Chapter 23 – Torn

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                “Did you know?” Pets whispered out the corner of as she watched the Ella and Emma greet their parents with hugs and kisses – a strange show of affection that didn’t seem to match the image Pets had of the usually collected and often aloof seers.

                “Do you think even for a second I would have agreed to come here if I had known?” Calvin murmured back, her face straining to keep from reacting.  The two of them had backed as far from the action in the room as they could without actually leaving the room.  The last thing either of them wanted was to draw more attention.  “Ella and I are going to have a long talk about her inability to reveal important like this.”

                “Good luck with that,” Pets snickered as she watched Xiu greet his father with a sober nod while the Alpha had both arms around the girls and nodded back to his son with an affectionate smile.  She then found herself on the receiving end of a sharp eyed glance from the Alpha.  Internally, she jumped.  But outwardly, she held her stance.  The last few weeks have taught to her steady herself for these moments; shifters are too attuned to their surroundings for her to allow herself to physically react. 

                “Betas, guard the grounds.  I would like to have at least one decent meal with my family,” Simon bellowed across the room at the guards that circle the roomy foyer.  “Nick, take everyone out back until you’re needed.”

                Nick gave a firm nod and started to walk away, taking his sister’s elbow as he moved.  Jing eagerly went with him.

                “Jing,” Lily Chen called out with a serene smile.  “You can stay.”

                For the first time, Jing looked caught like a deer in the headlight and turned to her brother for help.  For his part, Nick was just as startled, unaware that the formidable Mrs. Chen even knew his sister’s name, only that she was one of few girls that Xiu Chen allowed  around him – of course, that could be the reason why.  Lily Chen’s watchful eye on her sons were legendary; more than one hopeful girl have been reduced to tears with a carefully phrased introduction.  “Mrs. Chen,” Nick started, “Perhaps…”

                “Jing will stay with the girls,” Lily said with a smile that was as threatening as it was sincere.  And with that edict, she turned and pinned Pets with a single look, “You as well.” 

                Pets froze, three feet from the front door she had been trying to sneak out of, and gave Calvin a panicked look.  He shook his head at her telling her she was on her own and tried to make his escape.

                “And where you think you’re going?” Ella snapped quickly before Calvin can make it through the door.

                Startled, Calvin almost missed a step and grabbed the door frame, cursing softly under his breath.  Then clearing his throat, he turned and tried to appear as non-threatening as possible.   “The Alpha said that everyone was to…”

                “And what did I say when we got out of the car?” Ella asked soberly, steel in her eyes.

                Opening his mouth to respond, Calvin thought better of it and quickly shut it and nodded.  If Ella wanted him to stay with Emma, she had to have a reason.  Questioning, especially here and now, was probably bad for his health.  Xiu and Kai both looked at him with suspicion but he could only answer with a ‘I’m not sure what’s going on either’ shrug.  It was the best and only answer they were going to get out of him.

                Frowning with displeasure at his sisters, Xiu nevertheless attempted to save some of the newcomers that’s never had to face dinner with the Chen family – it could be traumatic for the unsuspecting.  “Mother…” Xiu began to say.

                “If you sister says he stays; he stays,” Simon pronounced to his son with only a stern frown at the mysterious boy they’ve brought into his home, as if taking his measure.  “You can sit with Emma.”

                Emma flashed him a bright toothy smile from the safety of her father’s arms.  Calvin sent her a narrow eyed look and made a face.  Xiu elbowed him and whispered, “Best behavior or he’ll eat you alive.”

                “Give me some credit,” Calvin murmured back, “I’m not a complete idiot, you know.”

                “Could have fooled me,” Kai replied with a sigh, crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe waiting for the rest of the Betas to leave. 

                “What is she up to?” Nick asked quietly as he came close.  The thought of leaving his sister with the dangerous Lily Chen didn’t sit well with his instincts. 

                Kai didn’t pretend not to understand.  “You know my mother; she doesn’t exactly share until it’s obvious.”

