Chapter 5

"Alena!" Ren yelled, trying to wake me up.

She rapidly shook me awake. I shot up, panic all over Ren's face.

"What, what?" I asked, hurriedly, as Ren pulled me out of bed, and down the stairs. "What is going on? Ren, slow down."

"Alena," Scott said, his face as equally worried.

"What!" I asked, as I was dragged into the living room. I stole my arm back, and scuffed the floor. "What?"

"They attacked again." Derek said. "They attacked the queen and king, of Canada."

My stomach dropped, as my heart nearly stopped beating. I looked to Jaxon who only looked at the floor. Dallas was brooding intensively at the floor boards. Thalia and Brian looked extremely worried.

"They did what?" I asked, in a calm rage. My wolf began to thrash around in my head, trying to come out. "Those assholes attacked the king and queen!"

The king and queen of Canada were wolves who lived north of here. The biggest strong hold in the world.

"They got through, Ali, the king is dead." Scott said. "We don't know about the queen."

"Ali, they're not just going after the weak anymore. I think they're hunting Canadian's." Dallas said. "And I don't think they plan on stopping."

I felt the rage come out of me all at once. A powerful wave of power surged through my veins. I scared myself with the roar I had released into the world. It shook the house, making it feel as if there was an earth quake.

I could feel my fangs and claws extend, before everything was as it had been. Silent. Still. I watched everyone. Silently waiting for someone to speak to me.

I took in a few inhales through the nose, and exhales through the mouth. Before finally finding my voice.

"How many is that?" I asked, angrily.

"Including the coyotes, foxes, and wolves in general-almost two hundred." Thalia bit out through clenched teeth.

"No more." I said, deadly. My heart feared what my brain had to say. My brain feared what my soul had to say. And my soul feared what my wolf wanted to do.

"Pardon?" Scott said. "No more, what?"

"No more deaths, period. The only deaths I want to hear of are those of his pack." I gritted out. "I'm done playing nice. I'm done abiding by my own rules."

"Alena, what are you saying?" Dallas asked, looking at me. He knew. The look on his face meant he knew what I was about to say. He only wanted confirmation.

"I'm abolishing the old rules. From now on, we protect those who can't protect themselves. And if that means murder. Than murder it shall be." I said, standing taller. "He made me desperate. And he won't be happy that he did."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Jaxon asked.

"If it's a war he wants, it's a war he shall get!" I said.

"What are our orders?" Derek asked, standing like a soldier ready for battle.

"Your orders are to kill on sight. I have no use for prisoners." I said, coldly.

"What's our game plan, boss?" Scott asked.

"Scott, you, the coyotes, Ren, Brian, Thalia and I, will head to the mountains and ask for help. The rest of you, including the rest of your pack will hunt them down. And kill them all. Let your wolves tear into them. Fight with caution, and speed. And never let them grab you!" I said, power, for the first time, radiating off me, in waves of pure rage. It was as if my wolf finally found her power.

"Yes ma'am!" They all said in unison.

"We leave just as soon as we each pack a bag. Preferably a back pack." I said. "Don't bring anything breakable, either."

"Duh," Jaxon said. "Food I presume?"

"Some. Try to catch your food. It'll help keep your wolf's senses sharper." I said. "Bring lots of matches and lighters. And newspaper."

"Newspaper? Oh to start the fire. Got it." Jaxon said.

Everyone ran to their rooms, packing what they needed. The coyotes were told what was happening, and they ran around like chickens with their heads cut off, finding the bare minimum to pack.

I packed nothing more than a change of clothes, an extra pair of shoes, some canned beans, and of course, lots of bottled water.

I would sleep in wolf form. Less chaos that way.

Thalia thought like I did, as did mostly everyone else. As wolves, our body temperature was already about thirteen degrees higher than the average persons. So there was no need to bring a sweater. I grabbed the deodorant off my vanity, so I wouldn't stink too much, and of course, a hair brush.

