I sat with Tobias in a silence that was just beginning to become awkward when it was shattered by shouts and cries from across the camp.

Tobias got straight to his feet and I quickly followed him as he began marching towards it.

"Alpha Brynn, a group of soldiers broke through the Pheonix Southern border," one of the Nightingale soldiers said as she ran up to us, "They've attacked the camp and Alpha Rivers has ordered the patrols to disperse. He says we're too targetable here."

Tobias nodded, "Any fatalities?"

"No Nightingales," she said.

"Good. Find your patrol and follow Alpha Rivers' orders," he said to her and she ran off again.

Tobias then turned to me.

"Stick with me, Esme," he said, "We need to find Rose and then help fight off these enemy soldiers. Then I'll come with you to find Alpha Rivers."

I nodded and followed him through the camp until we reached the source of the fighting.

A small battlefield had cropped up at the edge of the camp where about two dozen of those enemy soldiers were clashing with Pheonix men. They wore the same dark clothing and carried the same foul scent as those that had attacked Pheonix and I shivered at the sight of their glowing amber eyes and saliva-dripping fangs. 

"Esme cover me," Tobias ordered, his eyes locking on something a couple hundred metres away.

I followed his gaze to see Rose battling it out with a large man. Rose was quick and strong but they both seemed to be unarmed and he was three times her size. She was on the floor with him above her, desperately trying to hold off his claws as he snarled and growled in her face.

I put an arrow in my bow and nodded, "I've got you."

Without hesitation, he sprinted across the battle towards Rose as I kept an eye out for any threats coming his way.

He had covered half the distance when I was beginning to think he'd make it without any trouble. But then in the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the distinctive flash of the sun rays catching metal.

A man in the enemy uniform was wielding a knife, his eyes locked dead on Tobias who's back was turned.

He was the perfect target.

So I pulled back my arrow in preparation to shoot. But just as I was aiming, somebody stepped between me and Tobias.

It was Alpha Rivers, accompanied by half of our patrol.

"Get the fuck out of my way," I hissed.

His eyes had snapped onto me for a split second, "Get this woman out of here," he ordered, snapping his fingers at a pair of his men, "Now."

"No," I said backing away as I glanced over to the Tobias who's back was still turned to the soldier coming for him, "I have to cover for Alpha Brynn."

"Get this fucking woman out of here!" Alpha Rivers repeated, completely ignoring me.

I was soon seized by the men and I instantly fought against them.

"Alpha Rivers!" I shouted, "Listen to me! I have to-"

"Get her out of here!" he roared, repeating himself for the third time.

With that, the two men grabbed me even tighter.

Practically on instinct, I began to kick and punch, desperately trying to twist my arms free.

I got my fist into the face of one of them before the other seized me around the waist and threw me over his shoulder, gripping my legs in on arm and holding my wrists in his other hand.

"Tobias! Behind you!" I shouted across the battlefield, "Tobias!"

I saw Alpha Rivers glance over to us and clench his jaw before he drew his eyes back to the fighting, completely ignoring my pleas to be released.

I didn't make it easy for the soldier but he soon managed to carry me away from the clearing and back into the trees. 

"I need to go back there," I announced the second he put me down.

The one I had punched grabbed my arm and pulled me back, "Not so fast. Alpha's orders."

"Fuck your Alpha," I said, "He has no authority over me."

"But he has authority over us and we have strength over you," he replied, "So keep your arse here or we will force you to."

"My brother, Alpha Brynn, is in danger," I growled, "And if anything happens to him because of this, I will release hell on you both. And your Alpha. I don't fear him."

Neither of them responded to me and instead they just looked eachother.

"We should take her further from here," one said over my head to the other. "To the stream where Alpha Rivers ordered us to meet when this has finished."

He then roughly grabbed my arm and continued to drag me.

"What's your name?" I asked, the soldier manhandling me.

I recognised him as one of the men in my patrol but I'd hardly had an introduction.

"April," he replied shortly.

"Well, April. Do you have any siblings?" I asked, trying to prise his fingers off me.

"This is my brother Miles," he replied gesturing to the other soldier who walked beside us with an amused smile as I squirmed and wriggled.

"Do you love him?" I asked, "Because I love my brother too and he's in danger-"

April rolled his eyes, "You aren't going back there, hun. Just shut up and let us do our jobs."

I clenched my jaw and with my free arm, launched my fist into his face. The first time was nothing compared to the damage I'd done now.

My fist throbbed but no where near as much as his eye must have been as he staggered back in pain.

"Miles, take her," he hissed shoving me towards his brother, "Fucking bitch."

He nursed his face as Miles laughed, "You're feisty," he said to me as he grabbed me and continued to drag me, this time being sure to hold both my hands.

