"Baby?"
"Mmm?"
"What did my dad say to you?"
"Nothing baby."
I turned over my shoulder, brushing my teeth while Ethan trimmed his beard down to more of a five-o-clock shadow over his sink. "What do you think?"
"I think we are taking a walk to the moon and back, then, we are coming back here and packing our bags so we can go on one very over due vacation."
"I like the sound of that," I said before I spit the toothpaste out and rinsed my mouth.
Jumping into bed, I tucked myself in the covers as Ethan washed the rest of his face off. He walked over to his side of the bed and slid in as I turned the lights off; arms were pulling me to a chest, causing me to squeal after the light clicked off.
"Ethan!"
"What have I told you about wearing clothes to bed?"
"Ethan..."
"If you repeat that stupid rule again sunshine–"
"The one about shifting?"
He growled lowly before he flipped me onto my back and eyed me pensively. "Yes, that one."
After we had left the pack house, Ethan and I checked with Aaron and Jake on our emergency shelters. We had them start to stock them up with food, water, and fresh blankets. As much as I hated to think we had to use them, we had to be safe rather than sorry.
The rest of the afternoon I help Lyanna on her research while Ethan coordinated with Evan and our warriors–strategizing the best way to distribute them for the day we would walk. After we had dinner, I made him drink the vitamin drink again–he didn't really need it, but the look on his face when he drank it was totally worth it. By the end of the day, the scent of silver was gone from him and he started to heal much faster.
"It's a stupid rule sunshine."
"You're a horrible patient."
He rolled his eyes. "I'm fine now."
"Only because you listened to us and took it easy you big idiot!" He growled playfully at me, sliding his hands slowly up under my shirt. He nipped at the skin of my neck while I sighed as he cupped my breast. "Ethan–"
"I'm done listening to your rules sunshine," he murmured against my neck, his lips dancing over my mark before he nipped at it as well. "Now take your damn clothes off. There's a no clothes policy in this bed and you're definitely breaking the policy."
My chest vibrated before I turned to capture his lips, letting him slowly devour me–making the bond light up and my skin flush. "I still think you're a horrible patient."
"And I still think you're wearing too many clothes," he replied, his voice husky as he quickly pulled off my shirt, leaving me in a bralette and my cotton shorts. "Why the hell are you wearing this?" he asked as he tugged at the straps of the bralette.
I bit back a laugh. "Obviously to annoy you. Is it working?"
"Oh you're going to get it, baby," he growled out.
My beast and I laughed, my chest vibrating while Ethan narrowed his eyes at me. "I hope so," I laughed out, clutching my belly before he flipped me over pinning me down before his fingers trailed up my sides. "Ethan?"
His fingers grazed my sides until there were not just grazing my sides but tickling me while I squealed and squirmed under his body that was pinning me down. "What's so funny sunshine?"
"You ass!" I gasped out before I squealed some more, thrashing around before he moved to a spot on my stomach that had me gasping more for air.
"Come on baby, tell me what's so funny."
I growled playfully, squirming before I suddenly rolled; quickly, I jumped up and pinned him down, my lungs still trying to catch the air that had been taken from him. "You are an asshole."
He just smiled with an innocent shrug. "Always thinking of my ass."
"Only because you're a big ass," I fired back with a raised brow.
"Baby stop making fun of my ass!" he whined out playfully before he quickly rolled and pinned me down on my back again. Staring down at me while I still struggled to catch my breath, he pushed some hair that had gotten loose from my pony tale back, his eyes scanning over me while his lips softened into a tiny smile. "I love you."
I sighed and cupped his cheek with my hand. "I love you too," I said while he leaned into my hand before he dipped down to kiss me again.
Ethan proved to me multiple times that night that he was not sick, and some in the morning. Eventually, I had to agree, he was fine but he did need to play a little sicker so we could hopefully buy some time.
