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Chapter 4 - Four

After Antonella and Lillian ran for two days nonstop, they finally saw four males who were seen patrolling this side of the border, they would stop once in a while to talk to one another, laughing at some of their jokes. While they talked, one of them stopped midway, as he squinted his eyes at a certain area, 'are those humans walking their way?' He wondered trying to think of the reason why any human would have walked this far into the thick forest. Are they tired of being alive?

"Look over there" he pointed toward the human's direction so his colleagues can see them too.

"Rouges! The guts of them" One of them growled.

"I can't sense a wolf from them" the guard who had noticed them first told the others. "I think they are humans" while they all stood contemplating on who was approaching them and for what reason they were coming towards them, Antonella and Lillian's thumping hearts could be heard. They also have noticed the patrolling guards and although they were extremely tired from having run so much with little to no food inside them, they persisted.

The hunger, and their unkept look will make their story even more believable. As though Lillian's stomach wanted to reassure them it was in support of their plans, it grumbled making Antonella's own to make a sound too. Normally, these two ladies would have laughed about such action with their friend Jessica.

"Are you lost?" The guard who had seen them first asked, although the others insisted they weren't human, and after watching them for a while, he had noticed indeed humans were weaker than the two ladies in front of him. But he still thought it right to ask them first what they wanted before attacking.

The ladies watched the men whose position was that of one ready to attack any moment. Gulping, Lillian answered.

"Please we need food" she begged meekly. That was their plan, they ask for food and earn their sympathy, that way getting sheltered by the pack will be easier. They were no fools and they know how packs treat a rouge.

The men laughed mockingly, they were still alert though as they still cannot understand why they are not feeling their wolf's aura from them but their request was just too hilarious to not laugh.

"Is this a restaurant?" One of them asked in a mocking tone. "Since we are in a good mood and you are yet to cross into our border, we will assume you never came by if you scram right now" he made his voice imposing enough to scare a normal wolf away, but this isn't normal wolves, they are at the top of power.

"Please" Lillian was shocked, never in her life would she have thought Antonella, a lady brought up with so much love, a lady who only has to make the request and the men in her life will grant it, a lady nicknamed the Alpha's weakness by the whole pack, she never thought such a lady could make the voice she just heard. The voice that could touch a heart and make one feel bad to turn her down. 'Wow'.

"I said scram" Lillian had over thought, she had believed with the voice Antonella just spoke with, they will be successful but too bad, these men here seem immune to such.

Antonella was desperate, they really were hungry, and as much as they can see, this pack seem to be the largest around here, if only they can get in. Not only will they be able to eat but they will be safe from being caught by that Lunatic, at least until he attacks this pack too, if he does.

Antonella stepped into their border, her action shocking the four guards who were instantly alert and reporting an intruder. This lady especially had this strangeness to her that caused them to feel uneasy since, 'was she truly on a mission to get herself killed?' If that is the case, they will fulfill her wish for her.

"You brought this upon yourself" One of the men told her before turning into his grey wolf, Antonella was not one to boast of strength but by the size of this wolf, she was certain her wolf can take him down. While he was bigger, hers was more slender than his wolf, but she had the confidence that this wolf would be no match for her wolf.

Lillian immediately followed her Luna and friend and crossed into this unknown pack ground. She too was certain they can escape unscathed as long as they only deal with these four weres. Hopefully their superiors won't come here else, they would really die while still hungry.

The wolf circled around them baring its teeth at them, it was aggravated, he couldn't sense any fear from them. Are they undermining him right now?!

'Why should I only try to scare them, if I kill them right now, no one will question me as to why I did such a thing. I will instead be praised for making such a swift decision and getting rid of more annoying rouges.

He set his limbs ready to pounce on them when a voice ordered him to stand down through their mind link.

The order had his wolf surrender immediately and halted his actions. Antonella and Lillian have of course noticed this action too so they became alert. 'Only someone of authority can make a wolf surrender this way' was the thought in both their minds.

Who is it?

The two ladies shifted closer to themselves as that would aid them better if a fight is to break out.

