“The hunters are not limited by morality or law; they will fight dirty and take any opportunity to kill you. They blindly follow orders and believe that the extermination of all supernatural species will free the Earth from our darkness.” My voice boomed over the field, echoing off the trees and washing over the crowd of around a thousand men in front of me; werewolves, were tigers, were lions, were bears, every were creature in existence was standing in front of me, split into three seperate groups based on skill. “They will kill everything you love, you will die. You will die if you are not prepared. You will die if you fight fairly. You will die if you are not prepared.”

“We’ll die anyway.” I growled and glared at the wolf who interrupted me. He was th Knight Alpha’s cousin and Alex’s third in command.

I know that Hunter hated me. Neither Knight twins were here today so he could say whatever he wanted without consequence. At least that’s what he thought.

He would have to be one of the most egotistical, big headed, douches I’ve ever met, and I’ve met a lot of them through my life. He thought that women should bow down at his feet and service him whenever he felt like it. He was a disrespectful mutt. With thick dirty blonde hair, deep blue eyes, full pink lips and a sharp nose along with his body, he seems to consider himself god’s gift to the world.

Ignoring him I continued. “You either work hard here and live, or slack off and die.”

Hunter interrupted by approaching where I was standing, circling me. “I think we’re tough enough, why do we need you to tell us what to do?”

Reining in my annoyance I stepped aside and gestured to the multitude of enforcers. “You teach them then.”

He smirked, standing up on the platform and raised his hands. “We will crush these pathetic humans with our little fingers!” Whoops and hollers circulated through the field and I was astounded at how stupid these men are. “We will fight and we will conquer!” I met his eyes and his smirk grew wider. “How about we start training boys? Luna, why don’t you have a go? I’m thinking 700 pushups, 800 sit-ups and a fifty mile run?” He suggested. I grinned and nodded. I wasn’t his luna and I wasn’t weak.

-

“You cheated somehow!” Hunter accused like a child, literally he looked like he was five seconds away from throwing a temper tantrum; all because I’d proved him wrong in front of everyone. I had done everything he asked without a problem and was now standing in front of him, face emotionless with my arms crossed across my chest, feeling the sweat run down the middle of my back and chest, down my face and underarms.

“You are truly stupid if you thought that a little exercise would break me.” I stepped forward and pushed him square in the chest so he tripped backwards, tripping over the platform and landing on his cocky ass. “Get up and start running. By the time I have finished this training session I expect you to have run the perimeter at least a hundred times.” I held up my hand as he opened his mouth to speak, knowing he would argue. “I don’t appreciate egotistical, sarcastic bastards interrupting my sessions. If you want to die that’s fine, but I’m trying to equip these men with skills that will keep them alive.”

Narrowing his eyes I could see him biting back a retort, instead he stood and started shedding his clothes. Shaking my head I threw his shirt back at him. “You’ll be running the whole thing on two legs and I’ll know if you cheat.”

I swear I saw steam coming out of his ears as his face turned red with anger, I know he was holding his tongue because his friends could hear.

“You have six hours.”

-

“Faster!” I shouted at the man in front of me, Dylan. He had been trying to pin me for twenty minutes and had taken so many hits he would look like one giant, walking bruise if he didn’t rapidly heal. His thick black hair was matted, his pink upper lip set in a silent snarl that revealed crooked white teeth, sweat pouring down his tanned, freckled face. I could see in his murky brown eyes that he wanted to snap my neck for pushing him so hard, honestly I don’t blame him.

“If you can’t pin me in the next thirty seconds you will stay in the plank position for the next hour, if you drop I will make it all night.” I growled, knowing it would motivate him since he looked dog tired. I had started training these men five hours ago and I’m impressed; none had died yet.

Dylan growled and charged me, trying to knock me off my feet. I dived, sliding through his legs and kicked his knees out from underneath him. He toppled to the ground in an unceremonious heap with a loud thud.

“Get into position.” I commanded as he picked himself up off the trampled green grass.

“Are you honestly trying to kill us all?” He yelled at me, walking towards me. “Is that your plan? Work us all to death so the hunters don’t have to do anything?” He accused loudly. By now everyone had stopped fighting and I could sense them watching. “How do we know that you’re not here to spy on us and sabotage everything?”

