Flames of Fury

Rohanor

“Start bringing people back to the palace, we have to evacuate them.” Incandis shouts to Xander and the two of them fly off, grabbing the first pack members they see and teleporting them back to the Grove.

Warriors to the pack house. Guards help escort everyone else to a Grove Guardian. I link the entire pack, their anxiety and fear abating by a fraction, eased by having their Alphas back in proximity.

I don’t need to say anything to my brother, we move like we’re one person, completely in sync as we sprint towards the pack house. We start putting out fires as we run, but for every fire we put out there’s the sound of a new blast in the distance.

Grove Guardians start appearing in droves. Teleporters don’t hesitate, they grab the first werewolves they see and pop them out of harm’s way. The other Grove Warriors follow Incandis and Xander into the skies.

Moments later our warriors arrive, some in human form some shifted into their wolves.

“Go house to house, building to building, get everyone out!” I bark at them and they take off.

Help us please! We’re trapped in the daycare!

The dire plea rings through our link. It’s Nicole, the girl who works with Kat in the pup room at the daycare. Varian and I shift and sprint down the short path through the trees to where the daycare and most of the family housing is.

Three men are flying around the daycare, breathing a ring of fire around it on the ground. The windows are all blown out and I can see fires raging inside the building.

Someone from the Grove flies straight into one of the attackers knocking them both out of the sky and crashing down into a neighboring roof.

Varian and I run into the building, shifting when we get in.

Nicole, we’re here. Where are you?

Kitchen.

As we approach the kitchen we can hear the cries of the youngest pups in our pack, scared and in need of comfort. A pang in my chest momentarily knocks the breath out of me, I stop myself from imagining that those are the cries of my pups.

It’s not our pups, Ro, they’re safe. Varian links me, he knows exactly where my mind was.

The flames don’t bother us but we put enough of them out to make a clear path to evacuate the pups and Nicole. The swinging cafe doors to the kitchen have been consumed by the fires. When I step into the kitchen Nicole and Laura have all of the pups sheltered behind a metal prep table that they flipped on its side while Nicole uses the nozzle from the sink to spray any flames that threaten to get too close to them.

“Nicole! We’re here!” Varian says to the girls as we put the fires surrounding them out but Nicole is too in shock to stop spraying the area.

“Is there anyone else in the building?” I shout to Nicole and Laura over the roar of the flames outside.

“No, we were last. We tried getting out — I tried, but I couldn’t. I didn’t – I didn’t know what else to do.” Nicole starts trembling, her knees turning to jello and threatening to collapse under the weight of the task that was forced upon her to keep the pups safe.

I cup her cheeks in my palm, “You did good, pup. Let’s get you out of here.”

She nods at me unblinking. She’s clearly still shell shocked but is able to grab two of the pups in her arms.

Each of us takes two pups in our arms and Varian and I lead the girls safely out of the building. I shout across the lawn at the first guard I see. They teleport over to us, closing the distance between us in the blink of an eye and without further instruction she takes the girls and their four pups first and then comes back for the four we’re holding.

Warriors. Status update.

Sir, the packhouse and eastern territory have been fully evacuated. Half of the family houses have been cleared. Runidar responds to us.

Good. Keep it up, I want everyone out.

We run back towards the clearing in front of the pack house, with the evacuation being handled by the guards it’s time to kill the fuckers that dare to attack our pack.

I catch sight of Incandis flying overhead punching someone in the face as they twirl around each other in the air. The guy he punched falls out of the sky and lands dead a few yards away.

“Incandis, fly low!” I shout up to him hoping he hears me. I have an idea.

Pluck them from the sky. I link to my brother and we both shift back into our wolves.

It’s only another moment until Incandis comes swooping by again only 10 or so feet off the ground. I jump up and snatch the attacker in his arms by the ankle, tugging him down to the ground where Varian pounces on him and rips his neck out with his teeth.

The other warriors catch on, guardians and werewolves alike flock to the clearing. The dragons knock the attackers out of the sky low enough for our wolves to ensnare and disembowel them.

They’re starting to flee, capture some and keep them alive for interrogation. Varian commands to the warriors.

One of our warriors was about to decapitate one but after hearing Varian’s words he stops short. The attacker grabs his front legs and spreads flames up from their paws to their shoulders. Our warrior howls in pain, the flames make quick work of his fur and begin to singe his skin.

