-Evelyn's POV
This was getting ridiculous!
Rain is pouring down from the sky and it doesn't looks like it is going to stop any time soon.
''Are you not loving everything that mother nature is giving us tonight, Ev?'' Emmett teases as I take off my boots. ''Who doesn't like a mud bath?''
''A tracker on duty,'' I answer annoyed. ''Can't track anything in this weather.''
''True, but you still have some purpose. You have a perfect shot and I do appreciate your company,'' Emmet says with a grin.
''You are only here to make sure that I don't shoot him,'' I grumble as I nod in the direction of the alpha.
''Well, I feel for him,'' Emmet admits. ''He felt miserable after the two of you had that fight and he blames himself for you leaving. He had no idea that it was only a matter of time before you would do something like that. So the poor guy kept apologising over and over again to me and Jake.''
I shove my socks in my boots and I get up. Feeling the ground underneath my feet felt good. More natural and it would make walking a lot easier.
''My respect is earned, Emmet. It's that simple and can you really say that I left? The only thing that changed is that I don't sleep there anymore, what I already barely did. Because someone's snoring or other physical activities kept me up most nights anyway.''
Emmet looks a little guilty when I say that, but there is his grin again.
''How about you shoot me instead of him? You already threw him through a wall, so I think he is done for today. Doesn't that sound fair to you?''
''I will shoot you just to shut you up,'' I sigh. ''I also threw him against a wall and not through one, but I heard you. I will let him be, happy?''
Emmet nods and I'm now glad that I took my boots off for a whole other reason. I dodge Emmet's attempt to put me in one of his bone cracking hugs and he slips. Falling flat out in the mud and I can't help myself.
I burst out in laughter and I only laugh harder when I see my brother's face.
Annoyed and completely covered in mud.
''You are so dead!'' Emmet grumbles as he struggles to get up.
I take a few steps back, but I'm not paying attention to my surroundings and I bump hard into the alpha. We both almost join Emmet on the ground, but the alpha manages to stay standing and he makes sure that I stay upright as well.
Pressed against his body and with his arms around my waist the alpha steadies me. I'm surprised that he is still willing to help me, but I'm even more surprised by my reaction to all of this.
I don't tell the alpha to get his hands off me and I don't push him away. Instead my body relaxes and I lean completely comfortable against the alpha. Although it's only for a moment, because me feeling so calm is starting to freak me out.
''I'm good,'' I mumble as I tap the hand of the alpha.
He lets go of me and he starts to help up Emmet.
''We will take the northern trail and then circle back,'' the alpha says. ''The night patrol always pairs up and Jamie asked if he could pair up with you, Evelyn. He wants to be a tracker and he says that you have been helping him with that?''
I look in the direction of the young wolf. James was a youngster of sixteen and he didn't just wanted to be a tracker, it was his dream. When I started to map out the territory of the Bloodmoon pack, James tried his hardest to shadow me.
He was terrible at it, but he didn't gave up and I could appreciate that. It made me want to help him, because tracking and shadowing were skills that you could learn if you were willing to do the work. James was more then willing, but teaching him was going to take a lot of time.
A lot of time and patience.
A lot of patience!
James only shifted a few months ago for the first time. He was still establishing a new relationship with his wolf and getting used to his senses being even more heightened. That was already a lot to deal with, but James still insisted on continuing his training.
''Evelyn, is that alright?'' the alpha asks.
''Pairing up with sixteen year old...'' I begin, but Emmet gives me a warning stare. ''It's fine,'' I sigh.
James is grinning from ear to ear and I shake my head.
''You are not shifting, James. We can't track in this weather, but we can spot and shadow. So that's what we will be doing and you are going to do exactly as you are told, got it?''
The youngster looks a little bit disappointed, but I don't give him the chance to wallow in it. I push him in front of me as we make our way to the treeline.
''Aren't we supposed to stay with the others?'' James asks confused.
''No, because that would be called following and not shadowing or spotting.''
''But we alw... Ouch!''
''Goddess, we are in trouble if you are already struggling with spotting a tree that is right in front of you!''
