Page 33 of Eclipse Pack

“That’s none of your concern, anyway. I tell you I can smell those you seek. They are near.”

One of his companions sneers, “You can smell old guts from an old kill. Look around you. Something had a killing spree and there is evidence everywhere. We’re wasting our time. Our information was wrong, or we arrived too late. We missed the Luna this time. We need to report back to Alpha Arric and be sure that when we do, we tell him we arrived in plenty of time, but the information we were sold was wrong. I’m not having my head on a block because we were too slow.”

Watching as they disappear back into the forest, we wait until Brian drops from his tree and confirms that they have left the area. Oscar joins him on the forest floor and then signals it is safe to join them.

My first question is, how did Brian know they were close by? No one else suspected a thing, or was aware of their presence. Seeing me looking at him, he speaks before I put my question into words.

“Luna Taria, if you suspect me of anything, please say so. Before you do, think of this. If I was a part of some plan to kidnap or kill you, why would I have warned you? That would defeat the purpose of being their informant. I knew they were there because the forest was too quiet. There were none of the sounds of animals or birds scurrying away from us. They were already silent and in hiding. I lived in the forest when I was with the rogues and it is my first home. Also, one of them was shadow trained, if only in part. That would explain how your escort didn’t sense them.” Brian looks at me, and I sense the hurt as well as see it in his eyes that I should feel this way toward him.

“Luna Taria, I don’t have any doubts that Brian is anything but loyal. When we reach the border we will not return immediately to the Blackshadow Pack. I will speak with Alpha Connell and we will continue your escort until you are safely at the Wolfsfootpackhouse and your own Eclipse Pack warriors are present. Only then will we return home. I will also inform Alpha Connell that either Blackshadow Pack or Wolfsfoot Pack have an informant in the pack. Someone knew of your travel schedule and where you would be at a given moment in time. Failing this time does not mean they won’t try again.” Oscar looks at all of us individually until he is sure we are all aware of the danger.

“Chief Warrior Oscar’s word is good enough for me. Brian, my apologies for having any doubts.” Seeing him tilt his head slightly, I understand that he accepts my apology. “So, what do we do now? Continue our route or divert to a new path?”

“Diverting to an alternative path would mean that the packs would not know where we were, also it would mean a longer journey and more exposure to a second attempt. I suggest we carry on as planned and stop for irregular breaks.” Oscar makes perfect sense and we all agree.

Taking a break now, as we’re already stopped, Oscar contacts Alpha Connell through the pack mind link, and advises him of the incident. When he has finished his mind link, he tells us how it went.

“Not surprisingly, Alpha Connell is furious. The fact that rogues have penetrated the border is one thing, but to attempt to kidnap or kill someone under his protection has him raging. He wanted to send more warriors to escort Luna Taria, but I have told him that by the time they reached us we would already be at the border with the Wolfsfoot Pack escort. He is going to notify Alpha Gabriel immediately, so don’t be surprised if we arrive at the border with half of the Wolfsfoot Pack in attendance.”

“Why would the rogues be interested in me? I am not yet a Luna and the Eclipse Pack is the furthest from their lands. It makes nosense.” I am confused as to any benefit that I would present to them.

“You are already the Eclipse Luna, in everything but the ceremony. You are the Alpha Heir’s mate, everyone is aware of that,” Swan explains to me. “Alpha Arric has already tried to get a Luna of the correct bloodline. He wants to be seen as a legitimate alpha, or as he puts it, King of the pack lands when he succeeds in his war. He is the only one that believes he can win. All he will do is get a lot of innocent shifters killed in his greed for power.” Swan watches for my reaction to her statement.

“I’d die fighting. They would not take me to their rogue king. I give you all this Luna order. If I am unable to defend myself and they are going to take me, you are to kill me. You are not to allow me to be taken.” I watch the look of both horror and respect cross their faces. “Now, can we move along?”

We reach the border with the Wolfsfoot Pack without further incident and although we don’t meet the entire pack, we do have an escort of eight warriors, including their legendary fight instructor, Drake, their warrior trainer, Thomas and Flint’s Shadow Warrior friend, Xavier.

The Blackshadow Pack escort stays with me, as promised, until we reach the packhouse. As soon as I have been introduced to Alpha Gabriel and Luna Tati, we head to their dining room for some much-needed food. Everyone seems very friendly, and the pack has a relaxed feeling about it.

Once our meal is done, we take our trays and join the queue to clear up after ourselves, before rejoining the Alpha and Luna. As I’m standing there, I notice a female watching me, and so does Swan, who’s at my side.

“I think that is a female from the Eclipse Pack that was causing Bronze some minor irritation,” I whisper to her. “Alpha Chet sent her to Luna Tati to learn some manners.”

“I see that has failed miserably,” responds Swan, grinning. “Oh. She’s heading over here. Shall I stop her?”

“Let’s see what she wants. I’m sure I can handle this.” Watching her walk towards me, I smile at her with my best down-my-nose look.

“You must be the Savannah I’ve heard about,” I say as she stops in front of me.

“It’s good to know that Alpha Heir Bronze speaks highly of me,” she preens.

“Oh, no. You misunderstand. None of it was good, and it wasn’t from Bronze.” I shouldn’t taunt her, but I can’t help myself after the things she’s done. Seeing her stiffen, I prepare for the fight that I’m sure she is going to start, however she surprises me when she leans forward and whispers, “I don’t know how the rogues missed you, but I’ll be sure they don’t next time.”

Seeing Swan tense by me, I know she heard Savannah. “There won’t be a next time.” Grabbing her head, I twist it viciously and she drops at my feet, dead.

The dining room is deathly silent as I step over her, leave my tray on the counter, grab her by the hair, and drag her lifeless body out of the room. The guard by the alpha office door sees me and immediately slams open the office door, shouting for Alpha Gabriel.

Alpha Gabriel rushes out of the office with Luna Tati on his heels and sees me dragging the body to the main doors.

“You no longer have to worry about the informant. It’s been dealt with,” I can’t help but snarl.

Alpha Gabriel signals to two pack members and they take the body from me. I smile at them both, as though this were an everyday occurrence, yet inside, I’m trembling with the knowledge that I just killed someone without a moment's hesitation. Swan must see this and gently takes my arm as she guides me to the alpha’s office and onto a couch.

Swan asks for a glass of water, which she immediately hands to me. Luna Tati sits by me and asks if I’m okay and what happened. I look to Swan and she recites the incident and the brief conversation. With a tremendous show of pride, she tells them how I calmly dispatched Savannah by breaking her neck with the smoothest move that Swan has ever seen.

I can see the shock and horror on Alpha Gabriel and Luna Tati’s faces at this incident so soon after my arrival, and whilst under their protection. I assure them they could not have known that this would happen, or that Savannah would be so twisted. If there was any blame, it would lie with the Eclipse Pack for not recognizing how dangerously unstable she had become.

I have just begun to calm down when we all hear a scuffle at the door. Alpha Gabriel’s eyes show that he is linking with his warrior guard and then smiles an unhappy smile.

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