A Wolf Among The Sheep

"Not-- not ever."

Clarissa repeated his words out loud, voice quiet as the meaning sunk in. Maybe not ever.

It hadn't been high on their priority list, talking about the possibility of having children one day. It was far to early to be discussing the prospect, and Clarissa wasn't ready for a pup, their mutual decision to stay apart during this heat proof of that. However... maybe not ever? She may not want a child of her own right that second, but she had always envisioned herself being a mother some day. The idea that her mate wanted a different life to that sent a sharp stab of pain through her chest.

Her eyes raised to look at him as she tried to process all of that through the heat and the fogginess of her condition, heart pounding in what she soon realised to be fear. Would he leave her for someone else who also didn't want children if they finally discussed the matter and realised they wanted different things? The thought sent another wave of hurt through her body, causing her to catch her breath.

It wasn't the right time to focus on such a detail, yet it was something she couldn't ignore. Especially while going through something that seemed to be a part of werewolf nature to encourage the act that created children.

She barely heard anything else that he said after that, her grip on his arm going limp as he pulled away. Her head silently rolled from side to side before she pressed her forehead against the side of the window frame, releasing a long and trembling breath. Clarissa retracted her arm, her hand forming a fist to press against the edge of the windowsill just in time for her whole body to tense at another wave of the heat.

"Just-- just go to bed, Tate. I don't... I don't wanna be thinkin' you're tired and distracted out there. I'm already goin' t'be worried sick." She answered through gritted teeth, trying to keep her movements to a minimum for the moment, "Go get some sleep. I'mma-- I'mma be fine."
 
On reflection, Tate's choice of words wasn't ideal - a fact he became painfully aware of when noticing the adverse reaction his mate seemed to have to them. A discussion about children was a topic for a much later date, but the fact they were in the midst of such a pressing time for the pack meant that the discussion shouldn't even be remotely considered, given no time could be given to a topic worthy of their full attention. It was best left for another time and so making his thoughts so obvious about a future discussion now wasn't going to help either of them.

He opened his mouth to try and explain himself, to reassure her from dwelling too much on his words when she needed to focus on anything but them, but he helplessly fell silent when realising nothing he could say would change what he had already said - and elaborating on it and entering into the discussion itself wasn't something he knew he could do. Not right now.

He wanted to explain to her nonetheless. To tell her that he liked children but didn't think he would necessarily be the best father when he prioritised the pack above everything else. He had only just allowed himself to relax enough to spend time with his mate, and even then it had been a long time before he could mate with her properly. He didn't want to have a child and then leave them devoid of their father's attention - it wasn't fair nor responsible, and so he had always settled on the fact that it just wasn't in his future. He was content with that, mostly because he never thought he would have a mate to discuss such things with.

But now he did, and now he had to start considering the possibility of a conversation about it.

But that could wait. Now was far from the right time.

"I'll see 'ya then - try and get some sleep, darlin'. You need it. We both do," he smiled, reaching through the small gap in the window to carefully rest his hand on her cheek. The movement was brief and lasted all of one second but it was the most affection he could offer her in their trying time. With a final nod in parting, he took a deep breath and headed back down to the hut he had grown up with in with his siblings to spend the night with them, rather than with his mate, for obvious reasons.
 
Unsure as to how long she remained in place once Tate left, Clarissa knew that it had been too long considering the numbness that was creeping into her legs. But even that numbness couldn't suppress the fire that roared within her vines and crackled along her skin. She gritted her teeth as she finally pushed herself to her feet, a light-headedness rushing to meet her and causing her to lean back against the wall for a moment.

At some point, between Tate leaving and Clarissa standing up, Sasha must have left a jug of water on the other window ledge for her to pull through to the inside of the hut. She took it, walking to the table to place it down before doubling over again at another wave of the heat. A low growl met it, but the sound ended in a quiet whimper.

His words kept rattling around in her brain, an echo of them repeating itself over and over again. It may not have bothered Clarissa as much if she wasn't in the current state she was. Of course she would have wanted to talk to him about it, admit that she did want children at some point in the future. However, the situation at present wasn't exactly the best time. Not with the heat they were both battling and not with the abductions occurring and definitely not with Tate needing to focus on hunting down that pack tomorrow.

So yet again, Clarissa bit her tongue and squeezed her eyes tight to swallow back her emotions. She had been doing well until another wave crashed over her, causing her frustration at the whole situation to flare dramatically and a chair to be launched at the back hut wall.

The piece of furniture splintered and broke into three different pieces. She could feel guilty once it was all over.

Forcing herself to bed after a glass or two of water, Clarissa forced herself to bed. She wanted nothing more than to be curled up with Tate at her back, just as they had done the night before. The thought caused another whimper and her face pressed hard into the pillow as she tried to ignore her desires, ones that had flared at the memory at what else that had happened that night before.

Two more days, she kept telling herself as she hopelessly searched for any cool spot on the bed. Two more days and then it'll be over.
 
Tate knew that his words hadn't been well considered before they came tumbling out of his mouth but that was far from his most prevalent regret as he settle down for the night. The moment he had walked away from Clarissa, he was hit with the urge to turn back and ignore the possible consequences of reuniting with her - it wouldn't be wise and it would be something he would regret but he couldn't claim to care, wanting nothing more than to turn back and take his mate into his arms, to relieve her of the amount of pressure she was somehow managing to endure.

Had it not been for Lyle motioning him into the hut with some teasing words about being back in the family home after so long living alone, he might have ended up back with Clarissa, doing something they could have ended up disappointed with themselves for. Instead, somehow managing to display a similar amount of self-restraint as Clarissa had successfully managed throughout the day, the alpha bit back all the urges, took a deep breath, and ventured after his younger brother to spend the night in the home he had grown up in.

