"Where you been Riona?" Baron stood staring at Maggie. He looked just as awful as he did down by the shops. Last time she was weak. Now it was time for Baron to beware. 

Maggie stared at him not dignifying hi with an answer. 

"Thought we had you two years back...How long has it been since you left. Four? Five years?"

"Six." Maggie didn't want to give hm any information. The more she gave the more he could use it against her. She was not going back. 

"Six years... wow. It's amazing we've made it this far. The pack is not the same since you left Riona."

"Seems fine to me. You guys are strong enough to keep going after me." 

"Sure, for now. Your little act of rebellion has been indulged far enough. Time to come home."

Maggie narrowed her eyes. 

"No," she said calmly.  Baron was shocked by her response.

"This isn't cute anymore. You need to come home now." Baron took a step towards Maggie and Maggie retreated a step back. Not because she was afraid but she was trying to give him one more chance. 

"Anywhere you and Bryce are is no home to me." Baron shook his head. 

"I"m sorry Riona. I was hoping to be gentle with you. Better to be punished for a few broken bones, then to come back without you at all. Get her boys." 

Out of the forest four more men revealed themselves. Maggie recognized them as some more of Bryce's enforcers. They began to circle around Maggie trying to coral her in. Her wolf snarled at them to get back. Maggie was barely holding on to her as it is. If they continued their pursuit she would lose the reins completely. As much as she wanted to tear them to shreds there were others in the woods that she could not let her wolf loose on. Their preservation motivated her.

"Baron. I know you won't believe me but you need to take you men and walk away. I have no interest in going on a killing spree tonight." Baron laughed at Maggie's plea.

"All alone and yet you are so cocky," he snarled. "You are outnumbered. Even if you knew how to fight you will be overpowered. Why should I listen to this desperate attempt to sway me." Maggie knew he wouldn't believe her but she had to try.

"Were you there two years ago Baron? What did you hear happened? Think about it. I was up against a dozen wolves and still managed to escape. Why do you think that is?" Baron rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"That Alpha came to rescue you and his daughter. It's the only reason you got away. I'm getting tired of this." Of course he would think that. No one would expect for a woman to defeat one let alone a dozen wolves. We were suppose to me meek and mild. 

"Alpha Bob didn't turn up for three more days. I got out on my own. Think about that before you do something you'll regret." 

"Cute story Riona, But I'm tired of it. Boys bring Miss Riona along."

At his command the men shifted and crouched to attack. A tawny wolf jumped to tackle her but Maggie dodged out of the way only to have another grey wolf leap on her and pin her to the ground. Maggie curled up her legs to kick it off of her. Afterward she scrambled to her feet and ran for the cabin. She was able to get inside and close the door a split second before several wolves started ramming and clawing at it. She used her strength to keep the door closed as the wolves continued to bombard it. 

Fight! Let me fight! She heard her wolf pushing against her in her mind trying to gain control. Maggie looked at her hands and saw claws and fur were already growing on them as she strained to hold the door closed. Her teeth were grinding against each other as she wrestled for control. She maybe had a few moments left before she lost it completely.

Maggie could hear a crash of glass behind her and then heard the growls of a large brown wolf. Baron. He stood before her snarling with drool running out of his jowls. Maggie made one last plea with her eyes begging him not to make the next move but Baraon did not listen and instead lept to tackle her.

What happened next occurred in just fraction of a second. By the time Baron had leaped into the air Maggie had loosened the last few ties she had on her wolf releasing it from her hold. Her wolf taking advantage rushed forward forcing the shift. The change was instant as her bones effortlessly shifted allowing her true form to come forth. Her wolf took charge grabbing Baron by the neck as he began to land on her. With a whip of her head, she broke the wolf's neck and threw him across the room. Baron in wolf form laid motionless. 

From Behind Maggie the door now flew open with the remaining enforcers rushing in only to pause at the scene before them. Their leader was dead on the ground and before them stood a red wolf almost twice their size. After assessing the situation the wolves realized they didn't stand a chance and began to back away. This only instigated Maggie's wolf. They were now her prey and she the predator. 

Maggie tried to pull her wolf back pushing herself back to the forefront of their shared consciousness but her wolf would not budge. These wolves challenged her and she will not be dominated by them. Each of the wolves backed away before turning about and running away. Maggie's wolf ran after them. 

It was only a few strides and she was able to grab one wolf by the back leg before tossing them back. The wolf landed with a yelp. Maggie's wolf didn't stop to look and pounced on the back on another wolf biting down on it neck and whipping it's head back and forth. The wolf below her shrieked in pain. 

An orange wolf jumped on top and was trying to do the same thing to Maggie but her wolf simply shook it off like it was nothing and then slammed it against a tree. The wolf fell with a thud, not moving but still breathing. The last wolf stared at Maggie with terror in his eyes. He had just watched his comrades fall with almost no resistance and he was next. His body shook with the adrenaline running through his veins begging him to run. 

