19 What's that smell

After Mel had personally selected the outfits for Emma and Val she invited us to go over and visit Sara. The whole time Ash was trying his best to get her attention. She seemed shy towards his advances, maybe being in a small town for so long it made her nervous to have the attention. Sara smiled big when our group entered, running around the counter to give me a hug.

"I thought you would never come back after Mel's little melt down." Sara said sticking her tongue out to a blushing Mel. She looked a little confused for a second but noticed Ash being talkative towards her.

"I think he likes her." I whispered to Sara half laughing.

Once we all ordered we sat down at a table and talked amongst ourselves for a little while. I could tell that Mel was starting to warm up to him, I had heard the pull wasn't as strong for humans as they normally try to stay away from the super naturals. Although it made my heart happy to see yet another one of my beloved friends come to find their mate. Val and Emma talked about the festivities catching Mel's attention talking about the club.

"Oh so that's what the outfits for!" she looked over at me here eyes almost pleading.

"Is it cool if she comes to the club, I know sometimes humans wonder in.. I kind of made her a promise." I linked Val, she was ecstatic to have Ash's mate come with us.

"Would you like to come with us, Val's mom owns Et Lupum near the city." I smiled as both her and Ash's eyes go wide with excitement.

"Yes! You guys are going this weekend?" she said practically bouncing in her chair, her curls bouncing along with her.

"Yes, I can pick you up if you'd like.." Ash said giving her the best smile he could with the light pink shade that took over his face the moment he had saw her.

"I'd really like that." she blushed in return, he looked so happy to hear her say that.

When it started getting late we said our goodbyes and headed back home. Everyone seeming light hearted and happy for the first time in a while. Even Emma seemed to have forgotten we left the pack lands. As soon as we crossed back over we were met with two warriors who wore grave expressions.

"What happened?" I asked as soon as they were close enough to hear.

"There.. there was an attack on the northern side of the pack lands. It wasn't pretty, there were many injured and a few casualties." the one warrior said hanging his head.

"Who was hurt?" my heart started racing thinking about Finn and if he was hurt or even worse. Although I could still feel the mating bond so he was still alive at least. The panic getting the better of me I yelled this time, "Who was injured?!"

"Well quite a few warriors were injured including Alice, I know you two are close. Also.. The alpha was seriously injured." my heart fell from my chest into my stomach, I took off faster than ever before. Fallon coming so close to taking over I had felt my claws and fangs grown but stop half way.

I could hear the others behind me, their bags rustling in the wind the only thing to tell me they were running to. We headed towards the hospital that was in the heart of the pack lands. It didn't take long to get there running like we were, although I made it a few minutes earlier than the rest. As soon as I rushed in I was greeted with a slew of crying faces.

There was people all over some laid out on stretchers, others standing around trying to keep themselves put together. I went over to the reception desk which was buzzing with busy nurses.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for my mate." I asked trying to get the ones attention who was typing on the computer.

"Name." she said plainly and indifferent.

"Finn Tate." when I said that her head popped up her face completely changed. This made me worry all the more.

"This way please." she stood up and walked around the counter waving for me to follow her.

"Let me know if you need anything." Val said through the link when they arrived. I didn't respond I was to concerned with what was going on.

The nurse lead me down a hall I could hear groans coming from inside the rooms as we passed. This part of the hospital was much more quiet than the lobby we had just come from. She took me to the last room in this hall, inside I could see our fearless leader hooked up to so many tubes. On the one side a crying Serena holding his hand gently as to avoid one of the IV that was there. On the other was a heavily bandaged Finn trying to look strong but the emotion running rampant in his eyes.

I knocked on the door lightly before opening it a little. The smell of blood mixed with silver hit my nose causing me to step back from the burning sensation. Finn looked over at me and the façade he was carrying dropped a little. He got up and walked out closing the door behind him. With out thinking I wrapped my arms around his waist causing him to wince. I quickly let go and searched to see if I had hurt him further.

"I'm fine its just a scratch... My D..Dad though.." his voice was quiet and sounded almost weak. He draped his arms over me letting his head rest on top of mine. I carefully placed my arms back around him.

"Will he be okay?" I asked not want to hurt him even more by bringing it up but the smell of silver was so strong.

"I hope so... but they don't know for sure." his chest heaved as he held back the tears.

This was the first time I had seen him this vulnerable, I wanted nothing more than to make his pain go away. All I could do was hold him and wish for the best. I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, the pain that they held broke my heart.

"Finn, where are my parents?" I asked nervous that they might have been injured as well.

"They helped the old and young into the pack house, they are safe." he said understandingly. I just nodded placing my head back on his chest. Some one cleared their throat causing us to let go and face them. The doctor looked uncomfortable but determined.

"Young Alpha, miss... " he looked like he was trying to decide who I was. I guess he was no stranger to his image. "If you would like we have news but, only for family.." he eyed me suspiciously.

"She's my mate Fred its okay." Finn said tucking me under his arm. The doctor looked surprised.

"Oh I do apologize young luna." he bowed his head respectfully before continuing looking at Finn solemnly "He is fighting, but the silver is slowing his healing to something we never seen before. What ever they used is new, and it seems almost like it is draining his energy too." he shook his head looking down at his shoes.

"What does this mean for my father?" his face back to that same one he had one before he saw me.

"I'm afraid even if he does survive... he will become human." Fred said sighing "It looks like the silver is severing his ties to his wolf." he finished patting Finn's shoulder and walking in the room.

"Oh Finn, I'm so sorry." I tried to reach out for him but he went to go into the room as well.

"I'm going to stay here for tonight, you should go back first." he said hanging his head letting his dark hair fall over his tiered face. With that he left me in the hall alone.