By morning, the pain of not being with Clarissa was more present than ever. He rued the fact he couldn't wake up peacefully and organically with his mate at his side, their limbs entangled amongst one another and feeling her lips pressed against his cheek in what was the best way to welcome in the new day. Instead, Tate had to wake up to the sound of the twins bickering as they fought for space at the sink and Daisy muttering at them to shut up, all while being tucked into Anders' bed; a bed that he shouldn't have even had a chance at being in because Anders should have been there, with them all.

It was a painful reminder that he wasn't there, the scent of his youngest brother on the bedsheets -and now on Tate's skin- causing the regret and guilt to grow and twist more - but it was also motivation. He didn't need any more of it when he was already as motivated as he could be to get the ordeal over and done with, but it was the little boost he needed that morning; a reminder that Anders could be home by the end of the day, back where he belonged. And focusing on that helped Tate ignore the childish early morning bickering going on between the others; bickering he hadn't been witness to in the morning since he was at home with them.

The normalcy of it did make him smile, however, easing himself out of bed and preparing himself for the day ahead without chastising them. It was a huge day with potentially huge consequences so he could overlook the bickering and jabbing, aware that it was probably their way of coping with the stress and nerves of what the day could bring.

Once dressed, the alpha headed out to be the first present at the campfire - as was customary for him. He was the one to get breakfast going when others began to make their appearances, leaving the duty in their capable hands as he began to inform them of his plans; of who would be joining him on the job and who would remain behind to care for the weaker members and the children. All the while, his gaze would drift to his hut, contemplating when would be the best opportunity to escape the tense discussions and see his mate - and when the breakfast was finally prepared, he seized two bowls and made that journey to his hut to present Clarissa with the food, approaching the window with understandable tentativeness.

"...Clar? I got you breakfast; thought we could eat together. You in there, me out here. Not exactly the ordinary way to share breakfast with 'ya but we ain't got any other option an'-- you know, I'm going to get the others back today. If anythin' happens to me, if it all goes shit, I-- I want us to have a meal together in case I don't come back-- I dunno. It's morbid as fuck but it could happen, darlin'. Just-- come an' get the bowl off me, would 'ya? I look like a fuckin' idiot, standing 'ere talking to the wall."
 
Having found a spot in the hut that allowed in a small draft, the entire night had been spent laying there or getting up to get more water. There was too much going on in her mind for Clarissa to get any sort of sleep, and she didn't even want to think about how many hours she got in the end. She continued to replay the memory of the conversation with Tate in her mind, unable to focus on any one detail as most of them worried her.

The Heat. The fact he was about to go and face the other pack. The apparent lack of desire to have children one day. The reality that she could potentially lose her mate... to either of the above.

It all tormented her, leaving her exhausted and miserable. Although Clarissa supposed she ought to be grateful; with this heat in process, Tate couldn't see how much of an effect all of it was having on her. She could hide it from him until she got through the Heat and had the energy on masking it from her expression.

That is, if he came back today.

Her muscles tightened at the sound of footsteps, ears pricking up at the sound of them and nose finally picking up her mate's scent. She sat up against the wall, the draft now directed at her lower back as she brought her knees up so she could bury her head into the small gap between them and her chest. It was all torture, every inch of him now tortured and tormented her. So close and yet so far behind the one door that separated them.

Clarissa hated the prospect of him leaving to find the other pack without her. Not that she believed he would take her - she had no combat experience, and the last time she was in a fight she had almost been kidnapped herself. What use would she be? That thought alone caused her hands to move over her head and lightly pull at the strands of hair, a whine muffled against her chest. It wasn't just that, but the fact that he would be leaving without her being able to hold him or kiss him before he did. He would leave after only a moment of hand holding and strained words. Not exactly the most romantic send off.

At his request, she reluctantly moved away from the back wall to join him at the same window from yesterday. She sat side on, so she still faced the inside of the cabin but a simple turn of her head would allow her to see him.

"Don't say shit like that." She answered quietly, leaning against the wall with the windowsill gently digging into her upper arm, "I-- I don't wanna be thinkin' about you not comin' back right now. So don't go-- don't go talkin' like that, 'kay? I'm not strong enough for that shit right now." She admitted, tongue darting out in an attempt to wet dried lips.

Her eyes then moved to the food, which she shook her head at, "I... can't eat that right now. I'm too-- too warm and when I'm too warm I always feel sick. But-- thank you." She took a deep breath and moved to get a little more comfortable, "You-- you have it. You're goin' to need your strength for... whatever happens today."

Finally looking through the window at him, her turned head revealed eyes welling with tears and a desperation gleaming within them.

"Just-- just come back okay, okay? I don't-- fuck, Tate-- I don't know what I'd do if-- if... I know a lot's happened, over the last month and we didn't even know each other before then and we didn't know any of this until two weeks ago. But-- please, please just come back okay. Please don't-- try and be a hero. Just come back to me-- okay?"
 
Dealing with the repercussions the heat was having on them was difficult enough, so approaching Clarissa with the possibility that he might not make it back to the camp alive probably wasn't making things any better - but he couldn't broach the subject of leaving without first underlining the fact that she needed to prepare for the worst. He couldn't let her sit back casually and be brutally impacted by the news that he had died if that was what it came to - he wanted her to at least be aware that it could happen, to come to terms with it now to avoid the numbing of shock that would only settle in later if he hadn't made the possibility abundantly clear to her now.

But he wasn't exactly fearful of that possibility being likely. He tucked into the first bowl of porridge without any sign of nervousness or anxiety. Those feelings existed somewhere within him, and he was doing a job of pushing them back to save Clarissa the additional stress of trying to relax her mate, but he also had full faith in himself and his pack members to do what they all knew they needed to do. Death could happen, of course it could, but he was confident in his abilities and confident that the determination of his pack would see them through the worst of what they might come face-to-face with.

