ALEKSANDR There is no way I will allow Rieka to be out of my sight again. I quickly signal Lucas to update the teams on the situation. They can move in to get Gina as soon as I know Rieka is safe. “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that. Rieka will be leaving with me, tonight.” I inform him as I step forward and my men all follow suite. The rogues all take a defensive stance and I hear the rustling of leaves behind us. Of course Silas would make sure to surround us up here to ensure he gets what he wants, but I still have more men down the hill. I know that Lucas is already sending out a mindlink to them that we need extra support. I just need to focus on getting to Rieka, and my warriors should have a path cleared for us to leave. Both sides pause for a moment, waiting to see who will make the first move. I prefer to be on the offense, so I’m usually the one to make the first move, but I need to be cautious. I don’t want Rieka to get hurt. I take a minute to examine all the

ALEKSANDR I know I could have sent Rieka back to her house with a few warriors to guard her so she could be reunited with her kids, but selfishly I didn’t want her out of my sight. I couldn’t even let go of her hand as we walked out of the cave. I just needed to be touching her. The sparks from the mate bond felt ten times stronger because of the separation and the adrenaline from everything that has happened tonight. Once we exited the cave, it dawned on me that the only way to travel quickly and easily from this location to the next would be if Rieka could ride on me in wolf form. I wasn’t sure how she would feel about it, so I quietly pulled her aside to discuss it. “Rieka, I know this might seem strange and I know I keep piling more on top of everything you’ve been through, but in order to move through the forest quickly I am going to need you to ride on my back.” She looked at me and nodded once showing her compliance. I didn’t expect it to be that easy. “… In my wolf fo

ALEKSANDR More rogues?!? These can’t be a part of Silas’ pack. Where are all these rogues coming from? My mind is racing trying to piece it all together, but I need to stay focused. Silas is spinning and snapping his jaws at me trying to break free from my hold. I keep my fangs locked onto his leg, but quickly mindlink all my warriors to let them know about the incoming assault. I may have Silas restrained now, but I won’t be able to hold him here if my warriors are overrun by a massive army of rogues. We need a plan. A quick glance around the area reveals that my warriors are currently winning the battle, but the war is just beginning, and we need a plan before the rest of the forces get here. It doesn’t matter if these new rogues are with Silas or not, they will aid in his escape if our attention is divided. I quickly mindlink the scouts asking how much time we have until the new group reaches our location. “Maybe around 40 minutes, if we’re lucky.” Comes the quick but

RIEKA When we arrived back at Aleksandr’s home it was very different from the last several times I was there. His mom, Vasilisa, was there to welcome us, and although she had the same warm smile from the first time we met, her eyes looked haunted. Vasilisa introduced herself to Gina before she ushered us inside and the house. It was full of people whom I’d never met before. When we walked in the room went quiet and everyone turned and looked at me. I’m not a shy person, and under normal circumstances I can even enjoy the spotlight, but right now it just felt awkward. Vasilisa cleared her throat and without saying a word managed to turn everyone’s attention back to their own conversations. She led us through the crowd to the living room. Everyone kept glancing at us as we passed by and although they tried not to make it obvious, I could feel their eyes on me. From what I caught of the conversations when we walked past; everyone is tense over the battle happening right now. I

ALEKSANDR The rogues changed positions and stiffened as they realized that they were now surrounded. Alpha Reece and the Crescent Moon Pack moved in from the south, Alpha Kaden and the Blood Moon Pack came around from the east, and Alpha Levi and the Lunar Eclipse Pack were blocking any escape from the west. Their only chance at getting away would be to run north, back across the river. Our allies slowly moved in corralling most of the rogues into a central position. We will need to keep them as prisoners and do some interrogation to figure out who they are, where they came from, and why they attacked. The warriors from all 4 packs were able to work together and subdue most of the rogues. A few escaped to the north, but with their leader dead, I’m not sure where they will go. After giving order to their warriors, Reece, Levi, and Kaden all made their way to me. As soon as they saw my father’s body on the ground beside me, they each took a knee out of respect for a fallen alpha