The Black Shadow bunker is practically full with bodies as women and children take up the bunk beds eagerly, bustling along with their arms full of the things they need: bedding, clothes, pillows and bottles of water. The bunker is actually pretty big; bigger than the width of the pack house as it stretches to beneath the Manor and in some sort of deformed circle. Five hundred and fifty people can fit in it- which isn't big enough for the whole of Silverstone and Black Shadow along with other warriors from my family- something I didn't think of.
"Take fifty of each to New Moon and another fifty to Red Moon; Michael and Danton say they have enough room for more," I instruct some warriors, a mixture of Black Shadow and other Turner packs, watching as they round up the rest of the members and split them in half before moving to the neighbouring two packs. "Omegas need to be in here too," I tell them when I spot the omegas huddling in the corner and manage a smile when I see them integrating between the pack members: comforting children and helping women and men with making comfortable beds.
"We've got warriors on the borders now, patrolling and keeping an eye out on any wolves," Luke informs me as I join them back up on the bottom floor of the pack house. "We've got everyone in bunkers now, Cecily."
"Not exactly everyone," Dad points out and we look to see Alice standing with our three youngest at the bottom of the stairs, laughing quietly together. Alice is doing her best to distract them from the rushing of adults and pack members- an excellent job at that but what they don't realise is that there is no room for them here and I find I don't want them here.
"I'm sending them to Danton's and Michael's packs- they can't stay here," I tell Luke and Dad, seeing their faces go ashen. "It'll be safer for the four of them. Isaac will come here, where I am and won't expect me to move them."
"Alright but we'll send them over tomorrow so we can have one more night," Luke suggests and I nod, taking a deep breath before moving to the pack house office. The Betas and other Alphas that are staying at Black Shadow are there, talking to each other frantically yet quieten when I step inside.
"We're almost ready, C. The last people are getting into their positions around the borders of the packs. It's now a waiting game," Marshal tells me and I nod as I throw myself heavily into the Alpha chair. Dad scoffs when he sees me sitting.
"I always knew you'd be sitting in a chair like that." He points out with something close to a smug expression that makes me chuckle at him.
"I always knew I'd find it stressful," I reply smartly, causing them all to laugh at me. "Okay, there's enough food and supplies in the bunkers, right?" Nods are given to me confidently and I feel a small weight lift off my shoulders. "Keep in contact with Danton and Michael so we know what's going on; they might get hit before we do."
"They're currently finishing putting supplies and food in the bunkers and ordering the omegas for different roles. Everyone is in the bunkers apart from the warriors- men and women," Carl tells me and I smile at him. Women should get the choice to fight and in this fight especially due to it being so important for the werewolf kind in America. I understand that mates will be worried and reluctant but it's only fair that they get the chance.
"Good. What else do I need to check?" I ask but no one offers anything for me as I spin in my chair like a child, bringing my knees up slightly so my feet aren't touching the floor. Luke rolls his eyes at me but the childish act helps me escape the seriousness of everything around me for even a couple of seconds. "Alright, I'm going to check on Austin."
"How is he?" Amy jumps onto the opportunity to ask me and I pause as I walk around the desk but my eyelid twitches as I try to keep from tearing up. It's been a day since he lost control and Dwayne says he's gone into a coma but he also only has a week to live unless we can find a cure.
"Nothing's changed," I tell her quietly before slipping out of them room. They watch me with heavy gazes and I hate being felt sorry for. I walk to the bedroom where we've been keeping him- the old bedroom we slept in together, without passing anyone and I open the door to see Dwayne sitting on the sofa with papers and books all over the table and couch. He looks up at me as the door opens before me and offers me a tired smile as he's been non-stop researching for a cure since yesterday and I don't even know if he slept last night. Going by the bags under his eyes he hasn't.
"I'm stilling looking, Cecily. So far there's nothing I've found that we've got access to." He tells me with a deep sigh and I can't get annoyed at him. He's trying really hard. "Have you put everyone in the bunkers?"
"Just you, my family and Austin's are left out along with the warriors." My eyes drift over to Austin as I speak but he's still pale and unmoving, a light sweat on his hair line and I bite my lip. "What am I doing, Dwayne? I'm jumping head first into something I might not even get out of."
"You're protecting your pack and family. Loyalty is what you are made from," Dwayne says, putting down what he's holding. "Loyalty made you into the fighter you are. It made you into the most courageous woman I have ever seen and you are the reason Austin is the way he is now because never in a million years would he smile to an omega or allow females to fight if you hadn't of shown loyalty to them. Loyalty to this pack is what made you our Luna." He comes up to me and puts both hands on my shoulders, looking me dead in the eyes.
"I'm just worried I'm lining everyone up for execution," I admit, finally glad to get my fear off my chest because that is exactly what this is: an execution. He smiles softly at me.
"You're not. This was going to happen one day, it just happened to start with Red Blood marking you." He tells me and I nod slowly as my eyes move to my mate once more, finding myself walking over to him. I sit on the bed beside him and stroke a strand of hair away from his face but his skin is cold.
"Please wake up soon," I whisper, knowing it's a stupid thing to ask of him due to battling vampire blood poisoning and Red Blood are coming in two days. Even if he did wake up before then, he'd be too weak to fight and have the chance to actually win. There's a soft knock on the door, making me twist to see Rick poking his head in and he regards the three of us sadly, offering me a questioning look. I shake my head and he sighs.
"We've got a visitor at the border. He says he knows you." He tells me and I frown.
"It can't be another Turner. I made sure that they're all here- even if Kurt wasn't invited," I tell Rick as I stand. He laughs, opening the door slightly as I peck Austin's head before turning to leave and Dwayne promises to mind-link if anything happens. "Did he say who he is?"
"He says his name is Collin." I pause at the sound of my friend's name, the small stirrings of warmth fluttering in my chest. Collin's back?
"Tell the guards to let him in. He's a friend," I tell Rick and he nods. Meet me at the front door, I mind-link Luke.
Twenty seconds. He confirms so I turn to Rick, feeling a little more enlightened as I peck his cheek in gratitude before running. Luke joins me just as I reach the front door and he doesn't ask me anything as he follows me into the forest. We keep a steady pace to our run, our strides matching as we dodge the broken branches on the ground but we don't Shift, only using our wolves' speed to carry us over the terrain.
We stop when a dark grey wolf skids to a stop in front of us, his front left foot a black colour and his golden eyes widening in shock when he almost crashing into me. It's exactly as I remember him and I hear Luke's breath catch as he stops next to me; he recognises him too. Collin Shifts back behind a tree and steps back out wearing basketball shorts, a lop-sided grin on his face when I launch myself at him.
