18 We All Owe Her a Debt
It had been almost two weeks since the attacks had begun.
The first wave had been across the territory at unpredictable points in the border defenses. While none of the attacks were particularly effective in causing any real damage to Winter as a whole, they had injured or killed many people. Several of the wounded had died before it was discovered that wolfsbane had been used.
Ashleigh had been lucky. Though she was unconscious for two days and bedridden for more than a week, she had survived. The wolfsbane had entered from the wound on her arm. It shouldn’t have spread as quickly as it did, but her shifting had moved it along in her system. By the time Bell found her, it had almost made its way into her heart.
She did as she was told. Bell made sure of it. But it was killing her to stay at home safe while her pack members were fighting on the borders.
Granger had been by each day to check on her. Though she spent most of their time together trying to get reports on the skirmishes around the territory.
Ashleigh paced back and forth in her living room.
Granger was supposed to be here by now; he was half an hour late. He was never late. She couldn’t help but wonder if there had been another attack.
The door finally opened.
“Finally! What happened? Was there— Father?” Ashleigh corrected herself when she saw it was not Granger who entered the room.
Looking him over, she noticed that he was still wearing his coat, boots, and weapons. He wasn’t ‘home’. He was here officially.
Quickly Ashleigh dropped to one knee and placed her fist to her heart, bowing her head.
“Apologies, my Alpha.”
“Let’s end the formalities there.” Wyatt smiled, reaching a hand to her.
Ashleigh smiled and took his hand to get up.
“But you are here officially? So this isn’t just you coming home or checking in on me,” she asked excitedly.
“Can’t it be both?” Wyatt laughed. “You are my daughter, but you are also one of my best warriors and berserkers.”
Ashleigh couldn’t help the pride she felt at her father’s words.
Every pack had its military system, its ranks, and styles. Within Winter, the women usually stayed within their branch of warriors, the shield maidens, at most rising to the highest rank of valkyrie.
But the berserker rank was reserved for the most elite warriors in Winter. Either man or woman could take the title. The training was grueling, and it was a constant struggle to maintain the position. To receive the rank, one had to take it from someone already holding it.
Ashleigh had reached berserker more than a year ago. She had been challenged no less than fifteen times in that year.
“Tell me what is happening,” Ashleigh said. She sat and invited Wyatt to do the same. “Granger has shared some, but only what he has experienced himself. Bell won’t share any information. She only tells me to rest.”
“She’s not wrong.” Wyatt laughed.
“Father!” Ashleigh complained.
“Oh, come on, Bell is a good girl. If she didn’t keep you from running out to the battlefield, she wouldn’t be doing her job as a doctor.”
“But, I’m fine. I have been fine!” Ashleigh shouted.
Alpha Wyatt growled at her outburst.
“Sorry,” she whispered.
“Ashleigh, I don’t think you understand,” Wyatt sighed sadly. “We thought you were gone.”
Ashleigh looked up at her father. Only now did she realize how fragile he looked.
“When Bell found you, your heart had stopped. The poison hadn’t infiltrated your heart yet, but the damage was already taking its toll. The only reason you are still with us is that that girl directly infused you with her own blood in that shower until help arrived to assist her.”
She didn’t know that. No one had told her.
“But, she could have died,” Ashleigh replied quietly.
“Yes,” he answered bluntly.
Ashleigh sat back in her chair, stunned. Wyatt reached a hand to her knee.
“We all owe her a debt.” He smiled, Ashleigh nodded in return.
“But, that is not why I am here.”
Ashleigh sat up, once more shedding her position as his daughter and returning to the role of a pack member.
“These attacks were sudden. They may not have been strong or highly organized on the battlefield. Still, they were random,” Wyatt began, “but they were coordinated.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Looking at it from the fighting perspective, up close and personal. There is nothing special, they were easily defeated, and we were never in danger of being overrun.”
He sighed, taking a breath and leaning forward in his chair.
