The Silver Guardian Bk. 02 Ch. 04

Dante bellowed, "Inside now, there are more starting to respond out here!"

They all surged into the Pack House as Bryn used suppression fire to keep the wolves responding outside from immediately following them. Once inside, they realized they were in the food prep area of the Pack House. The Pack members inside screamed, and many ran away while others froze and put their hands up.

"Ignore them and let's move!" Lily called out as they immediately worked their way deeper into the house. They were on the ground floor of three stories, and quickly made their way into the main great room, where there was a grand staircase on each side, leading up to the higher levels. Several more wolves were coming down the stairs with blades and axes, although no guns, and Dante realized this must be a bit of an old-fashioned Pack with few using firearms. Astrid and the Hellhounds split up and engaged the wolves, quickly silencing them before regrouping. Dante thought quickly and called out.

"The Alpha quarters are likely on the top floor, so let's move now before we have to engage any more of them!"

They raced up the stairs and made their way to a large ornate set of double doors on the top floor that they assumed led to the Alpha quarters. They saw many more Pack members as they moved through the house, but none of them engaged, but either watched them pass by, or ran from them. Dante kicked in the double doors, shattering them as their team swept into the room. It was a large and luxurious master suite, but there was no sign of Alpha Bruce or Madame Alpha Tammy. A large wolf came running up the stairs and entered the room as the Hellhounds spun around and raised their rifles. The large wolf came skidding to a stop and threw his hands up.

"Woah woah woah! WAIT!! I'm not part of this mess!"

Dante signaled for the Hellhounds to hold as he addressed the interloper.

"Who are you and what are you doing here? So long as you don't attack us or make any aggressive move, we won't cut you down. Speak quickly."

The large wolf squared his shoulders and gained control of himself before he spoke.

"My name is Cain Levitt. I am Lead Beta and the only Level 5 in the Great Lakes Pack. I am not here to fight you. I have never agreed with the direction my Alphas have taken the Pack recently or their alliance with Viktor Petrov. I have been forced to go along with many things I detested lately due to the Alpha Command, but if you're here for a regime change, I support what you are about to do. I am still under Alpha Command, so I cannot assist you other than to tell you that my Alphas are currently hiding in their safe room. I will do my best to keep as much of the Pack as I can away from you, but some of us are just as dark and twisted as our leadership has become, and they will come to stop you. I do not ask for their lives, but I do ask for the lives of those of us who still follow Luna's path."

Dante gained eye contact with Lily, who nodded minutely in agreement with his intentions, which she didn't need to ask about.

"Rest easy Cain, what you ask we can promise, and when this is done we will speak to you about where we go from here. Go now to protect your Pack, and keep as many as possible from interfering here or their lives are forfeit."

Cain nodded before he slowly backed out of the room before turning and heading downstairs towards the rest of the house to try and stop anyone else from attacking.

Dante posted two of the Hellhounds near the entrance to the suite to watch for anyone else coming to attack, while the rest of them started combing through the rooms to find the entrance to the safe room.

The search took around twenty-five minutes, and during that time two more suicidal wolves charged to the attack and were cut down, but the rest of the Pack stayed away. Eventually Astrid had found a false panel in one of the walls and had pried it open to reveal a reinforced solid steel door leading to the safe room.

Dante stepped up with Lily at his side and examined the door. It was extremely stout and would be very difficult to breach under normal circumstances, but Dante thought that with his lightning he would be able to breach it without too much trouble. He turned and spoke to Lily.

"Baby, I'm going into my other state and then will weaken the door and force my way inside. The Alphas will likely be ready and start attacking the moment I enter. I want you ready, and to watch my back while I finish this."

Lily nodded and kissed him deeply before she drew her daggers and started to focus her own power.

