Fuck You, Mate

LIII

Peyton's POV

I couldn't stop playing over my time with Alice in the woods. It felt like a dream. I ran through trees for hours, spent time with her as a wolf, holding her, playing, and hugging her close to me, then sprinted back through the trees until I got home. It was such a different visit than it would have been a few months ago. Hell, a few months ago, I have no doubt she would not have reached out for help.

Adrian came into the office and I shook myself out of my thoughts.

"How's Laura?" I asked as he handed me a coffee.

"She's good." He can't help but smile when he talks about her. Like a lovesick puppy, even two decades and multiple pups later.

"I'm glad to hear. The pups?"

He shook his head slowly, "Animals. Crazy. High energy. But man, love those rascals." He waited a beat, and I knew what he was going to ask, so I cut in.

"Where were we?"

I could tell in his hesitation that he wanted to ask me anyways, but he eventually relented and we got to work. I didn't tell him where I'd been or why.

We left for training a while later and then I patrolled with some of the guys.

Wait. Slow down. Keep behind me.

We were over on the east end of the property. We'd noticed a lingering rogue trace a couple months back, but thought we'd handled it when we took two out. Another rogue scent was here.

We slowly moved in, following the scent, a couple wolves staying at the property line just in case.

I alerted the other wolves on patrol, usually two dozen at a time, today Adrian and I additionally. I was going to double it when Alice came back, as she'd suggested. Wyatt would send more out at my command today if needed.

The trace got stronger toward town and was impossible to follow once we got close. There was no movement and the scent was not new enough to follow further.

Post double wolves for the next three days. I told Wyatt and he confirmed, sending a message out, immediately altering the schedule. Update me daily. In three days we'll talk next steps if the rogue isn't dead before then.

It's a new scent, Adrian said.

Seems like we have more company.

Are we hunting? He asked, Or waiting to pounce when they get close again.

We'll hunt if they're not caught in the next three days.

We turned and headed back, spanning out, ensuring nothing was missed. I was on edge even more due to my conversation with Alice. Was this related?

When we first set up the pack, I was ruthless, had to be. I knew we were at the weakest point we'd ever be. If a rogue came close, I doubled our border security and hunted the rogue down until they were no longer a threat and never would be. If there were a couple rogues, I would take a wolf or two with me, but often we couldn't spare them and I'd go for hours or days, whatever was needed.

Adrian had been crucial to this pack and me. Running the pack in my absence as I hunted down the threat.

I hunted any time there was a stray scent. It was our solution for years. Until we had enough pack that one rogue couldn't wipe us out. That was around the time Wyatt came. Wyatt took over the security patrols from Adrian a few months after he got here. He was ruthless and mean toward rogues with a hatred I hadn't seen before. He expected perfection from his team and often got it.