Ember

Chapter 21

They came in the night.

It began with the gentle sounds  of padding paws, slapping against lush grass as quietly as possible.

I would never have noticed.

Luckily for us, alphas had enhanced hearing and were light sleepers. Marcus woke instantly, immediately shaking me awake and running to wake the others.

I could only just hear them, it took me a few moments to fully wake up and realise what was happening.

Fear struck me, and my hands immediately went to my belly, wanting to protect what was most important.

I knew we would be safe, we had been training for weeks. But they had been training their entire lives.

Both of them.

Marcus gathered them outside, half of the pack had shifted into wolf form. Five of us stood at the front, me, Marcus, Sam, Dave, and the beta of this pack, Damen, who I had only recently met due to his dedication to his work.

It was truly terrifying when they came. Four packs rolled into one. The betas stood upfront, leading them. They had tried to be quiet, but they knew that we would hear them approaching, they held no surprise on their faces when they saw us here.

Pain struck my chest as I looked towards the group that was most definitely mine. They all stared at me, their gazes pitiful, some determined. I wondered what lie they had told them.

When my gaze caught onto Mason, I held back a shiver. I had seen him many times through the visions, but to see him now, knowing he was truly here, here to take my life... words could not describe how it felt.

Just as our gazes met, and a smirk graced his face, his expression turned to one of despair as he turned to address the unified packs.

"Natura!" He cried out, "Today we stand to take back our leaders! Kidnapped and brainwashed, we must protect them once more! To remove them from the abuse carried out by this so called 'pack'," He hissed.

I  growled then, but as I tried to step forward, Marcus lent forward and grabbed me, holding me tightly around my waist.

"He's lying!" I cried out, "Don't listen to him!"

Mason then wiped his eyes, I scowled at that, "Look at her! She even believes it herself. It shall take everything we have, but we must get back our leaders!"

With that, and a mighty roar, the pack surged forwards, desperately trying to get to us.

Tears gathered in my eyes at the sight, these wolves who I once considered family, still  considered family, now completely against me. The saddest part, was that they thought they were helping me.

Marcus, upon their approach, immediately turned and held me by the shoulders, looking into my eyes, "Run Rose, do whatever you can to escape, hide from them, do anything you can." Just as he saw me about to object, he lowered his hands to my stomach, "Not just for you, but for me, for them."

With his words, I gently placed my hand on his, and with a silent goodbye, I turned and ran. Leaving behind the cries of battle.

My only focus was protecting the babies.

They had to live.

I ran as fast as I could, possibly faster than I had ever done so before.

Tears streaked my face, but I couldn't stop. not for a second.

I could feel the twigs that snagged in my hair and cut across my face. I could feel the leaves that crunched below my feet. I could feel the wind that whipped me about, threatening to shred me to pieces.