Sorry folks, the last few weeks I had been kidnapped by my work.

Chapter 14

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They were assembled in her house or rather what had been her mother's and Jeff's house.

Nick showed up with a few of his wolves, he had been summoned to the house after the funeral and they were seated in the living room.

"Nick" Sebastian began "you need to put your pack on high alert, we might expect an attack any moment"

"Sure" Nick readily agreed "But any reason why we are expecting an imminent attack?" he asked.

Sebastian looked at Evelyn for a moment and she gave him a small nod.

He looked back to Nick who was watching the interaction between them curiously "Early in the morning today we launched an offensive against the Montana pack."

"You mean Patrick Lockbourne's pack" Nick asked with shock in his voice. Patrick's was one of the largest packs in the US.

While he controlled all of Montana and had pockets of wolves living all over the state, most of his wolves chose to live closer to the Alpha, it was safer that way.

"Yes" Sebastian added. He didn't need to explain why, it was a no brainer as to who was behind Roma's parent's death, especially with the note they left behind.

"How did it go?" Nick asked curious.

"We wiped them out" Sebastian informed.

"What!" Nick asked shocked, his eyes widening, he couldn't be saying what he was saying.

"We wiped the pack out. Took out the Alpha and killed the entire pack" Sebastian said.

"My god!" Nick breathed out "The entire pack?!" it was one of the biggest packs, had a lot of wolves in it.

"Yes, the entire pack. There are no survivors" Sebastian voiced in.

A shiver went through Nick's spine...taking out a pack of that size! "My god!" he said again, taking in a sharp breath. It was inconceivable to him that a pack could be wiped out overnight.

"But, it has close to two hundred wolves" Nick mumbled, they couldn't all be dead could they?

"We had to set an example alpha Nick" Evelyn spoke for the first time since the conversation started and Nick's eyes moved over to hers.

She knew what he was thinking, those were a lot of lives.

"Lockbourne's had crossed the line" she further added "We believe they supported Charles who has taken down Maxim Roma and in all likelihood has hand in what happened to Max and his mother and then we know what role they played in my parents death. We could not let them go unpunished."

"But the whole pack?" Nick asked.

"That's why it is about setting an example, Nick. This is not revenge, this is making a statement to the world the consequences of actions against Roma" Evelyn elaborated.

"But this means war!" Nick said. This will not be forgiven, it will be seen as an attack against American packs. Gordon would not keep quite.

"Yes, it is" Roma calmly responded "That's why we need to be ready, all bets are off."

"We have two hundred of Roma's wolves in your pack already and we plan to ship additional two hundred from Roma as soon as end of week. Colorado will be the focal point of this war." Sebastian added.

"You need to let your pack know" He added. They had as much stake in this as Roma did, Gordon would be out for blood and Nick's pack would be as much enemy to them as Roma is.

"Don't worry Alpha Nick, we are here to win" Sebastian assured a worried alpha.

"Gordon can amass an army of thousand wolves" Nick said voicing out his fears "even with your four hundred wolves we will still be outnumbered."

Sebastian gave a sardonic smile "Do you know how many wolves from Roma took out the Montana pack? Thirty." At the shocked expression of the alpha he added "Yes, thirty! So trust me when I say this, we got it covered."

"Thirty? But how?" Nick stuttered, the odds were impossible.

"You forget alpha, we have access to technology and weapons that you could only dream of...and talking of weapons ask your guys to keep an eye out for a truck that should be here by tomorrow evening. I will have some cargo delivered which will come handy."

Nick dumbly nodded.

Sebastian got up and walked the alpha out "Thanks, Nick as always we knew we could count on you."

Once he escorted the alpha out he walked back in to the house and sat down next to Evelyn. They had hardly got any sleep last night.

"Why don't you get some rest?" he gently suggested it to her.

She just nodded, but was deep in thought and after a moment of contemplation voiced out her thought "How do you see this play out?" she asked him.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"We have clearly escalated, how do we see this pan out? What do you think Gordon is going to do?"

He sighed thinking "Gordon is no fool" he began "He will be the most dangerous enemy we will face, but in terms of what he will do...I think he will throw everything he has at Colorado...but also I think he will try to attack us where we least expect and hurt us where it will count." He said.

"I also think he will rally the world council against us, which pretty much is given" Alex added to the conversation. It was just the three of them here.

"Yes, about the world council" Evelyn stated "I read the document, apparently we fund it don't we?" She asked.

"Yes, we do" Sebastian said, not sure where this was going "It's a part of the treaty that the six continents should fund the world council."

"What if we stop the funding and ensure our ally's do the same" Roma pondered out loud.

"But that would break the treaty!" Alex tried to admonish her. She was talking about things that would cause unforeseeable consequences, it would plunge the wolf world in to chaos.

"The way I see it we already broke it or at least that is how it would be presented in the next world council" Sebastian added thinking, Roma was going somewhere with this.