                Nick paused, watching Mickey whispered frantically at Jing for a moment.  Jing was waving him off like a pesky fly.  “She’s my only sister, Kai.  I don’t want to see her hurt.”

                “She’ll be fine.  She’s stronger than you give her credit for.”

                “She’s my sister,” Nick repeated with cold, stony determination, “I will always protect her.”

                “Preaching to the choir,” Xiu murmured with a smirk, joining them by the door.  Nodding his thanks to  the rotation of Betas exiting, Xiu tiredly wished that he had the option to step out.

                “Relax, Nick,” Kai sighed, already tired, “Mother generally doesn’t eat the guests.”  Though he wouldn’t put it pass her to try.  “We’ll keep an eye on your sister; she’ll be fine.”

                “You forget that I’ve been to dinner with your family before,” Nick growled under his breath.  “I’ve seen prisoners that have been treated to less interrogation.”  It was the one and only time he felt honored to be asked to dinner with the Alpha family – it was the last time he had been that naïve.  “I don’t like this.”

                “You don’t really have a choice,” Kai replied and gave his friend a nudge out the door.  Rolling his eyes, he commented drily, “We’ll make sure she doesn’t end up in tears.”

                Xiu swallowed the bubble of laughter and turned his head quickly. 

                Jing’s elbow connected solidly with Kai’s lower rib as she walked by them, giving her brother a quick frown and made a shooing motion with her pistol.  “Get going before you get in trouble.  I’ll deal.”

                “Be careful,” Mickey repeated as he reluctantly left his sister. 

                Nick offered her a quick concern look then exchanged another glance with Kai before following his youngest brother out the door.  The displeasure could not be more obvious on his face.

                “Nosy, busy bodies,” Jing muttered and saddled up to Ella with a sigh.  “Wanna tell me what your mother is so keen on me about?”

                “No clue,” Ella replied smoothly as she watched her brothers for a moment with a frown of concern.  There was a shadow around them she could see but couldn’t figure out yet.  “But I’d try to avoid any mention of your recent sleeping habits if I were you.”

                Jing cringed then hissed, “Does everyone know?”

                “No,” Ella assured her in mild conversation, “But it wouldn’t surprise me if my mother presumes something.  Emma and I both have our suspicions as to where our seer gift comes from,” she frowned again as she watched Emma study each exiting Beta with too much concentration.  Emma’s eyes were tracking each Beta, holding herself perfectly still as if to not disturb the air around her.  “Something’s wrong.”

                “What?” Jing asked, suddenly all business again as she followed Ella’s gaze to the younger seer.  The stillness of the usually chatterbox Emma was hard to watch.  “What do you want me to do?”

                “Nothing until she says something,” Ella replied, taking a breath.  Coming off Holy Ground meant a lot of things to both of them, the most important one being that the visions gets clearer but more chaotic, more rapid and in longer bursts that leave them both breathless and sometimes helpless.  “Keep an eye on her for me.”

                “Don’t I always?” Jing asked with a quick smile reassuring smile.  “She’ll be fine.  She’s strong and she has you.”

                “Us,” Ella corrected with a tired smile.  “She has us.”

                “And we will not let her fall,” Jing replied with a grin that was much more like her usual jovial self, outside the weight of their duties.  “God, we sound like bad motivational ad now.  Come on, let’s get this over with.”

                Ella laughed, genuinely laughed.  And the whole room stopped and stared for a moment.   Which abruptly cut her off.

                “Awkward…” Jing muttered under her breath knowing perfectly well that rest of the room can hear and headed into the dining room.  Groaning, Ella followed rolling her eyes at the absurdity of it all.  Emma smirked and ran after them, throwing her arm around Pets as she went and dragged the older girls into the other room with them. 

                It was going to be fun meal with the family.

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                Jiro clinched his teeth tightly a moment, trying to stay calm and collected.  When he was sure he wasn’t going to blow up, he took another deep breath.  “How is he now?”

