Our target was a stark concrete skeleton of a building just inside the border of the Stone River pack, roughly equidistant between our pack and theirs, three storeys tall, and filled with more nooks and crannies than one could count; a mockup pack house of sorts. We had nicknamed it Colditz. Sometimes we rented it out to modeling agencies for photoshoots.

We were watching the two sentries posted at the main entrance of the building from a safe hiding spot some distance away in thick tree cover. Somewhere in the concrete husk, there hid Alpha Jack and his henchmen. Taking them down and securing the complex was the goal of the exercise.

The atmosphere was tense, and it was uncomfortable. None of us really wanted to be here. But letting the rogues affect our routine was out of the question. We had scaled it down somewhat, so a full patrol could be manning the borders while we pretend-

I was leading a team of about ten wolves, standing around me. Hiding in the bushes out of view on the other side of Colditz, Brian was making his debut as the leader of the other team. My team would go through the front entrance, while Brian's team was storming through a side entry.

On the opposing side, it was Tim's first exercise as chief warrior of his pack too, and I hoped like hell he wouldn't screw it up.

We slowly advanced towards the structure, keeping low, using the undergrowth to shield us.

There were two sentries by the main entrance. They were easily overpowered.

As the main contingent stormed up to the first floor, I looked into the first room. Empty. A few of my fellow pack members fanned out behind me, looking though the other rooms methodically.

Clear. Proceed.

Clear. Proceed.

As with any pack house, there were countless afterthought extensions and oddly designed levels, and we found ourselves bounding down a short, steep landing that curved in under the grand staircase to what I could only assume was a sunroom of some type. Whatever it was, it had some quite nice views of the valley beyond.

I had barely put my snout into the doorway when an onslaught of flying fur materialised from a dark corner of the room and launched itself at me. Recovering quickly, I grappled with the assailant, lunging for his neck, while linking my packmates.

Need backup.

Dodging his blows but staying on the back foot, I stalled for time. A few seconds later two of my pack members charged in, piling onto him. He fell to the ground in mock death.

One down.

Having secured the ground floor, we were scaling the staircase when I felt a faint buzzing sensation through the concrete floor.

What the hell is that?

The buzzing gradually intensified.

Everybody froze. I could sense that our 'opponents' had stopped too.

A car. Coming towards us.

Rogues would almost definitely not have taken a car, and even if they had, they wouldn't have gotten this far without someone raising the alarm.

It almost certainly wasn't a rogue attack. I breathed a slight sigh of relief, but the omnipresent tension still hung in the air.

For a moment, everything around us was completely silent, except for the breeze blowing through the openings in the walls, and the intensifying burble of a V8 engine became clearer.

The mind link erupted into people talking over each other. I tried to block it out for a moment, trying to think clearly.

We told them to turn back anyone that needed to come.

If it's not rogues, then who the hell is it?

Then who let a car in?

Who is this? Does anyone know?

What the hell is going on?

We thought you guys had invited him or something.

He doesn't have jack squat to do with this exercise. You morons.

We need a greeting party. ASAP.

We bounded for the ground floor of the complex. We frantically shifted back and put on some old clothes that were lying around in a ground-level room, as did Brian and Alpha Jack and the rest of the Stone River leadership posse.

We stepped out to the sight of a black Mercedes G-Wagen with Salmon Creek plates stopped outside the mock pack house.

I knew immediately who it was.

Kaden Lancaster was wearing a tank top and shorts as he stepped out into the open, clearly showing the tattoos that covered much of his upper body. His left ear was also pierced. His father had tried to fly him to Zirconia to get them laser-removed, but to no avail. He probably thought they made him look badass. I thought they made him look like a tosser.

"This better be some serious business, Kaden." Brian muttered from behind me.

His pose was clearly meant to radiate power and assert dominance, but it just looked rather pathetic on this cloudy afternoon.

"Have you seen my mate?"

"You can't just barge in here, Kaden." Alpha Jack replied flatly from behind me. "We're trying to have a serious training exercise, in case you haven't noticed."

"Where is she? Did you see her?" He didn't seem to have heard anything.

"This really isn't a good time to be out and about, Kaden." Jack said calmly. "It's dangerous right now. Go home. Take care of your pack."

Kaden looked at the six disapproving faces staring at him, seemingly oblivious of what he'd just been told. "No. I need to find out. Now."

"Did you hear on the radio, Kaden? A pack got wiped out. By rogues." Jack was clearly trying not to lose his temper. He was usually a softly-spoken man, but the recent events clearly had him on edge.

Kaden nodded, but his eyes weren't quite there. I couldn't be sure if he was just going along with the flow or he'd actually comprehended what Jack had said.

For a moment there was silence.

I stepped forward tentatively. "I'll talk to him in private. Heart to heart. Alpha to Alpha."

"Are you sure-"

I was already beckoning him to come with me.

***

We walked till we were just out of earshot of the others, behind some bushes.

I confronted him. "Are you out of your tiny mind?"

"I just need to know where she is," he pleaded.

I looked into his eyes, speaking softly and concisely."OK. Listen, Kaden."

"I'm listening."

"I know what happened to your mate. And the car."

His eyes lit up. "Thank you, Jim. She's mine, Jim. I'm going to make her my queen. Where is she?"

"I don't think you're getting the point here, Kaden. You don't treat a queen by kidnapping her and holding her hostage at your house."

A golden speck danced dangerously in his eyes. "She's mine! You don't understand."

"I do understand, Kaden. She's not yours, Kaden, and she has a name. Did you even bother to find that out?"

"I know she has a name."

"So what is it?"

"I just want her back!"

"I hate to break it to you, Kaden, but she's gone. I have the car. but your mate's already gone."

"I don't care about the car! I want her! She's mine! She's mine!"

"No, she's not, Kaden."

"Yes she is! Mine! Mine! MINE!"

"How can she be yours when you don't even know her name?"

"Whatever, I'll ask her when she comes back! Where is she? Tell me!"

"I don't know, Kaden."

"Tell me. You know. I know you know. TELL ME! SHE'S MINE!" The colour in his eyes changed all of a sudden. "You're hiding her, aren't you?"

"I did no such thing, Kaden. She left on her own accord."

"Yes you did! You're hiding her! That's why you're not telling me where she is!" He charged at me in rage.

I managed to block him in time, And we struggled for a moment, pushing against each other, trying to gain the upper hand. He was half my age and in much better shape. But the last day or so had clearly taken its toll on him. His breathing was haggard and he seemed to be tiring.

"Give her back!" he grunted.

"What do you want me to do, Kaden. She went home. I can't tell her what to do. You know that."

"Just give her back! She's MINE!"

"I'm telling you the truth, Kaden!"

"I won't stop until she's mine again! MINE!"

The others were beginning to take notice of the commotion. The others had shifted back as well, and were also staring at us.

Suddenly becoming aware of the unwanted attention, Kaden self-consciously loosened his grip on me.

Staring at the array of bewildered faces staring back at him, he pushed me aside and made for the car.

"She will be MINE! And you can't stop that! You'll be hearing from me again!" He yelled, slamming the door. The engine roared into life, and there was a generous amount of wheelspin as he took off.

Jack blinked. "Whew. Four-wheel wheelspin. Someone's pissed."

The others just stood there looking confused. "What the hell was that about?" Brian queried.

"He found his mate?" Someone else yelled out.

"I have no idea," I replied in a small voice, watching as the car disappeared around a bend.