5
2132 Words
Chapter Five
That night, sleep didn’t come easily.
My dreams were filled with fire and shadows, with the triplets standing at the center of the chaos. Their faces were obscured by smoke, their expressions unreadable, yet their presence felt like an unyielding anchor in the storm. Around them, flames roared, l*****g at the edges of a dark, foreboding forest.
In the distance, a figure emerged—a towering silhouette with glowing red eyes that pierced through the haze like molten embers. Its gaze locked onto me, heavy and suffocating, and I felt my legs turn to lead. I tried to scream, to run, but I couldn’t move. It was as if I had been frozen in place. All I could do was stand there as it stretched a clawed hand toward me, its voice a guttural growl that vibrated in my chest.
"Be ready."
The words echoed in my mind as I jolted awake, gasping for air. My heart pounded against my ribs, and my skin was damp with sweat. The faint smell of smoke lingered in the air, so vivid I thought for a moment that the fire had been real.
I sat up in bed, pressing a hand to my racing heart. My wolf stirred uneasily, pacing at the edges of my consciousness. Something was coming, and I needed to be ready for it.
***
By the time school ended, I still couldn’t shake the tension in my chest. The day passed in a blur, and though Jessa’s chatter helped quiet the noise in my head, the weight of my dream and the strange sense of foreboding lingered.
I was nearly out the school doors when the Beta called for a mandatory meeting in the school’s training hall. Begrudgingly, I followed the crowd, Jessa at my side, already launching into guesses about what it could be.
The announcement was direct: the Alpha had assigned pack members to assist with the rogue situation, and names were read out in groups for border patrol. I tuned out until I heard my name, followed by Jessa’s. Relief washed over me—at least we’d be together.
That relief evaporated quickly when the Beta continued: “...and Orion, Evan, Flint Thorn, and Chelsy.”
I froze. The triplets and Chelsy? This must be a joke.
The Beta gave a stern look to everyone in the crowd. “We expect full cooperation. Dismissed.”
As we exited, Flint caught up to me. He caught hold of my hand and as I faced him, he had a full blown grin on his face. “Looks like we’ll be spending some quality time together, Plum.”
Why did he still remember my middle name? I shrugged off his hand and scowled. “Don’t call me that.”
Flint visibly bristled, as if he could tell that I wasn’t in the mood. “Are you alright?”
I tilted my head. I knew Evan had probably told his brothers what I had seen and they were probably the only people who could answer the questions that were swirling in my mind. Flint was also the most likely to answer truthfully and I needed honest answers if were to share the wild dreams I was having.
“What happened last night?” I asked him.
“Nothing for you to worry about.” Flint answered and it was as if he had been possessed by Orion. The normal playfulness I was used to with Flint nowhere to be seen.
“So that’s the game we are playing?” I shook my head and turned around to walk away from Flint. If they wouldn't tell me anything I would find out what I needed by myself.
***
The air near the border was sharp and cold, carrying an undertone of something sour—like burned wood and spoiled earth. My wolf was tense, it was as if she were waiting for something that was just out of reach.
“Smells worse than usual,” Flint remarked, kicking at a patch of dirt.
Evan nodded grimly. “There’s been activity here recently. The rogues aren’t just passing through, if they were, their scent would be fainter.”
“Maybe that rogue had friends waiting for him.” I said, forming it was an absent-minded statement.
“What?” Jessa asked.
I turned pointedly to Orion even though my words were meant for all of them. “You are really leading them into the woods without telling them what they might face?”
Jessa turned to her cousins. “What is she talking about?”
The triplets faced each other and I knew they were using mind-link to talk to each other. Orion smirked before speaking up. “If you are afraid, maybe you should head back home. These are woods, anything could be out here all the time.”
“So red eyed-” I began to say before Evan interrupted me. “Let’s not cause panic in our group. We still have to spend the whole night out here on patrol. Everything will be explained once we are done here.”
I would have argued if it weren't for the tight hold Jessa had on my arm. We would get through this but the first thing I would do once we got back was to unburden myself of all the questions in my mind.
The triplets scanned the area before we moved forward. We delved deeper into the woods and I began to feel a strange pull, almost like I was being drawn to something unseen. My steps slowed as we reached a series of claw marks gouged into a tree. They were jagged and deep, but something about them felt... familiar.
“What is that?” Chelsy asked.
“Milli, don’t touch that,” Orion said sharply, but I was already reaching out.
The moment my fingers grazed the bark, a jolt shot through me. Fire and shadows danced behind my eyes, and for a fleeting second, I saw them again—glowing red eyes in the darkness, unblinking and full of malice only this time it wasn't just one pair but multiple - a whole army.
I staggered back, my claws involuntarily extending as my wolf partially surfaced. My breath came in short gasps as my eyes met Orion’s who was pulling me away from the tree.