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Alpha Hayden's POV
We are close to the northern border and so far patrol was pretty uneventful. I knew that was a good thing, but it made it harder to keep the others focused. Although Emmet also had something to do with that last bit.
He would never stop talking or cracking jokes, not even in wolf form. It was annoying, amusing and impressive all at once, because Emmet was still doing his job. He was alert and ready for anything while he also managed to keep an eye on his sister.
Evelyn and Jamie kept out of sight, but we could still hear them. Jamie gave away their position in numerous ways. Coughing, stepping on sticks, getting stuck in the mud and by actually walking into a tree again. I expected that Evelyn would lose her patience with Jamie after he messed up so many times, but she didn't.
Her way of teaching was terrifying, but effective. After Jamie messed up she would simply say that he wouldn't made that mistake twice and that was it.
''Shift, get dressed and take a break,'' I mind link the others.
The last patrol left bags for us at the usual spot. I quickly shift back into my human form, grab a bag and I put on some sweatpants. I start to make my way towards the clearing, but the smell of coffee makes me stop.
There were a lot of scents to catch in the woods, but coffee was not one of them.
Evelyn is leaning against a tree and she holding a thermos in her hand. Her eyes lock with mine and I'm praying to the Goddess that we can stay civil.
''You want some?'' Evelyn asks.
It smells really good and I could use some coffee to help me stay alert, but I was still weary.
''This is me calling a truce, so do you want some coffee or not?'' Evelyn asks impatiently.
''A truce sounds good to me and so does the coffee, thank you.''
Evelyn hands me her thermos and I take a sip.
''Evelyn, I never meant to harm your friend and I promise that I will apologise to him tomorrow.''
''Don't worry about Kenneth. I have done far worst to him and I never apologised for it,'' Evelyn yawns.
''And you two are still friends?'' I ask amused.
''His fault completely,'' Evelyn grumbles. ''I shared my apple with him when we were four and that was it. We were friends and now you know why I don't like to share my food.''
''Well, you at least share your coffee,'' I say with a grin.
Evelyn shrugs her shoulders and she reaches for the thermos.
''This is a truce and me protecting myself, because I know what you are like when you are in need of caffeine.''
I immediately feel uncomfortable because she was referring to our fight. The fight where I behaved like a complete idiot and that ended with Evelyn leaving my pack house.
''I acted like an arrogant ass that day and I deeply regret it, Evelyn. I had no right to talk to you like that, let alone demand anything of you.''
Evelyn hands me back the thermos and she stretches herself out.
''You can have the rest. I'm going to see how far James is with figuring out our next coordinates.''
''Is that your way of saying that you accept my apologies?'' I ask feeling a little bit hopeful.
We were actually managing to stay civil!
Evelyn doesn't answer and I see her looking in the direction of the border. One of her eyes turns silver and she lets out warning growl. Within seconds Emmet is standing next to his sister and he tries to figure out what made he react like that.
Emmet's eyes darken and he steps in front of Evelyn.
''Hunters,'' Emmet growls. ''Five?''
''Eight,'' Evelyn says. ''Eight scents and...''
A fierce roar rips through the silence of the night and Evelyn is gone. Running at full speed in the direction of...
NO!
No, no, no!
I'm able to stop Emmet just in time, but it takes all my strength to restrain him.
''Let go of me!'' Emmet growls. ''She is my sister and I'm not abandoning her!''
''I'm not asking you to abandon her, but she is heading for the abyss. She doesn't know how dangerous it is there, but I do! That's why I will go after her, but that means that you have to take over. There are a lot of hunters out there and we don't know what they are planning, Emmet!''
Emmet glares at me, but he stops trying to get out of my hold.
''Go after her then and you better make sure nothing happens to her!''
I don't waist any more time and I start running. Praying to the Goddess that I would catch up to Evelyn in time. I had to catch up to her! Not only because Emmet would kill me if something happened to her, but also because I couldn't lose anyone else that way.
I start to run faster, but then I hear the sound of a gunshot.
Goddess, please no!