Legs were intertwined with legs and arms wrapped around each other; there was no beginning or end to us. The bond hummed in quiet contentment like a soft lullaby to us while we slept.
We had fallen in and out of sleep as we fell in and out of each other's arms throughout the night.
Night.
Night had waned on and dawn was slowly encroaching in while I lay on my male's chest, his fingers mindlessly toying with my hair as we let the heaviness of the day set in. It was like we were both wading into a pool of molasses together, every step we took was met with tension that only seemed to increase as the molasses got thicker.
It was time.
Ethan dipped down and kissed me, long and slow like it was a lazy morning in our cabin without the worry of the world. He pulled away and rested his head on mine, his beast surprisingly calm for a day that we both knew would change our lives no matter what the fate of it was.
"Morning sunshine," he breathed out as he pushed some hair out of my face.
I gave him a sleepy smile and kissed him again. "Hey," I breathed back.
He kissed me again, his fingers trailing the edge of my jaw while the little birds outside started to wake up the forest with their morning song.
"Are you ready?" I asked.
He nodded. "Are you?"
"Yes," I breathed out.
He nodded before sitting up and stretching up in our small tent that was definitely too small for him; I hadn't realized how small until this morning. Poor Ethan definitely looked like a giant in our navy blue tent.
I pulled on my favorite pair of spandex shorts, a sports bra, and my loose tank top with grizzly bear claw slashes on it that Elliot had gotten me for Christmas. Derek was truly a lifesaver for remembering to bring me clothes.
Ethan pulled on some shorts and watched me with a soft smile while I slipped on my favorite pair of Ked's. "What?"
He shook his head as he leaned forward to kiss me. "I love you."
I kissed him back; letting my lips linger on his and savor the taste of his mouth while his tongue traced the lines of mine. "I love you too," I breathed back.
"Ethan?" Evan called out from outside the tent.
"Yes?"
"There's been movement, we need you," he replied back. He was calm but his words made both Ethan and my eyes widened slightly while our beasts quickly shook their fur out.
She was ready.
She licked her lips and snapped her teeth in the air; she had so many lovely dreams last night, the last many nights, about how today would look.
I kissed Ethan again then gave him a tiny nod. He unzipped our tent, our safe haven and pulled me out into the soft cool air in the dim lit night that was the early hours before dawn. Evan leaned against a tree as he waited for us, his hair pulled back in a tony pony-tail that I assumed was Lyanna's.
"What is it?" Ethan asked as we started to walk back towards camp.
Evan moved to his left and nodded towards Billy and David who were talking over a map while Levi and Lander looked on. "He caught wind not too long ago, a few hours maybe? Ryder got word to most of the pack, but some of them couldn't keep their mouth's shut. We expected that much.
"He's out with fresh scouts the morning monitoring the situation. Looks like Thomas has his warriors ready, we may have to spill some blood earlier than we thought."
Ethan's veins were already humming this morning, joined by Evan's as they walked together in matching strides. Brothers that would make a formidable pair one day, hell, today they certainly looked like that pair; a pair that almost mirrored the strength and dynamic that Lander and Levi had.
"What else?" Ethan asked.
"David and Billy are talking tactics. We don't think he has any more men, but we want to make sure no one in the pack get's caught up as collateral."
"Does he look bolty?"
Evan shook his head as we approached the campfire that was just glowing embers now. "No, he's not running, at least we don't think so as of now."
Levi walked over to me and hugged me tight to him before he kissed my hair. "How are you feeling Charlie girl?"
I looked into his swirling silver eyes and nodded. "Ready, you?"
"I've been ready for a long time girl," he breathed back, his voice laced with a murderous lust that made me shiver slightly.
"Hey girly," David said as he pulled me into a side hug.
"Billy?" Ethan asked before he pulled me back to him while Lander winked at me.