                “Still asleep,” Chun answered calmly, watching the prowling cougars guarding the front gates.   “Wes has been checking in on him every hour by the hour but so far, he doesn’t seem to show any sign of waking.”

                “That’s bad.”

                “Or good, depending on how you want to interpret this.”  As long as Sean was asleep, he wasn’t up and taking on more burden than he can handle. 

                “At least now we know why they went silent for so long.”

                “Stupid thing to do though, pushing that hard to get here,” Chun muttered but couldn’t fault them.  “But Wes made the right call.  Ella said there’s no chance of him coming back if he has to…”  The very thought of it left him cold with fear.

                “Yeah…” Jiro nodded and glanced at the others.  David and George were sleeping while Benji mapped out their next course.  Aaron sat silent by him driving down the narrow road, listening to the conversation with dull dead eyes.  The exhaustion they all felt had forced the guys to ditch the second car and stay together for safety.   “We circled too far back; we’re at least a week or two away unless we really push to get…”

                “Do what you have to make it here safe,” Chun advised soberly.  “There’s no point if we lost someone along the way.”

                “Agreed,” Jiro nodded and glanced at David and George again.  David’s usual aggression wasn’t any worse but gentle George has had one too many brushes and the nightmares have set in.  Aaron’s silence in the recent days have not gone unnoticed.  The only one that seemed to have gone unaffected was even tempered Benji, who understood the sacrifices that had to be made and have long made peace with it.  “Maybe it’d be a safer for us to go underground for a bit.  See if we can lose the Browns on the trail elsewhere.”

                They’ve known each other too long for Chun not to read between the lines.  Things had to be bad if Jiro was willing to be this long apart from his wife.  “Do what you must; we’ll be here waiting when you get here.”

                Jiro nodded unseeingly.  “Rainie and the other girls, they’re headed toward you as quickly as they can.  Rainie is…” he hadn’t told Chun yet.  Wasn’t sure it was the right time, torn between the immediate need for safety and the need for his mate.  But his wife was in danger and he isn’t there to guard her.  “Rainie needs protection.”  Chun had already laid everything out in the open with what’s going on at sanctuary – the least he could do was let them know more problems were coming. 

                Chun paused, trying to read the sober tone.  “What’s wrong?”

                He was afraid, really afraid.  “She won’t be able to protect the girls for prolong periods.  She will need to…”        

                “Knock it off,” Chun didn’t have time for this.  “What’s wrong?”

                “She’s pregnant.”

                There was a pause.  “Your timing…”

                “Bad, I know.”

                “I…” Chun didn’t even know what to say torn between joy for his friends’ impending arrival and their ill timing of it.  But since he couldn’t say much about their precarious position, since Jiro was more than aware of it, he said the only thing he could, “Congratulations.”

                “Thank you,” Jiro replied with a reluctant laugh.  “But the point is…”

                “The point is that your mate and pup needs a haven.  Ella won’t kick them out if she knew.  They’ll be safe here.”  How safe?  What was another question for another time.           

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                Lily Chen tapped one sharply manicured nail on the side of her coffee mug with impatience as she half listened to her husband grill her sons about the situation at the Holy Ground.  The other half of her attention was caught by the whispering two girls at the table that she didn’t give birth to.  Thick as thieves, those two; but who can blame them?  And given some of what she already knew…

                “Whatever you’re planning Mother, please stop.”  Ella said it like she was commenting on the weather, picking at the vegetables on her plate.  The chef overcooked the string beans again. 

                “And what would that be, dear?” Lily asked lightly, sipping on her coffee again.  Ella was the bright one, always looking ahead, moving the pieces to allow for the least amount of damage done so that the consequences can be mitigated.  “Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

                “Is there something you would like to know?” Ella asked in reply. 

                Smiling serenely, Lily turned and faced her husband, interrupting his argument with his sons.  “I was under the impression that you wanted a nice family dinner; not a Beta meeting.”

                Simon raised a questioning brow at the reprimanding tone and shrugged before commenting,  “I can have both,” then turned his sharp eyes on Pets.  “How do you like our little town, Miss?”