I turn as fast as I can towards him, knocking him off the dragon before he can do more damage to our warrior. Varian must have put the fire on his body out because his howls dissipate into wimpers. I now stand above the dragon, my front paw on his chest. His sternum cracks a little more as I put more weight on my paw. It makes a satisfying crunching sound, like the sound of cracking ice on a frozen lake.

The dragon tries the same trick as before, he grabs my leg and sends flames up it. But rather than howl in pain, I spit flames at his face and watch as realization hits him that fire won’t work on me.

I shift back into human form, “That’s right fucker, I’m fireproof, too.” I punch him square between the eyes, practically salivating at the sound of his nose breaking. He goes limp beneath me but I can still hear him taking breaths so I know I haven’t killed him – yet.

Incandis and Xander land next to me, wings still out at the ready. “Is he dead?” Incandis asks flatly, like asking me for the time.

“Not yet. Is there somewhere secure we can bring him?” I ask, pulling on a pair of shorts that Runidar throws at me.

“We have cells in the palace.” Xander offers but his answer immediately pulls a defensive growl from Varian.

“I’m not keeping this asshole under the same roof as my mate and children.” Varian snarls.

Runidar and the rest of the warriors near us stiffen at Varian’s words. They’ve known about Mags being our mate, but aside from Runidar no one knew she was pupped. I run my hands down my face and press the heels of my hands to my eyes. Fuck, we have so much to tell the pack.

Incandis hazards a hand on Varian’s shoulder, “I would never do anything to endanger my baby sister and my newborn niece and nephew. Our cells are secure and there will be two guards on him 24/7.”

Varian nods reluctantly and spits on the still unconscious attacker. “Let’s get you guys to the Grove.” Xander begins but Varian shakes his head.

“No, not yet. We should finish putting out the fires and check for any more survivors…and casualties.” Varian says the last part solemnly, I can tell by his choice of the word ‘and’ instead of ‘or’ that he felt some bonds go silent, too. Like the flame of a candle being snuffed out, one minute it’s burning bright and the next smoke and a charred wick are the only signs that it was ever alive.

“Go ahead, D. I can stay with the Alphas and make sure they get back when they’re ready.” Xander dismisses his friend.

Incandis and another guard disappear with our prisoner leaving the rest of us to put out the literal fires and collect our dead.

— — —

Magnolia

Every step away from my babies is like swallowing glass, but I know they’re safe here and Kat practically runs the daycare in Shadowmoon so they’re in capable hands. I won’t be gone long and I’m not far away, but still they’re only hours old so no matter how I rationalize it or try to justify it, leaving them just hurts.

I take a deep breath and steel myself for the job ahead of me. Time to be a leader.

Ember and I fly down to the bottom floor where guardians have already started teleporting pack members into the great room.

I hover a few feet off the ground so everyone can see me, “Welcome everyone. I know right now you might be confused, some of you may be scared. Please know you are safe here. We are going to take care of you.”

“My young Queen, how can I help?” Malin says from beside me.

“Take the injured to the infirmary, Ember can heal anything life threatening here and then once they’re stable bring them to the infirmary for further treatment.”

I look at Ember but she’s already making her way through the crowd, healing little cuts and scrapes with a single, casual touch.

Palace staff have started flooding into the great room, even the kitchen staff have left their work to come see the commotion.

I turn to a row of five staff members who all bow to me at the neck, “how can we help?”

“Can you sort the incoming refugees into rooms? Put them on the first 3 floors, I don’t know how many rooms we’ll need so come get me when we start filling floor three. Families first, keep them together.”

The five of them begin immediately, making quick work of grouping families and escorting whole families first up to their temporary rooms. One of them starts making a roster of names and rooms so it’ll be easier to reunite families when everyone eventually gets here.

More people arrive by the second, each new group of wolves brought in are in worse shape than the last. Many are injured, many more are crying or shouting for loved ones they’ve been separated from. All shell-shocked, confused, and disoriented.

I see Malin assessing people for injuries, determining who needs to go to the infirmary and who can wait for Ember.

I start heading towards him when my dad and uncle appear in front of me.

“Maggie, what’s all this?” My uncle asks me, his brows are furrowed in confusion and lined with concern.

“Shadowmoon is under attack. Dad I need the empaths, get them here to help settle everyone’s nerves, the last thing we need is more panic.” My father teleports out before I can say anything more. “Dex, can you go around with Malin and get people to the infirmary who need it?”

