Page 97 of Oath of Revenge

He’d spent the meal with his tribe, calming fears and telling the story of Scarlet taking down the boar and then the ice monster. They were all excited by the changes in the Luna after the mate bond had been completed. They saw it as proof of the goddess’ approval.

Messengers had arrived saying that the betas would not be joining as planned because the other alphas were coming instead. They’d each been escorted to a guest tent to clean up from the journey and rest until the meeting. Now they all took their places around the firepit in the center of the room. They sat cross-legged on cushions and passed around a rolled bacca leaf, each taking a puff and adding to the smoke that rose into the hole in the ceiling.

“Welcome, brothers. I appreciate your presence today, so quickly after the full moon ceremonies,” Wulfric began. Nomani and Barley sat at their normal seats at the high table, talking quietly to each other as they observed and listened.

“A lot has happened in the past few weeks in your camp, Ironpaws, and it affects all of us,” the alpha of the Nightstalkers said.

Wulfric nodded. “I won’t deny it. I know my messengers relayed the events, but let me assure you, I am still solidly the alpha. The original challenge was illegal, and I quickly dispatched the challenger in an officially recognized match. Elders, do you corroborate?”

Nomani nodded, and Barley said, “Aye, alpha. The official challenge wasn’t even close. Wulfric won his third challenge in the years he’s been alpha.”

Nomani cleared her throat. “Each of your Elders know the significance of the third challenge. When we became an Elder, we were privy to secrets of our people. One of those secrets involved an alpha who would win three challenges. When Wulfric won, the Elders here performed an ancient spell which removed the memory block from all turned Growlers.”

The Duskkeeper’s alpha crossed his arms. “And all hell broke loose in my tribe.”

“Mine too,” said the Battlefangs alpha.

The other two nodded. Wulfric puffed on the bacca and passed it as he blew smoke in the air.

“I apologize that it was a surprise. It was a surprise to me as well. My new mate and I have worked the past two days to calm our people and reassure them that we will take action.”

Silentclaws, the oldest of them all, grunted. “We don’t need to take action. Things are fine the way they are. We will protect our people and will live as one like we always have.”

Nomani went to the door and took a basket of fresh bread from a Growler, closing it behind her. She brought it to the alphas around the fire as Wulfric addressed them.

“Are the turned not asking after their families in Busparia?” Several of them nodded, so he continued. “There are several who want to march into Busparia today and find their former families. We’ve all heard the rumors about Busparia. The monsters, the terror, the martial rule. If our Growler families were stuck under such harsh living conditions, wouldn’t we stop at nothing to rescue them?”

Again, several nodded. Nightstalkers’ alpha said, “My people have already made a plan to sneak into Busparia to find them.”

“Mine swear they can sneak in under the cover of darkness, kidnap their families, and return all in the same night,” Duskkeeper’s alpha said, rolling his eyes.

Battlefangs’ alpha chuckled and crossed his arms as he rocked side to side. “They obviously don’t remember the geography of Busparia. They can’t get in and out in one night.”

Wulfric glanced around. Battlefangs was young and jumpy, but he and Nightstalkers were both turned Growlers. Nightstalkers had been alpha for more than twenty years though and had wisdom that Wulfric often sought when he had first learned to lead.

He took a deep breath and explained about the Dragon Claws, the ice monster, and the prophecy.

Silentclaws stroked his thick white beard. “I wonder if these Dragon Claws are the missing Growlers that have gone into Busparia over the years.”

Nightstalkers nodded. “Perhaps it wasn’t the goddess’ will for us to stay locked in this forest after all. Perhaps it’s been the kings of Busparia this whole time.”

Battlefangs’ eyes glowed with anticipation. “So something is controlling these other Growlers, probably the new queen of Busparia, and if we don’t stop them, an ice age will freeze our balls off.”

They chuckled, and Duskkeepers said, “That’s true. If we do nothing, we won’t survive a longer winter. A year or two of perpetual snow would ruin our livestock with no grass or hay to feed them.”

Wulfric took a deep breath, passing the bacca without partaking. He’d hit his personal limit and needed to think clearly to convince them. “This is why I’m proposing a treaty with the dragon kingdom in the north.”

The others stiffened, and the overlapping of murmurs rose among the alphas.

Silentclaws hit his knee with a fist. “We will not subjugate ourselves to anyone, much less some upstart dragon.”

“I agree, a treaty isn’t the wisest action,” Nightstalkers said.

Wulfric held his hands out, palms up. “And what choice do we have? We can’t just go into Busparia and risk our people, when it’s been proven that none of those who have gone have ever returned. We need allies who can get in and out of Busparia and check on our families, who might be able to bring them into the forest where we can reconcile in a neutral place.”

“Why can’t we just bring them to our camps?” Battlefangs asked.

Nightstalkers swallowed a piece of bread. “Don’t you remember the first time you came to camp as a Growler? Imagine how intimidating and scared they would be to walk into the den of monsters they’ve been told to avoid since the time they were babies.”

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