Athena - The Luna Warrior

Chapter 9

Lucas's POV

I was relieved to know that Nathan was doing good. However, it was overwhelming seeing Cassidy Hendricks again, but this would have been inevitable ever since she had come to Camp Rogue at the age of thirteen.

I wonder if Nathan knows Cass is here.

Pushing my thoughts to the back of my head, I walked towards the main office building. I had already mind-linked Brandon to be there. I did not want to leave my baby behind but talking to The Bench about this was crucial.

Almost all Alphas and Betas on the Eastern coast were in that arena and this was a major attack we had faced in the last twenty years.

Brandon was waiting for me at the gate with Beta Jared.

"Hi Jared. Hope you are doing better now."

"Hi Alpha Lucas. Yes, Dr. Mallard told me that Alpha Nathan would be better in a day or two and we should be good to go" said Jared in an exhaustive tone.

"I know this is overwhelming but please take care of your pack while Nathan is recovering. If you need any help, please do not hesitate to approach us."

"Thank you Alpha Lucas. However, I have already mind-linked our Delta and Head Warrior back home. Everyone is on high alert and the situation is under control."

I nodded and looked at Brandon.

"I have already informed Delta Ariana and our Head Warrior Vincent that we are safe for now and have asked them to stay on high alert. Anything else, Alpha?" said Brandon.

"Just don't tell mother about what went down here."

===

We were flanking the two representatives who had come from The Bench in the round table conference room.

"We have already requested that a committee be assigned to investigate today's tragedy. Our intelligence network tells us that the hunters already knew about this event and it makes us wonder if it was one of our kind who let them know. The other question is how did they gain entrance. We need all your support for any kind of interrogations or investigative material. I assure you that this is being treated as a major attack on our kind and we are doing everything in order to prevent something like this in the future" said Marta Sergio, the representative of The Bench and the one of the key members of the Werewolf King's team.

"What do we tell our pack members?" asked one of the Alphas.

"You tell them to stay on high alert and let us know about any suspicious activity. We recommend that security and border patrol be concentrated upon and if you see anything out of the normal please let us know immediately" said Greg Smith, the other representative.

"What happens now?" said another Alpha.

"We request all of you to go back to your packs and protect them. You all can leave in various phases starting tomorrow. We, as The United States Werewolf Bench will take over this investigation and inform you of any breakthroughs" said Marta.

Murmurs broke out in the room.

My blood was boiling at their attitude. I stood up abruptly.

"We Alphas and Betas of almost all the Eastern Coast packs were present today at the arena scouting for the next pack warrior. This is an invite only event. However, we were attacked by hunters in a well coordinated attack who knew about our presence at the competition. Two of us were shot and are in the infirmary, unconscious. Some of them are not here because they were cut with silver knife. This planned ambush, that has been directed at killing us, maiming us, wiping us from the face of this world, needs to be investigated.
But telling us that it will be handled and investigated by a committee chosen by The Bench, and telling us to go back to our packs is a ludicrous thing.
We could have been killed, and this attack just proves how vulnerable we are to such ambushes.I am sorry Ms. Sergio, but we cannot sit back and do nothing. We require to be kept in loop and need to be informed about the happenings around this attack."

A few minutes of silence followed. Marta stared at me.

"Very well then. Would you like to be a part of the committee Alpha...."

"Alpha Lucas Bianco of the Shadow Moon Pack. And no, we all wish to be a part of this committee. We need to be invited to timely meetings and want to be in loop."

"Very well Alpha Lucas Bianco. We will get back after considera-" drawled Greg Smith.

"Do not consider this, Mr. Smith" said Jared, standing up, "it was my Alpha that was shot today. Do you think me and our pack would sit back and tighten our security? We need to be in loop."

"Very well then. We will get back on this point and continue the investigation from hereon" stated Sergio looking at Beta Jared through her rimless glasses.

"Are we in loop or not?" I asked.

Silence ensued the room.

"DAMN IT! ARE WE IN LOOP OR NOT?"

After a couple of minutes, the it was Greg who answered.

"We will look into it and get back."

===

I massaged my temple as I waited for my mate outside her quarters.

All of us were agitated after the meeting and the representatives never gave us a firm reply. It was a political situation but I was determined to do something regarding it, so were the others.

The other agitating thing was we were asked to leave in the morning as they did not want us to be a part of the investigation. However, I had asked Brandon to photograph all the areas in the camp and acquire the CCTV footage so that we could investigate this ourselves.

Our mate could have died today, you know  said Leon.

I know, and that is why I am going to get to the bottom of this.

But where is she? It has been a few hours since we last saw her he cried, aching for his mate.

I don't know, can't mind-link her, yet.

"What are you doing here?"

I jumped at the voice to see my mate looking at me with her beautiful eyes.

I pulled her by her waist and dug my head into her neck taking a whiff of her addictive scent.

"Where were you Athie?"

"I was helping around. What are you doing here? How was the meeting?" she asked placing her palms on my chest.

"The meeting was bad. We are being made go leave tomorrow" I said.

"What? Why? Will there not be an investigation?"

"Apparently, The Bench will get it done."

"Won't you guys get to know about it? This attack was aimed at the authorities! Damn, you should be in loop!!" she shouted flaring her nostrils.

Hot as hell.

"Lucas, are you listening?"

That got me out of the reverie.

Note to self: Make mate angry.

"Yes babe, I am listening. However, please, we can talk about this later. I am here to ask you something else. It is a request" I said, praying the Moon Goddess that she would say yes.

"Shoot away."

"Athena Xiphos, would you please come with me to my pack tomorrow?"

===