Loving The Beast Within (Sequel to Shifting Love)

Chapter 16: The Pack Meeting

*Dante POV*

I impatiently sat in the library of the Alpha meeting hall. A half an hour earlier I called a pack meeting for both of the packs. I was going to get to the bottom of Theo's betrayal and see just how far into the Hollows' pack it led. I didn't want to believe that anyone else would be on Walter's side but I couldn't risk my mate's life on that.

It seemed like everyone in my pack was on edge. Teague waited outside in one of our trucks. He was guarding Theo, who was caged and chained in the back. But I could feel the tension and anger that his wolf was pulsating off of him. It fed into my own wolf's rage.

Cooper and Keith stood guard outside the library doors. For once, they were both silent. But there wasn't anything to say right now. We took a head count a few hours ago and established that Ari wasn't the only one missing from our pack.

The hunters had stolen Ari's mother, Hannah, Bobby, and Kevin. I snapped a kitchen stool in half when I found out that they had the nerve to take so many from us. Teague hadn't spoken a single word after learning that Kevin was taken.

I dropped my head into my hands. Things were quickly spiraling out of control. Once again I found myself scrambling to come up with a plan to save my mate. Just when I needed her most, the hunters took her away from me. I needed to come up with a plan and fast.

I knew I couldn't wage a war against the hunters on my own. The two packs alone wouldn't be enough. I needed to call the Alphas in for a meeting. As Alpha leader I could demand their packs join me in my war and they would have to comply.

My hand reached out and snatched the Alpha phone off the receiver. I would call Daniel first. He was always on Ari's and my side. After protecting his mate and one of his sons, he would do anything for us.

Someone picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Louis? Is that you?"

"Hello Alpha Dante!" he replied excitedly.

"How come you're picking up the Alpha phone?" I asked curiously.

"Dad is outside with the younger kids in the pack. He's teaching them control."

How ironic, I thought to myself.

"I hate to interrupt but it's an emergency. Could you get him for me, please?"

"Of course, Alpha Dante, do you mind waiting while I go find him?"

"Not at all."

I drummed my fingers against the desk as I impatiently waited for Daniel. The clock up on the wall chimed when the hands hit three o'clock. I only had a half hour to make these phone calls. Christian would be my next call.

"Dante?" Daniel spoke into the phone.

"Hello, Daniel."

"I hadn't heard you were back. Did you find anything?"

"Yes, we found Walter and his camp. He held me and my men captive for weeks, putting us through some kind of experiment. He told Ari that he was trying to take us back to when wolf shifters had no humanity. I only returned because Ari came and rescued me. But that's not what this phone call is about."

"What can I do for you today?"

"I am sorry to interrupt your training with the young wolves but this is very important."

"Did something happen?"

"The hunters came into my territory and stole my mate along with four other pack members."