"Hey, I want 'ya to be aware I might not come back but I will be; I'll be home by sunset. I'm confident of that. We got the element of surprise on those fuckers, right? So that's gonna help us. An' there ain't nothing that'll stop me bringing back Anders an' the rest of 'em, Clar. I could be up against some real tough guys but I'll be home, with the others. I ain't too worried about that," he reassured as he lifted his head up from the floor to briefly meet her gaze. He regretted doing so when a sudden wave of desire crashed over him but the importance of meeting her eye and nodding to relax her from her stammering was too much; he would fight off the uncomfortable urges he was met with if it meant offering Clarissa just a brief show of support.

He had declined her everything else that would have helped her out in her predicament, so the least he could do was brave a glance up at her face and offer a smile, even if that gesture was monumentally difficult for him to do without wanting to toss the bowls aside and get into the hut to be with her.

"I'll be alright, Clar; promise," he nodded again, this time with his eyes on the second bowl of oats as he tucked in, knowing it was needed for his stamina. If there was to be a battle with the other pack, he needed all the strength he could muster - and something as simple as an extra bowl of porridge would help with that. "Sasha's basically in charge. You know I'd leave you in charge in my absence, you're the alpha too, but-- that ain't a good choice, not when there are still guys left here an'-- you know. Best you stay in the hut an' let Sasha handle things. She's fuckin' bossy so she'll cope well with the duty."
 
Her hand reached through the gap again but simply hung there in the air, not wanting to force him to touch or hold her while he was eating, but silently craving that brief moment. It hurt her to know that if it wasn't for the stupid heat, she would be holding him and kissing him like there was no tomorrow. She wanted to tell him everything words couldn't in a single kiss. She knew she was probably being dramatic, and he was right - they did have the advantage of surprise. But there was still that possibility.

"Promise? Promise-- me you'll be back by sunset?" She repeated, moving so her body faced the gap and her other hand joined the one already out there, watching him as he fuelled himself. Even the thought of eating, while she was so incredibly hot, made her stomach turn. Water was just fine though, and thank whatever gods there were for that. She wasn't sure what she'd do without water.

Her forehead once more rested against the cool pane of glass, eyes closing and the action causing a tear to drip down her cheek. Her hands tightened and then relaxed, forming fists before spreading out again multiple times as she attempted to get a check on her emotions. While she wanted nothing more than to drag him into the hut and have her way with him, that hormonal side of her was also battling the emotional where everything felt heightened and intensified. Everything she felt was on a boost of a hundred.

"I wouldn't know what to do if I was in charge - Sasha at least has some sort of idea. S'good that she's in charge." She murmured, finally opening her eyes to train them on the wood of the windowsill, "Even without this bein' an issue... I wouldn't have a fuckin' clue Tate. I'm not like Sasha, I didn't grow up in this world-- I-- s'good Sasha's in charge." She repeated the last bit again, nodding despite still resting against the window.

"Just be safe out there-- m'kay? Bring everyon' home and just... just come back to me. Same as you are now."
 
Tate paused abruptly from shovelling the porridge into his mouth, taking a momentary break as he quietly set the bowl down onto the ground and tried to find the words to say; the right things to both reassure Clarissa while maintaining an element of realism. It was almost impossible to do them both, to tell her that he would be back without being completely unrealistic by erasing the potential injuries he could sustain that stopped him from doing so. No matter how confident he was in being able to return home by sunset, it couldn't be guaranteed - and it was entirely reckless and unfair of him to make those promises he just couldn't be sure he could keep.

"...I can't do that, Clar. You know I can't promise 'ya that - all I can promise is that I'm gonna give it my best shot, alright? That I'm pretty sure I'll be here by sunset, annoying the hell outta 'ya again. But I can't promise you, you know that. I won't... I can't give 'ya false hope," he eventually managed to whisper, abandoning the breakfast he had left on the ground to instead take Clarissa's hands in his own. The sparks sent up his arms at the contact predictably translated into that longing hunger he had been struggling to really fight since the start of the other's heat, feeling his body heat up and his head cloud with that lust for her - but he, like every time the wave hit him, fought it back.

"Hey, I'll be safe. I got Gio coming with me today an' the guy's a giant so I'm sure he'll keep me safe. You know he used to be this tiny thing when we were younger? Our Ma used to fret about him, thought he'd stopped growing an' all that. I'll never forget the fuckin' shock on her face when he just shot up over, like, a fortnight," he snorted, leaning against the wall beside the window to gain a better angle to see Clarissa, having abandoned the idea of looking away from her when it was important for them both to make the most of the moment they had together now, in case it did happen to be the last. It was why he was desperate to make it happy, to make the atmosphere light and relaxed with jokes about Gio - if he did get hurt and succumb to the injuries later on, he wanted the other to remember him happy.

But he was entirely certain it wouldn't come to that; that he'd be home by sunset and able to laugh about how worried they both had been at the start of the day.

"I-- really gotta go, darlin'. Be safe, yeah? I'll be back before 'ya know it."
 
A soft gasp escaped her and her eyes shot open at the sudden contact he had initiated, her body shifting slightly to see him better herself. It had woken her up, electrified her nerves yet cooled the raging heat for a moment. Her fingers tightened around his, body tingling with anticipation; apprehensive for something that she knew wasn't coming. It caused her imagination to run wild again with illicit images and soon the heat had returned to her skin as her body realised nothing was being done after all.

Clarissa squeezed her eyes closed, taking a moment to fight back the wave she too was facing. Exhaling heavily, she quietly nodded at his explanation, knowing that despite what she wanted, he couldn't promise her anything. Everything was decided, and she just hoped that whoever was up there planned to allow them more time together.

