Sasha reclined in her chair when she heard a rapping at her office door. The scent of her other best friend, Gamma Neza Campbell, filled the room. "Come in."

Neza entered her office and lowered his head in greeting. "How may I help you, Alpha?"

She quirked a brow at him. "Drop the static behavior, Neza."

His brown eyes twinkled as he smiled at her. "You end the link before I could reply. What kind of best friend are you?"

She rolled her eyes. She was all too familiar with the way the six feet two inches man in front of her would pout and whine like a baby—instead of behaving like an adult. He only acted maturely when he wanted to be protective of her and Jia.

"The kind that's going to break your nose if you keep missing training."

Neza rubbed his neck with a sheepish smile on his lips. "I had a good reason this time."

She waved him off. "Tell that to Jia when you meet her fist. You know how your sister-in-law gets when you don't do your job. Anyway, Jia and I are going to help the Silvermoon Pack. You'll be in charge. You know how to handle things while we're on missions, right?"

His eyes widened with shock. "You're going?"

"Why does that surprise you and Jia?"

"Let's be honest, Sasha, you haven't left this pack's territory in five years. Your last outing was the day you hunted and killed your parents' killers."

Sasha shrugged. Her lycan didn't have any interest in mingling with the people outside her pack after the death of her parents. Neither did she find it appealing to be in places she couldn't run free.

Unlike her pack, that comprised werewolves, she was a hybrid. Half lycanthrope and half witch. The first and only hybrid to exist in the world. The last lycan to walk the earth after her pure blood lycan father, Lorenzo Hemming, died.

She heaved a sigh. "My lycan is urging me to go on this mission."

Neza's forehead creased as a frown spread across his face. "What's happening over at Silvermoon?"

"Rogues attacking in groups."

"Why?"

Sasha looked at him incredulously, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Neza, that's what I plan to find out when I get there. If I knew the answer, I would not have to leave."

The Gamma relaxed in the chair. "Right, my bad. I'll handle things here while y'all are having fun over there. It's been a while since I had to be stressed out, but I remember my training."

She rolled her eyes. "Even if your ass didn't, you would still be left in charge. The team is leaving in two hours."

His eyes widened. "Why so soon?"

"Faster we get there and take care of things, the faster we get back. I'm honestly starting to fear leaving you here with the pack."

Neza's laughter filled the room, his voice a low rumble as his body shook with amusement. He raised his hand in the air, like a boy scout pledging his allegiance. "I promise you will not regret leaving here."

A small smile made its way onto her lips. "I think I've had enough of your antics. I'll send you all the documents I've yet to touch."

He cast a curious eye over the stack of papers on her desk. "No, thanks." He bowed his head before dashing out of the room; the door slamming behind him.

Sasha smirked in amusement. Neza and Jia were the only people who could get her to drop the stone mask she walked around with all day.

She spent another hour going through the stack of documents on her desk. With a sigh of contentment, she stretched her limbs, feeling the satisfying crack of her stiff joints. Reading and signing documents were not for the weak.

She stood up from her chair and headed to her bedroom. The evening sunlight in her bedroom filtered in through the windows, casting a tranquil, peaceful atmosphere.

Her steps were light as she walked over to her closet to pull out two of her formal suits.

Her eyes lingered over the rows of jeans, before she pulled out two pairs of black ripped jeans and two pairs of blue jeans. She hummed one of her favorite Eric Nam's songs as she strode to her dresser to pick out all the blouses she wanted to carry.

Sasha packed her travel bag before changing into her outfit for the trip. Black wide leg jeans, white bodysuit and her black blazer. She sauntered over to her floor-length mirror to do her hair. Her lips curved into a smile when her afro didn't give her a fight.

She grabbed her pill bottle, twisted off the cap, and popped a pill into her mouth. She slipped the bottle into her travel bag.

To protect Sasha, her mother had made a pill to suppress her lycan and conceal her scent whenever she had to go outside her pack. It was made with wolfsago, a plant known to be fetal to wolves and hibiscus flower. Though wolfsago was deadly if used against wolves, it helped to keep her lycan presence hidden for a few hours.

Sasha slid her feet into her nude, chunky-heeled shoes and grabbed her bag. She did a quick survey of her room before leaving.

***

Sasha closed her eyes and felt her body melt into the soft leather of the SUV seat. They were on their way to Silvermoon's territory. It was a three-hour drive from her home in Crescent Lakes to get to Silver Ridge.

She remembered the story her dad had told her about the beginnings of the Crescent Moon Pack.

