It was close to one in the morning when Kaiden was shoved awake by a voice in his head, if it hadn't been for the urgent tone in his friend's voice he would have slammed the mind-link closed and rolled over. However, the tone meant - that instead of blissful ignorant sleep, he was forced awake, his wolf was on edge and snapping, and he was far too alert for his liking.

Heir to the Salvatori pack, Kaiden Salvatori, was the firstborn son of Alpha Sergio Salvatori, and as such, problems were often brought to him first to be addressed. As alpha-to-be he was tasked with sorting out what he could before anything had to reach his father. It was a known and adhered to policy that problems should avoid being brought before the attention of the Salvatori Alpha as much as possible. Kaiden's father was a strong leader, powerful, and respected - however everyone knew not to anger him. It was also understood that problems his son could not handle was an easy way to do just that.

Leaping from his bed Kaiden reached for the nearest pair of pants that littered the floor of his room, hastily throwing them over his boxers. He didn't bother with a shirt knowing he would need to run possibly even shift soon, any extra clothing or fabric would become only a hassle and burden. Pulling on the dark jeans he headed out the door, barking questions the entire time through the mind link to Blair. As his third in command, and the gamma-to-be of the Salvatori Pack, he had been charged with overseeing the border patrol for the night.

Kaiden's mind was a blur as he tried to focus in on the pictures that Blair and the guards were sending him. Sorting through the information and flashes he worked to not only pinpoint their current location within pack territory but also simultaneously trying to question his third about what was happening, and coordinate guards, all of which was disrupted with the echoes of the words that had awoken him.

"Kaiden! Kaid man!! Rogues! North East border."

It wasn't the presence of a rogue trespassing on their lands that had sent the guards and subsequently Kaiden into a state of urgency and anxiety, no that was commonplace enough. The word 'Rogues', as in more than one – was not.

As a rule, rogues did not work together. It was part of why they did not belong to one of the eight packs that dotted across the North American continent. They did not like rules. Did not like to work with others. And refused to follow a leader. Kaiden understood his friends alarm at the current situation; there hadn't been more than a single rogue on the Salvatori territory in over fifteen years.

"How many scents?" Kaiden asked as he made his way to the thick forest that surrounded his father's house. Trying to imagine how the guards would need to change tactics to deal with two or three rogues instead of one.

"Kaiden the trackers ...." Blair's voice trailed off as if he almost couldn't, or even more alarmingly - didn't want to answer - his friend and leader's question.

"Blair how many scents? Two or three?" Kaiden's voice was hard, an Alpha command slipping through as his anger and anxiety began to leak into his mind. How could this happen? More than one rogue impossible! He briefly considered waking his father, but just as quickly dismissed the thought. Better to tell him the news after they had solved the problem. He did however send a command to his beta's mind. Forcing his best friend awake, his wolf instantly reacting to the command from his alpha. Austin was up and moving before fully conscious. His mind link instantly open to his Alpha's and Third's conversation.

"More than one rogue are you sure Blair? Maybe it's a mistake? Another pack crossing through?" Austin asked, thoughts still tinged with the huskiness of sleep.

"Alpha." Blair's addressed Kaiden, who subsequently paused momentarily at the title and the blatant hesitancy in his friend's voice but did not comment, instead waiting for the man to continue. It took barely a thought before he was shifting into his second form, that of a large black wolf. Standing nearly to a full-grown man's shoulder, Kaiden shook out his midnight black coat, the fur so dark that it picked up tinges of blue, blending and melting seamlessly into the dark shadows of the night.

"The scents .... they are rogue .... however, it is not two or three ... the trackers have picked up at least 12."

Kaiden nearly tripped as his gamma's words rang in his ears. Twelve! Impossible! But the certainty mixed with the anxiety he sensed from his trackers, guards and warriors sent a different message. Somehow there were twelve trespassing rogues on his territory. The large black wolf letting out a rage filled howl as he jumped into a run, pushing his muscles. Hatred and fury fueling his sprint as he called every guard and warrior to him. They would find these rogues and they would tear them apart.

Running through the damp forest it only took Kaiden a few minutes before he met up with his third in command and a few of the other wolves that had been on patrol for the night.

Kaiden turned to his friend, his wolf easily the largest of those assembled around him. His eyes hard as all thoughts tuned to the problem at hand, he had shifted into Alpha mode. There was no hesitancy to him now, he had to show absolute authority and dominance, the strength and tendencies of their wolves demanded it. Even though he himself would not take over the actual role of Alpha from his father for a number of years, every wolf in his father's pack acknowledged his position and recognized that he would make one of the strongest and one of the most stable Alphas in their long history. His competence had meant that since the age of 18 he had been able to talk with his father's authority and since he had turned 20 Alpha Sergio had allowed his son and heir to speak for the Alpha himself. A right that Kaiden did not exercise widely meaning that when he chose to, such as in this instance, it held far more weight. Every wolf present felt the change and every head bent automatically in a demonstration of deference and respect.

