Staying hidden within the trees, I dodged low hanging branches and leaped over logs as I ran. Wind whistled passed my ears followed by the snowflakes pressing into my exposed skin making my clothes damp with more than just blood. With the snow getting deeper I had no choice but to move even closer to the road where it was easier to run.

The road forked off into two different directions causing me to sprint across the road to follow the right one. The pack house should be just a few minutes away now which gave me incentive to run faster. Picking up speed, I weaved myself between the trees to the annoyance of the crows squawking above me. The house came into view a moment before I burst through the treeline and out onto the driveway.

Slowing my pace, my chest heaved as I took in air and released it in white clouds of steam. A burning feeling starting up in my lungs and muscles made itself known to me as I walked to the front door. I must have gotten here faster than usual, I thought catching sight of the empty bus parked on the far side of the drive. Snow and gravel crunched loudly underneath my boots on my way to the front steps but a prickle of awareness had me looking off to the side of the house.

A group of pack members around my age, who were loitering at the side of the house, stopped mid-conversation to stare at my blood soaked appearance. But it was a pair of dark green eyes at the back of the group that had my lip curling in disgust. In return, Jaspers face turned a light shade of green as his cheeks bulged in what was at last an appropriate reaction for the situation. A weak reaction but an appropriate one.

Jogging up the front steps, I grabbed the handle to find it once again unlocked. I would let it slide this time though because there were pack members out front watching the house. Walking over the threshold, I shut the door behind me making the heartbeats in the living room jump. Taking a deep breath I found the scents I was looking for much closer than I thought I would.

Making the few short steps needed, I turned to enter the living room and faced the three people I was looking for. Candice, Otis and Ryan sat on the couches with their heads turned to watch my entrance into the room. Each of their reactions to the way I looked at the moment was different. Candice was giving me a proud grin, Otis was looking over me in concern and Ryan’s eyes had started to swirl with his wolf’s as soon as he caught sight of me.

“You really went to town on those renegades, didn’t you?” Candice laughed.

Otis shot her a disapproving look before turning to me, “More importantly, are you okay? That’s a lot of blood.”

I was going to ignore his question until I remembered that him and his wolf considered me a part of their inner pack. For that reason alone I felt the need to answer him honestly, “Yes. They clawed up my forearms but that’s all. Ninety percent of the blood covering me is theirs.” To prove my point, I lifted up my forearms to show the gashes that covered them. The ones you could see through the crusted blood were already shining the light pink of newly healed skin.

Once Otis was assured that I wasn’t going to dramatically die from the gashes in front of them, he carried on with the conversation,“Who attacked first?”

“The renegades show’d hostile intent with the teens around and I reacted.” I responded calmly.

Candice caught on to what I didn’t say and leaned back into the couch across from the boys with a raised brow.

“That’s not what I asked, Kai.” He responded sharply.

“I challenged the male as soon as he stepped from the tree line.”

Otis sighed and leaned forward causing his dark red turtleneck to stretch, “You can’t just challenge every renegade you come across in neutral lands, Kaiya. It’s not safe. Especially, not with these damn notes. They could’ve been the ones sending them, it could’ve been a trap.”

I was about to defend myself when the person I had least expected to take my side spoke up.

“Devin told me that the renegades were aggressive before she even made the challenge, Otis. And three of them is hardly enough to take down our Kai.” There was a hardness to Ryan’s tone that suggested he wouldn’t appreciate anyone opposing his words, “Besides, I saw the male she challenged. If I had thought she needed help, I would’ve stayed. You know that.”

I felt strangely smug to have someone on my side for once, someone who thought my actions were justified and not rash. Otis looked over at Ryan with a slightly shocked expression as it wasn’t often that Ryan disagreed with him on matters that pertained to me. It was a quiet moment where everyone in the room seemed to be in a different state of shock.

Thankfully, the silence was finally broken by Candice, “Our Kai? Are you serious? You can even make that simple of a claim? Okay honestly, you’re really starting to piss me off.”

“We haven’t spoken yet, Candice. So if you don’t mind, kindly shut your big mouth.” Ryan snapped back at her.

Oh, Moon. There was that implication of a talk again. A talk I severely didn’t want to have with him. Before I could dwell on it though, Candice and Ryan began to argue at a rapid fire speed.

“I would not throw stones from that glass house, if I were you.” She pointed a sharp claw in his direction, “Mister I Blubber Like A Seal In Front Of Kai.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong.

He pointed an equally sharp claw back at her, “OOOOHHH NO. No, don’t even think I don’t see the way you act around Marcus. Misses,” He pitched his voice high, “Oh Can You Show Me That Again.”

I tilted my head in confusion. Marcus was one of the warriors Candice was in charge of that specialized in mixed martial arts. I didn’t understand why that was insulting, she wanted to hone her MMA skills. There was no shame in that.

Candice responded in a haughty tone, “Well, at least Marcus knows what I’m hinting at.”

Ryan snorted, “Yea, a lawsuit.”

Her eyes narrowed further but before she could respond Otis cut in, “That’s enough. Candice, you need to stop poking at Ryan. And Ryan, you need to talk to Kai before the end of next week. Kai, we’ll speak more about this later when you’ve showered. You look insane.”

Sniffing the air, my nose crinkled at the heavy scent of blood. It wasn’t a very pleasant one to stand around in. I really did need a shower.

“You look...stunning.” Ryan announced.

It was the first hint of his lust and not his words that had me getting the fuck out of there.

“Hey! Where’d she go?”

I heard Candice laugh while I raced out the back door to get home, “You scared her off with your disgusting puppy dog act.”

But it was Ryan’s reply that had me running faster than I ever had before.

“Damn,” He sighed, “That woman really knows her way into a man’s heart.”

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Maybe our mothers are wrong, maybe the way into a man’s heart is through his bloodlust and not his stomach…Hell if it gets me a Ryan, I’d try it. Lmao. I wanted to make her first real fight scene pretty violent, and it’s also my first time writing one so hopefully it wasn’t too bad. Also, sorry for making this a three parter. I was forced to break it up like this because of the character limit.  

As always, comment or like, if you feel the chapter deserves it!

Smooches, Verbage💋