"I... I understand." She swallowed thickly, hands moving to grip his wrists. Her thumbs gently stroked the inside of his upper arm, another deep breath being released as she finally overcame another wave of this heat. She laughed weakly, giving him that, as he told her about Gio. Clarissa was fully aware of what he was trying to do, but was more than happy to allow him to do it.

She was too tired, and too scared, to really face the potential reality of it. Besides, as she said - she hadn't been in this world long enough. She didn't know what it was like to watch your mate, to watch your family members - brothers, sisters, cousins, parents - go off to fight the enemy.

As he began to leave, her head shot up and instinctively her hands tightened around his, fearful to let him go. However she knew she had to.

With a final look up to him, Clarissa nodded quietly and began to retract her hands out of his. She left them on the window ledge, not even really knowing what to say. What did werewolves typically say to loved ones about to go out to fight? Uncertain, Clarissa went with how she felt and reached to give his hand one last squeeze with a small, reassuring smile, "I love you. Remember that, okay? I love you-- please be safe. Don't be a hero. And just try everything you can to-- to come back to me."
 
Tate was fully aware that the pack were casting glances in his direction, all those old enough to realise about the heat understanding that Clarissa was caught up in the midst of one; one that clearly had to be ignored despite every instinct undoubtedly urging both her and Tate that doing so was the wrong decision, going against what was simply natural for them. Every pack member who was old enough knew that she was struggling with it and so glanced up to take in the reaction of their leader; their alpha who rarely ever showed them the inner emotions he kept bottled up and hidden beneath a stern surface.

But now was a time where Tate couldn't hold it back; he couldn't pretend to be unaffected by the situation he was caught in when he was tearfully departing from his mate for what could easily be the last time - and he wasn't even able to take her in his arms, kiss her and hold her and whisper into her ear that he loved and cherished her. Instead, he had to squeeze her hand through a gap in the window and part that way - of course it upset him to the point that he had to fiercely wipe away tears from his eyes and compose himself as he strolled down to meet his pack once more, even if they had all witnessed the trembling of his lip and the glossy tears in his eyes before he had managed a return to normalcy.

With the dozen or so pack members he had gathered for the journey and possible attack, he bid a final farewell (for now) to the ones that remained behind and took his leave for the waterfall Anders had helpfully directed them towards. It was a long trek, a journey that took up the entirety of the morning and the afternoon and so plenty of water breaks had to be made along the way to preserve their energy for a potential fight with the other pack - though the determination each of them felt for the cause forced them through whatever physical or emotional drain they were going through.

Eventually, the determination paid off as the ferocious sound of the waterfalls came closer and closer before coming completely into view. It was then that Tate held a hand up to signal the members come to a stop behind him, observing the other pack in their new camp through the foliage. It was clear they were unsuspecting of an attack from the leisurely positions some of the werewolves were involved in as they basked in the sun or took a dip into the water. Their journey to the waterfalls was to find a place to settle that helped to mask their scent; allow them a place of safety while they proceeded with their plans of decimating Tate's pack - and while it was successful, it was now a disadvantage to them. The waterfalls allowed Tate and his select members to remain undetected as they lingered on the periphery: some ventured to the right and some to the left in preparation for the attack, ready to pounce from all angles.

"...You ready?" He murmured under his breath to Gio at his side, eyeing his brother for confirmation. He didn't need the encouragement, not when he spotted the missing members of his pack tied up near a cave built into the rock, but he knew he had to offer it to the sibling closest to him. "We'll be alright; Anders is right over there. We'll attack 'em and take him an' the others home, Gio - we go on the count of three, yeah?"
 
"I was ready the moment you told us where these fuckers were." Gio growled out, eyes narrowing as he clocked on to the location of their missing pack members at the same time. They didn't look too bad, they hadn't been starved at least. There didn't seem to be any visible bruising either, but if it was like the stranger said, then they wouldn't want to beat those they kidnapped if they were hoping to convince them to join their pack.

Gio took a deep breath, nodding his head once and crouching lower to the ground in preparation to launch himself forward and shift at the same time. His hulking frame would be reflected within his wolf, but that didn't mean the larger male didn't get nervous himself when it came to a fight. He always joked that everyone wanted to take on the bigger guy just to say they got him, if they did. While the nerves would always be there, Gio did have a taste for fighting, not just because of his size but because of the adrenaline. It was worse before he met Sasha, but now he knew he had his mate and had become tamer for it. More careful and not as uncontrolled with his fighting.

On Tate's order, the younger brother pounced, the few seconds in the air all he needed in order to allow the transition to wash over him.

Chaos ensued then.

The opposition pack members seemed to freeze in their steps, only to be jolted into action at the screams that could be heard even over the roar of the waterfall. The unknown werewolves fled from the river where they were swimming or wading, others scrambled for their children to swing them up into their arms and cling them tight to their chests to begin running. A large number, however, stood and faced the attack, some shifting and others staying in their human forms with weapons while they helped people escape.

Gio snarled, launching himself forward into his first battle of the day. While he knew he had a fair few fights to get through first, his eyes were set on getting to the missing pack members that were currently tied up. His primary concern being what could happen to them, he didn't want them used as collateral, human shields or bartering tools in order for the other pack to escape.
 
Having spent several minutes observing the workings of the other pack before making his move, Tate was aware of the children that were playing about amongst each other and other family members - and he knew it went without saying that each and every one of those children were off limits. That didn't mean their family members and the pack they had grown up amongst were; the ones that remained to fight were fair game. Members of Tate's pack that had been taken were somebody's relative. They were a brother, like Anders, or a mother to children back at the campsite, yet they had been cruelly taken, not having done anything wrong, and torn from the family that had waited for weeks without them, not knowing if that family member was dead or alive.

