Chapter 83: Chapter 21

HALEY

Shit! What have they just done? I replay the scene of the camp in my mind, watching as it gets ransacked by a pack of men. It’s always the same group.

I watch as our pack is attacked by these same men, leaving many casualties. Both visions are much worse and different than before.

~Oracle. I know you’re busy, but you have to stop these events from happening.~

~It is not for me to change, child.~

~If you won’t help them, I’ll do it myself. I don’t care who finds out what I am.~ I wait, but she does not respond.

Seriously? People are in danger! What to do, what to do?

I pace my room then realize the words of the Oracle were very specific. She said it is not for ~her~ to change.

“Glory!” I call out as I reach her door.

She opens right up and I walk in and plop on the armchair she got for Solstice. I hold her fuzzy pillow and tell her straight up. “We have to save the camp. They’re in danger.”

“What’s going on?” She sits on her bed totally engaged in what I have to say.

“There’s a pack that is going to attack them. There’s not enough guards so they’ll be killed. The she-wolves are going to be held for pleasure and the pack doesn’t care about age.”

Glory gasps. “Oh no! When? What do we do?”

I hold up my finger and try to pinpoint when the attack is going to happen. “After our birthday. We need to clear the camp before then.”

“You’re going to have to get them to agree. You know they’re waiting for the alpha heir, they’re not going to just leave.

“What if…hmm…” I think over different ideas, but nothing will get them all to go.

“What if you give them their mates?” Glory chimes in.

“I can’t just tell someone who their mate is. I feel like finding your mate is sacred to the Moon Goddess.”

“Okay, but you could tell the alphas who to take in. I’m sure Uncle Ryan could convince the alphas to listen to you.”

“What if their alpha doesn’t listen to me? I’m still a pup.”

“Well, it’s a start.” Glory mumbles.

She’s right though, I can see a lot of the camp cleared. “If you have Martha on your side she could help convince the stubborn ones.” I see more clearing out of the camp.

“It’s not everyone. There has to be something I’m missing that would convince them.”

“Well the alpha heir is a big deal…”

“Hmm. Why though? I could promise to find him….” More of the camp begins to clear. “Shit, why are they so damned stubborn? I feel like it has to do with fear. Also there are human women with no place to go. I would have to convince the alphas to allow human women.”

I see more clear out but of the ones that are left, I one know very well. Jasmine. The only way she would ever go with her mate is if her mate promised to leave his pack for the alpha heirs pack.

I gasp as the whole camp is cleared out and nothing remains but the spigot. “I got it, Glory. Now I have to convince the alphas.”

“It’s too bad we can’t go to the summit. Can we link Uncle Ryan from here? I’ve never tried.”

“No, the summit would be bad, I don’t know which pack is going to attack. I know Alpha Redd would be on board, so would Alpha Ramirez. They both have ties to the camp.”

“Uncle Ryan would listen. He’s been helping them out this whole time. I’m not sure about Alpha Blackburn, but he’s in their alliance.” Glory reminds me.

~ Uncle Ryan? It’s an emergency. Can you talk? ~

~What do you need? We’re just wrapping up.~

~Can you convince the alphas that you trust to meet with me? You guys did something and everything changed. The camp is going to be destroyed and everyone is going to be turned into sex slaves, please, we can’t… ~I’m too choked up to finish the thought.

~It’s okay, Haley. We’ll protect them. Just sit tight.~

Glory is biting her lip waiting for me to respond.

“Uncle Ryan is going to see if the other alphas will meet with me.”

~Are you all right, my Moon Flower? ~Virgil links me and I relax almost instantly.

~I’m all right, now. What’s going on?~

~I want you to link Dec. He has a lot of sway. I heard your uncle whisper to him that you want to meet with the alphas. ~

~Um. You trust him that much?~

~Yes. I trust him completely.~

~Okay. I trust you. If you say so, I trust him too. ~I swallow then let out a deep breath…

I wonder if I can link two alphas at once so I don’t have to repeat myself to Uncle Ryan…here goes. Glory reaches out to hold my fidgeting hand. She gives me a soft smile and I know she’s with me.

~Alpha Redd, can you hear me?~

~Uh… Hil… Haley? Haley? ~I hear them both respond.

~I have a plan, but I don’t know who to trust. Virgil trusts you, so I do too.~

~Thank you, Haley. Pull Alpha Ramirez and Alpha Blackburn in this too, if you can. ~

I let out a slow breath. This is tiring. ~Alphas~? They all respond with a yes. ~I have a plan, but it’s too tiring to link you all at once.~

~We can hear each other too, Haley. ~Alpha Redd tells me.

