SWNOVELS Chapter 31 ~ I Blacked Out
Delilah’s POV ~
We arrived at the clubhouse to absolute disaster.. There were several severely injured people on the ground.. Looking around, I spotted at least five dead..
Delaney said “The north.. Torin is north of us. We stay here and defend.. Keep an eye out, while I help who I can.”
Four members made their way over to me and I asked “What happened? How did they breach the perimeter?” A man said “They laid down automatic weapons fire.. taking out the patrols.. By the time the alarms sounded.. about twenty had already made it to the clubhouse.”
I nodded and started a circuit.. marking a closer perimeter around the house.. “I want every able body armed! Make sure everyone has a firearm and at least one knife.. If we go down, we go down fighting..”
I climbed a tree.. getting as high up as I could.. and could make out the fighting, in the distance. I closed my eyes and called the wind.. Keeping it at our backs, I started making it force the enemy back to our borders.. Allowing our people the chance to gain the upper hand.
Once the tide of battle had turned in our favor, I hopped out of the tree.. and started helping with the cleanup. We lost seven close to the clubhouse.. but they didn’t die in vain.. They prevented the club from being overrun.
Maddox and Venom returned back to base.. Venom held Delaney close and whispered “Dylan is dead.. and now we have to decide what to do with his pack.”
Delaney suggested “Why not Henri? He’s a high born Beta.. nearly Alpha strength. And certainly as strong as Dylan ever was.”
They both looked at me.. and I looked over my shoulder.. expecting to see someone else standing there.. I asked “What? Are you asking me if Daddy would do it? Because if you are.. I got nothing.. I haven’t ever heard him even mention his time as Beta.. so you will definitely need to speak to him.”
Valerie and Hunter arrived.. bringing supplies to help the wounded and set about helping where they were needed.. Axe looked around and asked “What now?” Venom and Maddox spoke in unison “We hunt!”
At dinner that evening.. Venom discussed taking over as Alpha at Tall Pines with my dad.. Who agreed.. only if Kathy would agree to become his Luna. Delaney groaned “Shit! Shit! Shit! Delilah.. might as well start interviewing for a new head server!” Making all of us laugh.
It was decided the men would start their hunt.. which caused slight dissension in the ranks.. some believing electronic surveillance would give us the information we need.. but Venom was adamant “We haven’t found where they’re hiding, yet! Even with the drones. No. Not this time.. This time.. I want boots on the ground.. noses to the earth! We do this the old fashioned way. It’s never failed us before.. It won’t fail us now.”
I had found the specs and elevation of the former temple of the Goddess.. and we wanted to make sure the new one was as close to that design as we could get. The glass dome had already been ordered and was contracted to be handblown.. like the original.
Construction was set to begin in two days.. and could only be built by the hands of wolves.. to preserve the sanctity of the construction. The Goddess cannot reside in a structure built by human hands.
. Delaney would be with the guys.. I was to stay and supervise the erection of the temple. I wasn’t unhappy about it.. Understanding it is my duty, as the remaining Dubois.. but still not liking the fact that my mate could be in danger.
Maddox and I are in the midst of a heated discussion about which of his ranks were going with him. He wanted Hunter to remain with me.. as protection. I disagreed. He needs Hunter with him.. to watch his back. I told him.. Brock could stay with me.. and his dad, Manic.. can step in as backup.. Nothing to worry about!
Everyone called it an early night.. and I spent some much needed alone time with my mate.. As he laid holding me, he whispered “They tell you there’s no feeling in the world that can prepare you for the intensity of the mate bond.. What I feel for you surpasses anything I have ever been told. I know it is not just a cosmic bond.. I love you.. Everything about you. No book.. words.. or lessons could have prepared me for the depth of that love!”
His words brought tears to my eyes.. and my heart swelled with my love for him.. I prayed to the Goddess to bring him home safely.. and to not make me have to hunt down anyone who hurt him..
The morning dawned gloomy and overcast.. I grinned and asked if they wanted me to chase the storm clouds away. Venom laughed “Nope.. It will help us.. in the long run. The heaviness in the air will trap scents close to the ground.”
I clung to Maddox.. and he kept calling me his little winky blink.. But I woke up this morning.. feeling off.. It’s like a waiting for the other shoe to drop kind of feeling.. I didn’t mention it.. I don’t want Maddox to know I will watch him leave.. while filled with trepidation.
Daddy and Kathy will be leaving for Tall Pines after breakfast.. Venom had performed the ceremony that passed Dylan’s Alpha mantle to Daddy last night.. It’s amazing to watch as the mantle fuses with the recipient. It passed to Venom, when he killed Dylan.. and, in turn, Venom passed it to my dad during ascension. There was no doubt that Henri Connors was now Alpha. His aura commanded the air around him.. it seeped from his skin like he was born to it.
Delaney pulled me aside and whispered “I won’t let anything happen to him. I guarantee he will come home to you.” I looked at her with a question in my eyes.. and she smiled “Body language. It’s part of my gift.. I can feel your anxiety.. your whole body is stressed.. and there’s only one reason that would cause it. So, trust and believe.. when I say he will come home.. I mean exactly that.. little sister of mine!”
I grinned and hugged her tightly. I do trust and believe her! More than nearly anyone else.. except Maddox. So I let her know I felt much better..
As I watched them… Maddox wolfed out.. along with Hunter and Derek.. while Axe and Snake shifted.. as well. Venom and Delaney were taking the truck.. with everything they would need to set up a base camp.
The following days.. we worked on the temple.. The foundation was formed with the smooth river rocks that were collected from the base of the waterfall.. the water had flattened and smoothed them out to polished surfaces that looked nearly identical to the floors of the first temple.
The interior walls were framed from felled trees around the forest.. and we were using rocks and stones for the exterior.. all the windows arrived on the third day.. and were installed the day after that.
Maddox kept us updated on the progress of tracking Cabot.. Dylan’s warriors had scattered when they felt their Alpha bond snap. They had come across several small cells of men.. having no clue what to do or where to go. Venom sent them home to Tall Pines.. letting them know the new Alpha would have them all go through orientation again.. before being allowed to pledge fealty to him. Nearly everyone they came upon agreed to the conditions… with over half of them never agreeing with what they had been ordered to do by their old Alpha.
The day was rapidly approaching for the challenge… Maddox was fully within his rights to call it off and order Marcus’ execution.. They were warned off.. and attacked anyway.
The handblown glass dome was due to arrive this morning.. Geek figured out a way to use our drones to get it set in place.. and Maddox, as well as our members would be home today.. I was doubly happy..
Maddox and I had been mind linking for the past hour.. They had finally gotten close enough we could hear each other. I was beyond happy.. Even knowing they are returning for that stupid challenge tomorrow couldn’t damper my mood.
Brock and I had just reached the plateau on top of the waterfall, when the first shot was heard.. Brock was tackling me as I heard the second one.. and watched as Manic clutched his chest and fell.
Before we knew it.. Brock and I were surrounded… a gun held to his head.. Daring me to move… Someone stepped behind me.. and as I watched them inject something into Brock’s neck.. I felt a pinprick in mine.
I mind linked Maddox 🐺 Trouble. Manic hurt. Brock and me… drugged. Unger….then I blacked out.