The Lost One

Chapter 34

23 hours.

23 hours, from when Aislinn conceded to their demands and now here she was standing in the cool brisk morning air watching as a convoy of vehicles pulled onto her land.

She stood back a bit. Kio cuddled in her arms. Kaiden with Austin and Blair stood at the top of the front stairs watching as the mismatch of cars, trucks, vans and SUV's pulled to a stop in a massive winding line. Clayton and Richard stood just in front of her each on high alert.

They all watched stiffly as the air stilled, the dust clouds thrown into the air by screeching tires settling and the smell of exhaust fading. Then the silence was broken as wolves began to pour out of the vehicles.

Richard called it the first wave. The first responders to his calls, those most loyal and trusted, closest to them and the strongest.

Their families where being shipped to 3 of her different properties. Olivia, Ethan and Michael had been coordinating the moves all night. Hiding phone calls, GPS signals and electronic trails.

Only those willing to fight. Those willing to die were being brought here.

Kaiden and Richard had personally looked over each one. Digging through files upon files, searching into everything they could get or that Michael could hack and uncover for them.

49 wolves now stood awkwardly and tensely in a loose group before them.

It was easy to see they weren't comfortable.

30 from Heims. They were stiff. All in black. Their boots and heavy camo pants, loaded with weapons backing up Richard's claim that they all hailed from the guard class. They stood in precise lines their faces dark and menacing. Their eyes looked past Kaiden and laid heavily on the visible marks covering Richard's bare chest.

12 warriors from Bellator. Unlike Heims they all weren't older wolves but a mix with some looking around Kaiden's age if not younger. They watched their former heir with trepidation. Their eyes continuously scanning their surroundings.

The smallest group was from Pack Lux. 3 runners and 4 enforcers stood awkwardly together and yet separate. It was easy to pick out the runners with their slighter builds and lanky limbs. They all resembled Olivia in stature, their bodies poised as if to take flight at a moment's notice.

Kaiden cleared his throat drawing all eyes to him.

"Welcome. First let me introduce myself. My name is Kaiden Salvatori and I am Alpha of Pack Argentum Sanguinis." His words were met with hisses of disbelief and scoffs. Holding up his hand to call for silence he continued, "You came here at the request of Richard. You answered a call. It is a call some of you may know the meaning of while others do not"

Kaiden made sure to meet the eyes of every wolf standing before him, he needed to feel them out. He knew all of his pack were doing the same behind him. Aislinn was also watching them. Scanning through their thoughts and minds. Initially she had been opposed to the idea. Eventually he had been able to persuade her that it was the only way to know absolutely whether they could trust any of them.

"There will be a war. We will fight. We called you here because we want ... no we need you to fight at our side."

"Who are you fighting?"

"What war?"

Voices called out, demanding. Kaiden raised his hand again calling for quiet. "Pack Fraser has declared war, sanctioned by the council on no grounds. They say they will come against us tomorrow. But the real war, our real enemy are your former packs. The Alpha's who are corrupted by their power, whose abuses and cruelties cannot be tolerated anymore. We, my pack and I ask you to join us to stop turning a blind eye to everything wrong and twisted and fight to change it."