Chaos

2. Are You Her?

My beta and I followed this group through the woods for hours. The moment our scouts alerted us, we followed the group of rogues as they got closer and closer to our camp, just like we've done a million times. 

They looked exhausted, just like most of the groups who come to us for shelter, but my eyes kept drifting back to a mother, carrying a baby in her arms. 

It was obvious they needed help, and we would give it to them. 

We always followed groups who wanted to join us, purely just to see what we were dealing with. I didn't want any surprises, liars and and cheats always tried to join, but this was not the place for them. This was a place for people who wanted ordinary lives. People who wanted to settle down. 

The baby started to cry again, and the mother desperately tried to quiet him. The group was small only five people, but one person seemed to stand out. 

He never walked will the rest of them, he was always on the outskirts. He growled at the mother and yelled at her to shut the baby up, and my mind was made up. 

Instead of following on the ground, we were up in the trees, looking down on them, walking from branch to branch in the thick forest. Rarely did we ever have to jump from tree to tree, and we barely made a sound as we followed them. 

Practice makes perfect. We knew this forest like the back of our hands. 

At the nod from my head, my beta and I jumped down, just in front of the group, startling all of them. 

They all made moves to step back, except for the mother. 

"Are you her?" She stepped toward me hesitantly. "Please are you her? I've been looking forever... Please tell me you're her." She dropped in front of me in exhaustion, the baby still in her arms. 

I pulled back the black hood I was wearing, letting my long, blonde hair down. 

"I'm her. You're safe now. You're here." She started crying as I knelt down in front of her. 

I heard shouts of joy from the others, and many of them started crying from joy. 

"My pack is not for the lazy. We all earn our keep, we all respect each other, and work for all our survival. Anyone who has an issue with that or submitting to me as alpha is not welcome." There were no comments, but the man on the outside rolled his eyes. 

"Then you are all welcome." I looked at the man. "Except for you." There were some gasps, and the man started to get angry. 

"What do you mean? I walked here with the rest of them! I'm a rogue too!" I walked toward him, and I could see the confidence in his eyes waver.

"You have no compassion, no desire to help your would-be-pack, and no respect for your leaders. You're kind is not welcome here. We accept those who respect our values, not those who wish to degrade them." 

He tried to lung at me, but the knife that suddenly appeared at his throat stopped him. 

"You have three seconds to leave my sight before I allow my beta to finish what you started." I gritted my teeth and watched the man shift and run away, before turning my attention back to the rest of the group. 

I helped the mother up and gave her some water I had with me. "What's your name?" 

"Sydney" She gulped the water, before slowly giving some to her baby. "And this is Rowan." The little baby boy laughed at me and I smiled. I looked passed her at two other men that were with her. 

"Is your mate here?" She shook her head. 

"I don't have  a mate. That's why I was thrown out of my pack." She looked down in shame. "His father already had a mate." 

"You are welcome here, regardless. We have plenty to go around. And you too, what are your names?" They both introduced themselves, and were completely respectful, unlike the other man. 

I took the knife from my beta, and made a cut in my palm, over top of multiple other ones that have been made there. 

"All of you say your vows." They all vowed to honor me and my pack code, and I drew a line across their forehead with my blood to show they have been accepted. 

Obviously I accepted the baby, even though he couldn't say them, but his mother vowed for both of them. 

Once we finished, my beta led the way back to our pack house. Jordan had been my beta for the last two years, and was a very respected warrior, even though he barely talked to anyone, even me. 

On the way back, I got to know the new pack members. John and Thomas were brothers who were falsely accused of murder, and fled to avoid execution, and I could already tell they were going to be very useful trackers. 

Sydney was full of light, even though her entire pack turned its back on her. She was a rogue for almost a year, since the pack found out she was pregnant, and had to give birth in a random women's shelter. 

Before long, we entered pack grounds, and pack members all came out of their houses to welcome them. 

Everyone here had been in their shoes before, and everyone was willing to help. That's what made us so special, and that's the spirit I always wanted to have here. 

People had gotten rooms ready for the new members then moment they felt a new bond form. People made food, opened their houses, and handed out supplies with open arms. 

I looked around the busy area. 5 years ago it was nothing but maybe ten people in tents that we stole from a nearby town, and now we had houses put up by two men who used to be construction workers before they were kicked out of their pack. Gardens lined the side, started by a girl whose parents abused her. People from all sorts of backgrounds contributed, and no talent was left to waste. Everyone had a part to play. 

Jordan came and stood next to me. 

"Everything set?" He nodded once. "New members settled in rooms?" Another nod. "Okay." He left without a word. That's just how he was. In his old pack, he was the executioner, his main job to make people suffer for as long as possible. I know it stays with him til this day. 

I walked along, watching all the people laugh and get to know the new people. It always warms my heart to see them. 

As I walked by, everyone nodded their head in respect, and I nodded back too. Even though we were all family, I made sure we maintained order.

Everyone had mandatory training. It taught discipline, and also made sure we were ready in case of an attack. I taught them most days, but if I had to go deal with something, I trusted them to work hard by themselves, and they knew the repercussions if they didn't. 

I was a warrior at heart, and they needed to be strong.