Chapter 33
Ashton

    With my mate by my side, I lead my wolves to their battle positions.  In a straight run, it would take us about five hours to reach our destination.  After that, the wolves would move into their assigned positions that I had given them the day before.  Emma already knew that she was not to leave my side until this was over. 

    Dane was carrying a backpack with all the essentials.  When we were in position, we would conference call the other alphas and coordinate our attacks.  It was very important that we all attacked at the same time and stayed completely unnoticed until that time came. 

    The other packs had set up this morning so that they could scout Max's pack.  It would do no good to attack today if Max decided to leave.  We also needed to know how his patrols were working and whether they had recently increased.

    Axel was chafing to be released.  We both knew that today was the day that we would get revenge for the abuse of our mate.  Rafe would be released when I thought he could control himself.  We both wanted a piece of Max and I intended to let Axel fight Max as well.

    I glanced over at Emma as we ran.  I was worried about her today, but I knew that she would be safe.  She had promised to stay by my side for the entire battle and to stay out of the fight with Max.  I knew that she and Mel badly wanted to fight him, but Axel and I couldn't handle that kind of danger for her.  Not after everything she had already been through.

    We were, however, considering letting her yell at him before we finished him off.  If we could get him down without a chance of turning the fight, we would let Emma say anything she wanted to him.  It was the best plan we could come up with.  It would keep Emma happy and safe, which were our two biggest priorities as her mate.

    As we grew closer to Max's territory borders, I slowed to a stop, proud when my pack automatically fell in.  I swung my head down the territory line and sent an order through the pack link.  To your positions.  Be silent and be invisible.  If you're noticed, it will ruin the entire plan.

    Not one wolf responded through the pack link, silently following directions as the slunk silently into the growing shadows to spread down the territory line. Once they were all in place, we would have the entire pack surrounded with the other packs' help.

    Emma, Dane and I moved back until we were well out of hearing range of the passing patrols and shifted back, pulling on just enough clothes to keep us decent.  Then, I took the phone that Dane was holding to me, initiating the conference call that all the alphas were waiting for.

    Emma stepped closer to me, pressing against my side so that she could hear the conversation as well.  They all answered with a standard alpha greeting: their names. Emma smiled as each person answered and I smiled back at her before getting down to business.

    "What's going on out there?"  I asked.

    "No increase in patrols and Max is still on the territory," David replied.

    "Has anyone actually seen him?" Emma piped in quietly.

    "I have," Jackson replied.  "He did the rounds about eleven am, checking on his patrols and making sure everyone was doing their jobs.  Haven't seen him since, but we know he hasn't left, Emma."

    "It's obvious that he has no idea what's happening," Darren added.  "He obviously didn't think that we would be interested in avenging our pack members."

    "Or he didn't think that they'd made it to us," David replied darkly.  "Today, he will learn just who he messed with."

    "And who he greatly underestimated," Emma growled lowly.

    There was a general murmur of agreement. 

    "Watch the clocks," I added. "The sun is almost down and we are moving in ten minutes.  The moment your phones show 8:15 you attack."

    Everyone agreed with the timing and before I hung up, Emma added a quick farewell.  "I'll see you all at the pack house!"

    I tucked the phone back into the backpack and Dane left to hide it in a tree where we could retrieve it after the battle.  I turned my attention to Emma, taking both of her hands.  "Are you ready to do this, sweetheart?" I asked, watching her in concern.  I knew she wanted revenge, but I also knew coming back here could be stressful.

    I needn't have worried about that.  Her grin was confident and bloodthirsty.  I'm also pretty sure it was mostly influenced by Mel as her eyes were glowing slightly, a sign that they were balanced enough to share control.  "I'm ready to kill him," she growled. 

    Maybe not perfectly balanced.  Mel seemed to have most of the control.  Leaning down, I kissed her softly and groaned when she gripped my hair tightly and kissed me back.  Pulling back, I rested my forehead against hers.  "Let's finish this," I told her.

    She nodded and we shifted simultaneously.  Dane was supposed to give the order to attack when it was time and he was waiting with the cell phone for the right time.  Until then, Emma and I needed to get into position.  As we would be leading the pack, we were in the middle of the line, slightly in front of the rest of the pack.

    When Dane called time, we would lead the charge into Max's territory and push our way to the pack house.  Max was a coward and we knew that he would retreat there, leaving his soldiers to fight for him.  That didn't matter to us.  We would be bringing the fight to him.

    Emma and I sunk down in some bushes just outside the territory line.  I glanced over at her.  I love you, Emma, I told her.

    She rested her head easily on my back.  I love you, too, Ashton.

    You remember what you said in my office a few days ago? I asked, smiling as much as I could in wolf form.

    Just us, she whispered through our link.  When this is over, we can focus on us.

