Controlled Burn (BxB) (Werewolf)

Chapter 26: The Return

As the sun rose on a new day, the Claiborne pack, now bolstered in numbers, prepared for the journey back to their contested territory. Beau set the tone for the day - focused and determined. They loaded up their belongings before coming together to solidify their plans.

"We should drive to the outskirts of Claiborne Parish," Beau suggested. "We can make camp in the woods while a couple of us move in and scout the area near the house."

"Linh can scout it out," Chase said while looking over to the silent she-wolf. Linh nodded, agreeing to the task. "She should be able to get in and out without being detected."

"Maybe someone else should go with her," Callum added. "Someone who knows the area... Beau, Mateo, or Jason."

"I'll go," Mateo volunteered.

"Yeah. Mateo's quick. He won't slow her down," Jason agreed.

Beau nodded approvingly. "So it's settled. Let's hit the road. Follow us."

The drive to Claiborne Parish was a quiet one as the four new werewolves in their van followed Beau's truck. Each member was lost in their own thoughts, mentally preparing for what was to come.

Upon reaching the outskirts of their territory, the vehicles veered off onto a trail leading into the woods. Sometime later, they arrived at the campsite where Beau, Callum, Mateo, and Jason initially hid after the Texarkanas forced them out of their home.

While the rest of the pack set up camp, Mateo and Linh stripped down and shifted into their wolf forms. Seconds later, they darted off and disappeared from view as Mateo led Linh through the backwoods of Claiborne Parish. With Mateo's guidance, Linh was able to sneak as close as possible for a better view of the situation.

Multiple hours passed. The rest of the pack assembled tents, started a fire, and settled in while anxiously waiting for the two scouting werewolves to return. There was even a brief mention of sending out a rescue party for them. Fortunately, the pair returned before the conversation escalated.

The pack waited on bated breath while Mateo and Linh shifted back into their human forms and slipped on some clothes.

"So? What are we looking at?" Beau asked.

"Well," Mateo began, "the trek through the parish went fine. We weren't spotted and things seem to be running as they always do. But for the house, I decided to let Linh scout it without me since they know my scent."

Attention turned to Linh who pulled out a notebook, turned to a blank page, and began sketching with impressive speed and accuracy. She drew the house and a rough outline of the surrounding terrain, essentially creating a map of the area from scratch. Then she began drawing "x" marks on various points of the map. In one spot in the bark yard, she also drew an oval.

Callum counted all the "x" marks. There were thirteen around the map and two on the house. The druid first pointed to the ones around the map. "Are those werewolves?" he asked her.

Linh nodded.

Callum then pointed at one of the marks on the house. "Are one of these a druid?"

She nodded again.

"Thirteen werewolves patrolling around the property plus one werewolf and a druid inside the house," Callum concluded. "I assume the werewolf inside is Otis."

"Probably so," Beau agreed. "But what is this?" he asked while pointing to the oval she drew in the backyard.

"G-R-A-V-E," she wrote out beneath the oval.

Callum and Beau locked eyes before looking back at Mateo and Jason. The four of them didn't need to say a word to know who the grave was likely for. In the moment they shared their glances, they were reminded of the seriousness of what they were planning. Lives were on the line. They weren't preparing for a brawl. They were preparing for the second battle of a war between packs.