Page 196 of Cursed Bonds: An Alpha's Destiny

“I think we make a two-pronged attack,” I said. “Flynn, you’ll lead Noah, Hollis, and Dustin’s packs and come through Scottsdale from the north. Langston, Waylan, and I will lead our pack in from the south. Our pack is the largest, and Eren will be expecting us to come. The rest of you should be a surprise he’s not ready for.”

“Where will I be?” Kirsten asked.

I turned, finding that she’d joined us again. She stood, looking at me expectantly.

Fuck.

“Actually, babe, I planned on having you sit this one out. Staying here to help Tinsley and Harley with any wounded who return,” I said.

Her face clouded, not in anger, but disappointment. “Are you sure? I can help. I can do a lot. I showed that during the training.”

“I know,” I said. “I don’t mean it in that way. I won’t be able to focus if I know you’re out there. It was bad enough when we snuck in to rescue the kids. This won’t be a stealth operation, this will be an all-out war. If things do go poorly, I want you and Tinsley here with your magic. Maybe you can protect some people if we fail. Help them evacuate or something.”

Kirsten’s face hardened with determination. “I don’t want your mind to be split while you’re fighting for your life. You should be sharp and focused. I get that—and it’s fine, I’ll stay—but you need to get that other thought out of your head. You won’t fail. Stop thinking like that.”

I grinned. She’d called me out on that, and she was right. I had to have a positive outlook.

“Fair enough,” I said, turning to the others. “When we do this, the main issue will be the ferals. They are kids. Children and teenagers. I want as little harm to come to them as possible, but I also don’t want our people getting hurt or killed because they tried to be too gentle. Make sure your people know to protect themselves, but also do their best to incapacitate the ferals where possible.

“Did you all get the physical description of the kid named Alex?” I asked. “He’s the brother of the boy named Morgan. I want to make sure he comes to no harm.”

Morgan had given us a pretty good description of his brother in his human form, as well as the colors, markings, and size of his wolf. I hated the idea of his last living family member dying in this battle. I would do everything in my power to reunite Morgan with his brother.

“We got it,” Dustin said. “I’ve had it passed among everyone in all the packs. We’ll do our best.”

Flynn leaned forward, his brows knitting, a look of worry crossing his face. “Do you all feel that?”

I frowned at him, but then I noticed it. A sickness in the air. An oppressive dread, like a bank of fog. The other alphas straightened, noticing it as well.

“Is that what I think it is?” Dustin asked.

“Ferals,” I said through gritted teeth. “They’re coming. A lot of them.”

The madness that consumed a feral shifter created an aura similar to that of an alpha’s, though instead of inspiring awe and obedience, it caused fear and irrational worry. An instinctual response from healthy shifters toward their mad brethren.

Noah stood, placing his hands on the table. “Eren is coming? Here?”

I waved to the door. “Go! Get your people ready. Flynn, get everyone into defensive formations. Now.”

The men leapt up to do my bidding. The sense of foreboding and anxiety I’d felt all morning hadn’t been fate telling me it was time to attack Eren; it had been fate telling me to prepare for a surprise attack. A misinterpretation on my part, but at least I’d acted on it. Our fighters were gathered, and perhaps they weren’t ready, but at least we had the manpower to stop whatever was coming.

Hopefully.

Before I could run out the door to join the others, Kirsten grabbed my hand, spinning me around to face her. She cupped my cheeks and gazed into my eyes.

“Come back to me,” she said, her voice trembling.

I pulled her close, kissing her as deeply and lovingly as I possibly could. “I will. I promise you that. Stay safe,” I said. “I’ll make sure Tank stays near you and the other ladies.”

She nodded, and before I could talk myself out of leaving, I rushed out the door into chaos. Word had spread fast that the Scottsdale forces were coming for us. The feeling was getting stronger. We were running out of time, but Flynn was already getting people lined up, calmed down, and prepared.

I rushed out into the fray to join them. Before I even made it to the driveway, the loud howl of a wolf sounded from the trees beyond my house.

The call was answered a dozen times over by other ferals, the sounds echoing around us.

Silence fell over our forces, and all our eyes turned to the tree lines. Fear, thick and fetid, bubbled among us; I could smell it. The moment of quiet vanished a second later when the first feral exploded from the forest.

The other wolves of my pack howled in answer as dozens of shifters transformed into their wolves. I turned to Tank and pointed to the rear of the house.

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