Dante took a deep breath, focusing himself and reaching for his War God state as he breathed out a bluish mist and electricity began to race across his skin. With the room glowing a bright blue-white, he stepped up to the door and lay both hands near the locking mechanism, then roared out, shaking the room before unleashing a powerful bolt of lightning into the door, softening the metal by beginning to melt it. He pulled back his right arm and stepped into the blow as he drove his fist against the softened section. With a loud groan the metal gave way, and as the door opened, Dante rushed in. Bullets started coming from his left as he saw a large man firing an assault rifle directly towards him. Ignoring the hail of bullets, Dante grunted and surged forward to drive a lightning-charged clawed hand through the wolf's chest, killing the twisted Alpha instantly.

While Dante was dealing with the Alpha Lily had raced in, shielded from the bullets by her mate, and saw a brown wolf lunging at her. As fast as lightning, she spun around to build momentum for a kick and slammed the Madame Alpha against the back wall, stunning her. Lily then lunged forward and drove both daggers into the wolf bitch's chest, silencing her forever.

It was now over, but Lily still had to pull Dante back to her. He was standing motionless, his muscles straining, taut and trembling as he struggled to contain his power, breathing deeply as a glowing vapor poured out of his mouth. Lily smiled at him and walked towards him confidently, never afraid of her love and King. She noticed he was bleeding from gunshot wounds in his side and left arm and she frowned, worried about him being in pain and angry that the fucker would have injured her Dante.

"Dante my love, my King, you're injured, and I need to heal you and bring you back to us. Breathe baby, I'm here. She put her hands over the two seeping wounds, her hands glowing with a brilliant green as emerald light poured out of them. Her emanation blended with his own glow and with the electricity that was still racing around him. Two bullets soon worked their way out of his body, and his skin begin to knit itself closed. Within moments there was no evidence of any wound, and Lily moved her hands up to stroke his face and neck as she pressed herself against him, cooing softly and calming the beast inside. She leaned up and kissed him deeply, as the signs of their power faded away, and shortly afterwards Dante was himself again, relaxing and leaning back against the steel wall. Lily broke away from their kiss and looked up into his eyes, smiling.

"Welcome back, my love. It's now over."

Dante smiled wearily back at her. "I'm tired now, but at least I no longer pass out after I go there. Thank you for healing me love, you always have my back, and the ability to protect and soothe me. I love you."

Lily hugged Dante tightly. "Always my love, always."

Astrid walked in, ignoring the two bodies in the room.

"My King and Queen. The fighting is over, but we need to gather the remainder of the Pack and explain what just happened and why we killed their leaders. We have to rebuild them; they can't be left like this."

Dante gathered his wits. Life goes on.

"Yes, we need to get started on that immediately. Astrid, you and Bryn please go find Cain and bring him here. He's the most dominant wolf remaining in the Pack and will need to be their new Alpha. Lily and I will discuss things with him and ensure he is truly on our side. I saw no deception in what he said earlier, but we need to double check that. Assuming he is as he presented himself, we'll explain how things will be going forward and why all this happened, and then we will gather the Pack and address them all."

***

It was nearly an hour later, and Dante and Lily were standing in front of a large fireplace in one of the main halls with the entire Pack squeezed tightly in. Their talk with Cain had gone well, and he was true to what he had originally claimed. It took some time to explain who they were, though Cain had guessed easily enough why they came, having been aware of his Alpha's homicidal plans. When Dante and Lily explained what they intended to do now that they'd cleaned house so to speak, Cain agreed to help, and to assume the role of Alpha. It was understood that from here forward there would no longer be any cooperative interaction with Viktor's faction, a requirement with which Cain readily agreed, and instead the Great Lakes Pack would be teaming themselves with Dante and Lily and their alliance.

Dante stepped forward slightly and boomed out into the hall so everyone could hear him.

"My name is Alpha King Dante Silvrash, the Silver King and Luna's own Silver Guardian. I am Alpha of the lost Royal Pack, the Order of Fenrir. With me is my mate and Great Love, Alpha Queen Lily Silvrash the Emerald Queen, and Madame Alpha of the Royal Pack. We have not come to destroy your Pack, although I am sure many of you are quite confused and possibly even fearful after our execution of your Alphas. For the unavoidable melee we are sorry, but we are here to help guide you back into the true path that Luna has always intended for our kind. Your deceased Alpha pair had betrayed Luna, and in doing so betrayed us, just as they betrayed your Pack. Lily and I are Luna's voice: champions handpicked by our Mistress Herself and fated to reunite our race and cleanse our kind of those who have turned away from our Mistress, those who have perverted our kind and our ways. A darkness fell upon our land long ago, and we are here to serve as a torch that burns this darkness away and cleanses all who remain.

