I roll my shoulders. After working out for three hours, Jason and I finally felt a little bit better. We both use exercise as stress relief typically. Something our parents taught us. I smile to myself, thinking about the time mom out lifted dad.

Dad, Jason, and I had been down in the gym pumping for a competition dad was going to enter when mom had come in. Jason had made a comment about how mom could never lift like dad. We were nine at the time and a little pig-headed. Mom had laughed, shoved dad out of the way, and benched his max weight.

She only did one rep, but that was enough. Both our mouths had hung open, watching her leave the gym. Dad then punched Jason in the arm and said, "she is going to make me sleep outside if you keep talking like that boy." I laughed and laughed at both of them. I laughed at my brother, who had thought because mom was female, she couldn't compete against dad, and I laughed at my dad because even though he was huge and powerful, mom was the one in charge.

The memory made me smile sadly. So many hours spent together in that gym. In that kitchen. In that living room. Now all those rooms and all those memories were in ashes.

I trudge slowly towards our huge shower. Every inch of this mansion is luxury, but it will never be the home we grew up in. The jet streams do wonders on my bruised muscles. I lather and scrub before leaning down and placing my hands on the wall. I let the water work my tense back.

Tonight we become Lycans. I turn off the water at that thought and head to get dressed.

JASON POV

I search the massive kitchen for anything edible that does not involve cooking. Life is going to suck without Auntie Moira's cooking. She now lives two hours away from us instead of next door. Homecooked meals are going to be a thing of the past. What the hell are we going to eat? Can Ethan cook? Who is going to clean? We can't have an omega. They would know our secret.

Jason- Ethan, we need a maid and a cook. Non-wolf. Maybe, someone we can trust.

Ethan- (chuckle) or you could learn......

Jason- we will be training under you and Clint as much as possible. How can we clean a mansion too??.

Ethan- good point. I will figure something out.

I roll my eyes but let a small grin fall on my lips. Ethan-0 Jason-1. I usually never win against Ethan or Jackson. Even if it's a small win after yesterday and last night, I needed it.

I spot a bag of beef Jerry and tear into it. The smell of meat makes me close my eyes in satisfaction. Delicious. I head to the entertainment room that has a small theater set up. I plop down on a huge grey sectional that swallows me comfortably. I turn on the newest underworld and dig in.

I am not going to bother with a shower since, in a few hours, we will be shifting for the first time.

ETHAN POV

I run both my hands through my hair. How didn't I think of that? Three guys can't maintain this huge house by ourselves. One, the boys have never done a lick of housework, and two, it will distract us from training.

The war with the vampires is now on our shoulders, and the twins need to be ready.

Ethan- Scott, Clint. Jason just pointed out the need for a cook and a couple of maids. Any ideas?

Clint- I will look into it. We will be there soon, by the way.

Scott- we can call a human maid service. Or send three trusted omegas. Omegas can be under orders where humans can't.

Ethan- I would say Cinthia, but that puts her two hours away from Craig, and the pack would get suspicious.

Clint- we will weigh the pros and cons of human versus wolf staff after the shift.

Ethan- yes Alpha,

Clint- don't. Not yet, please.

I break the link. None of us were ready, but I genuinely feel for Clint. He has enormous shoes to fill for the next three years. I let my mind wander to my queen. The woman who stole my heart at 15 yrs old. Yes, she was my queen, and no, I never overstepped, but boy did I love her. King Emmett knew about my infatuation, but he still trusted me. He knew my loyalty was just as sound as my love for her. And even now, after she is no longer here, I still strive to make her happy. I will protect her children with my life.

I groan as I look at their picture again. I wish I could have fought beside them. I might have been able to save her. I know it was most likely part of her secret plan. She knew her death would unleash Alpha, and if the whole royal family died, then the vampires would get a false sense of safety.

