The Woodland Packs

“Okay… let me think. Forty-five apartments, times five, at least.”

I didn’t know what she was calculating but I trusted what she was doing in her head.

She caught my eye and continued. “There’s at least two-hundred-and-fifty bear shifters in that den.”

“Ah… say what?”

I couldn’t believe it. That was twice as many as we anticipated.

“Not all of them would fight if they attacked here. There’s children and lots of elderly, too. But I’d say at least a hundred of strong, fighting age. All shifters. Male and female.”

“Whoa.”

Now I was surprised they hadn’t attacked already.

Celeste smiled at me. “You’re wondering why they haven’t wiped you guys out already, aren’t you?”

I nodded. Was I that obvious?”

She began to move around the kitchen, getting things out to make a tomato-based pasta sauce.

She grinned like she already knew the answer. “It’s because they’re lazy, and unorganised, not to mention unfit. To get all of them to attack at one time would be way above their capabilities.”

“So, we have the advantage, then?”

She nodded thoughtfully. “Yes. But what for? You’re not thinking of attacking first, are you?”

“I honestly don’t know, sweetheart, but we can’t wait. We’re sitting ducks.”

We had to improve the security, set up an alarm system.

Something.

We were under attack or would soon be.

Celeste came around the bench and slid her hands around my neck. “Please be careful, Tayte. You know you’re the anchor of this family. We’d all die without you.”

I chuckled as I ran my hand over the swollen belly that housed my child.

“Sweetheart, I have more to live for now, than I ever have.”

But I also had more to protect. More to lose than I’d ever had before.

I kissed Celeste and excused myself.

I needed to talk to Dex or one of the elders. I had to give them the information I had, and perhaps set up a meeting with Celeste.

They’d have more questions, and I was sure she could answer them.

I was stepping out the front door when suddenly Dexter arrived, dragging a bleeding Omega with him.

“Dex! Speak of the devil, I was just coming to find you. What have you got here?”

I didn’t like to step into another man’s pack and tell him how to do his job, but this Omega needed some protection, obviously.

But it wasn’t Dexter’s Omega, so whose was he?

“We found out who the mole was.” Dex spat as he threw the Omega at my feet.