Aurora

I peek from behind the curtain to see members of our pack searching the village for us. I can’t see my father with them, thank the goddess. There are about five, with two in wolf form. That must be how they found us picking up our scent.

I quietly walk back over to the bed and gently wake mum up. I put my hand to her mouth in case she tries to say something or scream.

Her eyes snap open. Fear flicks across her beautiful face before she registers it’s me. I hold my free hand to my lips to signal to be quiet. She nods and I remove my hand from her mouth. I gesture towards the window where she peeks out like I had moments earlier when she spots them; she turns back to me before her eyes search the room.

Her eyes land on something and I see them flash to her wolf before she hurries over and starts spraying both me and her with the room air freshener, she sprays so much I struggle not to cough using my hands I waft it away from my mouth.

I know why she did it. This will hopefully mask our scents to at least be able to get out of the village. As wolves, we have a heightened sense of smell, but that increases in our wolf form. We are also faster, stronger, and more lethal in that form too.

We pick up the bags, stuffing the towels under the covers of the bed to make it look like we are still there sleeping before slipping out. When we are in the dimly lit hallway, we hear voices as a man speaks to the receptionist, asking a few questions. We share a look before heading to the emergency exit. Mum sprays a little of the air freshener as we go, helping to cover our tracks.

They don’t know we know they are here yet. Using that to our advantage, we open the emergency exit. There’s no alarm, another blessing as we make our way, closing the door just as the elevator dings its arrival. We wait a moment. Mum tries to judge how many of them are there.

When we hear a crash, we know they have broken down the door to the room. We share a look before running down the stairs of the emergency exit. We don’t have the mind link now as we aren’t part of the pack, something that would have been helpful.

I don’t know why I didn’t think to use it earlier, but fear has a way of making the brain react differently to fight-or-flight kick in.

When we reach the bottom floor, we check to listen to make sure the coast is clear. Mum sniffs the air, trying to pick up any of their scents. We are also out of air freshener, not that it necessarily worked anyway, but at least it felt like it helped.

‘Try all the exits. They have to be here somewhere!’ we hear one of the men yell and a few growls take place. We hear the door that we just came through burst open at the same time we open the one downstairs running through it, hoping they don’t hear.

We creep, staying close to the wall, looking for a way to escape. I take mum’s bag when I see she partly shifts her nails turn to claws and her teeth turn to fangs. She gives me a nod. She’s ready if need be.

We walk around the building looking for escape routes, but even if we somehow manage to get past them, we can’t outrun two wolves. There is a bush that runs along the side of the next building as we reach the corner. I peek out once more, not seeing anyone before we both sprint to the bush, wanting to put as much distance between the hotel and us.

We crawl along as the branches scratch my arm. When we reach the other side, we both stand, turning the corner, and we see one of the men on the other side of the building. He turns, clocking us before an evil smirk crosses his face.

‘Run!’ mum whispers as we both sprint for our lives. He chases us, no doubt mind linking the others to follow. I’m faster than mum. I scan the area, looking for something, anything. Come on, moon goddess, save us!

‘Sarah, stop running, it’s only going to make it worse for both of you,’ he taunts as he chases after us.

‘Don’t listen to him, run!’ I call to her as we continue to run down the street. As I look back, I see he is gaining on her. In one fell swoop, she turns, slicing her claws through his face; he falters slowing as she speeds up, putting more distance.

I see a few of them come turning the building as they chase after us. We don’t have long; we need a miracle goddess please!

That’s when I spot the car in the distance. It’s the only thing we can use to outrun a wolf. We gain closer as we hear a howl and know it’s now or never. I reach the car first, breaking the window with my elbow, knocking out the glass so it shatters. I reach in unlocking the doors as I chuck our bags in the back seat. If it came to a fight, I didn’t want them to hold me back.

Mum gets in and I close the door as my gaze looks at the back window. She removes the covering and begins playing around with the wires, using her claws to release the fibres from their casing. I catch a few sparks and the car flicks on and off.

‘Hurry mum,’ I call, they have all shifted to their wolf form and are gaining on our position. I turn back to see mum has secured the wires. The engine comes to life as she moves it into gear. I turn back, hearing growls approach us. I see them slowing down as they start to enclose around us.

