It was surprising to find Alex at the front door. Noah didn’t expect to see her so soon, not until tomorrow anyway. But before he could ask questions she rushes inside and closes the door in a hurry as if she was hiding from someone.

“I thought we agreed on Saturday?” He asks in confusion.

“Change of plans kid. Something came up and we gotta go now. Tonight.”

“Wait.”

This has turned into a dilemma. He hadn’t even started packing or even convinced Ryan, who is currently looking at Alex wondering who she was. When he shifted his eyes to look at him, he could see in Noah’s eyes that he was conflicted with something. It gripped his attention. In that moment, Noah was weighing the options he had. Until finally he had come to a decision and Ryan sensed it.

“I need to pack first.” Noah tells her before rushing upstairs. Ryan goes after him but hesitates on whether to leave a stranger in the house. However the thought of Noah actually leaving became the first priority.

“Look, Noah I understand why you want to leave and I want to come with you—“

“Then why aren’t you?” Noah asked while stuffing his clothes inside his backpack.

It was Ryan’s turn this time to try and persuade him. Fast. However, it looked like he isn’t going to stop what he’s doing.

“But you can’t just leave with some stranger just because they offered to help! For all we know she could be a serial killer. Did you even think about the consequences of running away? We’ll get in trouble or worse, kicked out of the pack.” His voice now had a tone of pleading. “And you can’t protect yourself from the Rogues.”

Surprisingly, Noah didn’t seem to be bothered by that thought and kept on packing. Ryan wanted him to just stop for one second to face him. When Noah didn’t show any signs of pausing, he couldn’t help but grab the boy’s arm just to get his attention.

“WHAT’S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THIS PLACE?!”

Ryan wasn’t one to make anger get the best of him. In that moment however, he felt that screaming those words would be the only way to get through to Noah. From his perspective, he wants to know why Noah was going through desperate measures. Something else was involved, it bothered him so because his best friend wasn’t someone who’d willingly go beyond their pack territory knowing that Rogues would be waiting outside.

His words did go through in a way because Noah, himself couldn’t help contain his anger from bursting. He stood up and pulled away his arm abruptly that it made Ryan flinch.

“BECAUSE HE’S MY MATE!” He screamed back but Ryan was only dumbfounded and before he could ask what he meant, Noah continued. “LUCAS WAS MY MATE.” He could only choke out the last words before realizing what he had said.

The both of them really aren’t used to hiding things from each other.

—

In one of the conference rooms of the Raedwulf mansion gathered pack members comprised of older members of their household. Parents and thirty-somethings were called for this sudden pack meeting. Usually the meetings are held twice a month to discuss mundane matters around the town such as new building constructions, humans who have recently moved into town and the status of the Rogue trespassers. Last minute calls meant there’s something urgent. Instantly everyone arrived, it’s not everyday something like this happened here. For some it was rather exciting.

The room was filled with whispers and gossiping. Curiosity rising as more and more people arrived inside. Finally Margaret and her brother, Peter came in and everyone in the room settled down. Along with them was Travis, the one who called for the meeting.

“Rogues?!”

“Likely. But I wasn’t sure. They kept to themselves and didn’t cause any scene.”

Rogues, as far as they knew, were usually unhinged and carried a certain air around them. That’s why it was easy to spot one before it could even enter the main part of town. However these two were different, Travis noted, one could easily mistake them for Lone Wolves with how they conducted themselves.

“I didn’t confront them since there were humans around. Mrs Kimberly was there too.”

“Oh the big-mouthed human.” One of them commented.

“What made you think they could be Rogues?”

Travis thought of when the men were at his check out. All of them silent as he scanned their things. He discreetly observed their faces. Tiredly rugged, as if they’ve travelled a long way. One of them had a scar on the top lip.

“It was faint…but I’m sure I smelled blood on them.”

This changed the atmosphere in the room. Blood on a wolf is bad news. A definite distinction of a Rogue. Those type of wolves are not welcomed anywhere since they posed a threat, even among themselves, because of their horrifying practice of cannibalism.

“Everybody keep on the look out for outsiders. Children should be home early before dawn. We don’t know if they’re still here or maybe more will come.” Peter says to everyone.

