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Two

When Eshe announced that a pack would be coming to visit, everyone was surprised. It had been over 25 years since they had any contact with the world beyond their territory and for many, they hadn't been alive when it last happened.

Soon though, a low hum of excited energy began to spread through the pack.

Eva was personally curious but not just about meeting wolves from another pack but also curious about why the Ouma had suddenly decided it was time to open their doors again. Nothing Eshe did was without reason.

The old woman's demeanour had changed around the same time summer drew to a close. She had become distracted but also glowed with an otherworldly excitement, her onyx eyes twinkling mischievously like a child's. She was certainly hiding something...at least that was what Eva thought.

The Silver moon pack was all 25 year old Eva knew. Her mother was the pack healer and aide to the Ouma. Eva hadn't followed in her mother's footsteps though. Instead she had spent her life training to be one of the warriors. She took after her father in that regard but recently she has been forced to step down.

"Eva, sweetheart? The greens aren't going to wash themselves." Her mother's gentle voice pulled Eva from her thoughts.

She took a deep breath as her day dream broke. Green-Hazel eyes looked down at the colander full of dark green leaves and the gushing stream of cold water coming from the tap. She was meant to be making dinner for them before her mother headed out to attend her evening rounds but Eva found herself daydreaming yet again.

"Sorry mum." Eva smiled apologetically. "I think dinner is going to be a little late."

"That's okay." Nora smiled and kissed the side of her daughter's head, giving a motherly concern look. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I think I'm just a bit tired. It's been a busy day." The younger woman nodded and turned the tap off, shaking the water from the greens. "But I'm fine."

"Okay good…" Nora didn't seem convinced, her brown eyes lingering on Eva as if waiting for her to break. "Have you done your exercises?"

It had been a year since Noah was killed and Eva lost their baby. Eva still remembered it like it was yesterday. The elders always warned them to be wary of silver and wolfsbane but no one could have foreseen a car crash killing one of their own and injuring three others. Eva had been in the front seat of the old range rover with Noah at the wheel. In the back were their friends, all of them laughing and telling stories, reminiscing about their childhood.

The crash hadn't even been their fault. It had been dark and stormy for much of the day but everyone had gone about their business as usual. Humans were preparing for the festivities season and that involved parties. Parties involved alcohol and on this night, alcohol meant drink driving and smashing into the side of an old range rover at 90 miles an hour and ruining everyone's lives.

The minute the car rolled to a stop Eva had known Noah was gone. Glass and blood was everywhere. Noah was slumped in the driver's seat, his head tilted to one side. His eyes were open, calm and blue but empty. The light was gone from them as his blood gushed out of the large wound in his neck.

Eva still remembered her own screams as she tried to shake life back into the man. But he was gone. Her mate was gone and she was left with a raw wound where their bond once was. Sure, they weren't destined mates but they were mates nonetheless. It destroyed Eva. She hadn't come out unscathed either. Her back and pelvis were broken and she suffered a ruptured spleen, internal bleeding and punctured lung.

It was a few days later that the cramps started. The last link to Noah died inside of her and Eva was left to mourn again.

If she wasn't a wolf, Eva would have been dead. It still took a long time to recover and even now, Nora still refused to sign Eva off as fully recovered.

"Mum, I'm fine." Eva spoke up when the silence stretched on. "Go do your rounds. Dinner will be ready when you get back."

"Alright, alright!" Nora held up her hands, grabbing her coat and medical bag. "Stay out of trouble."

"You too!"

The old wooden door to the stone cottage slammed shut with help of the wind and suddenly Eva was alone in their small cottage. She stood doing nothing for a moment before feeling her phone buzz in her back pocket.

Maria: So, did Nora sign you off to be part of security tomorrow?

Eva: That's a negative. I am stuck being an aide to Eshe still

Maria: Seriously? How boring!

Eva: I know. I'm seriously climbing the walls. I am not built for this political aide crap.

Maria: Well maybe when the welcome party is over we can sneak off and go and train. Take some of that frustration out on Duncan!

Eva: Sounds like a plan.

Slipping her phone back into her pocket, Eva got back to preparing dinner, still a bit sore that Nora had refused to let her join the security patrol tomorrow. Eva knew she wasn't fully healed. Her back still gave her twinges but the healers were in agreement that would go soon enough. It certainly wasn't enough to stop Eva from carrying out her duties as part of security. At least that was what Eva thought. If she could shift (which she could) then that was all that mattered.

Still, Nora had the final say and none of the senior ranking wolves were going to argue with her on the matter. Not even Eshe it seemed.

At least dad will be home tomorrow. She thought, feeling a small flutter of excitement.

Axl had been on patrol in the remote regions of the pack's territory for three months. Only a few of the security team headed out that way and it was only for three months but whenever Axl was gone, everything seemed quieter. Eva knew her dad didn't mind the months away. Neither Eva nor Nora would ask him to give it up as they knew this was his nature. He favoured the wolf life over their human side a bit more and this role allowed him to have a balance that kept him happy and kept his family happy.

He had insisted on being there when the pack welcomed the Hellhounds into their territory. Axl didn't speak about it often but he had once been a Hellhound. He knew their ways and Eva suspected he was looking forward to reconnecting with old friends. His patch was proudly displayed in the living room, encased in a display case and hung above the fireplace for all to see when they came in. He might be a Silver Moon now but Nora and Axl always made a point of never forgetting their pasts.

However Eva was skeptical of their guests. Sure she had never met them before but the pack name hardly instilled trust. Additionally, just because she hadn’t met them didn’t mean their reputation hadn’t reached her. They were dangerous and ruthless. Their Alpha wasn’t known for his diplomatic approach to threats and his son, Daniel allegedly wasn’t much better. It was like the pack couldn’t decide if they were werewolves or a lawless motorcycle gang. They ruled with an iron fist which was so very different from how Silver Moon’s leadership worked.

That wasn’t to say Silver Moon were weak. If they were they wouldn’t have survived as long as they had without support from other packs. They just didn’t go in guns blazing and claw everyone to death just because of some minor dispute. If the Hellhound pack thought Silver Moon would roll over in submission, they were wrong.

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