The Lesser of 2 Evils

KRISTINA, FIGHT OR FLIGHT

As soon as the door is closed, I force my tears to stop. I need to be strong for those left behind with me in this safe room – all are just as frightened as I am and are looking to me as their leader for strength and guidance. Their partners and children are out fighting on my behalf so the least I can do is show I’m worth the damn effort.

Turning to the crowd, I begin helping with the frightened young children who are crying and carrying on. Afterwards I move to the elderly, some of whom feel guilt at not being able to contribute anymore. They need reassurance that they still have value to the pack and while it isn’t in battle, they’re invaluable in many other areas.

I answer questions when I can, comfort where I’m needed and reassure those I must while we all fight our inner fears. My job turns to consolation when we feel the loss of our first pack member, everyone in the pack feeling the impact. The warrior’s immediate family instantly becoming hysterical in their grief while others and myself try to comfort at a time when words have little meaning.

The sensation of death soon feels overwhelming and everyone in the safehouse becomes distraught. Every single wolf knows someone who has died on the battlefield or is close to someone who has so they too are distressed – the entire room is filled with the echoes of woe and misery. I move from person to person, group to group, offering my own tears of sympathy and grief along with theirs as we all mourn our fallen.

Our symphony of sorrow is abruptly interrupted by pounding on the door to the safe room.

“Those aren’t our pack wolves, Kris – those are Alpha Lincoln’s wolves outside that door!” Bella exclaims to me in a panic. I hear her send a cry for help to Gunner while I try to settle everyone down again as the pounding continues. The door is heavy, made out of materials I know nothing about but as the entire wall reverberates with each ‘thump’ they make on the other side of the wall, I worry about how strong it truly is.

“It’s possible that when it was built, they never expected anyone to get in this far, or find the room,” Bella theorizes as I watch the wall physically sway with each hit. I’m not the only one watching and feeling fearful. I was hesitant to bother Xavier while he’s fighting but I’m feeling more and more like it is going to be an inevitability – I think we may be in real trouble here.

“Xavier, Gunner, they’re breaking in. The door won’t hold much longer,” I mindlink as the doorframe begins to splinter. I back everyone up away from the door as far as possible but in a room, there is only so far you can go. I take the front position as their pounding increases in rate, as if encouraged by their destructive progress.

In what seems like seconds yet feels like an eternity, the doorframe gives way, no longer able to sustain the brutal battering. As soon as the door opens, in walks five men I recognize immediately, filling me with dread. All are fierce warriors for Alpha Lincoln who will stop at nothing to achieve their goal, in this case – me. Stepping forward, I place myself firmly between the invaders and my new pack.

“I will come willingly if you spare these people. I give you my word if you give me yours,” I say with all of the confidence in the world that I don’t have. I have absolutely nothing to bargain with – whether I go willingly or not, at this point I’m going with them, all I can do is hopefully save my people. I’m hoping by being strong they will respect that and cooperate – it is the only move I’ve got. One of the warriors moves towards me with a vicious sneer on his face. He grabs me by my hair, pulling me toward him violently.

“Willingly or not, you’re coming with us. As for ‘your people’,” he pauses as if contemplating what to do, whether to let them live or not. Knowing my pack’s ancient beliefs and traditions – he probably is.

“Ahhh, fuck them. We got what we came for – let’s go,” he finally declares, turning to leave the safe room. He pulls me along with him, still holding me by my hair firmly so I have no choice but to follow. I refuse to show weakness and fight the desire to whimper as he continually pulls my hair to the point of bringing tears to my eyes as he force walks me in front of him. Up the stairs out of the basement, through the packhouse and outside into the night we walk.

The closer we get to the fighting, the louder it gets until suddenly everything comes to a complete standstill and quiet overtakes the dark. The clouds move aside and let the moonlight shine just as we clear the trees into a small meadow. There are wolves scattered everywhere, all frozen and staring at me. I can easily scent which wolves belong to our pack and which ones are my old pack so I know that everyone is stopped mid-battle, partnered in pairs or small groups. The warrior walks me right up to Alpha Lincoln, who I would recognize anywhere and pushes me down onto the ground in front of him.

“We found her, Alpha Lincoln,” he says with disgust in his voice. Alpha Lincoln shifts and stands proud in his naked human form, forcing me to keep my eyes on his.

“You’ve been a bad girl, Kristina!” Alpha Lincoln says spitefully as he leans over me, his face a mask of hatred. Before I have the chance to put my hand up in any attempt to defend myself, Alpha Lincoln’s hand raises and he backhands me across my face, knocking me to the ground. In seconds, another large wolf races over and comes to an abrupt stop, standing over top of me in a protective stance.

Gunner.

“What?! What is this? Have you been a whore too?!” He shouts in outrage. Gunner growls and shakes his head, snarling viciously. Then in the blink of an eye he shifts and a naked Xavier is standing next to me.

“Get out of my territory, Alpha Lincoln. Your invasion –“ Xavier starts to say before being interrupted by an arrogant Alpha Lincoln. Arrogant, conceited… insane.

“My invasion means nothing, Alpha Xavier! Not when you were hiding stolen property from me,” Alpha Lincoln declares arrogantly. Grabbing me by my arm, Alpha Lincoln yanks me up into a standing position.

“I should kill you and destroy your entire pack for what you’ve done! But since I have what I came for, we will leave now,” Alpha Lincoln says, turning his back on Alpha Xavier as he attempts to leave. Having no choice, being dragged along by my arm forcibly, I follow.

“Not so fast, you piece of shit.”