“What was that?” Evan asked, stepping closer.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice shaky. “I wasn’t in control.”
“You shouldn’t have touched it,” Orion snapped, his tone harsh.
“Back off,” I shot back, baring my teeth.
Orion’s expression darkened, his stoic demeanor cracking. His voice softened, “You don’t get it, do you? You can’t just—”
“Enough!” Flint cut in, stepping between us. “Let’s all take a breath before we start ripping out throats, yeah?”
Flint’s attempt at diffusing the situation before it could escalate was futile. They knew something they weren’t sharing with the rest of us and they expected us to just be okay with it.
Before I could push him, Evan, ever the calm one, placed a hand on my shoulder. “Ignore him. He’s just worried.” His touch was steady, grounding, but his gaze held a flicker of something I couldn’t place.
I didn't break my gaze from Orion, who glared back at me but said nothing, his jaw tight as Flint flashed a grin and said, “Look at us, one big happy team. Let’s keep moving before we get ambushed.”
Jessa tapped me gently on my arm, making me break the staring contest with Orion. “Let’s keep moving Milli.”
We continued the patrol but the divide in the group was palpable. The triplets led the charge, while Chelsy hung in the middle and Jessa and I were at the rear.
Chelsy had to have been uncomfortable. She wasn't friends with anyone here so she was the odd one out. I am sure Jessa would have tried to make friends with her is she didn't think it would make me uncomfortable. I didn't know exactly what I thought of Chelsy - I couldn't hate her because she hadn't done anything to me but I still couldn't bring myself to be friends with her.
I put thoughts of Chelsy to the back of my head and focused on walking through the forest. I hoped the rest of the patrol was just like this, quiet and calm. I was already strung tight from things I couldn't explain and I didn’t need to be stoked further by the triplets but it seemed as if fate had other plans. Minutes later, a guttural growl broke the uneasy silence.
From the shadows, a rogue emerged, its body moving with eerie precision.
“Positions!” Orion barked, and we all fell into a loose formation. We had been taught this same formation during training but we had never had to put it into use. I wasn’t sure how long it would hold up.
I was worried for nothing as the fight was quick and brutal. The triplets worked seamlessly, their movements practiced and lethal, while Jessa and Chelsy held their own. I felt my wolf bristle with rage, pushing me to the edge of control.
As I lunged at the rogue, my wolf surged forward—not fully, but enough for my claws and fangs to extend further than I thought possible. The sensation was electric, raw power flooding my limbs as I struck with precision.
The scratch was enough to have the rogue retreat but not before Orion landed another blow to its side. As it disappeared into the forest, it growled something low and guttural, almost human:
“Be ready.”
***
The triplets alerted the Alpha about what had happened but didn't want to risk anything further so we decided to return home. It was a quiet walk back but the tension was thick. The triplets had decided to split us into smaller groups so that they could drop us off quickly and get back to their patrol. Flint had gone with Jessa and Orion had been paired with Chelsy.
Evan walked me right to my door..
“Do I get my answers now?” I asked tiredly. “Those aren’t normal rogues.”
“That isn't a question, Milli.” Evan replied.
I rolled my eyes. “What do they want?”
“We are still confirming that.” Evan said. “We don’t have anything concrete yet, just an idea so I don’t think it would be smart to say anything to you incase you start panicking.”
“Why would I panic?” I asked. Evan tilted his head at me and it was as if I could see the replay in his head of all of the times I wasn’t the calmest person while I was growing up. “Fine.”
“I’ll tell you when I find out anything.” Evan promised.
I nodded my head. I bit my tongue before I let it out. “Out of your brothers, you have changed the most. You seem more mature, more grounded.”
Evan smiled and his grey eyes locked on to mine. “I have something that grounds me now.”
My heart sped up. The way he had said that sounded almost like a confession of some sort. I took a step back.
“Good night, Milli.” Evan said.
“Bye Evan.” I replied swiftly before hurrying into my house. I walked straight to my room, intent on diving straight onto my bed when my door opened behind me. I fully expected my baby sister to start yapping my ear off. She was the only one I would expect to be awake at such an odd hour. When I didn’t hear her say anything I sat up and was shocked to find my dad at my door.
His face pale and his movements stiff. He looked sick.
“Dad?” I asked, frowning. “What’s wrong?”
I moved closer to him and that is when I noticed it. His eyes didn’t seem like his own, a strange red glaze over them as he spoke in a voice that wasn’t entirely his. “The Fire is coming.”
I froze. “What are you talking about?”
His head tilted, but then he blinked rapidly, the glaze disappearing. “Milli? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You just said—” I began, but he cut me off, confused.
“Said what? I just came to check on you. I know how tiring patrolling can be.”
My stomach twisted. Something was very, very wrong.
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