Red Is for Traitor

Devastation. Unsurprisingly the pack did not take Sindri's capture well. His sisters stood numbly at the news, having a hard time processing the fact that their brother was not only missing but in the hands of hunters that would most likely kill him. Arawn and to an extent Shionnah, were upset but more concerned with how everyone else was feeling. Trista took it one of the hardest. Having lost so many of her pack already, she fell to her knees and sobbed quietly into Arawn's shoulder. She visibly shook at not knowing what was happening to her son. Zane was in denial. He fiercely denied that his father was taken and demanded that the cruel joke be ended. When the group looked unsure at the pup he howled, shifted and ran off angry, hurt, and devastated. Sage ran after him to make sure he was safe. Corbin's usual calm exterior fell away to show sorrow and uncertainty. His right hand was now in the hands of the enemy and he did not know if they would be able to get him back. I knew he was trying to be strong for his pack but I could also tell all he wanted to do was let let out a mournful howl. To call for his lost pack mate so he could find him. As for me, I was shattered. My ears started ringing, my vision tunneled, and I could feel the beginning of a panic attack. Like Trista I could not lose someone else. My right arm gripped my left, shaking like an earth quake.
We were taking the loss of one wolf harder than the other packs. The others were upset, but they did not react to the same degree we were. We were being watched and I could not handle it. I muttered an 'Excuse me,' and walked to where my father, grandmother, and grandfather laid buried beneath dirt. I gripped the small wrought iron fence that surround the little graveyard, my nails biting into my skin. Within minuted I felt a presence beside me. "Is Zane okay?" I knew my friend would understand what my question really meant.
"Yes, Sage is with him." Corbin replied softly. I nodded, I could now express how I felt. Letting out a sound that was a mix between a yell and cry, tears started running down my face as I lowered myself down into a crouch. I was quickly enveloped into a hug, burying my face into Corbin's shoulder. Together we quietly cried, taking a small amount of solace in each others presence. After a while there was no more tears to shed, just an emptiness that seemed to spread throughout our bodies. A hole that only the Beta of the Moonshadow pack could fill.
Finally I gently pushed myself away from him and wiped my eyes. Staring straight at him with determination I growled, "We are going to find him and the others and we are going to save them."
"Macha..." Corbin looked at me gently, but with an express that read 'we may be too late.'
"No, we are going to save them. We will find out where they are and we are going for them." I lifted my jaw in declaration. "The Red Cloaks have been rescuing wolves for over a year. We are going to save them." I needed to believe that we would or I would not be able to function.
"Okay. Send a letter to your contact, we need to know everything he does." Corbin stood and offered me his hand. I easily took it and together we walked with determination in our steps. By the end of the day I had written a letter to my contact and sent it off, the next day I called a meeting.

The Red Cloaks all milled around the meeting hall waiting for my meeting to start. I walked in later than I wanted to (Zane still had not shifted back and was snapping at anyone who tried to get close to him) and stood behind the podium. "Everyone!" I called, the room silencing almost instantly. "As all of you should know five w-werewolves have gone missing." Sympathetic eyes looked at me, they all knew that Sindri was one of the taken. "As the Red Cloaks we have dedicated our services to rescuing those who have been captured by the hunters and the like minded human who support them." Many nodded having an inkling of where this was going with my speech. "I would... I would like six volunteers who would be ready to leave and go rescue these werewolves." Hands shot up and I gave a sad grateful smile. "Before anyone volunteers I would like to explain what volunteering would entail." The hands lowered but I could see that at any minute they would shoot back up. "These six would be on stand by. They would not go on any rescue missions outside of this one. They must be ready to leave at a moments notice. At this point in time we do not know when we would be leaving, where, for how long.... we know nothing other than... hoping that the taken are okay.
"Alpha Corbin will be talking to some of the other werewolves about joining us on the mission. While we are waiting for more information about the werewolves whereabouts, we will train with the volunteer werewolves so that we are a synchronized unit." My eyes lowered feeling emotionally exhausted. "I know this is a selfish request, but I ask now if there is anyone willing to put their life on the line for my mate and the four other wolves that have been taken?"
Rami was the first to raise his hand, "I volunteer to be one of your Red Cloaks." I smiled gratefully to him, tears prickling at me eyes.
