It didn't take long for panic to spread.

The cry for help from Eunkwang and Hongjoong traveled quickly from their side of the pack.

While fear started on the other side in the form of screams.

Those who could started to warn others before running away from where it had all started.

Female alphas had started rounding everyone up... and with a pack this large, Eunkwang was having a hard time contacting someone to give him updates, mostly about Sungjae, who hadn't been heard from for several hours now.

"Joong..." San tugged on his arm, pulling the alpha's attention away from the growing crowd in front of them. "Joong, should we go check on Avayla? I know Mingi would be too dangerous, but-"

"They are coming!!" Someone screeched, cutting him off.

Looking up the hill, a large wave of people and wolves were running down it as fast s they possibly could. Several ended up tripping and either falling or pushing someone else and causing them to fall instead.

Only to be trembled by the rest of the pack.

"Shit..." Peniel breathed. "What should we do?"

Eunkwang stared in shock, then shook his head as if to reset. "Take everyone to the clearings, try to get organized. Assign a few to take those who can't fight deeper into the mountains. Those who want to fight can follow me."

His friends nodded in understanding before Changsub, Hyunsik, and Peniel ran off to follow his orders, while Minhyuk stayed by his side. The couple exchanged a sad but understanding look while intertwining their fingers in a gentle touch that could still move mountains.

"What do you want us to do?" Hongjoong asked. He could feel his hair standing on end, matching his escalating nerves.

The older alpha turned to him and clasped his shoulder. "Save your family."

Hongjoong hesitated, knowing full well the alpha had just given him permission to do whatever he deemed necessary. There was so much he wanted to say... to thank him for... But Eunkwang simply squeezed, then turned and left with his mate.

No other words needed to be said as Hongjoong bolted in the opposite direction, San close on his heels.

Where to first? The younger asked through their link so they didn't have to waste breath on talking.

Mingi... She's after him. We need to protect him.

Got it.

Hongjoong sent gratitude to his friend before darting down a side street that didn't have as many people running down it. As much as he knew shifting would make getting there faster, something in his gut told him to stay human so he could communicate with others.

As they drew closer to where all the betas liked to stay, his fear started to sky rocket. It was easy to see that this was the first place attacked... A few of the cabins had their door thrown open or even torn off the hinges.

Someone screamed in front of them.

Both alphas ran faster, then slid to a stop, sending a spray of dirt in front of them.

They had reached the main circle of cabins...

Angelo and a few others were already in their wolf forms, trying to hold off the five alphas closing in on them. A sixth was still human and currently dragging Annabelle back with her.

San snarled at the sight and shifted where he stood, clothes shredding and fluttering to the ground where he once stood.

I'll stay human for now. Hongjoong told him.

He barely got an acknowledgment before San sprang in front of the betas, hackles raised and a vicious snarl tugging at his muzzle.

Hongjoong took advantage of the distraction to run forward and yank Annabelle away from her captor. "Go!" He yelled, throwing his arms wide to protect her as the alpha rounded on him.

Her eyes widened for a second in recognition before she lunged. It was a reckless attack, giving Hongjoong plenty of time to duck under her arms and twist to the side so he could bring his knee up into her stomach.

A yelp of pain came from her as she fell to the ground, clutched what very well could have been some bruised ribs.

In front of them, San and Angelo were locked together with their own attackers, rolling on the ground in a snarling and snapping tangle of teeth and claws.

A few of the other betas whined, shaking where they stood at the sudden battle none of them were truly prepared for.

Hongjoong felt a pang of sympathy for them. He had no idea what their relationship could have been with these female alphas... Some of them could have been friends, could have hunted together, could have been raised together...

And now Nova was forcing them to do this.

With his thoughts turned to the leader, Hongjoong rounded on the alpha he had kicked and pulled her up by the collar of her shirt. "Where is Nova?" He snarled, leaning fulling into his head alpha instincts to throw as much dominance into the question as possible.

It worked, because she flinched and bared her neck to him. "M-Medical-"

That's all Hongjoong needed to hear before he threw her several feet away.

Annabelle was next to him within seconds, placing a hand on his arm to stop him from doing anything else. "They are gone."She said, her voice still shaking slightly.

Hongjoong paused. His senses were on overload with the fighting behind him, yet it seemed awfully muffled when Annabelle spoke again.

"Theo took Mingi and left several hours ago. As far as we know, they are safe. The fighting started because Mingi wasn't here and neither was Theo."

The alpha wasn't sure if it was panic or relief that washed over him at her words. He took a staggering step back, vision blurring for just a second. "Thank you." He managed to force out. Then he shook his head and snarled. "Eunkwang is already helping others get to safety, taking them to the clearings on that side of the pack."

Annabelle nodded in understanding, then vanished as Hongjoong turned to aid San.

Who now had three of the five alphas attempting to him to the ground

.

.

.

.

They were working on edging their way closer to the pack when the screaming started.