Crossing my arms and painting on an expressionless mask I stepped towards him. “Do it or get out of my sight, this is all to keep you alive when the time comes.”

“See that’s the thing! You keep going on about how we’re all going to die if we don’t listen to you! I think you’re the biggest bull- shiter I’ve ever met.”

“Ok then, all night it is.”

He swore and lunged. I was fully prepared to dodge his attack, but there were two growls and instead he was grabbed in mid-air and thrown into a surrounding clump of trees, the impact causing them to fly like a spilt pack of toothpicks.

Before Alex could lunge for the unconscious man I grabbed his arm, spun him around and rammed my fist into his face, breaking his nose. “If you ever interfere with me ever again I will cut off your dick and serve it to you..” I threatened. I was so close to getting Dylan to pin me but Alex had come in and defeated the purpose of getting him angry.

“I was protecting my mate from a possible threat.” He stated, resetting his nose so it could heal properly.

Narrowing my eyes I glared at him and cracked my knuckles. “I don’t need protecting. Dylan was attacking me for training purposes.”

Alex shook his head and stepped toward me. “He could have hurt you mate, that is not acceptable.”

I threw my hands up in exasperation and turned my back on him. Only the Knight brothers could get me so frustrated and so ready to kill something.

“Pack up, have a shower and get some sleep. I’ll see you all tomorrow at five o’clock sharp.” I snapped. Many groaned and I hid a smile; this was me being generous. They’re lucky I wasn’t making them rise at three in the morning, well before the sun.  Ignoring Alex I jogged over to Dylan, checking his pulse to make sure that I wasn’t dead. He was fine and nothing was broken so I threw him over my shoulder and walked back towards the entrance of the underground facility. 

“Here I’ll take him.” Yiannis said as soon as he stepped into the hallway with Matthias, Alex and Nick trailing behind him. Alex still had blood on his face and Nick seemed pissed; I’m not sure at what though, I think it’s because I slugged Alex in his pretty face.

Yiannis took Dylan and I strode towards the room Marti had taken when she moved down here. I guess she thought that it was safer since a group of three hunters had broken in and threatened her after I left. They mysteriously vanished after the incident. I have been sharing a room with her and I’ve continued looking for Rieker, barely sleeping or eating. If I wasn’t training I was scouring the globe for any sign of his location with Marti’s help. She was a talented hacker and I knew that out of anyone she’d be the one to help me find him.

Not bothering to knock I walked in, with my mates and Matthias trailing behind to find Marti walking around scantily clad in her undies and a singlet. Her bright orange hair was up in a messy bun on the nape of her neck with curls escaping as she stared at the computer screen in front of her. I was used to this behaviour but the men behind me weren’t.

 “Rory I’ve got news. ” I could hear the dread in her voice and as she turned around my suspicions were confirmed; something terrible had or would happen. She froze when she realised we weren’t alone and I swear I heard her heart skip a beat. Matthias growled and lunged for her, pulling Marti into his chest and using his body to shield her nearly naked body from our view.

“Mine.” He growled. “My mate.”

-

Hidden away in the further most corners of the underground library I felt confident that I would be left to my own devices for a few more hours. I was waiting for the moment that Marti and Matthias finally stopped fucking each other like rabbits and she would tell me what she originally meant to.

Every two hours I had tapped into her mind only to find that they were still going strong. I had been sitting in this dusty, unused corner reading through Rieker’s thick leather journals and so far I had found nothing so far; nothing that would be useful; I swear that this book is as big as an encyclopaedia.

Closing my eyes and focusing on Marti’s mind I felt weightless, free. I wasn’t having some kind of outer body experience; I was just seeing things in my mind’s eye. Stopping outside Marti’s door I could clearly hear them, even though the doors are soundproof I have hearing twice as sharp as an alpha.

‘For god’s sake Marti! Give it a rest!’ I yelled at her, worming my way into her mind. It was distracting being part of her conscious since I could feel everything, and I mean everything she was feeling, everything Matthias was doing to her right now.

I was sick of waiting, Rieker would get away and I’m not about to let that happen. I strode towards her room and was glad to see that the corridor was totally empty.

“My god Rory!’ She yelled at me as I pushed open her door, breaking the lock.

“Get up, you’ve had your time; several hours to be precise.” I threw her a dress next to the door as Matthias pulled a blanket over them.