Billy smiled at us then nodded down to the map that he had set up on a small plastic table. "Ryder's been out all night with Remi, as you know. Good news is he's not running, but he's got men stationed out about a hundred yards from the pack house.
"We have men set up around the pack house, so he's not going anywhere without us knowing. I am estimating based on Ryder's reports about fourty-ish men, but we don't know how firm that line will be when they see us marching down and we won't know if those numbers are true until we get up close. Some may scatter, but we won't know until we get to the valley at least."
Ethan's fingers drummed against my waist as he looked at the map. "I'm not worried about the men, I'm worried about making sure the pack can get there and get there safely. He may try to hold them back, stir up a mess so this turns into a chaotic mess that would be more advantageous to them.
"Get men stationed alongside the valley. I don't want members getting caught up as collateral, and we can use them to take out anyone trying to hold the pack back. I want them in the background, don't let the other warriors know, have them hovering behind in a decent striking distance."
"Good plan," Lander added. He looked to Levi who was staring at the map while his pupils started to dilate. "We need to go get our men brother."
"They're ready," David added.
"Where's Jaxon?" I asked. "And Andrea?"
"On their way, they were rounding up a few of Jaxon's men this morning. Andrea spent most of the night guarding the evidence. He made her rest for a few hours while the vamps looked after it," Billy replied with a soft smile. I hoped that he and Jaxon would get along, for Andrea's sake; but I had a feeling they would, her happiness was all that Billy really cared about.
I smiled inwardly at his words. Maybe those two would come together after all?
"The vamps can come but they need to stick with you Levi," Ethan added.
Levi nodded. "We already told them. We'll look after them." Levi walked back to me and hugged me to him again, nuzzling my hair before he nodded to Ethan. "We'll see you two soon."
Lander nodded to us before trotting after Levi, shifting with him as they tore off towards Tikanni.
"Here you go Char," Lyanna said from next to me. She handed me a cup of coffee and rubbed her cheek against mine.
"How are you lightening bug?" I asked before taking a sip of my coffee.
She nodded as she handed Ethan a mug too. He kissed her cheek before she returned Evan's side while Billy barked orders out with Jake next to him. "This day is long past overdue," Evan breathed out.
Andrea trotted up with Jaxon next to her as Caden led in a small group of Lusa warriors. She shook her hair out as her skin replaced fur, taking a shirt from Jaxon who eyed her in lust before he slipped on some sweatpants.
Caden handed her a bag that she clutched practically like it was a small child. "Morning," she breathed out before she rubbed my cheek.
Jaxon nodded to Ethan before he pulled Andrea to his side; to his side where she seemed to happily stay. Her neck was still bare but I had a feeling it wouldn't be for long.
"Are you ready?"
Ethan nodded. "How many do you have?"
"I brought five seasoned and three younger ones that have been looking good this summer, thought it would be good for them to watch and learn. Evan tells us he has men ready? Do you need more?"
Ethan shook his head. "We have plenty and with Tikanni, I don't think they won't be able to stand against us. I just don't want to pack caught in collateral or for him to start something that would turn it into a shit show."
Jaxon nodded to him. "Sounds good then, if you need more or if something happens, I can have mine ready. It wouldn't hurt to have back up ready."
"Alright," Ethan breathed out. "Thank you, Jaxon."
"Just make sure to skin his ass, he more than deserves it," Jaxon added, his green eyes turning dark as he held Ethan's gaze.
"We've got men going out now with Ryder and Remi to line up along the valley. They'll look after the pack and take anyone out who tries to intervene," Evan said before he took a sip of coffee.
"The evidence is here," Andrea said as she placed the bag on the table. "I have it all sorted out and organized. Do you want to do it all yourself?"
Ethan looked at the bag then back at me. "What do you think?"
I wiggled my head then looked back at him. "I say let someone else do it only so you can focus on the fight. He may bank on distracting you, so I think it may be better if all your attention is focused on him and not trying to present a case. It's not that you couldn't do both, I just don't want us to be undermined in any way today."
