“And that’s my plan to keep Glen Valley safe from hunters.” Caleb Johnson, Pack Master to the Glen Valley Pack, finished presenting his plan to secure the safety of the pack in light of recent Hunter activity. Last month, four hunters snuck his territory and tried to take advantage of the full moon to pick off a a feral wolf or two. The Arbitrator and Emma killed one of them right away, and the other three cornered Frankie, Caleb’s Second, his brand new sireling and chosen mate Ruby, and his daughter, Nella. Frankie was shot, he and Ruby, who turned out to be another Kindred like Emma, killed two of the hunters, but not before the third could stab Nella in the shoulder with a hexed blade. Emma literally bit his head off, and proceeded to piss on the hunter’s corpses in anger. 

Nella very nearly died. Had the Arbitrator not been able to reach out to a very powerful witch to come and heal Nella, she would have died. No one present when Zane Defoe arrived on the scene and found his mate, dying in agony, would forget his harrowing howl. The sound of a wolf’s heart breaking. An Alpha, powerless to stop their mate from dying in their arms. Thankfully, the witch came through and saved Nella. 

That was two weeks ago, and every day since, Caleb has vowed this would never happen again. Not if there was anything he could do to protect his pack. For now, no new wanderers were being allowed to enter or leave pack lands. Dark Legion wolves could no longer come and go as they pleased unless they had their arrangements approved by both Pack Masters. Alejandro and Mary normally wouldn’t have allowed this, but the Dark Legion ranch was only 2 hours away from Glen Valley. They were just as at risk from hunters as they were. Therefore, Alejandro and Caleb had each other on speed dial. If one of the packs scented or sighted anyone they suspected to be hunters prowling, the Pack Masters shared that information. They were taking strength in numbers very literally. Something that Caleb also welcomed was the promise from the Arbitrator to visit frequently. Two Kindred, Emma and Ruby, would require his close attention. Having a powerful member of the Crescent Council nearby was a relief. Nayavu was currently prowling the outer areas with the hope of nipping the hunter threat in the bud. 

In the meantime, Caleb made his battle plan to protect the pack to his own council of sub-pack leaders, so they would relay his orders to their sub-packs. He smirked at the time, seeing Rodney Hoyton rock up to that meeting in a shiny silver dress and platform heels. Emma appointed him as the leader of a sub-pack, so despite the grumbling of the more experienced werewolves in the meeting, Caleb made sure they kept their disquiet to themselves. His Luna appointed Rodney, and he would stand by her decision. 

That meeting was this morning. Everyone in this room had been present for that meeting, but of course, this was the real battle plan meeting. Caleb sat at his mahogany desk with Emma sat beside him on his left. Standing as Emma’s stoic shadow was Dorian, the Luna’s Champion. Frankie sat to the right of Caleb, and he had already given every Beta and Omega in the room a cup of special blend herbal tea to deal with the Alpha pheromone storm that would soon surround them. Dorian had kindly used an odour neutraliser before entering the office, but that wouldn’t last. Ruby sat close to Frankie’s side, huddling her cup of tea close and doing really well, considering she was barely out of her transitional period. She was here only because she was a Kindred, and had a vital part of Caleb’s plan. Vanessa, Emma’s Second, sat opposite her Luna, ignoring the fact that Emma was wearing pink scrubs for the time being. The blonde bombshell rocked a black bodycon dress and Jimmy Choo heels. She also had her tablet open and her stylus-pen taking notes to polish up later. 

