Chapter 45 - Keeping calm

                                    

                                          
Hunter's pov
                          
*not edited*
                          
Nobody spoke while they worked. The only noises came from their movements and from the grieving mates and families of those that we had lost. 
                          
I was crouched down on the floor looking at the lifeless body of Eric, a guard who had been protecting the pack house. He was young, a few years younger than me; he had had great potential which was why he had been a warrior at only 15.
                          
I thought that keeping him by the pack house would show how much I valued him as a warrior and would also keep him safe. How wrong I had been.
                          
Everything had gone wrong.
                          
"Hunter?" 
                          
Glancing over my shoulder I saw Jay walking towards me, his expression was blank as he tried to remain strong for the pups but the look in his eyes betrayed him. Turning back to the fallen warrior I gently pulled the white sheet further up his body to cover his face, before standing to speak with Jay.
                          
"How many?" I asked.
                          
"We lost 13 of our own, Alpha Alec lost 7 and Alpha Nick lost 4." Jay said while clenching his fists, "We counted up the enemy and you were right."
                          
My eyes narrowed and I walked passed Jay heading towards the pack house, my instincts had kicked in the moment I learnt who had taken my mate. A Beta and a third had been the main infiltrators, both of whom you would expect on the front line.
                          
"How many from Blood Sun?" I asked trying to keep my voice low.
                          
"We only found 2 of their pack members among the dead, both of which were low rank." Jay informed me and I saw red.
                          
"Damn it." My growl managed to attract the attention of people nearby and Jay grabbed hold of my arm to steer me out of sight.
                          
"Hunt, we didn't lose many warriors and those that are injured can be treated, this could have been a lot worse."
                          
"Yes," I grinned darkly before looking at Jay, "I could have lost my mate."
                          
"Hunt, I-"
                          
"Alpha!" someone shouted, "Rex is awake!"
                          
Jay's face was a mixture of pain and regret but I couldn't find it in me to forgive him just yet. Shoving passed my best friend I walked quickly towards the house's entrance and the further I got the angrier I became at the sight of those around me.
                          
It had been a trap. The entire war had been a trap.
                          
Thomas didn't want to fight me one on one for her, no, he used rogues to distract my warriors so that he could sneak in through the back door and take her. I didn't know how he got so many rogues to follow him and I didn't really care.
                          
That was one thing to be grateful for; the rogues had been untrained and were completely useless in the fight. The combination of the three packs had easily taken them out without many losses on our side.
                          
However what they lacked in strength and brains, they made up in numbers and it had taken us awhile to finish them off. Enough time for Blood Sun to take my mate, and Thomas didn't even come himself!
                          
Inside was just as bad, many of the women and children had been moved somewhere safer but they were traumatised. The monsters had decapitated Sam right before their eyes; kids had watched someone die and the blood stains were still on the floor although the body had been moved.
                          
I quickly looked around for Laura and saw her sat silently in a corner beside Jess. Her eyes were dead as they stared forward and my heart tightened for her. She had witnessed the death of her mate, a mate she had only know for a few days and I knew he was also a friend of my own mate's.