SOLOMON

CHAPTER 41

AYLA

The tent was bright, making me squint my eyes open. The morning had come.

I felt content knowing that I had the best sleep in my whole life. I couldn't believe I didn't have one nightmare.

I rolled over the face Solo, but was met with an empty space.

What the heck? I sat up and looked around. He's not here. I instantly get up and climb out of the tent. Everyone was doing their own morning routines normally, but I didn't see him.

I remembered he had information for Xander. I went to the big tent, and saw Xander, Eddie, Lincoln, Noah and all of their mates, as well as my own. 

It was dead silent. Xander was sitting there, bouncing his knee anxiously. Soul was sitting on a stool with his head down in his hands. All of them looked stressed. 

"What's going on?" I announced myself. I went to my mate and laid my hand on his head, "Solo?"

He raises his head to me, "Hey, little wolf," He takes my hand and kisses it. 

"What is going on?"

Solomon sighed, "When I was captured and tortured. I heard some of the wolves talking. They have so many allies, Ayla. I'm not sure we can win this war."

My heart had fallen into the pit of my stomach, "What do you mean?" I said quietly. 

"They have too many people backing them up, " Xander cuts in, "Kendrick has convinced other packs that our pack needs to get stood down. They believe that we are an evil pack that feeds on the good of others. And so there has been a secret movement among the lower ranked packs. They have banned together into a rebellion. They have pledged their allegiance to Kendrick in hopes of bringing us down from the top rank."

I felt my kness weaken. We are done for. We can't win this. 

"What will we do?" I asked shakily. 

Xander stands up and says, "We will fight."

My eyes widen as did everyone else's. 

"But Xander, they will slaughter us all." Izzy protested. 

Xander shrugs, "There is a reason why they are in the lower ranks and we are the highest. We are a powerful pack as well as a smart one. They need reminding of that."

Soul stands up and shook his head, "You don't get it Xander, there will be too many of them to count. There could be hundreds if not thousands of them. It's impossible to win this."

"I cannot die knowing I ran from this. I would rather die knowing I fought for my pack, for my family. Kendrick has thought he had broken us, he thought he had starved us out. He has abused our females, he has abused Milo, he has abused this pack. No more. I will not take it. So let them come. Let them come and know what happens when you mess with this pack."

Guilt ate at me. I had brought this upon them. Blood is on my hands. I killed people by coming back here. I shouldn't have escaped Kendrick. I shouldn't have stayed. That way Solo and Milo wouldn't be in danger. 

I didn't know what to do or how to think. 

Solo bows his head towards his brother, "I will follow you, Xander. Once I am all healed up, which shouldn't take too long. We'll set up for one hell of a battle."

In a haze of panic, I shouted, "No!"

Everyone fell quiet and stared at me. 

"We can't go to war like this, it will only end with blood stained on this land. You need time to get stronger,"