Monday's STAWP chapter is here!
Have you had a chance to read Saffron vs. the Rogue Brothers yet? What did you think of Saf's human friends, Anna and Jen? Can anyone guess what Beta is up to, and how he ended up with the Rogue brothers?
Dedicated to RavenRaeee for wanting Saf to kick a$$.
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Saffron
"It's not your fault, it's mine," Zara whispers, wrapping a protective arm around Nicki. "I'm the one they want."
"No, it's my fault." Jess groans. "If I'd just brought my car, none of this would have happened."
I look from Jess to Zara and back again. Logically, they're both right. If we'd driven home, we'd never have been ambushed. If Zara wasn't Jasper's mate, and the pack's new Beta female, these Rogues or whoever they are wouldn't bother attacking us. If I had just mentioned the guard to POW, he'd have sent someone to investigate, and we'd be safe. Any one of us could have prevented this, but we didn't, and it's too late now. Moaning and groaning about it won't get us out of this mess.
"We need a plan," I whisper. Zara's the Beta female. She'll come up with something. I know she will. I wait for her to give some sort of instructions—to assure us that we're getting out of this alive—but she just looks back at me with panic in her eyes. I turn to Jess, hoping she'll take the lead, but she's just staring at Zara expectantly.
What could I possible do? We're outnumbered. We don't stand a chance. We... Suddenly, I realize I'm the perfect person for the job. I'm used to being outnumbered. I'm used to fighting Rogues I'm sure I can't beat. Dad's trained me to survive against all odds by being smart. I've fought off dozens of stronger, more powerful Wolves—not at the same time, of course, but now I have Zara and Jess by my side. Two pack Wolves who are probably ten times stronger than I am.
I try to come up with a plan. If we just stand up and fight, we might still lose. The odds are definitely stacked against us. But if their Alpha shows up, the odds will be infinitely worse. If he brings reinforcements, we're doomed.
"I don't know what to do." Zara moans. "What do we do?"
"Think, think, think," Jess begs, and the kids whimper.
"Can't you link and get help?" I ask. If Zara and Jess can just alert the others...
"It's too far," Zara says.
"They're mates, not magicians." Jess snaps. "Obviously, Zara and Jasper can't... Sorry. Sorry. I'm just really freaking out. Guys, what do we do?"
Their fear is contagious, and for a second all I can think about is death. Being torn limb from limb. Having my bones broken. Feeling the life seep out of me. At least they won't kill Zara—not yet—but who knows what they'll do to her? Kidnap her and hold her for ransom? Torture her for information? Use her and then kill her anyway?
How could the Moon Goddess be so cruel? I finally—finally—have friends, and what about Jasper and Zara? They've only been mates for a day. Less, even! If anything were to happen to her, he'd never get over it. It's just not fair, that they're finally together, forever, and then this happens. I can't let those Rogues harm Zara. Not now. Not when she's finally found her mate.
Plus, what about little Nicki? And Joshie and Nisha? They're just kids. They have their whole lives ahead of them. Jess, Zara and I do too. We're too young to die!
I have to do something, but what? How do I save them? Us? I'm just a Rogue—a hundred times weaker than Zara and Jess—and most likely weaker than Beta and the two wolves circling us. I think I can take the brothers—I have before—but that still leaves three other Wolves for Zara and Jess. One of whom is a Beta, and two who are trained muscle. There aren't enough of us to take them on. Unless we can get help, we don't stand a chance.
"Help!" I whisper. That's it!
"I don't know how," Zara cries.
"No, I mean we need to get help!" Reinforcements. We don't have to defeat these guys—we probably wouldn't be able to if we tried—we just have to hold them off long enough for someone to get help.
If my life with Dad has taught me anything, it's that you can't win against a stronger Wolf; what you can do is keep fighting until your last breath... until you see stars and your vision dims and the pain is too much and everything sounds so far away it turns to dust. Until then, we stand a chance. We just need to stay conscious until help gets here. We're Wolves. As long as we do that, we'll heal.
"Which one of you kids can run the fastest?" I ask Nicki, Nisha and Joshie. There's no way Zara, Jess or I can run to get help and leave the others to fend for themselves. It has to be one of the kids—someone who won't be much good in a fight.
"Nicki's
faster than me," Nisha whispers, "and Joshie can't shift."
Joshie sticks out his tongue at her. The fact that he can do that with Rogues circling us makes me smile. One day, he'll grow up into a brave, powerful Wolf, if I can keep him alive that long.
"Okay Nicki, we'll create a diversion. As soon as I yell 'go', you run and get Alpha Patton, okay?"
Nicki nods, wide-eyed.
"We can't create a diversion." Jess grabs my arm. "If we pull anything, they'll kill us. You heard them."
"We have to try!"
Jess looks terrified, but she doesn't argue. Neither does Zara. She just pulls Nicki in and hugs her close.
"Here's the plan." I pause, working out the details. "Zara, Jess, which of you is stronger?"
Jess nods at Zara.
"Zara, I want you to take on the bigger wolf," I gesture at the gray wolf circling us. He's at least twice the size of my wolf, and I have to push back a wave of fear. "Jess, you get that one," I gesture at the smaller of the two, the one with the snow-colored coat.
"What about the other three?" Jess asks.
"Nisha, Joshie, I want you two to take the kid." I watch him pace and forth, glaring at everyone and everything. I really hope he's just posturing, but I could be wrong. "Don't try to fight him, just keep him distracted until Nicki gets away. Do you think you can do that?"
Nisha nods but Joshie shakes his head. "I can't shift, remember?" he whispers.
"Just try to help Nisha, okay? But keep your distance. You can't fight a wolf, but you can yell at him or throw stuff."
"Okay." Joshie nods emphatically, and squares his shoulders, trying to look tough. He ends up looking adorable, and the way Nisha and Nicki each take one of his hands makes tears spring to my eyes. No matter what happens, I can't let them die.
"Just keep your distance, okay, Joshie? Nisha? Your job is to stay alive and safe until Zara and Jess can help you."
Nisha looks scared, but she nods, and Joshie tries to act tough.
"Saf, I don't think—" Zara argues.
"Take care of your wolves as fast as you can, then help them."
"Saf—" Zara tries again.
"I'm going to take on Beta and the older brother," I interrupt. "I won't last long, so come help me as soon as you've taken care of everyone else." I estimate I can last five minutes, ten tops, before they tear me to shreds. If it was the two Rogue brothers, that's one thing, but Beta? I know I don't stand a chance—that I may not stay alive long enough for Zara and Jess to defeat their wolves and come help me. I just have to try. Because if I fail, we'll all end up dead.
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Oh no! What do you think will happen next?
Do you think Nicki will get help in time?
Will Saf be able to hold off two Wolves?
Will Jasper ever see Zara again, alive?
Did you like this chapter?
♥ Don't forget to vote! ♥
• If you haven't read Saffron vs. the Rogue Brothers yet, don't forget to check it out! It takes us back to the day Saf fought off the two Rogue brothers. You get to meet Saf's human friends, Anna and Jen. I want to bring them back into Sold to a Wolf Pack, but I'd love to hear what you think of them first! Sign up at http://miameade.com and I'll email Saffron vs. the Rogue Brothers to you for free! It's actually a long story, about the length of 3 chapters, so it should tide you over until I update STAWP on Friday!
• If you're looking for something else to read, check out my other story, Hunter's Luna. Luna's tough and speaks her mind, and Hunter's a complete jerk... who happens to be her mate!