My leg throbbed from the wound on my thigh, the leather of my training gear torn where the blade had met my skin. It was already healing as I lunged, white-knuckling the hilt of my broadsword as I swung from a wide angle, the blade singing off metal as Felix deflected it with his own, and I was already attacking again. Spinning around to amplify the force of the next attack, it found its mark by biting into Felix's exposed shoulder. Blood welled from the cut. His torso was littered with wounds, some fully healed, others still mending. A cut or two was visible on his legs where the leather was torn. A shallow cut on my abdomen had already healed, and the one on my side was close to it. This time, Felix lunged, stabbing at me with the tip of his blade, and I quickly parried, the metal singing once more.

"They're bleeding. Shouldn't we stop it?" Lee murmured beside the ring, his eyes wide as he watched us fight.

"No. It's only a flesh wound; they'll heal in minutes. Only recruits are allowed to stop when blood is drawn; for the commanders, they will continue until one yields." Jasmine answered, leaning against the wooden fence as she concentrated on the fight. Manie was cringing beside Lee every time blood splattered on the ground of the ring, but they both lasted almost 10 minutes in the ring with me today. They have improved significantly in the past three days. Jasmine has been providing them with additional lessons on their days off, and it was starting to show results. Cole started teaching them archery yesterday, and Viviane Durand, the strongest swordswoman in my unit and a high fae, has been training them with wooden swords. It has been three days since High Lord Xander arrived at the estate. We are still waiting for my blood test results. Felix believes we might receive a response from the local pharmacy today. Reece and Jasper have possibly discovered an ancient artifact that Xander might find interesting. We'll be leaving for Riverhoff, one of the larger human cities, in a day or two to purchase it from the museum. The city was almost a two-day ride from Greenhollow, equivalent to a day in wolf form. It was deep within the human midlands, so we wouldn't risk going there in wolf form; instead, we'll go on horseback.

I feigned a lunge towards Felix's side, and he quickly prepared for it, but I sidestepped at the last minute, extending my leg to sweep the leg on which he was balancing, out from under him. I dropped my broadsword to unsheathe the dagger at my side just as he fell forward. I grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling his back flush against my chest and resting the dagger against the nape of his neck.

"Yield." I whispered against the curve of his ear, and a slow grin tugged at his lips.

"And let go of this moment? Never." He mused, but still dropped his blade, lifting one hand in surrender as the other brushed against my fingers, which were curling around the hilt of my dagger.

"You're a shameless flirt, Felix." I added a low purr and it vibrated his chest beneath my hand.

"I can be so much more, if you just let me." He glanced at me through the corner of his eyes, those beautiful hazel pearls darkening with promise. I rolled my eyes in response before pushing him away from me, but he kept his balance effortlessly. "So, that's a no?" He chuckled, and I shot him a vulgar gesture as I made my way to the edge of the ring where Jasmine was beaming with pride.

"Still undefeated!" Jasmine cooed before vaulting the fence to hand me a towel for the sweat and blood.

"Did you really expect anything else?" I teased her as she rolled her eyes, brushing the towel against my neck to soak up the sweat that kept my red ponytail plastered to my skin.

"I'm impressed, little sister." Reece drawled from the gate of the ring, also covered in dried blood and dirt from our fight earlier that morning. I spent most of today fighting against the other commanders and their seconds. One after the other. A pecking order, if you will. A reminder to the recruits and other soldiers of why I am the top commander. "You got through all of us before the sun went down." Reece added before glancing up at the sun that would soon set over the horizon.

"It's not the first." I countered before removing the elastic band from my hair and leaning over to fluff out the kink it had created in the curls. My hair wasn't exactly curly; it was pretty much straight. However, once it was coated in sweat, it developed a soft curl towards the end.

"Yes, but you've been suspended for three months. I would have thought you'd be a bit rusty. I was hoping to take that top spot this month." He smiled as he tossed another towel at me.

"Sorry to disappoint, big brother, but I'll have to be dead for you to take my place." I snorted, shooting him a playful glare, and he mimicked it. "At least you have your title, that's something I can't take from you." I added as I threw my hair back and kicked the extra towel aside while wrapping the other around my neck.

"How long have you been the top commander, ma'am?" Lee asked from beside Jasmine, his eyes scanning the already healed skin of my thigh and torso before locking with my gaze.

"Since she came into her power at 40 she started to excel, she was top commander by her 48th birthday." Felix drawled as he appeared beside me, nudging my hip with his own while holding onto the towel wrapped around his neck. The muscles in his chest are still rigid from the fight, as if they haven't received the memo that it's over.

"That's really young." Manie blinked, wiping his hands on his leather gear.