                Pets choked on her salad and turned almost purple as she tried to cough up a piece of lettuce from her windpipe. 

                “Nice going, Dad,” Xiu commented as he watched Calvin and Jing helpfully pat Pets on the back with sympathetic twitters. 

                “I was merely asking…” Simon started to argue then gave up when both his girls slanted him a look that didn’t bode well.  Besides his wife, his girls were the only ones to ever gainsay him.  “Fine, fine…” and held up his hand in surrender before turning to Jing with a crocodile smile.  “You’re looking prettier and prettier these days, Jing.  Staying on Holy Ground must agree with you.”

                Jing, the in the process of offering water to Pets, dropped the glass in her hand and spilled water and ice all over the table.  She winced as if punched in the face and tried to mop up the mess with her napkin.  It couldn’t have gone any worse. 

                “Well this is real productive,” Kai sighed and got up to help.  Grabbing a towel, he pulled Jing out of her chair with a casual hand before she got water all over herself and wipe up the mess around her. 

                Emma giggled and was about to offer her help when she stopped… just stopped, the delighted smile frozen on her lips for a second longer before it slipped away.

                “Oh crap…” Jing said, grabbing Kai’s arm to get his attention before tilting her chin to Emma a second before looking to see if Ella was also… Yup, Ella was sitting stock still, eyes glassy, pupils completely dilated until her iris disappeared, leaving her with eerie black eyes. 

                Time itself seemed to be holding its breath.  No one at the table dared to move, unwilling to disturb what could be a vital moment.  It was never clear how much the seers hears and sees of the present when they’re caught within one of their visions, trapped in another world that only they could access but could never fully describe.

                One nerve wrecking minute turned into two.  Then two minutes turned into a petrifying three. 

                “Something is wrong,” Lily whispered into the silence, her eyes caught between the two girls.  She gripped the tablecloths in her lap with knuckle white hands, her fear barely kept a bay.

                “I’ve never seen it last this long,” Xiu commented, the panic creeping into his eyes.  He’s poured over the archives; memorized the history of every seer he could find – he knew that there were a few that never made it out of some visions; caught in a moment in time when a life was snuffed out along with their own. 

                Pets reached out under the table and clasped her hand hard over his, digging in her fingers to offer strength and to convey her own fear.  She didn’t know exactly what was happening but had enough sense to know it wasn’t a good thing and it could get even worse at any moment.

                Kai dropped the towel slowly and moved to stand by his youngest sister, barely suppressing the terror he felt from showing.  He didn’t care what happened if he woke her as long as she woke.  And if that meant…

                Grabbing his arm, Jing shook her head firmly at Kai letting him know his intentions were wrong in her eyes.  They needed to ride this out.  There were too many variables and the seers were straining under the pressure of the unknown.  If there was a chance of a resolve, they needed to risk it. 

                Emma woke up with a start, the scream trapped in and the hand lashing out suddenly as if to ward off something, knocking her water glass over.  Kai, Calvin and Jing all grabbed for her, steadying her jerky limbs as she flayed in her seat. 

                “I gotcha,” Kai whispered, bending to hold his sister in his arms trying to physically shield her.  She was shaking from head to toe.  “It’s okay; I’ve got you.”

                Panting a little, her heart still in , Emma tried to hide in her brother’s arms while searching out her sister with her eyes. 

                Still locked in another time, Ella sat tomb still in her chair.

                “What did you see, darling?” Simon asked quietly, torn between protecting his child and his responsibility to his pack.  It was moments like this that he cursed his life. 

                “Hyenas,” Emma stuttered, the words torn painfully from her lips.  She was shaking so badly that her teeth clattered and she bit down hard to keep herself together.  “North.”  Her fingers dug into the muscles on Kai’s arm and she shed a single tear, unable to hold it back.  “The cougar patrols walked right into an ambush.” 

                Kai’s eyes flickered electric blue as he tightened his hold and looked at his Alpha. 

