*Immediately after the events of the previous chapter*

*5/18/90*

Every part of Ellora's mind and body felt numb. Still, she had enough mental presence to place herself between Ember and her friends. This action caused the leader’s ears to flatten. She lowered her head submissively, willing her companions to back away.

This was a delicate situation. One wrong move could be seen as a challenge. Then there would be no choice. If Ellora could avoid that, she would.

Unfortunately, Ember and her accompanying patrol seemed to have come looking for a fight. The leader took a step forward, amber eyes glowing in the moonlight.

Ellora felt her will being sapped away as an order to stand down was pressed onto her. Ember's eyes bore into hers, piercing her like a lance of flame. She whined as her tail went between her legs. She could feel the other pack alphas nearby and had no doubt they would turn their gazes on her if she resisted. “Run,” she silently begged. “Run while you can.”

The alphas and betas started to circle around. Steven had already been caught by an alpha's glare. Hunter and Summer stood before Flint, who was backing away, carefully holding his injured arm close to his chest. Fortunately for Ellora, Ember's attention was diverted by brambles rustling. Coraline burst from the trees, barreling toward her friends. When Lightening moved to intercept her, she focused her alpha stare on him. Two of the other alphas were quick to overpower her.

Hunter took a step forward, drawing his sword. A whine from Ellora stopped him. He looked down and was met with a piercing green gaze. His anger slowly melted away, as did his will to fight. One goal became prominent in his mind: Get Flint, Summer, and Steven. Then, Ellora closed her eyes, allowing him to blink again.

“Did she just…? Don't think about that now! Get them out!” Hunter turned toward Flint and Summer. "Start running! I'll cover you.” He cursed silently, realizing that Steven was still enthralled by one of the alphas. With a yell, he lunged toward the group of wolves, which allowed Steven to stumble back. "Go!" He withdrew a vial and brandished it before the alpha. "This is fire, Stone dust. You don't want me dropping it in the dry grass."

Ember turned on Hunter, baring her fangs as she ran toward him, only to be pushed to the side by Ellora and Coraline. Coraline groaned, shaking off the effects of the alpha’s stare. Ember eyes glistened with rage as she tried to lock her gaze on one of the others.

Thankfully, everyone was now looking at the ground. Ellora barked, signaling everyone to run. There would be no negotiations, at least not with Hunter or three rogues. To her relief, she heard Flint, Summer, and Steven retreat.

When she didn't hear Hunter's footsteps, she looked in his direction. Her heart sank when she saw grim determination on his face as he retrieved his revolver. She barked at him again, but he shook his head. He wasn't going to leave her to fight alone.

Ember barreled into Ellora, fangs sinking deeply into her shoulder. Ellora yelped in pain while trying to scratch at her opponent's underbelly with her hind feet. She felt claws swiping at her from behind but couldn't risk turning to snap at the other assailant, as that would leave her throat open.

The alphas grappled, neither one gaining or losing ground. Ellora bit Ember's ear, which loosened the leader's grip enough for her to shake free.

Hunter was dealing with three wolves at once, swinging his sword desperately while using the Stone dust canister to make them back off at intervals. He didn't want to risk throwing it with Coraline and Ellora so close but wondered if he had any other option. A gray wolf grabbed his arm, thankfully biting the metal armor, and Hunter ran his sword through. The wolf gasped as it fell to the ground. He quickly spun around and popped off two shots with Red Redemption, killing another wolf trying to claw him from behind.

Coraline was facing Sage and two alphas. She swiped at their snouts, pointedly avoiding the eyes of the alphas while trying to use her own stare to her advantage whenever she turned toward Sage. Unfortunately, the beta wolf seemed to have steeled herself against any alpha stares but Ember's. Coraline wondered exactly how it was done, but it was too late to ask.