Letting out a shaky breath, mum pushes on the pedal, jolting the car forward as one of their noses breaches my shattered window. Mum accelerates, the engine revving in the dark night as we speed across the village streets. The wolves are right behind us.

‘Faster mum!’ we turn a bend, swerving to keep on the road. We turn again before we get to the straight leading out of the village. I look back, seeing them still following. I just hope whatever direction we are going in isn’t bringing us back the way we came.

Once we leave the village mum floors the car as we accelerate further and I’m forced back into my seat, I look out the wing mirror seeing the charging wolves begin to disappear as we put more and more distance between us, once they finally disappear from view, we both let out a sigh of relief.

Mum continues to keep her foot down and we drive as fast as the car allows us. I watch as the sun rises up in the sky. The surroundings change from trees to fields, two mountains visible in the distance. I don’t know how many hours we have been driving, but eventually the car begins to slow.

‘What’s happening?’ I ask, turning to look at mum who’s frowning.

“We’re running out of fuel,” the engine croaks as it slows further, the car coasting along the road until it comes to a stop in the middle of the road. Mum guides it to the side, making room for other cars to pass it if needed. I grab the bags from the back seat before we both get out of the car. We both stretched after having sat down for so long.

I look around where we are seeing nothing for miles. The road is open as far as the eyes can see. There are some mountains in the distance, but otherwise just stretches of barren lands.

‘Where to now?’ I ask, trying to sound positive and failing miserably. Mum turns to me with a sympathetic smile.

‘Let’s head for those mountains. It’s our best option.’ I nod, taking all the bags. Mum tries to take hers but I insist she has driven us all this way and I know regardless of how much I hate him; she lost her mate, the pain that she must be feeling inside only weighing her down.

We both start walking, confident that we have enough of a head start not needing to run anymore. It takes us 5 hours to reach the valley the base of the mountains begins in. We both stop to catch our breath and I hand mum a bottle of water and packet of crisps. Starving, I practically lick the bag clean; I look at the biscuits in the bag, tempted to eat them too. I leave them there. We will need them to walk up that monstrosity.

I had raided the glove compartment of the car and packed an energy drink with some sweets, too. I open those handing mum a handful, taking some myself. We sit for a moment enjoying the sun. Every inch of my body aches after barely any sleep and travelling for so long. I just want to close my eyes here and rest.

‘Come on, we need to move before it gets dark, rouges might be around it won’t be safe,’ mum says standing she takes her bag from me, which I begrudgingly give her, carrying three bags is a lot, I don’t have my wolf so only slightly stronger than a human.

I haul my ass up taking the other bags; we begin our climb up the mountain there is a pleasant breeze as we walk; I conceal our footprints as we go, just for safety. Despite the small amount of food and drink we have, the mountain is intense. Our supplies have completely depleted and as I look up, it just keeps going.

There is snow right at the top. I open my bag, taking the one jumper I had packed putting it on. Mum does the same as the wind picks up, whipping around us. My legs are heavy, my whole body feels exhausted. I can barely stand as we both continue to trudge up the mountain. There’s no shelter here, no place to rest. I struggle to breathe as the air gets thinner and mum falls behind, unable to keep up with my pace.

I look around. There must be something.

I turn and see mum has collapsed on the ground. I head over to her.

‘Mum?’ I shake her before pressing my head to her chest. Her heart is still beating. I can hear her breathing. I relax. She’s just tired. I huddle closer to her to keep her warm, struggling to keep my own eyes open. Her soothing scent calms me and I drift off, too tired to think of anything else.

‘What’s that over there?’ I hear a male voice in the distance. I’m too sleepy to know if I’m dreaming or if this is real. I am also so cold my limbs are frozen in place. I hear footsteps approaching but unable to open my eyes, they’re sealed shut from the cold.

‘It’s two women?’ a deep husky voice speaks. It’s not one I recognise. There’s only concern in his voice. Strong hands touch me and although I want to flinch, I’m frozen in place. I keep hold of mum as much as I can.

‘Come help me,’ he calls as another guy comes over. I hear his heavy tread approach.

