08. The trap

The day passed in deceptively calm. While most of the members were busy with their daily routine, a keen eye might have noticed the Alpha's inconspicuous back and forth. Another unusual thing, the number of dominants preparing for the evening patrol as the sun started to set was twice as large. Dante and Eden were particularly tense. The male omega and the young beta watched the preparations from the corner where they landed. Eden kept reminiscing what they had decided together after a long discussion.

"You want to disobey the Alpha and go out tonight?"

"I would understand if you weren't following me on this one. You've been demoted already and if ever, in the best-case scenario, we get caught, I can't even imagine the penalties we're going to take. As for the worst ... "

Dante was silent for a moment and Eden swallowed. He hated himself for involving his best friend in all this when he was already having problems. However, the alarm in his sixth sense had been ringing ever since he heard the guard's testimony and he couldn't ignore it.

"I'm sorry…", Eden resumed after a moment of silence.

Dante lifted his head to look at him and frowned when he saw the expression on the omega's face. He let out a long sigh.

"You know, if I didn't want to do it, all the arguments in the world as relevant as they are wouldn't be enough to get me moving. Do you know why I am taking such risks? "

The young man's blond curls moved as he tilted his head, intrigued by his friend's question. As if it was obvious, he answered confidently.

"Because the Alpha is in danger."

"There's some of that for sure, but that's not all," said the youngster, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm willing to take the risk because it's you, Eden. If there's one thing I learned growing up with you, it's that your instincts are the result of an ability to observe and understand the interactions and implications of everything around you. You deduce, analyze and weigh the pros and cons of each important decision. If you tell me that Mandy Moon and I don't know who else is going to attack the leader of my pack, you can be sure that I will risk my privileges and even my rank without hesitation. Because in Bloodhood, that's what it means to be the claws and the fangs. This is my role as a beta. "

"Are you ready to put yourself in danger just because it's me?"

"Me?", He snorted. "Hell, no! Man, I like my life, my fiancée, and my pack more than anything. I had no intention to be in a hard spot and I'm pretty sure that you planned everything so that won't happen. "

Eden smirked and looked at Dante with a smug face.

"I guess that we're gonna kick some asses tonight."

"If they think they can mess with Bloodhood, we're gonna remind them why our pack had been named that way."

The sun had disappeared behind the horizon and the sky still had a faint glowing tint. The first patrols had already left for the most distant surveillance points. Silver Bloodhood had finally emerged from the cave where he had reunited with his men. His beta Acher was right behind him. He turned his head to his left and saw Eden and Dante waiting patiently, leaning against the wall.

"Is there a problem, guys? Do you want to ask me something? "

"Alpha…" the teenager began, lowering his head to show his respect.

The leader was startled when he heard his son call him that way, but he didn't flinch. He saw Dante adopt the same posture and the crease between his eyebrows increased.

"Talk, I'm listening."

"It's about the beta from Crescent Moon that has been declared rogue. I wanted to share something with you."

"What is it? You sound pretty serious. Hurry, we were about to leave. "

"We spoke about it with Dante and thought there was a chance that Crescent Moon had passed on false information about her."

"What do you mean? Which false information? "Inquired the alpha.

Behind him, several men were growing impatient with the discussion they deemed unnecessary. The leader raised a hand to silence a murmur of protest.

"Back in school, Principal Blackbones let me know that Mandy Moon was injured by her alpha before being kicked out of the pack. However, listening to what the guard said about the attack, it wasn't the behavior of a wolf who was injured by an alpha's toxin. She should be unable to move. On the contrary, her behavior was aggressive, to the point that one of the sentries was seriously injured. "

Eden watched every word, prying at the slightest reaction on his father's face. He glanced behind him and saw the rather annoyed faces of some of the hunters and fighters. He clenched his fists and continued, careful to not let them unsettle him.

"I think she has purposely declared rogue."

"This is absurd!" Said one of the men left behind.

Eden focused his attention on the one who had just spoken. Christopher Fern was a dominant high rank whose combat skills made him rise to his father's trusted men. However, both at the strategic and political level, it was undoubtfully lacking. He was no more and no less than a soldier who was just good at listening to orders. However, that didn't prevent him from giving his opinion.

"Look kid, I think you've done enough. What happens is the result of your behavior… "

"Chris!" Silver cut off in an icy voice. "I thought I was clear.

"Y-Yes", said the man, taken aback by the sudden wrath.

"Then, would you have preferred that those Crescent Moon bullies hit my son for no other reason than their oversized egos?"

"N-No! Of course not Alpha! B-But… The poor child has been punished already. Her whole pack is witness to it and yet ... Eden keeps to accuse her. "

"If so, how could she attack a middle rank and hurt him so badly? No werewolf can endure an alpha's toxin and retain all of its abilities. "

"Well it should be another wolf and not this famous beta," the man retorted without hiding his annoyance.

