Chapter 10 - Gage

Chapter 10

Gage

Two days after I'd called and threatened Luka, my wolves and I arrived to make good on my promise. Rowan had texted me yesterday, confirming my fears that Heath and Flint remained prisoners. Today, that would change.

Having the might of Frost Fang at my back should've given me confidence to take down the cowardly pack alpha of Ironwood. But I sensed my wolves' unease through the pack bond.

Frost Fang had changed a great deal since I was exiled… as had I. And now, with Freya's mark on my cheek, some questioned whether I truly deserved to rule their pack.

They didn't say it to my face, of course. No one challenged me outright. But Frost Fang had been full of backstabbers who'd helped Nira murder my brother. I couldn't be sure I'd flushed them all out.

Plus, Frost Fang and Ironwood had been on the verge of a pack alliance until Pandora ruined it by creating a fake fated mate bond between Freya and Luka. Some of my packmates might not support the sudden reversal, going from almost-allies to enemies with Ironwood.

Still, we would present a united front to help break Ironwood's morale, make them question Luka's decisions.

Our massive caravan of trucks, vans, and smaller vehicles rolled to a stop in the wildlands. If we'd come from any other direction, we would've gone through other packlands to reach Ironwood, necessitating political games that I didn't have time for. Driving through the wildlands between packs took extra time with a caravan this large, especially when most vehicles weren't equipped for off-roading on the treacherous terrain.

Federal funding maintained interstate highways, but in practice, few out-of-state workers felt safe coming into states controlled by pack law. Packs maintained their internal roads but only helped neighboring packs maintain roads between them in so far as trade agreements required. Finding any roads at all through the wildlands was a rare event. In effect, most roads throughout pack-controlled states were no better than rocky paths cutting through the wilderness.

We'd come as far as the terrain would allow. Now we all got out on foot, armed head to toe with guns and blades of every variety. I could sense the excitement in the air, and I climbed up into a truck bed so I could see more of my old packmates.

I recognized so many faces, but there were also many from the farthest reaches of Frost Fang that were unfamiliar to me. Fern stared up at me, her eyes burning with anticipation. No doubt she looked forward to being reunited with her littermate.

My father would've made some grandiose speech. My brother would've shifted and howled. But I wasn't them, and I kept my message short.

"Today, we reclaim our packmates and kill anyone who stands in our way. Let no one defy Frost Fang!"

When I raised my fist, howls tore from the throats of hundreds of partially shifted wolves.

"Forward team, scout and report back!" I shouted, and a dozen wolves shifted, their sling bags heavy with weapons.

The rest of us made slower progress on two legs, fighting our way through the treacherous terrain of the wildlands. For the first time, I didn't have to worry about rogue alphas threatening me or my packmates in the wildlands. Not even the most feral wolf would be stupid enough to challenge our numbers.

A few minutes later, one of the scouts tore through the underbrush toward us, shifting back mid-stride. He didn't bother to put on clothes before bowing his head and speaking, his eager words falling over each other at the thought of battle.

"Pack Alpha Gage, it appears Ironwood has fortified its border, but they are scared. Let us attack at nightfall and crush them."

Voices rose up all around me, some in agreement, others in disagreement.

As much as I wanted to tear apart every Ironwood wolf who'd so much as looked at Freya the wrong way, attacking Ironwood would weaken Frost Fang, leaving us open to conquest by other packs. Denraider needed little provocation to attack its neighbors, and our packlands weren't far from theirs.

I refused to invite invasion. No, we needed to stay strong. A bluff would serve us better than an outright attack.

"Fall in," I told the scout. "Let me see these cowardly wolves myself."

Other scouts returned as we continued traveling, most reporting the same thing. I wasn't stupid enough to think that all of my scouts had gone undetected. Luka would soon know we were here if he didn't already. I wished I'd learned more about his character from Freya so that I could predict what his next moves might be. Instead, I had to prepare for anything.

I called out the names of two Frost Fang towns closest to the capital my father had ruled from. Fern came forward with them.

Then I poured my alpha dominance into the command, "Shift to wolves and come forward with me. The rest of you, follow on foot. Hold your fire unless we're being fired upon. Follow Bretton's command like my own."

