Page 152 of Alpha Awakened
In the ready room, the team swiftly but carefully geared up. Hazard was buzzing with battle readiness. He buckled on the switch blade Ice had given him, more as a way to have a piece of his lover with him than with any intent to use it. Right before he put on his helmet Ice called him over.
“Come here.”
Hazard went over to the alpha, expecting to get some necessary piece of final advice before the mission. But Ice surprised him. He gently cupped the back of his head and leaned down, brushing their noses together in a light scenting.
“Be careful,” Ice said, making it sound like an order.
Hazard nodded. “I will, sir. You be careful too.”
After a low grunt of acknowledgment, Ice let him go and stepped away.
Hazard went back over to his space and settled his helmet on his head, securely buckling the straps under his chin.
“You two are cute,” Jax teased from the other side of the room.
Hazard rolled his eyes at his squadmate’s teasing, but a smile still broke free. He was pleased that Ice had been openly affectionate. It was a far cry from the man who’d insisted he didn’t need scenting from anyone.
After Ortiz did a weapons check, they left the armory and hustled across the tarmac to the plane waiting to fly them to Minnesota. As Hazard jogged up the ramp, a sure feeling settled in his gut. One way or another, the situation with Cortez would end tonight.
Chapter 58
December 7, 1982
16:00
Near Vermilion Lake
Northeast Minnesota
They’d arrived.
The area of northeast Minnesota they flew over to reach their target was beautiful. A rich boreal forest thick with pine trees bordered a sparkling, mirror smooth blue lake. Hazard’s nose picked up many scents on the breeze. Fresh water, wild life, plants. And wolves. Lots of wolves.
Larson’s tip was correct. Vengeful Claw was here.
The aircraft landed and the 448 deplaned with their support team. Ten soldiers had accompanied them to help even the numbers against the insurrectionists. Once everyone had boots on the ground, Ortiz turned to face them and offer a last directive.
“Listen up. Vengeful Claw knows these woods and they could have laid any number of nasty surprises in there. Keep your head on a swivel and don’t chase after anyone by yourself.”
After everyone’s nods of understanding, she gave the order to go.
“Let’s move out.”
Weapons up, they crept into the forest. The moment they were under the tree cover, howls began to echo all around them.This time the wolf cries were more than a signal from lookouts. They were a warning to those approaching. As a shifter, Hazard easily deciphered the eerie howls.
Our territory. Our lands.Turn back now.
“They’re trying to intimidate us,” Jax said with a sneer of disdain in his voice.
“It’s working,” one of the human soldiers grimly admitted.
Hazard scoffed. He wasn’t intimidated by a few wolf calls. But he could understand why a human would be unnerved by them. He gave the soldier a piece of advice. “If one comes at you, protect your throat.”
The soldier huffed a strained laugh. “Fuck, Corporal Mitchell. Copy that.”
The howls abruptly cut off. But before the silence had a chance to sink in, the sound of shooting tore apart the peace of the forest. Vengeful Claw had opened fire on them. Bullets whizzed past Hazard, dangerously close. Staying low and weaving between the trees, Hazard returned fire. His team did the same which resulted in a barrage of bullets flying back and forth between the two factions.
Hazard ducked behind a tree for cover but the Vengeful Claw members were everywhere. And now they added their manifesto’s cry to the cacophony of gunshots, wolf howls, and shouts.