Evolution

10

Ch 10 Defiant

After another morning of doing nothing, Coen's rage made him see red, as his blood smeared the punching bag. Suddenly, the chain holding the bag broke, and it flew into the wall.

"You got quite a punch there, young alpha." One of the Guardians was sitting on a weight bench watching him. Coen snorted derisively.

"Name's Nathaniel, and I get the feeling you aren't too happy with the way things are going," the wolf said.

Coen could feel the alpha power radiating off him, but wasn't intimidated. "My sister and my mate's brother and over a dozen of our children are abducted and may already be sold into goddess only knows what kind of hell and you Guardians sit in my father's office and do nothing," accusing, Coen snarled, "So yes, I am not happy with the way things are going." He effortlessly carried another punching bag over and hung it up. He glanced at his knuckles to see how well they are healing. He realized Trinity's venom must still be in his system because he was healing faster than normal. He wondered how long it would last and made a mental note to ask Metheus.

"So you think we should go out there and get them, is that it, young pup?" Nathaniel question held a tone of contempt.

"I think that if Alpha Commander Langley and the Guardians had done their job and caught this group attacking the smaller packs, clans, and covens. Maybe stopped them from abducting young wolves and walkers over the past six years that you wouldn't be here now, and my sister wouldn't be missing," Coen mocked, and began punching the new bag. "But I am glad my pack warriors could do part of your job and kill fifty-one of them." Sarcasm made him sound hateful.

Unperturbed, Nathaniel eyed him. "Heard you killed nearly a dozen yourself, that your warform got really grumpy. It kept going even after you were hurt pretty bad, and even ran out of the pack hospital to keep fighting." He was fishing and Coen knew it.

The pack had been given an alpha command not to reveal Trinity's ability to heal, but the Guardians were talking to everyone and too much information was getting to them in Coen's opinion.

"I fight hard and heal fast. I do my duty to my pack, their safety and protection are my only priority," Coen grunted, imagining it was Nathaniel's face and not a bag he was punching. He hoped the Guardian would leave, but he just sat there curling weights up and down.

"Your mate's a pretty little thing, unusual coloring, heard she's a hybrid. Is she fae or walker?" Nathaniel asked casually.

Coen paused and looked at his knuckles, as he realized Nathaniel was trying to rattle him, so he snarked back. "Yep, her family's clan was killed, probably by the same rogues and renegades that attacked us. The same ones you Guardians can't seem to catch, but it's only been six years since then, might take a little more time, I guess." He began punching again in three-two combinations. "Or someone's taking bribes to let them run around."

Nathaniel growled at the insult, "You don't like the Guardians to you, pup?"

Coen stopped again and glared openly, challenging the older alpha, "No, no, I do not. And I do not want to spend the next four years of my life doing the bidding of corrupt bureaucrats while my pack needs me to help protect it and the innocent are being abducted and sold like livestock."

"You need to show some respect, pup," Nathaniel growled.

"My grandfather Alpha and Alpha Commander Andrew Rowan taught me respect is earned. Expecting respect for nothing is why there are so many weak packs and weaker leaders," Coen snarled back, ready to fight Nathaniel.

"Coen! Do not take such a tone with another Alpha," Luna Cerese snapped. She stood at the top of the stairs with Trinity by her shoulder. They descended the steps into the basement.