© 2014 SilverStream22. All Rights Reserved.

"Madam Missus Milady Marie, how do you fare this fine morning?"

Marie giggled, the sound light and musical. "I'm doing amazing!" she exclaimed, bounching on the balls of her feet as her brown hair swayed wildly as she walked into my house with her brothers in tow.

"Captain Ryland and Captain Ryker," I saluted the twins, both of them smiling with cerulean blue eyes.

"At ease, soldier!" Ryland snickered.

Ryker's eyes widened as he hit his brother's shoulder. "Man, stop! Don't treat my wife like that!"

"Wife? In your dreams." He scoffed, sending me a friendly wink before plopping down beside his sister on the couch.

I shut the door behind them, walking over to the kitchen as Ryker made his way over to Marie's other side while turning on the TV.

"So how have you boys been?" I called out from the kitchen, lifting up the box of pizza I had gotten Mikhail to buy before he left for some urgent pack business.

"Good-"

"Ooh! Pizza!" Ryland cried out, lunging for the box once I settled it on the counter.

I scowled when I saw that Lost was playing.

"Ryker how many times do I have to tell you!" I snatched the remote from his hand, changing the channel to Disney XD. "Age appropriate TV shows!"

He groaned, thumping his head back on the couch as I turned to his sister.

"Madam Missus Milady Marie, would you like some tea and biscuits?"

"Yes, please!" she sang as Ryland lifted her onto his lap and began eating his cheese pizza.

"Then if you will excuse me, I shall see to your midnight snack." I gave a quick bow, smiling when she gave me a full blown grin.

Katya, Mikhail's voice filtered through my mind. We have a problem. Too many rogues for our pack to handle.

We'll be fine. I insisted, beginning to make Marie's honey tea.

We can't...Katya, there's too many. We're a small pack! Endangering the pack is the last thing we should be doing.

I let out a frustrated sigh. Then what shall we do? Give up the land? Move to our neighboring pack?

No. He said fiercely, then paused. Maybe we can-

Absolutely not! I hissed, gripping the edge of the counter tightly. I can accept a lot of things- but asking for help from Lycans is the last thing I want to do! Mikhaili, They'll endanger the pack more than the rogues- even I can't calm the packs' nerves when it comes to Lycans.

And they're the only ones who can protect us from the rogues.

At what cost?

I don't know, sister. I don't know.

Our link cut off, silence filling my mind as I dwelled on the fact that I would now have to deal with Lycans.

"Katya? Are you feeling okay?"

I smiled down at her small form as she tugged on the edge of my shirt. I crouched down, holding her pale shoulders. "I'm fine. Really."

The sound of the kettle beeping made me stand straight.

"Can I have some biscuits?"

I turned to see Marie reaching for the ginger biscuits that she loved to dip in her tea from the pantry.

"Hold on, I'll get it, Madam Missus Milady Marie. No need to stress yourself."

She stepped back, allowing me to grab the plastic packet of biscuits before opening it and handing it over to her small chubby hands.

"Where's my Coke, maid?" Ryland roared. I thought I was soldier? "As Captain I should be serviced as well!"

"Don't listen to him, my love!" Ryker shouted. "My authority overrules his own!"

I laughed at the twelve year olds as I reached down in the cooler, tossing it to the two boys. They were entertaining by nature; a good distraction to get my mind off our desperate issue.

"My tea! My tea! Don't forget about my tea, Katya!" Marie's pouts had me melting

"Of course," I reached forward to pour the kettle that I had set to tea into her Princess Cup that she always brought with her when I babysat them.

Unfortunately, both their parents were fighters of our pack like myself. Though because of my brother's orders and my assuming the Luna position, I was forced to watch on the sidelines. Our parents used to run the pack before they died trying to save Mikhail and I from rogues. Alpha families are the most tortured, being as every member is a prize possession.

I pushed back the past, focusing on the present.

"Here, sweetie. Drink slowly, okay? Don't chug like last time just because your brothers said so."

She nodded rapidly, taking the saucer in which I placed her cup in. Marie turned to leave, but then paused. "Ryker? Ryland? What's wrong? Why are you red?"

I dropped the kettle.

