The wind rushes through my fur as I run past the trees. I push myself as hard as I can, and everything flies past me in a blur.

My growls echo through the forest and I feel my eyes flash red. I can hear the powerful thud each time my paws hit the ground.

I slow to a trot and find myself in the dark part of my territory. It is colder now with winter approaching, but twenty degrees even cooler here.

My breath comes out in white puffs that disappear quickly. A chilly wind ruffles my fur and I shiver at the tingle that runs up my spine.

The thick canopy of trees block the early morning sun, casting a shadow over the forest floor. The grass grows thickly here, with no animals or wolves to wear it down.

I pad lightly through the shrubs that are nearly 6 feet tall, coming past my wolf shoulders. I stalk through the grass until I come a cross a cave.

I never knew this was here, I think in confusion.

Go inside! Ira says, excitement in her voice.

You do realize that if I die, you will too, I point out walking forward.

No, because I'm stronger than you so I would make sure we survive, but you will be too weak to keep me from taking control, she cackles evilly.

You have a plan to get rid of me?

Yes I do, and it will not fail! She laughs and ends our connection. I roll my eyes and step into the cave.

It is pitch black in here, I can barely make out the walls. My eyes dart around and my paws are silent on the rough stone.

My ears catch the sound of trickling water and I follow it. My feet land in something wet and I stop with a jolt.

Putting my nose to the ground, I sniff around. There is water, but I can also smell something else.

What is that? I wonder.

I don't know, but I doubt its friendly, Ira comments, a hidden worry in her voice.

If my Lycan is worried, then this has to be really bad, I think to myself.

I make note to come back later, but decide to head back to my pack for now.

**************

I walk into the training center and a big black punching bag suddenly flies across the room. I stop in surprise and watch it hit the mirrors that line the wall, and they shatter into pieces along with the punching bag.

My eyebrows scrunched in confusion, I see a smirking Rosa standing by the other punching bags. The gym went silent, and Shade is standing with a huge grin near Rosa.

"I still got it!" Rosa jokes. I walk up to Shade with a surprised face.

"Did I see what I think I just saw?" I whisper in her ear. She nods with a sigh.

"Just, don't ask her about it, I'll explain later," she tells me. I shrug with a quick nod and head back out.

Just as I leave the building, Shade mindlinks me.

Raven, change of plans, you are going to want to see this.

Where are you going? I ask and stop moving.

Shooting range, she says before ending the link. I sigh tiredly at all the walking back and forth but shrug it off and head towards our indoor shooting range.

I walk in to see the two waiting for me. I stand beside Shade and see that Rosa is looking at me.

"Okay, go ahead," I tell her and watch with my arms crossed over my chest.

"She never misses, kinda like you," Shade whispers to me as Rosa loads a gun and aims. She shoots three times and they all hit in the center of the target, dozens of feet away.

I'm about to compliment her when Rosa suddenly drops the gun and falls to her knees, shaking furiously. She put a hand to her sweating forehead and Shade runs forward.

"Rosa!" She calls out and runs to her side pulling her into an akward hug.

"It's okay, you're going to be fine, I'm right here," she shushes her quietly, a gentle hand stroking her hair.

I walk over and look at Shade, confusion written all across my face.

"She'll be fine, just too much for one day. I'll explain seeing as you'll probably want to know what happened," she sighs and pulls Rosa into her chest. I follow Shade as she carries her friend to our house and places her delicately on her bed.

She walks out of the room and waves me over to the living room.

She tells me that Rosa used to be her pack's head warrior, and she stepped down when her mate died. His name was Slyder, Sly she called him, and he died in Rosa's arms in the middle of a house fire.

"I just don't understand how I never noticed, I guess I never thought to ask about a mate," I sigh, staring out the window and into the forest.

"It's probably better that you didn't. She doesn't like talking about him much, she still loves him, and I don't think she'll ever let him go. Sometimes I would hear her crying at night because she was thinking about him. The very reason she went into medical work was because she couldn't save him, she didn't know what to do, even though the bullet had missed his heart and lungs, it was still silver and hit a major artery," she tells me sadly.

I start to think about Rosa, and how painful it must have been for her. I vaguely hear Shade telling me she is going on patrol with my brother tonight, and simply nod absentmindedly.

I snap out of sudden trance when I hear a crash from nearby. I realize it came from the kitchen, and run in to hear yelling.

"You son of a bitch!!! I'm going to fucking kill you! This was my most comfortable outfit!" I hear a familiar voice scream.

I turn the corner and walk in to the funniest sight I think I have ever seen. Hailey was standing covered in something that smelled like chocolate, her eyes flashing icy blue as she glares furiously.

I follow her gaze to my brother who is laughing his ass off, with a few drops of the mixture on his shirt and face. And between them, a blender with no lid.

"Well, what the hell happened in here?" I ask with an amused smile.

"This dumbass turned on the blender before I had the chance to put the lid on! I was making a chocolate milkshake and was about to put in some more ice cream when Bam! A chocolate friggin volcano!" Hailey seethes flicking milkshake at Derek.

"You said to turn it on," Derek defends with his hands in the air.

"Yeah after I put the ice cream in you moron!" She growls hitting him in the side of his head.

"Ow!" He whines and rubs his head with a pout. I roll my eyes and lean against the wall.

"Either way, you are both going to clean up this mess, tomorrow I don't want to see a drop of chocolate anywhere in my kitchen," I smirk. They start to protest but immediately stop when my eyes narrow.

I walk over and dip a finger in the milkshake that stayed in the blender. Putting it in my mouth, I sigh at the rich, sweet flavor.

"Its very good by the way, you should make more sometime," I say making Hailey smirk at Derek.

"I still think it's gross," I hear him mutter as I walk away. My eyes rolls again, they fight like their siblings, and I'm the older sister who has to keep them in line.

I walk out of the house and go behind a tree to strip off my clothes. I hide them in the tree and shift.

Let's go explore the cave, I think with fake enthusiasm.

Please be careful, I have a very bad feeling about that place, Ira says, the hesitation and worry clear in her voice.

So do I, but its better we explore it than some other Lycan, I point out, trying to convince myself as much as my Lycan.

Just don't let your guard down.

Here goes nothing.....