                Simon’s face was grim.  “How much time do they have?”  Emma shook her head violently.  Time was also so difficult to judge.  Giving Kai and Xiu a quick look of command that held weight, the Alpha paused a second to watch his elder daughter again before grimly walked out of the room in silence, his stride purposeful and his face set like granite.  He damned the enemy under his breath and prayed for his child. 

                Xiu knelt by Ella, his face reflecting all the fear he had for her.  She still hadn’t moved.  It took every ounce of his will power not to reached out and shake his sister awake.  Every ticking second meant another chance she wouldn’t wake up… ever.  And just when he couldn’t stand it any longer, Ella woke up with a gasp, her hands reaching out to nothing.  Xiu grabbed at her, letting her use him as anchor to orientate herself again as her eyes flickered around the room quickly trying to make sense. 

                “Where’s Father?” was the first words out of .

                “He’s warning the cougars,” Lily replied, slowly unfurling her claws from her own bloody palms.  

                Head twisting to look at her sister, “What did you see?”               

                Emma swallowed her fear, pushing back at the horror that was burned into her mind, “Hyenas took out the cougar patrols over by the ridge.  They didn’t even…”

                Ella was out of her seat, stumbling toward the entrance on weak legs with Xiu and Calvin both scrambling to help her when the Alpha came back in, phone in hand.  His eyes were a dangerous lightning blue as he caught Ella before she took a nosedive into the area rug.  Quashing the animal, Simon bent to his daughter, “What is it?  What’s wrong?”

                “It’s a trap.”

                “We know.”

                “No,” Ella shook her head frantically, her determination masking her terror.  “The attack on the cougars is just a distraction; the trap is at the inn.  It’s a two front assault.  Pull the cats away and leave the inn vulnerable to a second assault just as we get home before sundown.  Fei and Jing both die in the siege with Emma taken as hostage.”  She didn’t, won’t say what happens to her.  She didn’t need to; it’s no longer important nor will it happen now that she’s spoken it.  The visions shifted, and she went silent as she’s taken away again, the visions flashing so fast before her that she felt dizzily ill when she came back to herself again. 

                “Easy now,” Simon said as gently as he steadied his eldest daughter.  Ella had gone even paler in the minute she had gone silent again.  “What else?”

                Shaking her head, Ella wished for an aspirin but didn’t allow her weakness.  “We’re not going to get a lot of time.”  She looked at the clock on the wall.  “The Betas have to go.  The hyenas cannot be allowed to take Holy Ground.”

                Xiu and Kai looked at one another, torn between their duty and their family.  Neither one looked inclined to leave their sisters when they both looked distressingly like someone had taken a bat to them already.  But they were Betas; lead Betas to be exact.  They can’t just abandon the rest of the pack.

                “Go,” Simon ordered in his Alpha voice.  “The girls will remain here with me and the Alpha Guards.  I’ll get the cougars back. ” 

                “No,” Emma said quickly.  “We can’t.”  She couldn’t live with that. 

                “She’s right,” Ella added quickly.  “We can’t risk the hyenas pushing into the North.  We’ll have to stand ground without the cougars.  We can hold the jaguars in place as first defense until the Betas get there.  Call Eastwall, we need the other wolves from there.”  Eastwall was even more isolated than Five Lake, decimated in the last territory conflict and still in the process of rebuilding, never venturing behind their own territory unless absolutely necessary – and this was necessary. 

                Emma girdled her strength and shoved herself away from Kai.  “Jing will stay with me,” she pronounced and latched one hand onto the older girl.  “I’ll be fine.” 

                Jing nodded and offered Kai a quick look.  “I’ll keep my eye on her.”

                Kai looked ready to argue but stopped himself, coming to a decision.  “Be careful,” was the only thing he said; but he said it to Jing as he headed out the door.  With his sisters well protected, he was ready to do whatever was necessary to protect the pack. 