"You two trespassed into another pack land." A man with a lean build yet muscular walked into their view. He was alone, his every step proved their doubt, he is of power. The four males who had been intimidating suddenly looked like in front of this man. Lillian swallowed 'can they take him down?' She wondered.

"We were hungry and only asked for food and maybe..." Antonella intentionally left her remaining words hanging, if anyone can grant them shelter in this pack, then this man would.

"Why do you think Gradv pack will grant you food or shelter?" Gradv pack? Does this mean they have traveled far North from home? Oh no... Their plan of sneaking back to just check on their previous homes won't be able to happen then.

The man noticed the shock they had on when he called the pack's name. 'Does this mean they came here not knowing where they were?' How foolish of them.

"What happened to your wolves?" The man asked.

"It never awakened." Antonella lied unblinking. The man nodded, he had thought so too, so he looked toward Lillian who had her head bowed in shame.

She was truly embarrassed by how they had just denied their lifetimes companion unblinking. Their wolves are not just a beast inside of them, they were their closest friend. They share their thoughts with one another, they know each other the best. And yet, even when they denied their existence, her wolf did nothing. It didn't even raise its head.

Unlike the humans, the wolves were still mourning the loss of their families. Of their friends, the thought of them living with no pack had saddened them, but they understood. They knew why the humans can only make this decision, they need to survive too.

The man watched them quietly, he knew how wildlife was with no pack to protect them, his mate was a rouge too after all. And these kids need help, their grumbling stomachs were extremely obvious to everyone.

"Follow me." He turned and walked away, Antonella and Lillian hastily walked behind him as they followed him into the pack.

"Jackie, give them food and any task" the man instructed another werewolf before leaving them. No word came from him to them but they were happy, they are inside.

The man who had just decided on his own without informing his Alpha, went to look for him, bowing "Alpha." He greeted. The man who was referred to as Alpha only cast a quick glance at his Beta before looking away.

He was presently fishing, a hobby he loves to do once in a while. "Who are they?" The beta was not surprised to know the Alpha has been informed, he has served next to him for years but hadn't been able to earn his trust. The Alpha has a tail on him.

"They are hungry rouges without wolves. I recall we needed more helps so I brought them in." Indeed, that was one of the reasons he had decided to help those ladies. Some Omega's had been reported dead and the ladies are perfect for chores. With no wolves, they will even be more level-headed and do things right.

"Report." The Alpha ordered and the beta suddenly lowered himself as he whispered into the Alpha's ears. He had been returning from a mission when he saw Antonella and Lillian at the border. With how dismissing the Alpha was, he can already tell he had no interest in knowing about those ladies.

"Are you sure?" The Alpha asked and his beta nodded confidently.

In the pack's kitchen, Jackie had left after dropping the ladies off, now they were being treated like pieces up for grabs. Everyone in the kitchen gathered around them as they all talked.

"Get back to work everyone." The woman whom they guess to be the head cook ordered making everyone disperse. "And you two, I heard you are wolfless." Her tone mocking "At least you have hands, go wash up and join us. There are plenty of onions to cut." She told them before pointing at a random girl over.

"Take them to their room, they should stay together." Of course, why would anyone want to live with a person who has no wolf?

The lady walked them to a room that looked like a place where brooms were kept. It was so small and the only opening in there was high up the ceiling. "This is your room. We all share a bathroom, but you two will have to bathe last. Do not bring your misfortune to where we are bathing." She eyed them before walking out.

Lillian hastily stopped her "Please where is the bathroom?" She asked happy they won't be bathing together.

Glaring, she pointed in a direction and suddenly smirked before walking away. Her action made Lillian wonder what they might be up to.

As they both tried to navigate their way to the bathroom, they finally understood her smirk. There were two bathrooms there, and one of them looks much more equipped than the other. They are guessing the equipped one might be for the head cook, so the two decided to play it safe as they entered the other bathroom to bathe.

Having her trap evaded had the lady 'Eliza' fuming in anger. She will surely teach those ladies a lesson.