While Bretton stayed behind with the rest, I shifted and led the way with two of the most loyal towns of wolves following along with me. My wolf felt nothing but confidence as we loped through the forest, circling boulders and surging downhill toward Ironwood's border. I projected that confidence through the pack bond to everyone — even my Howling Echo packmates. Today, we would be reunited.

Rowan had taken Freya far outside Ironwood, which pleased me from a logical standpoint, but disappointed the part of me that wanted to swoop in and save the day.

So instead, I contented myself by sending her reassurances specifically. We might not be reunited today, but soon. Nothing would keep Rowan from protecting her in my absence. My packmate was tenacious and steadfast.

"Spread out," I ordered my wolves as we approached the gate. "Time to intimidate them."

Men paced back and forth at the gate's towers, where they were ideally placed to see us coming. The wolves on the ground tucked their tails when they sensed our presence. My wolves spread out throughout the trees, making our exact numbers difficult to guess. They didn't need to know just how many more of my packmates would be arriving soon to back us up.

"Howl," I commanded.

I raised my muzzle and let out a howl full of confidence and challenge. Fern and the rest followed in an overwhelming chorus, powerfully announcing our presence.

The wolves at the gate instantly dropped to the ground, their chests on the forest floor, crawling and whimpering in surrender. I ducked behind some boulders to shift back and get dressed without hurry.

The silence after our initial howl would further break their morale. My wolves loped back and forth through the trees, their excitement evident. They were ready for a fight — hungry for it.

Another Frost Fang wolf shifted back and hurriedly put on clothes beside me. He was a pale-skinned subordinate wolf, not even a beta, and he didn't raise his eyes. But his muscular body showed physical prowess.

"May I announce you, Pack Alpha Gage?" he asked in a powerful voice that belied his low rank.

"Good idea…" I hesitated, and he supplied his name.

"West."

"Very well, West, you'll step out into view first. You know the risk?"

"I do, that's why I wanted to announce you, alpha."

"I appreciate your bravery, West." If Ironwood gunned him down, at least he would go to his grave with pride.

He ducked his head, and then turned his back on me. Now that he didn't have the weight of my dominance bearing down quite so heavily on him, he squared his shoulders, straightened his spine, and stepped out from the cover of the forest.

"The Frost Fang pack has arrived ready for battle!" West's voice rang out powerfully, reaching far beyond the gate and into Ironwood's packlands. "Face the wrath of our pack alpha, Gage!"

My lips twitched upward in a grin at his flourish as he held out a hand, waiting a moment before stepping to the side. He'd survived. Now it was my turn.

"I'll be direct," I spoke slowly and with authority. "I demand the return of our packmates. If I do not see them in the next hour, we will declare pack war."

A few minutes later, Bretton and the rest of the reinforcements showed up. He stationed them farther back to prepare for the possibility that Luka might try to flank us before coming to speak with me, but I didn't give the pup that much credit.

"He seems too disorganized for that," I pointed out.

Bretton nodded. "Scouts say they overheard sentries talking about a dark wolf that killed dozens of Ironwood warriors, and they probably still haven't recovered from that."

"Good." I grinned, imagining the chaos Rowan had caused.

Normally, he was the type to keep to the shadows, unobserved. But he also didn't shy away from a fight.

When I checked the pack bond, I could feel Rowan's steady, calming presence. His emotions were in disarray, but I wasn't surprised. Thanks to the mate bond, I could sense Freya even more clearly, and I had the feeling that she was already working her magic on him. Whether she would find him suitable as a fourth mate, I couldn't be sure.

"Do you trust him alone with your mate?" Bretton asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

Bretton didn't know the real reason for my hesitation, but perhaps he'd sensed it anyway.

As pack alpha, part of me hoped Flint was right that her wolf would pick not just the three of us, but the four of us. It would keep our pack more cohesive if we shared the same mate, rather than leaving Rowan out. From a strategic standpoint, I preferred that outcome. But I knew better than to assume fate would play to our preferences.

