*Noel*
"WHAT?!" I exclaimed loudly. "You want revenge, I get it but escorting my mate?".
The kid turned to me with a determined face, "She took us in and even tried to protect us. It was brief but I want to return the favor," he paused for a moment before continuing, "And to apologize... it was my fault she got hurt." His cry from there proved that he was still a child, "I don't want her to get hurt again! I promise to be discreet! Just let me protect Milady!".
"M-me too! I want to protect big sister, too!" His sister exclaimed too after holding her cry for a moment. These kids are giving me a headache, crease are forming in my forehead as I touch it. Olive then gently patted my back which I only sighed in response.
Kyle laughed in amusement as he stood up. "You brave little alpha. Fine, you'll get your revenge but under my approval. As for the Beta..." Kyle grinned at me. This jerk is messing with me. I let out a sigh again and said, "Fine, fine. I'll allow it, but don't do it alone; have your sister with a few of your pack members to be in the team and ALL must be reported directly to me, you got that?" I had to emphasize the 'all', luckily he nodded. It was also the first time he didn't feel hostile to me.
"Okay, if that's settled then let's proceed with the ceremony," Kyle stated as Raven handed him a torch. "Oh, thanks." But then he gave it to Clay. The boy looked at him curiously, Kyle just smiled and encouraged him to take the torch and do the honor of flaming the pyre. He took it and the flames started spreading and eventually engulfing the whole pyre. His pack members gave their last goodbye to their fallen Beta and Alpha-to-be, the girl named Chloe did cry again but this time in silence while the young alpha stood tall to the burning pyre.
After the ceremony, Kyle ordered some of our members to patrol while others make accommodations for the new pack members, their induction ceremony will happen after a week. Kyle gave them time to mourn before accepting him as their new alpha.
"Clay, do you know why was your group chased?" Olive asked the boy gently as she gave the children some treats after the ceremony. We also went back inside the hospital.
"Hunted. We were hunted." The child's statement alerted us. "I'm not exactly sure but two weeks ago Father decline a proposal or something from some men from another pack. I don't know much, Markus lead me away when he caught me eavesdropping. But I heard something I could never forget, one of the men told my father that if we're not with them then we'll perish like the others. Then a week after, we were attacked. Our Beta managed to get us out of our land. Markus wanted to stay with our father but Father refused, saying that my brother needs to let the other packs know about what happened to us. We wandered the forest for a few days until we found your place however they had caught up with us. Markus didn't plan on just crossing your borders but we had no choice.".
"And that assailant?" I asked next. Clay looked at me briefly then back at his food. He said, "I don't know, he looks like one of those who attacked us but he smelled different than the men who visited Father. He doesn't smell like a wolf.".
"Because he isn't one." Phoebe spoke up, "He is a Hunter.".
"A Hunter?" Olive exclaimed, "Why is a hunter involving himself with wolves? They hate us, right?".
Phoebe shrugged, "Beats me, he's clearly what I saw when I held this kid.".
"Unless they talked," Kyle commented, "a really good talk.".
This revelation alarmed us. A pack had attacked another pack and for what? A proposal? And a hunter working with wolves, something is about to conspire, that's for sure. I looked at Kyle who was already looking at me. He nodded as he agreed on what I asked him. I then had mind-linked Johnny to request a scheduled meeting with the High Council.
The High Council is like the governing body of our kind, it composes of wolves with the highest order including the Alpha King himself. Only the alphas are allowed to be in a room with them as to conceal the identities of those who are in the council except for the Alpha King. The council has five members with the Alpha King as the top member. Our father was a member of the council until the day he passed on. He mentioned before that the other members of the council have talents and powers that no wolf could ever imagine. Though my father had the gift of controlling the elements around him, it is but a small feature compared to the others. Mother was actually offered a seat after my father's death, her ability to see the future was deemed necessary for the council's use but she declined. They may or may not accept our request for a meeting but I believe this is a delicate situation. Spilling the blood of a fellow wolf even though in the hands of another creature is a felony much like in human society but to our court, the punishment is death. However, this doesn't apply to rogue wolves who left their pack.
Plus I can't ignore the possibility that Jenny might be in danger. The hunter is clearly after the kids but she intercepted. They might target her regardless of whether she's innocent of all of these or not. She was seen with the kids and that frightens me. I just found her but then a situation like this came to our doorsteps.
I should keep her close to me, luckily her work paved a way. I just need to find a way to make her accept those conditions.