It is completely dark when they arrive, Sina dropping Amara off in front of the pack house. She was glad she had texted her parents to let them know she would be out all day with a friend. She waves goodbye to Si, watching her drive off. The night is so still, most people seem to be inside or already in bed. She was going to turn in herself but for some reason, she just does not feel like it anymore.

Instead, Amara leisurely walks around the pack house towards the back, leaving her stuff in a hidden spot, and she is once again drawn into the tranquil woods that she has already come to feel safe in. She loves it here, loves the smell of freshly blooming summer flowers. She loves the sound of small animals scurrying through the foliage. She likes the stillness.

Finding a secluded area mostly hidden by overhanging trees, she lowers herself to the ground. She closes her eyes and falls into a meditative state, completely clearing her mind. Amara was so entranced at that moment that she didn't even sense anyone approaching until they sit right beside her. She is stunned back to reality and her first instinct is to go on the defensive after so many lessons drilled into her by her mom.

Thankfully, her mind quickly registers the surprise companion as Lyam and she lets out a breath she had not realized she had been holding. "What are you doing weirdo? Nearly gave me a heart attack just popping in like that" she playfully shoves him.

His muscles shift as he sways. Lyam raises his eyebrows and answers bemused "You're the one just sitting in the dark by yourself in the middle of the woods." He takes a sip out of a bottle she hadn't even noticed. From the smell, it is definitely some kind of alcohol but there are hints of chocolate and peppermint what an odd combo in the summer. "And yet you somehow found me" she points out, the question implied in the statement.

“Well SOMEONE had invited me and Scottie over for a movie night. When you didn’t show we thought something might have come up. I texted you but got no reply so we hit up Sina and she told us what happened. When I went to check up on you, your parents said you weren’t back yet so I came looking. I just wanted to make sure you made it in alright.” His explanation started out teasing but turned shy towards the end.

“Shit! I’m so sorry Ly. I meant to let you know but it slipped my mind and I left my stuff by the back door before coming here. We’ll make it up to you guys, promise! Don’t want Scottie getting all sulky on us” Amara jokes but genuinely feels bad for just forgetting about their plans entirely.

He easily waves off the apology with a kind smile and offers her a sip of his drink which she declines. With a shrug, Lyam takes another swig. They sit side by side in silence except for the sounds of nature for a while before Lyam breaks it “Do you think you’re happier here? You know, in the pack instead of being a nomad.”

The question catches her a little off guard but she takes a moment to really think about it before answering. “I miss it a little. Traveling all around with no one but your family to worry about is really...freeing. It is fun but there are difficulties too. I can’t tell you how I’ll feel in the long run but right now, I’m super grateful we’re here. For the first time, I’m making real connections outside of my parents. I have stability so it's like I can finally start asking myself what I want. It is different but I don’t regret it.”

Lyam nods and silently looks out into the woods. Amara can tell he is thinking and has something he wants to say so she patiently waits him out.

“I’m glad you moved here. I’ve just always been curious about what it's like, you know, being a nomad. For a while when I was younger, I just wanted to get the hell away from the pack and never join another. I was so fucking angry”, he laughs with a hint of melancholy “Our dad had died and it felt like they just cared about getting Madd to take his place. Dad was my hero and, logically, I get why it was necessary. Doesn’t change the fact that I was a kid, grieving and pissed cause it felt like he was being replaced and forgotten.”

Lyam takes another swig then continues, eyes pointed somewhere far away, lost in memories “I took it out on my brother. We were so close but after that, it took a while for me to grow up and stop being a dick. Sometimes, I wonder if I ever fully let it go. If it would be better that I left. I love him but he’s...he’s a lot to live up to and I have no fucking clue what I’m even doing, like, eighty percent of the time” he confesses with a rueful smile.

“Join the club, Ly. I’m pretty sure the entirety of your twenties are supposed to be dedicated to figuring shit out as you go along. Fake it 'til you make it baby. There is nothing wrong with that. Remember, you are you, Maddox is Maddox. You are completely different people and you have something unique to offer the world, we all do. So be angry and confused, question shit. That’s how we grow as people. You can love your brother while still wanting to find your own place. Just be kinder to yourself, yeah? We can all be fuck ups together until we figure out how to be real life adults” Amara bumps shoulders with Lyam.

She can feel some of the tension leave his muscles and the troubled crinkle of his eyes has softened. He turns his head to look at Amara directly so she does the same. Something changes in his gaze, it is minute but they are so close together that she sees it. He takes a deep breath and studies her face. Lyam suddenly looks nervous and licks his bottom lip. His mouth opens to say something and Amara suddenly panics and stands.