"Marie go into the pantry and lock yourself in, now." I commanded, ushering her in.

I scanned the area before dashing forward to Ryland who laid still, blood painting his left hand like a second skin. How did I not hear them enter? Was I so immersed in my thoughts that I couldn't sense an intruder?

I sniffed the air, catching an unfamiliar scent heading upstairs.

I checked again on Ryland, who breathing was just barely heard. Alive. That was good. For now. And Ryker?

I looked around again to see him in the corner, blood caking his fur. Good boy, shifting when the enemy was near. "Ryker? Ryker!"

He was unconscious as well. His snout twitching was a welcome signal.

Judging from the claw marks on Ryland's arm I was assuming it was in wolf form, so I shifted into my own. The fact that my wolf was small was something that I could use to my advantage, where most people saw a disability.

Clattering from the second floor made me race upstairs. I connected my mind to Mikhail, securing the tether between our links. Rogue in the house. Ryland and Ryker are hurt badly. Marie is hiding in the pantry.

I'm sending help!

I made it up the stairs, coming face to face with a lone wolf, its gray matted fur stained red. Must've been Ryker's doing.

No need. He's injured. I can take him down fast. Don't waste fighters.

We circled each other, his eyes trained on my legs when I faked a misstep. He fell for it, pouncing forward. I ducked low, swiping my claw at his soft belly as ribbons of his flesh and tissue caught on my claws. His injury made him slow, weary even. He slumped forward, intestines slipping forth. I flicked my paw of the sticky blood.

Situation handled. I'm going to check on Marie, then we're going in the cellar with Ryker and Ryland.

No need. I'm back. Open the door, I'm going too fast.

I shifted back, rushing downstairs to fling the door open a second before my older brother's large form shifted into a human once he crossed the threshold. "How are they?" he was frantic, looking for assurance that the situation was something that we could handle.

"Fine." I grabbed trencoat off the hook near the doors and pulled it over, buttoning it up so my body was hidden. "They need to rest and heal; especially Ryker."

"And what of the rogue?"

I took a deep breath, lowering my gaze as he walked upstairs to put some clothes on.

"What is this?" he growled. "Katya, I said I was going to send help."

"Just put on some clothes." I brushed him off, walking to the pantry before swinging it open to reveal Marie.

"You changed." she observed, frowning. "I liked your shirt."

"Because of the princesses, I presume, Madam Missus Milady Marie?" I gave her a steady smile, holding out my hand for her to take.

"Yeah. I like Mulan the most." she said, returning my smile.

"I like her too, but Jasmine is pretty amazing herself. Just like Mulan, she paved her own path. Would you like to be like that?"

She giggled, jumping into my arms as I lifted her up, careful to turn so that she wouldn't see the unconscious bodies of her brothers as our pack healer entered.

"I want to be like you, Katya."

I blinked in surprise as I walked to the backyard as they lifted her brothers bodies. "Me? Why me?"

She pulled back, pressing her chubby hands to my cheek. "You're super strong. You take care of me and my brothers! Plus you're a Queen! I want to be a Queen, not a pincess!"

"Princess, Madam Missus Milady Marie, it's Princess. And thank you, even though I am the Luna."

Marie tucked her head in the crook of my neck, sucking her thumb as I sat on the porch swing outside.

"You're a nice Luna," she cooed, making me chuckle.

"I'm glad you think so. Really glad."

~

"You're coming, Katya. They'll think I'm not taking them seriously if I go by myself."

"You have Finn." I grumbled, pressing my face into my pillow so I wouldn't have to face my brother.

"Finn is too busy with his mate. He doesn't want to leave her side now that she's pregnant and I know better than to try and take him away from her. Now come on. We can't afford to be late." he struggled with his tie and I sighed, walking over to him.

"Do I have to dress up for those monsters, too?" I muttered, fixing his tie.

He grabbed my wrists. "Yes. You do. And dress nicely."

I uttered curses under my breath as I walked up the stairs.

"Oh, and Katya?"

I spun on my heel at the foot of the stairs. "What?"

"Do me a favor and don't say anything that would get us killed? I don't want to become an explosive piñata for Lycans."