Rayne.

With blood pumping through hollowed ears, and teeth grinding through a hastily breathing mouth, another punch was thrown towards what Rayne Vance hoped to be cartilage, but the breeze of nothingness drifted over her knuckles instead. A teeth-grinding smirk ignited a spark of rage from deep within the swell of her aching chest. She swung her leg over in a kick, hoping to catch her opponent off guard.

Rayne. Rayne!

A piercing, hazel-eyed gaze teased her, his body twirling away in a dance that was fluid enough to hypnotize an unsuspecting rival. Ronan's signature move. She followed the movement the whole way through and pivoted her hip so she could keep a sharp eye on the grinning, self-entitled asshole pushing her to her full potential. Had she been in the mood for joking, she would have asked her brother, Ezra, to spar with her rather than him.

Rayne, I know you can hear me.

Rayne's fist skimmed the corner of her best friend's jaw. Ronan's chuckle snapped her teeth together in a wild growl as she reached for the knife attached to the band of her pants, fed up with playing whatever game that was to him.

"That's cheating, Raynie," he cooed, his soft words brushing the curls of her ear. Rayne threw her shoulder back and listened for the satisfying grunt of discomfort that came after the crack of his nose. She wasted no time in spinning around and jamming the tip of her blade into his side. Not deep enough to wound, but enough to draw a little blood and bring back her own satisfaction.

"Sorry, Ronie," she mocked. "Never said I fight fair."

Ronan's lips twisted into the beginnings of a snarl, determination flashing behind the molten gold now overtaking his irises. Rayne bit her tongue to prevent the grin itching at the corner of her mouth from spreading and swung her body to the side. She kicked her leg out expertly and knocked him to the ground a few feet from her, triumph gloating throughout her body at the sickly sound of flesh leaving steel.

"RAYNE-"

"For fuck's sake, Amira," Rayne growled out. She glared over at the Omega's daughter with accusation. "Can't you see I'm in the middle of training?"

Amira's hickory eyes were larger than usual. An energy Rayne hadn't noticed before vibrated throughout every part of Amira's body. From her exhilarated grin to her shifting feet that refused to stay still. Something about the way the trees were swaying viscously behind her even seemed a little . . . off?

"What the hell's going on?" Rayne questioned, her senses kicking in. Ronan was now at her side again, though rather than taking his place as her trainer, he was in complete Beta mode, already healed up. They'd been so busy practicing their fighting techniques, they didn't seem to notice anything being amiss.

Ronan tilted his head to the side, listening intently with his gaze narrowed and his tawny hair brushing over his face from the strange breeze. It didn't take long for his eyebrows to furrow. "What is that?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell Rayne! We have a new pack member," Amira said, smiling wide.

"A new pack member?" Rayne asked, bewildered. "Did Mara have her baby? Is that what you interrupted our training for?"

"Pfft—it's not a baby. Now come on before your dad puts him away!"

That stopped Rayne in her tracks.

Why would her father put a new pack member away? And away where?

Frowning deeper to herself, she followed Amira through the forest, with Ronan close to her side. The closer they got to the edge of the clearing, the more commotion and buzz they heard. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and a forced whine vibrated her throat uneasily. A comforting hand wrapped around her shoulder for support.

"It's probably someone from a neighborhood pack," Ronan said. "You know, Alpha Vance wants as many people for Tʋnʋp as possible."

Rayne swallowed back bile at the thought. Tʋnʋp. War.

"Dad must think whoever this person is can help us defeat Ambrosius," Rayne murmured. At that point, it would take a miracle for Moonshine and any other pack to defeat the ancient vampire lord. So, whoever her father brought into the pack must be worth keeping.

Amira shivered. "I'd rather you not say his name, thanks."

"Scared, Mira?" Ronan mocked.

"Shut it, Ronan. Or I'll break that pretty face of yours."

"Aw—you think it's pretty?"

Before Rayne could turn around and tell the both of them to shut up, she caught sight of the large gathering of her pack surrounding something she couldn't make out. It didn't take long for Amira and Ronan to catch on and flank both of her sides in a protective shield, just in case something was to happen. Though she hated how seriously they took their roles of being Beta and Omega already before their parents stepped down, she didn't have time to voice her annoyance. Besides, it was helpful in pushing pack members out of the way.

Gazing through the throng of people, she caught onto a head of wild curls the same umber shade as her own. "Ezra!"

The head turned and her gaze clashed with her familiar shade of cinnamon, freckled with specs of gold eyes. He stood towards the front of the crowd at their father's tall height and waved her over with an ebony hand. Though he was a year younger than her, he towered over her in height. She thought being five-foot-seven was perfect; but in times like those, when she was surrounded by groups of large people, she wished she were much taller.

Ezra's fingers found Rayne's wrist after she reached out and he pulled her towards him. The cheering of the rowdy pack disoriented her for a moment, and she wobbled against Ronan, who helped steady her.

"Chim achukma?" Ezra asked, plucking a shard of grass from her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm good. What's going on?"

"You'll see soon enough," he murmured, gesturing over to the reason behind all the pack jitters. She followed his line of sight, her curiosity at its peak now. Something in her stomach dropped and she was suddenly staggering backwards.

How could father do this?

♡ tʋnʋp - war (ta-nap)

♡ chim achukma? - are you good?