According to the numbers, 51 vampires, 93 rogues, and 74 pack members died yesterday. And even though 74 is a considerable number of lost wolves, it is tiny compared to the carnage that could have taken place if Alpha hadn't gone feral. During Clint's phone call this morning, he let me know how many vampires our feral Alpha killed before finally letting Clint snap his neck. The battle was won because our queen died. She was a smart woman. I would bet my own life that it was part of her plan.

THIRD PERSON POV

Lenny hugs each twin as the family circles around. A huge space has been made in the middle of their training field for the twins to shift in, and both look very nervous. Jason can't keep still, and Jackson is biting his lip continuously.

"When it begins, try to relax your body and mind. The pain is intense but do not fear it. The more you tense up, the longer the shift will take," Clint explains as he holds Simone's hand.

Moira, Scott, Ethan, Clint, Simone, and Lenny all back away, slowly giving the boys as much room as possible. The shift should occur at the time of the twin's births, which means Jackson's will start first, but since the boys were born at 11:38 pm, the younger kids stayed home with Cinthia. The clock hits the very second Jackson took his first breath, and he falls to his knees in pain. Jason stares at his typically composed brother with pure worry. Jackson screams, and Jason begins to hunch over in pain.

Lenny tenses as she watches her beloved cousins strain and convulse. Moira grabs her daughter's hand, trying to provide some comfort as the boys' skin splits and pristine white fur sprouts out. Their bodies shake and morph painfully. The twins scream and groan for what seems like hours. But finally, their bodies adjust, and the air fills with silence.

Two massive, white Lycans stand up and roar. Looking around themselves tensely. Clint and Scott pull their loved ones behind them as the Lycans sniff the air. When they catch sight of the trembling werewolves, they lurch forward, grabbing Clint and Scott around the neck. They yank the males into the air as the women scream. Ethan jumps forward instantly.

" Jason, Jackson, calm down. CALM DOWN," Ethan shouts, and the two Lycans glare down at him.

" We are your family. Put them down," Ethan says, calmer watching the massive beasts.

They throw the males down.

Unknown- who are you

Unknown 2- why do we feel a connection to you

"I'm Ethan. I'm your human sides sworn guard. We share a life bond," Ethan explains soothingly with his hands raised.

"And those are your uncles, aunts, and one of your cousins," Ethan continues while gesturing towards the trembling family. Scott and Clint's faces are slowly returning to color.

The Lycans lose their aggressive stances, slowly observing the group. They meet each other's gazes before linking again.

Unknown- We are Eros and Helios. Named after the god of love and the god of the sun.

"The two males you grabbed are Clint and Scott. The women are Simone, Moira, and Lenny," Ethan introduces while pointing to each person.

Helios (unknown 2)- we must run.

"You can not go outside. The vampires believe your human sides are dead. There was just a huge battle. We must hide the twins until they reach 18 yrs old. The vampires have a method of trying to make hybrids. They are wanting your humans for this experiment," Clint explains quickly while rising to his feet.

Eros growls loudly as he watches Clint.

Eros- you said, Uncle. This male holds no bloodline to my human.

"I was their Father's Beta. My mate and I have always been considered family. Can you not communicate with Jason and Jackson for this information," Clint asks slowly, trying to keep the Lycans calm.

Helios- humans sleep after the first shift. When they awake, they gain control.

Eros- they should awake soon.

Helios- much energy was used to bring us forth.

Eros- you say, vampires. Does Lord Stefan still reign?

"Yes, he does," Scott says, eyeing the tall figures.

Helios and Eros move towards him with lightning speed, and Moira gasps.

Eros- These three are blood relatives.

Clint and Ethan nod. The Lycans both pull Lenny forward.

"Don't hurt her," Moira squeaks as she tries to pull her back.

Helios growls. Eros flashes his teeth.

Helios- we will not harm

Eros- cousin, is special to human sides.

All five adults nod and the Lycans resume sniffing Lenny.

Helios- we shall stay confined for only three years.

Eros- after we show no mercy

Helios- humans have awoken.

The Lycans' eyes shift from pale blue to brown as the boys regain control. The whole family breathes a sigh of relief. The Lycan brothers are holding true to their legend.