"Little one, this pack was built on trust and loyalty. These people are our family. We protect them and we care for them," said Lorenzo as he stared into his daughter's ice-blue eyes. Eyes that were identical to his.

"But why, dad?" asked little Sasha.

He smiled warmly at her. "Because we made a pledge the day I agreed to be their Alpha. Your dad is a lycan, us lycanthropes have our own packs. After a lot of us were killed, I roamed the world and made a lot of friends. Friends that didn't want to leave my side. They became my family, and they pledged to follow me. They pledge to be forever loyal to me, and I pledge to be loyal to them. We share a blood bond. It's not a bond that can be easily broken."

Sasha's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

Her mommy, Wanda Wonderspell, smiled as she approached her mate and daughter. "It's almost like a mate bond, sweetheart. Just like your mommy and daddy protect each, no matter what. We protect the pack no matter what."

Sasha clapped her tiny hands and her eyes twinkle with delight. "And my mate will protect me, too. Right, daddy?"

Her dad hugged her mom and smiled at her. "Yes, but daddy will always be here to protect his little princess."

"Alpha!"

Sasha groaned as she opened her eyes. "What is it, Jia?"

"We are an hour away from their borders. I just mind-link the other four drivers to pull over," said Jia.

Sasha leaned forward in her seat to look through the window. The trees were bathed in the gentle, shimmering light of the moon. All she could see were trees, some tall and majestic, some small and delicate.

She put on her shades as she stepped out of the SUV. Her warriors stood alert as they waited for her orders. She took a moment to carefully survey the area before filling her lungs with the fresh air. "You guys stay here. I need to do something important before we cross their borders."

"Yes Alpha," answered her team.

Sasha made her way to the forest, her ears straining to hear any sign of heartbeats. She didn't want anyone to witness what she was about to do. Her body relaxed as her lungs filled with the familiar smell of nature.

She stooped and placed her palms on the soil. Her eyes closed as she felt the power within her surged forward. "Silent trees that are dark with shadows. Be my eyes so my enemies can't follow and when you speak, my ears will hear no matter how low."

She opened her eyes as the sound of the trees dancing in the wind filled her ears. Her enchantment had worked. Her footsteps were barely audible as she walked back to where her team was waiting.

Jia walked over to meet her. "Everything good?"

"Yea. Let's finish this journey." Sasha turned her gaze on the rest of the team. "Let's roll out."

Sasha could feel her lycan anxiousness. Her eyes darted around, searching the area for any danger she may have missed. All she could see were the trees, and all she could hear was the sound of the wind. She tried to relax, but the beast within her wanted to be let out. "It's not the time or place for you to be demanding a run," she murmured.

She waved Jia off when she turned to look at her. She clenched her fist as her lycan fought for control.

"Alpha, are you okay? You seem a little tense?" Jia's honey-colored eyes brimmed with worry as she stared at her.

"Just peachy," she said through clenched teeth. "How long before we get there?"

"About another twenty minutes. Right, Aladdin?"

"Yes, mate." Aladdin glanced at his Alpha and mate through the rearview mirror.

Sasha closed her eyes. "Jia, call Alpha Chin and let him know we're a few minutes away."

"Yes, Alpha." Jia pulled her phone to make the call.

Sasha listened as her Beta spoke. She could hear Alpha Chin telling Jia that the patrols were aware they were coming.

She inhaled deeply as the sweet scent of rain and rosewood, with a hint of citrus, filled her nostrils. Her eyes shot open as her canines extended out of her mouth. "You guys smell that?"

Jia turned to face her with a raised eyebrow. "Smell what? What is up with you? Why are your fangs out?"

Sasha groaned in annoyance. "That sweet smell of rain and rosewood. My lycan is fighting for control." Her voice had a low, vibrating growl.

Jia's eyes flashed with recognition. "No way?!"

Sasha stared at her. "What? What is it? Do you know what's happening to me?"

Jia's eyes twinkled with happiness. "Alpha, I think your mate is a part of the Silvermoon Pack."

"Alpha, we've arrived at their borders," said Aladdin at the same time.

Sasha opened up the link between her and her Betas. "No one breathes a word about this to anyone, including the other members of the team." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her lycan. The scent of her mate helped to relax the beast within her.

"Yes, Alpha," said Jia and Aladdin.

"Good night, you must be the team from the Crescent Moon Pack," said a man with light brown hair and a smile on his lips.

"Yes, we are. I'm Beta Lee and my Alpha is sitting right next to me," said Jia.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Gamma Yang. You can follow me. I'll be in that white car that is parked by the gate."

"Okay," said Jia.