Chapter 1 – 4 days until the Eclipse

Roger’s POV - (Former Alpha of Mountain Creek Pack) 

I was being escorted to his office by one of his warriors, an enormous man who looked like he could beat me to death within seconds. After he watches me go through the office door, I see him. The former Alpha of Blood Moon Pack, an old acquaintance of mine, Rick. 

He smiles as I walk towards him. Picking up something off his desk. He pulls out a blade from its sheath. “Here, take this. Use it as much as you can.” He says to me. “Be careful, though. It has a little something extra on along the edge.” he says to me as he hands both the silver blade and sheath to me.  

I am so nervous, but I can’t let him see how scared I really am. I have done nothing like this before. But I knew what I was agreeing to when I joined Rick and his cause. 

I knew Rick from my Alpha days. He is not the same as he used to be. He's become more aggressive and hostile. He told me what his goals were and who he was partnering with. At the time, I felt I had no choice but to join him. Now, when I stand in front of him, looking at the blade in my hand, I question whether I made the right decision. Am I truly capable of doing this? 

He gives me a sinister smile, telling me that I am to make the first move in the grand scheme of things. “I won’t let you down.” I inform him I can’t let him down.

“Oh, I know you won’t, Roger. Because if you do, you will not live to make it back here.” He threatens me. It’s baffling how my life has gone from bad to worse in the last year, all because I wanted my son to wait for his fated mate.  

I have heard rumors about what the Royals did to Rick’s daughter. How her mates and their family did to stop them from killing her. He wants them all to pay for her death. 

But first he want’s his granddaughter safely by his side. I know that is why he offered me sanctuary. I am no fool. He is counting on my old connection with the former Alpha of the Forest Green Pack to get me close enough. Close enough to snatch her. If I have to kill anyone to get her, he is fine with that, especially if it is one of her fathers. If he could, he would wipe the pack out Forest Green Pack, but that would draw too much attention, especially from her and it is too soon. Only by a couple of days, but still too soon.

Rick's allies want the King’s weakened. The best way to do that is to kill their mate. Rick is more than willing to help them with that task. He is practically ecstatic at the thought of it, in fact. 

 I am aware Rick is working with the Wolf Council. They are counting on him to fulfil his part of their plan. Just like he is counting on me to fulfil my part of his plan. I feel I have no choice but to go through with this. At best, no one gets hurt and the girl comes peacefully. At worst, I become a murderer.

As I climb in the car, I am accompanied by 3 of Ricks warriors. They have arranged a meeting with the Alpha’s of Forest Green Pack. My only role is to get Freya. They are the distrction and the muscle. 

The border patrol, who knew we were coming, greeted us as we arrived. They have arranged some sort of bogus meeting organized. We drive slowly through the territory, making anyone watching believe that we are in a slow-moving vehicle.  

As luck would have it, we pass a park and I see him. They are the only ones there, so there will be no witnesses. Susan is pushing a girl on a swing and Stan looks like he is laying out some food for a picnic. “Stop.” I told the driver. At least we won’t have to fight at the pack house.  

I get out of the car, concealing the blade behind me in my belt. I hope it I won’t have to use it. But I wouldn’t hand over my grandchild without a fight, even if she is a cripple.   

“Hi Stan.” I shout as I make my way over to him. “Higher Grandma, Higher.” I hear the girl squealing and calling to Susan.   

Stan looks at me. He probably recognizes me from somewhere. It’s been years since I last saw him. “It’s been a long time, Stan. How are you, my old friend?” I reached out to shake his hand. This also means I am within striking distance of him.  

“Not bad thanks, loving retirement. Get to spend all of my free time with my mate and granddaughter, Freya.” He nods to the swings. She is the girl I am after.  

I don’t let go of his hand when he tries to retract his. “I have come for the girl.” His face is one of shock and fear. “If you mind link anyone, I will kill you all.” I look in his eyes when I threaten them. 

He again tries to pull his hand away. I see his eyes glaze over. I pull out the blade from behind and shove it into his stomach. It is so sharp I hardly have to use any force at all. 

I warned him; I did. “Run.” he whispers as he drops to his knees. Susan screams as she grabs her stomach. She can probably feel her mate dying. They warned me there was no coming back when a blade like this is used. It has been coated in wolfbane and silver.   

“Grandma. Grandma, what is wrong?” I heard the girl screaming at her grandma, who was kneeling on the grass by the swings. I make my way towards them. Freya is too focused on Susan to see what had happened to Stan.

But I know Susan has, that she can feel he is no longer connected to her. She is holding onto Freya tightly so that she doesn’t see his corpse lying dead on the ground.   

“Freya, come with me.” I told her.   

“No.” Susan shouts from her kneeling position. “Come with me now or your grandma dies!”   

“No.” the girl cries. She reached out to take my hand. But Susan pulls her back. Siren's blare.  

We don’t have time now. One of the warriors goes up to Susan and without hesitation, holds a knife to her throat. “Let her go, or I will kill you and take her, anyway.”  

“No” Susan says again. I see the warrior give a small smile at her resistance. He is actually going to kill her. 

“Don’t hurt my grandma.” The girl screams hysterically as she wriggles out of her grandma’s hold and willingly comes to me. I pulled her into my chest and ran with her to the car with her.  

We have only been in the pack a few minutes, but we have gotten who we came for. Rick will be happy. 

I look out of the window. I don’t see Susan anymore. I look again. She is there, her body is anyway. Lying motionless on the ground. He killed her. I look at him. He knows what I am thinking. He smiles at me, a sick sadistic smile. Practically gloating about what he did. 

On our way into the pack, the car was slow and steady. Now it is like a race car. The driver showing no mercy when he hits anyone, man or wolf. He doesn’t care.   

We finally get to the border and there are at least two dozen wolves blocking our path. “For the cause.” the man who killed Susan climbs out of the car. As does the other warrior. “Get your seatbelts on,” the driver instructs me and Freya. We do as we are told. The wolves are fighting the warriors. If there were more of them, they would kill the pack’s men easily. But the sheer quantity means Rick’s warriors are going to be killed. They went out there knowing this. 

The driver revs the engine and plows into the remaining wolves. Not slowing or checking on his friends. He just left them behind. This was a suicide mission and they all knew it.