As much as Rowan liked to pretend he was more wolf than man, I believed he also preferred to stay in wolf form because he didn't like the reminder of how burned and scarred his human form was. A witch coven had killed the pack of real wolves he'd been living with, and while they hadn't managed to kill him, they'd scarred him for life, physically and mentally.

Even shifter healing couldn't overcome witchfire. I could only imagine the days of suffering he'd survived afterward.

And now… Rowan might be mated to a half-wolf, half-witch hybrid. Even if their wolves met and chose one another, could Rowan ever accept Freya?

"Absolutely," I answered anyway. "I trust my packmates."

When I turned my gaze on Bretton, I saw the knowing look in his eyes before he dropped his gaze. He knew which packmates I meant… my true pack, the Howling Echo.

"The question is… will she forgive me for not rescuing her myself?" I asked.

"If that's the biggest of our problems, it's for the best," Bretton observed.

"True." The possibility still existed that none of my packmates would make it back alive.

I could clearly sense Heath and Flint's pain through the pack bond… Luka had probably spent the last day taking out his furious impotence on the two of them. Now that I'd arrived, he could use them as leverage over me.

Feeling so helpless made me angry. As the pack alpha, I was supposed to have all the power. But taking over the Frost Fang pack had left me feeling less in control, not more. More people than ever counted on me to keep them safe. And here I was, facing down another pack and potentially starting a pack war within the first month of my control.

Most of them didn't trust me to lead them yet, especially with Freya's glowing bond mark on my face. And in turn, I couldn't trust most of them. Pack hierarchy was supposed to keep wolves in line, but it wasn't enough for my liking.

As an alpha, I was supposed to want more power, but I already missed the days when I led only the Howling Echo, a small pack I'd hand-picked. Men I confided in and who confided in me. Men I trusted with my life… and with the life of my mate. Who might just be their mate, too.

My pack bond with Heath and Flint quivered with rage, and I sensed their approach.

"Pack Alpha Gage!" someone called from the gate.

Three alphas surrounded Heath and Flint. One of them had addressed me… but he didn't seem dominant enough to be a pack alpha. He stood in the middle, gripping both Heath and Flint's arms, but the man had a tired, haggard look about him. A tall, jacked alpha stepped in front of Heath and Flint, making it hard for me to see their condition.

"Flint…" I heard Fern's whisper from behind me, but I didn't turn to look at her. Instead, I projected calm certainty to her through the pack bond. I wouldn't leave here without her littermate or Heath.

"Where is your pack alpha?" West asked for me.

A third alpha came around from behind his prisoners. Unlike his fellow alpha packmates, he seemed well-rested, and his toothy grin instantly set me on edge.

"Pack Alpha Luka has more important matters to attend to," Toothy Grin sneered.

"More important than pack war?" West countered.

The tall, jacked alpha shouldered the asshole aside to speak up. He was massive, muscle on muscle, and yet, he seemed to have a smart head on his shoulders, because he took a more deferent tone.

"Pack Alpha Gage, my name is Thatcher. I apologize for my packmate, Ryan. We humbly ask you to agree to a truce. We have your packmates here. As you can see, they are alive and well. If we allow them to return to you, we ask that you leave our borders and return to your packlands."

I narrowed my eyes. Did they speak on behalf of Luka? Or had they stolen Heath and Flint out from under him to avert pack war? If so, they were risking their own executions to save their pack. I had to respect that.

"I have a counteroffer," I announced.

West stepped back, giving me space to speak.

"If any Ironwood wolf wishes to defect, let them come forward and swear allegiance to me. The only exceptions are Luka and anyone else who laid a hand on my mate or my packmates… they will be shown no mercy."

My ears pricked at the murmurs behind me as the Frost Fang wolves still in their two-legged forms began discussing my decision. I couldn't tell what they thought, but I would put any Ironwood wolf through the same treatment as I had with Frost Fang — questioning them with the weight of our alpha command before letting them swear their loyalty to me.

"No thanks," Ryan growled, his toothy grin disappearing. "And I will strike down any wolf who dares."

He stared at the subordinate wolves still cowering at the foot of the gate. Thatcher and the tired-looking alpha whispered among themselves.

