The newcomers were startled as they watched this well-known pack. They greeted each other like strangers, each saying, "Hello friend," as if they didn't know each other's names or how long it had been since they last met.
Archer's voice was a low rumble that cut through the tense air. "Everyone moves in teams of two. Spread out, surround the area. We need to check in often." He gestured with a sharp hand, his awaiting soldiers moving in a coordinated fashion.
A young soldier stepped forward, her brow furrowed. "What about the ferals in the forest?" she asked, glancing nervously toward the treeline.
Another chimed in, a protective growl rumbling in his chest. "Should we really not defend against the deranged wolves?"
Archer looked around at the pack, and a new level of understanding dawned on him. All of them, as the Queen's guardians, no longer belonged to any packs. Most had grown up completely secluded in the Queen's territory, banned from interacting with the surrounding packs unless ordered. For many of these men, who had never served a Queen before, this trip had been an eye-opening experience to a world they had only heard about in hushed whispers.
He took a slow, deliberate breath, his gaze sweeping over the village. "Don't harm the pack! Even the ones in human skin aren't quite right. We will-" The words were hard to push up his throat, but as he looked around their village, his mind softened. It was clear this was unlike any other pack. They lived in small cottages without electricity or running water, as if they had never seen the modern world.
Archer watched as a girl, a defective, gently placed a baby in her mother's arms. The look in the mother's eyes was vacant and unaware, yet a joyous, almost innocent, smile lit her face, as if she were meeting a stranger's child. Nearby, another defective guided some older men through the forest, their arms filled with wood and freshly killed animals. Even with the looming threat of ferals, it was clear these people were docile and harmless in a way that was unnerving because it didn't make sense.
"–we will listen to Marcus's guidance for now," he finished, his shoulders relaxing slightly as his gaze settled on his soldiers.
The battalion moved like a single organism, splitting into teams and fanning out to guard their areas. Gleason nodded in acknowledgment as he passed by Skyler, noting the way her hawkeyes stayed glued to the Shadow Fang pack. It wasn't curiosity that held her gaze, but the calculating stare of a predator assessing its prey.
A palpable sense of anticipation settled over the group as the soldiers moved into position. Marcus, however, seemed at ease. He stepped forward with a welcoming smile, guiding the Alpha back toward the center of the pack where a large fire burned, its light dancing across the makeshift log seats.
"It has been a while, Alpha," Marcus said, his voice as smooth and comforting as a warm blanket.
The Alpha's face lit up, a wide smile that felt out of place on such a mature face. "Has it?" he asked, his eyes wide with a boyish wonder.
"Only a small amount of time," Marcus's words were soft and kind, like a father speaking to his son.
The shift in Marcus's behavior made Carly frown. She had experienced his kind and patient teaching spirit, but this was a level of tenderness that felt out of place.
Marina had heard about this pack but had never seen it firsthand. She knew their history and how they had been the pivotal force that saved their world from extinction during the Fae war. But since that time, little had been known about what had become of this pack. Following Marcus's lead, Marina walked over to the Alpha, a calculated smile curving her painted red lips as she extended her hand in a gesture of welcome.
"Hello friend," she said, her voice dripping with an almost theatrical kindness.
The Alpha's face fell as he looked at her. All he could see were her blood-red lips, not her eyes. She made him feel edgy and uncomfortable. "I don't know your face?" he said bluntly, turning his attention back to Marcus as if dismissing her.
Marina's smile tightened, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. She didn't understand. She had said the words all the pack members spoke. Her gaze drifted away from the Alpha, and she saw a defective girl ordering the other wolves around as if she were a Beta, if not the Alpha herself.
Marina felt her blood boil at the sight of an inferior being giving orders. If it wasn't for the girl's yellow hair, which was clearly not the Queen's black hair, Marina would have acted with more caution. She strode toward the girl with blonde hair that hung past her waist, her significant height allowing her to loom over the girl's much shorter stature.
"What are you doing?" Her steely voice slithered into the girl's ear, causing her to freeze in fear at the unfamiliar sound.
The wolves the girl had been directing all noticed her change in demeanor. Their eyes instantly turned black as they growled at Marina, stepping closer to protect the defective who protected them. Kelly, the girl, turned to face the unfamiliar voice, keeping a smile on her face. She bowed respectfully to the woman she recognized as part of the council from her robes, which were the same as Council Member Marcus's.
"Welcome, Council Member," her voice quivered, but she tried to stop herself from shaking.
"Are you a Beta?" Marina ignored the growling wolves, focusing on Kelly.