Tate didn't want to tear any parent away from their child but he couldn't pretend to care about the werewolves that stood their ground and chose to attack. They were complicit in the horrendous actions of their pack and so offering them any kindness because they might have a child reliant on them wasn't something he was willing to do - not when they had spared absolutely no thought for the relatives of the werewolves they had helped kidnap.

Like the rest of his pack, the alpha dashed forward and seamlessly and effortlessly transitioned into his alternate form in order to take on the opposing wolves who chose to try their luck and fight. He knew Gio was heading straight for the captive members to ensure their safety so, as much as he wanted to dash across to Anders and make sure his brother was okay, the only thing he could currently prioritise was fighting off the two werewolves that seemed to tag-team in the effort to bring him down, knowing immediately that he was the alpha.

It wasn't a terrible idea - taking down the alpha would no doubt distract the other wolves and unsettle them, leaving their vulnerabilities exposed and ready to be pounced on by their enemies. Tate planned on doing the same, having sensed which wolves were the alphas and was eager to take down at least one of them - though first, he had to finish dealing with the onslaught of violence aimed towards him. He could feel their teeth tugging and biting at him, desperate to get through his fur and down into the skin. At some point, something dug in him sharply enough to cause a low whine to escape him though the pain barely registered; not when his mind was hyper-focused with such intensity on tossing aside the two wolves in order to get at one of their alphas.

With a strength he seemed to manage to summon from his core, he pushed aside one wolf with the force of his head into the other, taking advantage of their momentary stumble to sink his teeth furiously into the slightly larger wolf, tightening his jaw a little more by the second and beginning to twist and tear at the flesh. What that achieved was a loud howl in agony from the wolf now at his mercy, his partner taking one look at the amount of blood spilling from his friend before wisely opting to run after some of the other pack members to escape the scene before the same fate fell onto him.

Leaving that wolf too injured to be a threat to anyone else, Tate leapt past the ensuing chaos to tackle one of the alphas to the ground when noticing them prepare to attack an unsuspecting Lyle. Where the other alpha had disappeared to was none of Tate's concern in that moment, his heavy paws pinning down the other alpha and, upon the struggle of the older wolf underneath him, the younger alpha barked a warning, eventually acting upon it with a harsh bite to the other's neck. Not enough to be a serious injury, but enough to cause bleeding and render them relatively compliant now they knew the threat of death that lingered unsubtly over them.

Lyle, who had transitioned back to his human form, began working hurriedly on untying the members of the pack from their confines the moment it was safe to do so. The other pack had all but been dealt with. The majority had run for safety, presumably led by one of their alphas and the others that remained were severely injured and incapable of posing a threat to any of them. They had won the battle, not the war, but they had achieved what they set out to do, Tate daring a glance over at Anders when noticing his youngest brother stumble to his feet, seemingly safe and unharmed.

"We-- We really oughta get goin'," began Lyle as he obediently headed across with rope to tie the alpha up in, warily glancing down at the wolf. This wasn't his alpha but there was still a dominant air coming off the wolf in waves, causing the usually chirpy Lyle to grow quiet. "...They could come back, right? So-- Gio, come an' help would 'ya? Keep 'em still while I get the rope around 'em."
 
Gio had earned himself a few wounds himself, but nothing that would stop him from fighting or eventually coming to Lyle's aid in tying up the alpha that Tate had managed to pin down. Even though it was his brother, Gio couldn't help but feel a sense of pride regarding Tate's fighting abilities and the way he handled the situation. He was going through some tough shit at the moment and Gio knew it couldn't be easy. He had the pressure of finding this pack, making sure their missing pack members were safe but then also, to add insult to injury, he had Clarissa back at the pack both recovering from her own injuries but also now suffering through a heat that neither of them were willing to give into.

"They're scattered at the moment, and've lost some of their fighters, they won't be comin' back straight away." Gio grumbled after shifting back, taking one end of the rope from his younger brother to begin tying up the older alpha. He smirked at the threatening rumble that came from the wolf Tate had pinned down, finding it amusing considering how well caught the alpha had been. "Shut it would ya? S'not like you're goin' anywhere."

Gently patting Tate's back once the rope had been secured to let his brother know he could jump off, Gio was quick to finalise the last knot. He stepped back, arms folding tightly across his chest. The muscles in his arms popping slightly as he stared down at the wolf, eyes flashing at the prospect of who they now had at their mercy.

Glancing across to where their pack members were tied up, he silently counted them before nodding in satisfaction, "All accounted for--"

He cut off as he watched Chester approach, a small bundle in his arms. The younger brother looked pretty terrified, as if whatever was in his arms would explode at any moment, "I-- I found this in one of the caves they'd been usin' as housin'. I-- I don't know-- just take it, Gio."

Gio frowned, taking the bundle of blankets from his brother only to freeze at two little eyes that stared back up at him. Despite his tensed position, he forced his hand up to gently pull down the edge of it, allowing him a proper view of the face. "Shit-- ah, Tate. We got a problem."

Chester moved to stand with Lyle, hands wringing together as his eyebrows knitted together, "Looks like they-- they left it be'ind. Don't know how someone could do that, ya know? How could you forget your kid?"

"Could've gotten caught up in the crowd surge, couldn't get out to go back and got carried away from the panicked stream of people." Gio glanced to Tate, approaching his alpha with the baby still carefully tucked away in his arms. "Looks old 'nough to not be on milk," he observed, "We can't leave it 'ere, Tate. What if that pack don't come back? They might set up elsewhere now they know we know they're 'ere."
 
