Thank you for 3k followers peeps!

It's mindblowing that there are three hundred people out there who actually find interest in something that I do and that makes me so happy :)))

Therefore, you have a double update a bit earlier than usual. I'll try to work out a few more chapters for the weekend but no promises. You know how I am - I write and post right away so...

Anyway, a huge Thank You from me!

~

Love,

Alsey

The city looked like a military camp. Patrols roamed the streets—some in their human forms with weapons tucked underneath their jackets while others had shifted into their wolves. More were inside the woods as they'd been charged with the task to guard our borders.

Scouts had been sent to watch out for the soulless and get back to us the moment they approached. The women, children and elders were all secured inside the community center.

However, even with all preparations done, the tension in the air was palpable. I could feel it—in the packbond as well as the matebond. He was nervous and so was I.

Regan walked next to me, one arm wrapped around my middle as we strode slowly down the street. Alpha August and Jason were following quietly a few steps behind us while Oracle was padding down the sidewalk with her hand resting on Michael's elbow which he offered gladly to the elder.

The vampire had his set of glasses hiding his face from the pale sun rays, his clothing of choice for the day—a pair of black denim pants and a sweater—having me wonder every time he stood in my line of vision if he had taken my advice to heart and that was the reason for choosing comfort over his emblematic suit.

Then again, we were all dressed in similar fashion so perhaps it wasn't comfort but necessity that guided our bodies into slipping on these clothes.

The man who had his arm around me had donned a similar outfit—a pair of jeans with legs tucked in combat boots, a hoodie and a black leather jacket on top while I had opted for leggings, a v-neck blouse and my own piece of leather this morning.

The recollection of that morning had me slowing down my steps. I shivered. I had still to box the dream into the depths of memory, somewhere no one could find it, but with the tension stirring up all around us I somehow doubted Regan was going to notice that I had one more reason to worry about what was coming.

And there was no doubt it was coming. With the sun setting early during winter and the fist trails of dusk on the sky, just looking at the bleak gray that was slowly covering up everything it felt like my time was running out too.

Our time.

I pressed myself tighter against him and let my eyes trace the path his hand was drawing in the air as he pointed at yet another security post in our track.

"This is the last of them," he announced then and glanced at me, the corners of his lips barely tugging up as he tried to look brave and confident.

I knew what hid behind that smile though. Despite being an Apex now, despite ruling over the biggest pack known to history, he was scared, and so was I.

I was terrified.

"Did you memorize the posts or shall we make another round?" he asked.

A pang of annoyance burst in me and I huffed out a breath then gave him a look. Earlier today, he had found me to bring me into his office. He had laid out a map of the settlement for me and tapped a finger over each and every one of the damn security posts as well as explained the plan to me but, of course, that hadn't been enough.

He had asked me out to show me how and where these posts were executed in reality, made me do the round twice so I could commit them to memory.

I understood his need to prepare me the best he could yet that didn't help make me less annoyed that he was treating me like I was an idiot.

"I think I'm fine, thank you," I said hoping I didn't sound as upset as I felt but even to my ears the phrase came clipped out.

"I just wanted to make sure you're as prepared as you could be. Just in case," he defended. I wanted to ask, 'In case of what?' but I held my breath.

My nerves were strained enough as it was without him answering this question.

I sighed. "I know, Regan. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's alright," he said drawing me closer to himself then glanced at the couple that was silently waiting a few steps from us.

"How does dinner sound to you, folks?" he asked.

"Sounds about time to me," Jason piped from behind us while Michael nodded. There was no visible reaction from Oracle or a vocal one from the other man in our company but since there was no sign of objection I took that as a 'yes' and so did my stomach judging by the happy flip it made.

"Alright, let's go get something to eat then."

We changed directions and started walking back toward the house and it almost felt like everything was normal.

Until Regan decided to speak out again. Not even a couple of minutes had passed when he said, "Oracle, Michael and his vampires are going to stay with you and provide you security. There will be a group of wolves with you as well while Jason, August and I will lead the pack."

I nodded unable to say anything in that instant. I wasn't sure I could say a word and not sound scared. Then again, he could likely feel how terrified I was with the bond echoing my feelings for him.

"You can handle them, right, Scarlet?" he questioned, not naming the 'them' he spoke about but it was clear to me.

"Yes," I told him, tried to make my voice solid. "I will take care of them." It was but a whisper.

In all truthfulness, I felt under-prepared. I had no idea how I was going to do what needed to be done. After all the talk about that power I had, all the times I'd used that power, I wasn't convinced I had it in me to be their hero, that they hadn't mistaken me for another person.

Besides, I had neglected the ghosts for so long, let them go and not even for a moment bothered to check what was happening to them, there were barely any of their pale translucent shapes I could see floating in town now.

How was I going to call on them if they were gone?

"Our mark will be the wildlings," Regan went on, not giving voice to whether he was aware of my doubts or not. "And no matter what happens, you remember the soulless are your main priority."

He was looking at me, eyes seeing right through me and asking for a promise I didn't know if I could give him and right then and there I knew why he didn't say anything to try and reassure me.

He had his own fears to hold him back.

"If anything goes wrong..." he trailed off, silence swallowing the words as neither one of us dared to say aloud.

That same silence fell and swept over us, only the sound of our steps remaining as we walked further down the road.

"If anything goes wrong you run for your life. The pack has been instructed already so you run and you don't look back, you don't come back for me, you hear me, Scarlet?" His voice sounded like an echo from the past that I had already heard. Didn't he say the exact same thing before?

He stopped in the middle of the street and turned his body fully toward me. Everyone else halted too, only the patrols bypassing us without a flicker of a glance our way.

"You're going to save yourself and this pack if anything goes wrong," he said with resolve, hand reaching to cup my cheek, fingers tracing down, sparks traveling to my body from his touch.

I pushed his hand away. I wasn't having that.

"We're not saying goodbye today, Regan," I told him mirroring his determination. I was frightened. I knew all too well what the soulless could do and what it meant for a person to be taken by them. I had seen what they do and I had felt it myself but that didn't mean I was going to leave him because of knowledge or fear.

"And I'm not going to run."

"Scarlet," he growled in warning. His body was trembling with his hands fisted and face screwed up into a grimace. The forest green of his eyes looked lighter, almost like his eyes were burning. They felt scorching on me.

"Regan." My voice had the same low note to it when I spoke his name. It was not a growl like the one he had given me but a simple sound yet a warning nonetheless.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We're not kids, Scarlet," he said calmly despite his shaking body. He wasn't the only one. I was shaking too.

"This fight won't be a game that we can pause or give up when it turns against us. I need you to promise me you're going to do this if--"

I heard the slap before my mind registered the movement. I hadn't even realized I'd raised my arm when I felt the sting on my palm from connecting with his cheek but then even when I did I didn't stop and ponder over what I'd done.

"You know what?"

He pressed a hand to his cheek. "What the hell, Scar--"

"You're right, Regan," I interrupted. "We're not kids so stop being childish and asking me to lie to you—I won't. I'm not going to leave you so no matter what happens you make sure you stay in one piece and be right next to me."

"But--"

"No! We live and we die together, Regan. That's all I will ever promise you."

He closed his eyes. He breathed deeply. He said, "That's what scares me the most."

I wrapped my arms around him.