BORDER CONTROL

Chapter 17

MABEL ESTHER

"Beta Prescott." I greet him at the mountain's edge, "Lovely to see you."

We grip each other's forearms, the quick pleasantry is over. Some larger numbers of wolves are here. Some are adults and some are pups, we have patrols set up along the mountain borders.

"We have a lot to do here, wolves are gaining on us by the hour." I circle the cave where most of us are located. "The pups won't be able to handle this weather unless they have the right clothes to wear."

As I made it through the second river and glacier, there was a smaller pack made about three hours from here. It is mid-day, we could have younger pups on our backs, as we carry them there. The parents who've made it here are concerned as well, about the new found pack we have created.

"There is a small pack, Scott." I point East of us, "we can go there, take what we need."

"We don't want to cause attention, Alpha." He pros his mate to the side of him from his lap, "if we go east, there is a chance at least one could warn Alpah Ryden."

"There are around one hundred wolves in that pack, some rogues venture around it." I try to reason, "we can give them an ultimatum... Either join us or not join us?"

Beta Prescott gives me a 'really,' look and he rolls his eyes. The plan isn't godly or isn't efficient, but it will get the job done. The North Kingdom is playing dirty, it is about time we even the field.

"We already made the breach and warned the rogues of this all happening, right?" I ask Beta Prescott.

He nods, "the command chain and smaller packs of rogues have been notified. Gamma Yda has been stationed back to recruit for bodies, she had made contact two nights ago at a safe house near here."

There are a few things that we still need to go over regarding the war of bodies we need, but in the meantime, we can get acclimated with better territory. East has the best option for us since we have pups who can not shift.

"I don't think it is a good idea, we can stay here until the snow dies down." Beta Prescott leans forward, "you are still not at full strength, Alpha."

"That shouldn't matter, I can acclimate to the weather." I stand up from the rock I was sitting on, "we need to get going in a few minutes if we want to make it either before sundown."

I look at the group around me, they are all exhausted. Some are shivering together and others are warming up by the fire. If we stay here until he snow dies down, we could be caught up to. If we leave now, we risk maybe one or two wolves along the way. It is a coin toss above all, it needs to make the majority.

"We leave in twenty if you want to stay... Be my guest." I walk away from the group and stand outside the cave we are huddled in. "She-wolves will be shifted and the male will be in human form."

Gathering the pups together, the younger pups will be on the backs of the she-wolves as some older pups will be walking. If you can shift, you will walk unless told to, the males will be first line of defense. I will lead in wolf form until we reach the border for the pack I spotted.

All of us she-wolves shift into our wolves, and white fur sprouts from my skin as my bones shift. My organs shift around to balance the size and my senses become greater. I hear the water under the ice, I see the mice hiding under the snow, and I feel the smooth bottom of the ice layer snow ready to cut me if I step too far. The other wolves shake out their fur and take a moment to look around the snowy plane in front of us.

The males nudge the children to our wolves, the pups climb on the backs of the she-wolves. Each of us is ready to go, I look to my Beta for confirmation and he nods. We take the first steps over the plane towards the glacier mountain hills.