    We're only an hour or two away, I told her.  In an hour or two, you can put all of this behind you and heal.  We can move on, take care of each other and our pack.

    She nuzzled me happily and I returned the affection. 

    Dane sent out a one minute warning and we both tensed, lifting onto our haunches and preparing to leap.  Axel surged to the front of my mind and I knew my eyes were glowing as we merged our control to fight together.  It was a feat that was hard to accomplish as you and your wolf had to be in perfect harmony and few wolves without alpha blood could accomplish it.  I glanced over at Emma to see her eyes glowing as well.

    It was almost time to finish this.  She gave me a fierce, silent snarl and I returned it.  We were both ready for this battle and going in full force. All we waited for as the seconds ticked by was the attack signal from Dane.

    MOVE! The order rang through the pack link and we leapt from our cover as a single unit, moving into Max's territory.  It took no time at all for the patrols to notice us, but it also took very little time for them to realize how completely overwhelmed they were.

    There were plenty that laid down and surrendered.  There were also plenty that remained loyal to Max and we fought them with little problem.  Their forces simply couldn't withstand a fight with four different packs from all directions.  As we fought our way to the pack house, we left a few members behind in a trickle to secure the wolves that had surrendered until the battle was over.

    I heard Emma yelp beside me and in less than a second I had her attacker on the ground, my teeth buried in his neck. 

    I'm fine, Emma assured me before I could ask.  He just got my flank.

    Relief flowed through me as I released the wolf that had hurt her, now dead in the leaves.  I licked her injury gently in comfort and then we both turned our attentions back to the battle.  There were more wolves coming from the pack house to deal with, but we were getting closer. I could feel it.

    I knew Emma could too, as she became more volatile and aggressive in her fighting.  She recognized her surroundings and she was killing any of Max's wolves that had the audacity to come near her.  She was magnificent in her fury, but she and Mel retained enough control to ignore the wolves laying prone in submission, and I knew that I didn't need to worry about her losing control.

    In only five more minutes, the pack house was in sight.  There were still plenty of wolves between us and our target, but we could see it now.  We could also see the other packs closing in as well, David, Jackson and Darren leading the foray for each of their packs.

    By the time that we reached the pack house, it was just us alphas, Emma, Rick and Dane approaching the front door.  The rest of the packs' members were taking care of the members of Max's pack that had surrendered.  They'd already been briefed on this, that only the alphas would be going after Max.  And all the alphas already knew that I was going to be the one to kill him.  They were there as witnesses.

    Before we could get within ten feet of the porch, Max stepped out the front door, a younger version of himself following.  I knew that it had to be his son, Jeremy.  Anger filled me as I watched them look around their pack grounds with disdain.

    Then Max looked at the group of Alphas facing him.  As one, we all shifted.  Max's eyes were immediately drawn Emma.  She pulled herself up and glared at him.

    "Emma," Max said blandly.  "I see you've returned.  With friends."

    "I have," Emma replied, her voice strong. 

    "Couldn't fight me on your own?" he needled her and I growled in warning. He didn't pay any attention to me, escalating my anger further. "You had to get a band to do it for you?"

    Emma stepped forward threateningly and I put a restraining hand on her elbow, stopping her before she could get more than a step in front of me.  "I brought them to keep you honest, Max," she told him.  "I feel it's something you've always struggled with.  I'll fight you, one on one.  They'll just make sure that you don't cheat."

    I growled at Emma's words.  She would do no such thing.  She'd agreed to do exactly the opposite.  "She won't be fighting you, Max," I growled.  "I won't allow you to hurt her any more than you already have!"

    Emma turned to me and leaned in to kiss me quickly.  I didn't know what it was for, but I wasn't complaining.  I stroked her arms as I returned the gentle kiss.  She pulled back and smiled sadly at me, confusing me.  Why was she sad?

    "I'm sorry, Ashton," she whispered to me.  "I have to do this."

    Before I could even grasp what she was saying, two pairs of hands pulled me away from her and it finally sank into my brain.  She meant to fight him alone.  I fought against the restraining hands, but David and Jackson had a firm grip and weren't releasing me.

    "Emma, don't do this!" I told her.  Axel and I couldn't handle seeing Max hurt her anymore.

    "I need this, Ashton," she told me before turning to face Max.

    I snarled angrily and used all my strength to shake off David and Jackson, but I still couldn't get free.  They were going to allow Emma to fight him alone! She could get hurt! Yet, there was nothing I could do; they were making sure of that.

And I knew that this had to have been her idea.

~~~*~~~Author's Note~~~*~~~

It's longer as I promised, and I hope you all enjoyed it! Who guessed that Emma was going to pull that stunt?

I'm only planning two or three more chapters after this one, it's finally wrapping up! You've all been waiting for this. Emma might finally get her revenge. Only next week's chapter will tell, but who thinks that she can take care of Max on her own? Is she going to need help?

~Haley~