‘Bloody hell, they look half dead,’ a gravelly voice speaks. I feel oddly calm despite less than 24 hours a man approached me as I slept, patting me down. I guess I’m either too tired to fight, but deep down I think it is because I know I can trust them.

‘If you take this one, I’ll carry the other. Take them straight to the hospital,’ his gravelly voice says.

‘Yes alpha,’ the other man says as I’m passed to the other man. My grip falters as I let go of mum as they walk what I can only assume is to their pack.

‘Hush little one, you’re safe,’ is all I hear before sleep takes me once more.

Sabastian

It was the anniversary of our mother’s death. I missed her every day, she always understood me unlike my father. Despite the loss of his mate, father refused to step down as Alpha passing on the title to his sons. Whenever we broached the subject, he brushed it off but I think he just didn’t know which one of us to pass it too.

At 23 years old it is almost unheard of that an Alpha hasn’t passed on the title to his sons at this point. My brothers and I are quadruplets so it’s not like he didn’t have options, we each have our strengths and weaknesses. Since my mother’s passing our father let too much slip so we each took over the running of the pack, as far as I’m concerned, he is Alpha in name only. It is time he chooses someone to succeed him, he’s not old at 47 years but it is starting to show with his lack of judgment.

I suspect he is hoping for one of us to find our mate, he is old fashioned like that believing that a pack can’t be run by an alpha alone, he needs the support of his lune. I know my brothers all held hope from our 18ththat we would meet our Luna. It’s only at 18 that you get your wolf and with it can smell your mate. I saw the love my parents had for each other. I wanted that kind of bond that came from a fated mate.

After seeing how the death of my mother affected my father I decided there and then whoever my mate would be I would reject her. My brothers and I took over running this pack devastated from the loss of our mother but we couldn’t abandon the pack for our grief. The Silverbrook Pack has been our home, I have watched it grow to the pack it is today. Which is no thanks to my father he should have handed down the title of alpha but he refuses.

He had demanded to speak to me in his office which I was dreading, he acts like he is the only one who lost her, his mate and suffers the most. I agree to an extent the mate bond is a curse. Doesn’t he realise we lost our mother as well. My brother Caleb thinks I’m overreacting out of the four of us. He likes to keep the peace, his head is buried in so many books I’m surprised he even has time to notice what goes on around him.

Ethan and Gabriel see my side of things but they still value the mate bond, can’t they see how it took a great man, a great alpha and reduced him to nothing. What if none of us were here what would have happened to the pack? I don’t know how they can forgive him so easily.

I left my bed leaving her naked ass to sleep. Victoria and I had been casually seeing each other for years now. For me it was mainly hook-ups, she was good looking and after my mother’s death I needed someone. I think she took that as her sign that we were exclusive. I knew she had feelings for me but although I cared for her, I didn’t feel the same way. She wouldn’t be my Luna. Not that I needed one.

After a quick shower I headed over to my father’s office. After knocking I entered looking at the man I once admired.

‘You wanted to see me alpha’ I stated coldly looking him in the eye, he let out a sigh before standing up, his brows furrowed. He doesn’t ask me to call him that, I call him alpha as a sign of disrespect.

‘Yes, let’s go for a walk,’ I nodded as I followed him out of his office past the main area of the pack through the woods heading towards the mountains. We walked in silence as I lit a cigarette, I heard my father tut he didn’t approve of the habit, like I care what he thinks.

Once we had reached the base of the mountain I’d had enough. I wasn’t going to be summoned just to walk around the pack grounds in silence. Didn’t he know what the date was?

‘What is it you want to say to me that has to be all the way out here!’ I asked coldly, blowing out some smoke, stopping my footsteps as I waited for him to answer. He turned to look at me before he gestured to keep walking.

‘It’s about the alpha title, I want to find a way to make it fair to you all,’ he started as my heart sank, I knew what he was going to say.

‘You want us to compete against each other? We have all been running this pack fine managing the different areas. Why does it only need to go to one of us?’ I snap feeling irritated once more. I was close with my brothers. I didn't want anything to come between us, not a woman and not the title of alpha.

‘Every pack needs a leader, I don’t see why that should change things,’ I frowned as we walked some more heading towards the top.

