34 Thunder

♔Eustacia (P.O.V)

"Tristen, did they say who they were?" I ask as I follow behind him.

"No, all I know is that there's two of them," he says, shrugging his shoulders gently, keeping focused on the path ahead.

"You've already said that," I groan, knowing I probably sound like a child. Even more, since I'm trailing behind him like a lost puppy.

"I can't give you answers I don't have to answer to," he chuckles as he glances over his shoulder to look at me.

I scrunch my nose up at him in response. "Well, thank you, smartass," I sigh, crossing my arms angrily.

"Hey, I'm your smartass," he states, beaming with pride as he puffs out his chest.

I roll my eyes, "you're not mine yet."

"But- hear me out-" he spins around and gently grabs my shoulders, "I could be," he coos wiggling his eyebrows.

I poke his nose, laughing at him, and gently push him away, "eh- I dunno," I tease.

He twirls back around and begins walking toward his office once more, nearly there. "Ouch, my heart," he says, looking at me as he opens the door to his office.

Four people stand there almost in a circle talking amongst themselves.

Felix, with his blond boy-band haircut, stands furthest to the right. He's dressed in an informal sky blue hoodie with the word 'handsome' the middle, the hole where the strings were are empty. His white-colored jeans are shredded all through the front side of them, as the bottom of the pants falls over a solid black pair of DC skate shoes.

The slightly shorter guy to Felix's left has his short red hair spiked on top and shaved down the sides of his head. His eyes shine a vibrant yellow, a pained expression plastered across his face. He wears a solid black hoodie, black sweatpants, and no shoes or socks. He's most likely, Luka.

The female-male pair holding each other to Luka's right is familiar to me, the woman has light blonde hair styled into a medium bob cut and her mate tattoos shine elegantly against her neck pairing with her white strapless sundress and white flats. The male is a tall man, his black hair slicked back wearing a blue button-down shirt and blue jeans, casual black boots snuggly fit his feet.

Shock vibrates through my bones. My eyes start to burn as a liquid rushes down my face, quickly I bolt forward and squeeze the petite woman in my arms. "Le-a-ah," I sob between breaths.

Leah's arms wrap around me instantly hugging me almost as tight as Tristen did when he first found me. "Oh my god," she bellows. "Eustacia- Eustacia, look at me," she pleads.

Between sobs and all the sniffling, I look up at her face, her eyes are puffy as tears roll down them flowing against her cheeks.

She gropes my cheeks like Tristen has done countless times since I've been here and kisses me smack the center of my forehead. "Thank god you're safe," she whispers.

Over time we eventually became friends, I wasn't really close to Gedeon but Leah was. Leah- well Leah, she was supposed to come with me and my father the day he died, but her father had been shot by a hunter. Her father, too, died that day. She promised me that we would be together forever that day, then Flynn ruined that once he became alpha. I still don't know why, but he did.

So, she promised to leave on her eighteenth birthday and find me help. However, when she went to tell Gedeon bye, she found out he was her mate. She didn't want to ruin Gedeon's chance at being beta. Since Flynn was promoted to alpha, it meant Gedeon himself moved up a rank, and it was something he always talked about as a kid.

Leah squeezes me tighter against her chest, her breasts practically suffocating me. "Does he treat you right?" She asks, growling lowly.

"Can't- breathe," I gasp for air.

"Sorry, sorry," she says, releasing me from her grip allowing me to get a deep breath of air.

"Yeah- he's- great," I wheeze heavily bending over placing my hands on my knees.

"You've been gone a week, but you already look so much better," she coos, lifting me up straight by my shoulders, she starts looking over my body.

Gently she prods my left breast. "You know, you already had a good package for being malnourished, you can thank your werewolf blood for that, but now you look fantastic!" She howls in delight. "Your skin is darker, your eyes are brighter, your hair is actually clean, you have real clothing, and mmm damn girl," she pauses, kissing her hand, "you look fine."

My face burns red hot, and I instantly flee behind Tristen's back, poking my head out from under his right arm. "She violated me," I whisper jokingly.

If it wasn't for Gedeon being her mate, everyone assumed she would be mated to a female. She's just naturally gravitated towards us.

Tristen laughs his husky laugh, while Felix, Gedeon, and even stone face Luka all have confused expressions, and jaws dropped. "Alright, ladies, as much as I enjoy this reunion, you're here for a reason. What's happening?" He questions, looking back and forth to Gedeon and Leah.