Ethan nodded. "I like that sunshine. Andrea, you've gone through it all night, and you seem to know it well. Do you feel up to it?"
"Are you sure?" she asked with raised brows.
"I trust you, Andrea, you know the contents of that bag as good as any of us do."
"I do," she said with a confident nod. "I can do it."
"Good, Jaxon your men –"
"My men's priority is her as is mine," he replied firmly, making Andrea blush slightly as her eyes flickered down. "No one is getting near her without coming through me or my men first."
Andrea flushed as Ethan nodded into his cup of coffee. "Witnesses?"
"Bound up and ready to go, brother," Evan replied. "Tate and Larissa are ready to talk, they confirmed again this morning they would. I'm not sure about Emmett and Lucy. What will you do with them after?"
"Hopefully if all goes well we can stick them in a cell and let the vamps finish their work." Evan looked back at Ethan and nodded while Ethan took another sip of coffee.
"Anything else?" Jaxon asked, looking around at our faces with his steely green eyes.
Ethan shook his head. "I think we're ready."
Jaxon nodded. "Time to spill some blood then."
Ethan nodded as his beast rumbled in approval. "Time for blood."
We walked hand in hand towards the line. The line of the pack that we were fighting for, the line of the pack that felt tense. The pack felt it. They felt the challenge coming.
It had been a long time coming.
The hair on the back of my neck raised while Ethan's chest vibrated as a low growl rolled off of it. We could only hope that this would go well; I could only hope that this would go well.
This wouldn't be a fight to submission, this would be a fight to the death. Only one of them would walk away from the challenge today. I looked over at Ethan, his eyes were like a slow brewing storm, and I let my beast reach out to his.
She believed in him, in our male. As did I. He was strong and smart; but most of all he was good, he was a good man and more than deserving of this pack.
I kissed the back of his hand that was laced in mine and gave him a firm nod. "You can do this Ethan."
He shook his head. "We can do this sunshine, this is just as much your fight as it is mine."
I smiled as he dipped down to kiss me, his veins were starting to crackle a little more like a sparkler being lit up; slowly burning brightly with a soft hum from its sparks.
His blood heated up with every step we took, raising the temperature of mine with his. White hot. His fire was burning and I knew today it would lick at every impurity within the pack and cleanse it; it wouldn't stop until it was burnt away from our pack and neither would mine.
We would cleanse this pack together. Our pack.
Evan trotted up and walked with us as Lyanna took my side. We were quiet. There was nothing more to say, there was only action; Only blood.
Our warriors dipped their heads respectfully as we reached out pack line where Billy waited with Jake next to him. He dipped his head then nodded to the line. "Everyone is in place, Ethan."
"Levi?"
"On his way," Jake answered. Some of our warriors trailed behind us with roped in their hands; ropes attached to our witnesses. Their hands were tied together and they all were dewy with sweat. "We gave them an extra dose this morning. The vamp venom is still lingering in Lucy and Emmett's system."
"Good," Ethan replied sharply before flashing his eyes over to Tate, who flickered his eyes down. Larissa was trying to hold his gaze but failed miserably, her wolf tucked her tail as she shivered and hissed under her breath.
Emmett and Lucy were both groggy; the venom in their veins made their reactions slow, almost lazy. Emmett sneered at Ethan while Lucy just whimpered through her lips quivering as tears streamed down her face. Ethan growled back to them, letting his beast come forwards and reminding them who they screwed with.
Aaron tugged Amber forward; she was sobbing quietly next to him, her shoulders hunched over as he pulled her closer to his side. He nodded to us before pulling her over closer to a group of warriors that took a protective stance around them.
"Let's go then," Ethan replied before he took another step, pulling me with him before he looked back at me with a fire in his eyes that sent lightening bolts through my veins. "Are you ready sunshine?"
I kissed him then gave him a half smirk. "Are you white hot?" I asked as I pulled off my shoes and clothes, handing them to Lyanna who stuck them in a saddlebag for us.