Over the next few days, the familiars found another cave full of rogues which brought the count to three caves full of rogues. We also found out that Aurelia was strategically placing rogues in our enemies packs in the south; at their borders. We assumed it was both proactive and reactive–she had to know we were making moves. There was no way she would just think that we would sit idly by and let her win.
We were doing everything we could. Cora was working with Dagny and the other familiars to try and find her father, who was at one time an alpha in the mountains. She hadn't seen him since Hayden had taken the mountains. We hoped we could find him–it would be more than nice to have at least one alpha in the north on our side.
Cora, Lyanna, and I also worked together to secure our pack. Along with the other females, that had taken a real liking to Cora, we worked hard every day on securing the emergency shelters. Ethan took me down there and gave me a tour. Apparently, it was one big tunnel system under the pack; Ethan said it had been dug a long time ago originally before even Ezra was born.
It was a secret; every pack had shelters but the location was always a secret. You didn't want the whole world knowing in case you had to hide down there. That was one thing we needed on our side in case shit hit the fan–we needed them to stay a secret so she couldn't find them.
Every cabin had a shelter that was more or less like a tornado shelter; some cabins had them in the basement and some in a closet. But these shelters were different. There were four entrances; two on either side of the pack house, one near the sheds where we kept extra supplies, and one near the sheds where we kept the pack vehicles.
There were much like the cells in a way, you climbed down a ladder into a series of tunnels with cobblestone floors that spit out to a large hall that Ethan said was directly under the pack house. Our shelter had many rooms; rooms we could use as dorms for the pack as well as to store food. It would be a squeeze, but we could get almost everyone down there. Some people would have to sleep in the halls.
Our shelter also had two tunnels that extended out–one ran to Tikanni, which was something Ethan's father had done when he originally took over the pack, and another ran to Lusa–which was something that Emmett and Jeremiah had done when they were in power.
I was happy to see the shelter in good condition; the lights running off of generators working and the pack wolves filling up rooms with water, food, and blankets. But the thought of us having to hide down here was not something I was a fan of and neither was my beast; we felt cramped under the ground where the moon couldn't see us.
Ethan made me promise him over and over, as much as I hated it, that if anything happened to him that I would bring everyone down here. I promised, but I wasn't about to let that witch leave the portal alive. Hopefully, the only pack wolves coming down here would be the ones that were coming to move all the supplies out after we won.
Our warriors were digging trenches around our pack borders along with Lusa's. Ajax, along with Levi and Torrence–the new alpha at Greg's old pack, dug trenches on the souther border. Lucas loved that job; apparently, Levi had him digging trenches until Lucas said at one point he was digging in his sleep.
Lyanna and I went to the schools one day to make more bundle of herbs with the children there; Bernard said it would ward off shadows. We taught the children how to package them before he showed them how to attack them to a thin leather rope so they little burlap bags of herbs could be worn as a necklace.
Dominic was busy helping us while Derek coordinated with the covens and ensured that the coven houses were secure in case of a potential attack, while Wynona worked with Sam on a cure for the rogues which every day I prayed that they would find. The memory of that female, the female rogue in the pits asking me for help haunted me. I so badly wanted to help them like we did Cora, as did my beast. They were just innocent people with a horrible fate put on them. A fate that none of them deserved.
Dominic was helping me do some research while Ethan was on the phone with Bernard, who was working with Dagny and the dozen other coven members they had flown in to help blow the caves. Dominic eventually leaned back away from his laptop and eyed me. "Anything?"
"No," I said before I sighed and set Ethan's laptop on the coffee table in front of me.
"What's wrong Charlotte?" he asked.
I shrugged. "I'm about to walk to the moon, prepare for a war, and keep everyone safe. It's–what do I do if we can't Dom?"
"You keep your ass safe, that's what you do," Dominic answered. "You're the last King wolf, don't just give your life up so easily."
"Dom, I–"
"Charlotte! Ethan! Come now!" Aaron called out.
"What's wrong?!" I rushed out.
"Snakes down the valley–two this time."
