Anastasia's P.O.V.

I stood on a rock overlooking the trench as members of the Ashworth and Blackwell helped set up the barricade that should hopefully hinder wolves from the Nightwalker pack if they tried to get in again. I jumped down to help a guy hoist the spike up.

"Thanks," he heaved and I nodded as he walked off to get another pile.

So far preparations had been going along smoothly, half the trench was already filled with spikes. Members from the both packs worked urgently as an understanding of the danger we were in hit home yesterday.

I rubbed my neck as my mark tingled. Luke and I have never been away from each other since we've met and my wolf and I didn't like the distance between us now. If I focused hard enough I could feel the mate bond thrumming with his emotions faintly but now, I felt nothing and it set me on edge.

Ari came up behind me and poked my cheeks, "You're scaring me. Smile Ana, please."

I offered him a weak but strained one. It was no use hiding my true emotions from Ari, he reads me like a book. "I hate this."

Ari wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we looked out at the work. "I know you do. I'm sure you would feel better if you were with them instead of here." I nodded and he squeezed my shoulder. "It's the end Ana."

"We'll make it Ari," I looked up at him. I broached his mind, something I never do with Ari; we both liked the privacy of our minds. I bit the inside of my cheek as I saw what he couldn't say.

"You're not going to lose anyone," I said softly but firmly. "Not Dad. Not any one of your brothers. Not Hayley. You're not going to lose me."

Ari pulled me into a hug. "I hope not because hell will look like paradise if I do."

I smiled, remembering the words I said yesterday and breathe in deep as a warm sensation filled my chest, as if someone put a piece of me back in. "They're back," I grinned as four...not five howls echoed through the forest.

My smile vanished and my blood ran cold as Ari whistled the signal we had arranged between Ari, Asher, Jared, Rowan and I. Everyone's faces were grim as we ran to the clearing.

I ran to Luke as he appeared. The acrid scent from his chest didn't deter me as I wrapped my arms around him and pressed a kiss to his mark.

"Ana," Luke breathed my name softly as he tilted my head up to kiss me softly. I ran my fingers along the scratch, like mine was when it was fresh, the skin was reddish purple and raised. His hand drifted to the small of my back as he turned his attention to the conversation.

"It was an ambush," Damien was saying. He and his wolf were barely containing their anger. "We've got intel but they've got Harvey."

Deep down inside, part of me was relieved that Luke and my brothers made it back alive but Harvey was in grave danger and this was a great blow to the Blackwells.

"He was alive as they took him. I lost the link as they knocked him unconscious," Luke's grip on me tightened as he talked. Bryan appeared in the clearing, his face unreadable as he heard the news.

Jonathan and Dad stood at the centre of the circle. My brothers were here, as well as the Blackwell council, Jason, Seth and Bryan. This was an impromptu meeting of most importance.

"We need to rescue Harvey," Jonathan said, he was good at hiding his emotions, "do we negotiate or attack?"

"Negotiate," came the reply from the Blackwell council. Luke and I growled lowly, both of us were tired of playing defence.

The first thing I'm going to do as Alpha is remove each and every one of those idiots. Luke said, pressing a kiss to my hair to calm himself down.

I will gladly help I replied as my brothers debated amongst themselves.

"Attack," Nyal said clearly.

"If you think I'm going to sit here as my father is being tortured, you're bloody mad," Bryan spat. "Attack," came the decision of the trio.

"Attack," Luke said firmly.

"Attack."

Everyone looked at me in silence, they couldn't decide whether to discourage me or let me join in.

"This has gone on for long enough and I'm not going to sit back in silence anymore," I said lowly. "It's time I get my paws bloody."

Are you sure you're up for this Ana? Nyal asked.

What would you do if it were me? I asked him. I may not be a part of it yet but Harvey is a part of my pack and I don't leave anyone behind.

Nyal was silent as he considered my words. Okay, I'm putting you in the attack backline along with Luke, Jason and the others. Will Xaden and Cael be joining us?

I don't know. If their mates weren't here it would be a definite yes but I will ask and inform you of their decision.

"We met here in an hour," Dad said loudly.

Luke pulled what looked like a grenade out his pocket. "I found this in the camp. It contains the same chemicals that stop these wounds from healing. If this was fired into our camps, it would be genocide."

Jonathan walked over and studied the grenade before passing it to a Blackwell council member. "Get that to Alan, he ran out of samples while searching for a cure."

Luke called Jason, Seth and Bryan over as I reached my mind out to Cael and Xaden

Ana? Cael asked and I snorted in amusement. What's up?

Can this wait? I read Xaden's emotions and chuckled at his frustration.

