Gabrie bounded down the stairs the next morning, her rucksack on her shoulder, dressed in jeans, a top and a warm jacket.


    Olivia was already in the foyer with Rowan and Vaughn awaiting the princess, Isabe and Riley were stood to the side, the Alpha having a strong hand on her mate''s arm as he openly glowered at the warrior. Rushing over to the trio, Gabrie gave Rowan a quick kiss on the cheek before heading over to her parents, ignoring her father''s murderous look.


    ''Mum, Dad'' she started as Isabe released her husband and pulled her daughter in for a tight hug almost choking the teenager. ''Mum! Release! Release! can''t breathe'' she gasped as the Alpha loosened her hold sheepishly. ''Sorry sweetheart'' the she wolf murmured, ''I''m just going to miss you so much!


    Gabrie put her arms around her mother, ''I''ll miss you too, but I''ll being back, it''s not like I''m leaving forever'' she replied with a grin.


    Releasing her mother, she pulled herself from the Alpha''s arms before throwing them around her father who held her just as tightly, refusing to let go as he seemed to be trying to imprint his daughter onto himself. ''Dad, I''ll be fine'' Gabrie moaned as she tried to wriggle out of his arms.


    ''I know baby girl, but it doesn''t mean I have to be happy that you are leaving'' Riley wailed in despair.


    The teenager rolled her eyes, ''dad I love you and everything but seriously, you need to get a grip, you are embarrassing the pack here'' she muttered sternly as she looked around at the curious stares of passing pack members.


    Finally letting her go, Riley gave onest loathing look toward Rowan before cing a kiss on his daughter''s cheek and heading toward the stairs, murmuring in a low voice that he couldn''t watch her walk away.


    Isabe followed the four outside into the sunlight, ''as you sure you don''t want a car and driver?'' she asked for the third time that morning, her face clouded with worry.


    ''No thank you Alpha'' Vaughn replied with a smile, ''we want to take a few days to get back to the castle, give us all a chance to spend some time getting to know each other before my parents overbear us all! He grinned sheepishly as Isabeughed nodding in understanding.


    ''Your fathers are close to my heart Vaughn, but I agree that they can be a bit full on and I can imagine just how they will both be when they set eyes on Olivia'' she replied.


    Walking with them down the driveway, she stopped just shy of the gates, the guards standing with their heads bowed awaiting instructions, hugging each in turn, Isabe wished them a safe journey, giving Rowan a stern re that he bowed his head to in understanding before pulling him in for a hug.


    She finally got to Gabrie and hugged her once more, holding her a bit longer than the others before slowly releasing her and pushing her gently toward Rowan where she immediately grabbed his hand in hers.


    ''Be careful all of you and please, let this worried Alpha know when you get to the castle'' she called out at their retreating backs, waving as they stepped through the gap in the gates, the metal nging with a finality behind them. Making their way down the road, Gabrie took onest look back at her home before facing resolutely forward, gripping Rowan''s hand, takingfort in his strong calloused grip.


    Soon they were leaving the safety of the main road and heading into the fields of unmanned territory, Vaughn and Rowan took their ces on the outside of the group, sandwiching the two she wolves in the middle as they made their way through the open areas! Walking for a few hours, they saw no other people, wolves or otherwise, they made sure to keep away from well trafficked areas as they did not want to draw unwanted attention to themselves. Thought the warrior and hybrid were confident that they could protect themselves and their mates they didn''t want to go looking for trouble.


    As the sun crept to the top of the sky, the four youngsters decided to take a break and eat, pulling out bottles of water and packages of food that the kitchen staff had pressed onto them as soon as word got out that they would be leaving. Biting into a roast beef, mustard and lettuce sandwich, Gabrie groaned in pleasure as she licked a tiny bit of mustard from the corner of her mouth, Rowan watching her avidly as she did causing her to smirk at him.


    ''This sandwich is soooo good'' she moaned, inching closer to the warrior and watching his eyes widened as they followed the sandwich up to her mouth again.


    ''Gabby! Stop teasing the poor man'' Olivia scolded drawing the teenager''s attention back to her.


    cing thest bit of her sandwich into her mouth, the princess shrugged as she chewed and swallowed before saying, ''I don''t know what you mean, I was just eating!


    Vaughn snorted as Olivia frowned at her, though her own eyes danced with amusement. ''It''s not nice to tease a werewolf who can''t react'' she said mock sternly.


    Turning her big innocent eyes to the warrior, Gabrie pouted, ''aww I''m sorry baby, let me make it up to you'' she whispered huskily before crawling toward him and cing her arms around his neck, hauling him in for a long passion filled kiss. ''Gabrie!'' Olivia growled, exasperated


    ''Is she going to be like this the entire time we are travelling?'' Vaughn asked with a chuckle.