"They wanted to run, so we shall leave you two in here. Run the track explore as much as possible. We are going upstairs," Ethan tells the boys as the group heads to the elevator.

Jason and Jackson stare at each other as their family leaves. Each boy taking in the other's appearance with interest.

JACKSON POV

My brother and I are huge. Our beasts are just that, beasts. They stand at 9ft and are all-around huge. Including their massive genitals that are exposed. Gross

Jackson- hello

Helios- hello, my new human.

Jackson- what happened after we shifted.

Helios- my brother and I met your family. You and your brother slept. The first shift is the hardest. Your minds needed sleep for a few minutes. But our healing is much faster than werewolves. You must run. Our bodies require exercise.

Jackson- OK, no problem.

I take off awkwardly. My new legs are different than a humans. But I soon catch a rhythm.

Jackson- well, Helios, tell me about yourself. Strengths, weaknesses, personality, anything.

Helios- hmm. Silver to the heart is our weakness. Our only weakness. In human form or lycan. As far as personality goes... I'm not sure.

Jackson- what do you like?

Helios- Blood. Hunting. Females. My brother.

Jackson- things you hate?

Helios- vampires. Traitors. My turn. Who are the important wolves to you? Must protect those who are important.

Jackson- that's easy. My brother. Ethan. Scott. Moira. Lenny. Mike. Clara. Clint. Simone. Tray. Cinthia.

Helios- I recognize some of those names.

Jackson- yes. Ethan. Scott. Clint. Moira. Simone. And Lenny. Were just here. The others are young cousins, well, except Cinthia. She is an omega. She helped raise us.

Helios- The Lenny female was drenched in your/our sent.

Jackson- she hugged us before we shifted. She is our closest friend. She is the same age as us.

Helios- I see.

I shift my focus back to running and glance across the track at Jason. Who at the moment seems to be fighting with his lycan.

JASON POV

I bolt after Jackson watching how he uses these long legs. Being this tall feels so awkward.

Eros- hello human.

Jason- um, hi, I honestly forgot about you.

Eros- how when you are using my body?

Jason- because I don't want to think about you.

Eros- I can feel your anger, human. What has you upset? We are strong.

Jason- having you as my wolf ruined my life.

I growl at him in our head.

Eros- how so?

Jason- your life span is endless. I will watch everyone I love die, and I will never have a mate since the goddess doesn't want me to have one.

Eros- the goddess is not giving us a mate?

Eros loud growl echos in my head, and I stumble in pain.

Eros- who will we love? Who will bear us pups. The goddess gives all wolfs mates now, that started in our time.

Jason - my theory is she doesn't want to share you and your brother.

Eros- Our first humans betrayed her. But her love for them stayed. She never loved us. She loves the wolves we created because the spirits go back to her. They keep her from getting lonely.

Jason- so why punish your new set of humans?

Eros- she did not say. She did not mention her plan for a mate just, Lord Stefan

Jason- and what about him?

Eros- this time, we must not lose.

We both let silence fall. Something must be coming. And unfortunately for us. Stefan has had time to prepare.

One month later

Clint groans as he slams down his phone. His new office in the packhouse is large but disorganized. So much is happening, and it is too much too fast. Grief still clings to Riverstone and himself. But along with the grief, Riverstone is also drenched in the need for revenge. Every single wolf is training daily. The protective shifting outfits are being shipped out to all wolves everywhere, and Riverstone wolves are wearing them constantly.

Scott is busy rebuilding all the structures that were lost in the attack, including Emmett's home. Scott and Clint know that when the boys return, that is where they will want to stay. Scott and his restoration crew are salvaging as much as possible, but it will still be a new build. Several other homes were also destroyed, but Twin Construction hasn't missed a beat.

Vampire attacks are happening all over the world on a large scale, and Clint fears the werewolf population doesn't have three years. In three years, there could be nothing left for the twins to rule. Two southern packs were already wiped completely out.

