Once we were settled it was a long flight. We stopped in for gas on the East Coast of America briefly and I mindlinked Jason for an update. All our warriors ahead of us had now arrived and they were settled in. Jason was an impressive Alpha, and if pressed I would say that I would trust him to run all of America for me if needed. He was organized, thoughtful, merciful when necessary, and while I hate the word, obedient. He didn’t fight me near as much as the other Alphas still did. He had damn near everything ready for us when we arrived and I thanked him for it. A quick gas up and we were on our way. Raine and Cooper were asleep in the bed in the back of the plane, but I couldn’t sleep. I was mind linking Car and working through maps for tomorrow. It was the middle of the night now thanks to how long we had to fly, it would damn near be morning once we arrived. I wouldn’t have long to get everything in order to attack. I h

{ Alexander } I snaked my arm around Raine in an attempt to push back this bristled feeling that was growing every minute that we grew closer to the fight and she wasn’t hidden somewhere. I glanced at my watch for 6th time this minute. 39 minutes. I needed her safe. I needed her gone from here. I have no doubt the rogues will send out spys to see if we are here and if they see Raine they may attack early or worse, follow her to her hiding spot. “Baby,” I said for the umpteenth time. She put her hand on my hand that was on her waist to acknowledge me but didn’t respond to me as she was directing warriors to their positions. She was glorious right now, I took another moment to appreciate her in this role before I sent her away. Her stretegy was flawless, her insight was priceless and I did feel a touch bad that she wasn’t going to be able to be here closer

“You should not have come here.” “You are my daughter, you don’t belong here.” Nora yelled at her. Her voice cracked a bit but she recovered quickly and put up her front. “I belong with my pack,” Raine said with conviction. Nora sneered at her now, “Oh really? And with your… mate?” The disgust in her voice as she mentioned me seemed to make Raine angry. “There is no one and no where I would rather be than with him.” She held her chin up high as she addressed her mother while also keeping a side eye on her mother’s mate who seemed to be tense and uncomfortable. “Fool, they have told you such things. Packs are unforgiving and toxic. Have you forgotten what they did to me? To us?” Nora screamed at Raine. I saw Raine smack her tongue against the front o

As we walked away I felt the heartache begin to fade. I stopped in my tracks and I watched as my father and Tellus did the same.   “That was fast,” Tellus said more to himself.   “Yeah,” my dad breathed out.   They both looked at me and noticed my confusion that mirrored theirs, except I didn’t have the answer that they clearly did.   “What just happened?” I asked when neither off them offered it up.   “What do you mean?” Alex responded with worry etched on his faced. He glanced at me and looked me over from top to toe. I noticed him shift between his feet and then glance toward the direction of the battle, then back to me.   “Another was already chosen,” Tellus tells us.   “Another Air,” my dad adds as he looks at both of us to make sure we understand.   “What? Already?” I asked, shocked.   “Wow,

9 years later.   { Raine }   “MAMAAAAAAA!!”   I released a deep sigh as her loud voice echoed through the house. What now for the love of the Goddess above, I muttered to myself.   “Yes mija?” I called out.   “Cooper stole my ice cream again!” Isabella, my youngest screeched..   “Ok mija, where is he?”   “Across the field, by the training house,” she called out and sniffled. She was my baby, at only 7.5 years old. And while her brother was the sweetest and gentlest with her of his siblings, there were extenuating circumstances sometimes, and in this particular one, it wasn’t actually about his sister at all.   I walked out to the front door and peered over. Sure enough, there he was. Cooper was 12 now, and standing there by the field building with him was Catalina, the only girl he had eyes for. This was the third tim