“I mean no disrespect luna but it takes many days for a newly mated couple to finish the process. So get out.” Matthias said gruffly.  By ‘finishing the process’ he means getting Marti pregnant, though that usually occurs within the first few hours of copulation; she should be pregnant by now.

“I mean no disrespect Matthias,” I said looking him in the eye. “But I don’t give a fuck, I need to hear what Marti was trying to tell me.”

Turning my back I heard the rustling of fabric as Marti pulled on the dress and Matthias got dressed.

“Rory if you ever do this to me again so help me god I will hurt you.”

I laughed darkly and sat down in the spinning chair that was positioned in front of a desk with four large screens, spanning the entire wall. “I don’t take lightly to threats and you know it. If you weren’t my friend you’d be dead in a heartbeat.” Matthias growled and I could feel him glaring at the back of my head, I know that he would kill me to protect his mate and the possible foetus. “Matthias I am of no threat to your mate so stand down and get out.” I commanded.

“I will not take threats to my mate’s life.”

“Understandable, now get out.” Matthias looked at Marti, looking slightly panicked but at her nod he walked to the door and left. “What were you trying to tell me before?” I asked Marti as stood next to me, smelling like sex and sweat.

“Rieker’s planning something, there’s a meeting for each leader in Japan.” She bought up a video of an office with two men in it talking, Rieker and Fernandez; one of his allies in another hunting compound. Rieker is the leader, but like a king has his lords, Rieker has his commanding officers.

The video had no sound, and they were standing over a map of some sort but they were arguing and I could read a few words that flew from Rieker’s lips.

‘Wolves...’

‘Tannin...’

‘Strike...’

 Marti’s right, he’s planning something.

“Tell no one of this, keep a close eye on their movements and I will expect a report daily.”

-

Walking out of their room activity had resumed tenfold and I could catch parts of conversations.

‘Barbeque…’

‘Run…’

‘Party…’

‘Announcement…’

People scuttled out of my way every step I took and many moved as far away as possible, which is about a metre in each direction because of the width of the hallways. I managed to tap a passing woman on the shoulder since I intended to ask her what was going on –instead of tapping into her head- but the moment she turned around with a smile on her face all colour drained from her complexion and the smile was replaced with a fearful expression.

“Y-yes-s?” She stuttered, backing away from me slowly.

“What’s this about a barbeque?” I asked.

“O-oh well t-the a-alphas have um,” She swallowed and stood straighter. “A-arr-ranged a barbeque f-for a-all the women and c-children who c-can’t shift w-while the men go o-on a run-n, t-there’s-s a-a party a-afterward-ds.” I swear this woman was about to pass out, I knew why and honestly it did make me feel a small amount of regret that these people feel like I’m going to murder them in a hallway full of enforcers, I mean come on, I’m not that stupid and I don’t kill someone without provocation or reason.

“Thanks.” I didn’t want to make her pee herself so I headed in the direction of the mess hall. Each family had a fully functional apartment but the mess hall is for the enforcers and now me.

-

“Do you know where Matthias is?” I swallowed a growl of annoyance as Yiannis sat on the opposite side of the bench and started noisily eating his lunch.

“No.” I said in a bored, uninterested tone.

“Do you know where he could be?” He asked in between inhaling his sandwich.

“No.”

“Do you know where Nick or Alex are?”

“No.” Taking a bite of the meatball sub I attempted to ignore the hyperactive man-child in front of me.

“You don’t talk much do you?”

Laughter drew closer to the table and I rolled my eyes as a group of ten enforcers approached, Hunter and Dylan in said group.

“Understatement of the year, I’ve only heard her speak when she was giving her motivating speech about the hunters and the punishment she dished out to Dylan.” Hunter announced.  Finishing my sandwich I stood to leave as he sat down next to me.

“It’s not like you got away scott- free buddy, how’d you like your run?” Yiannis laughed.

“Shut up, I’d like to see you run the perimeter a hundred times.” He huffed. “It’s over thirty miles for god’s sake!”

“Where are you going Rory?” Yiannis asked, noticing that I was manoeuvring my way out of the group.

“Away from you.” I muttered.

“Why do you hurt my heart so? Knife to my heart Rory, knife to my heart.” Hunter said dramatically and loudly, drawing the attention of the surrounding tables.

