Royal Academy: The Red Wolf Clan

Chapter 3

Reed's POV

I grab two beers from the fridge and walk back into the living room. I hand one of the beers to Luca and I turn my head in his direction when he doesn't take it. Luca suddenly stands up the couch he was sitting on and begins pacing infront of me.

"Dude, what are you doing?" I ask while still holding out the beer to him. When my friend of so many years looks towards me, his eyes looking somewhat crazed. I put the beers on the nearby coffee table and face Luca again.

"What did we do in our past lives that she would do something like this?!" Luca almost shouts and his words throw me off guard.

"Uhhhh, Luca. What the hell is going on in that oversized head of yours?" I take a step towards him but Luca backs away while shaking his head and then suddenly drops himself back onto the couch.

"Reed. Why are you so calm?!" Luca looks up at me while his eyes search my face for some reaction. Still confused I sit next to him and place a careful hand on his shoulder.

"Ok bro, try dumbing it down for poor old Reed here ok. I went for a beer and you turned into Seraphina when she's hormonal" I say slowly and Luca takes a few solid seconds before taking a deep breath and chuckling softly.

"She gave us daughters man! We saved the god damn world and mankind and she gave us daughters! Does the goddess really think it's funny?! " Luca stands again suddenly and then it clicks to me that my dear friend was being a typical dad. Laughing out loud, I stand to slap a hand on Luca's shoulder but he shifts his position to look directly at me, his face serious again.

"I'm serious Reed. I know you know that Rosalie didn't wear that big blazer just for fun. I also know Georgia thinks I'm incredulous to her shenanigans" Luca let's out a heavy sigh and his words give me pause.

When Rosalie was born I remember the waves of worry and uncertainty that came over me. Having a daughter meant dealing with not only princess tea parties and fru fru things but it also meant she grows into a young woman who would eventually make decisions I may not agree with. Going out on her own. Meeting people. Guys. Scum.

I shake my head when I feel my fingers flex at my side and I look over to see Luca regarding me with an eyebrow raised.

"Look bro I do get it. I know our girls are almost eighteen and that means big things for them, for us. But dude, don't we also know that they can both break a dude's hand in three different places without blinking. And they never leave our sight without the twins. We did all the right stuff. Right?"

Luca is about to answer me when he stops short and his eyes glaze over. When they return to normal his face hold a different emotion as he looks at me.

"The kids are under attack. Rogues." Luca rushes past me and I link Seraphina who was with Eliza and Alexis. I move quickly and reach the door just as Luca looks over his shoulder at me.

"Stefan will meet us there. Caleb and Liam say there are many" Luca says and then quickly shifts into his wolf. My beta Dane arrives as Luca's wolf Seth huffs out a breath. I look at Dane who nods and we both shift and flank his sides. Seth nods before taking off with us on his heels.

We reach the outskirts of the forested area and Stefan's wolf Eli is waiting for us. The sounds of multiple paws hitting dry earth has us turning to see Seraphina sitting astride Eliza's wolf Amara and Alexis's wolf Jasmine at their side. Seraphina jumps down and walks beside my wolf Gareth and places a hand at the side of his face.

Our kids are more than capable here. We're just pulling up the slack

I chuckle at my mate's words before nudging her face softly with my nose. The sound of howling and screams redirects our focus and Seraphina catapults herself onto Gareth's back as we rush forward through the thicket of trees. We reach the clearing just a large grey wolf rushes towards a rogue while another similar grey wolf keeps its large body between another rogue and two figures behind it. The two figures step out and I hear a growl at my side when they turn out to be Rosalie and Georgia branding blades and taking defensive stances.

Seth let out a loud howl as the rest of us push forward into the clearing and form a protective circle around the remaining group of children who stood just to the side of our daughters. A blood curdling screech escapes the rogues as they seem to multiply in front of us, their numbers growing. Liam and Caleb's wolves place themselves within our circle as the rogues continue to close their distance.

Seraphina plants herself between Rosalie and Georgia who both nod their acknowledgment to her whispered words. I take a position ahead with Seth, Eli, Amara and Jasmine. My Beta kept a position close to the children behind us as we stood off with the large group of rogues. A lone black wolf, a large scar across its right eye and froth flowing from its mouth steps out of the group and growls menacingly before throwing its head back and howling. The group of rogues replied with a collective howl of their own before they all charged towards us.

We keep them away from the kids! I have warriors coming to us. Their numbers are more than we expected.

Seth grunts a reply and we all prepare ourselves for the onslaught as the wave of rogues rush on ahead towards us. Gareth rushes forward and the sounds of bodies clashing and the smell of blood fills the air immediately. The rogues broke apart to try and circle us in but Eli and Jasmine broke off from either side of our formation to stop them . A few rogues lept high and over us as we fought and I heard Seraphina's voice yelling commands to the girls.

Amara turns and runs in their direction to help as the rogues continued to fill the area. The earthen floor was now strewn with bodies of fallen rogues but they just kept being replaced by more coming through the trees.

