Under The Cover of Darkness

-chapter 6-~reconstructing~

Alpha Richmond was a dilf.
Yeah, I know, he's my alpha how weird is that. Oh, you meant it's weird because he's my mates dad? Yeah, probably that too, I do see your point.
Well, as he's standing before my unit and I, I can't help but admire his arms. I mean the dude is what, 50 and still packing? And his hair is somehow a nice dusting of silver throughout his dark brown hair and it's just brushed back like he doesn't need to try! I mean he doesn't, but the audacity! Swoon!
He's pointing at something on a big table map and I decide it's time to look at what his large hands are gesturing towards.
On the big rectangular table in the center of the wooden library, is a map of the surrounding territory. He has little wooden pieces in different shapes and colors intentionally clustered over locations representing units and...
"They've been hiding out here, we believe. Between our sightings of them around the border, and the disturbances we've received reports of along the edges of Friar village, it's highly probable. That's why we've called you all here. As apart of the Silver Oak Alliance it is in my abilities to call on the Silver Oak Forces. We are the only pack in the alliance so far to be targeted, and again, we do not know the reason why." Alpha Richmond straightened your his full height. "We need to get the upper hand on these outsiders before anything becomes of this."
I glanced over at Amanda, and she looked back at me. A smile began to creep onto my face, we're about to embark on our first mission!
"Alpha Richmond," Lieutenant Turner was the first to break the silence, "These wolves, there are many reports of them?"
"There are." The alpha said firmly.
"And the encounters are without violence?"The alpha paused for a moment as if unsure of how to phrase his next sentence.
"There have been no physical altercations reported." Most of the room looked to Turner who seemed to be sorting through the pieces of the puzzle in her mind, "But the encounters have left our pack members with a lot of fear of straying from the border. The stories have raised our eyebrows enough to call in this investigation. Beta Carlson and I see every need to extinguish this threat."
Lieutenant Turned nodded her head thoughtfully.
"Soldiers," she called, addressing us for the first time. "If the targets are possibly dangerous, and especially elusive, how do we proceed?"
She nodded her head towards Clark, a stocky man with black hair a few feet to my left. "We assume they are a threat, Sir. And we attempt to be unnoticed, Sir."
I saw a ghost of a smile affect Turner's cheeks at the correct answer. "And, Spartz," my friend straightened even more beside me, "What gear will we travel with to the canyon?"
I looked at Amanda from the corner of my eye, she paused thoughtfully, "We will want to be prepared for climbing in the Crooked Canyon.I would want a grappling hook. And for unknown threats, light and versatile weapons, like maybe a limit of 3, Sir."
Turner nodded at my friend, "That is correct." She cast her eyes at the red wolves set on top of the picture of Crooken Canyon on the beige colored map. "Clearwater, do you suspect there are any weapons which would be unwise to bring along?" She raised an eyebrow at Henry.
He cleared his throat. I knew the Lieutenant made him nervous. "W-we shouldn't bring... we shouldn't bring ... explosives, Sir" the statement came out as a question, I internally cringed at the inflection.
Instead of pointing it out as she usually did with him, she almost smiled. I mean actually almost smiled! What the hell?
"Clearwater is correct. Soldiers, remember your training as you are packing your things tonight. We are leaving at dawn." She looked up to each of us surrounding the table. "You are all dismissed, I want to see everyone at dinner tonight at 6."
We each straightened out of habit, raising our fists to our chests we chanted, "yes, Sir."
I followed at Amanda's heels and we filed out as a unit into the hallway.
Amanda and I all but ran back to the guest wing to hurry up and pack our gear.
I burst through the door with her right on my heels, "AHHHHHHH!" I yelled and threw myself on the bottom bunk. I quickly sat up and Amanda tossed herself to a seat next to me.
"Danny, do you think we're going to see combat? Oh, I hope so! I want to use my hand to hand skills! I want to put someone to shame!" She sliced her hands through the air, karate chopping an imaginary slab of wood.
I replied with some air choreography of my own, "I'm not sure! I mean, do you think these wolves are even dangerous to begin with? This might just be a civilian mission. But hey, at least we get to propel in the canyon!"
We each squealed in excitement. We'd only ever done such things in practice. Now we were getting to experience what a Silver Oak soldier was made for! We were going to protect our people! The pride and adrenaline was already rushing in my veins. I knew i wouldn't sleep well that night.
There was a knock knock on the thick wood of our white door.
Amanda, without hesitating, rose to answer it. She'd barely opened the door a crack when in barreled two large bodies, immediately filling up the large space.
"Did somebody order champagne?" Charlie revealed a green bottle from behind his back.
"Drinking the night before our first mission?" Amanda asked.
Henry's face slowly grew a cheshire grin, "What else would we do?"
This was classic of Charlie and Henry, always spinning the situation to its peak of comedy and fun. They were life savers when it came to surviving training without going insane.
I knew they'd be my lifesavers again pretty soon, with whatever the field had in store for us.
I looked over at Amanda and Charlie who were chatting about where the best champagne came from in the region. Henry noticed my thoughtful look and approached me, which in our close quarters didn't take long.
He slung an arm over my shoulder, "Think you're ready for combat, private?"
I grinned and tapped my plastic cup to his, "I believe I am, private." I looked up at his excited face, reflecting my own.
Just then a second knock sounded on the wooden white door. Henry and I looked at Charlie and Amanda, who looked right back at us. Charlie placed the bottle of champagne behind the bed post, out of sight from the door way and Amanda went to open the door once again.
Amanda was tall, taller than me by several inches, but whoever was on the other side of the door was taller.
I saw the dark brown hair and I felt my eyebrow raise before I heard the voice.
He cleared his throat, "Is Danny here?"