Oxfords on rogues

The smell was almost like a trigger for me, I dropped my pizza just shaking remembering the last time I had smelt it. Finn looked at me concerned, but I could tell he was sounding alarms all over the pack lands through the mind link. Rouges were back on our lands, but this time there was a burning sensation to their rotting smell that they usually carried. The burn reminded me of the same pain my chest had felt before. I kept my eyes set on the door waiting for someone to come through it.

"Daliah, when I say get under the table do it." He was staring at me but listening to something else. I nodded in acknowledgement. "NOW!" he yelled.

I slid down the under the booth and so did he before a rain of bullets let open on the little pizza shop. My heart was pounding out of my chest almost to the same pace of the machine guns rapid firing, not again was all I could think. I froze there my head tucked between my legs trying to stay calm. They continued for what felt like forever when they finally stopped the silence was almost deafening. Finn brought his finger up to his lips motioning for me to be quiet. I could see Rainer taking control of his senses heightening them, a crunching noise caught my attention through the silence.

They were coming in, Fallon perked all the way up in that moment giving my sense a replenished boost of power. We were ready, for what I wasn't sure but I was going to face it. Both of us stared from under the table as a pair of oxford shoes crunched over the broken glass and wood. It stopped half way through the tiny restaurant. Both Finn and I ready to pounce if he got any closer.

"Young alpha, this was but a warning. We're watching you." the deep corrupted voice said. Just by the smell of him I could tell he had been a rouge for a while, he smelt of nothing but decay.

"You have no business on our lands." Finn called out, the alpha tone and the energy of murder he gave off mixing to become something totally new, something I dare not ever get in the way of. It sounded off all of the walls hiding our location. It was almost intoxicating, calling me into it.

I couldn't help but let out a low powerful growl in agreeance, surprising both him and the rouge.

"Oh I see you have a little she wolf with you to... maybe we can take her with us when we kill you." it was his turn to let out a growl, almost jumping out from the safe spot we had.

I caught his arm and stopped him, shaking my head I pulled him back further under. It felt like a trap, Fallon could even feel there was something off about this. If they were here to hurt him, we wouldn't let that happen. I tried to peek out to see If I could see more of this wolf who was threatening us but when I did he was gone. The smell and destruction the only thing left to show he was actually here.

"F*ck! Sam, you guys alright?" Finn said as we all heard tires screech off driving even further into the distance. They were heading back to human territory if they kept heading that way.

"We're fine, thanks for the heads up we didn't even hear them. Or smell them until it was to late." Sam said helping his dad up from behind the counter.

"What was that?" I said finally getting up from under the table still shaking but not from fear but anger.

"A final war call, ever since that day at school the attacks on the lands have been getting worse." he hung his head raking his fingers through his hair like he did this morning.

"Why are they doing this?" I asked looking at the silver bullets that were scattered around the pizzeria. Instinctively I walked over to him putting my head on his chest trying to find the strength to not fall over. "Their so close to my house." I shook causing him to wrap his arms around me protectively.

"Sam, you know we'll take care of this for your family. Gather them and move back to the pack house." Sam nodded taking his father around the side to the door that led to their little apartment above the restaurant.

"You and I are going to get your parents. Your coming back as well." he let go bending over to examine one of the bullets.

Interested I crouched down to examine it further. It had small intricate designs carved onto it that almost looked like letters. I could see a murky brownish green color coming from it. He started to reach for it but I stopped him, he looked at me confused.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," I said eyeing it some more.

"It will only hurt for a second, I'll be fine." he said looking at me seriously.

"No, that's not it. There is something wrong with it." I said turning my head slightly to the side.

He walked over to counter and grabbed one of the towels that had fallen from a shelf. He picked up a few of them including the one I was looking at. Showing them to me they all had the same smog around them. At first my mind had turned to the Luna but then back to my mom. Maybe she would know something, she had to have seen these kinds of things before.

"Lets go get my parents. I think they can help." He nodded and headed for the door, we carefully avoided the rest of the debris and got back to his truck.

At the end of the short drive my parents were already outside, bags in hand filling up their small car. I was so focused on them I barely noticed the other pack members on our street doing the same thing. A few black SUV's drove past us stopping only to let out a few warriors at different points of the street. It almost felt like what had happened in our old pack before we left. When they were finished packing the car we went towards the pack house as I'm sure the others were doing as well.

"Are you going to house all of them?" I asked watching as the families gathered their items.

"Not all, but as many as we can, the beta and omega houses will be taking some as well." he looked at them seriously. This was the first time I had seen him in full leader mode. It was impressive to see how fast he worked to protect the people that were actually scared of him.

"What ever I can do to help, just let me know." I looked into his eyes determined to help my pack. If I was going to be their future luna I needed to be able to handle anything. He nodded a small but proud smile tugged at his lips.

It was almost like a sad parade of cars lead by his truck through our lands, a few cars departing to join the other households. By the time we made it to the main house there were only about seven cars, most of them full of families with small children or older wolfs. All of us getting out of the cars unceremoniously. I jumped from the truck and ran over to my parents.

"Are you okay?" my mom ran to me catching me in a hug, my dad coming over to join in.

"I'm fine, are you okay?" I said the adrenaline wearing off and the realization I could have died hitting me square in the chest. "I thought you guys were mad at me." letting a tear fall I looked at them.

"Never." they said in unison pulling me back into a hug.