Even when he had been reassured that the older alpha was restricted by the roped bound tightly around them, Tate remained evidently on edge. He might have reluctantly stepped away from the other to allow his brothers to successfully tie them up and prevent them launching some frenzied, last-ditch attack, but he still observed the fellow alpha suspiciously, his body low and muscles tight as if waiting to pounce back at them if they made one move in refusal to comply. He knew better than to turn his back on the alpha and let his guard down when they, and their pack, had already proven themselves to be deceptive and sly.

It was only when he was absolutely certain that the alpha was adequately tied and couldn't shuffle from the confines of the ropes that he allowed himself to relax, the tension easing from his body as he stepped back and allowed himself to transition. There was no major threat of another attack when the other pack had all disappeared into the woods for safety - though if some did dare to return, the alpha made sure to encourage some of his pack members to remain in their wolf forms, just in case the unlikely did occur; it was best to be prepared for anything, after all.

He cracked his shoulders back with a groan, his hand quickly reaching for his side where the most severe of his injuries could be seen. He, like the others, had sustained cuts and bruises but the bite to his side was vicious - it wasn't life-threatening and wouldn't be too much of a distraction for him but the pain was definitely there. He obviously refused to focus on it, instead turning his attention to his pack and observing each and every one of them quickly, comforted by the fact none of them seemed to be disastrously hurt by the attack.

He wanted to head straight across to Anders when spotting his youngest brother appearing nervous, almost anxious, as he stared off into the foliage but Chester's interruption diverted his attention instead. He arched a brow at the obvious confusion, his smile present in slight amusement at Chester's behaviour - though it all made sense the moment his own eyes settled on the bundle he was carrying, his smile disappearing instantly.

"What-- that ain't-- shit," he grimaced as he leaned across to get a better look at the baby, exchanging a glance up at Gio as his stomach twisted in discomfort. This was a clear complication he didn't need, the presence of the child caused the alpha to groan aloud in a mixture of frustration and disbelief.

"We ain't takin' it back with us, that can't happen. No way. A mother will always come looking for their pup; she'll be back for it. I don't like these fuckers but we can't take a kid with us when the mother will be back here the moment we leave, lookin' for it. It'll be alright, just-- just leave it back where you found it, I'm sure it's mother will be along minutes after we go. It'll be fine," he muttered as he turned away from looking at the child, knowing any longer he glanced at it would tug at his heartstrings and cause him to agree with his brothers - which he didn't think was the wisest option.

"...They'll come back, they ain't gonna settle somewhere new without their kid. That's-- nah, they ain't monsters. There were kids here; they're a community too, right? They ain't gonna abandon a fuckin' baby, Gio. So we ain't takin' it with us. If they get back here and figure out we've fuckin' taken the baby with us, they'll be out for fuckin' blood - an' I ain't putting our pack in danger like that. I can't, you understand? So-- So put it back."
 
"An' if it's mother and father've both died in this fight? Wha' then?" Gio pointed out, eyes sharply darting down to the baby cradled in his arms as it squirmed for a moment, mouth opening before snapping closed. It didn't wake. "I-- I don't know, Tate. I wouldn't feel good about riskin' leavin' it. It's fuckin' defenceless up here."

Meanwhile Chester and Lyle moved to pick up the tied-up alpha, calling for the help of one or two others. They were cautious, despite it's muzzle also being tied shut. It was an alpha, after all. If their brother was anything to go by, they were stubborn and didn't exactly go down without a fight. They doubted it would be an easy job carrying the wolf back.

Gio continued to watch Tate, feeling conflicted. He wanted to follow his brother's - his alpha's - orders, but he couldn't in good knowledge do so. They had no idea if the baby's parents were pack fighters and could be currently lying dead somewhere because of them.

Were they really going to just leave a baby out in the cold?

"They're goin' be comin' after us cause we've got their fuckin' alpha anyway, Tate. What does it matter if we take the baby too? I-- I wanna listen to you and put it back but-- but I can't. If it's parents are dead, then there's no one coming back for it. We-- we aren't monsters either, Tate. Just... let's just take it back." He took a deep breath, releasing it in a soft growl, "Sasha and I'll look after it. It won't be any problem to you. Sasha an' I'll take care of it an'... an' we'll go from there."

Chester directed those carrying the wolf toward where the others were gathering, allowing Tate and Gio to discuss the matter in private. Once with everyone, he counted for them to bend down and lower the alpha onto the floor - no point holding the beast up when they still weren't about to move anywhere. However, with his hands now free, he immediately beelined for Anders and pulled his baby brother into a tight hug.

"Fuck Anders. It's-- it's good to--" Chester struggled with the emotion that came with getting Ander back, pulling back to hold him at an arm's length, looking him over, "You good? Did the bastards do anything to you?"
 
The growl that left Tate wasn't in anger towards Gio - he could be annoyed that he wasn't being listened to when he was the alpha who held that position of authoritative superiority, but he wasn't going to enforce his beliefs over his younger brother when he knew Gio had a point. He couldn't be stubborn and demand they leave a baby lying out in the cold if its parents were, in fact, dead - and the other pack members might just assume that the baby had cherished alongside them too. He couldn't, in good conscience, demand Gio listen to him when his own belief might end up leaving a baby to die alone in the cold - and he wasn't about to let that happen.

There was a possibility that its parents were alive and they would come searching for the pup when everything settled down, but what if that didn't happen and nobody came back for it? That possibility alone ought to make the answer clear and eventually, after Tate had run his hands through his hair and attempted to rid himself of his rising stress, the older brother nodded in agreement. Despite the possible consequences that could arise, he knew he wasn't about to be the stubborn alpha who refused to take advice when it was given to him - especially when that advice was the only way to guarantee the child's safety.

As the alpha eventually agreed and headed briefly to the water to clean the blood from his body (he didn't want to head back to camp covered in it, after all), Anders was far too preoccupied to even notice his brothers. As the other kidnapped pack members rushed forward to greet their friends, a pair of mates even being reunited in the process, Anders remained on the periphery of the excitement, nibbling anxiously on his thumbnail as his eyes remained focused on the trees beyond the waterfall clearing.