"Perks of growing up as an orphan and learning to kill at a young age." I teased, flashing him a grin and revealing a fang. His eyes widened for a second, and Jasmine patted the recruit on the back.

"Don't let her scare you. She's a big softie under all of that." She mused, gesturing at all of me. "She was the youngest commander ever, but that means she has a status to uphold. Everyone is always gunning for her position, which is why we have these monthly challenges. So people don't go rogue and challenge her every day." Jasmine explained, beaming with pride. She might be my second, but no one rooted for me harder than my best friend.

"Enough of the fangirling, Jaz. Lee and Manie, go home. You did well today." I mused and watched bright smiles bloom on their faces as they made their way to the stairs.

"And there's the softie I was talking about." Jasmine snorted, wiggling her eyebrows, and I rolled my eyes before chucking my towel at her.

"I give compliments where they are due. That doesn't make me soft. They improved a lot in three days." I added, finally leaving the ring and grabbing my discarded shirt from the water fountain. Felix jogged over to grab his still laying on the ground beside it.

"Soft is the last thing I'd call you. Chaos is more like it." He mused while pulling the shirt over his head.

"And the most calm person I've ever met can't seem to get enough of my chaos." I chuckled, pulled my shirt on, and strode towards the stairs.

"Oh, Syl. You and Felix have patrol duty today." Reece stated as he passed me on the stairs.

"No problem, where?" Felix asked as he caught up to us.

"South side." Reece shot a glance over his shoulder as he descended the steps and Felix and I exchanged a look.

"Why would they put two commanders on the south side? It's the safest patrol route." I asked as we followed him down the stairs.

"Exactly. Jasper wants you to stay as far away from the northern border as possible. We can't risk Xander getting to you." Reece answered, and I sighed deeply. Of course that's the reason, but an order is an order.

Felix walked me home just as the sun started to set, and we agreed to meet at the patrol route in an hour. I took my time in the shower, relishing the sensation of the almost scalding water against my skin. Felix said he would stop by the pharmacy to follow up on my blood test, so hopefully he will have an answer for me later. After a few minutes of soaking, I decided to scrub myself down with a vanilla-scented body soap and even washed the sweat and dirt from my hair. My hair was generally long, but when wet, it plastered all the way down my back, extending past the curve of my lower back. I put on a new pair of black leather pants and matching long-sleeve shirt, and towel-dried my hair before braiding it over my shoulder. The southern border is typically quiet, as there are no human settlements nearby. It marks the edge of the Westpond forest, making it the most straightforward patrol route. Felix and I were usually stationed at the north or east, bordering the human lands or High Lord Xander's territory.

I quickly strapped my broadsword across my back and sheathed a few daggers in the holsters at my sides and thighs before locking the door behind me. It was late by the time I made my way to where I was supposed to meet Felix; the sun had already set, and stars were filling the sky. Only a handful of people still lingered on the cobblestone streets, some bowing their heads in greeting as I passed, and I did the same. Once I reached the edge of the forest, I released the wolf. Reveling in the ache of my bones breaking, I felt the pure power flowing through my veins until my wolf purred with delight. I fell into a lazy trot, enjoying the scent of chimney smoke drifting in from the town and the fresh pine of the forest. A twig snapped behind me, and the familiar scent of wood and musk enveloped me as the black and grey fur brushed against my side, his tail wagging lazily behind him.

"This is going to be one boring night." Felix mused beside me, and I grumbled my agreement, my tongue darting out to brush over my elongated fangs.

"I get it, though. They want to keep me safe." I mumbled, part of me hated it. I can take care of myself, but a small part of me understood. I can't expect them to let me protect them and not allow them to do the same.

"I got the test back." His eyes met mine for a second and something flashed in them, something I couldn't quite place before he turned back to survey the forest around us. "It came back normal. You're pure-blooded High Fae." A small part of me felt relieved, but I knew that would be the case. We continued along the small path in silence for a while, winding around trees and brush, with our ears perked and our tails wagging lazily. "I have an idea." Felix cooed after a while, breaking the silence.

"Your ideas are never a good thing." I teased by nudging his side. His wolf let out a small purr in response.

"How about we play a game? There's a clearing near the end of the patrol route. How about I race you?" His eyes glistened with the challenge, and my muzzle pulled into a lupine smile.

"You know I'm faster." I countered, and his tail wagged faster.

"Okay, how about we make a bet then? If you win, I'll stop asking you out for a month. If I win, you owe me a kiss." His hazel eyes met mine, and a low purr escaped his throat. Of course, it would be a kiss, because he knows I won't agree if he made it a date.

"Alright, old man. You've got a deal." I cooed, and we both came to a stop. It's a few miles from where we are now, but I was undoubtedly faster than him. He brushed my side tenderly, his tail flicking against mine.