A yelp from lightning-caused Sage to briefly be distracted, allowing Coraline to grab her by the scruff and throw her to the side. One of the alphas bit down on her arm, and she tried tugging away, which caused the teeth to go in deeper. She whimpered as the sharp fangs cut through her skin, leaving deep gashes.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass and an eruption of ice behind the attackers caused everything to go still.

Rose stood at the edge of the woods, axe ready, Stone dust vials in hand. Her eyes shined with fury, challenging any werewolf to attack her.

They never got the chance. In the wake of the explosion, Coraline broke free of her attacker. She rushed toward Rose, nimbly dodging the still-stunned wolves around her. She skidded to a halt beside her sister and crouched, barking urgently.

Rose wasted no time in scrambling onto Coraline's back. She barely had time to put away her vials and get a grip on her sister's fur before they moved again, faster than Rose would have ever thought possible.

Ellora ran to Hunter, nudging him. He nodded once before running ahead. She turned just in time to lash at a charging Ember. She grabbed the leader's shoulders just as Ember's claws dug into her chest, almost causing her to lose her grip.

"Ellora, get clear!" Hunter called.

Ellora used what remained of her strength to shove Ember away and run, staggering as blood gushed from her wound. Behind her, she heard glass breaking and felt an eruption of heat. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she heard her packmates' horrified yelps and howls behind her. All her dreams had just shattered with that glass vial. There would be no peace between her pack and Castell Henllys now. There would only be burnt corpses on a field and a pack of fugitives forced to flee to the south.

They made a wide circle around the border of Castell Henllys and made it safely to the patch of woods that had been marked on Rose's map. There, they stopped. Ellora fell on the ground, sides heaving.

Hunter was at her side immediately. "Okay, Ellora. Let's take a look at that.” He looked at the gash and winced. It was right in the center of her chest and would likely leave a nasty scar. "She got you good, huh? Can you roll onto your back for me?"

Ellora groaned as she complied, trying to focus on her human's voice rather than the sharp, relentless pain going through her. His fingers combed through her fur, brushing it away from the wound.

"Rose, do you have your flask?" Hunter called, not taking his eyes off his work.

"Here,” Rose, who was in the process of dressing Coraline's arm, tossed her flask to Hunter. "Easy, Coraline," she murmured. "You're okay. That jerk will have some scars to remember you by."

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Coraline's tail wagged weakly. Truthfully, she hadn't landed many hits on the alphas, but she allowed her sister's soothing words to do their work.

Hunter opened the flask. "There's wine in here, so that'll sting a bit.” He slowly poured half of the flask over the wound, wishing he had better light than the waning moon to work by.

Ellora yelped, fangs clenching as the stinging liquid mixed with her blood. She dug her claws into the ground.

"You're doing great, Ellora," Hunter murmured, keeping up a steady stream of encouragement as he worked. He used what remained of his disinfecting cream and generously spread a numbing agent onto the gash. "I'm gonna need to stitch this. Hold still, okay? Rose, can you please start a small fire? I need to sterilize a needle"

One of the most useful lessons of becoming a Huntsman, or at least an unlicensed one, was always being prepared. Even on short walks, Huntsmen were expected to be ready for anything. They were supposed to have flasks, armor, weapons, stones, and medical supplies. Many of their early training days simply consisted of running across uneven ground and learning to maneuver easily while bearing such burdens.

Many in similar professions, such as Kevin, liked to cut corners when packing, choosing lighter bags over safety. Hunter was not one of them. He withdrew a needle and thread from his medical supplies. Once Rose had a tiny fire, he sterilized the needle and started working.

Ellora let out a whine that sounded more like an ongoing groan. The numbing agent was starting to work, so she only felt the slightest sting when the needle went in and out. Compared to the pain she had been feeling, it was nothing. She kept her ears perked toward Hunter, listening to his words of encouragement.

Coraline sniffed the air and stood up, yipping quietly at the trees. Her tail wagged as Flint, Summer, and Steven stepped out, still in wolf forms.

Rose looked at the three in surprise. "You waited for us?"

