71 - Ryker


    I rendezvous with Josh, who approaches from the South side of the reported assault. Danny has taken position on the East nk, and I expect to catch sight of him soon, directly opposite me. We have sessfully cornered the five rogues responsible for attacking a group of our teens during their routine patrol practice. Yet, lurking just beyond us, hidden in the dense tree line, is another pack of wolves waiting silently. My priority is to capture at least one of these attackers for questioning, but truthfully, I wouldn''t shed a tear if every single one of them perished here and now.


    The fact that they managed to breach our defenses and strike that patrol line ignites a fierce rage within me and my wolf. Our patrols are meticulously nnedyered and executed wlessly, designed to be unpredictable unless you''re intimately familiar with our system. This isn''t the first time a wolf from an acquired pack has tried to sabotage us from within, but now, with one of our innocent pups seriously injured, these bastards will pay a heavy price, and it won''t be quick or painless.


    I haven''t yet seen the pup, but the reports I''ve heard paint a grim picture. He''s in rough shape. At least three of the rogues were attacking him when his friends intervened and sent out the call for help. Judging by the snow around us, churned and stained with signs of struggle, this fight has been brutal. Greta reached the scene first and managed to wound one of the rogues with her team before we arrived. That was enough to momentarily distract them, but they refused to back down.


    They know they''re trapped, and they fight with a feral desperation. These wolves might have lost contact with their human sides entirely by now. The wild, haunted look in their eyes tells me they''ve been stuck in this animal form for far too long. Their bodies are gaunt and scruffy, reeking of neglect and rot. One of them even hasrge patches of fur missing, likely bearing heavy scars in his human form.


    They brace themselves for battle, none of them expecting to be captured alive. It''s a fight to the death or freedom. Thergest among them snarls viciously and charges straight at me. Greta''s wolf leaps onto his back, sinking teeth into the scruff of his neck, eliciting a furious howl as he bucks violently to shake her off. But before he can regain his footing, I pounce. My wolf mps down on his left foreleg, dragging him to the ground. He writhes and rolls, managing to throw Greta off in the process. She quickly recovers and moves to assist another warrior while I keep this one pinned and vulnerable.


    This is clearly their strongest fighter, and he''s out for blood-mine, specifically. He snaps, growls, scratches, and bites at anything within reach. His speed is impressive, but theck of proper nourishment is catching up to him; fatigue is setting in fast. My strategy is simple: keep him moving until he exhausts himself.


    Suddenly, a massive silver-gray wolf crashes into the rogue from the side, tearing at all four of his legs and snapping bones with terrifying ease. In mere seconds, the fierce rogue is down, overwhelmed by my gamma''s frenzied fury.


    "Be, what the hell, man?! What are you doing here?!" I shout, stunned.


    "I helped. Now send me back!" Be yells urgently.


    "What do you mean? Where''s Kennedy? Why are you here?" I scan the area anxiously, hoping Kennedy hasn''t been reckless enough toe out here herself or that Be didn''te because she sent him. When he doesn''t answer, I fix my gaze on him. His eyes are wild, nearly unhinged. A wave of panic starts to rise in my chest, but I can''t abandon this fight until these rogues are fully subdued.


    "Command me to go back!" he screams through our mindlink. His wolf struggles against an invisible barrier, trying desperately to turn back the way they came but unable to move even an inch.


    "Calm down. Tell me what happened. Where''s Kennedy?" I demand, though every wild and frightening thought races through my mind.


    “The Luna figured out how to use hermand! Now send me back before she does something stupid!" Be''s voice cracks with urgency.


    My heart nearly stops. Kennedy was fine when I left her. What could have happened? Why would she order Be to abandon her without any protection?


    "Damn it, Ryker. Please!" Be''s wolf ws at the ground as if trying to resist whatevermand she gave, his eyes brimming with panic and frustration. I feel the same turmoil inside as Josh''s voice breaks through.


    "Go to your Luna! We''ve got this."


    I don''t hesitate. Trusting my teampletely, I nce at Be. "Let''s move!"


    "Finally!" Be growls, and we both surge through the forest, racing back toward my mate.


    "What happened?" I ask breathlessly. I don''t think I''ve ever seen Be run this fast before. His movements are almost mechanical, like a machine pushed to its absolute limit. He''s nearly matching my speed, which should be impossible.