"Oppression has come to our land, war will envelop all of North America, and we will crush all those who oppose our Goddess. That is why we attacked, not to destroy your Pack, but because your Alphas had sided with Viktor Petrov and his forces, and they had attempted to have us killed. But our primary mission was, and still is, to build alliances and fight against those who would destroy us all. We will help you to rebuild and grow into a Pack that once again you can all be proud of, as you walk Luna's path once more. Walk this path that we lead you on, and we will protect you and help you to prosper. Turn away from this Pack though... and we will destroy you. We are not here as destroyers, but we will do what we must, and what our Goddess has tasked us with."

Dante finished speaking at that point and looked around the crowd to make sure his points had sunk in. Lily then stepped up beside him.

"Our friends, we mean what we say, and we also mean it when we say we will be your staunchest allies, so long as you remain true to Luna. Luna loves all of her children that are worthy, as do Dante and I who are heirs to her First Descendants and Chosen Champions. But no longer will She tolerate what some of our kind have become. Therefore you must choose: do you submit to Luna's Will and our rule, or do you reject us?"

With that, everyone in attendance went to one knee and bared their throats in submission. From the oldest of the Elders to the youngest child, they all submitted. A sense of calm and hope soon permeated the room, comforting everyone.

Lily spoke again, "We accept your submission and your alliance. Be at peace; we are here to help you all and to rebuild. This is a time of new beginnings and hope: you will soon become so much more than you were."

Dante motioned for Cain to join them. Dante addressed the Pack again.

"Cain was your only Level 5 Beta and except insofar as he was coerced to do so by Alpha Command, which he was brave enough to resist as strongly as he could, he has never betrayed you and your Pack, nor did he betray Luna. He is strong and he is worthy, and from henceforward will lead your Pack as your new Alpha."

A cheer went up in the room, and it was clear that the Pack felt they had a new leader who would care for and provide for them far better than they had experienced in some time. Cain motioned for his mate to join him, and a graceful chestnut-haired woman 5'7" tall came to his side before he bellowed out to the Pack.

"I am Alpha Cain Levitt of the Great Lakes Pack, and here is your new Madame Alpha Jessica Levitt. Do any here wish to challenge me for the right to lead our Pack?"

No one said a word of challenge, and smiles of joy and hope were on nearly everyone's faces.

The next several hours were filled with much discussion as Dante and Lily, along with Cain and Jessica, issued orders for the cleanup and repair of the Pack House, as well as bringing the Pack up to speed on what had just transpired, and the status of the war that was developing. By the time some semblance of order and normalcy had returned, it was nighttime, and Dante and Lily both were exhausted and in need of rest. Cain and Jessica (who had already demonstrated herself as strong and kind, and a very intelligent and lovely woman who would make a fine Madame Alpha) led them to a suite where Lily and Dante could rest for the night. They had retrieved the Bentley and stored it in the large garage, and they had gathered their luggage into their rooms. Due to the severe changes in the Pack and the suddenness of everything, it was decided that Astrid and the Hellhounds would set up a watch cycle to guard the suite, just in case something had been missed. Two of the Hellhounds would rest, and then relieve the other two, so they could stay fresh and ready.

Dante and Lily took a long, hot shower as they softly discussed the chaos they had recently experienced and processed everything that had happened. So much had been thrown at them in such a short period of time, that they were beginning to run down and would soon need to rest and recover for a few days. They would remain here for a few more days before finally heading back to the O'Connor Pack to rest and recharge before the next alliance council meeting.

They laid down in bed, as Lily snuggled into her favorite spot on Dante and fell into a deep slumber.

