Chapter 29 Chapter 29
Sabrina's POV
Two weeks passed.
Every day I got up before dawn. Checked supplies. Assigned tasks. Coordinated everyone. The refugee camp's order needed maintaining. Food needed distributing. Medical care needed following up. Plus dealing with all kinds of disputes.
Two fox men fought over tent positions. I went to mediate. A woman complained the blanket she got was too thin. I went to comfort her. Three kids stole apples from camp. I went to educate them. Rushed off my feet.
But Teresa helped me a lot. And Carl. And a few warriors who supported accepting refugees. We managed the camp pretty well.
Not all the fox people cooperated. Some always complained. Always demanded more. There was a guy called Victor. In his thirties. Always sarcastic.
"Why aren't you letting us inside the walls yet?" "Why is there so little food?" "Why do we have to be watched?"
Once he questioned me publicly. Tone very rude. I walked up to him. Looked into his eyes.
"Because you haven't proven you're worth trusting," I said.
"What right do you have to say that?"
"I have the authority Kael gave me," I said. "If you're not satisfied. You can leave."
He froze. The fox people around also went quiet.
"I..."
"No one's forcing you to stay," I said. "You can walk anytime."
Victor lowered his head. After that. He was much quieter.
Even though I was wolfless, I still had werewolf blood in my veins. Not just any fox could challenge me.
Today at noon. I was moving ammunition boxes. Three boxes. Each very heavy.
"Let me, Sabrina."
"No need." I pushed his hand away.
I took off my jacket. Left only in a tight black sports tank top. Outlining every line of my body.
Sunlight fell on me. Warm. Skin glowing healthy.
I bent down. Grabbed the box handles. The tank top's neckline dipped slightly with the movement, revealing my collarbone and the curve of my chest.
The box was heavy. At least fifty pounds.
I took a deep breath. Exerted force. Shoulder muscles tensed. The outline of my deltoids clearly visible. Biceps bulged, back muscles standing out with the effort, the tank top clinging to the muscle lines, outlining the V-shape of my lats.
Abs tightened. Core engaged. The bottom of the tank top showed a small section of waist, could see the muscle lines on my waist sides, extending from ribs to hipbones, beautiful and powerful.
I lifted the box. The muscle lines in my arms more obvious in the sunlight.
I walked step by step toward the center of the refugee camp. Each step steady. Powerful. Thighs tensing and relaxing, could see the outline of my quads. That was the result of countless squats, countless runs, countless combat training sessions.
Sweat started flowing. From my forehead. Down my cheeks. Dripping on my collarbone. The sweat made my skin more glossy, like a thin layer of oil.
I put the box down. Straightened up. Deep breath.
"Line up," I said. Voice calm. But authoritative.
The fox people lined up.
Leo walked over. "Thank you, Sabrina," he said. His eyes lingered on me for a second. Then looked away.
"You're welcome."
I started distributing bullets. Each armed man got one box. Twenty rounds. Not much. But enough.
After Leo got his bullets. He sat to the side. Started loading bullets into magazines.
Not far away. Abigail was playing. With Leo's two kids. A boy. About seven. Called Max. A girl. Nine. Called Anna.
They were playing baseball. Abigail swinging the bat.
"Throw it!" she yelled.
Max threw the ball. Abigail swung. Missed.
"Again!"
Max threw again. This time Abigail hit it. The ball flew out. Anna went to get it.
But her expression... not quite willing. Like completing a task. Not really playing. Max too. When he threw the ball. His eyes were empty. Not excited like Lucas. But... perfunctory.
I frowned. But before I could do anything, Mira called me.
"Sabrina."
Mira gestured for me to follow her. We walked to a secluded corner. By the wall. Where no one was.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
Mira's expression was serious. "We have a problem," she said.
"What problem?"
"Supplies." Mira said. "The camp now has over forty more people. Consumption rate doubled from before. Food can last another month. But after that?"
My heart sank.
"Also." Mira continued. "The distribution of military equipment. Garrick and them are very unhappy. They say we're arming potential enemies. They keep going to Kael. Demanding action."
"What action?"
"Attack," Mira said. "Get more supplies."
"Kael agreed?"
"Agreed."
My heartbeat quickened. "When?"
"Three days from now," Mira said. "Kael's already started preparing. He's conscripted you."
I froze. "Me?"
"You." Mira looked at me. "You're an official warrior now. And... you have to go on this mission."
"I understand."
Mira didn't continue, but stared at me hard. In that instant I understood.
Stillwater Pack.
"What's the target?" I asked.
"A base converted into a warehouse," Mira said. "Has everything we need."
She stared into my eyes. "Can you do it?"
I knew what she was asking.
Suddenly, I thought of my brother. He was also in Stillwater Pack. If we ran into each other...
I stayed silent. Mira stared at me for a while, then said: "Then I'll take that as your agreement."
"One more thing," she said. "Discontent with the fox people in camp is growing. Garrick and them think the fox people are a burden. You need to make them prove themselves. Make them trustworthy comrades. Otherwise..."
I stood there. Looked at the refugee camp. Looked at those fox people. They were chatting. Eating. Taking care of kids, very leisurely. They looked... harmless.
But Garrick's words echoed in my ears. "They go wherever there's food." "They won't fight for this land."
I turned around. Walked toward Leo.
"Leo," I said.
He looked up. "Sabrina."
"I need you to do something."
"What?"
"Form a team," I said. "Elite. Can fight. Come with us on a mission."
"The camp needs to see your value," I said. "Needs to see you're willing to fight. Willing to bleed. Otherwise..."
Leo understood. His expression changed. He hesitated then said. "I'll form a team. The strongest people."
That evening. Kael called a war meeting.
Kael stood in front of the map. His finger pointed at a spot on the map.
"Here," he said. "Stillwater Pack's old camp. Now it's their supply station. Not many guards. But rich in supplies."
I stared at the map. That spot. I knew it. Knew it too well.
My heart dropped.
That was... that was my former home. Where I lived when I was Derek's Luna. The place I fled from.
"Can you do it?" Mira asked.
My mind went blank for a moment, but then I steadied myself and said: "I will."