Unsurprisingly, security was doubled from them on. When I went down to check on Stella, I was shocked at the sheer number of shifters walking around on full alert, as if expecting an attack at any moment. Stella was fine, fully recovered, but a little sore when she moved her shoulder. My own recovery would be a bit longer, but I was determined to not let it slow me down.
"No one is allowed to leave without a sizable escort," Kaden ordered everyone at the pack meeting the next morning when he'd finished explaining what had happened to us, and how he was working on taking the fight to the Leos in retaliation. Tensions ran high among the people in the crowd, and I heard many people whispering that we should just go back home. Some agreed that we should attack the Leos head-on, and others muttered that we should go back into hiding and stay out of the conflict like the Ophiuchus pack had done before. I didn't know what the answer was, I just knew I refused to live in fear.
Kaden tried to talk to me after the meeting, but I had nothing more I wanted to say to him. I'd said it all the other night, and Kaden had completely refused to listen to it. Would he listen now? Doubtful.
Over the next few days, training increased in different areas of the hotel. Shifters learned how to fight one another during the day with Kaden and Ethan, and in the evenings, Larkin and I held classes on magic—both using it and defending against it. Every night the classes grew in size, although most of the shifters didn't have any magic to speak of. They still wanted to know what they could do if they came face to face with a Sun Witch. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to do the classes in the park anymore, but at least the hotel had a nice outdoor garden that also worked for our purposes. I loved seeing my fellow Ophiuchus pack members along with Mira finding this power within themselves, even if it was the smallest spark. Anything would help us in a battle.
Ethan called another Zoom meeting with the alphas to tell them what happened with the Leos, but no matter how much we tried to get them to make a decision, to put aside their differences to come together and defeat a common foe, it was hard to get them to agree on anything. We were getting closer, but at the rate we were going, it would be a whole year before everyone was satisfied, and we didn't have that kind of time. All the alphas had stubborn streaks, and I was beginning to wonder if it was a prerequisite to becoming one.
I knew Kaden planned to attack the Leos soon, but he remained quiet about his actual plans, both with me and with others. At one point I found him arguing in hushed tones with Ethan, and paused outside the conference room door, careful not to make any noise.
“We need to go to the Leo village and see what we can find,” Kaden was saying.
“That's madness,” Ethan said. “And besides, what are you going to do, slit all their throats while they sleep?”
“Maybe,” Kaden growled. “They deserve it, after attacking my sister and my mate in the park on your territory. Does it not bother you?”
“Of course it bothers me.” Ethan sounded as if he'd had enough of Kaden's bullshit. “But it's wrong.”
“So is the fact that we have all suffered at the hands of the Leos for so long. Or that some of my people continue to suffer. We could get another head in a box at any time.”
There was a short, tense silence, as if they were having a staredown, and then Ethan continued. “I can't control what you do, but if you bring the ire of the Sun Witches, I won't be able to help you.”
"I already have the ire of the Sun Witches," Kaden snapped. "We're going at the next full moon, and no one can stop us."
Damn. I needed a way to stop him from becoming a villain. I'd hoped I could convince Jordan to give up more information, but the last few times I'd visited he hadn't responded at all, and refused to play card games with me. He either ignored me completely, or snarled at me to leave, and that was it.
A week after I overheard Kaden arguing with Ethan, another package arrived. Kaden, Ethan, Clayton, and I all gathered around it, grim and tense. This time there was no doubt about what was in the box. Another part of a pack member, and I desperately didn't want to open it. Kaden stood next to me, practically vibrating with rage as Clayton cut it open.
I looked away as the stench of death hit the air. There was a collective gasp that went around the circle of gathered people. I had to look, even though I really didn't want to see the head in the box. As expected, it was from Tanner's mate, Lindsey, the one I'd fought for my place as female alpha. Her eyes were closed, but there was no mistaking the misery on her face.
Another one of the Ophiuchus pack members dead, and I felt sick to my stomach over it. It didn't matter that she had fought against me. She was, at the end of the day, still a pack member, and I never wanted to see her dead. But as long as we held Jordan, they would keep sending us pack members in a box—yet we couldn't give him up either. For better or worse, we needed him to break the mate bond, if nothing else.
Kaden let out a low growl and turned his back on Lindsey's head. His fists were clenched so hard I was afraid that his nails were cutting into the skin of his palms, and he looked downright murderous. “That's it. We're attacking the Leos at the full moon and getting our people back."
When he looked around and no one answered, he reached over and slammed his fist down on the table. It jostled the head, and bile rose up in my throat as Lindsey's head rolled to the side and fell off onto the plush conference room carpeting. No one moved to pick it up.
"Does anyone dare question this plan?" Kaden asked, staring at me, and then Ethan.
"No," Ethan said. "I think it's time."
“So you're going to give up your hope of making peace with the enemy?” Kaden asked.
Ethan spread his hands in defeat. "I've done what I can to convince the other alphas to help us. You have every right to try to save your pack members."
Kaden turned to me. "And you, Ayla? I need you to teleport us all to the Leo village."
I swallowed hard and reluctantly nodded. Did I like his plan? No, not at all. But I didn't see any other option either. Something had to be done—we couldn't keep getting our pack members' heads sent to us in boxes. I worried this action would only take the pack war to the next level, but there was no way I could convince Kaden to take another route. It was this way, or nothing, and maybe if I was there during the attack, I could stop him from going completely over the edge. We might even be able to find a Sun Witch to kidnap too.
"Yes, I'll do it," I said.
"Good. Begin preparations," Kaden said to Clayton. "We move at the next full moon."
When the day of the full moon came, I went to see Jordan again. I stopped in front of his door, and hesitated for the longest time yet. I was about to transport a group of fighters into the heart of his territory when they were at their most vulnerable, and let Kaden kill as many as he could in an attempt to save our rogue pack members. The last thing Jordan would want was to welcome me with open arms. I doubted he'd even talk to me. But he was also about to go into heat, and I couldn't let him suffer as I'd once suffered.
I finally opened the door and walked inside. Jordan was seated at the table, hands folded in front of him. He looked up at me, and there was no anger on his face. Not much of any emotion, in fact. He looked solemn and grim, as if waiting for a chat with death, as if he'd known I was coming.