III

1

The rain came down heavy, it had been going on for a few days now, unrestrained, unfeeling, indiscriminate... I sighed but it came out as a low growl. "Rest!" I ordered my men to stop. Our progress had been slow but steady and we would soon be able to go back to our own territory. "Will we be stopping here for the night?" one of the hunters' voice sounded out from the pack. Everyone had halted unsure and afraid, I could tell. I nodded to Thomas, my second, and he took over, shouting orders here and there. We would be camping out again. I could feel the weary gazes of a few of my pack members on me but ignored them. Another night of displeased wolves wouldn't make the difference now. The guards were swiftly dispatched to go look for shelter from the rain, they would probably find a rock where we could huddle under, if we were lucky a crevice where we would be out of the wind's harsh grip and if fate was really in our favour, an abandoned cave would grant us the much needed cover so my men could have a proper rest. Meanwhile a few hunters were sent out to hunt down some food.

The guards had no luck, no easy resting place for the night, one of the hunters however had spotted a group of wild boar and had been able to catch 6 of the young males. Through the thick rain I knew there would be no way to keep a fire going long enough to properly grill any of the meat, but my men would make do.

"Christian..." Thomas approached me after most of my men had eaten and huddled together under the makeshift shelter of leaves and fallen tree trunks to attempt to catch up on some much needed rest. "I know!" I gritted through clenched teeth before he could say any more. He continued anyway.

"Our men need rest, Christian, they are tired, not everyone can go as long as you..."

"I... KNOW!" I gritted out again, voice low so the rest would not hear our conversation. I cared about my men, my wolves, just as much, if not more so, as Thomas, however where he was the beta and could show compassion, I as the alpha, the enforcer, the leading figure, could never show such leniency, I could not relent and let my emotions show through.

"I know," I let out even softer and turned to look Thomas right in the eye.

"Show some compassion, can't we stop at the next town over and rest for a few days? Eat some proper food?"

"You know we can't and I can't, that's why you are here, to sooth their spirits. And any time we stop, we lose precious time we could be using to get back home."

Thomas sighed, he knew I was right and he would never win the argument.

"We are nearly there Thomas," I rested my hand on his stress fraught shoulder and felt some of his tension seep over and into my arm. I knew the burden he carried, being my second and leaving his wife and child behind to go on this mission. He wasn't the only one leaving his family behind for this mission, others were too, but where they just had to follow orders, Thomas, just like me had to be alert, physically as well as mentally. Always sleeping with one eye open, strategizing, keeping the wolves in check, guiding them where I could but lash out and give orders... exhausting... nerve frying... borderline maddening at times. Today had been one of the worse days. Granted, the wolves we'd battled had been weak, still, killing them never felt good, it was distasteful. No matter how many battles we'd fought before, and I doubted the bitter taste of the aftermath of one such battle would ever leave our spirits.

"There's not many left, another week and we'll be able to go home." I said with conviction I didn't feel at that moment. What home would we be returning to? Those of us who had families would return and be comforted by wives, girlfriends, children... those of us who had no one however would be haunted by nightmares for months to come...

Thomas seemed to read my mind as he spoke again. "We'll be alright, Chris..." he paused and tapped my shoulder lightly. "I hope you'd take some time to yourself after..." though he knew I wouldn't, I couldn't...

I felt a sudden bout of frustration, of pent up nerves course through my spine and let out a low growl.

"Go, Chris, I'll hold the fort for now, they're asleep now, patrol is on alert, nothing to worry you here." He looked tired too, but I said nothing. At least I'd taken some of his stress away earlier. I felt that same stress creep up my back now, until it was almost unbearable. I nodded at him and was shifted and running across the woods in a split second. I would run the perimeter a couple of times until some of the ache had subsided. Which meant probably all night long.