Flint shot her a glare, huffing loudly. Of course, they waited. It was the least they could do.

Rose's face flushed. "I didn't mean… Thank you."

Flint's expression relaxed a little, and he nodded if a bit curtly.

Summer was pacing around the improvised campsite, her beta powers fully activated. It felt like Ember's group had yet to follow them out of the wastelands. They were south of Castell Henllys and far from the pack's territory. They likely wouldn't face any trouble unless they went back.

"Ah, damn," Hunter muttered as he realized something. "Will these stitches come loose when you turn back in the morning?"

Ellora shook her head, smiling comfortingly. Even if they did, she would be mostly healed by that point. Werewolves healed quickly when wounds unrelated to Stones or silver were concerned. Besides, the wound inflicted by Ember hadn't been serious other than how much it had bled.

"That's good,” Hunter returned to his work, eyes narrowed in concentration. Once he was done, he moved back with a sigh. "It's a bit patchy, but it should hold until morning. Try not to agitate it."

Ellora got up gingerly, wincing a little at the tugging sensation of the stitches as she moved. She looked at Hunter, tail wagging. Though she wanted to lick his face with gratitude, she rubbed her head gently against his chest. She wasn't sure if there were any cuts on his face, and she didn't want to turn him by accident.

Hunter blushed at the affectionate gesture. He rested a hand on her head, hesitating momentarily before ruffling her ears. He smiled when Ellora's tail started wagging harder in response.

Coraline closed her eyes, allowing the spell of the night to seep out of her and into the earth. Her fur, claws, fangs, and tail retreated as she did so. Turning back was always draining, unlike the rush one got when turning into a wolf. When she was in her fragile human skin once more, she fell forward.

Rose quickly grabbed Coraline and eased her into a sitting position. "Are you all right?" she asked, looking at Coraline with concern.

"Yeah. Thanks, Rose,” Coraline smiled weakly. "You showed up just in time." She leaned into Rose's embrace, resting her head in the crook of her neck. "But, what'll we do now? Ember won't let us go back. What about Bandit and Scarlet? They will be suspected of being traitors since they are close to Ellora. Ember may even kill them."

There was a moment of silence as everyone looked at each other. Summer growled, and Flint whined softly. Hearing more about Ember only seemed to remind them or Scar.

Ember shouldn't punish them, right? Hunter spoke up, glancing at Ellora. "She's usually reasonable, right?"

Ellora nodded, though her eyes were unsure. She had a sneaking suspicion that Ember had specifically gone to the wastelands to find them. Also, there was no telling what she would do in response to seeing Ellora and Coraline with a human. With what happened back there, Bandit and Scarlet are likely in danger. Ellora’s ears went flat against her skull at the thought of being unable to protect her friends from harm.

There was a lingering hope that Bandit and Scarlet realized something was wrong and reacted quickly. Hopefully, Scarlet refuses to fight, as was her answer to every problem. If Bandit keeps calm, they should run. Bandit often does know better than others when to retreat when necessary.

However, it would not be easy for the humans to see her from this day forward. This might be the last time Ellora would see these people depending on what was decided tonight. She found herself looking at Hunter, ears flattening sadly.

Flint and Steven turned back into their human forms. Summer remained in her wolf form and kept her beta powers in effect. To keep her stitches intact, Ellora remained a wolf.

"So, what are we going to do?" Flint asked. "I don't like the idea of leaving anybody with that pack, no matter how reasonable you think Ember is.”

Coraline sighed. "I don't either, but we can't exactly go back. They'll be looking for us. This isn't like when you guys escaped Scar's territory when we were looking for my mom."

Steven whimpered. "Scar, Ember…We're dead either way. I say we use that map and go south. We can find a wild pack that lives far away from humans."

"No!" Rose blurted before she could stop herself. Her face flushed when the others turned to look at her. "I…I mean, you haven't been able to prepare. Remember, you were planning on leaving during the full moon. It's only luck that allowed us to get this far. There are merchant caravans with Huntsmen guarding them and various other dangers.”