"Rogues have never attacked a sentry. Not since the deals that protect them after the Big Bloodshed. It has been over twenty years. Plus, we asked the guard to link us what happened, so that we can see the wolf for ourselves. There is no doubt. It's Mandy Moon. "

"Why would she do such a thing?" said Silver thoughtfully.

"So that you let your guard down around her. They know that if you ever meet her, you will either try to chase her or bring her back. Either way, you wouldn't think of her as a potential enemy. Especially since she is only a teenager. "

"I don't understand why…"

"What's the one and the only reason a wolf in a pack wanders into an enemy's territory?"

"Enemy?" Christopher Fern scoffed. Aside from Sliver and his beta, they openly mocked the reasoning of the two teens in front of them. Acher stared steadfastly at his son just as Silver didn't unlock his gaze from Eden. The young man's eyes darkened. The amber shade that tinted them had an intensity Silver had never seen before. His expression had changed to something more desperate and the alpha felt an emotion fill his chest as he answered in his head the question his son had just asked him.

He raised his hand to stop the laughter and was silent for a few seconds longer, his eyes still fixed on Eden's. Silver sighed and his jaw tightened as he spoke.

"Thank you for coming to talk to us. Unfortunately, without any proof of what you are saying, we cannot treat as an enemy one of our kind who has been kicked out of her pack."

"Dad..."

"That's enough, Eden."

Silver took his leave without looking back. As they were no longer in sight and everyone was busy talking about tonight's mission, the Alpha leaned over his right arm and whispered in his ear.

"Take Chris' place. Hand your team over to one of your most trustful men and explain to him exactly what I'm about to tell you."

"Do you believe what the little one said?" asked Acher.

"You know this kid almost as well as I know him. He observes and notices everything before anyone else. When Eden says it's going to rain ... "

"We're getting ready to hold back the river."

Left behind, the two werewolves watched the Alpha and his men walk away. Dante waited for Eden's reaction, who clenched his fists. His gaze darkened again as he hardened his resolve.

"So? Punches feast?" Dante said with an evil grin showing his canines.

"Punches feast!" Eden replied underneath his breath.

Without further notice, the two teenagers walked away slowly so they won't be spotted. When no one was nearby, they started running towards the southern exit of the cave. It was the least used since it gave direct access to the viewpoint that Eden liked, and a tens of meters high stark cliff. That didn't mean it wasn't guarded. However, the number of guards on patrol at night was lower compared to the others, because it was considered as a natural border of Bloodhood.

Eden had thought of a solution to exploit what was according to him a weakness. As he carried out his plan, in the back of his mind, he swore to bring up the matter with his father to rectify what felt to be a strategic error. If he made it back home safe, of course.

Hot pools were the solution Eden had thought of. One of the basins in the southern part was fed by a spring whose bed led near the coveted exit.

Just before they reached their destination, a whisper-yell made them freeze.

"Dante!"

The two boys almost stopped suddenly and turned their heads to where the voice came from Cherry was hiding a few feet from the entrance to the hot water pool. They exchanged a glance, unable to know what to say. The female omega took the initiative and walked over to her fiancé with a determined step. Without hesitation, she stopped in front of him and grabbed the back of his neck to lower him to his level before kissing him fiercely. Surprised but pleased the beta smiled against his lips before responding with as much passion to her kiss. Cherry broke their embrace and pulled away.

"I don't know what you're planning to do, all I'm saying is that you have to come back."

Dante grinned and leaned on her to peck her lips.

"Yes, babe."

"Be safe and keep him safe. Both of you come back to me in one piece." Cherry said as she hugged him tightly.

________

Two wolves, one light gray and the other golden were running in the direction of the Alpha team. Going up the source had taken them longer than expected and they were already several minutes late. They needed to get to the landmark Eden had marked on the map after spying on his father's meeting as quickly as possible.

The omega sniffed the air to check the direction and corrected their trajectory. He sped up without bothering to check on his friend. He knew Dante was one of the few who could keep up, at least for a short distance.

Eden smelled an unusual scent and the two wolves immediately slowed down. Their ears moved, trying to pick up a sound that would give them a clue.

Suddenly a long howl rose, breaking the stillness of the night. The two wolves exchanged a glance when they recognized the amplitude proper to betas and began to run in the direction of the cry. A few seconds later more screams and barks responded to the signal. As they got closer, they heard growls and voices.

When they arrived there, a dozen wolves surrounded the members of his pack, led by a caramel wolf with black legs and tail. Dante jumped up and planted his fangs in the neck of one of the wolves that were closest to his Alpha.

His long canines easily pierced the fur before plunging into the pulpit. The pressure of his jaw did the rest. When he finally released his grip, the wolf was already dead. He threw the body away and stopped between his alpha and his enemies before baring his fangs, threatening. The two sides faced each other, waiting for the other to let their guard down to attack.

Before the enemy could make a move, another howl erupted through the night.