Wolves of the West

Chapter Six

There were a few tales about werewolves. Many of them had even spread to the humans. Most of it was fictional, and purely ridiculous, but there was some truth sprinkled in those fables. One of the ludicrous ones was that werewolves were forced to shapeshift in the full moon. It is true that they loved shifting and running together as a pack during the full moon, but it was mainly to honor the Moon Goddess.

But there was one that had some semblance of truth in it. And that was the weakness that werewolves have to silver. Now, they wouldn't die or anything when exposed to it, but the silver cuts of the connection that people have to their wolves. That meant no pack link, no shifting, nothing. It was how she knew that Selene was blocking her, instead of other alternatives. Because she could still feel Selene. But she couldn't feel the missing members. They were either being repressed by silver, or they were dead. It better be the former, or she will make Alpha whatever-his-name regret it.

Diana herself had used this property of silver to her benefit. For example, the wolves in the basement, now humans, were bound in silver to cut them off from their pack. They were even blindfolded and deafened. Not permanently. Her pack weren't savages. They used black cloth and mufflers. So that her members could converse around them.

The point is that she had four pack members, including one who had barely reached adulthood, missing. Members she was responsible of. Members who had trusted her. And they have been abducted. They could possibly be dead.

With that thought, despite the healers' and her brother's best efforts, she made them dress her wounds and marched off towards the basement.

But it was of no use.

"We don't speak to savages," One of them spoke with a snarl.

"No, you just rip their throats out," Diana agreed, obviously bitter with what went down with her sister, and Hunter merely sighed beside her. Hey, given that she usually made strangers join her pack, leave her territory or she would actually kill them, she was a bit out of her depth when it came to... interacting with prisoners. But wait.

"We should probably get their injuries looked at, though," she told her brother, and he sighed again, torn between exasperation and despair. What? Those scratches and bite marks may get infected, and then where would they be? With dead prisoners and nothing to bargain with. She was only thinking things through. Though, would their Alpha agree to such an exchange?

She'd hate to admit it, but her four warriors were more important than the four of his they captured. Not because she was being biased or anything but because of the number of warriors they had. While her pack used to be one of the largest, it was probably not the case now. Not after he had conquered six packs.

Thus if you actually compare, the loss of four men would cripple her more than him. So would he actually be willing to trade?

All this thinking was giving her a headache.

"Ok, this is how it's gonna go." And in a flash, she had ropes and Healer Lisa at hand. She used the rope to gag the strangers, just so that they wouldn't be able to take a chunk out of Healer Lisa while she did her work. Now, Lisa may sometimes agitate her, but she didn't want her dead. Or injured. After all, she was a responsible leader who understood that pack members could have different personalities.

Lisa did quick work, applying the salve as sparingly as possible. Diana gave her a look at that, but she that stubborn healer did not budge. "Salve doesn't grow on trees."

It literally does, she had wanted to say, but refrained from doing so by the skin of her teeth. She was a serious Alpha. She won't spend time bantering with her pack members missing. "Anyway, we're going to take off the silver for one of you," she told the blindfolded men. She looked at each of their faces and kicked the feet of the one nearest to her. "You."

Jace growled at that, all for ripping out their heads, and she silenced him with a glare. She got it. His mate, Alice, was part of the patrol that didn't return. His wolf was probably livid and bloodthirsty. Not a good combination. Luckily, she is around to think rationally.

"And you-" she addressed, taking off the bracelet and makeshift gag for said enemy. "Are going to use the link to tell your Alpha that he can have all of you back in one piece as long as he does the same with the members he took." She is assuming that he treasured his members, of course. And if he didn't? Well maybe her pack could have four new members.

The said guy... She's going to call him Judas, went silent for a while, his repressed wolf surfacing. She could read the anger in his eyes. But he had to comply, and he knew it. So he went silent, using his pack link. And then he grinned nastily. His teeth still bloody from the fight.

"He wants the white wolf."

It was funny how his voice could be hoarse from the lack of water and yet sound so smug at the same time. Maybe giving them salve was too nice. She should have rubbed salt and lemon into his wounds and laugh while they screamed.

No, Diana. No time for that.

"Yeah... No," She replied shortly, sharing a glance with Hunter. Hunter was of the opinion that they should kill their enemies and launch a surprise attack on Alpha whoever. Stop his conquests. Problem solved. She, however, would rather not go into battle if she could help it. But Judas and his pals didn't need to know that. "How about we do the exchange and our pack won't seek any retribution on the unnecessary attack on our pack member earlier today."

Judas laughed at that. And that sound had resulted in growls behind her. Even Healer Lisa was growling at his nerve. She rubbed her forehead in return.

"How about the white wolf and we don't attack you? We will even give you back your- " And he sneered. "Pack members as a sign of good faith."

"Okay." Diana agreed, knowing that they wouldn't get anywhere after the previous 'offer'.

She'll just find a way to kill this Alpha when they met for the exchange. Because there was no way he was laying a hand on her sister.

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Author's Note:

So we're at two updates this week! Yes, it was half of last week, but it's a lot more sustainable for me in the long run. 

Thank you so much for all the support! Almost 150 reads! For an original story! I'm so happy and grateful.

The next chapter is the one everyone is waiting for! It is NOT gonna be pleasant hehe.

Alright see you all next week! Keep the votes and reviews coming! And I hope you continue to enjoy the story.