I wasn't woken again until well into the morning.
"Get up," a deep voice said.
I groaned as I felt a foot rest on my shoulder and shake me.
"Fuck off," I grumbled.
"We have a war to win remember?"
I opened my eyes to see the leaf-littered floor of the forest. Then I felt the stiffness of my neck and the bright sunlight as my vision adjusted. And reality came hurtling through.
I let out one more groan before I sat up and squinted as I looked up at Alpha Rivers, who stood staring down at me.
"Where is everyone?" I asked noticing the emptiness of the camp.
"I assigned them all posts around the bridge and surrounding forest," he said. "They all have a clear sight of the road well in advance."
I grimaced and looked around, noticing his men scattered around all with their eyes on the road.
"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.
"You looked like you needed rest," he replied. "You missed
They were getting close. Uncomfortably close.Their heavy footsteps vibrated the ground as their hushed whispers became clearer and clearer.I clutched my bow, Lou gripped his knife and every Pheonix soldier I could see, held his breath ready to spring into action as soon as Alpha Rivers gave us the signal.We were all hidden, still and silent. They wouldn't know we were here until they were close enough to catch our scents at which point we'd lose the element of surprise. But Alpha Rivers held out and my anxiety only rose.When I peered around the wall of the bridge that I took cover behind, I could see figures emerging from the forest. They were all hesitant and careful, clearly surveying the surroundings and looking for any sign of us.I was crouched on one knee, my skin digging into gritty stone floor as the other leg began to cramp.I was ready and dying to attack.Come on, Alpha Rivers.What are you waiting for?Th
We sprinted through the trees as fast as I could. Lou gripped my hand, pulling me behind him and helping me go faster. But I could hear footsteps behind us and they weren't getting further away.My legs burnt and my lungs screamed. My head pounding with intense adrenaline that wouldn't let meIt wasn't long before I felt somebody seize my waist and throw me to the floor. But before I could even begin to start fighting, the man was dragged off me and his neck snapped.Alpha Rivers then pulled me back to my feet and pulled me close to his chest."I couldn't hold them back," he said to Lou, "Dozens more showed up and-"But before he could finish speaking, soldiers had leapt out of the trees towards us and we were both pushed to the floor.I had two on top of me, pinning me down and when I looked to the side I could see Alpha Rivers was fighting against five of them. Although he had managed to get up, he was thoroughly occupied."Lou," he
We rode four at least two hours. The land began to get rockier and bumpy so Alpha Rivers was forced to slow the pace in the name of keeping control of the horse. But he was an expert rider and we still wound through the trees at an amazing speed considering he terrain. The fresh wind blew through my air as I clutched onto him. It chilled my face with its wintery grasp but he was warm and I harboured his heat to keep off the shivers."How do you ride so well?" I asked him."The Pheonix territory is vast. All soldiers are taught to ride from boyhood to make getting around more efficient," he replied."I hadn't been on a horse until today," I admitted."Well I'm sorry your first ride had to be with that poor excuse of a man," he replied. "I hope your second makes up for it."After letting out a short laugh, I wrapped my arms tighter around him and rested my head on his back.I smiled to myself, "I think it might," I said quietly.Darknes
We woke the next morning to glistening sunlight peeking through the cracks of the curtains. The candle had burnt down creating a solidified pool of wax on the dresser and Theodore was still beside me, gently running his finger along the bare skin of my arm.I turned over to face him. His eyes had returned to their usual hazelly brown and he seemed more peaceful and relaxed than I'd ever seen him."It's dawn," I said with a sigh."If you close your eyes it's still dark out," he replied, kissing my neck before resting his head back on the pillow and closing his eyes.I smiled, "We've got to find the patrol and Lou and Rose and Tobias before something finds us."He shrugged, "I like it better with just the two of us. Can't exactly fuck if your brother is beside us, can we?"I rolled my eyes as he gave me a cheeky grin."Come on, Theodore," I said.I then reached for my shirt and slipped it over my head as he slowly sat up and shuf
As Theodore promised, the scramble down the other side of the mountain was quicker than the climb up. I hardly needed any help from Theodore, especially as Tobias was right behind me to steady me if I was struggling.When we reached flat land again, we marched fast through the forest until well into the afternoon."Something's different," Tobias said after hours of walking.He was a few metres behind me as we both followed Theodore's lead."What is?" I asked."You," he said, "There's something different about you.""Same old me," I replied."No, stop," he said more seriously.I stopped and turned to face him allowing him to examine me closely."You just seem...different..." he repeated."Tobias!" I said as he continued to stare at me, "What is up with you?"I looked over to Theodore who had also stopped and I noticed how tense he seemed as he watched Tobias approach me with narrowed eyes.Tobias pick
