Neither my sulking nor my boiling anger provide an outlet for the rejection of my family, which leaves my resentment over life in general to slowly push me over the edge. To make matters worse, the warmer weather stirs the unrest in my wolf; the one hour run Dante takes her on is not enough to control her wild nature. We are both itching to exert ourselves and by day three, I wander aimlessly around the settlement in the search of a task.

The vegetable garden is where I find most of the other females. Chattering and laughter keep their mouths busy while eager hands dig and plant seeds and flowers. Those who conceived are stretched out on chairs scattered across the lawn that separates the garden from the lake, or they doze in the sun in their wolf form. Two females work a little distance away from the main group on another patch of dirt with faces as miserable as they can be; one of them is Hailey, the other Savannah.

"Hey, Raelyn, come and join us," calls out a redhead from the lawn. She points at an empty chair next to her. Her freckles seem to merge into one as she smiles. Getting closer, I'm surrounded by a whiff of new life driving me a few steps back. Anger nettles my wolf; she's upset she isn't carrying a pup.

"I think I'll give Hailey and Savannah a hand."

When I kneel next to Savannah on the ground, she offers me a meek smile. Grabbing one of the small shovels, I break and turn the soil until the ground is ready for a seed. Water is added from a small watering pot before I start on the next plant.

For a while, we work in silence before I carefully probe. "How are you two holding up?"

"Kendrick Raynes has assembled more troops out on the West Coast and my grandpa is spooked about an imminent attack. That's why my parents think it's too dangerous for me to visit, so I'll probably have to stay here for the summer." The bitterness in Hailey's voice is like bile.

I furrow my brows. "But I thought Raynes is pushing into Maine."

"Well, who knows. That wolf is all over the place. One of his brothers was just appointed tribune to the Quebec territories and he's eager to prove himself. I overheard my parents talk with Lance and Millie this morning. They fear there'll be war."

Savannah snorts. "Raynes better hurry so I don't have to mate with Marco."

"How can you say that?" Hailey clicks her tongue. "We would be enslaved. All this—our territory—would be used to benefit the Northern Light pack."

"Well, I suppose." Savannah scrapes with the shovel over the ground, her lips pressed together to a thin line.

"Besides, why are you complaining? At least you'll have a decent mate. Marco is a catch."

"You of all people should know that Bay is the only one for me."

"Awe, poor Savannah."

"Oh, shut up, Hailey. You're just jealous that Marco chose me over you. But you know what? As far as I'm concerned, you can have him. You two deserve each other."

Glaring at her friend, Hailey sets the shovel down. A growl resonates from her chest and she smiles with teeth. "Maybe I'll convince my dad to pair me with your precious Bay."

"Guys, no fighting." When her claws extend, I rest my hand on Savannah's arm.

"Stay out of this, Raelyn. You're not my mother." Another growl rumbles deep in Hailey's chest. Her joints crack; she's ready to shift. Crouching low, her teeth snap at Savannah.

I'm on top of her before she can complete the shift. With my thumb pressing down on her vein of life, she goes still. Everyone is staring and I lean forward to keep our conversation between us.

"Are you really letting a male come between your friendship?"

Tears roll down Hailey's cheeks before dripping onto the flower bed. "What does she have that I don't? Why did Marco choose her?"

Because he's an unbearable prick, just like his father, who takes pleasure in seeing other wolves hurt. "Mating is complicated, Hailey. As a female, you have to accept when a male picks someone else."

"But he's my true mate." Fresh tears pour out in waves and she shakes hard underneath me.

"Clearly, he doesn't feel the same way. You have to respect that. In any event, it's not Savannah's fault. She never wanted this."

"I guess."

"There will be many dark nights where you'll only have each other while your males are gone to hunt. The kind of friendship you have is precious. Don't ruin it with your jealousy."

She turns her head and silently weeps; hopefully, I got through to her. With a sigh, I get up.

Savannah immediately huddles over her friend, her words soothing. "Come on, let's go inside and take a break. The males should be back at any second and you don't want them to see you cry."

She helps Hailey up and keeps her arm around her shoulders as she guides her friend to the packhouse. Megan and I used to be like that—one second, we fought, the next we made up. It seems like a lifetime ago.

An older female smiles. "You did good. The Luna will be pleased."

I grimace; that might make up for speaking out of turn at Mr. Evans's office. While both Harla and the Alpha acknowledged that my idea with the wolves might save the land, I was bitterly scolded for my interference in the first place. As a female, my opinion only mattered when asked. Otherwise, I was to keep my mouth shut.

All of a sudden, my skin is too tight and is choking me. I stroll over to the barn where Dante is rinsing out the final cow enclosure. Marco is with him, smirking as he gives me a good once over.

I ignore him, my full attention on my mate. "Can you take me to the woods? I'm restless."

"Can't it wait till the afternoon?"

"Please, Dante. I'm going to go insane if I can't run."

"I'll take you." Marco jumps off the bale of hay he's sitting on.

My gaze shifts from him back to Dante with pleading eyes. Marco is the last wolf I want to run with.