Clint groans. At least he was able to choose three loyal omegas for the boys and Ethan. Cinthia's older sister, Sarah, will be their cook. Sarah is a rejected wolf, so no mate to worry about. Also, Cinthia's cousin Mark and his mate Martha will do the other chores. All four of them have sworn a blood oath, less potent than a life bond, but if their oath is broken, they die instantly. All four were honored to be let in on the truth-especially Cinthia, who hit Clint in the head for making her grieve unnecessarily.

Clint turns on his computer. He needs to send a mass email out to all the Alphas. War with the Vampires has begun. Wolves everywhere need to train accordingly.

The pack's medical supply order has been upped, as well as the food order. Tonight is Alpha training for the boys, so Clint prints out the new orders so the boys can review them. Finally, after hours of phone calls and emails, Clint locks up and heads to the Princes' hideaway.

JACKSON POV

Ethan throws a punch to my stomach, which I absorb. Sparing with anyone but Jason is hilarious. Ethan, our Uncle Lance's best student, can't even draw blood from us anymore. The sense of power and strength leaks from our pores in waves now. In one month, we both have added 20 pounds of muscle and have grown two inches. It's remarkable, to say the least. I am not sure if our pack would even recognize us now. But we must stay hidden. Hidden from the vampire's clutches.

"I know you are stronger but block dammit," Ethan growls, looking pissed at me.

"What's the point? No wolf can hurt us," I say, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from my neck.

"Vampires grow stronger with age, Jackson. You won't be fighting wolves but thousand-year-old vampires with a grudge," Ethan explains in an exasperated tone.

He watches my face like a hawk trying to see if I get it. I slowly nod, to which he just sighs.

"I know you are only 15, and you just received one of two lycans ever in existence, but this is serious. I know you feel invincible, but you aren't. You are going against the very beings that beat your Lycans the first time. And their humans were much more experienced than Jason, and you are," Ethan says with pleading eyes, and my pride drops a few levels.

He is right. Jason and I have never fought a battle. We have no clue how to fight a weak newborn vampire, let alone an Elder. And these leeches won the last time around. The only reason there was peace was because of my father's wolf spirit, Alpha. He had been one of the first werewolves ever bred by the Lycan brothers, and he had massacred hundreds of vampires. Effectively ending the war for hundreds of years. He used true cunning and strength. And here I was, making a joke out of my training.

"Look, I am sorry, Ethan. I get it; I do. It's just an adjustment," I say, letting some sincerity into my voice.

He bobs his head in acknowledgment, and we continue. I practice fighting while holding back, and he goes all out as much as possible.

JASON POV

I strain my new muscles as I lift more than I ever have. Eros and I haven't really spoken much. I am honestly too angry to connect with him, and he is sulking.

It's weird. He might be thousands of years old but learning that he most likely won't experience true love in this lifetime has him bent out of shape. He fits his name correctly. Eros, the god of love destined to a life of loneliness.

Eros growls softly at my demeaning thoughts. But I brush him off. I glance over at Jackson, watching my brother dance around Ethan with unbelievable quickness.

Ethan is a fluid and efficient warrior but compared to us; he now looks like a novice. The Lycans have changed every single aspect of our physiques. Our muscles have begun to bulge, and we have grown taller. We had to send Mark, our new omega, to the store to get us a whole new wardrobe. Luckily for us, Uncle Scott has set our yearly allowance at $200,000 apiece. Which we won't come close to using.

Most of the new clothes are shorts and t-shirts since we won't be leaving the house anytime soon. So the new wardrobes weren't much. Our mom taught us to shop smart, not extravagant. And with an accountant for an Uncle, you learn to budget early. Uncle Scott had made investments for us at an early age, so apparently, at 15, we already had very sizeable accounts.

I move to the thigh area of the gym and set to work. I love all of our new equipment. It reminds me of mom and dad so much. The smells scream family. Metal, rubber, and sweat. Pure bliss if you ask me.

