Unknown p.o.v.

It was almost time; our leader had the perfect strategy. we shall rule.

After all a pack will fall without an alpha

Alex p.o.v.

A few days had gone by honestly, I wasn't paying attention all I did was talk with Sophia, plan with Marcus about uncles' scent and where it was found and live in my own head. I could tell Marcus was worried considered I didn't sleep or eat but I wanted avian back, I wanted uncle dead, and I wanted a life worth living for.

"Alex" Marcus said touching my back, pulling me out of my thoughts. Currently we were in his office, I was standing aside while he and Kyle talked. it was around noon, but time seemed to pass different when your concerned

"huh" I asked when I felt his hand holding mine

"are you ok? Maybe you should eat or sleep or-

I cut him off "I'm fine babe" he huffed but nodded

Beth walked into the office "hey how's the search going?" she asked

I growled "not good, we have nothing!"

"we have his scent" Kyle reassures trying to make the situation better

Walking to the door I set my hand on the handle "barely" I grumble

"Alex this will take time" Beth said giving me a smile

"we don't have time; a small child is somewhere in the hands out of the man who tortured me for years and only wants power. I am going out to look myself I can't sit here any longer" I growled

"no!" Marcus closed the door before I could exit "it's too dangerous"

I scoffed "Marcus move, or I will rip your baby maker off"

"if I get to keep you safe so be it" he said

"he is waiting for me; Marcus I don't need to ask you to let me do this. I will be doing this either way" I stated "I will fight you on this"

He sighed "let me get some warriors to come with you"

I shook my head "no ill never get anywhere with company"

"no, absolutely not" he growled

Fine so its sneak out again, this boy doesn't learn "fine I guess your right"

Marcus smiled "good everything works better when we agree"

I mentally roll my eyes "true babe, now I'm going to go check on Sofia"

Marcus nodded going back to his paperwork "I'll come" Beth chirped

Once we were out of wolf hearing range which was all the way outside Beth spoke up "you're going to sneak out aren't you"

"yup" I smiled "now are you gonna help me or blab?" I asked

"if I pretended to be sick for you, I think you know the answer, now how you going to do it" she giggled

"well most of the warriors are looking for uncle so it should be fine, right?" I ask

"no some stayed to stand guard" she said adding "but we could say we are taking a walk close"

"true but I don't know if they will believe it" I stated

She smiled big "follow my lead"

What

I followed her over to the edge of the woods "man my wolf could use a stretch" she stated

A warrior walked from behind a tree "Beta female we have orders to keep you and the Luna inside safe"

She pouted "please me and Alex are just going to go for a run we will be careful and close"

"no the alpha and the beta say-

Before he could say anything, she clawed her leg causing blood to come from her thigh through her jeans "now we don't want the alpha and beta to see that you injured the beta female huh?" my eyes went wide

This girl

Scares me

He paled "b-but I didn't-

"but who do you think beta and alpha would believe?" she asked

Looking at me he pleaded "you saw her right?!"

I feel so bad for this but "I saw you injured your beta female"

"fine fine, have a good run but please don't tell the alpha I was the one who let you, I have pups" he cried

I held his hand "you'll be fine, no one is hearing about this"

He smiled, extending his arm to let us through, which we gladly took

"Beth I'm going to go hunt for him, please stay back" I said

"no, I want to help please" she begged

"no, I don't want you hurt" I firmly replied

"either you let me come or I blab" she crossed her hands

"Your evil you know that" I said smiling over too her

"I know how to get my way, ask Kyle" she said

"I don't need too I saw with the guard and with you blackmailing me" I laughed

"hey, I don't do what I did to the warrior when I desperately need something" she pointed

"fine let's go" we started running then we shifted, Beth into her orange and brown wolf, me into my black panther, we went for about an hour getting further and further into the woods, but I felt like we were getting nowhere

'we need to split up its obvious nothing is happening with the two of us' I mind linked her

'no' she growled

I growled back 'that wasn't a request'

'so now you going to use your Luna voice on me, then why didn't you with the guard huh?' she said, we were standing in a group of tall evergreens bickering like children, I had a feeling this would be a recurring situation

'I can play dirty too, also if I used my Luna voice Marcus would know' I confirm giving her a cat smile aka baring my fangs at her slightly 'so as Luna, go scout that way' I say nudging my head in the opposite direction

She growled once more 'fine but meet me here before dark'

'sounds good' I said before she raced off, sure she wasn't happy about the Luna command, but I wasn't happy about her putting herself in danger by being out here with me, she was as hardheaded as I was

I took off the other direction not paying attention to my surroundings, I realized Cleo was silent

'Cleo' I asked

'yes' she said

'you ok?' I asked

'yes, I wanted you to make this decision yourself' she sated

'your part of me' I said

'I know but I support you trying to find that bastard, but you ran from Marcus. he must be pissed. You could be hurt' she said

'I know but I need to do this' I said

No response came from her, I was on my own on this one

CRACK

I stopped mid run causing me to tumble over, what the hell, looking over all I saw was a blur. growling I lunged for the object only to come up short, I rolled hitting a tree trunk. I shook my head shaking the little pain it gave me off

The blur came into view once again never once stopping, it was almost like someone was running and you could only see a fraction of their form

A couple minutes of me, lunging and failing at the fast-moving figure. I figured it was useless, so I sat down. I figured he wouldn't do anything considering he hadn't done anything to try me, plus I was exhausted

He ran in front of me finally showing himself, he was young, maybe mid 20s a little older than me, pale, blonde hair, brown eyes, short, with a wicked grin on his face "so I see you have stopped your failed attempts Alex"

How the fuck did he know my name

"shift, I think we should talk, I promise I will not harm you, well at least not until I get the order" he chuckled, I growled causing him to put his hands up "if you don't shift kitty, we cant talk now can we"

I had to do this for avian, whatever information I can get is useful, so I shifted back. "bastard"

"aw I thought cats were supposed to be nice, but I guess this one has claws" he snickered

"all cats have claws idiot" I bit

He nodded "banter is not what I came here for darling, I want to make this quick since I want your face sharp in my memory when he drains the life from you"

I huff "then get to the point boy"

"actually, my name, or the name I go by is striker" he said

"striker? Wow whoever gave you that name must hate you" I said, "now what the hell are you here for?"

"feisty, I like it. He said you would be" he smiled

"ah uncle, your one of his goons" I stated my mouth in a straight line

"ah the name uncle, is what you call him" he chuckled

"why what's his real name?" I challenged

He got a sparkly in his eye "that is for us to know and for you to die wanting to find out, now as far as why I am here your uncle wanted me to relay a message"

"seems like he is very good at messages" I growl in annoyance

He stuck his hand into his pocket pulling out a note and holding it forward for me, I ripped it from his hand fast so he didn't try anything "enjoy love, I cant wait to see you again. Oh, and tell Beth hi when you meet her at sundown" with that he was gone

What the fuck was that

I opened the letter knowing I would like to read it over now rather then later.

so I read

: kitty, to your clearing you will die, to the ground you will lye, 24 hours or avian dies:

Fuck