"April, you don't have to do this. You might get hurt," Gabrielle pleaded as I got my weapons ready.
"Don't worry about me, Gabrielle," I assured her. "Just pray for me, okay," I said with a small smile.
A couple of tears escaped her eyes as she stepped forward to hug me.
I wrapped my arms around her shoulders soothingly.
"I'll bring your mother and the rest back. I promise you this, Gabby," I told her softly, to which she only nodded and sniffed.
We pulled back just as Hugh entered the room.
"I got you a backpack and filled it with whatever you might need. I even added two water bottles for when you get thirsty," he said as he handed me a small bag.
I smiled widely at him.
"Thanks."
"Be careful, April," Gabrielle said as she looked me straight in the eyes.
I nodded with a smile before putting my mask on and wearing my hood to hide my hair.
I slung the bag on my back, fixed my swords in position, and made sure my gun was in place before saluting my friends and jumping out the window.
It only took me about an hour to reach the WinterHails, Gabrielle's former pack.
The sight made my stomach churn. Wolves were fighting everywhere. The packhouse looked burnt as parts of its walls were pitch black.
Windows were broken, and only the front door was barely standing on its own.
It was a mess.
The sounds of a wailing kid snapped my head to the side.
I saw a small girl, about four or five years of age, crying next to what appeared to be her father's body.
He was lying in a pool of his own blood, the life slowly leaving his eyes. He was barely breathing, and his heartbeat was barely there.
I growled as I saw a blonde wolf approach the little girl, and it didn't look friendly whatsoever.
I quickly hopped from the tree to stand directly in front of the wolf, shielding the girl with my body.
I growled loudly at the wolf as he growled back.
The wolf didn't waste time to attack, and I didn't waste time to reply.
I quickly drew both my swords and jumped up, only to land on the wolf's back as I stabbed him with both my blades, killing him instantly.
I scoffed disgustingly. You were no match for me.
I turned towards the girl looking at me with wide eyes, her crying long forgotten.
I walked towards her carefully as I placed my swords back in place, showing her that I meant no harm.
Once I reached her, I hoisted her father on my shoulder and carried her with my other arm.
I wouldn't say that he wasn't heavy, but I also wasn't going to lose my strength soon.
"I'm strong! I can do this!" I chanted to myself.
Those words helped me every time.
Once I reached the packhouse, I called for the pack doctor.
Many people were running around, and there was a line of bodies lying on the ground next to each other. They all had their injuries wrapped and thankfully weren't dead. They'd be healing in an hour or so.
"Place him over here," a woman wearing a white coat told me as she pointed to an empty spot in the corner.
I gently placed the man on the ground before placing his daughter next to him. The doctor started working on the man.
"I want you to be strong for your father, okay? Protect him until he heals," I told the girl as I placed my hands on her shoulder.
She wiped away a couple of rogue tears that slid down her cheeks before nodding.
"Thank you," she said in her tiny voice.
A small smile tugged at my lips.
I stood up in an attempt to go back to the fight.
Our original plan was to help the WinterHails with the fight until Hugh located the exact place where the hostages were being held. Waiting for them would waste time and increase the number of deaths, so fighting alongside the WinterHails until then was optimal.
I was stopped in my tracks when I felt a tiny hand grab mine.
I turned around to see the little girl and the doctor looking up at me.
"Who are you?" the doctor asked.
"Rose. Call me Rose," I replied before turning around once more and heading towards the door.
The first thing that caught my eye was a group of two wolves against one.
It wasn't fair, now, was it?
I drew my swords once again as I ran towards them.
It was easy to differentiate between the wolves as each pack had its own distinct tattoo on its hind legs.
The WinterHails had a snowflake, while the Silverstones had a stone-shaped tattoo.
Our pack's tattoo was a crescent, and the Royals had a wolf.
I kicked one of the enemy wolves off the WinterHails' warrior. He was just about to snap his teeth at the warrior's neck, but I was quick to stop him.
He was grey in color, and as soon as he regained his balance, he growled at me.
I smirked before running at him with my swords.
It didn't take me time to slash his stomach, making him drop dead on the ground.
The WinterHails' wolf was obviously struggling, and it seemed like he wouldn't be able to fight the other wolf off for long.
In one swift motion, I had my sword piercing through the enemy wolf's body and watched as he too fell limp on the ground.
The WinterHails' wolf stood up on all fours and looked up at me in confusion and awe.
"I'm just a friend," was the only thing I said.
He lowered his head in a thank you gesture before limping towards the packhouse.
Looking at the war ground, I, found myself in yet another fight that I was winning easily.
After what seemed like forever, and after a countless number of dead bodies, the WinterHails were now aware of my helping hand, and the Silverstone Pack too was aware of me as they started mainly targeting me.
I was fighting three wolves, and they sure did put up a fight.
One of them succeeded in clawing my shoulder, and I watched as blood oozed out from it.
I growled loudly in anger, my eyes blackening.
The wolf that injured me took a step back but soon regained his posture and launched at me once again.
I was so angered by that wolf that I didn't notice the ones coming from behind me until I heard a growl followed by a thud.
I easily killed the wolf before turning around to find the two other wolves dead with another huge one standing over their bodies. He was pitch black in color and was bigger than the other wolves—all signs told me that he was the alpha.
His big wolf eyes were staring down at mine as if assessing me and trying to understand my presence.
Our staring contest was interrupted by Hugh calling through the earpiece.
"I found them, April!" he yelled excitedly. "They're in a warehouse on rogue lands. It's fifty kilometers outside their pack," he informed me.
"Thanks, Hugh," was all I said before turning back to the alpha, who was looking at me in confusion.
"I've found where the Silverstone Alpha is keeping your pack members. I'll be heading out now to get them," I told him.
In an instant, he was back in human form. He was a well-built man of about forty or so.
"What do you mean you found them? Where?" he asked with wide eyes.
"That's for me to know, Alpha," I replied. "I just want to make sure that you'll have things handled here," I continued.
He narrowed his eyes at me. "That's my pack. You can't say that to an alpha," he grumbled under his breath.
"Right. I'll be leaving now," I said as I placed my swords back in place and turned around for the trees.
"Wait! Won't you need men to accompany you?" he called behind me.
I smirked but didn't reply as I jumped to a tree branch.
I heard him sigh before shifting back into his wolf and heading for yet another enemy wolf to kill.
I returned my focus to the mission at hand.
The games hadbegun.