    ''Most likely'' Olivia replied with a deep sigh, ''put that warrior down'' she added, ring at the teenager until she reluctantly released Rowan''s neck and backed away, grabbing her second sandwich and demolishing that too with more obscene groans of pleasure, that caused her poor mate to swallow hard.


    Packing up their rubbish, Rowan bought out a map from his back pack, spreading it out as the four clustered around it.


    ''Where is your castle?'' Gabrie asked, studying the map intently.


    Vaughn hesitated momentarily realising he had no idea where the witches coven was, Rowan quickly pointed to a ce in the centre of arge forest before the two she wolves could see the hybrid''s difort.


    Quickly scanning the chart, Olivia traced her finger down until she rested it on a specific spot sating, ''this is Silver Cross?''


    Rowan nodded silently, watching as the she wolf traced back up to the forest that he had pointed too, reading off town names that were between them and their destination.


    Once sure of their heading, Rowan folding the map again carefully and ced it back into his bag before standing up. The other three scrambled to their feet and they quickly set off, the girl''s too buoyed with the knowledge of their route and excited chatter over their adventure to notice the slight unease that hung over their mates who walked beside them.


    Walking abreast of each other, Rowan suddenly stiffened, a low menacing growl emanating from his chest as his wolf pushed forward, simmering just below the surface.


    Vaughn immediately sniffed the air before pulling Olivia behind him and letting out a warning growl of his own. A loud threatening growl came back at them from within the tall wheat stalks that they were currently walking through. Ripping off his shirt, Rowan threw it on the floor and shifted, hisrge grey wolf taking position in front of Gabrie as a pair of yellow eyes peered out at them through the golden stalks.


    The yellow eyes moved closer, the growl louder and more menacing as a medium sized scrawny dirty brown wolf stepped onto the small path they were walking along through the field.


    Vaughn, stood behind Rowan, keeping both girls firmly behind him, ready to shift as he scoured the area for any friends the Rogue wolf might have brought.


    Rowan suddenly took a step forward, his growl overpowering the Rogue who gave him a confused look before submitting to him. Jerking his head, Rowan indicated for the Rogue to leave, staying on alert until the brown wolf had disappeared within the wheat and could no longer be scented.


    Shifting back into his human form, Rowan quickly dragged out some spare clothes and dragged them on his body before scooping up his t''shirt and pulling it over his head.


    ''How did you do that?'' Olivia asked in awe.


    Rowan just shrugged as he tied up his bag and slung it back over his shoulder.


    Gabrie watched her mate, uncertainty flecked in her eyes as she mumbled to her friend, ''I''ve seen him do that before, it''s like he''s their Alpha, they submit to him''


    Olivia looked back at the teenager in surprise, ''Rogue''s don''t have an Alpha'' she said in a hushed tone as they started to walk, keeping a few steps behind their mates.


    ''I know'' Gabrie replied mirroring the other she wolf''s confused expression.


    ''Come on girls, keep up with us'' Vaughn called back over his shoulder with an easy grin.


    The two she wolves quickly caught up, falling into step beside their mates, each one lost in their own thoughts about what they had just seen.


    The group walked in silence until night was closing in, finding a small copse of trees, they made their way into the protection of the forestry, Vaughn gathering sticks for a fire whilst Rowan stripped and shifted, running off into the darkness, returning a short whileter with two rabbits hanging from his mouth.


    Once the fire was zing in the centre of the small clearing they were sat in, it''s warmth bathing over them as the chill of the night set in, the warrior having skinned the rabbits and ced them in the mes to cook they sat back on the grass, no-one sure what to say.


    Vaughn finally broke the silence, ''so how are you liking being outside of the pack territory Gabby?'' he asked with a grin.


    Gabrie smiled immediately, ''I am loving it!'' she replied happily, ''no mum and dad telling me what to do, no having to be on ceremony, no brother annoying me, this is possibly the best day ever.''


    The groupughed at her enthusiasm, Rowan checking the meat as they talked. He finally pulling them from the mes, handing one over to Vaughn to share with Olivia and holding the other so that Gabrie could share with him.


    Blowing on the hot meat between their fingers, they each ate happily, the difort of their earlier encounter with the Rogue gradually forgotten as theyughed and joked before finally curling up around the dying embers to sleep. Vaughn automatically curled up beside Olivia, cing a protective arm across her side as she cuddled against him, Gabrie curled up next to Rowan, grabbing his arm and cocooning herself within his embrace as they all fell asleep.