Getting close to the manor is easier than I thought it would be. Domi was right that the valley is almost like a deserted prison camp. Everything around the mansion is still and empty, while the valley has all those no longer loyal to their alpha pushed away. Separated by electric fences, speakers play nonstop with a silent frequency to stop the vampire weapon from being used against them. The whole place is eerie, like a deserted army barracks, and strangely dark despite all the spotlights hanging from posts. None are on.
It’s almost like the aftermath of a battle, and if it weren’t for the distant chaotic noise of a real war going on, it would be as silent as the surface of the moon. There are no birds, small animals, or even any kind of patrols, and all the security cameras face the ground.
It feels like life has slipped away in what used to be a bustling, busy home filled to the brim with an eager pack. Most windows are boarded, and with only the moonlight as illumination, the place looks like a haunted house in some spectacular horror remake.
“I don’t like this,” I murmur to myself as Sierra and Carmen turn human and come to my side, pushing Radar and my other flanking wolf aside. We stand staring at the dark building, no longer afraid of danger when nothingness surrounds us. You can sense that there is nothing here to be afraid of.
“Are they even in there?” Carmen steps in front of me and peers long and hard at the top west tower and its balcony. In Juan's room, we see no single light in the whole place flickering through boards and curtains.
“He’s there. I can feel him. He is hiding like the coward he is, locked away tight with his few.” Sierra’s venom rings true, and I find myself staring at her for a long moment and truly questioning what she knows right now. There’s a change in her now we are here, and it makes me nervous to think she is suddenly unpredictable if she has the knowledge we are no longer bound.
If she knows, what will she do? Her death won’t affect me, which scares me more than anything. Her desire to see Juan die…. trumps even her need to survive. I know how strong her will to put things right is and her devotion to ending this.
“You’re right. They’re in there. At least a dozen or more, last time the crows saw him venture out with his men, I can almost guarantee they know about the vampires too.” Leyanne nods towards one sole camera with a small red light blinking in the dark. I stare until my eyes adjust and realize it’s moving, spanning the area, and functioning normally. Maybe the rest are dead, but he still has one eye on his surroundings. The camera room was always operational inside those walls, and I shiver knowing we are being monitored.
“So, we just sit and wait? And do what? Play eye spy? Wave?” I snap out of frustration, annoyed that while our people are out there, we’re standing here like none of this affects us. I know Colton thinks this is for the best, and eventually, they will come this way, but this feels weird and wrong. Like we’re hiding from the fight.
Luna!
I’m side-struck away from Carmen out of the blue, taken by surprise as I’m caught by another wolf and pulled down to the ground. Covered by a heavy brown furry beast as he bears down, shielding me. Panting heavily, my heart skyrockets through my chest, and I squirm on the dirt as I try to understand what just happened. There’s the noise of scraping claws and gnashing teeth, and yet I am concealed and can only wriggle to get purchase from the wolf on top of me.
Luna. Are you okay?
The wolf protecting me asks via the link in haste, moving enough for me to scurry to my feet and get behind him, to be immediately flanked by other guards to see what’s happening.
My guards are fighting off three wolves from our old pack. They look haggard and feral, but I still recognize them as some of the subpack which used to run as perimeter sentinels when we lived here. It’s not hard to see they are not in the best physical shape and are quickly subdued by my own and pulled to the ground to be restrained as Carmen and Sierra shield me from the front. They seem disorientated, and the wave of bitter hate flows freely around them like a thick smog.
“Are they Juan’s men?” I blurt out into the chaos of noise they’re making. Grunts, growls, and excessive heavy breathing as they are held down, and I can see how thin and unkempt they are in wolf form. They don’t look like they have eaten in weeks. Shabby and pitiful, and when they are finally held taught, my wall of wolves moves aside so I can get a better look.
I dust myself down as our prisoners turn into humans, and I can see exactly who they are. They are the offspring of loyal followers of Juan. His close command's sons, yet all three look broken, exhausted, and not exactly cared for. Filthy in naked skin and have sunken eyes and weary faces that have seen better days.
My Guard all turn to human form too, and Radar pulls the closest one to him with force, holding him in a grip with arms folded across his back as he bears down on his spine with a knee. Holding him still with that grim expression of a pissed wolf all over his face.
“Who are you to attack our Luna? Do you want to die?” Radar snarls into his ear while a crushing crack echoes as he applies force to his ex- packmate’s spine, making me cringe. It sends shivers down my spine. In soldier mode, Radar is known for being ruthless. He can be brutal and violent when riled, and I see hints of him in war mode.
“Luna? Pah….. We don’t have a Luna or an Alpha! Deserters who turned their back on us and left us to suffer…. Don’t insult us.” Aiden, the wolf on the ground, snarls right back despite being held tight but does not attempt to break free. Our dozen outnumber the three, and he seems smart enough to know fighting won’t end well for them.
“I’ll show you what suffering is right now.” Radar leans in again with anger, but I step forward and tap him on his shoulder to loosen his grip before he does anything to him. A sudden surge of guilt flowing through me because what Aiden said wasn’t completely wrong, and I know Radar won’t hesitate to break his bones. We did leave them, and they have suffered. I don’t blame the ones left to roam free for hating us and believing we abandoned them. Radar relents a little and sits back on his haunches with a sulking hint of grudged obedience, giving Aiden room to breathe once more. I exhale heavily and try to calm my swirling nerves, knowing I must take command here as Luna.
“Aiden…. I’m Alora Santo, Colton’s mate. I’m the Luna Radar refers to, and this is Sierra. You must remember her. She is Rema now, and once was Juan’s Luna. The woman he locked up for a decade and betrayed. You are still our pack, and that is why we are here. We’re here to help.” My heart bleeds for these wolves, and I can already tell by reading their emotions that their intention to attack us was not for Juan but for their own heartbreak and pain.
I wonder how many villagers were hostile towards our wolves fighting for them for the same reasons. Nerves swirling that maybe already our wolves are fighting among them and taking on that blood-thirsty enemy.
“Help? How? Do you have any idea how messed up things have become because of Colton? What are you going to do?” Another of the men on the dirt responds with that same bitter, curt tone. Stubbornness is strong in his aura.
“The whole pack is here to fight the vampires off. Stop and listen to the noise in the air. That sound of war and death! Your people are fighting for their lives, and where is Juan? Who are the ones who came for you? Scoff all you want, but she IS your Luna, and WE are here to help.” Carmen steps forward and kicks the thigh of the second wolf with a sharp dig, gaining a snarl in response from the one I recognize as Taemin. A once valued sentinel and someone Colton treated like a brother. A wolf who couldn’t leave because his family was tied here.
“Don’t say that scum’s name. He’s dead to us. Just like his son. Nothing good ever came from the sacred Santo bloodline where they’re concerned.” The third, Robyn, grinds out to join the conversation, another from the same sub pack, and yet despite his hateful tone, there’s a sadness in his eyes as I focus on his face. Behind their fury and venomous words are wolves who have been abandoned and are suffering from the syndrome caused by fracturing a pack and leaving them Alpha-less. It’s a sense of detachment and can cause insane anger and bitterness among our kind.