Uncle Ryan begins telling the other two what I told him through the link and everyone agrees to meet at the camp tomorrow. ~Haley, can you contact Martha and let her know we’re coming. We’ll each have a stray with us to help keep her comfortable, except for Deke.~

~I can sit out of the meeting if it makes the camp mother uncomfortable. Just link me while it happens so I know what I’m needed to do. ~Alpha Blackburn responds~

~I will. I’m sorry, my head is killing me, I have to let the links go. Thank you alphas. ~My eyes are fuzzy as I look around Glory’s room then they close and I can no longer stay awake.~

Realta is leaning over me when I open my eyes. She looks glamorous in her white dress and perfectly styled hair and makeup. Her glowing white palm fades and she rests her hand back on Glory’s bed.

“Thank you, Realta.” I slowly sit up.

“You strained yourself by forcing those links,” Realta said. “I have a link to Damon, so I listened in. You don’t have to push so hard.

“Linking comes as naturally to you as breathing. Just stay relaxed. Try linking your boy toy and your sister.

“But relax. Just think of them as if they’re sitting across from you.”

I nodded, then looked to Glory. I thought of Virgil, then linked them. ~Hey guys.~

~I hear you,~ Glory responded.

~Whoa, I hear you both,~ Virgil sounded a little shocked.

~I’m just testing my links. Realta is here with me.~

~That’s incredible. She was here only fifteen minutes ago,~ Virgil told me. I would have been shocked, but she is a Goddess.

~I’ll see you soon, Virgil.~ I let the link drop and this time it felt so much better.

“Thank you, Realta,” I said, then cocked my brow at her. “Why do I smell my uncle all over you?”

“Because he was all over me at the summit. Don’t worry your pretty head over it. Your uncle is amazing and sweet, not to mention gorgeous, but I doubt he’d go for me.

“We were just playing a role to piss off a certain alpha.” She stood up from the bed so I could get up too.

I looked up at her and saw him quite happy with her. Even though I didn’t like her at first, she was growing on me.

With all I knew she’d gone through, I did want her to feel even half as loved as I felt from Virgil. “He would. You just have to let him. Oh, and get Blaine to be comfortable with you.”

Realta softly smiled. “I’ll be sure to do that.”

“Blaine is always playing that game. As long as you don’t cheat, that would be a good place to start,” Glory recommended.

Realta walked into Glory’s closet and came back out five seconds later dressed comfortably in a white long-sleeved shirt and jeans. She’d dressed up her outfit with a pair of boots, but her face was clear and her hair was in a stylish ponytail.

“Does this look appropriate?”

“Wow. That’s a cool trick. You look great,” Glory told her and we all went downstairs to bug Blaine.

He was used to Realta being around because of all the time she’d spent here and he knew who she really was.

I linked Martha to tell her about tomorrow. At first, she thought she was going crazy, then I had to explain how to link.

At first, she didn’t like the idea of the alphas all coming at once, but I convinced her by telling her we could meet outside of the camp and that each alpha would be accompanied by a stray.

Finally, and rather reluctantly, she agreed to the meeting. I contacted all of the alphas at once and let them know we were on.

I joined Louisa in the kitchen to help make dinner, leaving Glory and Realta to play with Blaine.

Uncle Ryan got home late, but we were just finishing up dinner. Realta stayed to try Louisa’s chicken and dumplings.

It was a cold night and the food hit just right. Uncle Ryan was used to Realta, but he was still surprised to see her.

We all ate dessert while he finished his bowl. “It’s too bad you didn’t see Realta when she was healing Haley, she looked gorgeous. Realta, can you teach me to do my makeup?” Glory asked while talking her up.

“I did see her,” Uncle Ryan looked to Realta. “You did look very beautiful, but you always do look beautiful.”

Realta smiled at the compliment. “Glory, if you’re going to be wearing makeup, keep it age-appropriate, please. I don’t need you looking twenty-one when you’re not even sixteen.”

“I’m good with that. Thanks, Uncle Ryan.”

“Dad, can I finish my match in my game?” Blaine asked as he took his last bite.

“You have one hour, then you need to get to bed.”

Blaine whooped, then rushed away. Glory finished her dessert and I followed her out of the kitchen, leaving the two to chat since Realta still had a bit of her dessert left.

We took turns getting beat by Blaine. Uncle Ryan and Realta were still in the kitchen when I made my way up the stairs.

~Good night, Realta. Thank you for everything.~

~Good night, Haley. Thank you. I really do like your uncle, a lot.~

~Then be good to him.~