☽ Chapter 41: Flushing out a Disease Part 2 ☾

?Chapter 41 – Flushing out a Disease Part 2?

Hidden just inside the tree line, I scan the surroundings of the base’s entrance. Nothing is out of place since we escaped earlier today. Wolves run out of the entrance frantically searching for Malachi and me, a fearful look on these Rogues’ faces, worried for the consequences of not finding one of us. [Captured a Rogue and knocked her out as instructed. Handing her off to team B.] Maddie reports moments after a small she-wolf with deep olive skin and dirty, chocolate-coloured hair rush out of the base and towards my packmate. [Copy. Make sure to treat that Rogue carefully until Cassandra can dream walk her mind.] Ariven responds. [Greg, anything on your side?] Mika calls out. [Nope. Malachi’s friend came over, though, as promised. Only a few have gone out to look for Gem and Malachi, while the rest are cowering in fear of Coro.] Greg is quick to answer. A smirk plays on my lips as now is the right time to surprise the Rogues in the base. [Remember, the base is underground, and some hallways are narrow. Don’t die.] I call out. Taking a deep breath, I focus on heightening my senses before rushing out from the safety of the tree line and right to the entrance. It’s time to attack. Rushing into the base, I soon discover a problem, as the entrance has been blocked by countless Soulless all snarling at us. No one can enter without battling these twelve beasts, but at the same time, there is no room for a battle. [Surround me, I have a plan.] I link to my group as I close my eyes. The wolves around me quickly make my safety a priority as I focus my senses on the base. There are too many narrow hallways and too many hiding nooks. The only way to remedy this situation is to remove everything. With my breath steady, I work my magic, using my power over earth to slowly shift the walls and force wolves out of hiding. I take the time to separate the Rogues from the Soulless, the women and children from the males, until nothing but a large cavern is created, with the entrance from behind us being the only way in and out. [Greg and Maddie, get to the west side of the base quickly, I had no choice but to use my powers and separate the Rogues from the Soulless.] I link the Head Hunter of Blood Moon and my Head Tracker, sending a general location of where I need them to be. With a “yes Alpha” as their reply, I open my eyes and turn to the fifty Soulless now surrounded by my friends and allies. As usual, Amberle is enjoying the thrill of a hunt as she slices away at the Soulless who attack her, giving them a quick and painless death. Dominic chuckles as he stands beside me, protecting me while his mate has her fun. “She saved me in a similar fashion when I first met her. Can’t believe I am mated to her.” He states as Amberle is thrown into the air, only to manoeuvre her body to where she lands on the neck of a Soulless, effectively snapping the bones and killing the poor thing on the spot. Suddenly the scent of blood reaches me, not just anyone’s blood, but Ariven’s. Fearing for my mate, my focus shifts, and the cavern where the base once stood shakes, dirt falling from the ceiling. [Ariven?] I call out frantically through our link, trying to regain control of my power and preventing the roof from caving in on the wolves fighting the Soulless. [I’m fine, darling. Just got blindsided by a bastard of a Soulless, is all.] His answer comes after a pause of silence, and I feel my heart settle. Knowing that my mate is safe and alive helps me regain focus on the task at hand. I close my eyes and feel the earth, steadying the unstable cavern while my team dispatches the Soulless. [Alpha, we are at the side you mentioned with wolves to escort these Rogues out. Open a door for us.] Maddie calls out, and I quickly oblige. I sense the wolves of our allies and from my own pack enter the side where I trapped the Rogues, feeling a shift in the earth as the males struggle as they are captured. My focus returns quickly to the fighting in the current cavern, the stench of death and decay growing stronger with each Soulless killed, causing me to become nauseous. [Rogues are out, Geminie. You can close that section for good.] Greg calls out. I sigh with relief, my power retreating from that area as the sounds of a cave-in reach the battle. Now, I only have to keep the ceiling from falling and killing my friends in the current area. The sounds of a wolf rushing me causes me to create a barrier of stone in front of my body, and the cavern becomes unsteady. [Darling?] Ariven asks through the link, worry etched into his words. [I’m fine. Just had to protect myself and our pup from an onslaught of Soulless. Dom is ripping into them now.] I answer, the barrier falling as I watch Dominic shift into wolf form, his ice-like fur a blur as he quickly dispatches the Soulless that tried to kill me. The battle continues and, as I exert my powers to keep the cavern from closing in, I watch many Soulless die at the hands of my friends and allies, until finally the last of the Soulless passes away quickly. [Everyone, time to leave!] Amberle calls through the link. An hour passes in a blink of an eye and with the continuous use of my power, I can feel exhaustion settle in. But the one wolf I want to find and kill was not inside the base. Wolves rush past me, with Dominic, Amberle and Ariven surrounding my body as we make sure to leave only the dead Soulless inside. This will be their final resting place. As the last of the wolves file out, I back away slowly, keeping the walls of earth up until the final three keeping watch leave, and I emerge from the base just in time for my power and body to falter from lack of energy. “I got you, darling.” Strong arms catch me before I reach the ground, and Ariven’s scent wraps around me. I smile, relieved that this operation went smoothly, but have a nagging feeling, wondering where Coro is hiding. Then I hear it, the long, slow howl that always sends shivers of fear coursing through my blood. He escaped and is letting us know it. He’ll be gone like the wind in no time, untraceable to anyone, until his final plans are revealed. But today, we won the battle. Now, time will tell what awaits us in this war against the First Prince.