“Thank you all for joining me,” Killian said as he addressed the other alphas.
Three were sitting in the room, and two were on a computer screen as they hadn’t been able to travel to the pack that quickly.
“No problem at all, Alpha Killian,” Alpha Arne said as he got up and shook Killian’s hand.
“Beta Aksel told us about Delta Edvin traveling to the Hunter compound,” he added before they both sat down at the table in the meeting room.
“He did. He and two of my best warriors met up with Reidar, the rogue wolf who is posing as a Hunter at the compound.
“They are now monitoring the entrances and exits of the building,” Killian said as he looked at Alpha Arne, who had a serious look on his face.
“So things are finally starting to move,” Alpha Halfdan said.
Killian nodded at him. “Yes, but the situation is more complicated than we first anticipated,” he said with a serious tone to his voice.
“What do you mean?” Alpha Gorm asked.
“The compound is strategically positioned between the mountains, and the security is so tight that even every fly that gets too close is killed,” Killian said, which added to the ever-growing tension.
“Is there a way to get the Wolvensoul out of the compound?” Alpha Bo asked.
Killian sighed as he looked at the computer screen. “No. Not a way that will work, anyway.”
The silence and tension almost made the room suffocating.
He ran his hands over his face before he got up, took off his tie, and rolled up the sleeves of his button-up shirt.
He turned to them again, but he didn’t address them as the alpha of his pack.
He addressed them as Killian, the new alpha who needed to right his wrong and find the one who held his heart, so he asked for help.
“I asked for this meeting because we have no plan for a next step. Edvin is waiting there for my orders, and I don’t know what to do next.
“We are close, but Mera is still out of our grasp.
“Reidar is able to give us the schedules of the hunters on patrol, but until we have a plan, he won’t be able to do much more,” Killian said as he leaned on the desk and looked at the alphas.
“I’m asking for your help,” he said as he looked straight into Alpha Arne’s eyes.
It remained silent for a while before Alpha Frode started speaking. “Can we trust this rogue?” he asked.
Killian looked at the screen and nodded. “Yes, he is loyal to my uncle, and he has been for many years now.
“He has also helped Mera in every way he can without raising suspicion,” he said as he stood up straight and placed his hands behind his back.
“That may be, but he is still a rogue,” Alpha Halfdan said.
Killian sighed briefly. “Remember, a living Wolvensoul is important to a werewolf, no matter if they are with a pack or a rogue.”
“Reidar’s parents were killed by hunters, and he has no loyalty to them. His intentions are clear,” he said.
“How many hunters reside at the compound?” Alpha Frode asked next.
“Three to four hundred,” Killian answered. “It’s the largest one of the five compounds that are scattered across the land.”
“What about a surprise attack?” Alpha Gorm asked. “We easily outnumber them.”
“We may outnumber them, but they know the compound, and we do not. Marching in there will be suicide,” Alpha Arne interjected.
Killian thought about what was said as his mind was working overtime to come up with a plan.
“And even if we do, Zachary will have an escape route ready to get her out of there and to one of the other compounds. We will be right back where we started—with fewer wolves,” Alpha Bo said.
Something immediately occurred to Killian, which he should have considered a long time ago.
“Not if we cut them off,” Killian said, deep in thought, before he looked back up at the other alphas who were looking at him.
“What are you getting at?” Alpha Gorm asked.
“Frode, do you still have a way to contact Völva Anna?” Killian asked as he looked at the alpha on the screen.
“Yes, I do.”
“Killian, what are you—”
“We use their own methods against them,” Killian said, interrupting Alpha Arne.
“Zachary has used some sort of magic to disguise his scent and that of his hunters and the fucking Natt Lander Pack three times already.
“None of those times did we know anything about them being so close. We could use it to our advantage,” Killian said.
Things started to come together in the minds of the other alphas, and they started to get more and more interested in where this was going.
“I’m all for using that method, but we won’t get very far only disguising our scent,” Alpha Frode said.
“No, we won’t, but Bo is right. If we do attack their compound, Zachary will have a way out for him and Mera.
“Their compound is strategically placed to work to their advantage. It’s built close to the mountains, with only one clear access road.
“There are almost no side roads that they could use to go to the compound,” Killian said as he remembered the information he’d gotten from Birger when he’d told them exactly where their compound was located.
Killian got up, grabbed a map, opened it, and laid it out on the table they were sitting around.
He grabbed a marker and made a circle on the map.
Alpha Halfdan sighed as he saw where Killian had marked the compound on the map.
“Now I know what you mean by ‘strategically placed.’ Those mountains are harsh and almost inaccessible,” he said.
Killian nodded before he started to explain.
“Their compound is placed in Utladalen, which is between Styggedalstind and Gjertvasstind.
“The main road is the one they use to go to and from the compound as it is the only one accessible with a vehicle,” Killian said as he drew a line that showed the main road.
“There are only two other roads that lead out of the compound. One is a gravel road on the west side and leads to the other side of Styggedalstind.
“The other one is a road that involves a lot of climbing and is very narrow on the east side,” he said as he drew those lines as well.
“There might be a cave as well, but we would have to determine whether there is and where it leads to before we can do anything,” he added as he looked at the alphas.
“What is your plan?” Alpha Arne asked.
“We plan a surprise attack,” Killian said.
“We will take the main road that leads right up to the compound and attack like they’ll expect us to.
“They will have the advantage as the walls of the compound are high, but if Anna enhances our abilities by amping up our adrenaline, we will be able to jump on and over the walls.
“This will give us the advantage. Zachary will be forced to leave the compound and will use one of the side roads.
“But he won’t get far as there will be two groups placed at the end of the two roads, ready to grab them.
Alpha Arne looked at him with a grin. “That could work,” he said as he nodded.
“I know it will,” Killian said, determined.
Alpha Arne narrowed his eyes at Killian before he got up from the chair and grabbed Killian’s shoulder. “The Halvmåne Pack will stand with you, Alpha Killian.”
Killian felt his wolf rise with pride as he heard Arne’s words.
“So will the Kaskade Pack,” Alpha Gorm said.
“And the Formørkelse Pack.” Alpha Bo nodded at him.
“Skumring Pack is at your service.”
Killian looked at Alpha Frode on the computer screen.
“As is the Fullmåne Pack,” Alpha Halfdan said as well.
Killian’s wolf reveled in the feeling of pride that washed over him, and he knew he could count on each one of them to have his back.
“Thank you,” Killian said as he looked at all the alphas.
“We do have to prepare for every scenario that may occur, or we could still lose,” Alpha Bo said with a warning tone in his voice.
“We will,” Killian said, determined. “It’s time those hunters find out what we are truly capable of.”