Ranya stepped next to her father, "I will take over my father's squad if they will have me." The five nodded their approval.
"I volunteer to help get back your mate and the other wolves that were taken." Mina stepped up next to Rami with a grin.
A petite but fierce woman stepped forward, "I'll volunteer." I remembered her. Vasilisa Romonof was one of the newer Red Cloaks but as tough as they come.
"Count me in." Mitch Harley grinned widely patting Vasilisa on the shoulder.
It took a few moments for the last to volunteer. "What the hell, it's what we do right? I'll help ya." The last was Tony Nettle, one of the fastest knives thrower the village had ever seen.
"Thank you. Everyone else will resume as usual, going on missions as we receive word. If anyone has questions please speak to me or Alpha Corbin, but for now everyone but the volunteers are dismissed. Again thank you for your time." A few Red Cloaks patted me on the shoulder or hugged me as they left the hall. When it was only the seven of us left I walked over to them. "Thank you for volunteering."
"As Tony said, it's what we do." Mina smiled. "If anyone deserves help in this time of need it's you. You've given so much already, it's our turn to help you."
"She's right ya know. We got yer back." Tony bumped my shoulder receiving a chuckle from me. "Now what cha need?"
"At the moment we know nothing about where they have been taken." My voice lowered as I tried not to think too hard on it. "I sent out a message to my contact, but it will be a few days before we hear word. For now we are to continue training in the woods and when the werewolves have their volunteers we will work with them."
"This will be different." Vasilisa thought aloud. "We've never worked with werewolves before."
"It was cor-Alpha Corbin's idea. He hoped it will help keep us safe since quite a few times lately we have almost been caught. The plan is to have at least one werewolf on lookout with the Red Cloaks that are on lookout and one with the others for easier communications." I replied.
"Smart." Vasilisa grinned. "We should have done that eons ago since the hunters seem to be adapting to us sneaking in and releasing their prisoners."
"I think the ones who are volunteering are doing it as a favor to the Moonshadow pack." I replied honestly.
"And right they should. Your pack has been nothing but kind and caring towards those who ask for sanctuary. The least anyone can do is offer help when they are in need." Rami nodded.
"It just..." I bit my lip. "It just feels like we are asking a lot. We have never done this before and to ask only because S-Sindri is missing seems selfish..."
Rami raised my chip with his finger, "It is okay to be selfish sometimes. Your pack rarely is." I gave a smile that reached my eyes a little.
"Thank you all again, but I should go and see Zane. We shall start tomorrow with training, by then the wolves should be picked." We broke off to our different places. I found Zane pacing near the river with Mia looking worse for wear. When she saw me her face morphed into relief. I pattered her on her back and relieved her of Zane duty. The pup snarled and paced, swatted at the water and stomped his feet. "Zane." I called. He ignored me at first but slowly turned to face me with his nails scraping the ground. I slowly walked over to him and held out my hand. His nose scented the air before he let out a mournful sound, shifted back, and collided into my outstretched arms.
"MAAAAAK." He sobbed, his nails pricking holes into my cloak. I rubbed his back and let him cry quietly singing to him until no tears would fall. "Mak, Poppa's gone. They took him. They gunna hurt him like they hurted you and everyone else."
"We will find and rescue him, Zane. We are going to save your Poppa, I promise."
He pulled back and looked at me. "What if they kill him?"
"I will not let them, no matter what." I wiped away some tears that still slid down his reddened cheeks. "We have our ears out and Red Cloaks waiting for word of where they are. While we wait we shall be training with some werewolves so we can save them without anyone getting hurt. We will save your Poppa and the other wolves. We have to believe that." He nodded and hugged me again. I prayed the wait would not be long...

But it was. Two and a half weeks later and we were still unsure where the hunter party had taken the captured wolves or what they planned to do with them. Everyone in the village was becoming restless especially with Zane turning angrier by the day. He lashed out more, demanded to be alone, got in trouble, and overall making things difficult. It was hard to be mad at him for we knew why he was acting in such a way, but that did not mean he was allowed to get away with his behavior. Most of the pack tried to discipline him, yet it was becoming more difficult to do so. In the end, Corbin had to take the unfortunate position of disciplinarian sometimes using his Alpha voice to stop Zane. Those times never ended well, Zane always stormed off angrier than before and Corbin's face crumpled a little at having to control the pup.