Jongho immediately ordered them stop so he could try to figure out what had caused it.

But the screaming didn't stop...

And both Wooyoung and Yeosang felt a shift in their mate's feelings.

The pair looked at each other, eyes wide with fear, as their bond tugged on them, begging the to find their mates.

Don't. Jongho warned. He and Gunner, and even Chan, all moved to the front to stare down from the mountain ledge they were on.

People were running from something deeper within the pack buildings. They wove through all the homes and cabins, stumbling and tripping over each other in their need to get away.

It looked like a group was gathering at the side of the pack closest to them and was slowly being funneled into the trees, hopefully for some kind of protection.

It was horrible to watch from the outside. Wooyoung hear ached at the sight, memories of battling with Ultima flashing across his mind.

He whined, his tail slowly dipping between his tail.

Until a searing pain shot through his leg, making him stumble to the side and scream.

Wooyoung! Several voices started speaking to him at once, making it hard for him to concentrate. He thought he felt Chan pressing into his side, but his mind was only focused on one thing.

San.

He was down there and hurt.

The Soulmate bond tugged at his heart again. Harder. More urgent.

Suddenly he was running down the hill, ignoring the calls of his pack. Except for Yeosang. He could feel the beta close on his heels, the wild pull of his mate urging him on too.

It was foolish and reckless and so incredibly stupid, but right now Wooyoung would stop at nothing to get to San.

He needed his mate. He needed to know he was ok. He needed to feel San's body pressed against his again.

He needed San.

The others would follow, watch their backs, protect them as best they could. Wooyoung had faith in them, especially knowing he would be scolded later.

He was almost looking forward to it, he thought as he wove between the trees at a dangerous speed for going down hill, because that would mean they succeeded.

When he was almost to the bottom of the mountain, he sprang forward, flying through the air with the power of his jump and landing with a hard huff before moving as fast as his legs would take him.

Further in. Yeosang said, matching his pace so they could run next to each other.

They started to pass a few people who were running in the opposite direction. Some tried to tell them to stop, while others looked on with utter confusion, but most were in their own distraught world as they tried to find loved ones and get to safety.

It was so loud... All of the screaming, calling, crying, pleading... It made Wooyoung's head hurt.

He thought he heard an alpha order them to stop when they broke through the trees and ended up running through one of the farming fields.

Neither he or Yeosang listened, nor did they care if they destroyed some of the crops in the process as they cut straight through.

Smoke appeared in the distance, bringing a new sense of urgency to their desperate search.

With all the wood cabins, a fire would spread easily, engulfing everything in it's path...

There were too many scents in the air for Wooyoung to pick out either rosemary or vanilla, so he did the next thing he could think of to try and locate San.

Without missing a step, he extended his neck and howled.

Yeosang followed his lead, followed quickly by Chan, then Seonghwa.

Jongho's displeasure flowed openly between them, but there was nothing he could do to stop it now.

Nothing was going to stop Wooyoung from getting to San.

.

.

.

.

As soon as he heard it, every fiber in San's body froze.

The howl pierced through him, right down to the deepest parts of his soul.

Time seemed to freeze for just a moment. He was able to register Hongjoong freezing as well and they both turned to look in the direction of the fields.

Right before two sets of jaws dug into him, one at his throat, and one into the meat of his left leg.

San cried out in agony, the attack catching him completely off guard. He stumbled to the side, his vision going white from the teeth still sinking into his skin.

But that howl... the howl that came again and again... gave him the strength to throw his body to the side, smashing the alpha biting his leg beneath him.

He used the momentum to roll over her, lifting his front paws to wedge them under the other alpha at his neck and push her off him.

Another whimper of pain escaped him when the alpha's teeth tore his skin, yet he pushed it aside to spring up and follow after her. Two more chased after him, and somewhere beside him he knew Hongjoong was grappling with the female in front of him.

A few of the betas darted in to try and pull some of the pressure off. They nipped at the alpha's tails and sides, repeating the attacks over and over until they finally backed away from San to give him a little relief.

He staggered in place, trying to clear his mind and push away the pain as blood trickled down his neck and leg. Some part of him registered smoke in the air when it started to make his lungs burn.

It had been so long since he'd been in a fight, he'd forgotten just how painful it could be...

But things weren't over yet.

His eyes flicked to where Hongjoong threw the alpha he was fighting against the side of a cabin. Her head slammed against it with a sickening crack before she slumped to the ground... and didn't get up.

The older was quick to find San, eyes wide from the adrenaline. Are you alright??

F-Fine. San flinched at his own words and his ears fell back.

Hongjoong didn't get a chance to scold him, though, because three more female alphas came charging forward.

A few of the betas moved to intercept them while San also lunged for the closest one.

If the female alpha were willing to start attacking their own, then there was no hope for straightening any of this out.

It was life or death now.

Something San fully accepted as he started to take on a second alpha, fighting both of them at once.