TO RULE RED RIVER

Part 2- The Patrol

ISLA

3 years later - (Isla aged 12/ Finn aged 14)

"Isla, concentrate." Finn whispers in my ear.

I blow out a long deep breath and try and focus. I then suck in a shaky breath to try and calm my racing heart but when Finn's scent of bergamot and spice hits me from being so close, it just beats even faster.

Finn's large hands wrap around mine as he helps me to pull my bow even further back with one hand and aim my arrow correctly with his other. His cheek is so close to mine, I can feel the heat from his skin.

"You're making me nervous." I growl at him.

"Is that so?" Finn mocks in a sarcastic tone.

My back is now firmly pressed against his chest. Even at fourteen, Finn has more muscles than most wolves his age and towers over me when he's stood up straight. His greeny brown eyes are always so intense, always so observant. There's not much that Finn doesn't seem to notice that most people would overlook.

I dare to sneak a peek up at Finn, but as soon as my eyes collide with his, his lips curl into his signature smug smirk and I let go of my arrow too early and it goes whizzing past the target board and sticks into a nearby tree.

"Damn it." I huff as Finn releases my hands before he dips down and grabs another arrow from the pile.

"Try again." Finn says flatly as he holds out the arrow.

"What's the point?" I groan. "As soon as I get home tomorrow, I'll be thrown back into my crappy 'self-improvement' lessons and banned from touching any weapons again anyway. Plus, I'll never be a warrior, I don't need to learn this stuff." I say, as I flick my long side braid of honey coloured hair out of face.

"Fucking lazy." Mutters Finn as he throws down the arrow, not even trying to hide his frustration with me as I pin a death stare on him that he just ignores.

Every year, I spend all my summers here at Red River with Finn. It's a way for me to learn about the pack's traditions and its people before I become Luna when I turn eighteen. I love it here, from the long winding river that runs right through the middle of the territory, to the view of the Black Mountains in the distance and the huge forest to the East. But my truly favourite place in all the pack lands is the large meadow nearby the pack house's estate that's always covered in array of wildflowers, it's like something out of a fairy tale.

The only downsize to my visits here is Finn's on and off shitty attitude towards me. We bicker and fight constantly because he thinks I'm a spoilt princess and I think he's an arrogant tool. I know he cares for me deep down otherwise he wouldn't be as protective as he is.  Whether he wants to admit it or not, I'm special to him and he's special to me. For every ten cruel words he says to me, he'll then knock me off my feet by doing something surprising. He's an enigma for sure.

"I'm not being lazy." I snap back. "I just need to get back soon as I need to pack tonight."

I watch as Finn kicks a bit of dirty with his foot looking irritated. "I can't believe summer's over already." He mutters to himself before he slowly looks back up to me. "When will you next be back at Red River?" He asks seriously.

"My dad said it won't be for a few months now, not till the first snow probably." I admit.

Finn stares at me for a moment before he nods in understanding then strides off to collect the arrows that are scattered across the practice field as I didn't manage to get a single one in the board. I try to catch a look at his face to see if there's any glimpse of sadness at what I've just said, but like always Finn hides his emotions well.