"No, Council Member." Kelly didn't understand what she had done wrong. Like the other defectives in this pack, Kelly was a helper. Council Member Marcus had personally brought all ten of them to this pack and had stayed for a few days, explaining their history and how he wanted them to help make everyone's lives easier. She hadn't expected to find her birth family, only to realize they didn't know who she was.
"What gives you the right to order wolves around?" Marina demanded, pulling back her hood to reveal her green eyes, which glowed with a fierce warning.
"Sorry, Council Member. But I'm not ordering anyone around. We are helping each other. It's how we live in this community. Council Member Marcus was the one who arranged everything this way." Kelly wasn't sure if it was okay to speak about Marcus's request of them.
One of the wolves on Kelly's right looked as if he would start to shift. She quickly walked over to him, taking his hand gently while looking into his eyes. "Hello friend." The wolf instantly calmed down, recognizing Kelly's familiar scent and the voice that protected their homes. He blinked his eyes as if he had just woken from a deep sleep, and a bright smile took over his face. "Still so much sun, we should keep working." He squinted as he looked up at the sun high in the sky.
Philip couldn't afford for the council to go in opposite directions. He strode over to Marina, his hand resting on her arm. "Leave them, Marina," he commanded in a low voice. This was not a pack to linger in for long. As Marina shot one last withering look at the blonde girl, Philip's mind was already elsewhere, calculating his next move.
With his resolve solidifying, he lifted his hands above his head, signaling for the Betas and Alpha's daughters to gather. He would be using them. If they intended to remain a part of their party, they would need to pull their weight when asked. "Gather round," he commanded, his voice cutting through the air.
"We need to round up all the women of the pack. They will be spread far and wide. Some will be in the forest, and some will be in the village," Philip announced.
"Why would we help? We aren't here as servants!" Gianna spoke up. The eldest descendant of the Gilded Maw pack, she had been one of the few to remain in human form, riding on her Beta's back. Her honey blonde hair was perfectly styled in beautiful blowout waves, and her face was meticulously painted—an odd juxtaposition with the archaic nature of this pack and their travels.
Amelia leaned over toward her sister, her voice a telepathic whisper. She's the eldest daughter of the Gilded Snob pack! Amelia had met the family a few times at the Warriors' Exam, and Gianna had left a sour taste in her mouth.
Don't be so obvious! Boris straightened Amelia's head so she wouldn't look like she was communicating.
Philip's cold eyes narrowed on the brazen beauty. "Are you unaware of who you're speaking to, girl?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.
With a well-practiced smile, Gianna stood her ground, refusing to bend to one of the council's weaker members. If it had been Marcus or Marina, she would have pretended to help. But Philip! She had heard about his careless gallivanting and knew she could have him wrapped around her finger.
"Miss—" her Beta, Reggie, tried to stop her, subtly placing his hand on her arm, only to be shrugged off.
"Shut up!" she snapped, uncaring that he held a higher position than she did.
As Philip made his way toward Gianna, his steps were heavy, and the dried leaves beneath his feet crumpled, chilling the surrounding group. Everyone moved away, giving him a wide berth. In one swift movement, he slapped the young girl viciously across the face. Before she could fall, he gripped her neck, holding her in place. Her eyes darted around, looking for someone to protect her, to take her side. But everyone just bowed their heads, their necks exposed in complete submission. Even her own beta head bowed to Philip.
"My father will—" she began, her voice a strained croak.
"Your father failed to educate you. You are dirt! You have no rank in any pack. You have no power. You are a stupid child. Test my patience again, and you will be having a very unpleasant time in the council house under suspicion of treason."
"You can't do that to me." Her eyes turned black as she clawed at his fingers, her impending shift cut short as he gripped her throat even tighter, cutting off her strength with ease.
"He can! And we would," Marina spoke up, her voice firm and cold.
Gianna's insides burned, but she finally gave up. Bowing her head in submission, she let out a weak "sorry," hoping it would be enough to satisfy this crazed man. Grinning, Philip lost all the cold ferocity around him. He set her back on her feet gently, as if nothing had happened.
"Alpha's daughters, bring all of the sick and elderly women to the center of the village. Go now," he ordered, his glowing eyes leaving no room for question. "Betas, half of you scour the houses. Find all the women and bring them to the square. I don't care how you bring them in, just make sure they're all there. The other half of you scour the forest. There will be lost wolves nearby. Bring them to the square."
With that, he walked back over to Marina, his eyes constantly scanning the pack, his body on high alert. His senses were open, listening to every word spoken, making sure he didn't miss a thing.
"You're never this serious, or violent!" Marina said, crossing her arms across her chest and pulling her hood back over her eyes, exposing only her signature red lips.
"Never is a very strong word!" He didn't bother to look at her; his mind was elsewhere.