He was tugged out of that daze by Chester and then by Lyle, taking in the sight of the twins with a smile - even if it was riddled by anxiety he couldn't even attempt to mask. He was thrilled to see his family and delighted at the prospect of being able to go home where he belonged, but it wasn't exactly an easy prospect for him anymore; not when he knew he was leaving behind his mate. He had witnessed the fights taking place in mild horror - he knew the strength his brothers possessed so witnessing them attack the wolf he knew was his mate wasn't easy. By the time he was out of the ropes and able to assist his mate, Tate had already dealt with them and they had taken off running (as fast as their injury allowed them to) for safety. The blood that had covered them was unsubtle so, for all Anders knew, his mate was out in the woods somewhere, bleeding to death.

But like hell could he admit his fears to his family. He was supposed to find his mate in his own pack; not discover them at another one, especially not one that had targeted Tate's pack so maliciously. For the days he had been held captive amongst the enemy pack, the only thing that got him through it (other than thinking of his family and their eventual reunion) was his mate, their incredibly secret but budding romance being something incredibly precious to him. And now that mate was out in the woods, possibly dying as a result of Tate's attack.

"I... No, I just got a few bruises, that's all. They kept tellin' me to shut up, said I talked too much, so I got a few knocks over the head an' stuff," he smiled quietly as he absently rubbed at a bruise on his chin, forcing his smile to widen and make up for the seconds where he had stayed strangely quiet. "You-- got my message then? Obviously, you're here-- is Clar alright? She-- She ain't here. I thought-- I mean, I thought she'd be here--"

"Nah, she's back home. Going through some stuff. You know. The heat." Lyle grinned as he patted his younger brother's shoulder. The anxiety wasn't very subtle but Anders had always been sensitive - the experience he had gone through had obviously affected him. "She couldn't really come or she and Tate would have ended up doin' a bunch of stuff that wouldn't have helped any of us; we needed Tate focused so-- bringing along Clar wouldn't have helped much, kid."
 
Breathing a sigh of relief as Tate relented, Gio made sure that the baby was fully wrapped with some of the thin blanket pulled over the top of it's head. It was still unusually hot, so he didn't want the pup to get burnt, but didn't want to cause it to get overheated. Fuck. This was going to be tough, and he'd agreed to look after it. Hopefully some of the other women in the pack would help, maybe Sasha would know a thing or two.

Now that issue was dealt with, he gave Tate a once over and frowned at the wound on his side. "You'll be needin' to take care of that we get back. Get some paste and bandages on it, don't need it gettin' infected, alrigh'?" He told Tate, calling the last part to him as he walked away. Huffing softly, he joined the rest of the group, smiling quietly at the sight of the reunions.

Gio playfully shoved the twins out of the way to bring Anders into a crushing hug - while of course making sure the baby didn't get squished in the process. "Man have we been worried sick about you." Gio admitted, patting the younger werewolf on the back before stepping back, "S'good to see you again, even if you're looking a bit worse for wear. You alrigh'? You're lookin' a bit pale."

"Yeah, bit peaky. 'Ve they been feedin' you at all? I mean, I'm sure there'll be plenty of food to go 'round tonight. Wouldn't surprise me if someone back home caught a deer or something and we have a celebration tonight. I mean-- look at this! We've got everyone back safe, no big casualties. I think it's as good an excuse to hav'a party as any." Chester grinned, looking to Gio and Lyle for confirmation before his gaze returned to Anders.

Chuckling, Gio rolled his eyes and shifted the baby so he could hold it with one hand while the other reached up to scratch the back of his neck, "Well we ain't done yet. We need to do a bit of a search, ya know, sweep around the area. Make sure we've got everyone an' get any of our injured back. If we find any of their injured... I'm sure we could make use of their rope an' take them back with us too. If their alpha don't talk then we can use them - either as incentive or to get information."
 
His apparent paleness was the last thing that Anders felt needed to take priority. His brothers would obviously think differently, Anders' health obviously of huge importance to them when they had all been parted for weeks and if he was sick, they clearly wanted to know so they could help him cope with it; to support him on the way back back home. But he couldn't even give his health a passing thought when his mate was out in the woods, injured and in need of help. Anders had been struggling during the weeks he was held captive, as anyone would do in such an awful predicament, but he refused to waste time self-reflecting when he wanted to yell at his brothers to help him scour the woods in search of any of the injured 'enemy' wolves who couldn't escape to safety.

Specifically, he wanted them to help him search for one wolf in particular.

But he could hardly show them that panic, could he? He was expected to look upon these wolves as unfavourably as they all did, to see them as the enemy. Anders had a heart of gold so while he disliked the methods behind their actions, he couldn't really hate them - not when he watched them for the last few weeks work as a small community; a family just like his pack was. And he really couldn't harbour hatred for that one wolf in particular who he had found himself growing secretly close to during that time; who he had ended up realising he loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Yet, admitting as such would just bring unneeded questions onto him; questions that would only take up the precious time that could be used searching for him.

"I-- I'm fine, really. Just a bit, ah... tired? Kinda hungry too, actually. Definitely fuckin' over sleeping on the ground; I've never missed my bed so much in my life," the youngest brother smiled as he forced himself to appear casual and collected, to avoid the perpetuation of their concerns when it was just taking up time. He might not be the smartest, but he knew he couldn't rush off into the woods with the others, not if he wanted to keep his relationship a secret for now - he wouldn't be able to hold back the delight if they did find the man alive. It was a hard decision to come to, but he knew he had to remain behind and wait for his mate to be found if he was out there injured - that way, he wouldn't give their budding romance away by rushing to him and taking his hand in support.

