#8 The Archer and her Wolf

Xaiver

“Alpha, Luna, excuse me,” Thomas, one of the guards, interrupted us, “What do we do next?” He looked hesitant and confused. Valor Moon hasn’t had a conflict on this scale for generations. Before I could speak, Thea took control.

“Archers, on me.” She barely raised her voice, but her team of six surrounded us in seconds.

“Sapphire, go find Dr. Miranda Costco and the rest of the medical staff. Make sure they have things handled.” Thea told the Archer in blue, a short woman with brown hair and unmistakable red eyes. Sapphire nodded and was gone in a blink of an eye,

“Vi, catch up with the trackers and see what you can do to help.” She spoke to the woman in purple with long blonde hair who also smelled of vampire. Violet nodded once before she disappeared with a rush of air,

“Black and Gray, go with Thomas and see what you can help with. Get the borders up and prepare for another attack.” She ordered a large, muscular werewolf with black hair to match his uniform and an equally sized man in smokey gray who seemed to be human. They took with Thomas who didn’t even so much as spare me a backwards glance,

“Rose, head inside with the women and children.” She spoke to the werewolf girl in pink with a head of dirty blonde curls, “Greenie, you’re with me.” She finally addressed the last Archer, a werewolf in green.

She turned around to look at me and was suddenly blushing,

“Oh, I hope that was okay.” She mumbled and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“That was brilliant!” I exclaimed with a grin and Thea returned my smile.

“It was just sort of habit.” She shrugged.

“Crimson’s the best we’ve got, no doubt about that.” The Green Archer bumped her shoulder against Thea’s.

“They know my name.” Thea said, leaning down to speak quietly to Greenie.

“Fantastic!” Greenie grinned, “I was the first to tell her you two were mates, you know.” She said proudly, sticking out her hand.

“I owe you for that, thank you.” I said, shaking her hand enthusiastically.

“My name’s Dinah, by the way.” She said with a wink.

“Xaiver!” Frankie came running over with Shay right behind him, “The trackers got something. They’re scouting out a large settlement about thirty miles from here.”

“Is Violet with them?” Thea asked and Frankie nodded,

“Yes, she’s helping them to hear what’s going on inside the camp without getting too close. She can hear a child.” Frankie said.

“Well, then, what are we waiting for?” I said eagerly, grabbing Thea’s hand, “Frankie, get another group together to follow us to the rogue camp.” I ordered and Frankie took off running.

“Xaiver, I’m so sorry….” Shay lingered and I quickly shook my head,

“None of this is your fault. Go help Frankie.” I said, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze. Shay smiled slightly and followed after her mate.

“Yasmine’s inside with the women and children.” Lion said, walking up to me, “I’ll be staying with the Luna.” It wasn’t a question. I smirked at him,

“Of course you will. Yasmine should stay on guard with the packhouse, Shay, too.”

“And what about me? What should I do, Alpha?” Thea tugged at my hand with a sultry expression. I brushed her hair back from her face,

“You should stay right where I can see you. You never know when you need an Archer.”

“Dinah, get Gray to come with us. The others can stay here in case there’s another attack.” Thea instructed without looking away from me.

“Yes, ma’am.” Dinah said with a laugh.

“Let’s go get our son back.” I told Thea as I began walking towards the woods where the others would meet us.

“You’re surprising me, Xaiver.” Thea said as her eyes observed my face.

“How’s that?” I asked,

“You didn’t try to push me away from the fight and you weren’t upset when I took control.” I pulled her to a stop as we reached the edge of the woods, waiting for the rest of the warriors to join us. A crooked smile appeared on my face,

“I told you that I would try. But, honestly, I thought it would be more difficult to separate you from being my mate, Luna, and an Archer. It’s easier than I thought. You’re just so good at juggling it all.” I said and she smiled proudly,

“Well, being a Luna and an Archer isn’t much different. Being your mate proves the most difficult but, I’m managing.” She winked at me.

“Managing quite well, I’d say. Don’t think I’ve forgotten what you said at the portal.” Her face caught fire at my comment but, before I could say anything else, Frankie and the rest of the warriors were with us.

“Twenty of the best.” Frankie said. Lion was already at Thea’s side along with two of her Archers.

“Let’s go.” I nodded once at the warriors and they all shifted in unison. I glanced back at Thea who was huddled with Dinah and Gray, “Thea?” I said and she looked up at me,

“Yes?”

“Are you three ready?” I asked and she smirked,

“Archers are always ready.” She replied smugly.

“I’m going to shift unless…..” I began but Thea just shook her head.

“Go ahead, oh, and don’t panic if you can’t see me.” She said and I felt my eyes pull together. Lion moved closer to her on instinct.

“What does that mean?”

“You aren’t meant to see us if we don’t want you to. Lion, you can shift and stay on me. Xaiver, just worry about leading your pack.” She said, her eyes were hard and she was no longer smiling. One might equate her expression to that of a game face.

“Yes, Luna.” I mumbled, feeling a bit like a chastised school boy. Frankie laughed at me, having not shifted yet.

“Well handled.” He mocked me. I shoved him to the side,

“Just shift.” I growled. Frankie’s laughter only stopped when he was replaced by his wolf, River, “Thea?” I called her name again. She was getting read to leave with Mavis at her side,

“Yes?” She looked over at me again.

“Just, be careful.” I said. She offered me a small smile,

“Yes, Alpha.” She teased before nodding once to Mavis and the other Archers and running off.

Thea was right. Moments later she disappeared into the trees and I couldn’t find her no matter how hard I tried to. Had it not been for Mavis at her side I would have been worried. River and Cain led the twenty warriors through the woods and towards the location the trackers sent us. In less than thirty minutes, we joined up with the others.