Eros- maybe our mate would have smelled like a gym

Eros's grumpy mumble made me sigh. His attitude was making mine worse.

Jason- don't. Just stop. It doesn't help us.

Eros- no running. No freedom. No mate. This new life sucks!!

Eros suddenly roars, and I grab my head with both hands in pain. Ethan is by my side in an instant.

"Jason, what's wrong? Talk to me," he says as I lower myself to the ground breathing hard.

Jason- what the hell, man!!!

Eros- I refuse to sit back and live like this.

Jason- we must!

Eros- let us out. We will kill the leeches. They tricked us last time.

Jason- just wait, okay. Jackson and I aren't ready!! You know this. We are 15!!

Eros- ( sighs ) fine. Train human. Train hard. Because I promise when we are released back into the world, those bloodsuckers are going to pay.

"Jason. Please answer me. Are you okay," Ethan's pleading voice echoes in my ears once more.

"Yeah, yeah, I am fine. It's just my Lycan. He hates being cooped up. He roared in our head unexpectedly," I explain, wincing at the lingering ring.

"Okay. Well, that's enough for today. You two go shower Clint will be here soon," Ethan says, pulling me to my feet.

Jackson stands in front of me, searching my face before relaxing.

"Helios has been mopey too. Maybe on our birthday or something, we could convince Clint to let us have a night run," Jackson says lowly as we take the elevator up.

Eros- our brother is smart. Yes!! Convince the stand in Alpha. We will be good.

Jason- we will see. No more yelling tho.

Eros- grrr. Fine

TWO YEARS AND 10 MONTHS LATER THE TWINS 18TH BIRTHDAY

THIRD POV

Lenny blows a strand of hair off her forehead as she inspects her handy work. The entire gym has been transformed into a birthday wonderland. The Twins will be free tomorrow because, at 11:38 and 11:40 pm tonight, they will be 18.

Sarah and Mark carry the three teir birthday cake to the middle table, and Lenny claps her hands in wonder.

"That looks amazing, Sarah," Lenny squeals loudly.

Sarah blushes and smiles. She worked hard on the boys' cake. Harder than she ever has. She watched multiple how-to videos, and she felt that she had done a decent job copying the experts.

Finally, the rest of the family piles in minus Ethan and the boys. Mike and Tray put their presents with the rest. It's been a while since the younger cousins have seen the twins, and Clara is curious. Being the youngest has had its disadvantages. Her family felt that she was safest away from the Lycan twins. Especially Scott, who still remembers the chokehold greeting he received the first time they met.

Moira dims the lights, and everyone finds a hiding place. Hiding from wolves is almost impossible and hiding from Lycans is even harder, but it's the thought that counts. Lenny knows her cousins will just be happy for the company.

The last six months have felt like decades, according to the boys, and seeing everyone will definitely make life better. Finally, the elevator dings and everyone holds their breaths.

Mike peeks around a weight rack with pure curiosity. According to his sister, the twins are like hulks. As the twins enter the dark and quiet workout space, they inhale, smiling. Their family is here.

Lenny breaks first, followed by the rest. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" is shouted from different directions in the room. As the lights are clicked back on, and the twins beam. The family rotates hugs all around, enjoying the closeness.

"So what's first cake or presents," Simone asks with an excited voice. Jason shrugs his broad shoulders before Jackson can answer.

"Whichever Auntie Moira wants. She is normally the boss," Jackson says with a teasing glint.

Moira smiles with pride. "Got that right. I say cake, and then while everyone is eating, the boys can open," she says, formulating a plan instantly. Scott kisses her temple and grins at his little slave driver.

Ethan whips out the camera and takes multiple pictures of Sarah's masterpiece before Moira sets to work dishing out plates of sliced cake.

Tray and Mike's jaws remain hanging. They can't believe their cousins' sizes. Each boy is 6'6" with huge frames. They probably weigh 250-260 but are pure muscle. Mike glances at Tray, and they both shrug.

"What size pieces would the birthday boys want," Moira asks in a sing-along voice.