He breathed out a laugh then lunged up, letting his fur come forward as I jumped out next to him; my beast surged forwards and shook her fur out as she landed next to mate who let out a low rumble from beside us.
He rubbed his head against my neck and his cheek against mine, nuzzling me before he nodded to me. He nodded to me then lunged forwards and tore across the pack line.
My beast rumbled then tore off after him. Together we ran hard through the forest with our warriors and friends in tow; we would have our pack back. We would have it back and spill red down the valley if we had to.
Ethan wasn't holding back, not anymore, and neither was I. His fire was a tidal wave rushing down the valley; making lesser wolves widen their eyes and whimper as they realized who it was that was coming for them.
Who it was that was coming for the pack, his pack–our pack.
It was so peaceful in the valley. The new rays of dawn were starting to come through the darkness, a new morning warming up the day with golden rays that danced over the blades of grass like ballerinas.
The breeze was warm and sweet, smelling of wildflowers as it swept down through the valley, carrying our scents mixed with power and vengeance that licked its lips as a few wolves, warriors, started to come out of the forest and line up in front of the pack house.
Birds were chirping and wildflowers looked almost sleepy as the sun shone over their colorful petals, making them look almost like a watercolor painting in the valley that as a beautiful mix of blues and yellows; but soon it would be red–red as vengeance spill forth her river onto the valley.
Ethan and I shifted to our skin. Jake tossed Ethan his shorts while Lyanna jogged to me and with the saddlebag containing our clothes. We dressed quickly and kept a watchful eye over the valley where a few more warriors started to line up.
I pulled my shorts up then walked next to Ethan, taking his hand in mine as the breeze combed through my hair. "That's only twenty-five men," I breathed out as my eyes scanned the group of wolves in front of me.
I couldn't see our men through the trees, but I knew they were there. Excitement poured off of them and rolled towards us, lapping at our toes like it was the ocean rolling up to a sandy beach.
"Ryder?"
"We're set up Ethan. There's about twenty of them right now stationed alongside the valley."
"The pack?"
"Waiting," he replied. "We have them set up in groups, they're ready to go on your call.
"How close are they to the tree line?"
"On the edge, real close."
"And they can't sense you because?" I asked.
"We rolled in that ashy mud and I had the guys wear a couple necklaces we made out of those rocks Ghostrider."
Ethan raised his brows then nodded. "Nice work Ryder."
I could feel them coming, I could feel the Thornes. Levi's anger and wrath poured out of him and caused the hair on my arms to raise.
Ethan let out a low growl of approval as he eyed the valley some more. "Orders sir?" Murphy asked.
Ethan eyed the tree line then looked over at me. "Want to go hunting?"
I smiled deviously and nodded. "We're long overdue for that."
"I would have to agree, sunshine," he replied darkly. "Murphy, get ten guys and follow our lead. Have the group march behind us and watch our flanks."
"Remi how's the pack lines?"
"Good Ethan, no movement. Ryder and I have extra men on every side, and I have guys scattered about a klick back as well. I'm keeping an eye on it, nothing's getting past us."
"Ryder, we're coming down. Have your men ready. We'll shake them out, just make sure to keep the pack safe."
"Roger that."
"Let's go sunshine," Ethan breathed out before stepping forwards with Evan and Lyanna behind us.
We stepped together and started to walk down the valley, our people behind us as we walked towards a moment we had been planning for so long. A moment that almost felt unreal as we approached it; it's funny how surreal it felt, almost like I was watching myself in a movie as I walked next to Ethan.
But I wasn't in a movie.
I was walking next to my mate, my hand in his, towards the pack that we would fight for. My beast growled in approval as the breeze dusted over my cheeks, she was more than ready to fight for her pack.
The wolves in front of the pack house moved around as one barked orders to them. I could see some of the tree line shake, wolves were running up and down it probably thinking they could ambush us.