"Yes, our attack on Montana would be viewed as a violation of treaty" Roma added.

"Yes, but that was because they attacked and killed your parents" Alex added.

"But that does not mean we get to wipe out a pack, Roma is right. We did break the treaty" Sebastian added. They should have gone to the council with proof instead of taking matters in to their own hands.

"So, the way I see it, we are guilty of violation anyways. Let's then ensure we spin the situation to our advantage. I want us and our ally's to stop funding to the world council. I want the world council to stop and pause and not be manipulated in to being used against us by Gordon." Roma voiced out her thought.

"Yes" Sebastian agreed "That would get the councils attention. But we need to time it right." He added.

Roma and Alex looked at him to elaborate and he did "The way I see it, we will be summoned to the world council regardless...so we time this when we are summoned so that we can use this as an ace."

"Aren't there safeguards in the treaty to ensure we don't break it?" Alex asked. It couldn't be that simple.

"Yes" Sebastian said "We had to set up companies and create contracts that revenue from those companies is directly sent out to the council accounts, all this is done in such a way that it does not ring any bells in the human financial system. We also don't have any access to the companies funds, at least the once that get transferred to the council, it's all automatic and taken care by the bankers." This was what each continent had set up as a framework to ensure that the council had the necessary finances to run.

"So if we cannot access the money of these companies and neither stop the flow of the cash, how exactly do we stop the money from flowing in to the council's accounts?" Alex added.

Sebastian smiled "True" he said "We can't stop the flow of the money but remember, we own the company." He said grinning looking at both Alex and Roma "We simply declare bankruptcy and wind up the company."

"Can we do that?" Roma asked.

"Sure we can" Sebastian reassured. It would be a legal tangle but nothing that can't be done.

"Can't we be dragged to courts for this?" Alex asked.

"They can and let them, international arbitration would take years but until then the council would be handicapped"

"So it is agreed we do this?" Roma asked.

"Yes" Sebastian said without hesitation and Alex nodded, not sure if the plan would work.

"Good, that takes care of getting the world council off our back" Roma added "Only thing left is Gordon and the American council"

"They will rightly see this as an act of war" Alex said.

"Yes, they will" Sebastian said "I expect all the alpha's will rally behind Gordon and try to attack Colorado."

"What if we take out Gordon? Will the alphas fall in line?" Roma calmly asked and Alex opened his mouth in shock.

Sebastian simply grinned "Yes, with Gordon gone, most alphas would fall in line and the remaining can be easily be taken care of."

"In that case our priority is eliminating Gordon" Roma said and added "And I think I might have an idea on that"

Both Alex and Sebastian leaned closer to listen to what she had to say.

"But, before I tell you about that, there is one more thing we need to take care of."

"And that would be?" Sebastian asked.

"Serena Lockbourne his granddaughter, she can be used as a rallying point for the American wolves, as the last remaining Lockbourne in the family. We need everyone with that last name gone."

"That girl is not in to politics Evelyn" Alex said shocked at her thought. Serena Lockbourne kept as far away from her grandfather as possible, she was rarely seen in the pack lands and was studying in a university somewhere.

"For now Alex, but what do you think will happen when her family is slaughtered? American wolves could rally around her." Roma added.

"She is just a girl" Alex whispered.

Roma gave Alex a stony look "So am I"

Did Gordon ever imagine that a small time girl from Colorado would wipe out one of his packs? No, she could not take the chance.

"I hate to say it but you are right" Sebastian added. "I will see to it..."

"No" Roma cut Sebastian out and looked at Alex "I want you to take care of it."

"What?" Alex asked confused.

"I want you to personally ensure that Serena Lockbourne is neutralized"

"Me? Why?" He asked, why in the world she would want him to so something like this.

"Because, its time you realize we are all in it together Alex, can I count on you to take her out?" She asked him.

He took a deep breath and bit out "Yes!" he clearly was unhappy.

"Good" She said.

"When?" Sebastian asked, what timeline were they talking about?

"Plan it at the same time we will be summoned to the world council, all their focus would be one us and that will be a perfect time. Alex will take in a team of our men to take care of this." Roma added.

"And what about Gordon?" Sebastian asked. "I will take care of him myself!" She spat and Sebastian and Alex exchanged wide eyed glances.

"How?" Alex asked.

"I have a plan...will let you know once I have something concrete." She said evasively "However we need to ensure there are no surprises in the meanwhile, we need to think of every unexpected scenario where Gordon might strike at." Roma said and the three of them looked at each other each of them thinking of where Gordon might strike.

"I can think of one" Alex said, the thought just dawning on him.

Roma looked at him in anticipation "Max" he said calmly as terror passed on Evelyn's face.

"He might plan to take out Max" Alex added.