Tim Stevens, sub-pack leader of the sentinels, had to be part of this plan. The real plan. Therefore, he was going to have to come into fold of being in the know. Otherwise, he might question Caleb’s orders when deploying the sentinel wolves. To to mention the fact that Emma and Ruby would need to undergo some serious combat training. They can’t maintain unity for long periods of time. It’s too exhausting. They therefore can’t just rely on Fido and Orethia taking charge all the time. Again, Tim would have to be in the know, if he was going to train to Kindred werewolves. If Tim Stevens knew of the plan, then Jake would have to know too. On the one hand, his husband openly said he wouldn’t be able to keep it from his mate. Jake would sniff it right away if Tim hid something from him, and wouldn’t let it go until he knew the truth. On the other hand, it would be useful to have the Omega doctor as part of the plan as well. Time and Jake, therefore, sat side by side, facing the Pack Master. Their minds were blown, and they both kept looking at Emma and Ruby like they could see a second wolfy head attached to their shoulders. 

“So…?” Tim cleared his throat and sat forward to brace one hand on his left knee, and gestured with the other hand. “Emma and Ruby are the descendants of witches, and therefore, their wolves can talk to them? And form this unity thing when the rest of us go feral?”

“Yes.” Emma answered with a smile. Under the desk, she felt Fido nuzzle her palm, so she discretely stroked her jaw to the underside of her ear. “But that’s not something we can do all the time.”

“Why do Emma and Ruby need to go through sentinel training anyway?” Jake scratched the back of his neck and shifted in his seat anxiously. Ruby is a Beta wolf, and Emma is an Omega. Alphas took on protective and dangerous roles, like being sentinels. Jake didn’t understand why the ladies needed to learn how to fight like an Alpha. “Surely we have sentinels to do any scouting and fighting for us?” 

“In between full moons, yes.” Caleb nodded firmly. “However, during the night of a full moon, hunters think they have the advantage on us. Everyone is feral on those nights, so we can’t employ tactical training or strategies in those situations.”

“But me, Ruby, and the Arbitrator could.” Emma nodded, and Ruby didn’t look all that convinced. Two weeks ago, she was bitten and turned into a werewolf. That was crazy enough, without learning she was some sort of super wolf that the pack was relying on to keep everyone safe from hunters during a full moon. “The Arbitrator has promised to return for the night of the full moon each month until the hunter threat is dealt with. He could then take me and Ruby with him to protect the pack while the rest of the werewolves were feral.”

“And of course, the rest of the time, our sentinels will continue to protect us.” Caleb rounded off with a confident smile. “Other than the plan we have for the night of a full moon, the plan I presented this morning to all the sub-pack leaders is the same. Patrol in pairs, and often, with a focus on areas where it’s easier for humans to sneak onto our land unnoticed.”

“Like through the woods and back roads.” Frankie offered and rubbed Ruby’s arm. “Like they did on the last full moon.” Ruby held Frankie’s arm tighter. She was feral before Orethia formed unity with her, but afterwards, she remembered looking through her wolf’s eyes at her daughter being stabbed. Of her dying. Ruby hasn’t been a werewolf long enough for Orethia to talk to her like Fido can with Emma, but she felt warmth in her chest. Emma could, of course, see Orethia huddling close to her keeper as she tried to comfort her. Emma paused her hand on Fido, seeing just how tense and worried everyone was about the hunters lurking around their borders. They seem so tense. They are frightened, Emma. Fido crept out from under the desk, keeping her form smaller for Emma to perceive her easier. With an exception of Ruby, they have all lived secretly and safely from hunters all their lives. Even under the last Pack Master, they were safe from hunters. Now they don’t feel safe. Vanessa, the fearless badass in heels stared at her tablet and worried for her brother, who would now be out with the sentinels and come into contact with hexed weapons to kill werewolves with. Frankie finally had the family he’d always dreamed of, and nearly lost them both two weeks ago. He could lose them anyway if the hunters got their way. Under the table Caleb placed a hand on her knee, and that was the last straw for her. When she dealt with worried parents who were frightened that their baby wouldn’t survive, she knew the best thing to do was to A, share the plan with the parents, and then B, be confident and reassure them of the plan. It felt right, therefore, to deal with the room of werewolves like she would her patients. With warmth, tenderness, sympathy, and a big smile. Yes. Inspire them, Emma. Show them why you are the Luna. 

