~~
Reece
~~
We now had our full attack party. After discussions were completed it was decided that along with our group we would be taking half of the Sentinelle with us. Gabriel would be in charge of relaying the commands to them, and he assured us they were very well trained. We were also taking an additional twenty of my men along. There would be a little over four dozen people fighting and four people staying away from the fight to help afterwards. Juniper, Griffin, the human, and of course my Little Bunny would be left out of the fighting party.
No matter what she says, I will absolutely stop my Little Bunny from fighting. I will keep her away no matter what it takes. Even if i have to stay away from the fight myself, which I hope she doesn't make me do. But I will not let her be put into danger like that.
The Aerie Convento wasn't overly far away, but it wasn't the easiest to get to. It was in a remote part of the Rocky Mountains near Crested Butte. It wasn't so out of the way that it was impossible to get to, but it would still require us to go in a roundabout manner of getting there. That's why the bulk of the fighting party was leaving in the herd of off-roading vehicles I had assembled for them, with a few extra seats available for us later if need be.
Most of our private group, however, would be travelling by helicopter so that we could get the information we needed sooner. It would take about four hours for them to drive up the mountains. The flight would take less than an hour.
We left at most an hour after the others. With this time spacing we will be there for about two hours, give or take, before everyone else arrived. This would give us ample time to have the spell performed. With luck, we can just head straight out to get the kids when everyone else gets there.
I couldn't help but smirk to myself when we got onto the large helicopter, because the last time I had been aboard this type of craft had been when I took my Little Devil Bunny to that cabin in the mountains. That had been the night she had agreed to marry me. The after was pretty fun too.
We all filed in, one by one. I don't do things cheap or half assed. It was for those reasons that I had long ago purchased the Eurocopter EC 155. It was enough to seat, with extreme convenience for today, sixteen people, and had only cost me a measly ten million. It was well worth it. The one I took before was a Sikorsky S-92. That one was a little more luxurious and VIP oriented with a price tag of around twenty-two million.
Since I met my Little Bunny, I had begun adding aviation equipment to my long list of personal vehicles. And with a personal pilot who could fly either helicopters or planes I didn't need to worry at all. These were all needed things, no matter what my adorable little wife said. She really did have a problem with spending so much, I should spoil her more so she didn't have to do it all alone.
It was a smooth, comfortable flight. Juniper and my Little Bunny spent the flight talking about the baby. I had just been sitting there, my eyes closed and resting on the back of my seat listening to my mate's hypnotic voice. But I just had to watch them after a little bit.
"So, which are you hoping for?" Juniper asked her.
"Honestly, I don't care. My main concern is that the baby is happy and healthy. If it's a boy though I hope it looks like Reece." Those words brought joy to my heart.
"I hope it's a girl that looks as adorable as you." I whispered in her ear so quietly that no one else could hear me. I smiled at the slight blush that crept on her beautifully pale face.
"Anyway." She cleared her throat to clear her mind and push past her blushing embarrassment. "When are you and Paul going to have one?" She asked Juniper. It was now time for her friend to blush.
"I don't know. Soon maybe. I wanted to wait until I was done with school, but I'm sure we all have a pretty good support system here, so if I decide not to wait it will be alright, don't you think?"
"Absolutely. What other reason am I making the pack daycare for?" My Little Bunny truly was so loving and caring towards everyone.
"Right." Juniper was still blushing slightly. "Then, perhaps our kids could grow up together."
"That would be amazing Juniper. You're going to be my baby's aunt after all." She was grinning widely as she said these words to her best friend.
"So, you're going to continue school right? Even after the baby is born?" Juniper asked curiously.
"Definitely, but I might continue to do the online thing. With how busy things get from time to time it allows me to do everything without the same time constraints"
"You don't have classes at a set time?" Juniper was still not used to everything Trinity was doing for school.
"There are a few with set times, but the classes are recorded and I can watch them after the fact. But, in all honesty, I work at my own pace on my own time. I work asynchronously."
