The Rise-Book II

Chapter 31: Man Hunt

The breeze was warm today. I looked out into the valley, the valley that was clear of wolves and full of green grass that looked soft like a new blanket. Trees lining either side rustled as the wind swept through it, carrying scents of our pack and blood that still stained the dirt to my nose.

Blood.

It was still painted over the valley. The valley would have looked picturesque if there hadn't been splotches of what looked like bright red kook-aid stained on the ground.

Eyes were on us. Ethan and I stood in front of our pack that was gathered in front of the pack house facing the valley. Some of the members chose to stay home, we didn't make this mandatory. It wasn't going to be a sight that all should see.

We had called them together not long after we had coffee in the kitchen. Ethan wanted to handle this early, as did I. I wanted to be finished with this final puzzle piece so we could get back to work the other moving parts that hovered like a dark cloud over our heads.

Evan stood next to Ethan with Lyanna on his side; our heads snapped in the direction of shuffling as it approached. Jake had warriors bring out the three wolves that had helped Tate and caused a royal shit show last night.

Wolves in our pack snapped at them, spat at their feet as they walked by, and licked their fangs at the sight of the traitors.

Jake stood them to the side, in line of our sight, but not between us and our pack; we wouldn't let wolves such as them get between us and our pack.

Ethan looked over before Levi nodded to him as he, Lander, and Claire walked out with Liam and Evangeline behind them.

"Last night, as I am sure most of you are aware, we had–well we had a damn good mess on our hands–" Ethan paused as members of the pack nodded with tired eyes. "In order to explain to you what happened, I want to explain to you what has happened and has been happening. Ten years ago, you know now that Emmett and Lucy, as well as our former alpha and luna, were part of the group of rebels that fought against the treaty and had direct hands in the attack on this pack.

"Since then we, including myself, all thought it was over and behind us. But unfortunately not all of it is behind us–" People gasped and voices broke the silence while mothers grabbed their children and mean snarled at the thought.

Ethan let out a hot breath then growled out loudly to them, shushing them to a silence so still that we could have heard someone blink.

I gave his hand a light squeeze before he took a breath and continued. "I need you all to listen and save your questions for the end, understand?"

"Yes alpha," the pack murmured back.

"Thomas was lying to us about rogues coming across the border. Charlotte indeed did see rogues and Thomas was trying to cover it up. Emmett and he were both responsible for the attack at my mate's cabin and the attack on Charlotte and Andrea in the woods.

"We don't know everything yet, but we do know that Emmett has been lying to all of us and trying to disrupt the peace that the treaty provides us. Charlotte and I are working hard with the help of the Tikanni and Lusa packs in order to get to the bottom of everything so we can keep all of you safe.

"We need to work together and help keep each other safe. If anyone knows anything, you need to come forward and speak to us. If you come forward now and are honest and forthcoming to Charlotte and I, then I can give you my word that no harm will come to you.

"As for last night, we had moved Emmett, Lucy, Larissa, and Tate to our cells so we could further question them. We received word that something had happened and found out upon reaching the cells that Emmett, Lucy, and Larissa decided to take their own lives–"