                Ella grabbed Xiu’s arm and followed Kai to the door.  “Do not allow the Hyenas to step foot pass the gates.  They cannot know about Holy Ground.”  Xiu nodded and turned just as Kai half-shifted into his white wolf and roared for the Betas.  It was half a second before there were answering calls and streaks of fur flying toward the Alpha House.

                “What’s wrong?” Nick asked of Kai but his eyes found his sister at the door.  Jing gave him a quick nod of reassurance.

                “Hyenas,” he told him with electric blue eyes flashing as his body continued to morph.  “Back to the inn!” Kai announced to the rest of the gathering troops. 

                “KAI!  XIU!” Emma rushed out the door after her brother, easily avoiding the reaching hands that tried to stop her.  “Hurry!  They’re going to take Fei and Nicie!”

                Wayne and Matthew, both half way across the courtyard to their leads when they heard the warning, wheeled around and raced into the forest and toward Sanctuary, spurred by their fears.  

                Xiu didn’t say as word as he made a run for it, shedding clothes and starting to sport yellow fur with black spots.  He snarled his instructions in cheetah before he was literally a streak moving so fast none of then could track him.  The Beta wolves already on the move behind him didn’t stand a chance in keeping up.

                Shifting in mid-change, Kai’s white fur turned dark in color and his still elongating snot suddenly turned down and hardened to a point as a beak suddenly appeared in a still half formed wolf’s head.  Powerful legs continued to move, eating up ground, as it turned slender and shrank, talons suddenly taking the place of padded feet.  Bones hallowed as fur turned to feathers and Kai let out a shriek of pure rage before he took flight; his felon would get there well before any of the wolves could. 

                Nick was almost completely wolf before Ella reached him, his anxiousness to get back to the inn almost overriding his common sense.  He roared at the hand Ella set on his shoulder before catching himself. 

                Unfazed, Ella looked him in the eye for a taunt moment before saying very carefully, “Watch your back.”  She didn’t elaborate beyond that. 

                And Nick didn’t care.  He just nodded his snot at her and took off; dread making him reckless in his rush toward Sanctuary. 

                Calvin stood in the courtyard, torn between following his instincts to run with the other wolves and the seer’s command to stay by Emma.  But his brothers were out there, in the crosshairs of imminent danger.  How could he not be there to watch their back?  To protect them as they’ve always protected him.  He was the reason they were all there.

                “Go,” Ella shoved at Calvin’s shoulder.  Her eyes spoke volumes of pain and fear. 

                “Are you sure?” giving lip service even as he shed his clothes. 

                Nodding her head, “Be careful; don’t let them get behind you.  Protect my brothers.” 

                He barely acknowledged her warnings before leaping out of the rest of his clothes, silver fur flying as he pounded the ground hard to chase after the rest of the Betas, ready and willing to battle by them.  He might not have known it, but at that moment, Calvin became part of a pack again. 

                “How bad?” Emma wanted to know as she caught up to her sister, her eyes watching the last speck of the fast disappearing wolves.  The images were coming in short bursts now but there was enough there to make her want to scream.

                Ella closed her eyes, gave herself a moment to grieve prematurely.  She knew what was coming and knew that there was little else she could do to stop it.  “We need to warn the others.”

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                The far-away rumble was just perceivable over the white noise of everyday life.  But the response at a much closer distance had no problems catching the notice of anyone else. 

                Bernice looked up, the sudden movement in the front window catching her attention.  “What the hell…” The cougars all roared suddenly at the same time, their big tawny head reaching up in the sky.

                “What is happening?” Fei asked, coming in from the swinging kitchen.  She was covered in baking flour and turned to the front window just as the cougar all raced toward the North… and home.  “What just happened?” trading horrified and frightened glances with Nicie; she could only answer with a shake of her head, not sure what to do.

                The ringing phone pierced the silence between them. 

                Chun leapt the last 3 steps from the stairs, Wes hot on his heels, and picked up the front desk phone before either girls could make a move.  “What’s happened?”