"It's fine. I can take my own mate. Just give me ten minutes to finish this and rinse off real quick."

The ten minutes turn into thirty and by the time we head for the woods, my wolf bursts with energy. Long stretching leaps take some of the tension out of my muscles. Paws pounding on the dry ground, a cloud of dust follows us as we head up the small path by the lake. Dante is ahead, disappearing behind a tall rock. Just as I think I'm catching up with him, he attacks me from behind.

Snarling and snapping, our wolves roll on the ground. He lets me get the upper hand, just to toss me off again when my wolf nicks his ear. The force throws me into a shallow pool of water; droplets fly as I shake my fur. Dante is on all fours with his tail twitching, his teeth exposed as if he's laughing. When my wolf attacks, he playfully rolls on his back.

The game continues as we wrestle around on the ground until I'm tired out. Tongue hanging out, I pant to slow my hammering heartbeat. Dante licks the dust off my fur, his body rubbing, teasing, marking. Unable to fight our natural mate bond, my wolf indulges in the intimacy. Our noses nudge each other in perfect harmony.

Just as my wolf lowers herself in a submissive pose, a sharp siren cuts through the still midday air. Dante listens before racing down the path from where we came. I struggle to keep up. He cuts through the underbrush and I follow, ignoring the branches that whip my face. One more corner and we are back at the packhouse.

He shifts just as the engine of a truck howls. Lance and Marco are behind the wheel. "What happened?"

"There's a fire in the lower settlement."

"Go. I'll be there as soon as I can."

I follow him into the packhouse and up the stairs into our room. Tearing open the closet, he tosses a few pieces of clothing on the bed.

"Here, put on my jogging pants."

"They won't fit."

"Not even with a belt?"

Despite his six pack and toned muscles, his waistline is twice as thick as mine. "No, Dante." These damn long skirts are all I have, not really practical when trying to extinguish a fire.

"Then at least roll up the skirt." When I don't move, he claps. "C'mon, we don't have all day."

I slip into a simple t-shirt and a skirt with an elastic band, rolling it up to my knees. The old winter boots will probably work best. When I try to tie them, my fingers get all mingled up. Closing my eyes, I exhale.

Calm down, Raelyn. You aren't helping anyone if you panic.

By the time we are back downstairs, all the trucks are gone. The lower settlement is about a mile from the packhouse. Without transportation, the fastest way is a steep incline that cuts right through the woods.

"Come with me." Dante heads toward the barn, which is at the opposite end of the incline.

"Where are we going?"

"Just don't ask questions and hurry up."

He storms into the utility shed and tears off one of the tarps. Underneath is a motorcycle.

"Grab a helmet," he calls over his shoulder as he pushes the motorcycle outside.

Without a further thought, I snatch a helmet that looks like it could fit me off the shelf and follow him. One kickstart and the engine roars to life. He swings himself onto the seat. I follow, almost falling off when the motorcycle jumps forward before I can properly wrap my arms around his waist. He speeds down the narrow incline, the motorcycle jumping a few times when we hit a bump. I find the speed exhilarating, though my stomach flips every time.

Biting smoke rises from the twenty or so cabins that are scattered in a clearing. I've only been here once, when Dante showed me the plot where he's intending to build our house once I conceive. Shouting and screams mix with teary faces as pack members scramble to extinguish the flames. Two rows of wolves transport buckets of water from the lake, but the effort yields very little result.

"The houses are lost, Dante. We need to focus our effort on digging a trench to stop the fire from spreading into the woods."

He stares at me with blank eyes. "You think so?"

I know so. In high school, I wrote a term project on wildfires. I point at the uphill slope. "If the wind turns, the flames will be unstoppable. The packhouse and all the other structures will be lost. Tell your dad to stop with the buckets. Everyone needs to start digging."

For a second, he hesitates, but then he runs over to the Alpha and Lance. My attention shifts from them to a female's cry. She points at one of the houses that is engulfed in flames.

"Oh my god, Nicky is still in there."

"Are you sure?" Savannah has visibly paled.

"Yes. I thought he was out, but he must have gotten trapped."

I grab one of the buckets and pour the water over my head. "I'm going in. Someone, I need a wet cloth."

"I'm coming with you." Bay pours water over him and wets two rolled up cloths. My gaze flicks to Dante and the Alpha. They are busy assigning males to the trenches, oblivious to our rescue mission.

Without hesitation, I approach the house. The wind feeds the angry flames licking out in the front, but the backdoor is still untouched. The wood whines under Bay's kick.

"Keep the cloths in front of your mouth or you'll pass out from the smoke."

He nods. Crouching as low to the ground as possible, I venture into the burning cabin. Despite the cloth, the smoke bites my lungs and makes me dizzy.

"Nicky, can you hear me?" Bay coughs, pressing the cloths back over his nose.

A cry from the room next to the kitchen is the answer. When Bay boots the door open, the whole frame collapses. Heat grabs at my bare shins, forcing me back. The flames block the way.

