Big Bad Wolfie

Maria's POV

Hopefully.

If I crash and burn that'll be embarrassing, but at least I tried.

I snuck around swiftly to inform my house members of the plan before it was too late. Wolfie just mind linked his wolves and he and Happy headed to meet the reinforcements, while Abaddon and I rushed to deliver the news, because we didn't trust the phones weren't tapped.

I got to the first hide out and gave a quiet knock, "Hey, it's me, open up," I whispered.

"Maria?" I heard a girl respond back.

"Yes, it's me, I have something important to tell you!" I frantically glanced around knowing Abaddon's troops won't be able to hold the hybrids at the border for long, and our backup is still coming through the woods between the pack house and the rest of the pack, so I'm on my own out here.

"Okay," I heard her voice again followed by the sound of the metal door handle being messed with.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Someone interrupted and the sound stopped.

No don't wait!

"How do we know it's her?" The man said skeptically.

"Can't you smell me?" I called back a little impatiently.

"You smell like dog," he responded flatly.

"I'm mated to a werewolf, dude. What do you expect?"

"Ew, there are children in here Maria -"

"Oh my goddess, not like that! Just open the door!"

"But what if"

"Now!"

The man scoffed and the girl spoke up again, "Just let her in," and the rustling picked up again behind the door.

"Stacy, Mr Sellers," I acknowledged excitedly as the door swung open. They must have been the ones arguing over letting me in.

I looked between them at everyone else and sighed in relief, they're all safe.

I made sure to close the door quickly behind me.

Cami, Gummy Bear, Dylan, and so many others are here. It's been too long since I've seen my own people.

"Are we sure, it's really her? Maybe we should leave her out to the wolves, just in case," Mr Sellers scowled.

Even if they're not excited to see me.

"Oh hunny, don't be rude," Mrs Sellers came to my rescue. She shifted her attention to me. "It's good to see you dear, and thank you for covering for me with your mate a few months back." Oh, I totally forgot about that.

The interviews when Wolfie first got here while Mrs Sellers was off in the woods feel like so long ago.

"Of course," I smiled tightly at her while her husband glared at me.

Her and Cami returned my smile, though.

At the end of our exchange, the small hiding spot irrupted with voices, all trying to grab my attention and ask millions of questions at once.

My eyes widened as I put my hands up to try and grab everyone's attention. "Guys! Guys! As much as I'd love to catch up with everyone, now's not the time."

It actually quieted down a bit at that.

"Hybrids have entered the premises," I began before the room fell into commotion once again.

There are probably gentler ways I could have broken that to them.

I'll remember that for the next hide out.

"I know it's bad! But I need you all to quiet down so I can tell you all the best way to keep safe!"

The panic continued.

But I can just feel the hybrids getting closer.

I felt panic of my own start to grip at my chest.

"Everybody quiet down and listen!" I hollered sternly, praying the hybrids' ears didn't pick that up over their fighting at the border.

Everyone immediately shut the h3ll up.

I blinked my eyes twice, my talent flaring slightly because of my anxiety over all of this.

I glanced around at the silent room.

Better.

Clearing my throat, I started up again, "So, hybrids are here," I continued slowly, trying to be more gentle with my delivery this time. "And I know that's scary, believe me, I do, but we need to work together in order to have the least amount of casualties possible."

Silence filled the room as I looked around to see how everyone was talking it in.

Not well, but that's to be expected.

Now comes the hard part.

"We're going to have to move you all —"

Panicked and confused voices started up again.

I took in a short breath, "Please, just let me finish!" I called over them.

It quieted down enough for me to speak.

"We have to move you to a werewolf hideout so your scents don't come off as distinctly vampire and draw the hybrids straight to you," I explained quickly, the sense of impending doom creeping over me the longer I take.

I can't tell if it's all in my head or my talent warning me of an actual threat.

I guess we'll find out soon.

"Will it make the hybrids think we're one of them?" Someone in the back questioned.

I hesitated to answer. "From a certain distance," maybe, "yes, but from close up, it's not likely."

I was expecting panic to re-irrupt in the small hideout, but it didn't. Just long, heavy, fearful silence.

I don't know which one is more uncomfortable to talk over.