                “Hyenas.  Two front assault,” Ella explained concisely, her voice tense with fear.  “Cougars heading North to defend territory.  Second attack coming towards you.  Get everyone at the café back to the inn.  Betas are on their way back to you.  Put the jaguars on the defense at the Southwest point, you and the rest of the wolves will be at the gate, the girls will be the last line of defense.  The hyenas absolutely cannot be allowed to cross that gate.”  She said it with deadly emphasis before adding, “Do not allow Sean to engage.”

                “Got it,” and held on another second, waiting for more instruction.

                “We don’t see enough to give you the advantage other than that they’re coming.  And it’ll be in daylight, before sundown.”

                “We’ll deal with it,” he answered succinctly. 

                Ella was silent for another second and Chun wondered if she was seeing more.  But when she spoke it again, she spoke her own thoughts.  “Be careful,” then hung up.

                “What happened?” Wes asked as Chun placed the phone down and headed out the front door, walking quickly pass the sacred gates toward the waiting jaguars. 

                Without pause, Chun shifted into his silvery gray pelt, raised his head, and howled loudly at the bright sky. He waited, lowering his head and raising his ears, and the answering howl came a heartbeat later.  He turned and growled the instructions to the jaguars, who roared their response and moved off into the woods, ready to get into defensive positions.  He was only half shifted out of his wolf when he walked back through the gates and collapsed onto dirt path, gasping for breath as his body was forced back into its human form almost instantaneously.  “Son of a….”

                “You okay?” Wes asked, stunned at what he had just witnessed.

                “Are you crazy?” Bernice asked as she rushed toward him, a can of soda in her hand.  “You can’t be doing stuff like that.  That’s dangerous even for the most seasoned shifter,” and cracked the can open for him.  “Caffeine helps.”

                Gulping the sugary substance, Chun struggled to his feet, feeling has if someone had reached into his chest and twisted his insides around before tap dancing on his mauled organs.  “Everyone inside, right now.”

                “What’s wrong?” Nicie’s hand froze in trying to help him up and was unceremoniously shoved toward the house again. 

                “Hyenas on their way.  Needed to get the people at the café back here ASAP.”  Chun stumbled up the front porch, trying to get his shirt back on.  “Jaguars are going to act as our first line of defense,” he informed them as Fei joined them in the foyer.  “We’re holding them off until the Betas can get back here.” 

                “How long do we have?” Fei asked, her hands shaky though she moved determinedly behind the front desk, already systematically pulling out the weapons hidden there. 

                “Don’t know but it’s going to be in daylight,” he glanced at the bright windows.  “So we may not have much time to prep.”

                “I’ll wake your friend,” Nicie said moving toward the stairs.

                “No,” Wes and Chun barked at the same time.  Chun shook his head at her.  “Ella specifically said that Sean cannot engage.  He’s to stay inside the house at all times.”

                “What?” It didn’t make any sense. 

                “And how do you plan on making that happen?” Fei asked, blindly loading the pistols lined up on the counter – she may be scared but muscle memory had nothing to do with emotions.  She didn’t know them very well but if they were anything like her brothers, there was no way their sleeping friend was going to allow them out in the killing field without him by their sides. 

                Wes and Chun glanced at one another, unable to answer it.  They knew what had to be done, but the how was always the mystery.

                Nicie sighed and closed her eyes a moment.  “There’s a holding cell in the basement, behind the laundry room.”  She didn’t question something from the seers; it wasn’t in her nature to.  “It’s small and seldom used but it’s made to hold a shifter on a full moon.”

                “I thought you can’t shift on holy ground.”  Wes had been counting on it to protect Sean.

                “No one can,” she assured him.  “But the seers aren’t physical matches for some of the guys even in human form and they’d rather not to have shoot anyone if they don’t have to.  Ella had them move the cage here two years ago after an incident with a feral.” 

                Exchanging quick decisive looks, Chun and Wes shook their heads.  “I don’t want to put my brother into a cage.  He’s not dangerous...” yet.  Chun glanced at Wes with a pained look.  “We just need to keep him from leaving the house if a fight breaks out in front of the gates.”

