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."Don't be scared.I'll always protect you, no matter what."Once we were all seated around a large, circular blonde oak table in the lamp-lit meeting room, Seth continued."The wolves are coming.They're aging outside of the immortality boundaries of the wilds, here -- and they don't like it.They know they'll eventually die.They plan to return and fight us to the death for the land."Emily made a little gasp, her big gray eyes wide in the golden lamplight."How do you know for sure?""I heard them today.I heard their thoughts."Calvin let his breath out in a rush."I always knew this day would come."Several others at the table began murmuring, and Emily turned to me, lines of worry creasing her forehead."We can all pick up on the wolves' presences if they're closer than fifty miles away, but Seth's the only one of us that can pick up on their thoughts.And thank God he can, because this warning about their plan is going to give us plenty of time to get you away from all this.Don't worry."I nodded, heart sinking, wondering how long I'd have to be separated from Aaron.Seth continued."I traveled far on my hunting trip the past few days, tracking a herd of elk east along the peninsula.And the farther east I went, I started to pick up on their ‘chatter,’ as it were.Mostly Alexander's, although a few of the other six as well.I also was able to detect their physical presence, less than twenty miles to the east of my location at the time.Which means they've already left Canada and are currently back in the U.P.And then today, I heard some of Alexander's thoughts clear as a bell.He plans to lead the pack even farther west across the peninsula tonight and tomorrow.I expect that soon we'll all be able to detect their presence, because very soon they'll be within fifty miles of us."Emily suddenly sat up a little straighter, cocked her head to the side for a moment, and frowned."Just now.They're fifty miles exactly."Several other members of the family said they could sense it, too, and Seth nodded."Alexander plans to lead the pack even farther west tonight, rest for a short while, and then close the rest of the distance tomorrow.Then, they'll stop several miles from here, and rest again at night.He knows I'm possibly picking up on his thoughts.He wants us to meet him in the clearing a half-mile east of here for battle at sunrise Sunday morning.And that only gives us a little over forty hours to prepare." Seth paused and took a deep breath, looking at Aaron."Aaron, what are your thoughts? As our leader, I know you'll have the final say on if we meet them and how we decide to do battle, but as second-in-command, let me say that I want to fight.We can't allow them back in our wilds.We can't give them the chance to hurt any of the people of Houghton."Aaron nodded, muscles working in his strong jaw."We will fight.We'll take them head on.We'll meet them in the clearing Sunday at sunrise, where they will all meet their deaths.I know the seven of us can take them.""Seven?" Emily looked around me to Aaron, frowning."I'm fighting, too."Jasmine and Sarah both agreed they would be, too.Calvin looked at Emily, his breathing suddenly fast."Like hell.You'll be somewhere safe during the fight.I won't let you get hurt.Even in bear form, you're much too small to ever take on a wolf.As are all you women, no offense intended.It's just a fact."Emily sputtered for a few moments before sighing."Okay, well, maybe you're right.But I can still help in the fight.And I'm going to."A long, loud discussion occurred, with Calvin, Lucas, and Andrew arguing with their wives about who would take part in the battle.Eventually, Aaron was asked to make the final decision, but he declined."I'll allow the women to fight, and I won't try to stop them, but ultimately, I think this is a decision that needs to be made between husband and wife."At least ten minutes of arguing between the husbands and wives later, it was finally decided that the wives would stand behind the men during the battle, a very safe distance behind, and would only jump into the fray in the event of extreme need, and even then, only when signaled to do so.Calvin took Emily's tiny hand in his own much larger one."But that won't even be necessary.You and Jasmine and Sarah will be kept safe."Emily nodded, seemingly satisfied."Okay.But if you men get into trouble, I'm going to help.I know you love me too much to see me get hurt, but that feeling goes both ways, you know."Soon Aaron was called on to outline specific battle plans and strategy, and he said he would, but later."Right now, Kyla's well-being is my top priority, and I need to get her to safety."I turned to Aaron."But why can't I just stay here? I get that you don't want me near the battle, but I can just wait for you here.I just don't want to be very far away from you.I want to stay."He shook his head."No.Alexander and his pack have the ability to detect human scent from literally miles away.If they detected you here, they'd probably figure out that you're a human very special to this family, and if one of them broke away from the pack and found you here." Aaron gave his head a little shake."I don't even want to think about it.""Maybe I'll just stay at my own cabin, then.""Also too close.Way too close.""Houghton, then?""Absolutely not.Some members of the pack could also decide to break away from the pack to cause destruction in Houghton before or during the fight.It's too big of a risk.I want you safely at your home in Detroit while all this is happening, or at least somewhere in the lower peninsula.At the very least.""But-""We'll talk more about this later, in private.But my decision is final, Kyla.I won't compromise when it comes to your complete and total safety."I could tell by the hard line of Aaron's jaw that he was done discussing the matter with me, and I didn't say anything else.Soon it was decided that he'd take me home and help me pack, and then would see me off on the road very early the next morning."Alexander and his pack could be near as early as late tomorrow afternoon.I want you at least across the Straits of Mackinac before then.And I'd actually like you deep into the lower peninsula by then."After seeing me off, Aaron would then return to his family for a battle plan meeting, and then they'd all go to the clearing a half-mile east of their cabins to stay the night and prepare for the battle."And then when can I come back to the U.P?""Hopefully very soon, because I intend the fight to be quick.However, Alexander and his pack are cowards.After a few of them are killed, I wouldn't put it past those remaining to flee.And if that's the case, we might be in for a few weeks of tracking them down and dispatching them all before it's completely safe for you to return."I cringed inwardly, almost unable to even contemplate a few weeks being separated from Aaron.Soon he and I passed the smoldering embers of the bonfire and headed down the trail back to my cabin.When we were out of view of his family's settlement, he took off his clothes, tied them into a pack, and gave it to me.And then he shifted into a bear and carried me home through the dark on his back.I sniffled into his fur the entire time
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