Chapter Eleven
Once the girl had been found, the alpha pulled back all the alpha's wolves so that the alpha could deal with the problem at hand. Then the alpha set up the alpha's men trying to make them look as nonchalant as was feasible. However, trying to get eighteen men to look like they were not about to attack the warlock and his four men, one of which the alpha had yet to determine what it was ...
The alpha stood assessing the warlock's men. Would they continue to fight if the alpha and the alpha's men were to obliterate Etienne? The alpha thought the warlock's men would give up once the supplier of their paycheck was eliminated. The alpha scoffed at loyalty. The alpha knew what kept the alpha's men in line. Leverage. The alpha remembered reading L. Ron Hubbard's science fiction book Battlefield Earth. It gave the alpha great insight on how to deal with 'others' or anyone that was not the alpha. The alpha had looked into Hubbard's other book Dianetics but quickly lost interest. The alpha was able to gain what the alpha could gain. The alpha was satisfied with that.
The alpha thought, hmm, maybe split and conquer? Get as many of his men out and away from Etienne and the house as quickly as possible. The alpha was satisfied with that thought. The alpha felt proud of himself. The alpha then ordered the wolves over which the alpha had the least amount of leverage to get closest to Etienne. Yes, the alpha would be able to deal with wolves that the alpha could not ultimately control and have them fight the warlock first. Fodder for first fire. The alpha smiled at the alpha's alliteration.
The alpha pondered on what to do with the girl. Why is it taking so long? The alpha asked the alpha's beta that had acquired the girl.
Bear took out Landers. Girl still in pain.
Eh, Landers was a pain in the alpha's ass and the alpha had very little hold on the wolf. The alpha was better off without him. The alpha debated on whether the alpha's beta should just drop the girl and come help fight or just bring the girl at a slower pace.
The alpha was leaning towards the alpha's beta just dropping the girl. The alpha needed all the alpha's men the alpha could get against the warlock. And the alpha's beta could always go find her again, scent her out.
Something else was nagging the alpha. The alpha couldn't remember. The alpha realized that the alpha's whole brain had been thinking about Etienne and finding a way to kill him. The alpha found that the alpha wanted to tell the alpha's beta to drop the girl and come back immediately to kill the warlock. When the alpha's beta responded with an affirmative, the alpha realized what the alpha had done. The alpha tried to push through another thought to cancel but, no matter how hard the alpha tried, the alpha could not do anything. The alpha's eyes drifted over to Etienne. The words and feelings to KILL, KILL, KILL flashed through the alpha's head.
What the fuck!
Attack! The alpha shouted through his mindlink. The alpha realized the alpha had not meant to push it just yet. The alpha had been going to wait for the alpha's beta to get there. What the fuck was going on!?
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Danerus looked around the forest and listened to the unknown songs of birds chirping. Other than that, the woods were silent. Their group was now waiting. Dane had ordered the eldest wolf to surreptitiously get in touch with the wolves most likely to turn on the alpha first and convince them that Dane was coming to make their lives better. And now, it had been less than an hour before they had turned off the main road, stopping because of the overwhelming scent of wolves the alpha had brought with him. Dane had wanted every advantage and felt that the more wolves turned, the better. He didn't need the other wolves to fight for him, he only needed them to stand down while he fought the alpha.
Occasionally Nagülan muttered “twelve hours,” then shook his head.
It was amusing to Dane at first but, he soon grew tired of it. Get over it. We're not all neuroscientists. He grumbled into Nagülan's head. There was a little more muttering from the elf but, none of it understood by Dane so he didn't care.
What Dane did care about was what the pup had reported going on in Etienne's Keep. Apparently, the alpha was planning on killing the warlock. This was a fortuitous event. While Dane might have easily taken down Etienne on his own, having the alpha do it for him would make things so much cleaner. The only thing pushing him to run up to the Keep to rip Etienne's head off his shoulders were the wounds from which Deva was currently still suffering that had been inflicted by that damned warlock onto her delicate lily-white skin.
Sithari had gotten through the goddess bond and was able to communicate with Deva. Sithari asked Deva to stall the wolf carrying her back for as long as possible. Deva agreed and was even now complaining to the wolf about all the pain from the beatings the damned warlock had given her. Some of the scabs had opened up, giving her real excuses to slow the wolf down. And apparently her stomach was aching as well.
“The alpha just ordered all the wolves to attack the warlock!”
The words snapped my head in the direction of the older wolf. What? He was in position and had all the pieces set? What the hell was going on over there?
“Tell me everything that is happening.”
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Deva sat still. Small birds had begun to gather around her. The wolfman that had been carrying her had set her down upon a log and handed her his shirt, hoping to keep the morning chill off her. She would need it. She smelled snow.
There was rustling and the pack of wolves that had helped her before ambled up to her, surrounding her, lending her their warmth. Soon after and there was even greater noise coming from the bushes. The bear made his presence known. The wolves all moved to the other side of Deva as the bear settled down in front of her, giving her even more warmth.
Through the Goddess, Deva had met Sithari. Now, Deva was on an emotional high. Danerus was close! He had come to rescue her! Deva could not remember when she had felt such joy. With the bear and wolves providing warmth and comfort and the birds singing her a lullaby, Deva fell into a much needed sleep so she could dream of Danerus and see through Sithari's eyes as they languished on Deva's love. The elf with them looked so familiar but, Deva did not have the energy to think of that now. All she wanted was Dane.
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The beta was running as fast as he could. He had gotten the call to drop the girl for later, so that he could come back for her, and to rush back and help with the killing of the warlock. However, he felt the strongest pull to run around the Keep and back towards the little landing strip they had used to fly into the country. He was in his wolf form, larger than a regular wolf. He kept on running, faster than he had ever run before. The power of killing Landers flowing through him. He'd never liked that idiot, never trusted him either.
Now he could feel he was running to power. Power so great, he had never felt so much before. It was almost frightening. Yet he did not feel afraid, as if the power was one he would never fear although it was terrifying.
It was significantly less time than he anticipated that he came upon the group of four wolves that had been left behind at the airstrip, two elves and the most intimidating wolf he had ever seen, despite the short cargo pants and too tight t-shirt.
The beta pulled up short yet was compelled to approach the large wolfman.
“Who the hell are you?” the wolfman asked of the beta.
The beta shifted back to his man then quickly threw on the pants he had loosely tied around his waist. “I was the alpha's beta. The Goddess has told me that I now belong to you.”
“Dane,” the large wolfman held out his hand to shake. “Do you know where Deva is?”
The beta made the leap between the name and the girl he had found. “I left her in the woods. I would have brought her, but Gaia told me that I needed to leave her there, that she would send help for her.”
Dane's eyes had narrowed when the beta said he had left her alone in the woods. Was this the father of the bump in the little nymph's belly? The beta felt the affirmative and also felt the need to bow low before this powerful wolf.