"Then what's the point?" The same person in the back spoke up again dejectedly.

I sighed, "I know it's not a lot, but every little bit counts. Just remember whatever training you have and stick together."

No one had anything to say to that.

I swallowed loudly in the silence.

Some of these people could die today.

But I'm going to give everything in me to keep that from happening.

"Everyone ready to go? I'm going to escort you over until we find a warrior that can take my place —"

"You're not staying with us the whole way?" Gummy Bear's small voice broke through my rambling as she peaked out from behind her older cousin's side.

I locked eyes with her wide watery ones.

I'm not even supposed to be going half way, I'm supposed to tell you, assign a leader, and move on.

But I can't just leave you.

I put my hand on her head and ran my fingers through her hair while I took a deep breath to compose myself, "I can't babe, I have other people to go and help after you guys," I told her gently. "But, but "

"Shh," I hushed her lightly, rubbing her back and kneeling down to her level. "You guys can do this, I know you can. Your cousins are here to look after you and you're here to look after them." I glanced up at Dylan and Stacy to see their young, uneasy faces.

"I want Mommy and Daddy," Gummy Bear sniffled.

Her parents, along with Dylan and Stacy's and so many other children's, are warriors that are helping at the front or meeting the reinforcements in the back.

"Your mommy and daddy are outside protecting all of us, babe," I tried to sooth her, but it wasn't working well at all. The tears ran down her face no matter what I said.

Dylan saw this and picked up his little cousin to cradle her in his arms while Stacy came around to rub soothing circles around the sobbing six year old's back.

I sighed and tore my eyes away from the sight, we've already wasted so much time.

"Alright everyone, we have to get ready to go, but before we do, do what you can to leave your scent here. We want the hybrids to make as many unnecessary stops as possible." Everyone did as told, some people leaving a jacket behind and others just picking up and touching whatever they could to mark their scent on it.

Once everything was in place, I put my finger over my lips to signal that it's time to be stealthy and slowly opened the door.

I scanned the area and waited to hear any noises or smell any weird scents.

After nothing was detected, I jumped into motion and made sure everyone was following behind me.

We went between a run and a sprint to make sure everybody could catch up. Everyone's eyes and ears wide open and vigilant.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally found a werewolf warrior that could help. I made sure he understood the plan and was on my way to the next hideout, without a hitch.

But by the hairs standing up on the back of my neck, I can tell that's not going to be the case for much longer.

I rushed to get to the next hideout, which happened to be one full of werewolves, while trying to cover the trail of the last group.

Wolfie made sure to mind link all his people and cleared the ones that were capable of making the trip on their own to go, while I helped the ones that couldn't.

I arrived at the werewolf hideout and immediately felt hostility fill the air after they reluctantly opened the door for me.

And this is why we hid werewolves and vampires separately to begin with. Wolfie told them I was here to help them, and they still look at me like they want to eat me for breakfast.

I breathed in to start giving instructions when I heard an all too familiar voice.

"Maria!" Desi came racing to the front.

What the -

"They told me what's going on. Is everything alright? Is there anything I can do to help? Whatever you need, I can do it! She spoke too quickly for my brain to catch up. I'm still holding on to the fact she's in an enclosed space with a bunch of pissed off werewolves and hasn't combusted into flames of anxiety.

"Hold on, slow down, Desi. What are you even doing in here?" I put both hands on her shoulders.

"I got swept up in the commotion, and some how I ended up here," she shrugged.

I looked around at all the hostile faces and back at her skeptically. "And you're alright with that?" I asked slowly.

She nodded. "Mhm, at first I wasn't. I actually started having and anxiety attack, but then a nice lady helped calm me down and told everyone to 'back the f*ck off."

My eyes widened at her use of a cuss word. That's not normal.

She must have noticed my surprise because she raised her hands in defense, "Her words not mine. Anyway, then we —"

I chuckled lightly at her adorable enthusiasm. Even in a crappy situation like this, she's eager to help.

"I'm glad you worked it all out Desi," I smiled at her. I wish I could let her finish, but we're on a serious time crunch.

She smiled brightly back, even though I interrupted her.

And I'll have to remember to have her point out the woman who helped her, so I can thank her after all this is over.

