Red {Wolf Rebellion I}

Chapter 1~The Big Bad Wolf~

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

-Jacob Black

Chapter 1~The Big Bad Wolf~

Tonight's full moon was already beginning to turn a dark red-orange in the sky, casting an eerie glow over most of the streets and building surrounding us. We'd known this eclipse had been coming for awhile, but this Hunt had been a last minute thing. Now it served as a dark reminder of tonight's activities. A blood moon. The irony wasn't lost on me.

Everyone was at least a little nervous or jittery from adrenaline at the moment, no matter how experienced we were. No amount of training could eliminate your instincts, or that gut feeling that something dangerous was coming.

Scarlett, it seemed, was a little more than jittery.

"Is anyone else nervous?" She asked for what must've been at least the third time since we'd left the compound. "Ginger? I know you haven't done this before." She twisted around to look at me from her position in the passenger seat. "Ruby?"

I slid the dagger I was currently holding into my left boot, along with a small syringe of powerful sedative. I glanced up through the part in my hair. "I don't really get nervous anymore," I told her. "Besides, you've done this before, everyone has." Adrenaline was beginning to make an appearance, and it reassured the small part of me that wanted to stay as far away as possible.

You've been trained for this, it's your responsibility.

"Not without a senior agent." She pointed out after a moment. She'd begun to twirl a strand of her blonde hair, a sign that she was about to seriously freak out.

I discreetly elbowed Jasper in the side, telling him to do something before she compromised the Hunt. He took my cue, shifting forward until his green eyes met hers. "Imagine you're in a Scenario, it'll help."

She nodded, taking a deep breath and closing her hazel eyes for a brief moment. Out of all of us, she'd been here the shortest amount of time, and I knew that bothered her. "You're right. I can do this."

Ginger smirked as she pulled her hair into a tight knot at the base of her neck. The temporary red streaks she'd dyed in this morning shone darkly against the car lights. "You better not screw this up or they'll never let us go on a solo again."

I sent her a disapproving look. She'd been known to be tough on Scarlett, but I knew she would be fine. She had passed the mandatory Scenarios as well as any of us here. And besides, we were a team. We would all work together tonight.

When we'd been briefed earlier, I'd been mildly surprised to find I'd been assigned the role of decoy. I figured Claret had had a hand in me getting the part, she was the only one at Red who knew every detail about my violent past, so she knew how much this meant to me.

Phoenix was the only real leader among our team, the oldest agent here. He silenced us with a look. "We need to get going. Remember the plan. Adam, keep an eye on Ruby and step in if she needs help. We'll all meet you out back once you have him."

I glanced at Adam out of my periphery and he nodded at me. Ninety percent of the time it was Adam who was assigned protection detail when I was the decoy. We seemed to know each other so well that it was just easier that way.