"Stop!" Maggie cried in her head. "You made your point. Let them go." 

No. Maggie's wolf responded. They wanted us to go back. We will never submit. 

Maggie's wolf reared once more before charging towards the last wolf. The wolf scurried to try to get away with Maggie in hot pursuit. She was about to reach the poor wolf with her powerful jaws when her wolf suddenly stopped in her tracks. Maggie wondered what had cause her wolf to stop and then she heard them. A chorus of howls sounding in the woods behind them. The mating run was still going. 

"Wait, please!"  Maggie cried. "They are not a threat. They are not after us. They are innocent. They are like Candace. Think of Candace. You wouldn't hurt Candace."

Maggie's wolf did not like so many wolves so close to them. After the trauma her wolf went through with their mate Maggie doubted that her wolf would ever tolerate another wolf near her ever again. Maggie's wolf thought carefully. The immediate threat was gone but she wanted to make sure the others knew to beware her. 

Maggie's wolf planted her feet before throwing her head up and letting out a howl. The howl was deep and long, full of her aggression. Upon hearing the howl the chorus of wolves stopped. Even after her howl died off, Maggie's wolf waited and listened making sure the message was heard. Leave me alone or else. 

Maggie's wolf let out one last howl punctuating her message before she began trekking back to the cabin. But after a few steps she was answered by another single howl. This one was lower than Maggie's and laced with dominant power. Maggie's wolf snared and turned towards the sound. Shit.

"No! It's nothing. Please!" Maggie's wolf continued to ignore her. Someone had dared challenged her and she would answer a call. Maggie leaped back into the woods her paws thundering on the dirt, sticks and leaves below her. Her wolf gave another howl daring the wolf to answer. The other wolf did so immediately without hesitation. Maggie's wolf was determined to find the fool who dared to challenge her and wanted to make them regret it. 

.......

Faolan was trotting through the woods in his wolf form. His wolf looked black at night but during the day one could see he was more of a dark steel gray. Upon his first howl all the wolves in the woods began to call out looking for their mates. Many had already found each other and were running together as a pair for the first time. Faolan felt happy for those who had found each other but was still pained as it seemed he was left another run without a mate. Among the many calls he heard, none of them were the call of his mate. 

Maybe his mate was a human. It was harder to find your mate if they were human because a wolf can only recognize their mate  if they were in their wolf form and most humans would not tolerate a giant wolf walking down the street looking for their mate. 

After 45 minutes of trotting around watching the happiness of the new couples he decided he couldn't stand it anymore and began to walk back towards the clearing. He would return to his room where he could let the sadness engulf him for the night before locking it back away to return to his royal duties. 

On his return he heard a howl sound far from him. It made his wolf stop in their tracks and turn in shock towards the sound. The howl was long and lonesome. Not the shrills he usually hears. Even as the howl had stopped his wolf refused to move afraid that it has misheard the sound. Several moments of silence passed with the pair standing frozen. It was Faolan who broke the silence.

"Come on boy. Let's head back." But his wolf refused to move. Odd. He was usually in sync with his wolf. 

Another howl from the mystery wolf sounded and Faolan's wolf grew excited full of energy at its sound. MATE!  This cause Faolan to freeze. What? Can it be? 

Before Faolan could think on it further his wolf let out a responding howl. His wolf tried to put in all the hope he felt in order to get a response. After he stopped he waited. His energy was bouncing all over. After all this time had they finally found her. Another howl responded back and Faolan's wolf barked in excitement. Mate! 

Faolan could hear it this time. Not only could her hear it, he could feel it. It felt like a pull that would lead him to the missing piece he never knew he lost. Before Faolan could recover his wolf took off towards the sound. He had never felt his wolf move so fast and so effortlessly. He was determined now to find their mate after all this time. 

As the two ran towards their mate his wolf gave periodically howled to call out towards its mate and would grow with more excitement every time they were answered with a responding howl. Soon they could not only hear their mate but smell her two. She smelled of lavender and rain. Now that they had a sent to follow Faolan's wolf increased his speed even more to try and catch the she-wolf. 

They reached a small clearing just as another wolf jumped in. The wolf was almost as big as Faolan which was a sight. She had red fur with cream on her belly. Her eyes were a golden hue that gleamed in the fall moonlight. She was beautiful. Faolan's wolf thought the same. 

HIs wolf bowed his front leg in front of him showing the wolf a stance of play. He bounced around her showing how excited he was to see her. When he got close to the red wolf however she swiped at him and snarled. Faolan's wold retaliated automatically with his own growl pressing the she-wolf with his alpha power. The she wolf paused for a moment before shaking off the effects and returning her growl. 

This wasn't right. Why was their mate attacking them? 

Faolan reached out again with his mind more gentle this time. He did not want to scare his new mate any more than he obviously had, but when he went to brush against her mind he found an impenetrable wall he could not break through. At the mental on-slot the red wolf crouched down, her hair on her back rising in fury. Faolan only had a moments notice before his mate lept after him lunging for his neck.