Before I could answer Ethan marched into the living room with a storm brewing in his eyes. "What's going on?" Dominic asked as he quickly stood up.
"Snakes down the valley," I answered, trying not to snarl while I jogged over to Ethan.
Dominic hissed and zipped up behind us. "I hate fucking snakes."
"Me too," Ethan growled out before he shifted out of our front door.
I ran a few steps then shifted as well, running hard to catch up with him before we ran side by side. My beast was furious. She wanted to lay her teeth into the snake's neck–both the snakes on our land and Aurelia.
When we got to the valley, our warriors were making two lines on either side of the two snakes coming down the hill towards the pack house; they were snarling, growling, and snapping their teeth at the serpents who just hissed at them in return. Ethan and I circled around until we were in front of them as Vincent zipped forward with Dagny in his arms; Bernard trotted out of the pack house, a cold vengeance in his eyes as Ethan and I prowled forward.
Ethan growled out to them, a bitter rage biting at the end of it that made the two snakes pause before they cautiously continued forward. I could feel his blood humming more while we stalked towards him–his blood hummed and mine crackled out to join his as my beast snapped her teeth towards the serpents.
Dagny and Bernard walked forward while a group of witches hung back at the pack house doors to watch; familiars of different kinds with them like a parrot, a cat, two mice, a tarantula, a hawk, and an eagle–the hawk and eagle eying the snakes with hungry eyes.
The snakes stopped a few feet in front of us, hissing with their long fangs dripping with venom eyeing us. Both Ethan and I snarled at them; Ethan pawed at the ground while I snapped at them again. Bernard and Dagny's magic crackled around them angrily, while Alice looked almost murderous on Dagny's shoulder.
"What is your business here snakes?" Bernard asked, his eyes looking at them like he was their personal executioner while his fingers twitched.
One snake cocked its head then began to vomit; my beast groaned again–of course they had to vomit up the message. The snake hunched over and eventually spit out a letter that it pushed forward with its nose.
Bernard snapped his fingers, causing the letter to shoot straight to his hand where he tore it open. He looked at it then sighed reluctantly.
"Dear Charlotte and Ethan,
Glad to see Ethan is doing much better. See you in two days.
Sincerely,
Your favorite cousin Aurelia."
"Is that it then?" Dagny asked while her fingers started to twitch, her long navy maxi skirt cinched at her waist flowing in the breeze, lifting a little to show her victorian style black laced up boots and red stockings.
One snaked hissed out sharply at her, causing Vincent to bare his fangs at the serpent while he zipped up behind Dagny. "It's ok dear," she calmly said before she turned to look at the withes at the pack house door. "Let them fly."
The snakes eyes widened while Bernard smiled wickedly. "Better slithered away. I hear you make great snacks for birds," he said as the hawk and eagle took to the air while the parrot jumped in excitement on his companion's shoulder.
He squawked while my beast rumbled in approval. "Run, better run!" the parrot called out.
Bernard chuckled as the snake's eyes widened before the turned quickly and started to slither away. Ethan and I ran forward, our beasts eager to see the show, as were the rest of our warriors. The birds circle them then dived; the snakes snapped at them but the birds were too quick.
Talons were ripping at scales and beaks were ripping into their flesh before they could respond. One snake tried to snap at the eagle, but he was too slow; the eagle dodged him then pined his head down with his taloned foot and pecked away until he had severed the snakes head from his body.
He quickly picked its body up, that was still twitching, in his talons and flew over to Ethan and me as the hawk followed him with a headless snake in his talons. They dropped the bodies at our feet then landed in front of us, excitement in their eyes.
Ethan sniffed at it then yipped at them while Bernard smiled at them in approval. "Good work Horace and Hera. Charlotte, do you or Ethan want them?"
Ethan and I shook our heads then yipped at the birds again. The eagle hopped over to me, a female, and cocked her head. My beast leaned forward to sniff her before the eagle hopped towards me some more; she rubbed her feathery head against my cheek then chirped excitedly while she bobbed her head.
