THE ROGUE WAR BACK HOME

26 FEBRUARY, FRIDAY, CONTINUED

I woke up in my own bed. While this should usually be a reassuring thing, it totally disoriented me.

Did I dream the whole thing and just woke up? Which was the dream? The jungle in the Warlock Tower (which would be the answer that made sense) or waking up in my own bed (which I eventually figured was the correct answer).

Basically, I was able to deduced which was the dream, not by any amazing reasoning ability, but the fact that I couldn't smell a thing. I was in my bed, but there was a distinct absence of lemon oil in the folds of my blanket. I reached out and pulled my ponies, Lilybutt and Sir Sparkalot II for a cuddle, but I couldn't smell any of the comforting smells of mate, or me, or lemon, or anything really.

I put them back down. How dare these two fluffy little things enjoy the spaciousness of my entire bed whilst I had to camp outside in the jungle? It didn't seem fair.

Outside my window, it was a beautiful winter morning. The magic snow was falling, the ghost of a full moon shining against the watercolor-washed blue sky. The scene was unreal, and I took just a moment to watch how peaceful and quiet everything was.

Because it was very, very, quiet. Like I was alone at home quiet.

Cut off from the rest of the world, secluded in my golden clamshell, in my bedroom of my empty tower with no one at home in the Alpha House quiet.

Weird. It was too quiet. Like something bad was about to happen kind of quiet.

{Rogues approaching.}

See, I knew it! Wait what? Rogues? No, I didn't know it! I didn't know it at all! How many rogues?

I scrambled out of my bed... Where was Dad?

I could see a column of smoke billowing out from a distance. I don't mean smoke from a chimney or campfire... I mean like somebody's house was on fire. At first one and then another.

By now my heart was hammering in healthy alarm. This was a real emergency.

Where's Dad? Where's Dad?

The mindlinks around me blared. It was started with Beta Gerald's clear one line directive, {This is a Code Black. Morning Light is under attack. Warriors have been activated. All Night Leaf and Morning Light wolves, please remain calm and follow protocol.}

And then it was followed by what sounded like my whole pack screaming over the mindlinks at the same time because that was how we followed protocol. Even though, I felt quite sure everyone was mindlinking on private channels, it was hard for my wondrous "gift of insight" to not hear when the thoughts were charged with so much emotion. I shut it off hard not to let the mass panic assault me.

WHERE THE HELL WAS DAD?

So many rogues, I could sense them pouring in. But even with my internal radar, I couldn't even be sure how many there were. We all knew Boo couldn't count, and this number of trespasses felt like hundreds.

Tbh, I panicked. Like I seriously fell into a blind panic. Dad's not here. Our Packlands was being swarmed with rogues. And I had no idea what to do!

It's not like we had a Code Black drill the way we had fire drills school. It's not like we ever expected more than a dozen rogues at any one time. This was the first Code Black I had ever experienced in my life - except that one time at Heller's, but that didn't count. I was dream traveling then... oh wait, I was dream traveling now.

I realized I was pacing my room like a headless chicken, leaving muddied footprints all over the soft pale pink carpet without even realising I had gotten off my bed.

Okay, stop. What should I do? Think Sam, think! Slow down, let's start with what I knew.

We were at Code Orange for a while now (due to the Warlock threat), and based on our warriors already being stationed outfield to receive the rogues, I guess we were already at Code Red for like a couple of hours? At least it meant one of our patrols had picked up the mass rogue movement at our borders and we had the time to activate an emergency Code Red. But this was Code Black. Code Black was WAR!

My internal radar sensed the rogues enter at Morning Light borders. But Beta Gerald sounded like he's got this, right?

Where the hell was Dad? Why couldn't I sense him at all? Don't tell me he was still at the Warlock Lands?

Where's Mum? Why wasn't she at home? I tried locating Mum but she was moving further and further away, really quickly too and then blip, she disappeared off my radar.

Wait, what?

Okay, calm down, Sam. Don't flip. I'm sure there was a perfectly logical explanation for that.

Okay, Dad's away. Beta Lucas is with him. Mum's "disappeared" (but I'm sure it was for a perfectly logical and un-alarming reason), just stay calm.

Who's next in command here? Beta Gerald. Right. Its going to be okay. Beta Gerald was a very experienced beta with war experience - specifically war without an Alpha present. That should be helpful now.

Anyway, I needed to contact Beta Gerald and let him know I was here.

I desperately jumped into the chaos of mindlinks. It was like drowning in a sea of panicked voices. Focus, Sam!

The mindlinks bleared and I tried not to hear them, roughly sieving through the jumbled thoughts and emotions of my wolves until I found Beta Gerald. I intercepted the first strand of mind link leading to him:

Gamma Endo, {Perimeter 1A breeched, beta. Awaiting orders.}

Beta Gerald, {Endo, fall back. Bring a team to evacuate the destitute house. Tie, ready for action.}

Captain Titanium, {Roger and out.}

Beta Gerald, {Delta Charlie, report.}

Delta Charlie, {School is on lockdown. I've got all kids from grade k to 9 and all unshifted and female wolves through to grade 12 secured with their female teachers in the underground bomb shelter.}

I didn't know New Leaf Academy had a bomb shelter. I guess it was a good thing it did because I could use that fact to squelch the anxiety that bubbled up inside of me when I thought of Savy and my friends. At least Delta Charlie sounded like he knew what he was doing.

Delta Charlie, {All combat ready teachers and students are in defence position. Night Leaf warriors have secured outer perimeter.}

Beta Gerald, {Noted with thanks. Harry Report.}

Gamma Harry, {Good! It's all good. I've just dropped the Luna off at the Warlock Forest. I let Jonah go with her. He is unshifted so the enchantments does not attack him and the boy can run fast with a rifle.}

Which did not sound reassuring to me at all. Actually, it soundly like Gamma Harry was reassuring himself.