My eyes were on Heath and Flint, though. They stood with their heads up, eyes alert, but I could see the blood staining their clothing. My skin crawled at the thought of the torture they'd been subjected to, making me want to rampage through Ironwood and kill every last wolf there. But I knew Freya had at least two friends and an adoptive mother among them. She wouldn't forgive me if my fury got any of them killed.

Avoiding pack war was for the best, but I could still kick Luka's legs out from under him by stealing the few remaining alphas that my packmates hadn't killed. And if I guessed correctly, these wolves were already questioning Luka's decisions and taking a stand for their pack.

"Is this offer for today only?" Thatcher finally asked. "Lee and I have family members who might be interested."

"Return my packmates, and I will agree to a truce so long as Luka doesn't provoke my ire any further. As to the offer to accept Ironwood wolves among our ranks, the offer stands for the next five days. They will be required to swear they did not harm my mate or packmates, in addition to swearing allegiance not only to me, but to our entire pack."

"So that you can turn them into omega slaves?" Ryan sneered.

"We have no more omegas among Frost Fang," I called out, projecting my voice so more Ironwood wolves might overhear. "Nor will we entertain the idea of omega slaves again. Any wolf who joins our pack will join our ranks as their wolf's dominance dictates, but they will have to earn our trust."

"Then we leave your packmates with you… and hope our families can join you one day," Thatcher called.

I noticed he didn't say that any of them would join us. Accepting Luka's lower-ranked castoffs might not earn me any favors among Frost Fang compared to gaining new, powerful alpha allies, but I didn't care. Every wolf could contribute to the pack, but I hoped these alphas would reconsider when they didn't have their sneering packmate, Ryan, to contend with.

Lee, the third, quiet alpha, slid a knife between Flint's forearms, freeing him. To my surprise, Flint placed his hand on the other alpha's shoulder and spoke quiet words to him. After he freed Heath, my two packmates walked out through the Ironwood gates. I braced myself, preparing to call out the order to attack if anyone so much as sighted a gun at my packmates.

My breath froze in my lungs as Heath and Flint bridged the gap between the Ironwood border and our packmates. I gestured behind the boulder where I'd changed clothes, and they joined me out of sight of Ironwood.

"Can you walk a little farther?" I asked, glancing them up and down.

"We'll make it," Heath said, and I leaned forward to carefully embrace him first, then Flint.

"Our wolf spirits will help us heal," Flint assured me before stepping back.

From the corner of my eye, I caught movement, then Flint's eyes widened. He grinned as his sister collided with him, and groaned as her arms wrapped around him.

"Fern…" he warned. "It's good to see you again, but…"

"Sorry!" she yelped, stepping back. She gasped at the state of his clothes, revealing how he'd been tortured.

"We'll kill them all for this," I promised Flint and Heath.

We'd never suffered anything like this as the Howling Echo, and I felt fiercely protective over my packmates. No one hurt them and survived.

"What of Freya?" Flint asked over Fern's shoulder.

"She's alive and with Rowan, safe in the wildlands." I left it at that. We would talk more when we could shift and speak privately in our wolf forms.

Bretton approached and murmured to me, "That seemed too easy. We should have them strip and search for bugs or other listening devices."

He was right. "Strip down," I told Heath and Flint. "Get out of those clothes. Did they plant anything on you?"

"Allow me to check, alphas?" Bretton asked. As he patted them down, I stepped out from behind the rock.

"The offer stands for five days," I called to Ironwood.

To my pack, I ordered the two towns who'd come with me to move out just as Bretton pulled something from Heath's pocket and crushed it on the rocky ground. So, the three Ironwood alphas' intentions were not entirely honorable. I wasn't surprised in the slightest.

Quietly, to Bretton, I said, "Retreat, but keep your guns trained on the enemy until we're back to the vehicles. Don't let anyone flank us."

"Of course, alpha."

I could tell he had more he wanted to say, but now wasn't the time. We needed to get out of here before Luka found out what his alphas had done and gave the foolhardy order to attack. Flint and Heath fell in beside me like they'd never been gone.

The Howling Echo faded into the forest with Frost Fang. As soon as we were out of range of the gate, the three of us shifted, along with Fern. Together, we loped into the rocky wildlands.