"Huge," they answer in unison, and Ethan laughs.

"Moira, they eat like bears, not wolves," Ethan explains between chuckles. Scott and Clint both exam the boys' physiques.

"They look like grizzly bears," Scott says with a pride-filled smile, and Clint nods.

Jackson chuckles before diving into his piece of cake.

"This is amazing, Sarah," Jason says with a frosted covered mouth.

Sarah blushes hard at pleasing her princes. "Thank you," she says softly.

🎂🎂🎂🎂🍰🍰

The rest of the evening is filled with happy exchanges and love. The boys received many heartfelt gifts that they will cherish for decades to come. The next morning is all business as Clint unloads years of stress and war onto the Twins.

Vampires have managed to take out 30% of the werewolf population. The vast majority of the slaughters being she-wolves. Riverstone has not been targeted, but small packs all around the world have. They have begun to combine for protection. Human hunters have also started to target vampires, but they have had little success.

Alpha Lance / Uncle Lance has combined the three northern packs and is training as many wolves as he can, but he is aging. The experimented scentless wolves have a slowed aging process and have become a huge asset, though.

By the end of the meeting, Jason, Jackson, Helios, and Eros are bloodthirsty. Rage pulses through them as they all leave the twins' hideout. Vengeance reigns through them throughout the entire crowning ceremony. The Pack is filled with joy, surprise, and hope, but the Twins feel nothing but rage.

AMELIA'S POV

I let Eve burst through my skin as the sickly sweet scent of vampire falls upon our campsite. Wolves shift all around me as we all make a break for it. As rogues, we never stand together. It's every wolf for themselves nowadays.

I make a beeline for the coast, using the underbrush to hide my medium-size frame. My black wolf is mostly invisible tonight due to the cloud cover, and I am thankful. I have to survive tonight because tomorrow I finally get to set sail to America. The last stronghold werewolves have. The packs there are still functioning, unlike the packs here in Europe. My pack was one of the last in Scotland until five years ago.

Five years of living as a rogue. Five years of fighting. When you are on your own, you fight for everything: your food, shelter, and even your virtue. At 20 years old, I've done a fantastic job. I'm still pure, and I'm still strong. I am the fourth child of the late Alpha Connor and Luna Marian, and I carry that bloodline with pride.

The Royals started a program to help save the European wolves two years ago, according to the rumors. They allow you passage to American and train you. In return, you join the Royal Army, which seems extremely reasonable to me. The Royal Army has fought for over 50 yrs, and The Kings fight in every battle. They stand for every single wolf, and I plan to stand next to them. I finally made some connections and got myself a spot on the Royals ship. Tomorrow at 9 am I leave. I was supposed to leave with the group I was camping with... we will see how many make it tomorrow.

So far, the Vampires have done an amazing job of wiping us out. They just followed the hunters and rogues tactics after their experiments failed. They eliminate females. No matter what age, whether mated or not. If you have a vagina, you die! Without she-wolves, the werewolf population has basically died out. Many of the rogue females I have met are just breeders. They hook up with every wolf they can. Rejection is common practice but even finding a mate to reject is rare.

The werewolf population has gotten so low that the Kings now breed humans often to make more wolves. Pure wolves. Since their wolf spirits are technically Lycans, they can generate more wolves. The Lycan brothers are, according to legend, the first wolves in existence. They were the ones to create werewolf kind when they slept with human females. So I guess their advisors told them it was time to bring that custom back. I just feel bad for their future mates.

The Kings started doing this ten years ago when African Werewolves were deemed extinct. My father had been over the moon with the news. He said it might swing the war in our favor. Apparently, their offspring are powerful and fast-growing. My father also said that the women are compensated heavily and are treated like jewels while carrying our future.

But from my point of view, all I see is prostitution. A species can't be saved with sinful acts, and breeding with others that aren't your mate is wrong. The goddess won't let this stand. That is why I fight for my virtue even though other females see me as a failure. All of them ask me why I don't want to help save us, but I refuse even to answer them. Some say it's okay because the Twin Kings don't have a mate, but I'm afraid I have to disagree. All wolves have a mate, and they are disgracing theirs. But I still respect them. They fight for us, and they do whatever they must for werewolves to survive.