We took turns to keep watch all night until Tobias woke Theodore and me up at the very first light of dawn."We need to go," he said filling his water up from the stream. "Now."Theodore groaned before standing up and stretching."Do I at least have time to piss first?" he asked.Tobias shot him a stare before Theodore sauntered off into the forest."Did you sleep?" I asked Tobias."Barely," he replied, "You?""Restlessly," I said."I just can't stop thinking about Rose," he replied, "The thought of anyone hurting her fills me with so much dread.""Tell me about it," he said, "It makes me sick.""But she's a tough woman. A survivor," I pointed out, "If what Theodore says it right and she's still alive, she'll be staying strong."Tobias sighed, "I know. That's what I have to keep reminding myself of. But everybody has a breaking point.""Then we better make sure we get there before she reaches it," I
By the time we heard the distant cheers and jeers of a camp, it was pitch black in the forest once again. The clouds had obscured the light of the stars and moon and all we could see was the flickering of torches and fires a few hundred metres away, burning like beacons in the darkness.Theodore had lead us down into a valley which true to name, held hundreds of ancient oak trees that loomed high above. There was a gushing river too which we the rough, foamy water of until is splintered into two smaller brookes."I can smell her," Tobias said as we stayed tucked behind one of the oak trees, "She's here.""Do we have a plan?" I asked."How many arrows do you have, Esme?" Theodore asked."Thirteen," I replied."Alpha Brynn?""Only six left," Tobias said, "And how many men are there?"Theodore peered around the tree and paused for a moment."Two and a half dozen at least," he said."Fuck," Tobias said, "We can'
Rose held her chin high as we walked but she wasn't afraid to admit when she needed to stop to rest. Theodore was satisfied by our safe distance from the border and agreed to make camp for the night."Were you scared?" I asked Rose as we sat by the warmth of the fire.Tobias sat beside us too as Theodore sat brooding on the other side of the fire."Of course I was, Esme," she said, "I didn't know where I was, I didn't know if Tobias was alive, I didn't know if I was ever getting out of there with my life. With so much uncertainty, I was terrified," she replied.I nodded, "Did you feel weak?""Fear isn't a weakness, Esme," she continued, "It's a natural response to danger.""It's what you chose to do with the fear that determines a person's strength," Tobias said, "They can either choose to let it break them or face it with courage.""And I certainly refused to let those despicable men break me," Rose said squeezing my hand."Ho
The next few years weren't easy. I was Alpha of not one but two united packs and I didn't have my Brother and Rose, who the pain of losing still crippled me, beside me to help.But perhaps even more shockingly, a few weeks after Theodore Rivers' death, I discovered I was pregnant.At first, it nearly destroyed me to be carrying his child after everything he did.But eight months later, when I gave birth to my son, I couldn't have felt more the opposite. When he first opened his eyes, I couldn't help recognise their hazel-brown colour and when chocolate brown curls began to sprout from his head, they felt all too familiar but he was my little bundle of joy and when I looked at his sweet little face I didn't feel any of the pain of the past. Only happiness and motivation to carry on even when things got tough. He filled the hole that Theodore had left and without him, things could have been very different.Lou was there for me and my son, who we named
Half an hour later I was in the hallway of the Pheonix packhouse tying my boots as I sat on the bottom step of the stair. Theodore had just shrugged on his jacket and was now reaching for the coat stand.He plucked the jacket off the top and thrust it in my direction.It was mine. The one I left on Tobias's body.I took it and stared down at it."What did you do with their bodies?" I asked, clutching the brown leather between my fingers."Burnt them," he replied. "The ashes are in the pocket of your jacket."I reached into the pocket to find a glass vial filled with what looked like just the grey soot of a fire. I wrapped my fist tight around it and held it close to my chest."Can I sprinkle them on Nightingale territory?" I asked.He paused for a second before nodding, "Lou will escort you to wherever you want before I claim the pack."I reached for my bow but Theodore's hand got to it before me."You don't need
The rain of earlier had returned as a raging storm by the time Lou got me to the doorstep of a large house. We were wet through but he soon sat me down and lit a warm fire before finding some dry clothes and making me a soothing mug of hot cocoa."How are you feeling?" he asked, sitting down on the end of the bed he had made up for me."I've been better," I said hoarsely.He sighed and squeezed my hand."I've had word from some of the men," he said, "Alpha Rivers won't be here until the morning.""And what horrors will the morning bring?" I asked."He's taking you to the Nightingale territory where he will announce Alpha Brynn's death and declare himself your people's new Alpha. The Nightingale citizens are being escorted home tonight and ordered to gather at the waterfall at 10 am tomorrow."I hugged my knees tighter to my chest, "Just in case he hasn't taken enough from me. Now he's taking my pack.""I'm sorry, Esme," he said