What were they thinking to send Mum and Jonah into the warlock forest? It was suicide.

Beta Gerald took a pause to make a quiet prayer, {Goddess go with them and bring back our Alpha.}

And then, even before the shock of what had happened drummed into me, he was back to business again, "Flynn Report."

Delta Flynn, {I've contacted the Underground again. Captain Stephan is not budging. He will not mobilize any warriors without release orders from Sam or her betas.}

Gamma Endo, {Why the f*** are they even on lockdown?}

In contrast, Beta Gerald considered this with remarkable calm, {It seems our only hope is with our Luna successfully bringing Alpha Kingsley and Alpha Sam back home.}

Wait... Mum was sent to get us?

Gamma Endo, {I can't believe we just f***ing sent our Luna into the Warlock lands.}

You can say that again.

{She is right though.} Beta Gerald sighed, {As much as it pained my wolf to agree with her plan, her white wolf is the only one able to enter the warlock forest safely, and her mating bond is the most likely to successfully lead her to Alpha Kingsley.}

{And Sam and her betas - the sooner the Underground is mobilized, the higher our chances to survive this attack.} Gamma Endo growled.

Was the situation that bad?

{This is f***ing loco.} Gamma Endo continued grumbling into the mindlink, {I don't know how long we can last out there without an Alpha to lead us.}

I personally thought Beta Gerald was doing a great job.

{What I want to know is how the rogues knew to attack us the hour all our alphas went into the warlock lands.} Gamma Harry chipped in.

{So the whole thing was a f***ing set up?} Gamma Endo exploded right then, {When I get my hands on those frigid snow wolves, I'm gonna...}

{We don't know if its the snow wolves.} Gamma Harry said, {Their warriors have volunteered to assist. That makes no sense.}

{Put them in the dungeons. Who knows when they'd f***ing turn round and bite us.} Gamma Endo growled.

{Their protection spells are good!} Gamma Harry argued, {Very good! Our homes are cloaked by their magic.}

{Don't f***ing come crying to me when they turn against you, Harry.} Gamma Endo was not swayed.

Gamma Harry laughed into the mindlink, {I never cry. I remember you are the crybaby, Endo.}

{F*** you, Harry. I haven't cried since my mate died.} Gamma Endo shot back.

{Gentlemen, let's focus on our survival first.} Beta Gerald reminded everyone with all calm.

{Dammit, Harry! If you don't die today, I'll kill you tomorrow.} Gamma Endo was seething now.

{No, no, you still owe me a lunch.} Gamma Harry, {You can't kill me until you treat me lunch.}

{Titanium, please report.} Beta Gerald decided to clean ignore the two Gammas and focus on the situation.

{We've engaged Wave 1.} Titanium responded. There was a pause, {They have firearms...} Titanium sounded really distracted, {***** *** *****... Ah sorry, I didn't meant to link that. They are fully armed. Tie out.}

And then Titanium dropped out of the mindlink conversation. I'm guessing he either had to concentrate on swearing or fighting or both.

{Where the f*** do rogues get that much firepower?} Gamma Endo fumed. "Who the f*** is funding them?"

{Stop Endo. Your talking is noise pollution.} Gamma Harry cut in, {It's too noisy. We need an Alpha Channel.}

Delta Hank, {Hank reporting. I've contacted Alpha Lorent. He is coming with warriors and healers. They will set up defense and medical tent.}

{Fat load of s*** that would do.} Gamma Endo grunted, {Lorrie pricks will just be up our arses.}

{Delta Simon, Report.} Beta Gerald continued to calmly ignore the fury of his Gamma, but he sounded tired.

{Medical facilities are up.} Delta Simon's usual chirpy cheer came through the mindlinks, {Slow business for now.}

{Wait till Wave 1 is over.} Gamma Harry chuckled, {I can smell the gunpowder from here.}

{Alpha Lorent and his healers will join you with reserved warriors, Simon.} Beta Gerald informed him.

{Because f***ing Lorries will never run out front.} Gamma Endo

{Be grateful they are here. It's an extra line of defence for our towns and double of medical capacity.} Beta Gerald said reasonably.

{Yeah, they have to guard their own Packlands too.} Gamma Harry answered lightly, {Without their Young Alpha, it's not like they have extra Alpha to spare.}

{Aren't you taking this too f***ing easy, Harry?} Endo growled.

{What's there to worry?} Gamma Harry insisted, {We just need to hold out till Alpha gets back. We can hold for a few hours.}

{Even Alphas die, Harry.} Gamma Endo gritted.

There was a silence.

{Not our Alpha.} Gamma Harry decided cockily.

{We have to believe in Alpha Kingsley.} Beta Gerald responded calmly, {Endo report.}

{We're in position.} Gamma Endo sighed, {It's gonna be a bloodbath.}

{The destitute house...} Beta Gerald said.

{No time, beta.} Gamma Endo brushed it aside, {I've sent the reserve team to get them.}

{The reserves!} Beta Gerald sounded upset now, {You can't send the reserves, Endo!}

{Don't knock the old dogs, Beta. No time, enemy in 2 minutes. Awaiting orders, Beta.} Gamma Endo barked through the mindlink.

{Engage.} Beta Gerald sighed.

{They're so fast.} Gamma Harry marveled.

Captain Titanium, {There are too many of them. Request for assistance. Urgent!}

{Harry, move your team down to assist Tie.} Beta Gerald sounded more and more tired.

Yeah, I was definitely dreaming.

Maybe I just missed home so bad, I dream traveled back home to roll in my bed for a bit.

And then my dream turned into this nightmare.