Chapter 352 The Recruits 2

Chapter 352: Chapter 352 The Recruits 2

Jax’s POV

The Alpha’s face paled. "Corrupted wolves?"

I nodded. "I have seen them with my own eyes, and I have fought them. They are hollow, empty, and they will not stop. They will tear through your pack like they have torn through so many others."

Silas stepped forward, and his voice was calm. "We are not asking you to forget the past, we are asking you to survive. If we do not stand together, we will all fall."

The Alpha was quiet for a long moment. I could see the war raging behind his eyes, and I could see the fear and the doubt and the hope all mixing together.

One of his elders stepped forward, and his voice was shaking. "Alpha, if what he says is true..."

"I know," the Alpha said, and his voice was heavy. He looked at me, and I saw the resignation in his eyes. "What do you need from us?"

Silas stepped forward, and I heard the calm in his voice. "We need your warriors, Alpha. We need your strength, and we need you to stand with us against Malachai."

The Alpha was quiet for another long moment. Then he nodded slowly. "Then we will stand with you. But know this: if you betray us, I will hunt you two down myself, before I burn Shadowfang to the ground."

I met his gaze, and I did not flinch. "I would expect nothing less, Alpha," I said, and I meant every word.

The Alpha turned to his warriors. "Prepare ten of our best fighters. They will go with them."

The warriors murmured, but they obeyed. I watched them move, and I felt the hope rising in my chest.

One of the warriors walked to me, and I saw the suspicion still in his eyes. "If you are lying, I will kill you myself."

I looked at him, and I held his gaze. "If I am lying, you will not have to. But I am not lying."

He stared at me for a moment longer, then he nodded and stepped back.

Silas walked to me. "That went better than I expected."

I nodded. "I know. I thought we would have to fight our way out."

We gathered the recruits and left the camp. The walk back was long and quiet. Silas and I did not speak much, but we did not need to. We had accomplished what we set out to do, and that was enough.

The new recruits followed behind us, and I could hear them murmuring among themselves.

One of them spoke, his voice uncertain. "Is it true? About the corrupted wolves?"

I looked back at him. "It is true. I have seen them."

Another recruit spoke. "And we can beat them?"

I nodded. "Yes, we can. But only if we fight together."

We stopped by another pack and spoke to them, and they all agreed to stand with us against Malachai. They had the same arguments, the same distrust, and the same fear. But in the end, they all saw the truth.

After the last pack, we decided to return for the day with the recruits that we had gathered.

I stood at the border of Blackmoor Valley, and I watched Talia and Kaelen walk toward me. Behind me, I could hear the footsteps of the new recruits. They were wolves from packs that had once been our enemies. But now, they were wolves who had chosen to stand with us.

The walk back had been long and quiet. Silas and I had not spoken much, but we had not needed to. We had accomplished what we set out to do, and that was enough.

The new recruits followed behind us, and I could hear them murmuring among themselves. They were nervous, uncertain, and maybe a little bit afraid. But they were here, and they had come.

Talia smiled. "You are back, and you brought recruits?" She asked.

I felt the grin spreading across my face, and I could not stop it. "I told you, Luna. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Talia looked at the new recruits, and I saw the hope in her eyes. "You did it, Jax, Silas. You actually did it."

I shrugged, and I felt the pride in my chest. "I told you I would, Luna. I always keep my promises."

Kaelen stepped forward, and I saw the approval in his eyes. "How many?"

I looked back at the recruits. "Twenty warriors. From three packs."

Kaelen nodded. "That is a good start."

Piper pushed through the crowd, and I saw her run to me.

I saw her pushing past the warriors, with her eyes searching for me in the crowd. When she found me, I saw the tension leave her shoulders. The fear in her eyes faded, replaced by relief. I knew that she had been waiting for me, and worrying about me, and now I was back.

I opened my arms, and she ran into them.

She threw her arms around me, and I felt her body against mine. I felt her warmth, and I heard her breathing, ragged with relief.

"I told you I would come back," I said, and my voice was soft.

She pulled back, and I saw the tears in her eyes. She looked around, and then looked back at me. "You did, Jax. You actually did."

I grinned, and I felt the joy spreading through my chest. "I always keep my promises, Piper. That is who I am."

She laughed, and I saw the happiness on her face. "I know, Jax. I know."

One of the new recruits stepped forward, and I saw the respect in his eyes. "Luna, we have heard the truth. We will fight beside you."

Talia nodded, and I saw the gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you. All of you."

I looked at the recruits, and I felt the warmth spreading through my chest. We had done it. We had brought them in, and the alliance was growing, and we were getting stronger.

The battle was coming, but we were ready.