“Look at that, it really is getting late! Come on, let's head back” she fidgets slightly and hates how nervous her voice sounds. She can’t help it though. Amara genuinely likes Lyam as a friend but something about the way he was looking at her made her stomach drop unpleasantly and she would rather not have the awkwardness between them that would definitely happen if he does confess to liking her more than just a friend. The fact that she is crushing on his older brother only makes her feel worse.

Before Lyam can reply, she turns and hurriedly walks away, ignoring the confused look on his face. Shit, I’m such an asshole. Why couldn’t I have been smoother about that? She curses herself and prays to whatever deity exists that Lyam will forget the whole thing. She can feel Lyam catching up to her with long strides until he is close enough to grab her arm and spin her around so they are now chest to chest. “Amara, please. Just li-”

Whatever he wanted to say was cut off by her hand now covering his mouth. The slightest scent had been blown their way. A scent that caused her entire body to tense. Before Lyam can do anything she softly whispers, “Do you smell that? It is faint but it's there.” The switch is instant as his eyes focus and he breathes in deeply.

In her lifetime, Amara had only come across the scent once but it is unmistakable. Ash, blood, and sage. It is the scent that precedes the arrival of the ulfhednar. The pack of rogue wolf shifters leaves nothing but destruction and devastation in their wake simply for the sake of it which is how they earned their name. While traveling through the pacific northwest one summer, her parents caught the scent and instantly went on high alert, getting them the fuck away as fast as possible.

Afterward, they warned Amara and told her stories about their origins and why they are to be feared. No matter how many years had gone by, she would never forget that scent or the instant terror it sent through her. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it seems like Lyam had never encountered it so she silently mouthed ulfhednar. That did it, his whole demeanor changed and Amara was glad she wouldn’t have to stress how much danger they could possibly be in.

“We need to hurry and warn someone. I don't know why they are here but ulfhednar crossing into pack territory is never good” he whispers so softly that it is barely audible.

That, they can both agree on. Silently, they take off towards the pack house with as much speed as possible without making their presence known. There's no way to know how close the rogues are. There is a cloudiness to Lyam’s vision that tells her he is trying to use the pack link to get the message out.

“Any luck?” she asks softly.

Lyam doesn't answer but gives a shake of his head. If only she were connected to Onyx Moon already then she could try as well. Strangely, he can’t get through. Something could be blocking it but that's unheard of.

Rustling in a nearby bush catches their attention and they cautiously approach. Lyam signals for her to go around to the other side. Amara is not sure what she was expecting but reaching in and dragging out a couple of kids, was not it. She and Lyam’s hands placed firmly over their mouths kept them from screaming and putting them all in danger.

"What the hell are you two doing out here?!" Lyam hisses to keep from being heard. The boy in his arms and the girl in Amara’s must be no older than ten and she recognizes them as the pair who had dragged her over to play with the cubs. "What Ly means is that it can be dangerous out here this late. We have to go, there's an intruder". To their credit the two kids look at each other then nod, understanding that they need to stay calm and follow.

Amara realizes she lost the scent. She worriedly informs Lyam and hates not being able to tell what direction it's coming from anymore. The wind is changing directions. If they don't do something soon then the rogues will be alerted to their scent and know exactly where they are.

This night just continues to get complicated. A little voice that sounds suspiciously like her mom echoes in her mind. Her incessant need to train and teach Amara about tracking and survival might just save their skin.

The river flows through there, that is where they have to go. Water dampens scent, it is tracking 101. Whoever the rogues are, they likely won't have a sense of smell freakishly keen enough to find any trace of it that's leftover.

For a second Lyam looks impressed. Wordlessly they take the children's hands and slink towards the river. First, they guide the kids in and they do their best not to make a splash. Then, the older two join them making sure they all submerge themselves.

Coming back up, they climb out and Amara grabs the boy, whispering in his ear "Can you reach your Alpha? Tell him his brother sensed an intruder smelling of ash, blood, and sage Northwest about five miles within the border." The boys' eyes are sharp and he automatically starts trying to reach out. Lyam and the girl are crouched beside them.

“We need to keep moving towards the pack house” Lyam quietly suggests. Amara looks towards him and shakes her head in disagreement. “As soon as the boy says he got through, I think we should head in a different direction towards the family homes. If we keep going towards the pack we'll be in the middle. The kids are with us, with the Alpha and enforcers going to meet the threat, our job is to get the children somewhere safe” she counters.

She kind of expected Lyam to argue with her but he simply agreed. The boy gives them a thumbs up letting them know the message is out so they can take off in their new direction, holding the kid's hands to keep them from separating. Amara hopes Maddox understood what she was trying to say. She didn't want to call it a ulfhednar or rogue and risk panicking the kids. Please let them all be safe, She silently pleads. They don't need the kind of trouble that any rogue pack, but especially this one, would bring.