“I’m very happy with this plan.” Emma spoke up with a grin, and sat forward with her arms crossed over the table. She felt her mate looking at her with a brow raised, and his smile growing at her confidence. “Caleb has planned a tight rotation of sentinels so everyone pitches in, without being worn out, and we have a plan in place for the full moon too.” She nodded firmly and winked at Caleb. 

“I pity the foolish humans who encroach on Glen Vally.” Dorian finally spoke, moving forward to stand beside Emma. He bowed his head to her with deep respect, and a devilish grin on his face. “I can personally vouch to Tim’s prowess when instructing our Alphas and coordinating them for battle practice.” He nodded to Tim, who sat up a little straighter with a grin. 

“You’re pretty formidable as you train our Dire wolves too.” Tim served a compliment back, and Emma glanced around the room. The previous tension ebbed away. Jake was looking at his husband with pride. Ruby seemed more at ease and snuggled to Frankie’s side. Vanessa was grinning at her Luna, impressed by her badass Luna. Well done Emma. I am proud that you are my keeper. 

Yet, no one was more proud of Emma, or as in awe of her, as Caleb. Emma felt the sire bond between them swell with it, and also his intense desire to get his hands on her. 

“I trust you all know that the details discussed in this room are not to be shared with anyone else in the pack, for any reason. You all have my number to use if you have any questions, and you know your orders. I trust every single one of you to get this done.” Caleb stood, and everyone bowed their head, offered the left side of their neck, and their palms to him. “You have my trust and my faith. Dismissed.” Caleb stood with his chin raised and his stance strong as everyone flooded out of the office. Even Dorian didn’t linger, as he intended to drag his brother off his mate and kick him into the nearest sentinel training ring. Zane would not like it, but then he could always then take it out on him in the training rin, so Dorian would get his way anyway. If hunters were looming, he wanted his brother to use his deadly skills and ensure he was sharper than ever. Even if he hated him for shoving him into training for battle, instead of practicing for Nella’s first heat…

Finally, once only Caleb and Emma remained, he marched to the door to lock it in a hurry. Emma was about to ask what he was doing, when he turned to look over his shoulder at her. “Oh darlin’.” Those two words sent a pleasant throb down her spine and straight to her pussy. His icy blue eyes lit up, and his predatory gait was most welcome as he stalked back across his office towards her. Oh, Emma. Fido walked around the desk and was the only one who could see Stormfang beside Caleb. The spectral wolf licked his chops and crept forward to start sniffing at her neck. Caleb unknowingly walked in sync with his wolf. He took hold of Emma’s hips right when Stormfang used a paw to make her lower her upper body to the floor. I think our Alphas are about to fuck us like we’re in heat. Then you know the drill. Go invisible and radio silence. Fido shimmered out of her vision, so the redhead could focus totally on her sexy lover. Emma smirked and eagerly let Caleb back her up to sit on his desk. He groaned and tipped her back on her ass so he could stand flush between her thighs. “My passionate, loyal, sexy Luna.” Caleb bit the air in front of her face to tease her, and her eyes became golden pools in response. The sire bond between them pulsed with arousal, and slithered around them both. “I know we promised Frankie we’d stop fucking in my office because we always break things, but darlin’?” He growled and licked at her Omega gland heavily. “I need to mount you good and hard.” He sucked on her gland, relishing her aroused scent as it filled his lungs. Caleb kissed her feverishly up from her gland and filled her mouth with his tongue. Emma threw her hands up to tangle in his raven hair, loosening it fro his hair tie, and she moaned into the kiss. His body writhed with hers, and she could feel his cock straining through his trousers. He indulged in kissing her, until he needed to see and touch more of his sexy mate. Caleb yanked her pink scrubs vest up to her armpits and he released her lips with a deep groan. “Would that please my Luna?” 

“Fuck yes.”