The Hunted (LGBT+)

Chapter 17: Alpha to Alpha

Parker

With much reservation from both sides, I set off early this morning to meet with Rylan of the Lunar Sky Pack. It's not ideal but it's to save the treaty between our packs. Due to the stunningly successful uprising of the rogues, the packs have become worried that their safety is out of their own hands.

They're not wrong.

Things were already at a heightened state because of Rylan's ridiculously contrary attitude towards the idea of a treaty but adding this sudden change in the status quo breeds a new level of distrust. The fact that the brother of our Alpha is leading the insurgency is problematic.

Especially to Rylan.

When Akira, Eliza and I arrive at the Lunar Sky pack lands, we become quite aware that the scouts are out and about. Akira and Eliza are immediately on edge but show a resolve that I'm having trouble projecting. The two, as well as Kohl, have warned me to be assertive. They told me to mean what I say and say what needs to be said to survive.

That didn't frighten me at all.

As we pull up in the black Landrover, I find the pack's house to be similar to ours. Theirs is made of huge logs and it appears to be older than ours. The whole pack looks much the same yet it's oddly different. It's surprisingly vacant. The three of us exit the car as Rylan approaches the car with three wolves trailing him.

The first wolf has darker orange hair with a longer beard. His eyes are bright blue with specks of grey. I can see faint traces of freckles on his face. His large body, I'd wager, has more of the same.

The second wolf has darker skin. He appears younger than the other two. His brown eyes are colder. The wolf has trouble fitting into his small shirt.

The last wolf, a woman, is wearing a small black dress. Her dark her cascades down her shoulders and she looks kinder. Her green eyes seem softer than any of theirs. I watch as she moves with a grace I could never move with.

I peg them easily.

Caul the Beta, Neid the enforcer and Liara the Luna are standing in front of me.

"Welcome to the Lunar Sky pack lands!" Liara says with a gentle smile as she bypasses her husband and throws her arms around me, "It's so wonderful to have you here!"

I pull away and smile politely at her. She's not what I expected. She's the opposite of her husband and I find it disturbing. She then greets Eliza and Akira. The three seem to know each other well and I note to ask them about it later.

"I was hoping for your mate but you do seem the more competent of the two." Rylan says, "Welcome, Alpha Parker."

I stifle my annoyance and repeat to myself that this is for the good of the pack. I have to keep telling myself that.

Parker

As the day progresses, we are shown around the lands. He makes an effort to show us the local clinic where a few of his best warriors reside after the attack. I feel bad for the wolves. I've seen this kind of brutalization first hand.

McKennon and Ania have to be stopped. I may not have much say in any of this but we have to band together to stop this. I don't know what Ania is or even what she's doing but it doesn't matter. As much as I detest Rylan, neither he nor his pack deserve to be attacked like this. None of the packs do.

I stop in the middle of the street as I watch a woman scrubbing blood from the sidewalk. I stop, causing the wolves to stop as well. I feel uncertain. I should be more interested in what Rylan is saying but this seems significant. This woman is in pain. I can't stop myself as I break from the pack. I walk over to the woman. She barely pauses before she begins to scrub the blood away.