3.

AMIRA

I made sure to keep my eyes on Soren and my distance close as we ran to the border.

Nevan, the wolf who had informed us about the attack, ran by me, panting loudly as he tried to keep up with us.

“How did they get the child?” I asked Nevan.

“He was playing along the borders."

“Oh, for goddess’s sake,” Rune growled under his breath. “We tell the mothers to always educate their pups on going close to the borders, and Luna Leonora warns them daily as well.”

“The mothers? Talk about the fuckers who are supposed to be on patrol today. How come they didn’t notice a child at the borders?” Koa grumbled and took off faster than us, so he could catch up with Soren instead.

“I know it’s getting close to their retirement since Koa and his new team will be taking over soon, but even this is too much. They've been slacking these days, and Alpha Alistair is going to have their necks,” Ruelle groaned from my right side.

“They took only the pup?” I asked Nevan to be sure, and he nodded frantically, already breaking a sweat from trying to keep up with us.

Nevan was going to be a hacker under the Delta who would be Rune when Soren took over.

The Delta was usually in charge of communications within and outside the pack, so Rune’s team members didn't need to be fighters but were excellent at getting information, which was why Nevan didn't need strength training.

“Yes. They took just the pup”

“Thank you, Nevan. You can go back now.” I gave him a gentle smile before increasing the pace of my feet so I could catch up with Soren and Koa.

“Meridia, Meridia!” I called through the pack’s mind link for our healer. I didn’t know how many rogues we might be facing outside the borders if we intended to get the pup back, which I know we would be doing.

“Yes, child.” She answered, “Don't scream my head off. It's too early for casualties." Meridia joked, her voice soothing like the ocean on a calm day.

Meridia was one of the oldest members of our pack, at one hundred and fourteen. She also had healing magic.

Each pack only had one healer, but now that she was nearing the end of her life, she had chosen Zolani, a wolf our age, to pass on her healing powers to.

"Sorry,” I apologized sheepishly. “We need you at the pack borders. Some rogues managed to snatch a pup from the borders, and we are on our way there.” I informed her as we got near the borders.

“I'm on my way," she answered before disconnecting the mind link.

A small number of pack members were already there by the time we reached the borders. Leonora, Soren’s mother and the pack’s current Luna was consoling Casia who was crying hysterically.

“They must have taken Lucas” Ruelle whispered, referring to Casia’s pup.

“Over here” Alistair, Soren’s father and current Alpha, bellowed to us, and we made our way towards him.

I couldn’t help but look back at the Casia. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest as I imagined the anguish she must be feeling at the possibility of losing her child.

“How did they get a hold of the child? What were the patrol officers who were on duty doing when they entered the territory and took the child?” Soren hissed as he reached his father.

Ruelle and I shared a look. He just had an episode, and this could trigger it again.

“Amira” someone called, and I turned to see my dad, Noah, running towards us.

Dad was the pack doctor of the pack. Luckily for me, that was not an inherited position because I would have been a terrible one.

“Dad. Why are you here? We already called Meridia” I said with a frown.

Usually, when dealing with situations that may lead to serious injuries, like altercations with rogues, we used the healer since she healed faster and it made it easier for warriors to get back into the fights.

“You guys may need my help. I don't like that Alpha Alistair is sending you lot when you haven't even shifted yet” he complained with a worried gaze.

“It's all good, Doc. We've trained enough to be able to take care of a small number of wolves in human form.” Rune assured my dad.

“Yes, Papa Noah” Koa agreed. “We aren't the most powerful pack for nothing. A band of mutts is not a problem for us."

“Dad, we will be fine." I placed my hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

He wanted to protest, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't go up to the Alpha and question his decision in front of the pack members, even though they were best friends.

Dad was right though. As unshifted pack members, we weren't supposed to be dealing with rogues yet, but Alpha Alistair had been asking us to do odd jobs lately.

He claimed we needed experience before we took over the pack, and I had to agree that he was right. We couldn't head a pack based on what we knew from books and simulations by Elris, the AI technology that powered the training facility.

“Ami” Soren called, and I left my dad and friends and went to Soren.

“Alpha” I greeted Alistair when I reached them, and he gave me a tight smile. I knew he didn’t like me much but only tolerated me because of my dad and Soren.

He believed I shouldn't have that much effect on his son since I was the only one who could calm Soren down during his episodes. He claimed it was too much power for someone to have over the Alpha. 

“I briefed Soren already about what happened. The child was playing along the pack borders when he was snatched. The rogues didn't have to step into our territory to take him,” he explained.

My eyes caught sight of Leone, the current Delta, briefing the shifted wolves. They were probably tracers.

Tracers had a more heightened smell than regular wolves, and they could track anything, even scents that had been masked with magic.

Luna Leonora told the mother to get her son’s shirt so the tracers could use it to trace the child, and she ran towards the pack.

“Soren, you have to be careful and watch out for Amira as well. It will just be four of you with two tracers. We don't know how many rogues will be out there, but your father won't send more” Leonora complained when she came to stand beside me.

I smiled at her as she linked our hands together. Unlike her husband, Luna Leonora loved me a lot and favoured me over most of the pack.

I always saw her as the most beautiful woman in the pack. Her golden hair, which looked like it had been kissed by the sun, cascaded down her back to her waist, framing her small face. Her golden eyes and natural red lips made her look like a goddess.

“Soren does not need to watch out for her." The Alpha subtly sneered as he eyed me with distaste. “She is to be Beta. If she can't fight, then it will be best to find a replacement for her. Besides, this is their first time in real combat. As future leaders of the pack, they need to prove they can defend the pack by themselves."

Luna Leonora opened her mouth to defend me, but I quickly cut her off. “I'll be fine, Luna. Alpha is right. We will be taking over the pack soon. If we can't handle a small number of rogues, we won't be able to defend the pack as leaders."

Alpha Alistair huffed at my reply but didn't say anything. I didn't want him and Luna to fight over me again. Soren, on the other hand, had a frown on his face. He always argued with his father whenever my name was brought up.

“Dad, I don't like it when you talk like that about Ami. You know she is the best candidate to be the beta, and not just because I need her." His eyes flashed red, and I stepped closer to him.

My body warmed up at his defence, but I tensed up when I noticed the Alpha gave the closeness between us a dirty look.

I ignored him and placed my hand on Soren’s shoulder. “Leave it, Soren. Alpha is right."

He relaxed against my touch. “He doesn't have to sound so disrespectful when he says it." He grumbled through our private mind link.

The pup’s mother arrived with her son’s shirt and handed it over to Leone, who gave the shirt to the shifted wolves to sniff.

“Come on” Soren called out to Koa and Rune. Ruelle won't be joining us since she is going to be the next seer. She needed to be protected at all costs.

The seer was also one of the most protected people in a pack, just like the healer, and was protected at all costs. They never travelled outside the borders as well, because a pack only got one at a time.

Soren, Koa, Rune, and I approached Leone and the shifted wolves. I couldn't say I wasn’t scared, because I was. We were going to be fighting shifted rogues when we weren't shifted, but I knew we would be fine.

We had trained with powerful simulations in intense scenarios. Our pack wolves were known for defeating their enemies without even shifting.

“Stay close to me always, Amira. I can't have you hurt.” I wanted to be offended, but I couldn't. I knew we were only going to end up arguing aimlessly about it.

“I’ll be fine,” I said instead.

The tracers took off outside the borders, and we ran after them to face the rogues.