I'm afraid not. Code red. Meet at Home on the Lake in fifteen. I cut the mind link before either of their mates could protest.

"Nyal has put us on the back line," I told them as we walked. "I'm guessing they're taking the front with Dad and Jonathan leading."

"Classic plan," Luke commented. "I would rather we prepare for an ambush. That seems to be their tactics. With five of us, we can take them."

"Hopefully we get two more," I muttered as Cael and Xaden appeared in the distance.

"I take it things did not go as plan," Xaden drawled as he eyed the scratch on Luke's chest. We walked into the restaurant, making Aunt Miranda look up from the cashier.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"We need the fastest meals the kitchen can offer," Luke said.

"Please," I added on glaring at him.

"What's going on Luke?"

"Harvey has been taken hostage," he answered. "We're going to get him back." Aunt Lisa's eyes widen as she sprang into action.

"We're going to attack the Nightwalkers, this evening," I said plainly as we sat at the counter. "Are you with me or not?"

"Frontline?" Cael asked.

"Backline," I replied ruefully.

"Which is better," Luke added, "our feral friends like to ambush. Those on the front are going to need all the protection they can get."

Cael and Xaden exchanged looks and I sighed. "I know your mates take priority and I won't hold it against you if you don't want to be in the heat of things but it does mean that you'll be in charge here."

"Basically, you're either in the fire or on the fringe," Luke nodded to Aunt Miranda as she brought food. I saw Xaden bristle under Luke's tone but his mind was too focused on making the right choice to snap back.

"Ana, you know I will always fight by your side," Cael started sombrely, picking at his food, "but I am afraid that I will have to stay on the fringe for this one."

"I understand." Everyone turned to look at Xaden, waiting for his response.

"I'll be with you on the backline."

I sucked in a breath, "Steffie is going to hate me."

Xaden snorted amusedly, "She can't dislike you more than she already does."

I rolled my eyes, "Blackwell border in forty five. I'll see you there."

"Be safe and wreak havoc," Cael hugged me tightly.

"That is an oxymoron," I said as I hugged him.

"You're an oxymoron," Cael retorted. "Be safe and try to stop Ana from creating a massacre," he shook hands with Luke.

"I don't think I want to stop her," Luke grinned. We bade everyone goodbye as we walked back to the border.

It was quiet as the news of Harvey's capture and our rescue mission travelled throughout the packs. Luke and I were too jittery to go home so we decided to wait for everyone at the border. Luke pulled me into him as we curled up at the base of a tree.

"You're quiet and it's worrying me," I looked up at him as I rest my head on his shoulder.

"I could've saved him," Luke murmured while running his fingers down my back. "I could've tackled those monsters head on but...I failed."

I sat up straighter and looked at him directly in the eyes, "You didn't fail. Harvey is still alive and we're going to rescue him. If you had engaged them directly, it would have this mission all the more dangerous. But you're here and you know how to get to him."

Luke smiled and cupped my cheek, "I'm just worried about you. This is the first time you're engaging the Nightwalker pack directly."

I sank back into his embrace quietly, "I think I can control her...mostly. I don't know, just stop if I'm going to hurt one of our own."

We looked up an hour later as my father, brothers and members of the Blackwell pack reached the border. Luke and I stood up, Emma and some other Blackwell council members were with them.

"Keep them safe and bring him home," she whispered in my ear as she hugged me.

"I will," I murmured.

"Alright, listen up," Dad's alpha command drew my attention to him. "Our mission today is simple enough, get Harvey and decimate those who stand in our way."

We grunted in understanding and wave by wave everyone shifted. Luke and Xaden joined and together we shifted.

Stay close, I murmured to the two of them and we ran together. Everyone's thoughts were quiet and focused on one thing; getting out of this alive.

Stop, I halted at Dad's command and stood my ground, my ears perked up at high alert.

Smell that? Luke bared his teeth as a sour scent billowed in the air. They're here.

I pulled back my muzzle, Where?

Everywhere, it's an ambush, Xaden replied. Everyone growled as wolves appeared from the shadows, backing us into a circle. My wolf pawed at the ground as she growled loudly, drowning out the wolf in front of her, ready for my father's command.

"Well well well, isn't it Simon Ashworth?" A sinister voice echoed in the evening air.

Is that who I think it is? I asked my brothers.

Hold your ground and don't listen to a thing he says, Damien warned.

I tensed as a tall figure stepped out of the treeline. Luke and Xaden were crouched low, ready for the attack.

"I see you've got some new friends," the man grinned sadistically, "let me introduce myself."

He raised his head and I was taken aback by his sickly yellow eyes, "My name is Maximus Kali."