I yipped at her and rubbed her head with my cheek before I nudged her to the snake as the hawk chirped at Ethan. He eyed Dagny who was smiling proudly. "Now Horace, calm down. You and Hera have a nice snack, you definitely deserve it," Dagny said while Alice nuzzled her neck.
Horace, the hawk, looked like he was almost smiling before he hopped to the snake and started to pick at it while Hera, the eagle, picked at her excitedly. Ethan rubbed my neck with his head before we turned and trotted towards the pack house, the birds slurping the snakes down behind us.
Ethan trotted inside and up the stairs with me beside him before he ducked into his office where he shifted to his skin. He dug out some clothes and tossed some of my cotton shorts and a shirt at me; I caught them as I shifted and quickly threw them on before Ethan turned with a pair of shorts hanging low on his hips.
"If you keep looking at me like that, we won't be leaving this office for a while," he said lowly, seductiveness in his voice as he pulled me to him.
"Don't tempt me," I replied before I tiptoed up to kiss him. "Did Jaxon–"
"Yes, he just linked me. He let his warriors tear them apart. I think it's safe to assume that the others did as well."
"I like those birds," I mused while Ethan picked up the sweatshirt on his desk and pulled it on.
He nodded. "As do I, especially since they like to eat snakes so much."
I smiled while he pulled me out of the office with him, trotting us down the stairs where a witch with long blue and green hair was petting Hera, who was perched on the railing of our stairs as another man with wispy golden hair talked to a smaller witch with a mouse, Horace on his arm covered in a long leather glove.
"Well hello there," I said as I stopped and eyed Hera. "Remember me?"
Hera chirped and hopped towards me, cocking her head before she chirped again. "She like you," the blue witch said.
"What's your name?" I asked while Hera rubbed her head into the palm of my hand.
"Marie," the witch answered with a smile. "Hera's been with me for a long time."
"Well she's quite fabulous, aren't you Hera?" I asked while she leaned into my fingers as I scratched at her neck, almost purring as she cooed.
Marie sighed then nodded while Ethan leaned back against the opposite rails. "Don't spoil her too much."
Hera squawked at Maria which made Ethan chuckle before he reached out and rubbed Hera's neck. "Sorry Hera, she didn't mean it," he said before he took my hand. "Thank you for letting us use her."
"Of course!" Marie said while Hera dug in one of her pockets, pulling out a dead mouse that she swallowed down. "Hera loves this kind of work."
"Well we cannot tell you how much we appreciate it," I said with a smile. "Thank you."
Marie nodded as Hera started to dig around again while Ethan pulled over to Bernard and Dagny. Alice was hopping around on the counter where Horace was nested. He eyed the bunny then rubbed his head against her affectionately, causing my brows to raise in surprise.
"Well, looks like you're horrible at playing sick Ethan," Dagny sighed out.
"Well, I am equally as horrible at being a patient."
"Agreed," I sighed out.
"Jack says Horace spotted some rogues on Joe's land," Dagny said while she nudged her chin to the blonde witch with curly hair.
"He has," Jack echoed. "He told me only a few dozen, but they could be hiding them or have just been bringing them in."
"Can he fly again?" Ethan asked.
"We have some other's out," Jack answered while Horace chirped playfully at Alice. "I'll send him tomorrow again. He does need to rest a bit."
"Of course," I said before I eyed the bunny and the hawk.
"That's so cute!" Dagny squealed. "Vincent! Do you have my phone?"
"Uh yes, why?" Vincent breathed out as he turned away from a conversation to face Dagny. "Take a picture! Look how cute Alice is right now."
Vincent looked at Dagny then over at the bunny. "My God! Alice! He's going to eat you love!"
Jack just laughed and waved Vincent off. "Please, I think Horace actually has a crush on her."
"Aww," Dagny said before she looked up at Vincent who was staring at the rabbit with wide eyes.
"A hawk has a crush on a rabbit?"