‘Except it will, is that why you brought me up here to tell me you’re giving the title to someone else? Is it Ethan!’ I snapped. Ethan was technically the first born but as we were all minutes apart that didn’t really mean anything. Just because he pushed his way to the front to be born didn’t mean shit to me. I didn’t see how that would make him a better leader.

‘I haven’t decided anything just yet,’ he sighed exasperated. He looked tired from walking up the mountain, how was he supposed to protect this pack?

‘Sabastian, we used to be close. I know what happened with your mother was – ‘I cut him off. I didn't want to talk about her with him, he was acting like he didn’t even care. My eye had caught something blowing in the wind.

‘What’s that over there?’ We both headed in the direction of something flapping in the wind. Dad decided to run finding the source of what I’d seen.

‘It’s two women!’ Father shouted back as he continued to rush over to them, I followed picking up the pace as I saw them both huddled together tightly for warmth. There were discarded bags around on the floor.

‘Come help me,’ father demanded as he tugged them apart. They were half frozen together and my heart leapt. I couldn’t see her face, her long blond hair was still whipping in the wind but I wanted her to be okay.

‘Bloody hell they look half dead,’ I looked down seeing the other woman’s face looking white her lips cracked as she clung to the other girl. I still couldn’t see her face which irked me, her large sweater hid most of her body, but her slender legs looked good in her jeans.

Who is she, they weren’t from our pack and the nearest one is 3 hours away on foot looking at them both. They had come a long way.

‘If you take this one, I’ll carry the other,’ father handed me the young girl as I held her in my arms, I felt possessive of her. Her face rolled into my chest as I shielded her from the wind up here. Her hair blew back revealing her face. Fuck. She was stunning, long lashes, slender nose, plush pink lips that I was tempted to kiss. Her skin was covered in beautiful freckles that added to her beauty.

‘Yes alpha,’ was all I managed to say feeling my heart race, I looked over her body. She weighed nothing in my arms but I wanted to see if she was hurt, her eyes remained closed but was she injured. I couldn’t smell any blood on her, other than the few scratches that covered her face.

I saw dad lift the other woman as we headed back to the pack, I held her little body close to mine. I liked the feeling of her in my arms, which was odd seeing as I didn’t know her or could see her eyes. I just knew whatever they were would be perfect.

She stirred in my arms, I didn’t want her to be frightened of me, she was young I couldn’t sense her wolf yet which made it difficult to pick up which pack she was from. I looked back seeing their bags probably important if they nearly died carrying them. I slung them over my shoulder, careful not to jostle her as I did. They had both been through a lot, clearly running from something.

‘Hush little one you're safe,’ I whispered in her ear as her scent invaded me. She smelt like lilac and rain. I heard my wolf stir as he took in her scent grunting approvingly in my head, which made me frown slightly. He never liked any women normally.

‘Sabastian hurry we need to take them to the infirmary!’ Dad urged, sounding slightly panicked, I looked down at my little beauty, my little kitten she snuggled into my chest which just made my heart race, my wolf practically purring in my head.

I shook off the feeling she was stirring in me as I chased off after my father back down the mountain towards my pack. The whole time being careful with her in my arms. I felt ridiculous being so concerned already for her, she was nothing to me.

When we got to the infirmary I started to really worry about my kitten. She was still out cold. Yes I know I named her already, but she and no one else needed to know how I felt towards her. Gabriel, my brother came out. He's always been good with healing and helping others. Part of his duties is to work here. One of his many gifts was healing.

‘What happened?’ he called out, heading towards my father and I to assess the two women we held onto. He checked out the woman in dads arms first before giving him instructions for where to take her and what medical supplies he would need.

Next he came to my little kitten. I had to suppress the urge to growl at him as he turned her face towards his, he looked her over but rather than giving me the instructions to take her somewhere like he had father he tried to take her from my arms.

‘I can carry her! Where shall I place her!’ I snapped my wolf growling in my head, I forced him back. I didn't need him getting involved. Gabriel looked at me with an odd expression I couldn’t make out.

‘Room 5,’ he added sharply but before he could try to take her again, I was already on route before he could say anything else.

I entered the room gently placing her down. My fingers brushed the hair back from her forehead before I stepped back as Gabriel came in with a few supplies. He used his little torch to examine her.