Ignoring him I dumped my tray in the depository and pushed open the doors. “I’ll be looking for you at the party tonight!” Hunter yelled behind me.

-

“You will be coming on this run with us.” Alex said, narrowing his eyes at me once they’d entered the room I shared with Marti. She was in bed asleep due to Matthias while I was sitting in front of the screen, trying to find out more about Rieker’s location.

I shook my head, concentrating on the screen while Alex and Nick stood behind me. I had no fear of them finding out what I was looking for; they wouldn’t understand anyway.

 “Why not? Everyone who’s able to shift partakes; it’s a good bonding activity for the men and we both know that you can shift.” Nicolaos tried to persuade me, it wasn’t working though.

Snorting I scrolled through more surveillance videos of the house Rieker was staying. “But they don’t.”

“Well they’re going to find out tonight. You’re coming on the run, and then you’re coming to the party.” Alex commanded, sounding like he wanted this conversation to end. I think that it was more the fact that he wanted to get out of this room because it literally smelt like a brothel, what with Marti in here.

I knew that they would keep pestering me, they’d probably resort to underhanded tactics to get me to go and I didn’t put kidnapping below them.

I mean it wouldn’t hurt to go and it’d make them back off and I’d seem like a compliant little mate, at least up until the moment I find out what Rieker has planned. And I was getting antsy being underground all the time, save for when I was training.

Nodding with a blank expression I shot a look over to Marti who was still out cold and opened the door. “Fine. ”

“Let’s go then!” Nicolaos said happily as he pulled me from the chair and dragged me outside.

The hall was crowded, as usual, with enforcers moving from a to b but they stopped to greet the alphas while watching me with caution. Did they expect me to attack and kill them for no reason?

Yiannis approached with a smirking Hunter and I moved to get back to my room and Marti’s computer but Nicolas seemed to have other ideas and held me to his chest. “Hey man, haven’t seen you in ages!” Hunter exclaimed, slapping Alexandros on the back. I expected Alex to punch him or something but he just chuckled and hugged Hunter.

“Well I was leading the hunter for Tannin.” He said, nodding at me as I pushed away from Nick.

“I bet you were.” Hunter winked and sauntered over to me. “He and Nick are popular with the ladies, Alex is the heart breaker while Nick is the one who’ll let em’ down gently and make em’ them they’ve still got a chance.” He winked.

I raised an eyebrow though my face was blank. “You expect me to care?” Honestly I don’t care if he’s slept with countless girls; he is 800 years old and an alpha male, if he hadn’t slept around he would have ended up killing someone because of the sexual frustration of both him and his wolf.

“Just because you’re my cousin doesn’t mean that I won’t hurt you if you make my mate hate me.”

Taking the distraction Hunter provided I headed back to my room. Surprisngly they’d actually given me one, if I were them I would’ve locked me back in the cells but it shows you how stupid these men were.

“Rory wait!” Alex yelled behind me, I don’t know why since I had only gotten halfway down the corridor. I could’ve clearly heard him if he was whispering.

Ignoring him I kept walking, growling as someone pushed into me.

“I command you to holt!” Alex yelled after me. Everyone in the hallway froze, save for me. Alpha commands don’t work because I’m not part of a pack, I’m considered a rogue and nothing he says affects me.

I kept walking easily through the multitude of men as I neared the closed door of my room.

“Rory!” Alex made a grab for me but I easily pushed past his blocks and seized control of his body, forcing him down to his knees, head bowed and arms held against his sides, turning around I raised my top lip in a silent snarl and glared at him.

“I don’t care how many girls you or your brother have slept with.” I hissed to him. “You are both grown men who can make your own decisions. Now get over it, stop chasing me and focus on the impending war.”

I slipped out of his body slowly so he didn’t pass out and I saw his skin crawl. It wasn’t a pleasant experience when someone pulled out of your mind and Alex was obviously feeling it.

“I will never stop chasing you.” He muttered. I resisted the urge to growl and punch him, instead I turned and entered the room, shutting and locking the door.  Marti lay on her side, spooning a pillow with one hand behind said pillow cradling her flat stomach.

Smiling I approached and breathed in her scent, noting that it had changed slightly meaning that she was in fact pregnant. I was happy for her. She deserved someone to love and protect her, even if it was Matthias.