"Horace has never really cared. He's always been a bit of a ladies man, so better watch out Alice. Apologies in advance." Jack shrugged at Dagny who just laughed while she pulled her phone, an iPhone in a pink case the shape of a bunny, out of Vincent's front pocket.
"Well, either way, this is picture worthy," Dagny said before she snapped a photo while Horace nuzzled Alice again. "God, we are getting this framed."
"Brother!" Evan rushed out as he ran over to us. "The dynamite is in."
"Fantastic," I said, my beast yipping in delight.
"What about the warehouses?" Ethan asked.
Evan shook his head. "Jake just talked to Darren, they're empty."
"What?!"
"Darren said that they haven't had fights all week. His contacts on the inside more or less confirmed that they were gone."
"Shit," Ethan hissed out.
"Well, we know that she's moving them so it's to be expected," Jack said.
Ethan nodded then turned to Evan. "Work with the birds. I want to make sure that we are prepared to handle rogues at both borders, flex what you need to."
"Got it," he said before he turned and jogged away.
"Baby?"
"I'm fine," I said while I shook myself out of a daze, an itch starting to subtly churn in my stomach.
Ethan eyed me then nodded and pulled me to his side. We bid the group goodbye then walked out of the pack house where David was running across the valley to us. Aaron jogged out of the forest, tossing David some sweatpants as he shifted.
"David," Ethan said with a tired smile.
"Ethan, Charlie," David answered with a winded smile. "You two get a snake?"
"Snakes," I answered. "As in plural."
"Shit, we just got one," David said while he brushed through his messy hair with fingers. "Levi let Lucas and some of the younger wolves have at it. I think Lucas is making a flag out of it."
"Nice," I said with an approving nod.
"What can we do?" Ethan asked.
"Came to check in with Jake before we ran up to Lusa. We've got everything bunkered down on our end, Levi wants to do one last link tonight in case we need to flex some men last minute."
"Sounds good," Ethan said. "Anything we can help with?"
"No Ethan, just keep calm and rest up. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
"Yup," I answered before I smiled up at David. "Tell Pen high for me, ok?"
"You tell her yourself Charlie," David replied before he winked at me. "Better go catch up with Jake. See you two later."
I sighed while Ethan kissed my temple. "Come on baby."
"Where are we going?"
"Surprise sunshine," Ethan answered before he shifted into his fur, taking off into the words while I smiled to myself, lunging after him as my beast and I chased after him.
We wove through the forest; sitting back I let her have more control and just run freely as she nipped at Ethan's fur while we ran together. He yipped at me, nipping back at me before he stared us towards the treehouse.
Ethan and I slipped on some clothes, then quickly, we climbed up the ladder. Ethan chased me around the treehouse, lunging at me until I dodged him and climbed up the other ladder that led to the platform.
I walked quickly to the same ledge we sat on the first time we came here then sat down myself and laid back against the wood as the evening sun turned the sky into a watercolor mix of reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks.
There was an excited chill that ran down my spine as Ethan walked towards me. He knelt down and leaned down to kiss me, his lips lingering on mine before he sat up and scooted around to lay next to me.
"I guess you won sunshine."
"Gotta learn to move faster Everette," I replied, my teeth biting my bottom lip and stopping a mischievous smile.
"Whatever, I like letting you win a little sunshine, it's good for–"
"Excuse me? Let me win? I don't think so."
Ethan chuckled while he leaned over and reached for me, pulling me to lay with my head on his chest. "It's alright sunshine, a wins a win."
"You're ruining this moment," I muttered before I looked up at him through my eye lashes.
"Nah baby, this is a good moment," he replied, his voice soft and husky as he peered down at me.
"I feel like we should be doing something. We should–"
"Baby," he cut in. "We have two days before we have to take a fun little walk that we may very well not come back from. So shut the hell up and enjoy this."
I bit back a laugh as Ethan dipped down to kiss my forehead.
