a pup when it is time to so chill out!" Is my wolf seriously less pushy to have a pup than my human side, what in the heavens? It is almost unheard of for the wolf side to be calmer about this than the human.
"I just don't want mate to be mad at us for pressuring her. She wants a family too and you know that plus we have much bigger issues going on right now. The Goddess will bless us when the time is right." Max calmly states.
Since we did he become the mature voice of reason?
Now to focus on taking down the auction ring and mentally preparing myself for the unwanted resident Pinewood will soon be acquiring in the next few days. Anything for my Luna.
Goddess, help me keep my cool.