Forever Luna

Exasperated

adjective ~ intensely irritated and frustrated

PHOENIX

"How's your wolf?" I wondered.

"How do you fucking think?" Charlie snapped.

Okay, so not good.

"I was just asking a question." I grunted.

"Stupid question." Charlie huffed.

Sean eyed me with a slight smirk before leaning back in his chair. "Why were rogues in human land? That's what we need to figure out."

"It is the less populated area of our lands." I suggested. "The furthest border, with the least patrol."

"Then you should move patrol all over instead of focusing elsewhere." Charlie cocked his head.

I glared at him as he challenged me head on, holding my gaze. Charlie only knew the basics of patrol; Sean was the man in charge. He was testing me today, but it's not like any of this was my fault. The patrols are great everywhere; this happened outside of our borders.

"We have upped patrols everywhere." I insisted. "The western border has no trouble."

"So, they figured that out." He shrugged. "Easy to realise where the least action is if you are observant enough."

"But like I said, how did they get close? Gaia's border rejects those that aren't welcome." Sean interjected.

"What's the distance?" Charlie asked.

"About five-hundred metres." I muttered. "You were attacked four-hundred-fifty-one metres from the border."

"If they charge headfirst at full speed, then you could get a little closer?" Sean frowned. "But it is strong. If they were feral, or at least had a bad motive, they would have been pushed away."

"Not unless they had help." Charlie exhaled. "We all know how much the witches are coming out of hiding. What if us killing the bitches upset the rest of them?"

"It is a possibility they had a witch." I agreed. "But that is saying that they had a deeper motive than just attacking for food or fun. Why would they target Calida, a human, and only maim her when help came running?"

At my very words, a realisation dawned on me. I wasn't sure if the others recognised it too, because they eyed me warily. It wasn't one I was happy to come to, and internally felt myself dying inside.

"What? What is it?" Sean asked.

"He looks like he's just pushed out a massive shit." Charlie muttered.

I snapped out of my thoughts, glaring at him. He was smirking, highly amused with himself as he relaxed in his chair.

I sobered my glare, looking away from the temperamental beta wolf. "I realised something."

"No, shit."

My eyes closed for a moment of bliss before I focused them on Sean. His lips were quirked, but he ignored Charlie, concentrating on me.

"They target Calida the night the two of the idiots leave the pack grounds." I explained. "They were close to the border, but not so close it would alert us or Gaia until they crossed it. If they were watching, they could've been doing it for a while. If they had a witches' help, they could've been right under our noses."

"They could've seen anything." Sean agreed.

"But one dragging Calida rather carefully, for a rogue, is suspicious, and then the fact the other two did not attack her until Charlie came is more so. The moment he appeared, they tore into her in retaliation." I explained. "Rogues don't tend to group-