Arabe swatted at a twig curling towards her, grimacing as she blocked another branch from arge tree. Going hunting with Sandro was a terrible idea, but he insisted, iming he needed her there. Despite reminding him that she was a Phoenix, not a werewolf, it seemed like he wasn’t really listening.


    The moon was out, not yet full, and they were waiting for it to reach its peak. Sandro exined that the full moon enhanced werewolves’ abilities, making it the only sensible time for hunting. Arabe just wanted to curl up in bed with a duvet, enjoying a peaceful sleep.


    “Want to take a break?” Sandro turned, raising his brows.


    “It’s nice of you to remember I’m part of this journey. I’m five months pregnant, Sandro. You shouldn’t have dragged me into the woods at this hour. Anything can go wrong, and it’s strenuous walking with arge bump and swollen-”


    Arabe trailed off as Sandro knelt in front of her, his back turned. “Get on.”


    “What are you doing?” she asked, frowning.


    “Get on, Be. This might be the only chance I have to piggyback you, and I don’t want anything to happen to you. I brought you here for a reason,” he said, patting his back.


    “You could’ve told me why. You’ve been mute,” she grumbled, reluctantly walking toward him. Weighing her options, tired legs, and the risk of copsing versus the uncertainty of the journey, she considered getting on.


    Climbing onto Sandro’s back, he stood up with her, his strong arms supporting her legs. Walking further, he carried her as if she were a stuffed toy, not a 110. 23-pound woman with arge bump.


    “You weigh nothing,” Sandro muttered.


    “Did I say that out loud?” Arabe grimaced.


    “No,” Sandro chuckled. “But I know that’s what you’re thinking because you’re tense. It would be best if you rxed, carina. Even if you weighed tons, I don’t think you’re something I wouldn’t be able to handle.”


    Arabe nodded, breathing out slowly, and rxed into him, wrapping her arms around his upper body. The journey continued until Sandro abruptly stopped by arge oak tree.


    Tilting his head upward, Arabe followed suit, thinking he was gazing at the not-yet-full moon, which was predicted to be full today.


    “Can you stand?” Sandro questioned.


    Arabe nodded, “I can.”


    He let her down, guiding her to therge tree and helping her sit. Sandro stood, his eyes narrowed, sniffing the air. For a moment, she wondered what he was doing as he emitted a low growl and turned to gaze at her.


    “Can you use any of your powers? I know the children have been sucking some of it, but I’m sure it’s not all,” he said in a rush, pulling her upward.


    “What? Why?” Arabe’s brows creased. “Is something going on?”


    Sandro’s face was tight, and she saw his eyes sh briefly. He stepped towards her, cupping her face. “You should do as I say.”


    Arabe nodded, though she couldn’t understand why he was agitated. If he wanted her to obey him, she would.


    “Don’t look back, Be. Not even if I scream your name,” Sandro continued.


    “Are we getting attacked?” she asked.


    “I smell some rogues,” Sandro’s eyes darted around.


    “I can fight,” Arabe insisted.


    “No, hell no,” Sandro shook his head. “I can’t let you risk your life.”


    “Why don’t you pretend you still hate me and let me fight, Sandro? I hate it when you treat me like some invalid.” She stretched forth her palm, and beams swirled around in the air. Closing her palm, she waved it, and a gust of wind glided out of it. “Stop treating me as if I am sick. Also, I am not leaving here.”


    “Be,” Sandro’s voice took a dangerous undertone. She heard the warning but was beyond caring.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    “I am staying, Sandro, and I will take responsibility for whatever is going to happen…” Arabe gasped as Sandro wrapped his arms around her, diving into the forest floor with her.


    Caught by surprise, she protected her fall bynding on Sandro, or maybe he protected her. From the corner of her eyes, she saw something swoosh past them.


    “What the hell is that?”


    “Rogues!” Sandro hissed. “And you can’t leave now, Be, but don’t do anything stupid.”


    “I don’t intend to,” she said, attempting to stand, but he held her down.


    “Just crawl to the tree. It’s easier than standing. Thest thing I want is for you to get bitten.”


    “Yes, sir,” Arabe replied, doing as Sandro said.


    Sandro groaned as she wiggled her backside as though she were a dog, but he said nothing about it. He needed to concentrate on the matter before him rather than on Arabe, who was unknowingly seducing him.


    He stood up, his eyes scanning the area for the avable rogues. He saw ten in total. They weren’t anything he couldn’t take down, but Arabe was with him. He wondered if they were going toe directly for her.


    “Come at me, idiots,” he said.


    “You know you shouldn’t egg them on that way,” Arabe warned.


    Sandro nced at her briefly, luckily deflecting a blow.


    He gripped the rogue by the wrist, breaking it, before clutching the neck and hurling him towards the tree closest to Arabe.


    The rogue jumped to his feet, heading for Arabe, who yanked a knife from the ankle boot she wore and flung it at him. The rogue shrieked as the knife collided with his eye, falling to the ground with a thud, desating.


    “It’s good you’re great inbat. ze taught you well,” Sandromented.


    “He surely did,” Arabe smiled, reminiscing about her training days with ze, cautious of the remaining rogues.


    “Now, will you allow me to fight?” She asked Sandro.


    “Only if you promise you won’t put yourself in unwarranted danger,” he said, his eyes moving to her bumps as she touched them.


    “I promise not to ce the children in danger,” Arabe assured. She knew that was the only reason he kept asking her to stand down.


    “Good,” Sandro affirmed with a nod.


    All the rogues soon emerged from their hiding ces. It took less than thirty minutes to defeat them, with Sandro frequently jumping in front of Arabe to protect her, even when unnecessary.


    Sandro grunted, his heart racing as he looked at the rogues on the forest floor. “What do we do? We don’t even know why they are here.”


    Arabe cleaned her knife on a rogue’s shirt. “Paolo sent them,” Sandro said. “We need to get out of here.”


    Arabe grimaced, nodding her head. Paolo’s name wasn’t something she liked hearing. Each time she heard it, the urge to march wherever he was to end his life, causing him as much pain as he had done to her, filled her. But she knew Sandro would never approve. He wouldn’t even let her discuss it.


    Sandro bent again, and she climbed on his back.


    “Ready?” He asked as he stood.


    “Ready,” she murmured.


    Sandro sped out of the forest and towards the pack house.