The fat, red-orange moon is bleeding tears.

"We haven't had such a clear full eclipse in years."

"Yeah, it's pretty."

Pushing back into my seat, I try to restart the blood circulation in my long legs. Fuck those lengthy car rides. "How much further?"

"I'd say about ten miles." Niccolo taps his finger against the screen of the GPS. "These roads aren't even on here."

"But you're sure we've entered their territory?"

"Positive. It started as soon as we crossed the bridge."

"Cool." Now the only question is: what will we find at their packhouse? My dearie sister has probably turned everything tipsy-turvy.

Squinting at a dark lump in the road, I straighten. "Hey, watch out."

Niccolo turns the steering wheel; the SUV whips around before sliding to a stop on the loose gravel. On closer inspection, the thing is moving.

"Fuck, it's alive." I get slowly out of the car. My legs tingle, but it's not all related to the cramped space of the passenger seat. The flooding adrenaline allows for a shift within a breath.

"It's a hurt female. What do you want to do with her?"

"Is she human or wolf?"

"Hard to tell." Niccolo prods the young female with his foot. "There are bite marks and she's naked. I'd say she's a wolf."

"Then get Arabella." I squat down next to her, my fingers carefully parting her trembling arms to get a better look. "What happened to you, little wolf?"

She groans in pain. Her eyes are bruised closed and I can't tell if she's looking at me. At least she's awake. That must be a good sign.

Arabella comes running, Niccolo following with her bag. I grin. He's usually such an ass, but the second Arabella wants something, he turns into a tame pup. Why they both refuse to acknowledge that they are true mates is beyond me.

Arabella pops her bag open. "She's really hurt. Looks like several wolves took chunks out of her."

"Is she going to make it?"

"I'm not sure. If I could get her to shift, it would make things easier, but she's probably too weak."

The young female groans again as the beam of Niccolo's flashlight roams over her body. "Look. Her whole face is bloody. This female is a mess. Maybe it's best to put her down."

Arabella soaks up some of the blood around the female's mouth with a cloth. "They tore out her tongue."

"The fuck. Who would do that?" That type of cruelty makes me sick. Not even our prisoners of war are mistreated this badly.

When Arabella's cloth hits her lips, the female digs her fingernails into my skin. She must be in incredible pain. "Maybe we should put her down." One shot in the arm and sayonara.

"She looks well-nourished and might be able to pull through." Arabella's gaze flicks up to me. She hates to take a life, but the ultimate decision is mine.

"We are hundreds of miles away from home. Is she even fit for transport?"

"The worst that can happen is that she dies under my hands. Let me at least try to save her."

"Fine." I smile at Arabella's eager face. Our pack would be screwed without a dedicated healer like her.

Arabella's frantic wave summons the two fighter wolves who have been driving the second SUV. "Let's get her into the back. I need to start an IV before we can leave."

"Okay, how long will that take?"

"Ten minutes."

I could do with a piss and a quick run in the woods.

"And I need a blanket."

"Hell, Arabella, where should I find a blanket out here?"

She grins. "Your shirt will probably do."

I gaze down at my brand-new flannel shirt. Shit.

"Alright, here." The buttons go flying as I tear the shirt open. "Take it before I change my mind."

"You are a star, Kendrick."

Without another glance at the hurt female, I shed my pants and shift. My wolf shakes his fur and stretches before I disappear into the woods with one big leap. My legs are stiff until I take a few more jumps. Nose pressed to the ground, I sniff for scents of other wolves. If I catch those bastards who just dumped this poor she-wolf out on the road, I might as well take a bite out of them.

Lifting my leg, I relieve myself against a tree. This area will carry my scent long after I'm gone, a declaration of war for any respectable pack. I don't really give a damn. Let those Scopan Lake pricks come after me. They are buttheads for hiding my sister and I'd love to tear out their throats and piss on them some more.

I roll around on the ground to scratch my itching back before returning to the car. My pants are right where I left them and I get dressed while my gaze searches for Niccolo. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yep. And I found our exact location on the phone GPS. Their packhouse is eight miles south-west of here."

"Then let's do this."

The SUVs roll through the night, the lunar eclipse our only witness. I wonder how that female is doing. Probably dead already. She was in a bad shape. As we near the packhouse, my gaze strays to a white picket fence surrounding a neatly groomed vegetable garden. What a shame that I will have to shake up this pack's idyllic life. One wrong move and this area will go up in flames. The rest of the land is well kept and would make a good addition to my pack's territory.

The SUVs come to a stop without a sound. I carefully close the door to alert no one to our presence. The element of surprise has certain benefits. Besides, my sister would probably try to escape out the back if she knew we were coming.

As I make my way up the steps and onto the porch, I watch the smoke rising from the chimney toward the red moon. Niccolo is right behind me; the fighters are still in the car. I don't need them. Yet. Resting my hand on the doorknob, I prick my ears. Muffled laughter drifts through the door. Tentative tunes from a flute follow. My eyes lock with Niccolo's. It's showtime.

The door swings back with a low creak and I have to pull my head in to pass under the doorframe. Without exception, the occupants of the cabin stare at me with their mouths hanging open. The lips of a pup are still on the flute, her face twisting in a mortified expression. Come on, wolves. I'm not that scary looking.

My sister is the first to regain her composure. "What the fuck, Kendrick? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you, too." I toss her a smug smile before focusing on the little pup she's bouncing on her lap. So this is my nephew. He's adorable. "And who do we have here?" I poke my finger at him and he grabs it with a drooly fist. Now that's not quite so adorable. "What's his name?"