“But from the perspective of a battle master, this was a test run. They were spread out, testing our strength, attacking the left as we looked to the right.”
“Checking our disbursement patterns, reinforcement strategies, even our recovery times,” Ashleigh replied as the weight of what he was saying became clear to her. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
He nodded.
“Then who is behind this? Is it one of the other packs?” she asked.
“It’s unlikely. The Alphas have all spoken. Every pack has faced similar attacks over the past two weeks. Though it does seem that Summer and Winter have taken the brunt of the attacks, we also have the largest territories.”
“It makes sense.” She nodded.
“It has been four days since anyone has had an attack. However, today we all agreed that none of us believe this threat is over. As such, Alpha Tomas of Autumn made a suggestion, one that after much thought, I have decided you will be a part of.”
“Me?” Ashleigh questions.
“Yes, it will be an interchange of sorts, a sharing of knowledge between all the packs. First, representatives from each pack will be selected for specific areas of expertise. Then, they will come together with members of the other packs and build a cohesive strategy we can use to defeat this threat to us all,” Wyatt explained.
“It sounds like a good idea, so long as all the packs do their part,” she replied, “but I don’t understand. What part am I supposed to play in this?”
“I have selected you as one of our representatives. You will be responsible for sharing aspects of our attack and defense plans and tactics,” he answered with a smile.
“Wow,” she was stunned once more. “I… I don’t know what to say.”
Wyatt laughed and nodded his head. “Yes, I thought that might be your reaction. So we will talk more about it. But before that, there is one more matter we need to discuss.”
***
Granger was working on restringing a bow when he felt her coming. He smiled. Placing the bow down, he quickly turned and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her into the air. Ashleigh’s laughter was his reward.
“Ok, ok, put me down now,” she giggled.
He placed her on the ground but did not remove his hands from their position wrapped around her. He had missed her.
“Are you going to let me go?” she questioned with a laugh.
“Never,” he whispered before kissing her softly. “I love you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled up at him, giving him a quick kiss.
“I love you too,” she replied.
“I have missed you so much,” he said, pressing his forehead against hers.
“I missed you too, though I did see you yesterday, ya know,” she laughed.
“Yes, but that was a sick visit. I don’t like those.” Granger pouted dramatically. “No more of those. Ever, got it?”
“I’m sorry, that’s a promise neither of us is capable of making.” She smiled.
“I suppose that is true.” He sighed.
“Look, there is something we need to talk about,” Ashleigh said in a significant tone.
Granger pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, beginning to panic. “Are you ok? Should I call Bell?”
Granger looked around, seeing someone not too far from them. He let her go and started to call out to him, but Ashleigh stopped him.
“Sshhh, no, no, I am fine,” she reassured him.
“Then what is it?” he asked.
“My father came to see me today, in his official capacity,” she began. “he told me about this plan he and the other Alpha’s have come up with.”
“The exchange?” Granger asked.
“Yes, did he speak with you about it?” Ashleigh asked.
“My father did. Just the broad strokes for now. But he said that I am likely to be the representative for ranged tactics and defense,” he replied.
“That makes sense. I am also going to be a representative, for—”
“I’m sorry,” Granger interrupted, “Is this really what you wanted to talk about? Because it seemed like something, I don’t know, more personal?”
Ashleigh swallowed nervously.
“Well, no, not exactly,” she answered. “But, it’s all related. As I said, I’ve been chosen, and it looks like you have been too, right?”
Granger nodded.
“Ok, well, that means that we are both going to be busy. I mean, this is a big deal. We’ve never done this before. We have to travel to the other packs. We need to build trust and figure out how to—”
“Ash, come on, what are you getting at?” Granger asked, taking her hand in his and squeezing it affectionately.
Ashleigh looked at him carefully and swallowed down her nerves once more.
“Ok, I’m just going to say it,” she said.
Granger nodded with a reassuring smile.
“Granger, we can’t get married.”