CHAPTER 24

VENUS

Considering what had transpired, I was doing okay.

No deaths. No new transitions.

We'd succeeded, and that meant the rogues had failed this month.

Minus a few cuts and scrapes, we were all fully in one piece. Zander was hit the worst, but he was alive—thanks to Griff.

River had gotten to us a few minutes after everything had gone down. We double-backed once we'd checked in with everyone and notified them of our encounter, hauling the unconscious bodies outside of River's territory to No Man's Land with the help of Kit and Carter who were already stationed near there with Blaze. The Tranquilisers wouldn't wear off for hours, well after the moon set and could no longer be an issue.

Not taking any chances though, we still ensured their sleeping forms were nowhere near any populated areas or hiking hot spots.

The pack spread out to the perimeter, making sure there were no more rogues hiding in the wild, waiting to make a move if their friends failed.

Of course our unit was the "lucky" one that had to deal with the rogues. The thought crossed my mind over and over again. Out of all of us scattered around the borders, and all the locations we had people stationed at, it seemed like some sort of twisted joke that Griff and I would be the ones to run into them.

Although, I think it was what I needed.

I would have preferred if my life hadn't flashed before my eyes, but it seemed like a necessary step in my growth and confidence as a hunter. Especially after the last run in I'd had with them back in the city, when I'd frozen like a deer in headlights. This was my redemption.

I took down two rogues.

All in all, a successful mission.

When there was no chance of the moon being an issue for us anymore, at least for another month, we headed back to the pack house and had that beer I promised River. We needed it. And from the sombre and weary expression that he couldn't seem to shake, even with our small victory and everything under control, he really needed it.

Fatigued, the Knights and wolves made their way home or crashed on the pack house couches in utter exhaustion.

But we had won this battle.

I tried my hardest not to dwell on the wolf that Griff had ended. I understood that was part of the life we lived. And that Griffin had saved Zander in doing so. There was no way that blow to Zan's neck wouldn't have been fatal.

The thought caused my heart to squeeze in pain.

We almost lost him. We were so close to losing one of our own.

I would trade the life of a rogue for my friends if I had to. If it meant saving one of them, I'd make the same choice that Griffin did. The death was necessary … in some circumstances. Even if it was an impossible pill for me swallow.

I was grateful that Griff forced me not to look at the scene that remained, so that the image wouldn't be forever burned into my memory. I wasn't ready for that yet.

In truth, I didn't know if I ever would be.

But maybe this way it would slowly fade and I could bottle it up and lock it away with the other countless nightmares I'd done just that with.

For a brief moment tonight, when our eyes were locked, I thought Griffin was going to kiss me. Could almost feel the ghost of his lips against mine once more.

The hunt. Him. The adrenaline.

Fuck. It unleashed something in me. Something I was scared of.

Another thing I'd box away.

It was almost like I was feeling his desire—the high that he felt. Like there was a moment when it was somehow shared between us, buzzing in the space separating us.

And in that moment, there was just him.

No Zander.

No unconscious wolves.

No remnants of blood on his hands that cupped my face.

Just his eyes. Alight in silver flames.

He commanded my attention. And I obeyed. He told me not to look and all I saw was him instead.

And the way my body reacted to his command scared me; how readily I responded to him. I was in his trance.

When he didn't follow through on that unproclaimed promise of the taste of his lips, I could have sworn the pit that hollowed out my stomach felt a lot like disappointment.

Our emotions had just been heightened from the adrenaline pounding in our veins. That's what it was.

At least that"s what I told myself.Not that it mattered right now.

But the rogues we'd left alive … they were a message. They would return as two and not three. A symbol of what we were capable of. What lengths we would go to in order to stop them.

If by some miracle we were lucky, it might even deter them from coming back. From trying again.

Zander had informed us that the communication channels of the rogues we had encountered had been closed to him. They were not willing to interact more than physically. So hopefully the tangible message of a fallen soldier would be enough.

I didn't want us to have to kill more. But if we had to, we would. I had learned that about myself today.

The rest of the day went by in a weird haze, one that I was sure I wouldn't really remember.