Fern and Flint instantly began running alongside each other, no doubt sharing a private conversation.

"Welcome back," other wolves called out to Heath and Flint through the pack bond. It gladdened my heart that so many seemed genuine. Unfortunately, not everyone felt the same, and I could feel the distrust through the pack bond.

"If any Ironwood wolves join us, it will weaken Luka," I explained through the pack bond, broadcasting my thoughts so Howling Echo and Frost Fang wolves could hear. "We can avoid pack war while still weakening him in case of future altercations."

"A wise decision, alpha," Fern agreed.

"If any question the wisdom of my plan, they can speak up when we're all safely home," I called out. "I will always put our pack's safety first."

A flash of surprise rose through the pack bond from several wolves, including Fern, but she smothered it quickly. I hoped that my offer to listen to the pack's concerns would ease their fears and simultaneously remind them I was nothing like the pack alphas they were used to.

With that settled, we continued loping through the forest. I sent a private thought only to my Howling Echo packmates.

"Glad to see you both ‘alive and well'," I said, mocking the Ironwood alpha's words.

"I've been better," Heath said, "Now tell us more about Freya. We know you can sense her with the mate bond."

"I can, yes," I said. "They're together and safe enough for being in the wildlands. They haven't returned to us, and I'm not sure they should."

Heath let out a low growl, and Flint spoke up, "You're worried about the northern Frost Fang territory?"

"I think they plan to use this Ironwood debacle to make their move," I agreed. "In fact, they may already be waiting for us when we return. But we'll handle them, if so."

Heath and Flint's wounds would heal thanks to their shifting abilities. And I could sense their energy growing the longer they stayed shifted. They needed time to rest, but they wouldn't take it, even if I ordered it. Not while Freya might still be in danger.

Fern continued loping alongside her littermate, but our words remained between the three of us, unheard by any Frost Fang wolves.

"Where should Rowan take Freya?" Flint wondered. "Moonblessed is no safe haven either, not when Ironwood could overrun them. We killed off several of Luka's best warriors, but unless dozens of his alphas defect thanks to your offer, he'll still have enough numbers to threaten Moonblessed."

"What did you say to that alpha, Lee?" I asked.

"I believe both Lee and Thatcher are considering getting their families out so that Luka can't use them to keep them in check anymore. Under Luka's orders, they both beat us, but only because their families would have been in danger otherwise. I get the sense that they're both honorable wolves who normally wouldn't attack prisoners who can't fight back, but with their families under Luka's thumb… they did what they had to. That's why I told them that you would still accept them if they swore to serve the pack."

"Heath?" I asked.

"Flint's right. Ryan had to have been the one to plant that bug on me. He seemed to enjoy hurting us. Lee and Thatcher didn't want to torture us. They hesitated, and Luka threatened their families in front of us. His rule is unstable at best, and your offer might help destabilize him further. But tell us more about what happened while we were gone. Did the two wolves we sent to trail the witch ever return?"

"Not yet," I answered.

"Then she still poses a threat to Freya," Flint growled.

"We need to return to Frost Fang before we lose our packlands and end up on the run ourselves. Better that we figure out what to do about her — and her coven — from a position of power," I warned.

Witches rarely acted as lone wolves. If she had a coven we needed to contend with, we would need Frost Fang numbers to counter their magic.

"I might have a place we could take Freya," Heath said hesitantly.

"Does it involve your father in any way?" I growled.

We'd kept him from his father's clutches ever since we'd been exiled. I wouldn't willingly put him at risk of his old man's schemes.

"Look, you said yourself that neither Moonblessed nor Frost Fang packlands are safe right now," Heath growled.

We were nearing the vehicles, but I didn't want to switch back to our human forms yet. This silent conversation needed to stay between the three of us instead of being overheard by sensitive wolfish ears.

"Circle the vehicles. Make sure they aren't waiting to ambush us when we shift back," I ordered over the wider Frost Fang pack bond.

As the Frost Fang wolves rushed to obey, Flint, Heath, and I loped along and continued our private Howling Echo conversation.

