Gamma No More - Book 3

Toni’s troops were noticeably smaller, but thankfully, not because of casualties. Most of the forces she had originally led to war were on their way back to their home packs.

Some were now led by Alpha Ryan as Joseph’s replacement, but they were all safely returning to their packs, and while some of those, like Karl had wanted to stay, to Toni, it was a sign that the trials their world face, were ending, not that it meant immediate peace but it was a significant step forward and that pleased her.

She had tried to Stop Cage or as she was trying to remind herself, Dominic, from coming, to travel with Karl as an Alpha of her pack, but the newly mated male wouldn’t leave her side and definitely not if she intended to head towards trouble.

While he was sure that she had a better ability to protect herself even as an untrained Lycan, than he could as a wolf, his male pride would not acknowledge that and insisted on going with them, plus, the pain Hakan had felt at the idea of being separated was enough to convince him it was the wrong thing to do.

Although it was hard to admit, Toni secretly felt relieved that he had come. Even her wolf seemed more at ease with him around, and deep down, so did she. Despite the potential danger he faced by being there, the thought of not carrying the weight of leadership alone brought her comfort, especially from a wolf that had lived a normal life. He brought the balance she felt she needed.

Besides her, Dominic and the ten Veiled ones, Dimitri, Joseph, and Lance had each brought ten of their best wolves along with Raine, giving them forty-six attackers, it seemed an overkill for just one wolf, but there was always the chance that he had guards, not that Killian had seen any on his visit.

Better to plan for the unexpected, rather than go in unprepared.

Toni hoped that this was going to be enough, she hadn’t shifted into her third form since the day on the battlefield, so not yet tested the limits of her Lycan, for the first few days she had been too tired, then afterwards it had seemed something she wanted to do in the privacy of her own pack.

But she was banking on between her and the wolves that followed, enough to stop whatever forces this Tane had held in reserve, but so far, she questioned if they would even meet a defending force, everything pointed to them being a puppeteer, not a leader, wanting to keep their own hands clean.

As they get closer to the house, Raine calls them to a halt, pointing to a faint ash line on the ground, they had travelled in human form, so while it had taken longer, Raine had kept up without too much trouble and so far, they had met with no resistance or patrols.

“It’s a trespass line; crossing it will alert whoever is inside that someone is approaching.

I can break it if Rowena cast the spell. She’s not yet fully trained and is weaker, yet to harness her full powers.”

Toni can’t but help notice how it’s hard to see the house, as if she is being encouraged to look away.

Quietly, Raine chants, using a few items from a pouch at her waist. Toni sees a small wind building in front of the witch, twisting and turning until it settles into a small vortex that moves away from Raine’s hand.

As it breaks the ash barrier, it sucks up the surrounding ash particles that cover a space of about two meters, and Toni watches as they seem to glisten and dance within it before exploding upwards releasing the ash as confetti, spreading it in a large area.

The wolves are quiet for a while before Lance speaks

“Well, that looked impressive. My first time seeing magic” He nods appreciatively.

“It’s not all that flashy. ”

Raine grinned realising that most of these wolves had probably never witnessed magic before, even in the Neutral Zones, magic was rarely openly practised, it was, as far as the humans were concerned, their protection against the supernatural beings they shared the continent with and therefore something to be kept quiet.

“But that spell, it’s a fun one.

You need air mastery to counter earth spells effectively and I am lucky to have some skill in every element, even if I am an Earth witch primarily.

To my knowledge, Rowena only has one mastery, which helps me negate her spells close up.”

She points to the ground, which is now clear of ash

“We can cross that line at the broken point unidentified, but I’d suggest we have a plan before we do.

The warding makes the house unnoticeable unless you know where it is, but there could be other defensive spells as we get closer.”

Toni stops to think

“We have forty-six in total and I think it’s clear that Raine will need to go with us in case she needs to counter spells once we are inside, but I want her at the rear of the group she goes in with, for protection.

Three wolves from my team will go with the other groups, they can then communicate updates from each pack, or any changes in the plan to you, so Eleanor, Danny and Cam from the Veiled Ones will join Dimitri, Lance and Joseph’s groups, respectively.

Joseph, I think you need to remain outside with your wolves, I don’t want to aggravate your injury further, so you can direct the chase if needed, but I’d prefer you not to have to shift in close quarters if it gives you trouble.