"Ready." We both hunched down. "Set." His shoulder brushed mine for a second before he took off, shouting over his shoulder. "Go!" I huffed loudly; of course, he was cheating. I waited another heartbeat before pushing off. The sound of paws hitting the ground filled the night air, twigs snapping as we barreled through the trees. Small yelps of enjoyment filled the air as I got closer to him, nipping at his hind leg. He swerved to the side to avoid my snapping muzzle before pushing harder, trying to put more distance between us, but I was slowly overtaking him. Power sizzled in my veins, my strong legs carrying me with ease. I lowered my head to reduce the wind resistance as I passed him, causing him to yelp and nip at my side. The clearing closes in with each heartbeat. I swerved around a tree, and Felix did the same a second later when a deer jumped into my path. I dug my claws into the ground to avoid slamming into it. Felix blew past me at that moment, fighting his laughter as I swerved around the doe-eyed creature, trying to regain my momentum and push myself again. The wind ruffled my fur as I barreled towards the clearing, the gap between us closing fast. I nipped at his shoulder once I reached him again, and pure delight glistened in his eyes as he glanced at me before swinging his side into my shoulder, knocking me off balance for a second before breaking ahead of me again. I chuckled at his dirty play, but we never agreed it would be a fair race. I caught up with him again, and we now ran side by side, neck and neck. The clearing was a few feet ahead when I pounced on him, and we barreled into the clearing, rolling over bushes and twigs as we tumbled into the long knee-high grass. Small violets and bluebells grew throughout the clearing, catching the moonlight in a beautiful sea of color. We both finally stopped rolling a few feet into the clearing. I rolled off him onto my back as he spat out a flower or two. We met each other's gaze, and a few violets clung to his black fur, causing me to laugh. "What's so funny?" His lip curled into a wolfish smile, and my wolf retreated, leaving me panting on the ground. I sat up, brushed my hand over his head and neck, knocking the flowers loose from his fur.

"You look like a pixie." I mused, still laughing, and he grumbled before pouncing on me. His wolf lay heavily on me as he nuzzled his large muzzle into my chest, purring loudly. "Okay, okay!" I laughed, pushing his chest. In a heartbeat, the fur disappeared, and he was lying on top of me. His curly black hair covered half of his forehead as he pushed himself off me and helped me to my feet.

"I do believe I've won." He stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No, you didn't. I was in front." I countered, pulling blades of grass from my braid.

"Last time I checked, I was in front. You barreled into me, which means you cheated." He added, giving me a bright smile as he pulled a bluebell from my hair.

"You knocked me off balance. How is that not cheating?" I shot, biting back a smirk.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but you owe me a kiss." He teased, tapping a forefinger against his lips, and I rolled my eyes at the pure glee in his stare.

"Fine, but you definitely cheated." I grumbled, taking a step closer to him until his breath mixed with my own. His palm was warm against my wind-blasted cheek, and he slowly rested his forehead against mine. His thumb brushed over my lower lip and hooked under my chin, tipping my head back slightly before his lips slanted over mine. A slow, delicate kiss. I didn't know what to do with my hands, so I simply rested them on his chest. The leather felt cold under my fingertips as his tongue danced against mine. His free hand snaked around my waist, splaying wide on my lower back as he pulled me closer, pressing our bodies together. Why did Cernu make him such a good kisser? A heartbeat passed, and the kiss deepened, becoming more eager and causing a low throb to settle between my legs. I quickly broke the kiss at that moment. This was dangerous. I found myself short of breath, much like he was. His eyes still lingered on my lips as his hand dropped from my cheek.

"Date me." He whispered, his fingers now curling around my braid.

"No." I breathed, and his lips curled into a smirk as he brushed his thumb against my back, still holding me firmly pressed against him.

"Okay. Then I'll try again." This time, he took a step back, and I immediately missed the warmth of his body. I opened my mouth to shoot him a witty reply when a low howl rent the night, a warning. We both turned in unison toward the eastern patrol route. "That's one of ours." Felix stated, and we immediately shifted and started running. All the fun and games were gone, the lingering lust fading away at the sound of another howl. This time, pained and angry.