"Shit." My gaze darts around, falling on the quilt spread over a chair. I tear it off and bury the flames underneath, stomping on the quilt to give Bay a passage into the room. Nicky's tousled blond mop peeks over the rim of the bathtub; at least he had sense enough to hide somewhere that didn't attract the flames.

When Bay lifts him up, he throws his arms around his rescuer's neck. Spinning around, I'm ready to shift and leap to safety, but the fire in the kitchen has spread to the backdoor. We are trapped.

"The bathroom window."

"It's too small."

"Then take the ax by the fireplace and try to widen the opening. I'll keep the flames away."

Bay gets to work while I beat down on the licking flames with the quilt. The air glimmers in front of my eyes. Heat, smoke, fire, battled by nothing but my determination to get out of the house alive. My coughs slow me down and my arms grow heavy. With sluggish hits, I continue to fight the flames. Every breath burns as if my lungs were on fire.

Just as my strength leaves me, two strong arms pick me up. Through the smoke, I can't see his face. I drop my head against his chest; he carries me outside and sets me down. Smiling up at my rescuer, I almost choke. It's Lance Ward.

"Are you hurt?" he asks.

"I—I don't know." My whole body aches and I'm so nauseous that I'm about to hurl.

"That was incredibly stupid. You could have all gotten killed."

"Not now, Lance." Harla pushes her way to the front. "Let me take a look at you, Raelyn."

When she turns my arm, I hiss. The whole inside is torched, the skin red with blisters.

"That's a bad burn. I will have to apply a special dressing before you can shift."

"Are Nicky and Bay alright?"

"They both made it out. Bay got burned pretty badly and Nicky needed to go on oxygen, but they'll live. But what were you thinking, just running into a burning house?"

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to save Nicky."

Her smile is mild. "I guess recklessness goes hand in hand with being a pup. You did good, Raelyn. I'm proud of you."

I swallow down the forming lump in my throat. "Thank you, Luna."

"Now rest. You've done enough."

~~~~

Just as the fire is contained in the early evening hours, it starts to rain. Thunder rolls across the sky and lightning tosses a spotlight on the damage. The rising smoke is smothered by the raindrops, leaving only blackened wood behind. Not even one wall remains standing.

"Let's move Raelyn up to the packhouse so I can attend to her arm." Harla signals Dante to pick me up.

"I can walk." Trying to stand, I sink back down when my breath can't catch in my burning lungs.

"You inhaled too much smoke. It will be a few days before you can run the woods again."

Dante is about to slide his arm under my back when a wolf dives out of the underbrush, shifting in midair. "Alpha, there's been an accident. It's the Fishers. The truck turned over and buried them underneath. It's just off the main path by the sharp bend."

Dante gasps. "What about Lara? Was she with them?"

"I think so."

He shifts with the other wolves and disappears in the woods. Only Millie, a few older females, and I are left behind. Through the pelting rain, I detect tears in Millie's eyes.

"What a horrible day."

I stare at the spot in the woods where everyone had disappeared. "Please, I want to go."

"You're too weak, pup."

"Please, Millie."

She looks torn. "Okay, we'll take the truck."

A heavy silence hangs over the driver's cabin as we roll through the darkness. The rain is picking up, thunder and lightning melting together with the rhythmic drumming of the pelting rain. The storm rages right above us. Millie is a careful driver and the ride carries on forever.

Finally, after a bend, the lights of the truck illuminate the accident site. I get out, leaning on the hood of the car to stay on my feet. Through the sheets of rain, I can make out the other truck, lying on its roof at the bottom of a hillside. The car must have slipped off the road and turned on its way down.

I stumble to the edge of the hill with weak steps. If an older fighter wolf hadn't grabbed my elbow, I would have fallen.

"Can you help me get down there?"

He exchanges a glance with Millie who nods. With my good arm clutching to his neck, he stabilizes me enough that we are able to make our descent. It's slow and we have to stop a few times for me to catch my breath, but finally, we arrive at the bottom of the hill. Members of the pack have surrounded the truck like a protective shield; most of the females are crying. The Luna hovers over a small child, coaching her to shift.

When I sense his utter despair, my gaze is drawn to my mate. There, in the safety of darkness, Dante's arms cradle his true mate. I don't need to look closer to know she is dead. Heart weeping, his soul has shattered into a thousand pieces. His pain chokes every part of my existence; if breathing was an effort before, it becomes impossible. My wolf roars; she wants to console her mate, but Dante needs this alone time with Lara to say his goodbyes.

"Please, take me back to the truck."

In a daze, I allow the fighter wolf to pull me up the hill. With every step, the mate bond weakens and the pressure in my chest eases. When I sink back in the truck's seat, I'm utterly exhausted and my legs are about to go on strike. Millie covers me with a blanket.

I wipe over my eyes. "Lara is dead."

"I've heard. Her parents, too. Only her sister survived."

Though Lara had been a thorn in my side, I feel only sorrow. No one deserves to die this young. "What happened here today, Millie?"

"I don't know, but having all those cabins go up in flames at the same time wasn't an accident."

"Are you saying it was arson?"

"That, or a declaration of war."

~~~~

© Sally Mason 2018

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