“Of course, kiddo.” He pulls me towards him by arm and kisses my forehead before seeking out Malin. Only my uncle Dex can infantilize me like he does without it coming off as derogatory.

I run over to the kitchen and start going through the pantries looking for snacks and other things that we can offer to the incoming wolves.

“My young queen?,” the head chef, Lucy, calls to me, perplexed at my behavior.

“Lucy, can you guys maybe put together something simple for our refugees? We’ve got women and children…” I trail off as my thoughts drift to Cole and Calla and my boys back in Shadowmoon.

“My queen, leave it to us.” Lucy places a comforting hand on mine and gives me a tight, but warm smile.

“Thank you, Luce,” I squeeze her hand in silent thanks before flying back into the great room.

There’s slightly more order than before as many of the families have been reunited and shepherded to their rooms.

I’ll have to make sure more linens and towels are delivered to their rooms. One thing at a time. Get them safe. Get them fed.

Lucy outdoes herself, she comes bustling out of the kitchen with a cart of coffee, tea, and juice. I take it from her so she can return back to the kitchen and I make my way through the crowds trying to comfort and reassure everyone as best I can.

I can’t explain why but I feel just as responsible for the wolves of Shadowmoon as I do for the dragons of Twilight Grove. It’s more than just wanting to help people who are in need. I feel protective of them, a yearning to comfort them and see to their well-being.

Our guards start teleporting in without any more wolves with them, the last to arrive being Incandis.

“Hey, is this it? Did we get everyone out?” I ask my brother.

He leans close to me, whispering as quietly as he can so the wolves can’t overhear, “everyone who is alive is out. Ro, Varian, and Xander are still there putting out the rest of the fires and identifying the deceased.”

My heart sinks at his words, but any ache I feel is quickly replaced by rage, by fury. The people responsible for attacking our pack will suffer unimaginably for this attack, I’ll see to it personally.

“My queen,” one of the palace staff from earlier interrupts my thoughts, “after all the families are housed, we will have three rooms left on the third floor.”

I sweep my eyes around the room and notice that most of the wolves left are the unmated men and women who had been living in the packhouse.

“Can we group the unmated females together, three or four to a room?”

“Certainly, ma’am, but what should we do with the rest of the men?” He asks me and it’s a good question. Where can I put them? I could have Xander bunk with Incandis, maybe even uncle Dex. Worst case scenario Ember could join in my room. The boys won’t be happy about it but it’s only temporary.

“My young Queen?” Malin’s voice derails my train of thought. “I’d be honored to open my home to one or two of the boys who need housing.”

As soon as Malin offers, a dozen other guardians step forward offering to take the remaining pack members into their homes.

“Thank you, all of you. Your generosity will not go unrecognized.” It’s all I can do to keep the sentimentality out of my voice, fucking hormones making me weepy and gushy.

“We serve at your pleasure, my Queen.”

“Mags!” I nearly jump out of my skin when Xander teleports in directly behind me. “Woah, easy, hey you doing okay? Where is everyone?”

I elbow him in the stomach and then punch him in the shoulder when he doubles over dramatically, putting on theatrics for my benefit, not because I actually hurt him.

“Everyone has been housed or sent off to the infirmary. Kitchen is working on getting food out. I need someone to check on linens and such for all three floors and then —“

Incandis grabs my upper arms in either hand, “what you need is to go back upstairs and take care of yourself and your newborns. You’ve done enough for everyone else.”

I don’t even have time to open my mouth to protest before he teleports me into my room where Kat is bent over their crib humming lullabies to them as they sleep. Xander appears with Ember a moment later.

“Mags before you say anything, you’ve done an insane amount of work already. You’ve got two babies who are hours old, and you’ve housed close to 500 people at a moment’s notice.” Incandis praises me.

“The hard part is over, let the Guardians handle it from here. I’m sure even neanderthals like us can’t fuck up linen distribution.” Xander teases.

I want to be mad at them for manhandling me back into my room but his self-deprecation tugs an involuntary smirk from me.

I roll my eyes in an overly exaggerated fashion, “fine. But I’ll want to meet soon.”

The babies start to stir in their cribs, soft cries emanating from their tiny little bodies.

Kat beams at me, “they can smell their mama, they know you’re here.”

“And that’s my cue to leave. I’m going to grab Ro and Varian and then see if anyone needs help with anything.” Xander says and disappears once more.

“Alright, D. I’m going to take an hour to sort through my thoughts and then I’ll connect with you about meeting — we have a lot to discuss.”