C2 CHAPTER ONE: THE VIDEO

Three years ago, in a not-so-far-off, densely forested area up the side of a mountain…

Hey! Lay low, or they will see us! I keep telling you, it’s like you never went to training. What’s with your combat skills today, Ma’Heron?

“Lyon, seriously, if you don’t shut up and let me listen, I’ll have to get closer and we will be discovered! Just shut up!” M murmured as he swiftly ran Assassin’s Creed style while dodging trees and various kinds of vegetation to another spot at the edge of the forest.

I just don’t get how and when you got so clumsy.

“The same day I got a wolf who NEVER SHUTS UP!” M growled through gritted teeth.

Damn, you sure need a mate.

“I need no such thing. I’m happy with what I am too. Sorry for you that you got stuck with me, but yes, ‘loving’ someone just because of the Moon Goddess is not part of my life goals. Now let me work. We need this information on the Dark Forest Pack since we heard the rumors that they were planning a strategic move against us.”

Ok, I’ll shut up; but then don’t ask me why I don’t confirm WHEN WE DO find our mate. Jackass!

Thank you! I’ll appreciate that. Here, finally, a spot where we can watch the Dark Forest boundary in peace. PEACE, WOLF! Please try to understand that concept while we complete our mission…

Lyon rested in the back of Ma’Heron’s mind after that. They have this annoying younger brother-wise older brother relationship, and M wasn’t happy about his wolf’s personality traits when it came to missions.

After all, he was the logical one, the planner, the one who calculated, assessed, and then reacted.

Except for any occasion in which feelings were involved.

Now that Lyon was finally quiet, he remembered the conversation earlier with his Alpha which is why he’s spying on a pack known to be their rival for quite a number of generations already.

* * *

“Morning, M, good to see you!”

“Hey, V, how’s everything?”

Vincent was sitting behind his desk, and Aaron was standing right behind him, as both seemed to be checking something on the Alpha’s laptop.

“Hey, bro! Come here, you need to see this!” the Beta smilingly said.

“If it was only you asking me, I would be pretty sure it’s porn,” The Gamma said as he walked to the only two werewolves with a higher rank than him in the Silvercrest Pack.

“Ouch!” Aaron said in one of his typical overdramatic joking tones. “That hurt, bro! I have feelings too, you know?”

“Yeah? And that’s your excuse why you’ve bedded more than half the pack already?”

“Yeah, well… those are feelings too, but what would you know about those, right?” Aaron countered while raising his eyebrow and smirking.

“You two, this is our mission today, so focus here. We got this video anonymously sent to the packhouse email. Aaron and I checked it already while waiting for you,” V stated firmly, interrupting his Beta and Gamma’s usual play bantering.

“Ok, let’s see it then.”

V pressed a button on his laptop. The screen is purely black and a disembodied cyborg-sounding voice starts to speak…

“Good morning, Alpha Vincent. I’m sending this information to help. It’s your choice if you take it seriously or not. You might wonder why I’m doing this since I’m so close to the subjects in the video that I’m able to gather this information for you. The answer is that I can’t agree with what’s wrong. And this is very wrong. Now it is your choice if you doubt it or act on it.”

The muffled, obviously edited narration ended, and then a CCTV video where Alpha Arnout Van der Meer, of their neighboring pack, Dark Forest, can be seen speaking to someone on his mobile.

“Yes. Yes, I agree with that too. Not only will it secure my pack, but will also allow you to get closer to what you want with Silvercrest. I think it’s a win-win situation.” He paused for a moment as the other person on the line kept talking.

“No, I don’t think she would ever be prepared to lead the pack on her own.”

M has now squinted at the word “she” as he rifled through his memories’ information about the Van der Meers. He suddenly remembered that Alpha Arnout didn’t have any sons.

“Mates? No, I don’t think so either. If she had found a mate by now, I wouldn’t be doing this, but she couldn’t manage to do that either.” A pause as the speaker listened to his caller…

“Against Silvercrest? We can’t afford it… but it would secure jobs for our pack members, and a better financial standing in general.”

Ma’Heron had to scoff at hearing the last phrase. This is the cross he had to bear as Gamma, dealing with the many greedy gold-diggers and ambitious social climbers that constantly haunted his Alpha and pack.

“No, I never thought of mating her with him. There are legends about him and his ‘destined mate’ and though I don’t believe that bullshit, it’s my understanding that he does.”

V’s hand curled into a fist at this part. He’s comfortable with people talking about him and his choices, but this was too personal a statement to ignore.

“Had I chosen to ‘partner’ with them, as you call it, I wouldn’t be talking to you.” Now it’s V’s turn to scoff. “Ok. Will see you in three days.”

The conversation ended there, and the video finished a few seconds later.

Aaron was the first to speak. “What do you think of that, M?”

“Well, facts are that Dark Forest is planning an alliance and that whoever Van der Meer is getting as an ally, he’s against us as well.”

“Whoever sent this left the timestamp, so we knew that this has been going on for some time. We need a way to get more information and that’s why I’m sending you, Ma’Heron. You’ve suggested in the past that the warriors on patrol were a great source of information, so eavesdrop, record, take pictures, or whatever you think can help us find out what is happening, so we can avoid this issue becoming too big, too fast.”

“This could be a trap too, so you should get some warriors with you,” Aaron added. “We can’t spare Myron and R right now since they’re handling something else.”

“I know Dark Forest is about a third the size of our pack, but still, no enemy should be underestimated. I’m sure you agree with that,” Vince stated matter-of-factly.

“Yes, Alpha. I will plan accordingly and leave as soon as possible. Will report as soon as I’m back.”

A few hours later, M approached their territory’s border alone. He decided that taking warriors with him would make it harder to go unnoticed, so he chose to set aside his Alpha and Beta’s “suggestions” for this mission.

“I know our warriors are well trained, but there are things that should be done on my own,” he explained to Lyon before they traveled for their mission.

And with that thought, he changed into his full military-grade bodysuit, packed his gear and gadgets fit for the mission, and left the packhouse.