"I'll look after the little one if you wanted to go and give the area a search? You can't go bounding through the woods with a baby in your arms, Gio," he grinned as he leaned across to get a look at the baby, cooing down at the little thing. "I'll stay back, keep an eye on them - I need to have some water and clean up a bit before we head back anyway."
 
Pausing to give Anders a proper look over, Gio hummed in thought as if debating whether to believe his baby brother. Obviously all this time apart and the fact his family member had been kidnapped made the older werewolf a little less hasty to believe everything that he was saying. He was concerned, understandably, for his well-being and just wanted to make sure he was alright after everything he must have gone through.

"Alrigh'... well... if you're sure." Gio finally concluded, still trying to not feel totally ridiculous with the small baby in his larger arms. "While we're searchin' the area, get two of our pack to run back an' tell everyone else that things went well an' to begin food. Hopefully those on cooking duty will use their heads an' make somethin' of a celebration rather than another stew." Gio chuckled, hand gently patting away at the baby's back as it squirmed again.

Carefully, Gio then stepped forward to gingerly pass the baby over to Anders, "I don't know when it's goin' wake up, mind. Or what it eats or anythin' else. Sasha and me might be tryin' for one of these soon but I have no fuckin' clue how to look after one."

Turning to Chester and Lyle, who as per usual had started bickering over something, he gently slapped Lyle's chest, "C'mon you, come with me. Chester, stick with Anders and the others. We won't be long."

True to his word, Gio made sure he and Lyle made quick work of their perimeter search. Having collected some extra rope and a few discarded blankets just in case, they informed Tate of what they were doing before setting off. Most of the bodies were fatalities but the odd one or two, he called for others to tie up and carry back to the rest of the group. Toward the end, slightly upstream was another body. The breathing was rapid and shallow, suggesting the the wolf had heard the two coming. That was also clear from the fact that it soon began to try and crawl away, only to realise it wasn't going to get anywhere and turned it's head to snarl and snap tiredly.

The wound was heavy on the left lower neck, a large chunk torn out of the spot between neck and shoulder, with blood matting sandy-coloured fur. It had clearly dripped down too, since the front left leg had a trail of blood staining the fur there too.

Gio raised an eyebrow, recognising that the wolf was in no fit state to continue fighting despite the bared teeth. "C'mon now, really? S'no point fighting this now. Why don't ya just shift back, we can walk you back an' actually get that shoulder fixed up?"

Another snarl was a retort and Gio sighed, "Believe it or now, we don't wanna do this the hard way with you. You saw what happened to your alpha; now, you've already got that nasty wound there. Do you really want another?"

A low grumbling vibrated from the wolf's chest, as if considering and thinking it all over. Eventually, cracking echoed and a gasping ensued. The transition gave way to a young male around Anders age with sandy-blonde hair and hazel eyes. He winced as he sat up on the forest floor, left arm useless considering the injury. Other scratches littered his body, along with the occasional, purpling bruise. His lower lip was also split, but it was that shoulder that caused the most grief.

Unravelling one of the blankets, Gio tossed it in the stranger's direction, who caught it with his right hand, wincing. Gio raised an eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest.

"We ain't savages, can't let you walk into our pack naked like that. I just hope you offered the same to our pack members if they had shifted."
 
Lyle would do whatever his older brother wanted him to do, but a part of him just wanted to stay behind like Chester; to clean off and relax for several precious moments after the fight, rather than exert more energy searching the perimeter and possibly coming into contact with any lingering pack members who could launch at them from the safety of the thick foliage. It was almost unfair, really - his twin brother got to stay behind and take it easy after the fight while he was sent out to search for people he didn't really give a toss about, risking his life for the second time that day.

The first time was unavoidable and he was more than glad to run into the situation, put his body on the line for his pack. This second time, however, was something he thought he didn't really need to do - though he knew better than to childishly whine about the duty when Gio was clearly serious about undertaking it. With a childish scowl over at Chester before they left, pissed off that his twin got to stay behind, Lyle headed out alongside Gio to scout out the surroundings for any members of this other pack who were too injured to have escaped like others had quickly taken it upon themselves to do.

There were a fair few along the way that suffered that fate - too injured to get themselves to safety and who were, no doubt, struggling to fight through the pain in the futile effort at creating distance between themselves and Tate's pack who could easily come after them to finish them off. That wasn't the reality of the situation, these members instead taken to the clearing in preparation to be carried off to Tate's back rather than have their life cut prematurely short.

Lyle was first to notice the sandy-coloured wolf and gestured Gio upstream to investigate. He watched silently as the wolf attempted to threateningly warn them off - as understandable as it was, a desperate attempt to preserve their life in believing that harm might come to him, Lyle couldn't help a grin from spreading across his face in ridicule. He had no sympathy for the wolf when they were part of a pack that had caused such misery and pain to his own. Seeing him so injured and in such a pathetic position beneath them was justice, in his eyes, and he refused to try and be professional when the sight of the wolf in such clear pain was something he clearly deserved.

"We ain't savages, no. We wouldn't go about kidnappin' folks from the woods. We ain't like that. We're actually kinda decent people who got pushed to the fuckin' extreme but-- whatever," the twin continued as he folded his arms, his eyes narrowed as he observed the stranger in his human form. He wanted nothing more than to proceed to ridicule him, to let out his anger on someone who deserved it, but one glance up at Gio cut him off from following that plan.

"You gonna walk alright or does the big guy need to carry 'ya?" He asked the stranger casually, glancing at the other's injured leg for emphasis. "We wanna get home before the sun starts to go down and you limpin' is gonna slow us down so this ain't no time to try and be tough - my brother can and will carry you if you reckon you can't put weight on your foot."
 
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