107 - ra


    We take the trucks to save energy. Every avable wolf with fighting experience is on our tail. Someone has been trying to dismantle my pack from the inside out and now everyone has seen it. The failed attempt did a few things. It allowed those who thought I was a sh*tty leader to see some of what I have been up against. They may not be pro-ra, but they are following to help because the pack matters more. It also allowed the witches to solidify their ce amongst us. While everyone has been cordial, not everyone in my pack was settled on the fact that the witches have made a semipermanent establishment in our pack.


    Juliette helped, and hindered, with her floating in the air, glowing eyes, magical fire extinguisher act. Some of my pack members now know she isn''t a threat to us. She could have let the packhouse burn, they all could have, but they helped get everyone out and to safety. They helped control the burn and eventually put it out, while my pack stood guard. The downside, everyone knows how powerful she is. Eliza wanted her for more than just being able to set Shadow Markers. It''s what some of us expected, and now it has been proven. The question now, once this is all over will she use her power against us and be no better than Eliza?


    Jason opted to stay behind with her now that we all suspect she is just as valuable as the Rift to the enemy.


    "Do you see that?" Ben breaks me out of my thoughts. Copyright ? 2025 Miss L Writes and Ember Mantel Productions


    "Hmm?" I blink a few times and look from his shocked face out the front window. A column of thick, ck smoke is rising from the forest surrounding the Rift.


    "Hey guys. Ask the witches what that smoke could mean, and be on alert, they know we''reing." I link out to everyone.


    "Marietta says that shade of smoke could be a few things, but the most obvious is Eliza or her goons are burning your forest trying to get our attention or get into the Rift." Jax responds quickly.


    "Well... They have our attention." I quip. I''ve never met the girl, but Eliza has a thing for the dramatics. I think Marietta said she always made things moreplicated than necessary. "What does Brianna think?" I didn''t miss the separation of opinion. They work in tandem so well, forget that both Marietta and Brianna are each Coven leaders in their own right and both have very different styles when ites to their magic.


    “Brianna says she can''t feel any pain from the forest, but she''ll have a better idea when she can put her feet on the ground."


    "So, trying to force her way into the Rift is the assumption then.”


    "We should be ready for an attack from some mind-controlled wolves too. There''s


    no way she wouldunch this n without having some kind of protection from us." Ben says, almost defeated.


    "We need to try and subdue them, not kill them." I rub my eyes and I know what''sing. I can feel the tension in his muscles rise the instant I say the words.


    "They are going to try to kill you, you know that right? No matter if they want to or not, if they are conscious or not. You are the prime target, followed by Brianna who also stands in her way."


    I knock my head back against the headrest. "Yes, I know that. And you and Mariettà will be on the same list by association as our mates. So don''t try to tell me to stand back and let everyone else fight, and I will grant you the same courtesy" My temper seems to always be at a low simmer under my skin these days and threatens to break out at the thought of being caged and controlled again.


    "I''m not stupid, ra." My head whips towards him. The low timber of his voice is more shocking than anything. It''s not a fighting tone, is he annoyed with me? "I would Rever ask you to stand down from a fight.” He huffs augh. "I just want to make sure that idea is at the front of your mind Please stay close to me he holds up a hand as I go to protest. “If I can see you and you can see me we will both fight better. Being distracted will get us both killed, and I am not interested in that oue."


    Ben pulls our truck to a stop as the forest gets thicker and it will be a bigger liability


    to be inside them. The rest of our caravan follows suit. The first few trucks start to unload. As soon as our feet hit the ground Ben, Jax, Dev and three other warriors drop to the ground.