At that moment her eyes snapped open, I was met by the most beautiful dazzling green eyes, she had bewitched me in that moment. Her gaze lingered on mine as her pupils dilated before she seemed to realise where she was. Fear took over her features as she jolted upright.

‘MUM!’

Sabastian

I rushed over to her side in an instant, my hand rested on her shoulder to gently push her back down, her eyes locked with mine, fuck me it’s like she’s looking into the depths of my soul. She really is a beauty, my little kitten.

‘Hush little kitten, you're safe,’ I said softly, helping her lay back down. Fuck did I just say that out loud. I looked across the bed to see that Gabriel too had reached for her and was by her side. It irritated me but I had to remind myself that he was a doctor and she was in his care. He gave me another confusing look. He looked almost irritated as he stared at me.

But my little kitten was having none of it, I could sense her fear as she struggled against my hold, she wiggled away almost falling off the bed before knocking into the different machines as she headed for the door in an instant, I pulled her into me her back hit my chest as my arms coiled around her waist. Her scent was everywhere. I had to use all my strength not to dip my head into her neck and inhale.

I could smell her fear as she tried to break free. I tried to soothe her but it was like she couldn’t hear me. Her closeness was starting to get to me, I was beginning to feel my dick come to life as every time she wriggled her ass pressed against my cock.

I should just let go of her right?

What was I even doing holding onto her like this!

‘MUM!’ she screamed once more. There was commotion outside her room before a woman appeared in front of my little kitten. She broke free from my hold or maybe I let her go so I wouldn’t be sporting an erection the whole time.

What the fuck was that.

Why did I let her get to me, I don’t even know her fucking name.

‘Aurora are you alright!’ the other woman asked her I guess it’s her mother as they embraced.

Aurora. Her name was perfect.

My lips pressed together. I missed having her in my hold, what was wrong with me, her mum's eyes snapped to mine, did I just let out a growl, she held her daughter tightly as she let out little sobs.

‘I thought I lost you,’ my little kitten whispered to her mom as she hushed her daughter.

‘I’m here it’s alright,’ I was frozen on the spot just watching their interaction, I knew I should leave, I had done my duty …. I just couldn’t make my feet work to move. That moment Gabriel moved towards the pair and my fists clenched at his actions.

What the fuck! Get it together Sabastian.

‘Aurora, please come back so I can examine you I need to check your vitals your mother can come with you, I need to check her over as well,’ Gabriel said I noticed how he said her name like a purr his voice soft and gentle but what irked me the most was how he placed his hand on her shoulder as she turned to look at him.

Everything in me wanted to rip his hand away and pull her back to me.

She gave him a small nod as she bit her plush lip, I felt my dick twitch once more, I needed to get out of here, she was messing with me far too much.

Her eyes flicked to mine as she re-entered the room, her hand clutching her mothers and I felt like a complete dick. I didn’t know what had brought her here or what she had gone through. I would be scared waking up in some place you don’t know seeing two men you’ve never met before.

Her stunning green eyes, they got to me she gave me a small smile as she walked back over to the bed but I couldn’t return it back my eyes skimmed over her seeing Gabriel’s hand on her waist. I needed to leave before I fought my brother in the middle of a hospital.

‘Excuse me,’ I added coldly as I barged past them, I looked back over my shoulder to see she was doing the same. Her eyes looked sad making me feel guilty for my reaction. I don’t want to upset her. Great now i care what she fucking thinks.

I wanted to go back and comfort her, reassure her that I wasn’t angry with her, but my body had other ideas as I strode out of the hospital her scent of lilac and rain was fucking with me, my wolf was growling in my head I didn’t know if that was because I’d left her or because of the way Gabriel was looking at her. I didn’t care. I didn't stop walking until I reached the exit of the hospital. The fresh air cleared my senses allowing me to focus on everything around me. I took out a cigarette needing to smoke, needing to distract myself. I took a long drag feeling torn if I should go back or not.

What am I going back for?

‘There you are,’ a woman’s voice I knew all too well came over her arms wrapped around me. I gripped her wrists moving out of her hold and just glared at her. She gave me a shocked look as I released her hold blowing smoke in her face.