Ethan eyed the tree line as we walked some more, down a modest hill and further into the valley until we passed the spot where I first dropped to my knees when I saw him. The memory flooded into the bond quickly and drew a smile to both our lips. Ethan kissed my hair and looked back at the pack house, then over again at the tree line where we could now see warriors eying us back.
Ethan growled lowly at them and let his wolf run forward to the point where hair started to sprout out of his back. His eyes swirled, glowed like sapphires, and his fangs started to protrude through his gums.
A roar. A war cry.
It was like the day I met him, but instead of being filled with lust for me it was filled with lust for blood.
Power. Power that combed over me and raised the hair on my arms as my beast howled out in my mind to join her mate. She was close. She was close and ready; she nudged me firmly, reminding me that she was still with me–that she was ready to fight with me.
It tore through his lips and literally caused the wolves hiding in the tree line to shake away from their place; tumbling and tripping over themselves as they tried to evade the source of the roar.
But they couldn't.
Ryder and his men herded them back to the valley, back to where Ethan and I were running towards them. It was like our buffalo hunt. Lyanna faded left while I went right as the two brothers ran down the middle.
The opposing wolves eyed us with fear before it turned to disdain. They got one more surge of energy, one more surge of courage before they charged at us.
Blood.
It was spilling down the valley now, painting it with bright red streaks like someone had gotten a tub of lipstick and drew lines over the grass.
I leaped up from the wolf I had just killed, I had ripped his throat literally out as he tried to go for mine, and ran towards Ethan who was busy snapping a wolf's neck.
Dodging a fist, I caught another then head butted the snarling wolf in front of me. I sunk an elbow into his mouth then kicked him hard in the gut.
A hand shot through his chest and towards me; a clawed hand that pulled out his heart on the way out.
I let the body fall and looked at Lyanna who tossed the heart down then nodded at me as my mouth fell slightly open.
My feet carried me towards Ethan. I jumped over a wolf that was falling down from a blow that Evan sent to his gut and slid between the legs of another wolf that stalked towards my mate before springing up and tackling him down.
He didn't have time to react; I snapped his neck then whipped around to see Ethan walking towards me. He nodded to me and looked around, his arms covered in blood and his beast growling out for more.
He held his hand out to me, and I took it. I would always take it, I would always let him pull me to his side where our blood felt the strongest together. Where my place was, as was his–at each other's sides.
Ethan growled out loudly again as the bodies of our enemies lay around us. Our warriors caught up to us as Evan and Lyanna moved back to their place behind us.
Ethan and I stepped together towards the pack house, growling out to the warriors that looked a little unsure of their current position right now; questioning their loyalty as we got closer to them.
"Now Ryder," Ethan said.
Ryder and Remi growled out from the trees, shaking the birds away as men, women, and children came out in groups with wide eyes towards the pack house.
They eyed us and looked at the small group of warriors waiting for us; some yipped out in approval and growled out in support of us. Some were not so sure, they watched carefully as we approached. Their beasts were unsure but they had a good grip on them, a good grip on their teeth. Other's watched us in defeat and horror as they realized that they were on the wrong side of the fence. They tucked their tails and flickered their eyes down, submitting to us early probably in hopes that we wouldn't spill their blood like we had the foolish warriors who challenged us earlier.
Another roar tore through the valley, roars to be exact. Levi and Lander marched down the valley in their sleek black fur while Liam, Claire, and Evangeline followed behind them as Tikanni warriors licked their lips in anticipation trotted after them.
Levi was fuming. It was like his rage was a beast of its own, snapping its jaws in the air towards the flesh it knew it would have soon.
The pack was gathering around in a circle. Some of our men stood in front of them, protecting them from the few warriors who were standing in front of the pack house, warriors who looked like they were starting to severely regret where their feet were planted.