"That actually sounds a lot better. With all the changes, not just for you but all of us, it might be easier that way."
"If you ever decide to switch it up, we could be study buddies and do our work together. It helps cut down on the feeling of being alone."
"That'd be great, since you and the guys have changed your schedules so much I feel alone as it is."
It now looked like I could count on Juniper being around to help protect my wife in the future. It was great that she was building such a good group around her. Just as I thought before, she was only so alone because she was so isolated. She's a very likable person and people just naturally want to flock to her. Well, good people anyway. The not so nice ones would end up being jealous of her beauty, intelligence, and natural ability. I would protect her from that type of thing from now on.
Not long after that conversation, we landed in the courtyard of the magic council headquarters. The build was large and sprawling. It apparently housed several of the more prominent members with lesser witches and warlocks tending to them like they were nobles. I guess in a way they were. Would they welcome Trinity as a noble or a lesser being? I wondered exactly what their reaction would be.
The Aerie Convento looked like an elaborate ski resort. It was in a traditional architecture style that went well with the mountains and trees surrounding it. The snow covered roof and piles of snow drifts were a definite sign that winter hadn't fully left this high up in the mountains.
As soon as I stepped off the helicopter my nose was assaulted with the strongest smell of lemons and other citrus fruits that I had to wrinkle my nose a little. That was a testament to the sheer number of warlocks that were present. And I guess that citrus was really a signature smell for warlocks. At least it was easily distinguished and we could smell them now.
"Alpha Reece, is there something the matter?" Eldrige, the same man from before, asked me with concern written on his face as he saw me and almost everyone who got off the aircraft wrinkle our noses.
"Just, not used to the smell." I told him as I made the effort to settle my face and adjust to the new scent.
"The smell?" Eldrige looked confused.
"Yes, I thought that, given what has happened lately, that they needed to be able to smell warlocks like I can." My adorably tactful mate answered for me.
"I was not aware that you were capable of smelling us, Miss Trinity, but now you say that all those present can as well? Interesting." A new voice, one I have never heard before, entered the conversation. I was noticing the slight differences between each person now. The citrus smells were mixed with others, same as we wolves they seemed to have a multi-layer scent signature for each person. Given time I would be able to smell, and tell, them all apart from each other.
We as a group turned our heads to look at the newcomer while every warlock present lowered their head in a show of deference and respect. Well, I guess it's safe to assume he is someone of importance here.
"Yes, I didn't want my group to be at a disadvantage when we fought against Edmond." My little mate was in full queen mode now, taking the lead.
"And you say you gave them this ability?" He asked her, a strange smile on his face, as if he didn't quite believe it.
"Among others, yes." She smiled at him, sensing his lack of confidence in her words.
"And how, might I ask, did you do that? It is beyond any magic I know of to grant powers to a wolf like that."
"If I may.' Gabriel raised his hand and looked at the woman he called queen. She nodded at him, giving him the permission to speak that he was seeking. "Sir, I may not know who you are, but please understand this, the woman before you is none other than the newest Goddess Incarnate."
"Hmph." The man scoffed. "You say that, but is there any proof?"
"Am I not the proof myself. Surely you ambassadors who attended the wedding informed you that we members of the Sentinelle had arrived to greet our newest queen."
"Eldrige?" The man shouted.
"I am sincerely sorry, Lord Crawford. We had indeed planned on telling you, but as you were not present until this moment I was unable to pass along the word."
"Hmm." The man named Crawford was looking intently at my mate now. "It seems I missed much in my absence. Is this the truth?"
"It is indeed." Little Bunny smiled at him before turning her head with a smile. Then I heard her voice in my mind, soft and sweet but full of power. 'But don't just take my word for it, Crawford, you can use this demonstration to help confirm and alleviate any doubt.'
"What a wonderful ability." The man smiled. "That is indeed something that is said to be a power belonging to your legendary goddess. But it is also something that we more powerful warlocks are capable of."