"Where did you cross the tracks?" Kaiden asked as he took a moment to sniff the cool night air. They were deep into the Salvatori land, though not so deep as to have run through the second patrol line. Kaiden felt proud at that. Even though their perimeter had been breached they would be stopped before they were able to reach the inner territory. Absent thoughts fluttered through his mind at the success of the new patrol lines he had implemented over the summer, when this situation was handled it would be a testament to why they had needed to update their patrolling and security measures. His father's discomfort with the change would be satisfied after tonight.

"Northeast 2km in from the Eastern border. We don't think they even realize they're trespassing." Blair answered the last part sounding almost like it held a question rather than a statement.

"They're rogues that have crossed the border of our pack land how can they think they aren't trespassing?" Kaiden demanded his voice carrying a harshness even across the mind link.

"I'm sorry Alpha" Blair responded, head bowing in respect once more. However even with the reprimand he spoke again. To risk the wrath of an Alpha, even an alpha-to-be, to continue to speak after being dismissed spoke volumes to his unease and conviction at the situation. "It's not that they aren't trespassing.... its more as though their movements don't make sense. I know they're rogues but it's almost as if they are hunting something. And we have gained on them almost to easily, I think they must have stopped. It just doesn't feel right." He finished lamely.

Kaiden studied the other wolf taking in his lowered head, the sign of submission and respect weighing it against his words and the loyalty and trust he felt towards his third. Finally, he let out a snort of agreement, sending out a command for all of his wolves to come to him and to move with caution. They would tread lightly. Kaiden conceded to the rationality of his third, Kaiden was a good leader, however there was a reason he let his key wolves speak often with an openness and frankness that others would have seen as disrespectful and undermining, he knew his own limits, he was often hot-headed, temperamental, and rash. He had picked his lieutenants not only for their loyalty and friendship but because they balanced him, helped to calm him and see problems in ways he naturally may not. Not to say that he ran a democracy, wolves always demanded leadership, and domination was a natural order. However, Kaiden prided himself in using every tool and resources available to him for the betterment and security of his pack and family and if that meant listening to his friends then he would do it. Even if most times he ended up ignoring them in the end he still always tried to listen and consider. This time though, he felt that Blair had a fair point; something wasn't right about this.

Moving slowly through the forest. Kaiden and his pack warriors spread out. They tracked the rogues lingering scents silently through the moonlit forest. After a few minutes of silent running the scents began to thicken, the duller older scents of the rogues, becoming heavy and fresh in the night air. Blair had been correct, the pack of rogues were strangely unmoving, clustered together in one single location. Kaiden and his pack mates moved silently so that they were surrounding the area where they could smell the rogues scent was now thick and pungently wafting from.

On his command the warriors and guards burst from the thick brush and trees to find indeed 12 rogue wolves all gathered around a single tall tree. Their focus was so intent on the tree that they missed the first movements of attack from the Salvatori wolves. That element of surprise was the edge that Kaiden and his wolves needed. Outnumbered, outclassed, and out sized the fight was bloody, intense, and viscous, but quick and decisive. After only a few chaotic minutes of intense fighting, the howls and growls began to subside until the last rang out and all dozen of the rogue wolves lay dead on the blood-soaked ground. The scent of blood and death hung heavily in the air, the Salvatori wolves reveling in the thrill of the battle and victory.

Pulling his men back Kaiden reclaimed order, issuing commands as he sent out scouts and sending a beefed-up patrol back to the borders. The wolves nodded once to their Alpha before turning and melting into the deep shadows of the forest, they all would return to their duties. A fight even of this magnitude was not a reason to skirt their obligation, no it was their job to fight and die for the pack and even in victory they were not excused from this decree. Slowly the clearing emptied of wolves until it was just Kaiden his beta, gamma, his head warrior and a few key fighters left. With a command they all shifted back, throwing on whatever clothing they had managed to tie to themselves. Kaiden looked at the bloodied battlefield. Eyeing the wolves that lay at his feet, he was proud to see none of his own among the fallen. The few wounds his pack mates had suffered had been superficial and minor none that would require anything beyond the ability of werewolf healing to fix.

"Austin get someone out here to clean up this mess. Blair we'll need to go over patrol schedules and rounds I want to know how they got this far. Clayton tomorrow we start training how to fight multiple attackers. I want all our fighters re-training on how to fight with multiple enemies. If this is their new strategy I want to be prepared." Looking around at the heads that were nodding at his words, Kaiden suddenly stiffened. A soft breeze swept between the trees and nearly hidden amongst the clean pine scent and the iron tang of blood was another. One that did not belong to the bodies strewn amongst the woods or to any wolf in his pack. The soft scent of lavender and fresh rain was absolutely unique and unsettling. Kaiden searched his memory as he inhaled trying to place the alluring scent, as much as he tried it belonged to none, which meant one thing; Rogue.

The wolves around him stiffened as growls erupted in the night the others picking up on the new scent as well. Instantly back on alert, Kaiden's eyes swept the surrounding area, his wolf vision narrowing as he tried to find the rogue they had yet to kill.