Three years had passed and the Silent Winter pack had grown into an unthinkably strong pack.

As word had travelled around about a new strong pack, uniting rogues with a different view and take on things a lot of them had set direction towards Winter.

The pack had worked really hard to turn things around for themselves and their territory. The lost and deserted place was in no way the same as three years ago. Jenny was still there, but she had now three shops in town. All wolves went there for a haircut.

Luke's bar was still there, it gave the pack eyes and ears in the township. Winter had opened a big night club which was famous and brought a lot of money in. The major had seen what she had invested in the city and they started to work together to turn things around.

Together with her wolves they had ruled their pack with a strong hand, the image of the pack was one that fitted their name. Cold, merciless, rogues, and yet most packs envied their strength and growing power.

Where they had started with twenty wolves they now had reached the step of five hundred. Most of them still lived at the compound, but Winter and Luke had looked for another place to settle their pack. This way the territory was better protected and they could better stand incoming attacks. So far nobody had tried to attack or take over the pack.

But Winter knew that with her growing numbers and the way the pack was doing sooner rather than later an enemy would be knocking at their door. She had increased the patrols and guards around the borders. She had trained her wolves to fight harder and defend better. But most important she had trained them on obeying only the pack and no one outside of it. She had trained them to withstand other alpha commands and use a mind link inside the pack.

It was unseen for wolves not related by a "reel" pack or by blood to communicate together and yet she was able to manage it. The members all were proud to be part of her pack and they treated her with the uttermost respect.

But in those three years even though she had been occupied most of the time, the loss of her family followed her.

The past two nights Winter had been plagued by nightmares about her brothers, she had felt restless each morning. She could feel that something was coming, something bad.

She had jumped in the shower and dressed herself in training gear. She made her way over towards the kitchen and saw that the wolves on duty were already starting with the preparations for breakfast. As she stepped in she greeted each and every one of them. It didn't take long before a plate filled with food was handed to her.

Winter grabbed the food and walked over towards the pack hall. She took a place at the long table and started on the food. As she was eating the doors swung open and Luke walked in.

Many of the original wolves had been replaced, since more fitter wolves had presented themselves but the one constant in the pack had been Luke. The wolves respected him and his opinion.

Luke walked in with Blade, a wolf that had stood up for the pack and had been rewarded by giving him the role to help Luke with his duties.

"Morning." Luke said with a smile.

"Morning alpha"

Blade added as his eyes roamed over Winter's body, he had never hidden the fact that he found his alpha wildly attractive.

"Morning boys, Blade do me a favor and cut the alpha."

Winter had answered with a smile.

Luke snickered.

"She prefers Ice Queen." He answered with a smile.

They took a seat on opposite sides of Winter and eyed her food.

"Yeah, no food for you guys today. Insulting your alpha costs you dearly."

She answered with a grin.

"Now over to more important business."

"What no small talk? Hi Luke how are you doing, Blade everything okay with you guys?"

Winter started to get annoyed. She could feel something was terribly wrong and Luke acting like this was a sizzle on a hot platter. She smashed her fist on the table.

"Enough. I want status reports on everything and I want them now." She roared.

Luke and Blade looked both startled at her.

"What's wrong, talk to us?" He asked.

"Nothing, just do as I ask."

"Patrols reported everything as okay. Jack reported that the business figures are okay. He will present them tomorrow at the pack meeting. Ten new recruits this week. Training is going smoothly." Luke said dryly.

"Shipments and transport?" Winter asked.

"All on time, all complete." Blade answered.

"Pits? Any incidents?"

"No, all under control." He answered again.

"Something is not right, it is too quiet like the silence for the storm." Winter said as she shook her head.

"Winter talk to us, you don't have to do this alone." Luke tried again.

"I don't know what it is. I just have a really bad feeling. Something is coming for us."

Winter had upped the patrol rounds and insisted on being part of the fighting training. She stood in the practice ring against one of the top of their fighters. He was a division leader, she needed to know if he was ready for an incoming attack or not.

Flint was an exquisite fighter, he was top of her army and she appreciated him a lot. He was built as a house, all muscles and strength. With his grey eyes he studied his opponent every move and tried to calculate what they would do next. Even though he was top of the bill, he had never managed to beat Winter.

They fought a lot, she needed to know if her fighters were ready. As the fighters saw her approach a smile appeared on their faces, things were always a tad more interesting if she was around.

"Morning."

She said stern and jumped straight into the ring. Flint grabbed a couple of gloves and handed her a pair.

"Morning." He answered with a smile.

'You don't look too happy.'

He said using the mind link to check her mood.

'I am not, something is coming for us and if I am sure that you are ready my mind would be a lot more at ease.'

Flint had become a good friend over the years he had been part of her pack. He knew when and when not to ask questions.

"You can all see on my face that I am not too happy to day. So give me a reason to be. Show me that we can stand anything." She encouraged her fighters.

"We can all learn from each other as we are all equals, so tell us at any time what we could do better." She ended her speech.

The fighters rounded around the pit to look closely at the fight. Winter felt too agitated to wait for a first move, something she never did. Instead she went straight into attack. Giving Flint a surprise hit. He took a moment to gather himself, but was quick to answer with a punch of his own.

Winter felt how along the fight the feeling started to go away. She tackled Flint to the ground and looked as he shifted below her. He threw her off her back and she smiled. His wolf was impressive and she stood eye to eye with a massive beast. And suddenly she felt how an icy chill ran over her spine.

"Winter"

Blade came running towards the pit. He was closely followed by four other men who held another man captive.

"You still got it." The man said.

Winter slowly turned around and felt how the feeling turned into something sickening. She looked straight into the eyes of Charlie.

"Winter we found him on the edge of the territory, we wanted to kill him since he is a pack and that's part of the law. But he said he was a friend of yours and that your brothers needed help."

She felt all eyes on her while Blade said those words. She looked into Charlie's eyes and the pain was back at her chest the rejection played right and fresh in front of her eyes. She gasped and grabbed her chest in pain. Flint immediately changed back and rushed forward to support her.

"Bring him to the hall and get Luke." She said weakly.

The fighters immediately took all stand to defend their alpha if necessary. Charlie looked impressed at the army she had built. She took a moment to gather herself, Flint still held her.

'It's him, isn't it?' he asked.

'What do you mean?' she responded.

'He is the one that rejected you.' Flint answered.

'Wait how do you know?'

'That scar of yours I have one too.' He looked at her eyes filled with compassion.

'He can be anybody.' She answered.

'Winter please don't lie to me. I can see the massive pain in your eyes. You need to get yourself together, don't let him see you like this. Don't let him know that he still has an effect on you.' Winter nodded her head and Flint let go.

"Lesson of today, don't let a change surprise you or a person you have known in the past."

The fighters looked all at her with admiration. Winter made her way over towards her room and showered quickly, she changed in a pair of skinny jeans and a loose black blouse. She hustled her fingers through her short wet hair and looked at herself in the mirror.

There was a short knock at her door and as she opened it Luke stood there.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Blade told me you were quiet shocked to see this man."

Winter looked up at Luke.

"Yeah I was."

They walked in silence towards the pack hall.

"Winter tell me who he is too you. I don't want to go in and be blindsided."

He stopped her placing his hand on her arm. Winter switched off her emotions like she had done all those years ago and took a deep breath. She looked up at Luke, he searched her eyes for something. Something that wasn't there.

"He was my mate." She said silently.

"And he rejected me."