How the hell are there so many of them?

Liam's wolf says through the link and a whimper followed by a growl catches our attention. Liam's wolf was being attacked by two large rogues and his brother Caleb was rushing towards his aid. Caleb successfully threw off one rogue while another crashed into him before he could disentangle the other. Seth let out a loud growl as he and Gareth both launched ourselves in that direction. Seth locks his jaw onto the hind leg of a rogue and throws it wide as Gareth rams his body into the other. Liam and Caleb stand and shake themselves off before nodding and going again. Gareth turns towards the back of the group and we see Seraphina and Rosalie with their backs to each other while Georgia is now on Amara's back, a small stream of blood running down one of her arms. She leans down and whispers something into Amara's ear, who then nods slightly before rushing into another group of rogues.

Dane is holding his own by holding off rogues attempting to get to the children behind him. The distant sound of howling let's us know that the warriors of my clan are close and it seems to bother the rogues a bit but it doesn't stop their attack.

Seth and Gareth find themselves face to face with the scarred black leader who charges forward with a low growl.

I'm going high, you go for his legs

Seth leaps high with claws extended as Gareth snaps his jaws at the rogue leader's front paw. A loud snap resonates but the rogue doesn't cry out. Seth drives his front paws across the already scarred face and blood splatters Gareth's fur and the ground below them. The rogue leader pulls back and rams its head into Seth with enough force to push him off and away and then it draws its good front paw towards Gareth. Long talon-like claws rip into Gareth's shoulder and he lets out a welp.

Pain courses through and I could feel our mate's worry for us through the link. Gareth keeps his focus on the rogue leader while I let Seraphina know we are okay.

If that vile creature draws blood again, there will be hell to pay!

I feel the pride rush through Gareth at our mate's threat as Seth bounds forward again while motioning for Gareth to take the lead this time. Gareth charges forward and takes the rogue's attention as Seth is about to clamp his jaw around its neck from behind.

"Enough!!"

A voice booms and the rogues immediately stop what they're doing. The leader suddenly bows his head and steps back as a cloaked figure steps forwards from within the trees. The hood of the cloak falls back revealing an elderly man with dark eyes and a sinister scowl. A young man steps out from behind the old man and I hear a soft gasp behind us. Gareth tilts his head sideways just enough for both os us to notice the shock on Rosalie and Georgia's faces.

"This fight will continue no more. I shall take my clan back with me" The old man speaks again and this time Seth growls in response.

"Your clan attacked in our territory! You cannot just let them leave without an explanation!" Seraphina speaks up and Gareth's chest swells again.

"Who are you to question me woman?!" the old man counters and this time Gareth takes a few steps towards the man, his canines bared at full length.

Seraphina walks up to place a calming hand at Gareth's side, Rosalie following closely, her gaze still locked on the young man.

"I am Seraphina Royal. Luna and mate to Alpha Reed Royal of the Red Wolf Clan. You and your vile clan are trespassing"

The man turns his head towards Gareth and for a split second his eyes shone with something different before they shifted their focus back to Seraphina. The man placed a hand on the young man's shoulder and he stepped forward. The young man bowed slightly and then faced Gareth directly.

"I am Orion Kade, son of Salizar Kade. This is master Magnus Blaine, our leader"

Blaine?! Is he.....

Stefan's thought resonates through the link but he stops short when Seth, Amara and Gareth take a step forward as if to shield everyone from this new stranger. Seraphina shifts a bit in her position as well, her grip visibly tightening on the blade in her hand.

The young man's eyes regard the wolves before him until a manic laugh escapes the old man behind him.

" An intriguing family you have here Luna. "

The old man turns to look directly at Gareth and a low growl vibrates along our body. The young man behind him was beginning to piss us off as his gaze kept wandering back to Rosalie who seemed glued to her spot.

"Red wolves, fae warriors, wolves blessed by the goddess herself. I can now see why my son was driven mad in his pursuit on you. I never was able to say a proper goodbye though we were estranged."

The man's face suddenly contorted into one of pure rage as his eyes began to turn bloodshot.

"My son was a power hungry i***t, but he was my son nonetheless. Which of your hearts should I take in return for my son?!"

Magnus Blaine removes his cloak completely as two large bat-like wings emerge behind him as his body levetates off the earthen ground.

Great. Just when we thought the Blaine bloodline ended with Jacob. Psycho Dad came for vengeance.

Alexis's thought rings throughout the link as we take defensive stances on guard as Magnus roars in the sky above us.

Still think having a teenaged daughter was the worst of your problems Luca?

Shut up Reed!!

Our focus returns to Magnus who is now charging towards us from above at full speed, when suddenly the young man who spoke before steps forward and turns his body towards his leader. The boy seemed unfazed by what he placed himself infront of and I feel the collective tension among everyone grow.

The kid was on a suicide mission. But a chill suddenly rushed through Gareth and I heard Seraphina gasp as Rosalie rushes forward to stand beside the young man. What the hell was she doing?!