"Who would have taught me to do such a thing?" She snapped at him.
"Did you not spend time with your father?" He asked her, still not accepting.
"He and his minions were too busy torturing me to teach me anything." She glared at him.
"Perhaps a show of abilities then?" I offered just so I could break the tension growing between them.
"Such as?" He asked.
"Just yesterday, my wife granted abilities to the guards present. If they were to show you what they can do, what will you say then?"
"I would say that if anyone who is clearly just a wolf with no other blood in them could perform a feat not indicative of a wolf ability then I would accept what you are saying with no further denial."
"Fine then, we will prove ourselves."
I turned to look at them, the shock and anger on their faces was very clear.
"You all have had your abilities for just over twenty four hours, most of you probably haven't even tried to use them yet, but now is the time."
"Oh, we practiced." Vincent smiled confidently. I never should have doubted these men. They, like me, had gone on to practice using their new gifts after the excitement of the morning passed.
"Then let us show him so we can move on." I smirked at them and they all understood the look in my eyes. They knew I was essentially telling them to not hold back.
First, without provocation or warning, Cedar turned to Noah and ensnared his legs in a prison of tree roots that sprang up magically from the snow. In retaliation, Noah threw his hands up and Cedar was suddenly fifteen feet off the ground on a high stone pillar with a flat platform on top. They laughed at each other like they were teens having fun. While the two of them laughed, a snowball landed on Noah's head. It seemingly came from nowhere until Carter appeared next to his brother's side, laughing along with them.
Next, I saw Shane send small electrical currents across to Shawn. The currents were bright yellow and easy to see. Shawn, in retaliation both formed and sent snowballs flying at his brother without so much as moving a finger. As Shane's electrical attacks got stronger Shawn's snowballs got bigger. Until finally Shawn sent one roughly the size of a car at his brother, he knew that it wouldn't be a big issue. Which it wasn't, because the next thing I saw was a large sword made of yellow lightning slice through the air and annihilating the large ball of snow.
"Oh, boys, you're brothers so shouldn't you be nicer to each other?" Dietrich said in a playful tone. He was looking at the two men with a glint of mischief in his eyes. I noticed his eyes turn pure black for a moment, like it was a cloud moving within them. In the next moment the twins walked toward each other and hugged each other. Then they started leaping about and telling us they were snow fairies and that they were going to put on a show for us. When Dietrich began laughing hysterically at their show the two men stopped dancing around.
"That wasn't nice Dietrich." Shawn looked a little upset but was still smiling at his mate.
"I am sorry, my love. I could not help myself. I have often thought that a ballet with twins would be a wonderful show."
This left only David and myself, as everyone else had less noticeable abilities. I didn't see him move at all, but David had disappeared from Otsana's side and the next thing I knew, someone was pelting the others with snowballs. I didn't even want to chance it, I put a shield around Trinity and myself. And sure enough, I saw a snowball smash against nothing in the air about three feet in front of me.
"Well, I must say, those are some magnificent abilities, and definitely not normal for a wolf to have. Aside from your mate, Mr. Gray, none of you should be able to do these things. And her only because she is half witch. But I guess that means she truly is the new Moon Goddess Incarnate."
"She most definitely is." I looked pointedly at the man named Crawford as he smiled.
"Please understand, I meant no offense. But as I have been trying to gather any information I could on Edmond I was a little more skeptical of someone who calls herself his daughter."
"Crawford, never say those words to me or about me again." My mate was furious now. "I am not now, nor will I ever be that man's daughter. My dad is Wesley Whitton, not Gannon Cornelius Edmond. I have the unfortunate circumstance of sharing DNA with him but he is not my father at all. And when I see him again, I will kill him, personally."
"I must say, I am happy to hear those words." Crawford smiled happily. "I cannot trust someone associated with him, not after what he has done. Please, come inside and let us get out of this cold." Crawford gestured with a hand before turning back to the door.
