Ninja Turtles Meet The Huntress

Close Calls

Over the next week, Raph followed his fathers advice. He didn't seek out Gabby at all except to make sure she was eating and sleeping which inevitably caused tension, but in their planning sessions with the other members of the pack and during meetings, Raph made sure to keep his distance and it seemed to help calm her a little bit and she wasn't overly angry with him. The closer they got to the raid, the more focused she seemed and the less energy she seemed to want to put into keeping away from him. He also had a few talks with the others in the pack who were equally concerned about their packmate. Raph sat in the entertainment room one night with Gracie, Saffron, Jayden, Mikey, Donnie and Leo and they discussed it.

              "I think she's scared and that's why she's pushing herself so hard. She doesn't want to let us down." Ronnie said.

              "There has to be more to it than that." Gracie replied. "She's scared all of the time. She came to some kind of conclusion about something and it stressed her out."

              "She needs to get laid if you ask me." Jayden said earning himself a sharp look from Raph. "Hey, don't look at me. It's not normal for a wolf to repress their urges and desires. I don't know how the hell she's lasted this long."

              "He's right." Ronnie agreed. "She hasn't even shown any interest in a partner since before Raph bonded with her. It's not a natural thing to do. I wonder if she's experiencing some sort of disconnect from her wolf side. If that's the case, she could be in real trouble. I believe she needs to be balanced to defeat Aiden, and she needs our support, even if she doesn't want it."

              "All we can really do is be there for when she finally realizes that we're stronger together." Leo said. And they discussed well into the night.

            It was a start. He hoped they would be able to figure things out after the raid because this was just killing him.

              The spy's had created enough of a diversion to pull in the night patrols so the pack entered the grounds of the compound without much need to dispatch anyone. They made it right up to the tree line twenty yards from the nearest building. They could see flames climbing high into the night a ways off as one of the newly constructed barracks that housed the extra soldiers went up in flames. The team moved quickly, infiltrating as much of the compound as possible before the enemy forces could rally. Raph stayed back along with Saffron and Donnie to protect Gabby while her concentration was elsewhere. The odds of them being discovered were fairly low based on where all the ruckus was but she was close enough to seek out her old Alpha's mind. As it were, she didn't have to wait long. The great force of his mind reached out to halt the onslaught but Gabby thrust her mind forward to meet him, stopping him dead in his tracks

              "My pet." He cooed to her. Her only response was to stiffen and double her focus. "You should know by now that you can't beat me. Come, join me willingly and I will spare your little war party."

              "Empty promises and pain. That's all you've ever given me and I'm done. I won't stop until you're dead." She replied.

              "Have it your way." He said and he drove into her mind. She was in agony. She felt a lot more sympathy for her training volunteers now, knowing how it felt to have her mind pierced. She automatically began to throw up barriers to slow the assault but she was already losing her grip. The raid would be over before it started. Everything she had feared was becoming a reality right before her eyes. Unconsciously she reached for Raph, connecting their minds. So desperate was her attempt that she drew his entire consciousness into her body. His body fell limp and unresponsive on the forest floor causing Donnie and Saffron to huddle around him trying to wake him, but he wasn't there. He was inside of Gabby. He felt what she felt and knew what she knew. She was failing.