                Fei frowned.  “Why?”

                “Because Ella said so,” Chun answered firmly, not wanting to explain.

                “Okay,” Nicie took it for what it was: a command.  “We do have shackles we can latch him to.  The radiator should hold him without his shifter strength.”

                “It’ll have to do,” Chun said with a reluctant.  Wes’ nodded grimly.  They’ll deal with Sean’s reaction later; his life was more important.    

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

                With the smile frozen on her face, Emily ushered the last two startled and curious customers out the door before the second, closer, howl ripped through the air.  Slamming the front door shut, locking it with a quick hand, she raced toward the back of the café.  Catching the crossbow tossed at her, she moved around the center island without pause. 

                “Inn,” was the only word Sam barked as he finished slipping into his snowy pelt. 

                “They’re about to be attacked,” Bass said as he slapped the keys into Emily’s outstretched hands.  “Take my bike and meet us there,” he explained, putting his glasses and wallet into her hands as well.  “Don’t stop for any reason,” he instructed as he shifted out of his human form, black fur lining his lithe body as he dropped onto all fours.  With glittering yellow eyes, he watched her a moment before trotting out the door, chasing after a fast moving Sam.  

                Shaking her head, Emily muttered under her breath about short sighted boys and turned all the knobs on the stove and ovens to off, shut the vents, and locked the door quickly before heading to the back shed.  Getting on Bass’ bike, she revved the engine quickly and took off without a helmet, easily navigating the now familiar roads and dodging the tourist traffic that clogged up the main streets.  Passing the four wolves at the gate, she hurriedly parked the bike and ran into the house, her weapon already in hand.

                “What’s your range?” Fei asked without preamble, handing over a backup handgun and two full clips.  

                “I’m cleared for midrange and short shots,” Emily answered, tucking the weapon behind her and the clips into her boots, eyes searching for her sister. 

                “She’s getting more artillery in the back,” Fei answered as she pulled two more crossbows from the large bench by the front door, usually used for incoming guests to sit on.  “I’m cleared for long range,” nodding toward her long bow and the three quivers of arrows by the stairs, “So I’ll head up to the second level to keep watch there.  I’ll take first shot before and through the gates.”   

                “We’ll cover the entrances,” Emily muttered and moved to help her sister as Bernice came back through the door, arms loaded with boxes of bolts and bullets.  “Laced?”

                “Laced,” Nicie confirmed with a nod and showed her the single taped section with Emma’s signature scrawled over it.  “I brought up some extra ammo in the back too.”

                “Who and how bad?” Emily asked, needing as much information as possible. 

                “Hyenas.  And we don’t know,” Fei answered as she grabbed her gear and headed for the stairs.  She can be scared and horrified later, right now she’s got to defend this place.  “Brace for worst case scenario,” she made a face then slipped upstairs to prep.

                Bernice shook her head.  “Cougars went north, they’re attacking there first.  We’re going to get the second wave.  Jaguars are already in place but we’re on our own until the Betas come back from the village.”

                “Seers?”

                “Alpha has them at the main house.”

                “So the hyenas don’t know that they’re not here.”

                “Maybe,” Nicie answered with a shrug as she loaded the bolts onto her weapon.  “I just know that we can’t let them take Holy Ground.”  Outwardly she was calm, she had to be.  But inside…

                “We’ll be okay,” Emily assured her, taking a breath and loading her weapons.  She was going to protect her sister if it meant her life.  “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

                “I’m not who I’m worried about,” Nicie answered honestly, torn between fear for her life and the ever present danger to her friends.  “This isn’t about us.”

To be continued….

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Author’s Note:  Moving onward and forward with the story.  I promise to answer some of the linger questions in the story in the next two chapters and resolve a few of the hanging plots.  Bear with me here, I keep having to revise and revise the story so it all melds together a little easier.  (I hate it when there’s glaring plot holes.)  Hope people are still enjoying it.  And if you are, leave me a note, let me know what you think.