Ethan and I ended up passing out on the platform. He gently woke me up then helped me down the ladder, where he moved us to the couch to sleep. I slept almost too comfortably on top of his chest, the feeling of his fingers playing with my hair like a lullaby in itself.
When I woke up he was carrying me back home in the early morning. I blinked a few times before he nudged me to go back to sleep, which I happily complied with. When I woke again, I was nestled in our bed–curled up in his arms as the morning waned on.
For a few moments I watched him. I watched him as his breathed steadily next to me, his face so relaxed and almost completely at peace. My heart slightly twisted–I hated the thought of this every disappearing. Of this moment being one our lasts like it.
His eyes fluttered open, soft blue-green pools staring back at me from under thick lashes. "Hey."
"Hey, yourself." I rested my chin on his chest and looked up at him as he turned to his side with me in his arms.
"Did you sleep?"
I nodded. "Did you?"
"Off and on." He yawned before he looked back at me. "The couch in the treehouse was not as comfortable as I remember it."
Smiling, I leaned forward and kissed his chest. "You're a pretty comfortable pillow, though."
"I think you mean the most comfortable pillow baby."
"Charlotte, Ethan?" Lucas called out.
"Hey Lucas," I replied. "You alright?"
"We got another message last night. Another snake. Threw up a letter that said tomorrow at dawn to meet at The Last Tree. That the northern wolves wouldn't bother us."
Ethan growled lowly, tightening his grip on me. "Hold on a minute Lucas," Ethan said while he pulled someone into the link. "Evan?"
I felt something stir in the link before Evan's presence popped in. "Morning brother."
"Did we get any messages?"
"Yes, I was just about to link you actually," Evan said.
"Did it say to meet at The Last Tree tomorrow at dawn?" Lucas asked.
"Is that what yours said?" Evan replied.
"Yes."
"Yup. Ours said the same."
Ethan growled again, his chest sending vibrations over mine. I pulled him closer to me, twisting my legs in between his. "Can we confirm that Ajax and Jaxon have also gotten the same messages?"
"Yes," Evan said. "Jake just talked to Caden and Talia just linked Andrea."
"Well, looks like we're walking at dawn then," I breathed out.
"Ethan? What do you want us to do?"
Ethan paused and looked down at me, the back of his fingers rubbing over my cheek. "What more can we do that we have not already done? Wait to hear back from the familiars. We can do a last minute flex of men if we get any news. Other than that, let's make sure the pack is ready to go underground at a moments notice."
"And?" Evan asked.
"Let's just enjoy this day. If something happens we'll handle it."
"I have a bad feeling about this," Lucas said. "Dad, Lander, and I have been itching all week."
"Lyanna too," Evan breathed out.
"Me too."
"Well, we can't change the fact that it's a horrible situation. We've prepared all we can, there's no need to work ourselves to death anymore. Take it easy and rest today. We'll need it for tomorrow."
"Alright brother, I'll keep you updated."
"I'll relay to my dad, talk soon," Lucas said.
"Baby?"
Ethan looked down at me again, his fingers trailing over my collar bone. "It's alright sunshine."
"No, it's not Ethan."
"Baby, all I want to do today is make some blobs, drink some coffee, watch those horrible 'scary' movies you seem to love, and hide away in our house."
"The pack–"
"Is as ready as they are ever going to be," he replied back. "We are as ready as we are going to be."
I nuzzled into his chest, letting my beast reach out to his while my heart throbbed. "I'm not," I replied honestly.
"Which is exactly why we're making blobs, watching movies, and not putting clothes on all day. This house is officially a no clothes zone for the day."
I breathed out a sharp laugh. "We're not nudists Ethan."
"Ok, underwear only but I am not compromising on that."
I looked up at him, my eyes slightly watering. He slightly frowned as he pulled me closer to him. "None of that," he murmured before he kissed my hair. "There's no crying in blob making."
"We're not making blobs."
"We're about to be."
"About to be?"
"Well, I had other things in mind first."
"Like?" I asked.
He sighed and pushed some of my hair back. "It's a surprise sunshine."