I hurriedly grabbed my credit card in case we needed some extra stuff before we got there. I was only worried about one thing. And it wasn't becoming cat food. It was being rejected. What if they did say no? What were we gonna do then? Pray for the Moon Goddess to strike down upon them? She never chose sides before. And I doubted she would now.

"You guys ready?" I yelled up the stairs from the base.

Everyone came down. The boys looked hyped, while the girls and the coyotes looked worried. Especially Ren. Ren has never had to do anything that she wouldn't be one hundred percent safe.

Now I was asking fro her to go on a ten day hike-or more-to find the hide out of some cats, and ask them for help. Help that they may deny.

"It's okay Ren. The closer we get to the cats hide out, the better chances of not getting attacked. And besides, I don't think they are even that stupid." I said. "We're doing the right thing."

"I agree," Brian said. "Besides, this is our home. And no one else seems to be fighting for it."

"Which reminds me. Come outside with me for a sec." I said, walking out the front door. Scott's pack was in wolf form. Sitting on the lawn.

Scott was already packed, and talking with one of the wolves. They all looked at me, once I stepped out of the house.

"There is something else I would like to say." I said. "Now, from what I understand, we're the first to do something about this. We're the first to protect these people. And if the other packs do come to help us, send them back. Block them out. Attack them, if you want."

"Alena!" a voice came from behind me.

"Mother." I said. I turned around, to see her. Arms crossed, eyes wide.

"Daughter!" she replied. "That is wrong. Why would you turn down help?"

"Because that help, will only be helping because the queen was attacked. They aren't fighting for what we're fighting for. There for, I don't want their help." I spat back. She stared at me. Grams had that same look.

"You don't sound like any alpha I've heard of." She said.

"Well, no offense, but you wouldn't have. Male alpha's are all you know. I do things my way!" I snarled. "I don't want the help from those who denied them refuge."

"I don't want their help either!" Miranda yelled. "You turned a pack of coyotes away. Children died! Innocent children died! Alena is the only one who welcomed us, and made us feel welcome in her pack!"

"I agree. You turned us away. I remember you!" Justin spat. His canines extending into little points. He looked directly at a built male. Well over six-feet tall, and had a shaved head-military style. "She protected us, while you were all to cowardly to do anything!"

"Now leave, mother. I won't say it again!" I snapped, staring her down. Staring was a sign of dominance in the wild. Alpha wolves would stare down the weaker, and younger wolves to show their dominance.

"Fine," my mother said. "Be stubborn. Just like-"

"If you say my fathers name, I will banish you!" I said, stepping forward. "You're an alpha, too, mom. You can order your pack and settle down some where. You just won't."

"That is not the way of the world! Why can't you see that!" my mother said.

"Ha! You're note was a fake! Your note was a ploy to get me to come home!" I said. "Well, this is my home. And from now on, you are not my MOTHER!"

My alpha tone seeping out into my voice, forcing her to bow in the presence of an alpha. Her eyes were glowing gold, as her wolf tried to over take mine.

"Don't even try it!" Scott said, as the other wolves tried to come to the aid of their Luna.

"You see, Veronica, I have something you will never have." I said, standing tall. "I have loyalty, and Allies."

Her eyes faulted, in colour, before looking to the ground in obedience.

"Now, leave my sight, while I deal with an idiot who thought Canada was for the taking!" I growled, walking away. The others grabbing their bags, or marching off into the woods, in search of a pack that had made my life a living hell.

It had taken me five miles to calm down.

The fumes coming off me, I thought I was gonna spontaneously combust. Scott hasn't stopped staring at me this whole time. He's kept an eye on me.

The alpha part of me hated it. I had been fighting for my rights, and trying to show people that women were just as strong as men. And could be more. So the thought of a man trying to protect me upset my wolf. But the hidden girl part of me, felt safe around Scott. And even though I would never admit this, I was terrified to meet a bunch of cats.

