4.

AMIRA

The tracers were much faster than us since they were shifted wolves, but we had no problem keeping up because of the intense training we had to go through every day.

We ran further away from our pack borders, and it worried me because I had never been out of the pack lands before and certainly not this far but I had no time to dwell on my little worries.

The tracers followed the invisible trail that must have been left behind by the pup as we went deeper into the woods.

The tracers came to a sudden halt and began to sniff the air. I tried to copy them, but I couldn’t detect any scent which meant the rogues were masking their scents, but it wasn’t going to be an issue for the tracers.

Soren placed his fingers on his lips, and we shut our mouths tight to stop our panting so the tracers could listen for any heartbeat or sound.

We bent down to hide among the trees and grasses while we observed the surroundings to see if we could find anything.

If the Tracers had stopped, it meant the rogues were close by. One of the tracers walks up to Soren and gestures towards the east.

“There are seven rogues in total and they are hiding behind the trees far into the east. The pup is farther but alone” Soren said, telling us what the tracer had told him through the mind link.

“That's almost double our amount,” Rune complained. “We will need to take an average of two rogues per person” he pointed out.

“We need to be careful since it’s our first time fighting outside the training centre." Koa commented, watching the east with his eyes that were now golden.

We didn’t know how he was able to do it since he hadn’t shifted but Koa’s eyes turned golden when his vision became sharper than the average werewolf. My dad said it was a gift very few Zetas had, and it was necessary in war.

“What do you see?” Soren asked, also through the mind link.

“The tracer was right. There are seven figures behind the trees, and they are waiting to attack. Shifted too, and the pup is unharmed,” Koa informed us, keeping his eyes on the forest.

“Think we can take them?” Rune asked and Koa nodded.

“We can. They don't seem very big compared to the ones in the simulations, and they aren't attacking first.”

“Instead of standing here, why don't we just go in? I want to get back home on time,” I told them, and all eyes snapped towards me.

“Ami is right. Let's get the pup and go back home. It's not safe outside the borders, and we don't know if they've called for help. Soren supported me.

“So, what's the plan?” Rune asked Soren.

“Ami is the fastest runner on her feet,” he said, pointing at me as he spoke through the mind link.

“Ami, you'll run straight to the pup without looking back. That will force them all out since they will try to stop you” Soren ordered.

“I should fight too.” I started to argue, but Koa cut me off.

“If we try to lure them out through another means, one may go for the pup and run off, and we'll be stuck fighting them off and may not be able to get the pup back which we don’t want. Drawing them all out at once is our best bet,” Koa explained.

We kept our conversations in the mind link so as not to alert the rogues, who surprisingly had yet to notice us, or they were just waiting for us to make the first move.

“As soon as you have the pup, give him to the tracers and join us if we aren't done with the rogues," Rune concluded, and Soren nodded in agreement.

“Okay,” I agreed because the plan made sense and was more efficient than the one I had in my head.

I took off my shoes and placed them by the side since I always ran faster when I was barefooted.

“Remember, don't stop or look back till you reach the pup, Ami. Adi will go with you to collect the pup and take him back to the pack. We have to make sure the Rogues don't get their hands on them,” Soren reminded me with a terse tone.

“I won’t” I promised.

I stood up and exited my hiding place. I walked with my head high and a challenge on my face as I crept towards the east trees where the rogues were waiting.

I sensed the moment they saw me approach as the leaves rustled with their movements and their growls of warning began to fill the air. I could feel their eyes on me, but I couldn’t see exactly where they were.

“How do I know where the pup is?” I asked as I prepared myself to run.

“You'll smell him when you get closer. He smells of apple juice,” Adi said, coming to stand beside me.

“Are you ready?” I asked, and he nodded.

I took a deep breath and ran.

Growls rang through the forest as the rogues exited their hiding spot, trying to stop me. Because of my small frame, I am able to dodge them as they fling themselves at me and avoid them catching me with their claws.

I reminded myself of Soren’s orders and didn’t look back, even to check if Adi was following or if the rogues were catching up to me because I trusted my friends.

I ran for a good ten minutes before I caught the whiff of apple in the air. I got to the tree to see Lucas crying his eyes out and his face was also swollen.

“Amiii” he cried and stretched out his hands to be picked up when he saw me. I felt my heart rip into two as I imagined how scared he must have been.

I wanted to hold him to my chest and console him, but I couldn’t. We didn’t have time for that.

“Come on, Luc,” I said, picking him up and placing him on Adi. “Make sure to hold on tight, okay?” I told him. He nodded and took a strong grip of Adi's fur.

“I’ll cover you,” I told Adi, and he took off while I followed behind him.

I saw Soren, Koa, and Rune fighting the rogues. Two of the rogues ran in our direction, and my heart picked up at the ferocious growls that escaped their mouths as they bound towards us.

One of them lept into the air, and I jumped as well. He reached out with his claws to swipe me, but I turned midair, using my feet to kick his face.

I made sure to use all my strength and heard a satisfying crunch as the heel of my feet connected with his jaw and it dislocated.

I landed on the floor gracefully and turned just in time to see Adi disappear into the woods. The other wolf tried to follow but I snatched my double knives from my back pocket and threw one at the wolf.

I smirked in satisfaction when the knife landed deep in his back and he crashed to the ground, howling in pain as the wolfbane-induced knife did its work.

The other wolf had healed his jaw so I ran as fast as I could and buried the other knife into one of his eyes. He howled in pain, and I used that opportunity to snap his neck. The other rogue wasn’t dead so I went over to snap his neck as well.

I looked up to see the others approaching so I ripped my knife from the lifeless wolf beneath me and cleaned the blood against my shorts.

Rune whistled “I always thought she would only be a bloody fighter in the simulation. Soren’s violence is rubbing off on you."

“That’s a lot of blood, Ami” Koa also commented with a grimace. I may have been too bloody with their body.

“Are you fine?” Soren asked walking up to me with a frown on his face and my heart warmed at the worry in his voice.

“Good. Is the pup safe?” I asked Koa, whose eyes turned gold. It would never get old to see that because Alphas usually had golden eyes except Soren whose eyes were red.

“Yes, let’s head back." He said, the glow disappearing as his brown eyes appeared.

“Good job, guys. Let’s go home." Soren pulled me to his side and placed a kiss on the side of my head. “You need to wash off the smell of those mutts off you” He grumbled.

I had to force my head to remember that it wasn’t as I thought. Soren had always been like this towards me since we were kids, and it meant nothing to him.

He was not mine and would never be.