"What's your plan?" I growled in frustration at Heath, knowing an entire scheme had already hatched in his mind if he'd suggested taking Freya somewhere else.

"You need to return to Frost Fang to maintain control and crush any foolishness going on there so we're prepared to fight the witches," Heath pointed out. "Meanwhile, Flint and I can rendezvous with Rowan and Freya. We need multiple alphas protecting her to make sure neither Luka nor her aunt get their hands on her again. I can take them somewhere safe until things calm down. Then we'll secretly meet you in Moonblessed later."

My heart fell at the thought of the Howling Echo being reunited without me. But my head agreed Heath's plan was a good one. Except for one detail.

"Where will you take her?"

Heath let out a chuffing laugh. "It's better if you don't know."

"Fine," I grumbled. "Tell Freya I'll make things right. Soon."

"We'll keep in touch," Flint assured me. "You can tell her yourself soon enough."

Heath's laugh rang in our minds. "Yeah, unlike Rowan, we actually check our phones once in a while."

"Yes," I grumbled. "It took him far too long to message me to let me know Freya was safe."

"I'm not surprised," Flint said.

"Take a vehicle with you," I pointed my nose toward the Frost Fang war caravan. "And be sure to rest and heal up," I growled, letting the weight of my alpha command seep into the pack bond. "You're no use to Freya otherwise."

"Aww, for a second there, I thought you actually cared," Heath nipped at my shoulder and then shifted back before I could reply.

I shifted too, glancing over at my packmates to check for wounds now that we were safely away from Ironwood. Maybe it was because I'd been apart from him for so long — longer than I could remember being separated in recent memory — but the rippling muscles of Heath's abs, pecs, and biceps caught my eye as he stooped to put on new clothing I'd brought along for them both. For the first time, I could see what Freya found so appealing about him. From the knowing smirk on his face to the way he moved…

I tore my gaze away with disconcerting difficulty, though not before performing the cursory check I'd originally meant to. I gave Flint a quick glance over, too, but he got dressed before I could see much.

I mentally shook off the weird moment, knowing I'd have done it physically if I'd still been in wolf form. Forcing my thoughts back into alpha mode, I focused on the fact they both already looked better from this short run in wolf form. But I was willing to bet the internal injuries needed more time to heal, and they would do so faster in wolf form — hopefully they'd take turns driving and resting in wolf form while they were gone.

Both of them were in such a hurry to go see Freya, and I didn't blame them one bit. Seeing their injuries made a fierce protectiveness bubble up inside of me. Maybe Lee and Thatcher had been forced to beat Heath and Flint, but I would use my dominance to compel the truth out of them if I ever got my paws on them. If they'd enjoyed torturing my packmates… I would end both their lives.

No one got away with hurting the Howling Echo.

Frost Fang wolves called the all-clear as I got dressed.

"Fern," Flint called. He and his sister had a quiet conversation together for a moment until her voice rose.

"You're leaving? You just got back!"

Flint lowered his voice again, clearly explaining something. Her shoulders fell, but he patted her back. Then she gave him a forlorn hug before stepping away. The sight of her sadness echoed my own, and I moved to stand beside her.

"I'm not thrilled either, but they'll return as soon as they can."

"They better," she called, loud enough for both Flint and Heath to hear her.

Heath chuckled. "I'll make sure your littermate returns in one piece, little beta."

Fern growled, but Heath and Flint took an extended cab truck and drove off with nothing more than a wave.

"Damn alphas," Fern growled to herself, seeming to forget she stood beside me, not just an alpha, but her pack alpha.

She stormed off before I could say a thing, and I turned back to watch my true packmates disappearing into the wildlands without me.

Before they drove too far away, their eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. Through the pack bond, I could sense their eagerness to find Freya and see for themselves that she was okay. I sent them my confidence in their abilities, but also my longing. I longed for all of us to be reunited with Freya, but it was so much more than that…

Never had I been separated from my Howling Echo packmates for so long, and I already missed them. I'd only just gotten Heath and Flint back, and now they were gone again. Rowan had taken Freya before I got a chance to see him after his long months away. And Freya… would she forgive me when she and I were finally reunited?