King Cameron’s POV
As soon as Alpha Caleb’s office door closes, Darius turns to me.
“We were almost to the 90 mile mark, spread out, when it happened. We didn’t see it, Scott heard it.” He jerks his head to Scott.
“We went back and found the body.”
“Who’s body?” Alpha Caleb interrupts, stepping forward, looking to a silent Scott, who looks like he is in shock and unable to speak.
“Alpha Caleb, I’m so sorry.” Darius turns to him, a somber look on his face.
“We separated around the border, we didn’t see them coming. One of your pack members…” he glances to Scott. “Benny…was surrounded and killed by the Red Night pack.”
Alpha Caleb looks stunned. He looks over at Scott to confirm. Scott swallows and nods.
“I-I heard him. H-He called for help right before…b-but it was only a second…then he was gone.”
Poor kid. Scott couldn’t be more than nineteen. I imagine he hasn’t seen anything like he just witnessed. If it truly is Lycan’s, the scene must have been brutal.
I meet Darius’s eyes.
He looks back into mine. “The body was barely recognizable.”
“Lycans?”
He nods in answer to my silent question.
Damn!
I turn to Alpha Caleb who is running his hands through his hair and rubbing his forehead with his fingers.
“Shit! Benny just joined the patrol, he was only seventeen!”
Even though I’m not too fond of Alpha Caleb, I feel sorry for him. It’s never easy to lose a pack member, especially one so young, and in such a horrible way.
“Alpha Caleb, I’m sorry for your loss.”
He glances at me and nods absently.
“Where is his body?”
“We brought him back, some of our men are with him, we thought it best to keep him out of view until we talked.”
Alpha Caleb nods again.
“We can take you to him.”
He looks determined as he nods and waves his hand for Darius to lead the way.
I follow as well.
“We can leave through the side door down the hall to the left.” Alpha Caleb tells Darius. “I don’t want to be seen or followed.”
We make our way out of the packhouse and Darius takes us across the road to the forest edge. I see three of my men and two of the Silver Streams men standing around a covered lump on the ground, red stains leaking through the rough burlap blanket on top of it.
I look over at Scott. He has silent tears rolling down his cheeks as he looks at the blanket covered body.
Alpha Caleb leans over the body and Zane, one of my men, lifts the blanket so he can take a look.
His hand jerks to his head as he looks down, letting out a small groan.
He steps away from the body and I go to investigate, meeting Zane’s eye as he pulls back the blanket further.
No doubt. Lycan’s did this. I shake my head briefly before standing up.
“Where would you like us to take the body?” Zane address Alpha Caleb.
“Scott, could you have them take Benny to the pack hospital?” Scott nods.
“And don’t say anything to anyone until I get a chance to talk with his parents.”
Scott leads the way as my men follow with Benny’s broken body.
Alpha Caleb lets out a long sigh and looks at me. “I’ll need to speak with his parents soon, and then I’ll need to talk with my pack, we need to make sure we add extra patrol and practice more precautions until we eliminate the danger. Obviously, the Red Night isn’t an ordinary werewolf pack.”
I begrudgingly feel respect for Alpha Caleb.
“Yes, we believe it is a Lycan pack that is using the Red Night pack as a cover. It is wise to make your pack aware, and extra precautions are a good idea.” I think of Ava and make a mental note to tell her not to go anywhere alone or far from the packhouse. The idea of sending her back home comes forefront again.
“We will call for reinforcements to meet us here, since there are Lycan’s involved, we want to make sure we aren’t outnumbered, and we don’t know how many there are just yet.”
Alpha Caleb nods.
“I’ll go speak with Benny’s parents and reconvene at the dining hall to address the rest of the pack in half an hour. Ralph…” He turns to his beta who has been silent the entire time. “Could you go back to the dining hall and make sure no one leaves until I get back? I don’t want anyone panicking until I talk with them.”
Ralph nods solemnly, glancing towards the group carrying the body down the road, and turns to go inside.
Alpha Caleb nods at me before turning and following Ralph back inside.
I watch as he walks back to the packhouse.
I look at Darius.
“How did this happen? Why were the werewolves left alone when we suspected Lycan involvement? The poor kid never stood a chance.”
“They had strict orders to stay together, they fell into a false sense of safety when we went so long without any incident. They split up at the end, they were ready to get back. Scott was supposed to stay with him, I think he blames himself, but he couldn’t have done anything, he’d be dead too.”
“From now on, no werewolf goes on patrol without a Lycan, understood?”
Darius nods at me.
I turn to look at Chris.
“That’s helpful to the werewolf, but not to the Lycan who has to babysit him. I think it’s more clear now than ever that we should head home, regroup, and then come back to the fight.”
I glare at Chris. “We stay. We don’t tuck tail and run away from a fight.”
“That’s not what I’m saying…”
“It sure sounds like it.” Darius glares at Chris.
“What I’m saying…”
“We know what you are saying Chris.” My voice is low and threatening. “And we don’t need to hear it again. My command is that no werewolf goes on patrol without a Lycan, got it?”
Chris nods, his eyes glinting at me before looking at the ground.
I turn back to Darius. “I’m going to leave you in control of the patrol, Zane can take shifts with you.” I turn to Chris. “You will start leading training sessions. We need everyone to be prepared for the fight.” Chris opens his mouth. “Those training sessions will include the Silver Streams pack, and I’d appreciate you dropping your attitude about it.”
Chris closes his mouth and nods.
He isn’t a complete fool, he can tell I’m about done with him. He has truly tested me today. If my father created laws, I’m sure I can find a way to create a new one to abolish it. I can’t keep having such a hot-headed beta who constantly tries to challenge me.
“Head inside, Alpha Caleb will need our backup when he tells his pack what’s happening. I’m going to call back home to fill them in and send for reinforcements.”
Darius and Chris nod and head towards the packhouse.
I whip my phone out and furiously dismiss all the texts and missed calls from Rachel. She’s not taking the rejection well, insisting that it happens in person. She should know better, when you meet your mate, any prior relationships no longer matter. All that matters is your mate.
I feel the need to get back to Ava as quickly as possible, I need to know she’s safe and I crave the comfort that her touch brings me. I’m sure she’ll be saddened and panicked by the news of Benny’s death, I want to be there for her when she hears it.
I quickly dial back home.