But that point seems so far away from now.

That thought is what pushed me into motion to make the end of this come quicker.

"Alright everyone, Wolfie told you all what to do?"

Crickets.

"Who?"

Oh, shoot.

"Jason. I meant Jason told you what to do?" I clarified quickly.

They exchanged weird looks with each other, but then muttered their confirmations.

I'll worry about the crap they were probably just talking about me through their mind link on a later day, now I'm just worried about helping these people.

"Alright then, let's get moving. Stay close and stay quiet," I instructed.

I made sure the coast was clear and lead the way a few hundred feet.

That's when things hit the fan.

A hybrid came running from the front at us at full speed.

Crap they're breaking through.

"We're out of time," I accidentally said out loud.

I ignored the screams of panic around me.

Thank the goddess it's only one hybrid now, but it's not going to stay that way for long.

I met him in the middle, clashing violently with him. We were both flung backwards, but of course, he got up first.

I wasn't long after, though.

I wretched a throwing knife out of my waist band and waited for him to charge again. He elongated his claws and fangs and jumped into action, swinging wildly at me.

I could hear the wind his powerful swings created fly by my ears as I barely dodged them.

I was waiting for an opening, but every time I went to strike with a knife, it was met with his equally sharp claws.

At some point his claws came down on my arm and knocked the knife clean out of my hand. He used the opportunity to try and maneuver around me to get to the vulnerable people behind me.

The action left his back open to attack, and I certainly wasn't about to miss my chance.

I elongated my claws and made sure to dig them deeply into his sides. I gripped him hard and flung him away with all my might. He only landed a few feet away, but it gave me enough time to grab another

knife.

He started to charge toward me once again, and I took steps back to get a firm stance.

Also because it's terrifying watching a man the size of a bull with electric blue, angry eyes charging toward you.

He leapt up, high into the air, to change into his Wolf form.

Another opening.

Right at the end of his shift, before his feet touched the ground, I launched the knife straight into his eye.

When his feet finally hit, he crumpled to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.

I looked away immediately.

"As long as he doesn't get medical attention, he shouldn't bother us anymore," I told the group, panting. "C'mon," I motioned for us to continue.

"Well, shouldn't you make sure he's dead?" Someone spoke up.

I stopped in my tracks and turned back to the motionless hybrid, then to the one that spoke up.

"I realize this is controversial, but I

don't really do the whole execution

thing, especially when they're unconscious, I tried to justify strongly. When someone has a grievance with it, I usually offer them the opportunity to do it themselves when it comes to

have time for

criminals, but we don't renowned

that now, so we're just going to leave him. Don't worry, he won't be

of any further use in this battle," I told them curtly then continued moving.

"I don't understand the problem. He's a murderer, he kills people in cold blood," someone else spoke up.

"Walk and talk people," I growled, trying to get them moving again.

Nothing.

"C'mon guys, we should listen to Maria. She knows what she's doing," Desi proposed gently.

They all grumbled, but to my utter surprise, actually listened.

Thank the goddess for the angel that is Desi.

"Well, what's your answer, Vampire girl," a woman questioned.

I gritted my teeth at the title.

I suppose I did just call their alpha Wolfie to their face, though.

"Maria's fine," I smiled tightly back at her. "And by those standards I'd become a cold blooded killer too if I were to kill him now."

"It's different, and you know it," The man that prompted the conversation in the first place shot back.

"Of course, but I know how it feels to helplessly stare down a barrel of a gun, or a blade of a knife, or a what

not, and have your life in the hands of another. I also couldn't imagine being killed in my sleep, or white

unconscious. Do you know how anticlimactic that would be? H311 no."

There was silence for a second as they waited for me to continue.

"I just believe in the golden rule and don't like playing god, that's all."

No one challenged me further on it, so I assume they either excepted my response, or decided to shut up about it anyway. Either one, I'm fine with.1

A few more minutes into our run to the hideout, I heard thumping footsteps.

A lot of them.

Sh*t, "Can you all shift?"

They're so much faster in their wolf form.

A number of them shook their heads, some women with noticeable baby bumps and others with children on their hips that they're speaking for.

Oh, this is really not good.