"Well, what do you suggest?" Flint snapped. "Should we just hide in the trees and hope no one from Castell Henllys decides to patrol here? Ember could easily decide to follow us here as well.”

"I think we should leave," Coraline piped up, her voice sounding hollow and small, even to her own ears. It was almost as hollow as her soul felt at that moment.

Rose's heart sank, and her mouth went dry. She just barely resisted the urge to hug her sister tighter.

"It's not safe here anymore," Coraline continued. "We should look for a new area to live in, but I agree that we need Bandit and Scarlet with us,” she looked at Hunter. "What if you got a message to them? Ellora said that most werewolves can't read, but I’ve taught Scarlet a few basic words. We'll tell them where to go. You guys can escort them there. Then…then, we can go.” She couldn't keep the sob out of her voice during that last sentence.

Rose sniffled quietly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Coraline, I…" She shook her head. "You're right, of course. We'll try to get Bandit and Scarlet here as soon as possible."

Hunter nodded, though his own eyes were starting to get teary. "Looks like we'll be losing you guys after all,” he looked at Coraline for a long moment. Getting her back after thinking she was dead had been nothing short of a miracle. He didn't know if he could handle saying goodbye to her forever. His gaze then went to Ellora. Even though he had only known her briefly, he already considered her one of the most loyal friends he had ever known. He really didn’t want to say goodbye to her either.

Ellora met Hunter's sad gaze and whimpered, articulating her regret in the only way she could.

Steven cleared his throat. "Um, until we get out of here and find a new pack, we'll need a leader,” he look ed at Ellora. "You're the only alpha beside Coraline, and she's a whelp, so….”

"And she'd be a great leader even if we were all alphas," Coraline added, smiling confidently at Ellora.

Ellora's ears flattened, and she felt her face growing hot under her fur. She had no wish to be a leader, even a temporary one. She would have been more than happy to defer to Flint or Summer. However, they were looking at her and nodding.

“Just until we find a new home,” she decided, forcing her ears to go upright again. She nodded once and immediately sensed the relief that the other wolves felt.

Rose glanced at Coraline, unable to keep from feeling a stream of hot tears racing down her face. She felt her throat tighten as she fought to keep from breaking down. “It's for the best,” she reminded herself. “She won’t even be here in a little while. You don’t have a way of preventing this. Just accept it.”

Hunter looked at the sky and stood. "We'd better head back, Rose," he muttered, his voice as heavy as his heart felt. "We'll catch everyone up in the morning,” he looked at Coraline and Ellora. "We'll try to come out during the day and meet with you guys. Maybe bring some food. Hang in there until then,” he withdrew more disinfectant cream and placed it on the ground. " Use that on your wounds.”

Ellora stood up fully, placing a forepaw on Hunter's shoulder to express her thanks.

Hunter smiled, returning the gesture. "Hang in there, okay?"

Ellora couldn't help but smile in return. Something about this human managed to give her confidence, even after what had just happened.

Rose, meanwhile, hugged Coraline tightly, trying to gain some control over her tears. “Keep hidden.”

"I will,” Coraline hugged back, sniffing loudly. "I'm sorry this happened, Rose."

"Don't you apologize," Rose hissed. “I just…" Rose shook her head. "I don't want you to go."

Coraline bit her lip as more tears welled up. "I don't want to go either. I really, really don't…."

Hunter allowed them another minute, then gently called out to Rose again. "We need to go," he said, his voice apologetic.

Rose nodded and pulled back. "Be careful, Coraline."

"I will,” Coraline hesitated for a moment before leaning in, hugging her sister once more, cherishing the moment. “Get going,” she backed away.

"I…I…" Rose shook herself. "We'll see you soon," she followed Hunter back toward Castell Henllys. Her head spun, and she felt more confused, devastated, and strangely happy than she could ever remember feeling.