We were soon back at the camp where Rose and Tobias still sat. Theodore still gripped my arm tightly and as he looked down at Tobias with cold eyes, he instantly knew something was up."It's been settled. Esme will be living with me," Theodore told him, "As my Luna."Tobias looked from Theodore to me and my tear-stained cheeks and the way I depended on Theodore's arm for support, my legs still weak and shaking, maybe from the shock, maybe the pain, maybe the betrayal.Tobias got straight to his feet."What has happened?" he questioned, "Esme?"Saying nothing, I just kept my eyes on the floor, completely unable to face either of them.I was ashamed of my weakness. Ashamed that I had let him do this to me."What the fuck have you done to her?" Tobias growled a few seconds later."None of your business, Alpha Brynn. All you need to know is that she has changed her mind," Theodore replied, "And you will need to manage w
After hours of walking around Pheonix land, hunting down Alpha Kane's men and loading up the bodies of our soldiers and friends onto carts to return home wrapped in a sheet, we were all drained and exhausted.We still had miles of territory to scour but we hadn't had a moments rest in far too long so we decided to make camp for the night."So it's over," I said finally breaking the silence around the campfire, "We can go back to normal.""Finally," Tobias said with a sigh."But now what?" I asked, looking up to my brother."We reclaim our territory and rebuild our pack. There may not be many of us left but it's something," Tobias said.I nodded, "Although it will be a quarter of its original size, it's still our duty to be there for the Nightingale pack.""It's not your duty, Esme," Theodore said, speaking up for the first time since we made camp.He'd been sitting on the opposite side of the fire, his fingers firmly entwined a
Sometime later, Theodore came over to me. I was sat with Rose and Tobias and had just finished stitching up a nasty wound on the shoulder of one of our soldiers."Alpha Brynn, everything here is sorted. I'm sending my men out to search the rest of the territory for escapees and to recover the bodies of our lost soldiers. I'd appreciate if you did the same. The sooner the place is cleared, the sooner we can let the citizens out," he said.Tobias nodded.As he spoke I'd been trying to avoid looking behind him at the spiralling flames of the 'crematorium' his men had made to burn the bodies of hundreds of Alpha Kane's men. But the smoke billowed and itched our lungs, refusing to be ignored."We've lost a lot of soldiers so we will be searching the territory for their bodies," Rose said."Fine," Theodore replied, "Esme, you are coming with me though."I looked up at him."I was actually hoping to go with Tobias and Rose. The least I can d
I looked into Theodore's eyes. They were wide and frozen as he kept looking down at his hands."Klaus," I said to the soldier who now cowered in the corner, "Tell all your fellow soldiers that their leader is dead and that if they surrender immediately, we can end this with no more bloodshed."Klaus nodded and scrambled out of the room, not taking his eyes off Theodore for a second."Are you okay?" I asked, stepping closer to my mate.He suddenly snapped out of his trance and his eyes locked on me."Why the fuck are you here?" he growled, striding forward and grabbing my wrist."I'm sorry I-" I stuttered as he dragged me at high speed from the room, "I had to help.""And how to fuck is getting yourself captured and put in extreme danger helping, Esme?" he hissed."If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had the opportunity to challenge Alpha Kane and he would have killed you on your knees," I replied.With that, he
I was taken through a large pair of wooden doors into a large room. I stumbled forward as the men holding me shoved me forwards to where a middle-aged man sat comfortably on an ornate chair."Well, well, well. What do we have here?" he asked, looking me up and down.His voice was deep and patronising. His features were sharp and oddly familiar. I even knew those brown eyes. It felt like I'd experienced their piercing stare many times before.Klaus stepped forward and brushed my hair off my neck.The man's eyes lit up and he instantly got to his feet. He smiled warmly yet his eyes remained dark and beady as he strode over to me and held out his hand."Alpha Kane, a pleasure to meet you, Luna Rivers," he said.I looked down at his hand and scoffed."You expect me to shake your hand? After everything?" I asked.He continued to look down at me."Yes," he said sharply, "Has Theodore not taught you how to show respect yet?"
I next woke on a dark stone floor. The bustle and hustle of the camp had gone and now all I could hear was the echoing drips of water droplets and the pacing footsteps of one man.My every muscle felt tired and useless and I could hardly even sit myself up."How are you feeling?" someone asked.Upon glancing up, I saw Lou looking down at me."Exhausted," I replied.I glanced around. It was dark but I could just about see damp stone walls."Well, that's expected," he replied, "You'll be okay soon."I diverted my glance back to Lou."Expected? Why?" I questioned.Lou furrowed his eyebrow, "Because Alpha Rivers marked you.""...So? And where the fuck are we?"It was then that Lou's face dropped and his jaw tightened, "You don't know, do you? He didn't warn you?""Warn me of what?" I asked.Lou sighed and sat down beside me, "When a female wolf is marked she goes into a deep sleep. It's the natura