Luka steps forward and slightly bows his head and stands back up. "I did as you asked, I watched the pack closely. Over the week I have witnessed weapons of war being forged, hunters allied, poisons being created, and rogues being trained. I couldn't get close enough to the alpha to figure anything detailed out, but I came across Leah. She thought I was a rogue, until she saw my eyes, and asked for help. Gedeon showed up and then I brought them back here, they have information only the alpha knows," he states monotonously, returning to his position beside Felix.

"Gedeon, right? What can you tell me?" Tristen questions him, his alpha tone booming against the walls.

Leah grabs Gedeon and holds onto him as he begins to speak. "I'm- I was the Beta of the Rushing River pack. I worked closely with Flynn, but never considered him a friend. After all, he's a loose cannon, he has a lot of problems and I don't even know the reasons behind most of them," he sighs softly, hugging his mate tighter to his body.

"After Eustacia left, he snapped. Emma, the girl he marked, spoke against him, and he decapitated her with his bare hands. I do know that his wolf has left him and the pack isn't aware of it."

"So, he's vulnerable?" Tristen questions, pulling me in tightly.

Sickness bubbles in my stomach, he killed Emma, his wolf has left him. What would've happened to me if Tristen didn't bring me here? Things could have gone completely different, and for all, I know I could've been dead.

After spending time with Tristen, I don't think I want that.

I want to keep on living here, with him, even though I'm scared.

"Not necessarily," Gedeon states, breaking me out of my thoughts.

Almost instantly, it clicks. The serum.

"He plans on injecting himself with the foxglove, doesn't he?" I ask, my voice so low even I could barely hear it.

Gedeon's face drops to a grim look of despair. "Yes, and he had a way to turn back instantly too. Since his wolf is gone he won't be able to shift on his own, not without help. That's where this came in," he says holding up a vial of an almost dark purple liquid, "this is the serum to turn him back into a human. Which he gave to me, to turn him back if he had to use it."

I look up at Tristen, his face hardens, he's clearly gritting his teeth. "What's he planning on doing?" Tristen growls, causing Leah to shake for a split second.

"He's going to attack your pack at the strike of three in the morning. They'll leave there at midnight tonight," he states calmly.

"Do you know what they plan?" Tristen asks, rubbing his hand through my hair.

Gedeon nods his head. "He has claws made out of silver fashioned for the werewolf paws, they are designed so that when they are slammed against the opponent, it releases a spring that injects wolfsbane. They'll be on the front lines. They have a few witches that will be in the back providing healing and boosts. The hunters will have bows laced with something he calls Wolf Hunter, a mixture of liquid silver and wolfsbane," Gedeon says sending a chill up my spine.

I'm all too aware of that liquid, Emma is the one that created it, and it was created for me. Given I just found out about my heritage, I would hate to see what it'll do against a normal werewolf.

"Thank you," Tristen states softly, pulling me into his chest he kisses the top of my head.

I look up at his face, anger flusters his handsome features until he looks down at me. Within seconds, his face becomes bright, and a smile spreads across his face. "Can they join us?" I question quietly.

His eyebrows furrow as he boops me on my nose with his right pointer finger his gazes meet that of Gedeon and Leah once more. "Would you like to join our pack?"

Leah perks right up and rushes toward me and Tristen, embracing us in a hug. "Yes! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! Anything to be with Stacy again!" She squeals, using a name I haven't heard in years. Stacy, something my father and everyone close to me used to say.

Gedeon and Tristen both chuckle, Gedeon, shaking his head as he hides his face with his hands. "I guess that decides my answer too," Gedeon sighs sarcastically. "If you would allow it, I would like to help prepare everyone these next few hours. I know the blueprints for the claws, and I know how they will fight. Please, let me prove we don't mean any harm to this pack or Eustacia," Gedeon pleads.

Tristen picks me up bridal style and holds me tightly. "I'll allow it. Felix, take him outside and gather the warriors, rogues, smiths, anyone that will be of use. Also, ask Evelyn if she knows any witch friends, we might need them," he orders, "First, I need to take this thing back into my room so she won't get in trouble," he says glaring at me as he begins to walk toward our bedroom through the already open office door.

"What?" I squeak. "I just want to help," I groan defiantly.

"It's great you're so strong-willed and have started to feel better, but it doesn't mean I'm willing to lose you. You, all the women who have children, children, and our elders, will be put into a safe house. I will have it guarded, so you don't get any smart ideas about joining us when it's time," he states assertively.

I roll my eyes at him and sigh heavily. "Only if Leah joins me in that prison."

"Fine by me," he states.