By The Full Moon ( A Hunter Novel #1)

Nine: Wrong Choice

Nine: Wrong Choice

Ava

The pups and I had been walking around for about an hour now, when we finally reached a source of water. And it was beautiful. A nearly clear river ran through the earth, little fish following through it. The pups jumped in and out of the water, caught between wrestling with each other and trying to bite the fish straight out of the water. I watched them, making sure they didn't get hurt as I lowered my head. I sniffed the river, making sure it was drinkable, and when I found nothing suspicious I lapped it up.

I froze as a sour smell hit my nose. I lifted my head, looking through the forest line. That's when the scent fully hit me. It nearly smelt like sour milk, turning the taste in my mouth. The pups, not aware of what that smell meant, merely covered their snouts with their paws. I huffed out a bark that caught their attention, letting them know danger was close and they quickly huddled underneath my belly.

I lifted my head and howled, alerting the pack of the intruders. That's when four Rogues appeared a little over a hundred feet away. I turned, shuffling the pups into the hollow trunk of a nearby tree. Then I turned back to the Rogues who growled simultaneously.

If they wanted to hurt the pack or pups, then they'd have to go through me. They charged then.

Wrong choice, mutts.

Emilio

We had already taken off in a full sprint in the direction she had gone with the pups when we heard the howl. A strong, calm noise that spread throughout the pack grounds, alerting all the pack there were intruders. I looked over to Elijah to see his chest heaving in panic, and then he jumped, shifting in mid air and landing in time to keep running. I leaned over, grabbing his fur and jumped up, onto his back. One of us would have to fight while the other helped Ava and the pups get to safety.

The sour scent became more intense with each step until we burst through the clearing that led to the pack's source of water. That's when we saw it. Three Rogues lay dead at her feet and she was walking towards the clearing with the five pups trailing behind her. But what caught my attention most, was the half-conscious Rogue she was dragging by the scruff of its neck, like a pup. She walked past us in a huff, the pups yipping at us before bowing their heads, an innate sign of respect for their leaders.

I jumped off Elijah and followed after them like I was just another pup and so did Elijah.

"What happened?" I asked her.

Rogues attacked. She said sarcastically through the link.

"The sarcasm wasn't necessary." I grumbled at her. She huffed at me then and entered the pack grounds.

Where is the pack jail? She asked.

"Elijah, can you lead her to the pack jail? I'll return the children home." I said as I saw the parents of the pups waiting on the edge of the trail that lead to the cabins. Three kids went to one couple and the other two went to another.

I went up to the couples as they hugged their little pups.

"I would like to speak with the children once they've shifted back." The first couple merely nodded. The second couple looked at me before speaking.

"That was the future Luna, wasn't it?" the wife asked. I smiled softly then, and all their eyes widened for a moment.

"Yes, that was." I responded.