‘What’s the matter?’ she asked softly, my eyes skimmed her over, she was dressed almost the same as my little kitten jeans, a jumper in hand but she was wearing a low-cut white top showcasing her assets. I saw her smile as my gaze lingered on her breasts . If only she knew I was just trying to work out what my kittens were like under her jumper instead of her thinking I’m checking her out.

‘My eyes are up here,’ she snapped my gaze to hers as she now fluttered her lashes showing a seductive smile. I felt restless from seeing my little kitten … Aurora. Maybe I should go with Victoria fuck her from behind and pretend its her. What the fuck am I even thinking.

‘Yeah, I’ll call you later,’ I stubbed my cigarette on the ground as I headed for my office. I needed to get away and think, I needed to focus.

'Okay,' Victoria added softly as I walked past her, not really caring about the hurt look in her eyes.

I slumped into my office chair, legs up on the table as I lit another cigarette trying to think about the upgrades to our defence strategies, Dad didn’t understand why I insisted on planning these, if something wasn’t broken why fix it. Didn’t he realise that we needed to close the gaps, if we were attacked … I took out my plans trying to read them but all I kept seeing was her fucking perfect face.

To piss me off even more it had started to rain, the open window in my office letting in the scent, her scent which made it impossible to focus. I stormed up from my desk to slam the window shut, my hand gripped the handle to close it but instead of shutting it I opened it wider, my face sticking out letting the water run over my skin.

I had always liked the smell of rain, that fresh feeling of how it cleanses everything away, renews everything it touches. Why does she have to smell like rain?

I closed the window and my hair was dripping wet falling in front of my eyes as I moved it out of my face and tried to dry the light beard on my face before sitting back at my desk. All plans of work were forgotten I just stared out the window watching the rain, my office had a direct line to the hospital. It was almost like I could see her, smell her.

‘Sabastian are you planning on doing any work today!’ My office door crashed open revealing my two other brothers Caleb and Ethan. They swanned in like they owned the place taking the seat opposite me. A cheeky expression on both their faces, fuck what did they want now.

‘Ever heard of knocking,’ I grunted as I turned my attention to them. They both just laughed before looking back at me and smiling.

‘Yeah, like you ever fucking knock whenever you barge into our office!’ Ethan added, looking far too amused.

‘What do you want? I'm busy,’ I said coldly.

‘Yeah, you sure looked fucking busy, we heard the commotion with the 2 rogues that came into the pack today, you were there weren’t you!’ Caleb added looking at me over his glasses the pretentious twat, we are wolves he can see perfectly fucking clearly without them. I just grunted in response.

‘You don’t think two rouges entering our territory is a problem?’ Ethan asks as I look at both of them. Did I think two unconscious women were a threat to our pack, absolutely not. I just arched my brow in response.

‘There just here for refuge as far as I can tell,’ I stated simply as I looked between the two of them.

‘So, you met them?’ Caleb asks and my mind immediately goes to my kitten, how I held her in my arms and her fucking scent that was really starting to annoy me.

‘Of course, I fucking did, Dad was with me as well we brought them back to the pack there needed medical care,’ I stated simply taking out another cigarette. They both looked a little shocked at my response.

‘That’s not like you … you are always the one who says we need to be strict with who we let into our pack,’ Caleb states once more I really wish he wouldn’t remember every fucking thing I have said all the damn time. I leaned back into my seat as I pinched my brows together.

‘I don’t consider two almost dead women a threat to the pack,’ I state simply watching them closely, I keep my face expressionless.

‘Maybe not physically a threat,’ Caleb murmurs off as I think over what he says, perhaps not but the thought of sending her away caused my wolf to whimper. Fuck me what was wrong with me. She had been in my life for only a few hours and I was already against the idea of kicking her out of the pack.

‘Perhaps but we can keep an eye on them, one is an omega after all I highly doubt, they are going to cause us too much stress,’ I think back to how I sensed the mother was an omega her whole look screamed omega but her … I couldn’t be sure yet what she was.

‘Let’s hope you're right then, this pack is only starting to recover after mum passed,’ Ethan added as I simply nodded my response. Let’s hope indeed, but really how much trouble could two-woman cause.