The thought of my pack divided terrified me. We'd never been apart. Not on a scale this large before. Not on a mission this big. This dangerous. I could only home that I'd trained them well enough. Hard enough. Long enough.

I turned to see the coyotes. They were staying extremely close to me and Thalia. Ren and Brian took up the rear. Scott was the look out. He was always looking to the sides, and sniffing the air. Well, when he wasn't watching me.

"Alena?" Scott asked, walking up beside me.

"Hmm?" I replied, with a hum.

"I know why you sent your mother away. I understand why you did that. She lied to you. But, why would you deny others to help us? I mean, every wolf has a right to defend their queen." Scott asked honestly. I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to understand me. He wanted to know what was going on inside my head.

"Truthfully, because they aren't fighting for the same thing. They're only fighting because someone attacked the queen. But the attacks didn't start with her." I said, calmly. "I know what the tails will say. That they came to the rescue of their queen. But it will be a lie. Scott…we know the truth. It's our word against theirs. Our queen isn't going to see things our way. She'll see them the way she wants to see them. Not the way we want her to."

"Why do you hate men so much?" Scott asked.

I scoffed, before giving a small laugh. "I don't hate men. I hate male alpha's."

"What's the difference?" Scott asked.

"The difference is, most male alpha's see woman as someone below them. Someone who will clean their laundry, cook them meals, and clean their house. Have their children, take their sex, and do exactly as they say." I said. "I got enough of that as a child. A woman is not something a man owns, or can simply possess. I am a living, breathing, being. And I won't be objectified by some man because of my gender."

"Alena," Scott said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Not all male alpha's think that way. I know I don't own you. And I would never try to control you. Or pick a fight with you. And I sure as hell wouldn't let anyone else."

"I know you're not like that-" I stopped. I stopped moving, stopped talking, and stopped breathing for a split second. My mind took in his words, filtering them before realizing what he had just said. "What did you just say?"

Scott took a step closer to me, pressed his lips to mine, and pulled me closer to him. Sparks erupted everywhere he touched. His lips fit against mine perfectly, as if they were made for each other. His hands fit perfectly on my waist. My hands found the back of his neck, playing with the hair on the back of his head.

Scott pulled away. His lips red and puffy. His eyes turning gold as his wolf was coming to the surface.

"You knew," I said. I watched his eyes, as guilt lay heavy in them.

"I've known since I first became an alpha." Scott said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked. "Why didn't you take me with you?"

"Your mother forbid me. I didn't come looking for you because your mother sent me. I came looking for you because I didn't know where you were. I thought you were safe, and at home this whole time. And to find out you had left years ago, made my wolf nearly strangle your mother for not telling me." Scott said. "True she did call me after learning your location. And she had sent me out after the coyotes, but she'd kept your whereabouts from me for years. And that scared me."

My heart warmed at the thought of Scott nearly attacking my mother. That he was scared when he didn't know where I was.

"Was the big bad alpha scared?" I asked, teasingly.

Scott cracked that goofy smile that I loved so much. "Yes, he was."

"Took you long enough to find me. Why didn't you come back on my eighteenth birthday?" I asked.

"I wanted to." Scott said, rubbing his hands down his face. "God did I want to. I wanted to sneak you away from them the minute I realized you were my mate. But I was a weak alpha then. I wouldn't have been able to fend off your father. But trust me, I won't let anyone take you away from me again!"

"Possessive much?" I asked. Scott was falling into the alpha male stereotype. Something I had been fighting against my whole life. Something he made see, sweet, and innocent. Something my wolf was tolerating.

"You don't know the half of it," Scott said, leaning down again. His lips captured mine, pulling me in. I closed my eyes, bringing him closer to my level.

"You are the only one who gets to be possessive over me." I whispered.

"I know," Scott said, pressing his head against mine. "Trust me, I know."