Apprentice to the Alpha 

Four: The Bunker

---Evelyn---

I hear the siren and freeze. The last time I heard this sound was the night Josh’s parents died. Those two were my god-parents, and I loved them almost as much as my own. The memories of the smell of burnt flesh and the sounds of screaming enter my mind, and I take off running. I have to find Marie. No one else I love can die to rogues. I refuse to let it happen. I don’t really talk about it, but since that day, I’ve joined our pack fighters in training so I could protect the ones I love if something like that ever happened again. And here we are.

I hear Marie’s mom on the DJ’s speakers. “For those of you that don’t know, those sirens signify a rogue attack. Anyone of age and would like to join, the fight is on the south side of the territory. For everyone else, the nearest bunker is at the diner just down the street. Please come this way if you wish to join me there.”

That woman really knows how to calm a crowd because the party-goers went from screaming and running in every direction to two organized groups dashing with purpose to their destination. I book it to the stage, figuring that Marie would go to her mother during an emergency. Thankfully, I was right because I soon saw her fireball of hair. I rush to catch up and grab her hand. No group of terrified wolves would be able to separate me from my bestie if I could help it.

---Marie---

I feel familiar fingers interlace with mine and can breathe again. I have no idea how she found me in this chaos, but I know Evelyn can help get me through this mess. I pull her into a hug, then together, we race to the bunker.

Our pack had annual drills, so I had been to this bunker many times. Those were always fun, if not slightly tedious, experiences. This was real, though. Luckily, neither of my parents were warriors, and Evelyn wasn’t of age. I wasn’t worried about anyone in my inner circle getting hurt, but I’m sure that’ll change once Eve is of age. Today was probably the first day I would be grateful for my dad’s job as a doctor. It may have meant lots of late nights on call over the years, but it also meant he was safe tonight, if likely overworked. Ugh, I don’t want to think about that: I really hope no one gets too hurt this time.

We get to the bunker and join the handful of people there already. The number of people at my party would squish us a little tighter than was comfortable down here, but at least it would keep everyone safe. Why did the attack have to be today of all days? Evelyn and I settle down on a bench next to my mom, and Evelyn pulls out her phone to send texts to her parents and Josh. She audibly sighs and hands me her phone to read a message Josh sent shortly after the party started.

Joshie: [I wanted to see you tonight, but something came up at school. I have this group project, and the only time they can meet is tomorrow at 7 in the morning smh see you after?]

I’ve never been so relieved that Josh has a bit of a flaky streak. His last-minute group project just may have saved his life. Based on the look on Eve’s face, she was grateful about his group’s insistence on a morning meeting too.

She sends him a text about the rogue attack and then messages her parents too. Within a few minutes, she heard back from them as well. They had decided to take Eve’s two little sisters to a movie and were sitting in another bunker across town. Everyone was safe.

Today was a mess. I definitely didn’t get the perfect 18th birthday I’d been dreaming of, but at this point, I was more relieved to know the people I loved were safe. That was all I needed for my birthday.