Chapter 150: A Pack War?

Ravyn POV

Jude was furious.

With the Hemming fools chased off and the enforcers in hot pursuit, they ranked below just about everything else on the list of Jude's and Ravyn's concerns.

Number one on the list for Ravyn: Preventing a pack war.

Lord Talon Blackthorn was furious about Alden being taken away, which didn't help. Lady Kelara, who saw situations so clearly with her true sight, seemed to have cloudy thinking. Her eyes glittered with anger. "Alpha Caden will pay for this outrage."

"That mangy rat Caden won't get far," Patch declared through the mind-link. "Saving Aldwin, my ass. He's had his eye on your man since they met in New Moon City. This was his opportunity to seize Aldwin."

Garnet, who Ravyn expected clearer thinking from, looked furious. "Alpha Caden has been clear that his pack takes whatever it wants, when it wants, because 'we never know when it might come again.'"

Jiro clenched his jaw, then spoke through the mind-link in a flat, emotionless voice that made Ravyn's fur stand on end, "The Shifter Parliament has warned him several times, on record, that poaching whatever he needs is not a good way to win cooperation from anyone else in the Shifter Federation. But he's really done it this time. Not only has he stolen a member of our family, he's also jeopardized our fragile relationship with Lugdunum. King Odo and Queen Giselberthe will NOT be happy."

Ravyn certainly had no use for Alpha Caden, not after he'd been warned several times. Wintertail Alpha Marcus Mond hadn't even gone that far with Azandra when he was courting her. Alpha Caden had known better and still seized Aldwin.

Talon smiled, a ferocious expression, his teeth gleaming sharply in the darkness. "Forget the king and queen. I may just challenge Alpha Caden to ritual combat."

Kyon's voice was humorous. "Well, DON'T do what I did with Alpha Marcus and let him off easy. Alpha Caden makes Marcus look charming."

The wolves all fanned out, their noses to the ground, sniffing. Patch howled as he picked up the trail, and loped off into the rolling hills to the northwest of Graywolf City. 

"These hills are full of stinkweed," Jude growled. "It masks scents easily, plus it makes your eyes water. If we want to stay on their trail, I suggest we skirt the hills."

Ravyn howled in approval, her amber eyes blazing. "And then cut Caden off the minute he emerges. Maybe we can convince him to just leave our territory, and leave Aldwin alone. His pack probably doesn't want a war, especially since every Alpha from here to Wolfspeaker territory is an ally and would let us travel through their lands."

"Yes, and especially the packs whose Alphas would be spineless thornless cowards without you," Patch added proudly.

Jiro growled, "Cut the chatter, Patch. We're on a mission."

"It was a compliment," Patch answered, not sounding in the least chastised.

Jude growled, "If we get him to surrender, we can avoid a pack war."

Ravyn paused. Was Jude really ready to wage war just to get back a missing human? 

"Pack wars are normally reserved for something like stealing someone's mate, aren't they?" she asked. "And even then, when Lilia was kidnapped, Dane had to get the council's permission. Has the protocol changed?"

Jude huffed. "Of course I'd get the council's permission ..."

"He would," Dirge growled. "He's at least as careful as every other Alpha and Regent Alpha in the family. He's not a hothead."

The rescue party, at least two dozen, skirted the hills, staying well away from the stinkweed. It stung Ravyn's nostrils. Her nose seemed a thousand times more sensitive as a wolf.

The stinkweed had sprouted up from recent torrential rains, and although the pack tried to kill it because it was a hazard, the weeds kept spreading. Ravyn wondered if fire spells would do it. After this latest crisis, she would suggest it to Jude. Or maybe a freezing spell...but no, controlled fire was very effective.

The silent hills seemed to glide past as the rescue party approached the ambush point, where they would lie in wait. They stopped just beyond the far entrance to the hills and waited. Then, they waited.

Minutes passed. 

Jude shuffled his feet, sniffing the air. "They should have been here by now."

"They couldn't have thought wading through all that stinkweed was a good idea, surely," Jiro commented. "Not very romantic."

Garnet sniffed, sneezing in frustration. "I can't detect their scent. Maybe they didn't even come this way."

"Don't panic," Jude growled. "This is the only way they could have gone. The area outside the city is just crawling with shifters. They would have been spotted."

Ravyn planted her feet in the damp grass. "Let's wait."

All two dozen of them waited for several minutes. 

Then, Caden appeared, a silvery wolf carrying the unconscious Aldwin on his back.

Jude's golden eyes flared in rage, and he growled loudly at Caden. He shifted, because Caden couldn't understand him through the mind-link. Ravyn also shifted, as did several of the others. Cyran sprinted to Caden and grabbed Aldwin. "He needs a healer."

Shifting, Caden snarled at Cyran. "I'll change him into a wolf."

Jude spoke forcefully. "You're missing the point." He stared with defiance at the Alpha. "Caden, leave him be."

"He's MY mate."

"And this is not the way to pursue him. Back off," Jude warned.

Caden, in the grip of the mate pull, howled, "MAKE ME."

* * * * *

Patch POV

Caden was asking for trouble.

But then, the mate pull had been known to mess up shifters, especially when someone hurt their fated mates. 

"Caden," Jude said urgently. "He's injured. He needs a healer."

Smirking, Caden turned into a wolf and lunged to snatch Aldwin, knocking Cyran off balance. Staggering back, arms windmilling, Cyran growled, "How dare--"

Jude flew at Caden, fists out. "You've dishonored our pack. You've dishonored your own. Prepare to die."

WHAT?

Did Jude really just say that?

Ravyn didn't have her staff, but she'd carried crystals around her neck in a bag, and she pulled out a clear quartz rod. She began to channel energy through it to stop Jude from doing something he couldn't remedy. Something that would make the entire Shifter Federation tremble. Not that Caden didn't deserve it, acting like a rabid wolf ...

Ravyn aimed a blast of energy at Jude and shouted, "CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

As solid crystal encased him, turning into an Alpha statue, Jude's eyes turned red.

And then, the crystal exploded. It shattered in a burst of red energy. Bright red. Crimsontail red ... Patch shivered. He was beginning to get an eerie feeling. 

Howling, Jude focused his wrath on Caden. "You deserve everything that's coming to you."

Ravyn raced over, grabbing Jude's arm, clinging to him. Her eyes turned to violet-and-gold flames, like someone dipped a purple rose in gold. "Just calm down, Jude. For now, it's just a little skirmish. It's nothing you can't walk away from. Please. Caden knows he did wrong. DON'T YOU?"

Talon let out a warning growl, prodding Caden to make the smart choice.

Shoulders slumping, Caden sighed. "He's ... he's my mate. And he was hurt."

As Caden's words penetrated the fog of rage, Jude clutched his head, moaning. "Oh, Moon Goddess. My head is splitting in two."

Talon and Kelara stared at Jude in shock. Kelara whispered, "This is a magical ailment. Something else is inside his body."

Ravyn held hJude, caging him in her arms and resting her chin on his silvery hair. "It's alright, Jude. We'll find out what's wrong. Whatever illness you have, we'll take care of it."

Jude slumped against her. "You ... you have to lead the pack, Ravyn. Promise me. You have to rule now. Bram will help you. I put the Silverpaw Pack in your hands."

Patch's mind spun.

The world had officially gone crazy.