Fire and Flames

Chapter 20

Adrian

Caden and I walk through the woods close to the pack boundaries to keep an eye out for the rouges. All we knew was that the rouges were spotted traveling in our direction from a neighboring pack. We didn't know how many were coming. If they had weapons or just using their wolf form to attack. We made sure that before we left that all of the pups, elderly folk and all the people who couldn't fight were safely in the "panic room".

Caden and I talk through our mind link about random things as we patrol the same area for the umpteenth time in the last hour. We walk at the front of the group, leading the way as we try to stealthily sneak up on the enemy that surely would be here any hour now.

"And then Alpha Zaryn walked into the room!" Caden says through our link.

"No way!" I yell out loud. All of the warriors behind us growl to silence me.

"Sorry, sorry," I say, putting my hands up.

"What happened after that?" I say through our link.

"Nothing. It was just really really awkward."

I stifle a laugh as Caden's cheeks turn bright pink. I stop suddenly at the overpowering scent of Rouge. And there, standing in front of us, was Caden's father. Behind him, Sage and ten other wolves.

"Well, well... what do we have here?"

Rayne

I lay in bed with Flynn on top of my chest. We both suck on our pacifiers in silence. Every so often I get this feeling in my stomach that makes me want to throw up. The stress of thinking of something happening to Caden, eating me away on the inside.

What if I could have done something to help but didn't try and Caden ends up getting killed? I need to do something...now...

"I'm sorry, Flynn. I know that you're comfortable where you are but I've got to go and help uncle Caden. I would hate myself if something were to happen to him and I couldn't prevent it. I'm gonna take you to grandpa Eden now and you can hang out with him, okay? Okay. Let's go."

I pick up Flynn-who makes sounds of protest as I jostle him out of his peaceful state- carrying him to daddy's room. I give Flynn to daddy and tell him that I am going up to the roof to get some air.

I sneak out through the back and run in the direction the warriors left in. A soft humming behind me gets my attention and I stop to see what the noise is. Luci- one of our pack elders the wisest wolves to be- stands behind me, arms crossed over her chest. Her silvery gray hair cascading in waves down her back.

"Elder Luci! I swear I was just going out for some air! I,"

"Save your breath," she interrupts. I know exactly where you are headed. You're going to need this," she says handing out a vile of glowing purple liquid. I gasp, staring down at her frail hands.

"Where did you get that?" I ask. What she held in her hands was Amortenia. A powerful potion that would block out the Sun Magic spells so we would be immune to it. The ingredients are extremely hard to find, therefore it is very rare that someone comes in contact with an Amortenia potion.

"It doesn't matter where I got it. I knew that this pack would eventually need this. I just didn't think the time would come so soon for us. Be careful, and good luck Rayne King. Son of Alpha Zaryn and Luna Eden. You will grow to do amazing things, boy."

And with that, she was gone. The powerful vile of liquid gently placed in my hands.

I run for about fifteen minutes before I see the warriors being taunted by the rouges. Everyone is frozen in place just like what happened when Carlisle and Sage first showed up at the packhouse.

I see Sage next to a man who looks exactly like Caden, but older. They stand behind so they are not in the middle of the fighting. I spot Caden and Adrian pinned to the ground I hide behind a tree as the Rouges snarl in their faces. I need to do something fast so no one gets hurt.

With shaky hands, I reach into my side pocket to grab the vile of Amortenia. I am yanked back as I am just about to pull it out. I yelp out as a Rouge who I had not seen, drags me into the small clearing. The other Rouges stop as they smell my presence. Caden growls as he sees me being dragged towards Carlisle and Sage.

"Get your fucking hands off of him!" Caden snarls.

"So you are my son's mate," Carlisle says as I am pushed harshly onto the ground. Carlisle grabs my chin and examines my face, turning it this way and that. He then pushes me back, my head slamming against the ground hard. My vision spins as I gaze hazily around the clearing.

"Kill him," Carlisle says to a rouge wolf close to him.

"No!" Caden screams. No one could move because of the Sun Magic spell.

I gasp, digging into my pocket as the rouge approaches me fast. I take out the vile and smash it onto a nearby rock. The contents of the bottle spew out as the glass shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces. The liquid turns into a purple vapor that floats over each of the warriors held immobile by the spell.

The rouge reaches me and I scramble up onto shaking legs, terrified. I look over to see Caden fighting off the rouge who had pinned him down.

"Rayne," he shouts. "Watch out!"

I don't have enough time to move. I am tackled to the ground. The rouge- now half shifted- snarls and bares his teeth at me. I scream and claw at him in a desperate attempt to get him off of me. I manage to kick the rouge to the side and crawl away.

A wolf who I've come to recognize as Caden's attacks the rouge who was trying to kill me. In one swift movement, Caden rips out the rouge's throat. Blood blossoming up through the gaping wound as he takes a final last shuddering breath.

I sigh in relief, backing up and away from the fighting warriors and rouges. I bump into a hard surface behind me.

I spin around only for Carlisle to grab me harshly by the throat. His other hand's nails grow out into long, sharp talons. I grip at the hand pressed against my throat, scraping my nails at his arm and prying at his fingers. His grip doesn't loosen a bit. It only gets tighter around my throat.

"You may have got away from my warrior, but you've made one fatal mistake." Carlisle plunges his claws deep into my stomach. Pain explodes in the area. I cry out, blood immediately bubbling up and frothing from my lips.

"Never take your eyes off an enemy."