"The location that I and the other Alphas, along with the help of our Betas, is fifteen miles from here, in a valley between the mountains. We will go in our wolf forms. Peri, Sally, and Rachel will come separately. Peri and I have discussed the fact that Desdemona will know we are coming as soon as we phase and start running through the Alps. I am under no illusions that we will catch her by surprise. You all need to expect her to use anything she can against us. The weather, the animals under her command, and the Serbian pack. I wish I could tell you to go in there and fight honorably, but Thad has proven he has no honor and Desdemona is a witch, evil to her core. They will fight dirty and so must we."

Jen snorted. "No worries, Alpha. I've got no problem throwing a little dirt in my opponents eyes."

"Or kicking them while their down," Jacque added.

Vasile actually smiled at the two females. "Good. I expect you to use all your resources. Stay together, don't let them separate us." He looked at Peri, who stood toward the back of the room. "Were you able to get the help we requested?"

Peri nodded. "Elle and Adam will be with us. That is all the council would allow."

Vasile narrowed his eyes, obviously not pleased with her answer. "That will have to be enough, then."

He looked around the room one more time. His eyes settled on each Alpha, a silent thank you for their assistance. Then, taking a step toward the door with Alina's hand in his, he growled, "Let's go."

All followed Vasile and his mate out of the Tavern and into the cold night air.

Jen and Jacque stood silently, watching their pack and the others begin to phase as they walked into the forest.

Dillon stopped next to Jacque and pulled her into a hug. "Fight dirty," he grumbled into her hair. Jacque pulled him tight and nodded. When she moved back and looked up at him, she could see the emotion behind his green eyes.

"We got this, dad," she tried to tease him and lighten the moment, but squeezed his arm at the same time, letting him know she understood. She didn't want anything to happen to him either.

He looked at Fane and Decebel, who stood beside the girls. Dillon nodded once and then took off at a swift jog and phased in mid-stride.

"Man, I want to be able to do that." Jen sighed dramatically. The girls, new to phasing, still had to undress and concentrate when they did it.

"Let's do this, ladies," Decebel told them as he and Fane turned their backs so Jen and Jacque could undress.

Once the girls were both in their wolf forms, Decebel and Fane both phased and – after nuzzling their mates briefly – they took off after the rest of their pack.

As they ran through the forest, the cold air whipped through their fur as they dashed around trees and through bushes. Even with the many wolves that ran through the Alps thisnight, the forest was silent.

"They aren't coming," Thad snarled at Mona as they stood on the hilltop, looking into the empty valley. The night was unusually quiet and still. There was no breeze, no moving tree limbs or rustling leaves. The clear, cold night was lit up by the large golden moon and in the stillness was an eerie feeling.

"You of all people should know, Thad, when you can't hear the wolves," Mona paused as she looked out into the open field below them, "that's when the wolves are coming."

She closed her eyes and raised her hands to the silent sky as she began to chant:

"Earth, water, wind, and fire,

Hear my voice, embrace my desire.

Water, come rain down your flood,

Pour over this valley, soon to soak with blood."

Clouds that hadn't been there moments before began to gather. Thad listened as thunder began to roll and, suddenly, the sky opened and the water fell in sheets of cold rain. He squinted through the raindrops that splashed against his face, attempting now to focus on the field. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he watched several wolves work their way through the trees onto the open field that was being drenched and muddied by the unnatural downpour.

Mona's laugh broke through his thoughts "See? I told you they'd come. The wolves want to play. Let's give them some toys, shall we?" She pushed her arms out in front of her with a mighty shout.

Thad watched as all the beasts and creatures she had gathered began to work their way out of the forest opposite the wolves. He stepped forward, ready to phase, but Mona stopped him with a hand to his chest.

"Not yet, Alpha. We wait."

Cold rain stung Sally, Rachel, and Peri in the face as they opened their eyes. Peri had warned them that when she used the veil to travel it might make them a little disoriented, and Sally could definitely attest to feeling disoriented. But as she looked out onto the field below them, she decided that it wasn't the method of travel that was making her feel that way. She watched the wolves of her pack and the others begin to filter through the forest of the Alps onto the wet field.

Her eyes widened when she saw animals Peri had talked about – the ones Desdemona had taken under her control.  They moved with an unnatural swiftness and an uncanny certainty. They were out for blood. It was written in the snarls across their faces and the hair raised on their backs. Bears, wolves, wild boar, and many more with one goal in common: kill the members of her pack.

Sally pulled her shoulders back and stood tall. She was a gypsy healer. She had power and she would not let her friends fall. She would not let this witch win. "Peri, we need to hurry." She motioned to the field.

Rachel and Peri both paused their preparations to look where Sally indicated.