The pack was hyped up; nervous anxious energy poured off of them and into the middle of the circle where it swirled like a whirlpool. A whirlpool that started to suck in some of the cool white fire pouring off Ethan and I as it spun it around in a circle between the pack wolves who inhaled the scent of alpha wolves and shuddered.
Levi growled out loudly again, he was closer this time. I could feel him running; he caught up with us and brushed against my legs before nodding to Ethan. Lander barked at him as Liam dipped his head respectfully to Ethan.
Levi trotted over to Lander who was shifting to his skin and did the same. He pulled on some shorts while Lander and Liam pulled on a matching set of sweatpants.
Evangeline's skin rippled forward as her red hair blew in the wind wildly, matching the crimson streaks that already littered the ground. She pulled a t-shirt of Liam's on and some short before she looked over at me and nodded, her beast reaching out to mine before her green eyes filled with cool vengeance flickered forwards towards the doors of the pack house.
Levi looked over at me, his silver eyes were like and icy fire brewing and ready to be unleashed. I reached out to him over our bond, nudging his beast and trying to help him control his rage; we hadn't come this far just to lose it at the last minute.
"I love you Levi."
"I love you too my Charlie girl."
Ethan gave my hand a light squeeze before another rumble rolled off his chest. Evan moved up to stand on his left while Lyanna moved to my right. Jake and Billy were walking up and down the line of our warriors, barking out orders to them as the captains got their men in position while Andrea and Jaxon walked forward to stand behind us with the bags of evidence in hand.
I heard shuffling. I could feel the disdain that was rolling off Emmett and Lucy; my lips raised as a hiss sharply tore out of them towards the two older wolves, silencing them while Tate and Larissa stiffened straight as a board.
Ethan growled lowly to them as the pack house doors opened. They opened as Thomas walked out with Miranda and a small group of warriors behind them.
Thomas growled out to Ethan only to be met with a growl filled with much more firepower out of Ethan's lips. He cocked his head while whispers from some pack members that cocked their head in mild confusion as Thomas walked forwards.
"What's this Levi? What are you doing on my land?" Thomas yelled out, ignoring my mate purposefully.
Levi growled out and was joined by another growl from Ethan before he started laughing. He started laughing almost maniacally. Ethan clenched his fists as the hair on the back of his neck raised while Levi looked back to Thomas with glowing eyes and fangs that were sharp and ready for blood. "You son of a bitch, I am going to more than enjoy this."
Thomas sneered at him before Ethan shut him up with another growl, so angry and sharp that it made some of the pack members flinch like a whip had been cracked.
He flickered his eyes to Ethan and cocked his head. "Want to tell me what's going on Ethan?"
"I could ask you the same," Ethan bit out.
"What are you talking about?" he hissed out.
Ethan rumbled at him again and let his beast come closer as he licked his lips in anticipation as he paced back and forth; mine reached out to him, rubbing against him and letting him know that she was with him–she would always be with him. "Why don't you tell them? Why don't you tell them how you killed them? How you killed your alpha and luna ten years ago, how you let rogues into our borders back then to slaughter half the pack, and how you lied to them and let rogues in again. Why don't you tell them, Thomas?"
Pack member's voices raised as their eyes widened in horror. They looked between the two males with open mouths and shook their heads; what kind of alpha would let something so horrible to happen?
The one standing in front of us. The one that would have a hand, a hand that slit the throats of their own alpha and allow their own pack's blood to color the ground red.
"You challenging me Ethan? Is this what this is?"
"That's exactly what this is Thomas," Ethan bit back, raising more voices and causing some of them to gasp out as they watched the two males eye each other like two bears being thrown in a ring to fight.
Thomas sneered a little before looking at Levi then back to Ethan as Jaxon walked closer to stand between us and the Tikanni pack with Andrea by his side.
"And on what grounds Ethan?" he barked back.
Ethan smiled a smile that was filled with dark intentions. He chuckled and nodded to Billy who stepped forward with Jake next to him.
"These grounds Thomas..."