"None of your fucking business."

"Oh. That's different, but hey—you've always been an odd individual." My smile draws more anger into her eyes.

"Why are you here, Kendrick? And where the hell is your shirt? I hope you're not trying to set a new fashion statement."

"Hardly. I used it to cover a poor, hurt female. You don't happen to know anything about that, do you?"

My gaze travels from face to face until I find the Alpha of this pack. He's just past his prime, his stance turning hostile when I don't break eye contact. I measure him up. He reaches to my chin, his muscles bulky enough to suggest he still works out regularly, but they're not too packed and allow for a certain agility. An opponent appearing wimpy on the surface when compared to a hulk of a wolf like myself, but who undoubtedly has a few aces up his sleeve. Eyes full of wisdom. He has fought many battles in his life.

I finally tear my gaze away. "And please enlighten me. Who of these wolves calls himself your mate these days, Cassum?"

"What makes you think I need a mate? I'm a strong, independent female."

"Sure you are, but you couldn't have made this bundle of joy by yourself." I poke my finger at the little pup again who responds with a cute giggle. "Who's his father?"

"That would be me." A younger male folds his arms.

Typical Alpha son who feels entitled to the crown. In our pack hierarchy, he wouldn't survive a day in the Trials. The stubborn twist on his lips hints that he has been spoiled by the females of this pack his whole life. Arrogant on top of that, which makes him predictable. Not a serious opponent.

"Then what's your name, pup?"

Rage quivers in his bottom lip. "Dante McNamara, and if you call me pup again, you'll regret it."

I snort. "For real? I'd love to see that." Someone should tell him that there's no weaker fighter than the one who can't reel in his anger.

"So back to the hurt female. Who is she?"

"She belongs to this pack and I demand that you turn her over to us."

My gaze returns to the Alpha. "You left her out in the woods to die, which made you forfeit your rights to her."

"I've never heard of such a thing."

Of course not—I just made that up—but with all the conflicting rules among the packs, he can't be sure it doesn't exist.

"And since you found the female on our territory, she belongs to us." Though his voice is calm, the twitch in his eyelid gives away his nerves.

I help myself to some walnuts from a bowl on the table and pop them into my mouth. Crunching them, I smile at the Alpha. "You wanna fight me for her?"

"I don't need to fight anyone. Like I said, she belongs to our pack."

"She's actually my mate."

I turn my head back to Dante with a raised brow. "Bro, you're doing my sister and another female? Kudos to you." I underestimated his stamina, at least in bed. "But here's the thing. She was badly abused and I really have a problem with that. You know, weak female, and then the big bad wolf takes a bite out of her and rips out her tongue. Not cool, dude. I'd say that makes you not only a lousy mate, but also a coward—someone who doesn't deserve any female, period. Except for maybe my sister since she can whup your wimpy ass any day."

Just as expected, the rage explodes in his eyes. He takes a step forward. Fool. Is he so delusional to think he can fight me? I glimpse at Niccolo and he gives me a small nod. Their Beta is almost as big as the Alpha, but nothing my number two can't handle. That leaves the Alpha and his wannabe son to me. The other few males in the house will be taken down by my fighters who are just waiting for my signal. They are too young to represent a serious danger. I crack my knuckles and rotate my neck. Party time.

"Stand down, Dante." The Luna steps forward to shield her son with her body. Teeth exposed, she smiles. "We all know he is no match for you, Alpha Raynes, none of us are. My son is young and foolish and he shouldn't have challenged you. Please forgive him and spare his life."

"Give me one reason why my pack shouldn't kill all of you and claim your territory."

"We took in your sister as one of our own. We agreed to raise her pup. Shouldn't that make us family?"

That might be a stretch, but I admire her guts. She and her wolves will get to live another day. "You showed great courage, Luna. I respect that in a female. Now get that pup of yours out of my face before he tempts me again and I tear out his throat."

She pulls Dante's arm, but only after a stern look from his father does he give in and follows her out of the room. Stubborn wolf. No clue what my sister sees in him.

"Are you happy now?" Malice laces Cassum's words; she's ready to fight. Not a good space for both of us to be in.

"Relax, sis. I only came here to invite you to a claiming ceremony."

"Whose claiming ceremony?" Her smirk is taunting. "Don't tell me you found your true mate."

"Me. Never." My lips twitch as I fight the building anger. My refusal to just mate with any healthy female has always been a point of contention in my family, and my sister, like no other, knows how to push my buttons. "Mother found another weretoy who has agreed to become her mate. The ceremony will be held during the next full moon. She expects to see you there, with the new pup. My word of advice—don't blow her off, or we might have to revisit this killing business after all."

"No problem. Dante and I will be there with our son."

"Dante? Not sure if that's a good idea. Mother won't like him, you know how picky she gets when it comes to you."

"Dante is the pup's father. Where the pup goes, Dante goes."

Why am I even arguing with her? She always does what she wants anyhow. "Suit yourself. I'll see you in a few days." I poke at the pup one final time and he tries to grab my finger again. This could become our little game. "Bye, None-of-Your-Fucking-Business. It was very nice to meet you."

Cassum laughs until tears glisten in her eyes. "You are impossible, Kendrick. And his name is Alexander. Allo, for short."

"Like grandpa. Nice."

"And you take good care of that female, you hear."

"Will do." For a moment, my gaze rests on her with fondness. I miss having a sister around to tease and quarrel with. "What's the female's name?"

"Raelyn, and I should have protected her."

~~~~

© Sally Mason 2018

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