The trackers and warriors we sent ahead were surrounding the rogue’s camp, awaiting orders. The vampire Archer, Violet, was standing at the ready next to our lead tracker, Curtis. I shifted and ran up to them both, not caring about my nakedness.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Your son is definitely in there. I can hear them talking to him, addressing him by name. If I had to guess, I’d say there are at least a hundred more rogues in the camp. I can hear them asking the Alpha for orders, too.” Violet said, glancing behind her, “I’m going to join Crimson now.” She said before running off. I had no idea how she knew where they were, but I didn’t ask.

“The men are ready to attack when you are. We have the camp surrounded.” Curtis said.

“Hold off. I’m going to go down myself, with Frankie, first. I want to get Logan out before there’s a fight, if I can.” I said and heard Frankie shift behind me.

“I’m coming, too.” I actually jumped as Thea’s voice appeared behind me with Mavis.

“Where did you come from?” I whispered loudly and Thea just shrugged. Dinah was at her side, “Violet and Gray have the sky.” She added and I assumed that meant they had our backs from up high in case anyone tried to move against us.

“Stand at the ready, Curtis.” I sighed, slapping him on the back before nodding my head towards the others, “Come on.”

“You two are naked.” Dinah said, looking Frankie and I up and down. Frankie shot her a cheeky grin.

“Here.” Curtis tossed us both a pair of pants, smacking Frankie in the face with them.

“Where the bloody hell did you keep these?” Frankie looked concerned. Curtis just shrugged.

The five of us made our way down to the rogue camp with Lion as the only one still in wolf form. By the time we reached the outskirts of the camp, I could sense rogues all around us, but they weren’t attacking. We reached the entrance and, still, we weren’t stopped. We continued down the center path of the camp, straight towards the largest tent in the camp, with a trail of rogues behind us. The flap to the tent fluttered open and a man walked out,

“Alpha Xaiver, a pleasure to finally meet.” The man sneered.

“I’m at a disadvantage. I don’t know who you are.” I said, even though I was sure this was the rogue Alpha, Dean. The man frowned,

“I am Dean, Alpha of the Rogues.” He confirmed my suspicions.

“Dean, Alpha of the Rogues, why have you attacked my pack and taken my son?” I said in an eerily calm voice.

“Who have you brought into my camp?” He ignored my question and eyed Thea for longer than I would have liked, “An Archer?”

“Archer Crimson and Luna to the pack you just attacked.” Thea’s hands were fist at her side, her face looked like it had been etched from stone.

“My Beta and Gamma, as well.” I added.

“Your Luna?” Dean looked surprised for a moment.

“Luna?” A familiar voice shrieked and I felt the anger boiling over. Thea shifted at my side and her face was as enraged as mine.

A woman with long, light brown hair exited the tent. Her hair, which was usually shiny and perfectly styled, was pulled back in a greasy, dirty ponytail. Her skin, usually tanned a sunny golden brown, was dirty and smudged. Her face no longer cleaned and groomed and painted with makeup, instead it was pale and thin. She was wearing faded jeans that were torn at the knees, two different kinds of boots on her feet, and a shirt that had been torn to make a crop top.

“Summer.” I snarled. Her eyes snapped from me to Thea, narrowing violently on my mate.

“You made her, an Archer, your Luna?” She spat.

“She’s my mate.” I answered plainly, quickly losing my patience, “Where is my son?”

“Don’t you mean our son, sweetie.” She purred and Thea made a nose beside me, her fingers twitching towards her bow.

“No, Summer, I mean my son. You left him when he was days old. He’s not your son and you are not his mother.” Summer pretended to look offended.

“Enough. This is pointless.” Dean shot a glare towards Summer that shut her up.

“Why did you attack my pack? I’ll only ask one more time.” I raised my voice slightly.

“When you banished Summer from your pack, she found mine and me, as her mate.” Dean said, not showing an ounce of compassion for his mate.

“I didn’t banish her. She left when I refused to make her the Luna.” I argued. Summer rolled her eyes,

“That was my right!” She shouted. I didn’t award her with a response.

“That doesn’t explain why you attacked.”

“You disrespected my mate, my Luna, and you kept her from her son.” Dean continued with his lies.

“None of that is true and you know it.” I said, itching to let Cain have his way with the false Alpha.

“Awh, maybe,” Dean chuckled, “But, what is true is the fact that Summer is my mate and her son is the heir to your pack.” His voice lost its humor.

“Xaiver.” Thea’s voice sounded strained at my side as she raised her bow and started to move backwards. Summer and Dean’s eyes both snapped to her.

“You found yourself a smart little Luna, indeed.” A creepy smile spread across Dean’s face as he spoke to my mate.

“She is not the Luna! I am.” Summer snarled as she threw her little tantrum.

“Like hell. You will never be the Luna of Valor Moon.” I stared at Summer like she was crazy.

“She will be once Logan is named the Alpha. But, he’s just a child, he’s too young to lead quite yet.” Dean started pacing. I growled at him,

“Where is my son?”

“You continue to miss the point.” Dean laughed.

“Logan is fine, they don’t want him harmed. They want the pack.” Thea said, her entire body was rigid and on edge.

“They won’t get it.”

“They will once they’ve killed the reigning Alpha and Luna. Logan will be named Alpha.” Thea didn’t take her eyes off of Dean or Summer, not for a moment.

“Logan is just a child.” I quoted Dean, “His guardians will be named the leaders in his stead, until he’s old enough.” I was starting to see the plan.