Through it all Arawn began standing in as Corbin's Beta. He was not thrilled at first, not wanting to step on any toes (especially Zane's), but it seemed to fit him. When the Alpha could not attend a meeting, Arawn could sooth the other Alphas and get everyone back on track. Shionnah helped when she could, but mostly took over training when Corbin could not. Trista still had not quite recovered from the loss of Sindri. Instead of becoming angry like Zane, she withdrew into herself often sitting alone staring at nothing. She always had something of Sindri's with her, often stroking or scenting it. The other pack members tried their best to support everyone while mourning the loss of their brother. As for Corbin, we became better friends through it all. Every other night he would end up at the cottage always starting the visit with his head in his hands.
It started four days after they went missing. He had finally reached his breaking point and stumbled into my house. I was startled at first when I opened the door to see his exhausted teared stained face looking at me in desperation. Like always he asked to enter and with no hesitation I let him in. While I made tea, he sat in a chair with his hands covering his eyes quietly crying. "We can't do this again." He silently confessed with a voice saturated in sorrow. "We can't have another pack mate die at the hands of the hunters." I walked over and placed his cup on the table before sitting across from him, my knees touching his. "Mother.... Mother especially has lost too many to ever recover if S-my brother dies. She was Alpha when they came and decimated us. She watched as her brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and Mate died at their hands. She barely recovered when they died, how will she survive if- if S-Sindri does too?
"I'm trying to keep everyone together, but- but how? I never thought I would be alone in running this pack. I can do what I do because Sindri is quietly beside me. He's my Beta, my brother, my best friend. I couldn't' keep him safe, how am I supposed to keep everyone else safe?"
"They knew the risk when they left." I quietly reminded him. "He, like you, is willing to risk his life to protect our pack and the others."
"I know. I just- I-" He took a few shaky breaths before continuing, "I don't know how to comfort my pack. What kind of Alpha does that make me?" He looked up at me as if I had all his answers.
I looked back and replied honestly, "It makes you humans. All you can do is be there for them when they need to mourn or vent their feelings. You need to be a constant to them because right now they probably feel like the ground has be ripped out from under them. Show them that it is okay to miss him and that we are doing everything we can to save him and the other wolves."
"What if they don't want me? Zane has made it plenty clear that he wants no one."
"He's hurting because his father is missing. Give him time and show him that you are not abandoning him."
"I would never." He frowned.
I smiled soothingly, "I am not saying you are. I know he tends to growl and snap at anyone who comes close, but keep showing up. Take it from someone who used to shove people away, it is nice knowing that although you push they keep coming back."
"Arawn?"
"And Zane." I chuckled, "He never could take a hint."
"No he couldn't." Corbin let out a watery laugh before sighing. "Thank you Macha, you are probably the last person who wants to hear woes of my missing brother."
I gave him a sad smile, "It is fine, we all need to talk and it takes my mind off of missing him. I like helping people even if it is only listening to how they feel. You Corbin need to let it out or you will crumble."
"I can see why Sin chose you, you are strong and kind. A dangerous combination." He grinned.
I chuckled, "More dangerous than those hunters know. I will find my mate no matter what."
"I would not want to be there if they tried to get in your way." He stood, straighter than when he had first arrived. "Thank you again."
"You are welcome here anytime if you need to talk or take a little while out of your day to recollect yourself." I offered.
"I will probably take you up on your offer. If I ever burden you, you can kick me out anytime."
"I do not believe I will ever kick you out, but you may have to hear my woes on occasion."
"It would be only fair. Good night Macha." I walked him to the door, but before he left he turned. "You can stay at the Den whenever you want. It is still yours and I am sure the others including myself, would feel better with you there."
"Not tonight, but I will spend more nights there. I have a few salves and elixirs I have to make tomorrow. I will stay most nights though."
"Good. Night." He walked slowly away letting the moonlight guide him home. I closed the door letting my forehead thunk against the heavy wood. Sleeping in the Den would be hard. At first it would be soothing, but waking up would be a painful reminder that although Sindri's scent permeated everything he was not there and I was alone. That was perhaps worse than staying alone in the cottage.