Chapter 39: The Pack

The ground trembled as Sam's massive paws landed after leaping off a short ledge, his body soaring through the air for a good 25 feet before meeting the earth. Without pausing, he continued to bolt through the dense foliage, his enormous wolf form a blur against the verdant backdrop of the Pacific Northwest. Each powerful stride was purposeful, driven by an innate duty to protect human life. For a spirit warrior, there was no higher calling. That duty had now ignited within him by the threat of a vampire—a bloodsucking leech, their sworn enemy and the very reason for the spirit warriors' existence—as one had been spotted in their territory. And not just anywhere, but at the home of an honorary tribe member, Charlie Swan.

As Sam raced at breakneck speed, the world appeared sharper, more vibrant in his wolf form. Colors were richer, smells more distinct, and sounds clearer. He felt every nuance of the forest floor beneath him—the slight give of the moss, the crunch of dry leaves, and the soft whisper of the underbrush against his fur. His breaths came steady and deep, his heart beating a strong, rhythmic cadence that matched the pulse of the earth.

More than halfway to his destination, another voice broke through the pack's shared mind link. Quil had joined the others, still far behind Sam but closing in alongside Embry, Jared and Seth. Quil's thoughts reverberated across their bond, bridging the distances between them effortlessly. "Sam, you're too far ahead. We won't catch up to you by the time you reach Charlie's."

Sam maintained his relentless pace, his voice resonating with authority that brooked no argument. "The leech must be dealt with," he commanded, every muscle in his body coiled and ready for the impending confrontation. "We can't risk Charlie coming home and finding that thing there. It's our duty to protect him and all others, just like it is to protect the tribe."

As he bounded through the forest, his powerful strides devouring the ground beneath him, Sam felt the weight of his responsibility. He was the Alpha, the protector of both the reservation and the town. "If the vampire's still at Charlie's, I'll take it out," he declared, leaving no room for doubt. "And if it tries to run, I'll chase it down. Everyone, converge on Charlie's place. We need to be ready for anything."

Paul's thoughts broke into the link as he ran beside Jake, approaching from the south. "Well, you better not kill that leech all by yourself. I want the chance to sink my teeth into that thing. I'm still pissed I missed the entire fight last time."

Paul surged forward, leaping across the 101 south of Forks in one bound. Jake growled at him for being careless, but neither had he seen any signs of humans on the road. Paul, however, was single-minded, his thoughts fixated on one thing: a dead leech. He had missed the vampire attacks that plagued the tribe eight years ago as he had been on a trip to California with his then-girlfriend. The missed opportunity to fight gnawed at him, something he was still kicking himself over. Out of the entire pack, he was the only one who had never even seen a leech.

Jake, maintaining a steady pace beside him, sensed Paul's frustration. "Keep your head in the game, Paul," Jake growled through the link. "We need to be smart about this. We can't afford any mistakes."

Paul barely acknowledged him, his focus unwavering. "I know, Jake, but I can't help it. I've been waiting for this day for years. I need to see what we're up against."

Jake understood Paul's frustration, but his own mind was on the mission at hand. As the beta, he felt the weight of responsibility nearly as much as Sam. They had to protect their people, and right now that meant getting to Charlie's as fast as possible.

Jared, hearing Paul's thoughts, couldn't help but recall the last battle the pack had with the leeches. He replayed the final moments of the confrontation for everyone in the pack to see. They all experienced the exhilaration Jared felt as he sunk his teeth into the vampire's neck, tearing its head from its putrid body.

They saw him building the bonfire, picking up the vile head by its limp dreadlocks, and throwing it into the flames. He watched, satisfied, as the purple smoke rose into the forest sky. Jared loved replaying that kill for everyone; they had all seen it literally hundreds of times.

It had been the only kill in the current pack's history, as the other two leeches had fled like the cowards all vampires were.

Leah had joined the mental link as Jared was sharing his memories. She had pertinent information and spoke up urgently. "I'm with my mom, and she just got a hold of Charlie. He's okay. She told him the situation, and he's going to wait for the all-clear."

Sam was closing in on Charlie's house. "Thanks, Leah. Stay in La Push and protect the residents. Also, have Sue call Emily and make sure she and Hope are on their way to your location. Be our eyes and ears in case this is some sort of distraction."

Without breaking his stride, Sam continued to issue commands through the link, trying to think of anything he might have missed. "Collin, Brady, I need you to continue your patrols around our land. Report any scents or unusual activity immediately. Remember how that redheaded leech used the other two to distract us last time while she slipped through under our noses. We can't let anything like that ever happen again."

Sam's thoughts drifted to Emily and their little girl, Hope. Worry gnawed at him, knowing Emily was seven months pregnant. The last thing he wanted was for her to be stressed. Goddamn leeches!

Quil grew incensed at the mention of the redheaded bitch who had mutilated his grandfather, leaving him on display for the entire tribe to see. She hadn't even bitten him; it had only been a twisted game to those leeches. His entire body burned for justice for Old Quil, but the redheaded bloodsucker had fled. "This new leech needs to die," he thought with a cold fury. The entire pack's anger intensified as they relived Quil's memories of discovering his grandfather's brutalized body staked to his front door.

Sam's alpha voice cut through the pack's collective thoughts of vengeance like a knife. "I'm almost at Charlie's house now. Pick up the pace, or there will be no scraps left for any of you to throw in the bonfire." With that, he leaped through the last of the underbrush, arriving at the back of Charlie's house. The sickly sweet scent of leech was already invading his nostrils. He didn't recognize it, so it wasn't the redheaded bitch from last time.

As his massive form landed in Charlie's backyard, Sam's blood ran cold at the sight before him. There it was, standing at the back door with Charlie at arm's length, looking helpless. "Charlie! It has Charlie, everyone. He must have come home," he mentally shouted, his voice laced with anger and urgency. He let out a furious howl, sending out an alpha command for everyone to pick up their pace.

Leaping forward, every fiber of his being pulsed with the need to rip the leech's head from its cold, dead shoulders. His final thought through the link was a resolute declaration: "I'm taking it down!"

I hope that gave everyone insight into the pack's mindset. Next chapter... The battle. Dun-dun-DUN!

Comments are appreciated. I enjoy reading anything you have to say.