The meeting continued on discussing the security measure around the territory borders and checkpoints. They also had humans to look out for, both for their safety and the pack’s own. The blood Travis smelled wasn’t like the ones from a scraped knee, pierced wound or from the butchers. It reminded him of the attack from seven years ago and he shudders at the thought of having that incident happen again.

—

It was silent since the start of the ride. They were now on Alex’s old pick up truck with their bags at the backseat. Alex fiddled with the radio but it was broken so it was useless. She sighed and looked at him at the passengers seat.

“So. You didn’t tell me you had a plus one.”

When he finally slipped out the secret, Ryan suddenly dropped all the questions and went with him wordlessly. The way he reacted was unusual. It was like he snapped his fingers and it made him shut up and follow his orders. Ryan packed his things and when Noah didn’t, he helped finish it for him. “Come on let’s go.” He said it with a guilty look in his eyes and quietly, Noah took his helping hand. And then they hit the road.

Noah looks at her and she gestures for him to introduce them.

“Uh, Alex meet Ryan. Ryan this is Alex.”

“Nice to meet you Ryan.” She smiles at him from the rearview mirror. “How exactly are you guys related?” She asked.

“We were fostered in the same house.”

“Hmm, you guys are very close. Almost like real brothers.”

“What about you?” Ryan had enough that Alex was acting familiar with them. He still wasn’t sure about her. “Noah said you were from the Pineworth pack, why did you leave and where are you heading exactly?”

They knew his tone was purposely rude but Alex didn’t take the bait. Instead she looked at him with a smirk.

“A friend of mine offered me a job a few states away. I took it since it felt like it was an opportunity I couldn’t lose.”

It sounded like it was going to be pretty far away. Noah looks through the window and spots a sign that said Leaving Fortbeck which makes him realize that they don’t even have a place to stay. He was too excited with the idea of getting a way out that he didn’t think about it this far. They’ve never been outside so they don’t know anyone else. No connections and no money. His anxiety spiked and he was beginning to think that maybe this was a bad idea after all. This was what Ryan was trying to warn me about.

“Do you mind if we could crash at your place?…just until we find our own.” He asked sheepishly.

Ryan immediately sits up from his lazy position and pokes his head between the front seats at Noah.

“You didn’t have a PLAN?!” He screamed. Just when the two of them are back to bickering once again, Alex chimes in happily.

“Actually, I was thinking you guys can stay with me. Rent free.”

“Woah, seriously?”

“Yeah I don’t really mind so don’t worry. I’ve helped you this far, the least you could do is keep me company.” She tousled Noah’s hair and the boy didn’t seem to mind it. He was ecstatic.

“See, it all still worked out at the end.” He tells Ryan.

Ryan sat back and folded his arms. Everything sounded too good to be true. His suspicion still wasn’t quenched but he didn’t call out Noah’s naivety with the way Alex glanced at him from the rearview mirror. It felt like a warning. It wasn’t just his intuition that rang but his instincts. It was trying to warn him something.

—

Almost an hour into the drive, Ryan had fallen asleep. Working at the shop with Mory may have taken a toll on him. Meanwhile Noah just quietly sat and stared through the open window. There was nothing to look at except for trees but his mind was elsewhere and he hoped the wind would calm him down.

A sudden howl in the direction behind them alarmed him. Quickly, he closed the window and looked at the side mirror as if he was expecting something. There was nothing but pitch black. Alex could sense his unease was all over the place and she closed her own window, if it was helpful in any way.

“We’re still a couple of hours away from our next stop so you should get some shut eye. I’ll wake you guys up when we arrive, I promise.” She tries to calm him down.

Noah thanked her before settling in his seat and closed his eyes. Think happy thoughts.

Now that they’re off to a fresh start, Noah should stop being so tense. He won’t have to see a certain person’s face or even need to think about him. He’ll try to socialize once more and meet new people. And who knows, maybe he’ll find a new mate.

—

The boys had fallen asleep and Alex was still glued to the steering wheel. She thought of having the radio fixed as soon as they arrive. To never again drown in silence while driving.

Another howl came from behind them and she checked the boys if either of them had woken up. When she looked at Noah, her gaze lingers.

I finally got you.