It hurt to see him like this but it was obvious he needed some alone time with his family. I turned back down the hall and headed towards the lobby.

"Hey, are you still here?" I linked Val.

"Yeah were out front." she replied sounding like something was wrong.

"Are you okay? Where is Dustin?" I asked slightly panicked at her tone.

"He's here, he was one of the lucky ones... but Dali this was... it was something else." she closed the link right before I walked through the doors.

Dustin was bandaged around his one arm, but looked like he had made it out just fine. Although the darkness on his face said he hadn't made it out fully unscathed. Everyone looked shocked or scared just standing around looking lost. Walking over to them I gave them the best reassuring smile I could muster.

"Dustin, what exactly happened? Are you okay?" I asked knowing he would tell me more than Finn, he had the strength to do at least this.

"They came out of no where Dali. They.. they smelt like normal wolves not rouges. Only Alice made it back from those who were on patrol." he shook his head tightening his grip on Val's hand. "We knew as soon as they attacked something was wrong. Then some of them shifted back into human form and they.. they had guns and silver bullets. It was almost a massacre if it wasn't for Finn and the Alpha." his voice sounded so small, he was barely speaking above a whisper.

"That is insane." Emma said gasping at the thought.

Ash looked like he was staring off into the distance almost sad, I had never seen this look on his face. I looked at each of them feeling this overwhelming sense of protectiveness. These were my pack mates, the people I would one day protect with my life same as Alpha Henry has today. I wanted to tell them it will be okay, that we will figure this out but how could I when I didn't even know where to start.

"I think we should all go home and get some rest. Its been a long day and there's not much we can do here." everyone nodded and headed off in their respective directions. But before Dustin could leave I had just one more question I needed answered. "Which field was the battle in?" I said with determination.

"North ridge just short of where the river connects to the lake." he said before nodding and leaving with Val.

"Fallon you want to go check things out for ourselves?" I asked her knowing her answer already.

"Of course, someone hurt our mate." she growled with the same new ferociousness I was feeling.

Luckily Val had called me a car to take me back to the pack house, although I instructed him to take me as close as he could to the field. When he dropped me off I still had some ways to travel by foot, but made short work of it with Fallon's help. The grass was littered with different blood patches where some had fallen. There were still warriors moving the dead from both sides, I saw Dean's dad beta Will still directing the clean up. I calmly walked over to him, he hadn't noticed me but jumped when he turned and realized I was there.

"Jeez Dali, I'll never understand how you do that." he shook his head, "Now is not the time to sneak up on people." he said sounding tiered.

"I didn't mean to its just something I do." I shrugged following him to the side of a cart of what looked to be what left of the rouges. "Are these them? They smell rancid, Dustin said they smelt like regular wolves." I asked trying to see if they still gave off an aura, but they did not.

"They did.. Until they didn't. Never in my life have I seen an attack like this. There was no mark they were just here to kill recklessly. There was this.. this hunger in their eyes it was beyond animalistic." he raked his hand through his hair I could see the battle playing out in his mind.

"Did any escape? Did any survive?" I asked my voice sounded strong and powerful, Will did a double take at its ferocity.

"Y..Yes we have one in the cell house. Although he seemed too crazy to speak normal words. We were hoping to interrogate him." he eyed me like he was looking at someone completely different than the person he was teaching a couple of days ago.

"I'd like to be there for that. The alpha is hurt, my mate needs to be with his family right now and you can't do it all alone." I said feeling confident and protective.

"I don't think that's a good idea Dali." he said trying not to look at me, which only made me angry.

"I'm going that is final." I said in a low but powerful voice, Fallon bubbling up at the thought of being able to protect the ones we hold dear.

"Yes young luna. Tomorrow night be at the cell house, we will go together with the rest of the leads." he nodded squirming awkwardly at my tone.

"Thank you Will." I smiled at him and headed off deeper into the field.

The warriors were just about done cleaning up when I smelt something odd. It smelt like a cleaning chemical but worse. I followed the scent until I reached the tree line, it was almost unbearable at this distance. Pinching my nose I walked around the tree, on it was a symbol carved into it with a small pouch placed under it. My stomach twisted in knots when I realized it was a similar carving that was on the bullets we found at the restaurant.

"This is dark, do not touch it." Fallon said as I reached out to do just that, I stopped just in time.

"What do you mean?" I looked a little closer at the pouch, it was surrounded by a black mist surrounding it. "Oh, what do you think it means?" I asked pulling my hand back and holding it to my chest.

"I don't know, I just know not to touch it." she said keeping her senses up helping to making sure we were okay and wouldn't be taken by surprise.

"I have a feeling this is how they got in." she just huffed in agreeance as I got a stick to smack it down.

I walked along noticing there were about twenty of them set up along the tree line. When I knocked down the last one the chemical smell started to fade. I thought about Will hoping that I could link with him, I haven't had much luck with anyone besides Val. I cleared my mind and pictured his likeness.

"Will, I found something.. bring a camera if you can." I said to the link hoping he could hear me. A few minutes passed I was starting to get a little nervous he couldn't hear me. I was about to try again when I heard him.

"Yes young luna, I'm on my way." he replied through the link, a little part of me was excited I could finally link with someone other than Val although it was not someone I would have ever thought it would work with.

With in a few more minutes their group showed up. I directed them to the trees that had the symbols so we could take photos. As for the bags they carefully took photos, making sure to not touch them with their hands. Once we had all of it I set the pouches on fire and the warriors worked to remove the carvings.

"This feels like its only the beginning." I whispered to Will when we were done. His face was saddened.

"I'm afraid your right young luna." he sighed, with that we all headed back to the pack house heads hung low.