***

The next morning began late since Dante and Lily had to catch up on some much-needed rest, but it was still going to turn out to be a busy day. The cleanup and disposal of the bodies was completed and the repairs on the Victorian mansion were underway. Cain and Jessica spent some time moving into their new Alpha suite, and went though their ceremony to form the new Alpha bonds in the Pack, which Dante and Lily guided them through.

Dante and Lily knew they couldn't leave the Pack vulnerable as it now was, given the loss of the wolves that had been eradicated. It turned out to be sixteen wolves that had perished, those being the two prior Alphas, plus fourteen warriors and Betas. To leave them down that many warriors would be unacceptable, as it would seriously compromise their ability to defend themselves in such close proximity to Viktor's turf.

Lily was the one to come up with a solution. She reached out to every Pack in their alliance and spoke with each Pack's Alpha, explaining the situation and a brief overview of what had happened. She asked for one or two of their unmated warriors, either male or female, to be sent to the Great Lakes Pack to reinforce it, and to rebuild the Pack strongly enough for them to stand safely on their own. By the time she was finished, she had arranged for twelve warriors who would arrive within forty-eight hours to stay at the Pack House and bolster the newly remade Great Lakes Pack.

Work continued on the house and the Pack for a few more days, and the new warriors arrived and got settled in. It was time to head back to their home with the O'Connor Pack. They had set out over two weeks ago to meet with four Packs and gain new alliances, and they were going to come home with four new alliances. They had done everything they intended, and they both needed and deserved a break. The one thing they had done for themselves while they were helping to repair the Pack House was to have the bullet holes in their rented Bentley invisibly patched so there would be no pesky questions from law enforcement when they dropped it off.

The next morning, after they had given the newly arrived wolves a day to begin integrating into the Pack, they loaded up their Bentley and headed back to the airport where they returned the Bentley, boarded their jet and headed back to Montana and their mountain cabin they had so missed.

***

They landed at Glacier Airport in the late afternoon before loading themselves into the vehicles they had left there. Lily and Dante were in Lily's armored truck, while Astrid and the Hellhounds were in an SUV borrowed from the O'Connor Pack. They would remedy their lack now that they were back for a little while by purchasing their own vehicle, since they now knew they would be staying in the USA for some time.

Dante and Lily had spoken to them about the subject on the flight back, and had approved the expense. They felt a bit silly about riding herd on what appeared to be a limitless fortune that had been in other people's hands for centuries and they said so, but in her no-nonsense way, Astrid told them that it had been governed by a trust that had now been dissolved since the Royal Heirs had at last been found, and it was their job now unless and until they delegated it. She did unbend far enough to recommend the Finance Head of their Pack as honest, reliable and competent, so as soon as possible Dante and Lily planned on working remotely with the wolf, who also turned out to be a Chartered Accountant (as CPA's were often called in Europe) to set up access to their own money as well as to the Pack money for the Order of Fenrir, their Royal Pack. They had a few other small tasks to complete, and then in a little over a week would preside over the next alliance council meeting.

They eventually pulled through the gates of the O'Connor compound and parked behind the Manor House. Lily and Dante didn't unpack, as they intended to bring Mom and Dad up to speed and then retire to their own Cabin for a few days of well-earned rest. Astrid and the Hellhounds would not be staying with them, since they had reached a compromise. At first Astrid had been adamant that all four Hellhounds would be in the presence of their King and Queen twenty-four/seven, until she learned what kind of fortifications the Cabin had, as well as the fact that this second home was unknown to anyone outside of the O'Connor Pack. Therefore it was exceedingly unlikely to be a target. But even so, Astrid had insisted that during the daytimes they were staying there, two Hellhounds would constantly be on patrol around the property, but hidden in such a way as not to intrude on their privacy or to draw attention to what the Cabin was. The other two would be resting and taking some time off, primarily at the Manor House, ready to respond if the situation called for it. That way the Hellhounds could also get some well-deserved rest as well as some personal time, and could get what they needed done as well, such as buying their own vehicle from the Pack funds that Dante and Lily had authorized. At night all the Hellhounds would be on their personal time and resting, as there was no space for them to stay at the Cabin and it would be on lockdown each night.