Lance will follow my group in, but then your focus needs to be upstairs. Dimitri will come in through the back of the house, and start the search towards my group, while I will take the Veiled ones in through the front.

Raine, while I’d like you to be with my group, I think the greater numbers of one of the other pack will keep you safer and I think, that a human prisoner is more likely to be held in an upper room, since they can’t jump out of a window, so Lance may be the best bet for you to follow.

Does that seem like a reasonable plan to everyone?”

“No,” Raine voices her concern.

“Rowena would be in a room where there is no window, or no risk of her seeing out of a window.

If this person knows anything about witches, is that being able to touch natural elements, or see out, would give her the power to escape.

Unless she’s there by choice, he will have her hidden in a basement or enclosed room.”

Toni hums to herself, considering her words

“You think there will be some sort of cells then, probably a wise guess.

Wolves do like their cells…”

Raine realises that Toni’s talking more to herself as she mulls over the information.

“Ok, we do the sweep in the same way, but Raine, follow Dimitri in and we all look for access to lower levels. If we find one, we’ll take it on as a group.

We must capture this wolf alive. It’s important that he faces a public trial. The decisions about a wolfs guilt or innocence of wolves have happened in secret for too long.

I doubt I would have got an open trial, so that needs to change, but every wolf here needs to be safe, so any force needed to take him down is acceptable, but preferably just shy of his death!.”

They nod their agreement and Raine takes a moment to move a little closer, breaking wards quietly on the doors. Toni can tell when they are down as the house takes on a slightly more corporeal form.

Raine pulls her lips together before blowing air out from her cheeks.

“Rowena will have felt those wards breaking.” She almost whispers.

Toni looks at her, understanding the message. If Rowena is here by choice, then wherever she is, Tane would know his house was being breached.

Giving the signal, the wolves in human form, stream towards the house, breaking the doors down and flooding the property.

Toni led the entry into the front, followed by the veiled ones. As Lance followed, leading his wolves up the stairs, Toni could hear the calls from Lance and Dimitri giving directions so that Eleanor and Danny were involved in the plans.

Knowing stealth has gone, she calls out to her remaining wolves to follow, and they began searching the house, room by room.

The noise of thirty-three wolves followed by a witch entering the property echoed around the house. Sixty-eight feet would never be quiet. With the shouted orders, they knew any occupants would know their immediate whereabouts.

Toni sniffing the air, heads towards the left, where the smell of a wolf she can’t fully identify is strongest, while directing four from her pack to the room to the right.

Punching open the nearest door, she steps in to survey the scene in front of her.

Her eyes drift around the room. A sofa torn to shreds. Deep claw marks have raked down the side of the mahogany desk and papers litter about the room.

Tane can’t wait anymore. Rowena should be close to finishing the scrying.

Leaving the mess of his office, he unlocks the door to the cellar and from there he heads down to the cells and the staff quarters.

He will need to release the maids to clear up the mess upstairs, but maybe his outburst was more than just a clean-up job, some of the furniture had was beyond repair and that posed an issue for him, getting it fitted out now would be too high a risk.

In his fury, he had carelessly left private documents strewn about; he halted. Did he really want the maids looking over his notes, shaking his head, he made his way to the lowest level, the cells, so that he could get the scrying results from Rowena first hand.

He’s impatient, he knows that and not for the right reasons, but because his plans have once again been upset and finding out which of the Alphas survived will give him an understanding of the battle, but then he’ll have to go back to his mate and the normal job he holds.

He’s not worried, he’s a talented actor, so regardless of the outcome, he’ll be able to pull off the needed emotions and hide any resentment and frustration for another day.

But the more he thought about it, the more he decided he couldn’t be wrong, he couldn’t see that his pride and arrogance blinded him from seeing all the realities of the situation, instead as he thought through the possibilities, descending slowly to the final level of his home, his fortress, he sees only those that he can turn back to his advantage.

It didn’t occur to him, that he could be wrong. After all, he had spun a web of control so well that no one had ever seen him do it and he was far too intelligent to be caught out.

Even the muffled sound of movement in his house doesn’t attract his notice, he’s so deep in thoughts about how he can get his revenge against the wolves that failed to follow his orders, it’s hearing Rowena let out a cry of alarm at the bottom of the steps that finally breaks his inner thoughts.

“Please tell me you weren’t planning to escape”

He sneers at the cowering figures before him.

“I think you both need a punishment to put you back in your place.”

Looming over them, they back off into the main cell area as he stalks towards them.