"He's in trouble." I seethed as we wound around trees and boulders. The thundering paws drowned out the hoots of owls and the scurrying of creatures in the forest. Another howl, this time fainter and laced with agony. He's dying. It wasn't far, closer to our side from the direction of the howl. We barreled through small bushes and growing trees, not daring to waste any time as the howls grew fainter with each passing moment. As we rounded another large tree, my hackles raised, and my stomach knotted. STOP! My wolf form vanished without my consent, and I stumbled into a large tree, groaning. Fucking intuition. I hugged the tree, daring to take one step out from behind it when the shout came again. HIDE! Every muscle locked in place, and I ground my teeth in annoyance. Felix followed my lead and came to stand behind me, his wolf gone and essentially pinning me between his chest and the tree. "In front." I whispered, peering around the trunk just as Felix did the same. My breath caught in my throat at the sight. A large silver wolf lay unmoving at the base of a tree, crimson staining its fur along its side and stomach, with three black-cloaked figures hovering over it. I reached for the hilt of my broadsword, but Felix caught my wrist before I could unsheathe it and tapped my ear with his free hand. I took a deep breath to calm the raging fire that was quickly filling my veins. I will kill them for this. All of them. I strained my hearing, focusing my senses on the figures in the distance.

"You weren't supposed to kill it." The one was saying, his voice sounding strange and unnatural. It's like hearing someone speak when your head is underwater.

"Now it can't lead us to the red one." The second one added, a female? The same odd voice.

"I had no choice; it was going to kill me." The third one countered, now crouching beside the body.

"He's going to be pissed off that we didn't get the red one tonight. All that effort to find out when she's on duty, ruined." The female seethed, glancing around the trees before continuing, "We should leave. His howl would have attracted others." The first male grunted his agreement, but the third one remained crouched.

"What if we wait? Maybe the red one will come?" The red one? Were they talking about me? Felix pinned me closer to the tree, forcing me to let go of the hilt of the broadsword and I glance at him over my shoulder.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, shifting beneath him.

"Masking our scent, they're looking for you." He whispered in my ear, his gaze fixed on the figures. He was always better at that than I was. Where I could use my magic to enhance my strength and speed, he excelled at concealing scents and presence. I shifted once more, feeling the bark bite into my palm, and he grumbled behind me, "Stop moving." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Stop pinning me." I countered, careful to keep my voice low even when every part of me itched to kill them, the voice now quiet and dormant. "We need to get rid of them, maybe take one alive for questioning." I continued and he pinned my hip with his other hand.

"No, we don't know what or who they are. They killed Sam. Not to mention, they're looking for you. We don't know if they've laid traps." He stated, and I know he's right, but I can't stop the anger flooding my mind. Can't tear my eyes from the lifeless body. Can't stop thinking about driving my blade through their chests. They killed Sam, one of our youngest scouts. I should feel sad, should mourn his death, but all I could feel was anger and all I could think was: At least it's not me. After a few seconds, the figures began speaking again.

"That's it, we're leaving. The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it gets. We had one shot, and we blew it." The female stated, pulling her hood more securely over her face before turning around to make sure it was clear. My breath caught in my throat, and by how still Felix became, I knew he saw it too. Beneath the hood, there was nothing. Just shadows. No face, no form, just darkness. Was it them who attacked Cloudwing Base?

"Let's get out of here. Azrael is going to be pissed." The one male added before he just... disappeared. Felix's grip on my side tightened. Another vanished, leaving the female by herself. I could hear her heartbeat, slow and steady. I could also hear her breathing. She was alive, but I blinked and she was gone.

"What the fuck was that?" I whispered, and Felix finally took a step back.

"I have no fucking idea. How did they just disappear?" He added, rounding the tree, carefully listening for that same heartbeat, but the forest was quiet again.

"Do you think it was them who attacked Cloudwing Base?" I asked as we surveyed the area before stalking over to the dead wolf.

"I don't know, but it would make sense. Did you see their faces?" Felix mumbled as he crouched down beside the silver wolf. The blood was still wet to the touch, but it no longer gushed from the wound, and the eyes showed no signs of life. They killed Sam, and I felt nothing.

"Yeah." I exhaled as I gently closed the wolf's eyes for the final time.

"We need to tell Jasper." He whispered as he brushed the fur aside to inspect the wounds. "They used palladium steel." He added before looking at me from where he crouched by the body.

"It's definitely them, then. Were you able to catch a scent?" I asked, again surveying the forest around us.

"No." The word clanged through me, because neither did I. How do you fight something you can't smell or identify? What were they? "We should tell his family tomorrow." Felix stated, breaking my train of thought, and I nodded. This was not how I expected tonight to go.

I ran back to the estate to inform Jasper about Sam's passing, but I told him that we would discuss it in full in the morning. I still had patrol duty, and Felix can't be left alone for too long. We don't know if those figures are still lurking in the shadows. Jasper sent out one team to retrieve Sam's body and another to take over his patrol, while I made my way back to Felix. The rest of the night was quiet; neither of us spoke, neither of us laughed. Not with anger boiling in my veins and the pained ache evident on Felix's face. He cared for people, cared if they live or die. Another reason it would never work between us is that I didn't care. Death was inevitable, and Sam's death meant I was still alive. So, I felt nothing and didn't even make the effort to attend Sam's burial the next day.