"Max is safe in the palace Alex" Sebastian added. "He is" he said looking at Evelyn and trying to reassure her.

"Is he?" Alex asked rubbing his neck in deep thought "Remember where Max and Roma..."he looked at Evelyn and corrected himself "I mean the previous Roma, were attacked? It was within ten miles of the palace."

A wave of uneasiness passed through them.

"What are you saying?" Roma whispered, panic lacing through her voice.

"It is clear that they had some inside help, what is to say that same help can't lead them to Max." Alex said.

"Fuck!" Sebastian said considering the possibility.

Roma's eyes flickered between Alex and Sebastian wildly "Sebastian?" she asked, needing to hear his input.

"I hate to say it but Alex has a point."

"What do we do?" She asked him, her voice quivering.

They sat in silence for a moment.

"We move him" Alex added breaking the silence. "Too many people know where Max is right now, we move him to a secure location where we have a very limited number of us know where he is at and we deploy our best and most loyal to protect him."

"Can we do this?" Roma asked Sebastian.

"Yes, we can" Sebastian said rubbing his chin "We have to do it carefully that no one knows we did it and at the same time we carry on the presence that he is still in the palace, you know the doctor's visits etc. so the people watching closely should find no change in schedule least they suspect something."

"Adding to that" Alex pitched in "We create a vulnerability in our security, not glaringly obvious but enough for our enemies to see."

"So that they are tempted to attack" Sebastian finished his statement, Alex and Sebastian were on the same page now.

"Yes, so that we are ready for them when they do attack." Alex added.

"And see if we can possibly capture them alive so they can lead us back to the mole." Sebastian voiced out again.

"Yes" Alex said readily nodding. This was indeed a good idea.

"So where do we move him?" Roma asked.

"I have some thoughts Roma, give me some time and I will come back to you" Alex said.

"Ok, the sooner the better" Roma said, she was tired and her head was spinning, she got up and added "I will lie down for a while."

"Sure Roma" Sebastian quickly added and Alex got up and walked out to the kitchen.

As she was about to head up the stairs Roma paused and looked at Sebastian who was still seated in the sofa "And Sebastian, I want us to resume or gun lessons as aggressively as possible" she told him.

"Sure Roma" Sebastian added, not sure why she was interested in guns all of sudden.

Satisfied she walked up the stairs, initially her ideas was for her to head to her old room but she paused at her parent's room. She stood out there for a few minutes and finally worked out the nerve to open it.

Tears sprang to her eyes the moment she opened the door as she felt a whiff of her mother's and Jeff's scent, saturated all over the room. Their room.

She also felt secure, till now she had tried not to think too much about her loss but she could no longer avoid it. Closing the door behind her she walked to the study table where there was a picture of all three of them smiling at the camera, this had been one of the camping trips they had gone to. Tears began to flow from her eyes unchecked.

She gently picked up the picture, put it close to her heart and her legs no longer supporting her she collapsed on to the bed curling up in to a ball and crying her heart out in gut wrenching sobs.

Down below both Alex and Sebastian stopped what they were doing as their wolf hearing picked up her anguish. Bothe of them stared at the ceiling and Alex after a moment took a step towards th stairs but Sebastian stopped him and shook his head no.

This was her time to grieve alone.

***

Phone calls went out across the world as the news of what happened in Montana spread, in the coming years this incident would be referred to as the 'Massacre of Montana' it would be the tipping point of change in the American wolves history.

Gordon Lockbourne walked through the carnage as men around him quietly went about cleaning up the mess, the dead needed to be buried or burnt and the land cleared of any evidence, least some unsuspecting human stumbled in to it.

He paused, his knees going weak as he saw a body of a young boy, no more than ten years old, his eyes open and his body cold. He kneeled next to him, anguish on his face and gently closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Patrick's son had been of similar age and they could not even find his ashes. The house had almost evaporated in the attack. His family vaporized instantly, thankfully they died quite painlessly.

"Alpha" Someone called out to him. He turned around and looked "He is this way sir" he pointed out.

Gordon got up and followed him and they got near the body. His cousins body, his family. A bullet hole through his forehead. A clean kill, a merciful kill. The body had collapsed sideways his legs folded, indicating that he had been killed on his knees and he had not put up any fight. Knowing Patrick he would have welcomed death after witnessing what happened with his family and pack.

"Take him to the family crypt in California and burry him, he belongs with his family." Gordon told one of the men standing there.

"Yes sir" he said.

He walked away from there, no longer able to see his fallen cousin.

He picked up his phone and called a number and as it rang he tapped his leg impatiently.

"Hello?" The voice on the other side said.

"I want us to throw everything at Colorado, every single of our ally, I want them to be wiped clean off the planet. I want that Roma bitch dead and her head sent to me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Alpha, I do." The man on the other side said.

"Good. I want this done in the next fourth eight hours." He said and hung up.

It was time to go to war.