We soon reached a stream far from the camp and the fighting where I was finally released.

"I'm going to wash my hands," I announced before marching to the water, away from where April and Miles stood watching me.

I crouched down on the bank and put my hands in the icy water. It still hurt from the punch but the cold soothed it and washed away the blood from my cracked knuckles in a diluted swirl of pale pink. 

After a few moments, I positioned myself on a rock and refused to even look at the two soldiers. I knew I stood no chance getting back to Tobias and Rose with them guarding me so instead I just sat fuming.

Twenty minutes later, I heard footsteps approach me from behind.

"You gave my soldier a nasty black eye," Alpha Rivers' voice said.

"You ordered them to attack me," I hissed, "What did you expect?"

"I ordered them to keep you safe," he said.

"And what about Rose and Tobias?" I asked, "Where are they? Are they safe?"

"I don't know," he replied, "I haven't seem them in half an hour."

I could feel a tear begging to escape. It was a tear forged purely of anger but not wanting him to see it, I turned my head back to the stream.

"Never do it again," I said, "Never control me."

"I had no choice," he replied firmly.

"There's always a choice," I said.

"That could have been a blood bath, Esme," he replied, "Letting you get yourself killed wasn't a choice I was going to make."

"You used your power against me," I said staring at the running water of the stream.

"Against you?" he questioned, "It was for your safety."

"And as a result, Tobias could have been killed," I snapped, "And you would have just let it happen."

Tears were now flooding down my cheeks, "You made me feel powerless and if you ever, ever do it again I'll-"

"You'll what?" he asked. "What can you do, Esme? You felt powerless because when you are with me, you are powerless. Those men will obey me no matter what and there is nothing you can do about it. And even if it was just us, you think you stand a chance against me, huh?"

I clenched my teeth together, feeling my anger spit and bubble as I got to my feet.

"Fuck you," I said shoving past him, "If you think I will ever be your mate-"

He grabbed my arm, "Just make things so much easier for yourself and submit. Then I'll take you to the caves where you can sit with the other women until it's safe for you to be in these woods again."

I glared at him.

"Just give it up," he added.

"Never," I spat.

He held onto my arm for a little while longer as we held intense eye contact.

"The day I see you bow your head to me," he said with a smile, "Or open your legs for me and let me take you. Or speak to me with at least the smallest degree of respect. That is going to be a good day."

"Wait all your life for it, I don't care. It will never come," I said.

He grabbed my cheeks in one of his hand and held me firmly.

"As we've already established," he began, "I will always win, Esme. There is no point fighting me."

I glared into his eyes, refusing to back down, "Get off me."

He took his time letting go. Enjoying looking down at me as all I could do was wait. But the second I was free, I turned on my heel and marched away.

"I need to find my family," I called back, "Don't wait for me."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I need to know they are okay after you endangered them," I replied.

"Your brother's an Alpha, they'll be fine," he said in a bored tone.

"And what if they're not?" I asked.

"You'll survive."

My stomach plunged at the thought of living without Rose and Tobias.

"I need to find them," I repeated. 

He looked down at me in silence for a few seconds before Lou's voice called him and he averted his gaze to where the patrol still waited.

"Alpha, we need to get going," Lou said, "They know this location and more men could come."

He nodded before turning back to me.

"Lou is right. I don't have time to go big bro hunting with you and you sure as hell aren't going off on your own," he said, "So we will keep an eye out but we have a war to fight, remember? We need to stick to the plan, stay with our patrol and start winning this thing before we all end up dead. I'm sure Alpha Brynn would agree."

I shook my head, "No, you don't understand. I need to find them."

"You keep saying that," he muttered, "Why? Can you not survive without each other?"

I swallowed and glanced around, praying I'd see some sign of them.

"Or is it just you?" he asked, "Are you the weak one?"

My eyes snapped to him, "I am not weak."

"Really?" he asked, "Why you are so dependent on your brother and his Luna then?"

"I'm not," I said, quietly.

"You call yourself a leader," he continued with a snide tone, "But you're just hiding in your their shadow. Now the shadow is gone and you're exposed."

"Fuck you," I hissed, "You don't know me."

"I know you better than you know yourself," he replied with a laugh, "But whatever you say, sweetheart. Now, we are leaving. Come."

Knowing I didn't have a choice, I reluctantly walked past him. He stared down at me but I couldn't bring myself to look up so instead I just joined his patrol.

April gave me a shifty glance with his swollen purple eye as Lou shuffled a little closer with a friendly smile.

"I checked the bodies of the soldiers we lost. Alpha and Luna Brynn aren't amongst them," he said quietly, "And all surviving soldiers have separated into their patrols and are now following the agreed plan to win this thing. I'm sure that's where they are."

I smiled and nodded, "Thanks, Lou."