I breathe a sigh of relief once I start to taste the saltwater on my long tongue. I've run for miles, and even though the vampire's scents are long gone, I don't plan on stopping. Someone had to have seen us and reported us to the vampires.

That's another thing that is very different than the old days. Humans. Humans have, for the most part, sided with vampires over here. They sell their blood to them. They sell their healthy children as slaves or future vampires. They don't care as long as they are compensated. They have decided that the vampires will win, and they need to be on the winning sides team.

After ten more minutes of running, I can see the dock. My wolf prances as we exam the area from the treeline. There isn't anywhere we can lay low, so I decide to stay in the treeline. I groan as I think about my situation. Tomorrow morning I will have to board naked. I shredded my clothing back at the campsite.

Eve- maybe the guardhouse has clothes

I dart our eyes back to the shed with windows.

Amelia- maybe let's check it out.

I move forward silently. Being a rogue does have one bonus. You become entirely one with your wolf. They are your one constant. Your only true friend.

I glance through the slightly cracked window and spot a locker. My wolf and I smile a big wolf smile as I shift back. I push the window all the way up and shimmy in. The locker isn't locked, and lucky for me, it has a pair of shorts and a large male jacket in it. Better than nothing!

I get dressed quickly before peeking through the rest of the locker's contents. A small tin of biscuits catches my eye, and I thank the moon.

I tear through the tin in seconds, enjoying every moment of it. Human food is a rare commodity nowadays.

Eve and I head back to the forest quickly, deciding it was the safest place. I find a decent size bush and hunker down for the night with a full belly. I do hope some of the other rogues made it. I brush my dirty blonde hair to the side as I begin my nighttime routine. I brush through the rough strands removing as much debris as possible before I begin to braid my hair back. My hair is so coarse and dirty that the braid mostly stays until morning every night.

Tomorrow morning can't come fast enough.

A ship horn jolts me awake, and I scramble to my feet. It isn't the royals ship, but I'm glad to be up. I have no alarm and no way to tell time, but I'm guessing it is around 8 am. I sniff the air deeply, searching for any familiar scent. Two hit my nose, and I smile. I wasn't the only survivor. I dart through the trees and quickly find the two young males hunched together.

"Morning," I sing out, and they jerk awake.

The older of the two openly glares but the younger smiles once his fear vanishes.

"Morning, Amelia. Glad to see you made it," the younger says, and I smile.

I have no idea what his name is, but I know I am more memorable being the only female in our small group. The older huffs and stretches his limbs. I notice a small backpack and smile.

"Trade you this jacket for two shirts," I say, hopefully tugging on the oversized heater I have on.

The older looks at the sturdy jacket with a calculating gaze, but after finding no holes, he nods. He digs through the pack and hands me two t-shirts. I turn and change quickly, handing him the worker's jacket.

"Do you have the time," I ask eagerly, wanting to know how soon we can leave.

The younger lifts his wrist, and I gasp, a watch!

7:43 am

"How have you not lost this," I ask in shock. He grins.

"It has a stretchable band. So when I shift unexpectedly, it doesn't break. A gift from my father," he answers with a sad smile.

I nod and return his smile. "Do you know if any of the others made it," I ask hopefully.

The older finally cracks open his dry lips, "not from what we saw."

My heart squeezes with the knowledge of more loss. More wolves have gone back to the goddess. I nod quickly and look away to hide my tears.

The next hour and a half are spent in silence. The older male goes hunting, and we stay behind. Eve and I remain on high alert. Being alone with a male does that to you when you have been attacked before. But this male seems nice, and he might be even younger than I am.

Finally, the horn sounds, and we head to the forest edge. The Royals ship has arrived! Our freedom awaits. I feel a bright smile break across my face for the first time in a long time.