"Ahem, young luna you were requested in the meeting." a warrior came up to me bowing her head slightly. She had long black hair that was braided to keep it back and out of her face, her deep brown eyes looked at me nervously.

"Thank you.. Lets go," I looked back at my parents and gave them the best smile I could muster before walking away. "What's your name?" I asked as she lead me to the Alpha's conference room.

"Alice, young luna." she opened the first door for me.

"Call me Dali, please" I smiled at her as I opened the main door to the room for her.

There were wolfs of all shapes and sizes, each one different from the last. It was the strength of the the northern pack. They accepted all wolfs who had lost their pack, so long as you accepted the leadership and had not gone rouge. They were all talking among themselves some more loudly than others. When we entered they all stopped and stared directly at me and Alice.

"Daliah, come and sit over here." Serena peeked out from behind the wall of warriors. With that the low murmur of conversation continued. I went over to her and took a seat on the bench, Alice protectively on my tail.

"Are you okay dear?" she asked when I sat down.

"Yeah, just a little shaken up. It was really Finn who took action and saved us." I said scanning the crowd for him. She patted my lap and looked forward. "Hey have you ever seen something leak a murky green color?" I asked knowing she would understand.

"What ever it is, its no good." she said mater-of-factly.

"Alright everyone lets settle down." Alpha Henry said walking in with Finn.

Everyone got quiet taking what I assumed were their appropriate positions at the table. I noticed Val's dad in the corner a solemn face, I had never seen him look so restless. The others around the table carried the same expression. They all waited anticipating what he was going to say next. Then I was hit with a wave of calm, almost like a calm before a storm. The Alpha stood and paced for a second, weighing his words.

"As you all are aware, we have been under attack for a while now, they have come at us from all sides trying to find a weak link. Up until now we have been able to keep them at bay but after today. An attack in broad daylight, with silver bullets." he sighed shaking his head before continuing. "We know they are a larger group than normal rouges, more organized. This makes them that much more dangerous."

"Do we have any leads on where the trucks went after Gino's?" one of the Betas said.

"No, we lost them ten miles in." he answered coolly waiting for the next question.

"Were there hunters? Did they fire the shots?" another more feminine voice rang out.

"From what I could tell there were only rouges." Finn said cutting in.

"But the cars sounded about three miles off when they left." I stood up scanning the room, "we wouldn't have been able to sense them that close to the border." I finished looking at Finn who wore that same tight lip smile.

"So their working together?" the other beta came next to other, her hands resting on her hips.

"Its to early to tell, although its highly likely they may be the ones keeping them so tame. Rouges are feral after all, their humanity all but lost." the Alpha finished looking down at a map of the territory on the table.

"What about patrols? How did we miss them?" a light masculine voice came from the side, it took me a moment to realize it was Val's dad.

"We double them and increase our intake of warriors. If they can launch an attack directly on our next in command of this pack they obviously have a trick up their sleeve they are waiting to reveal. We'll have the campus post pone classes for the next two weeks as the younger wolves train." Henry's tone was heavy, each word felt like he regretted having to say it.

The room fell into another low hum of talking as everyone took in the facts knowing that many of their own children would be taking part in the training. I looked around the room to see our packs most powerful scared at the thought of a war, but the only faces that showed no emotions were that of the Tate family. The burden of remaining calm under pressure heavy on their shoulders. Taking my seat next to Serena I steeled my composure to match their own.

The meeting continued, battle strategy as well as different patrol routes that would keep them guessing. I listened carefully observing how the the inner workings of the pack happened. Alpha Henry is truly a great leader, everyone in the room had a voice no matter what. He carefully listened to each complaint and suggestion and weighed their option and the effort it would cost the pack.

The meeting ended when the Alpha had heard all suggestions. When we finally left the room the sky had fallen dark. Many splitting off and heading back to their homes. I followed Alice out the hall and down towards where me and my family use to live. When we arrived to the room she said a brief good bye and I went in.

My parents were already unpacked and my dad settled in for the night. The room was large enough to house all three of us with a bathroom as well. I walked over to the pull out couch I had spent so many nights on before and got to work on setting it up.

"How was it honey?" mom said as she came out of the bathroom.

"Long," I yawned falling into the slightly uncomfortable mattress. My mind working through the discussion we had just had, but always coming back to the silver bullets. "Hey mom, did you ever... See anything when you were in touch with your wolf?" I asked trying my best to be gentle, but she still went rigid.

"I know some who did, what did you see?" she asked turning to face me with a serious look on her face.

"Well, this morning I saw vibrant colors swirling around me. And again at the restaurant. Except it was murky almost muddy color and gave off this feeling like there was something wrong with it" she sighed when I finished walking over to me.

"Oh my darling, your seeing auras. The ones you saw around yourself were that of happy ones." placing her hand on leg as she sat, "well the other one was more of a malicious nature." she finished giving me a small smile. "I wonder what other gifts the Goddess will bless you with." with that she went over to her bed.

"She seems restless." Fallon sighed wishing she could help her.

"I know, I've never seen her so dejected. Maybe she misses her wolf? I know I'd miss you and we've only been together a short while." my heart broke thinking of not being able to talk with Fallon.

"Can you see her aura too?" she said wondering if we could use it at will.

I looked over to my parents bed, my dad already asleep let off nothing that I could see. Training my eyes to her I saw nothing. Maybe they were different than others because of what happened. Giving up I threw the small blanket over me and fell into a deep sleep.