Chapter 23


    "I think kitchen duty is ruining my love for food," Iined as I stirred a ginormous pot on the stove.


    "I don''t think I''ve managed to eat a proper meal since we started here," Beth replied, cutting some


    vegetables on the kitchen ind.


    It had been just a week of our punishment with three more to go. I doubted if I wouldst that long. I tell


    you one thing, though, I will never start a fight again. Ever! On the plus side, Beth and I weren''t exactly


    enemies anymore. We weren''t friends, but she stopped looking at me like she wanted to strangle me. It


    might have helped that Dean and the others were nicer to her since I threatened to stop talking to them


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    forever if they didn''t. It proved to be pretty effective, especially against Dean.


    "Seriously I don''t see how you can stand making all this food three times a day, every day."


    Rose rolled her eyes at us. "It''s not so bad. You two just love toin."


    Beth scoffed. "You get up super early, spend hours cooking, hours cleaning. When you finally finish you


    have to start all over again for lunch then again for dinner. How is that not very?"


    "It''s not very it''s my job. Now get rid of those poor orphan girl look. They won''t move me. Now get to


    work. Werewolves aren''t happy when they''re hungry."


    "Well I''m an unhappy werewolf, and I don''t see anyone around here cares," Beth grumbled under her


    breath.


    Rose snorted but kept chopping the meat before her.


    "I swear I''m going to beg Ryder''s parents to give us a pardon or something," I insisted then frowned.


    "Where are they? I haven''t seen them at alltely." Nor had I seen Kara either. Andy said he was busy


    with some work for Ryder''s dad.


    "Did you forget there is a war out there?" Beth''s voice was sharp as she gave me an using re.


    "Is it getting worse? Has the fighting started?" Guilt made my stomach twist. I''d forgotten about the war.


    "It''s war and, of course, the fighting has started. It started a while ago. Where have you been?" Beth


    kept giving me the re.


    This time I deserved. How could I have forgotten? Was Kara involved? My stomach twisted tighter. I


    hurried to finish up to meet Mom and Harry for lunch. I needed to know what was going on. Ryder or


    the others hadn''t said anything, and I hoped, it was because they were as clueless as I was. If that


    wasn''t the case, I was going to be so upset with all of them, especially Ryder.


    Finally, we finished, I cleaned up and met Mom and Harry in the dining room. "Hey Honey," Mom said,


    smiling. "Haven''t seen you much this week."


    "ving over a hot stove will do that to ya." I got theugh I was trying for.


    "Not so fun when you''re the one doing the work. Is it? So what''s going on?"


    "What do you mean?" I gave her an innocent look.


    She didn''t buy it one bit. "You''re usually with Ryder and the others. So I''m assuming you want


    something."


    "Is not spending time in thepany of my loving mother and stepfather, not enough?" I did my best to


    sound offended.


    Harry let out a snort and shook his head at me. "Spill."


    I grinned at them with a shrug. "I was wondering if you heard about what was going on with this war


    that is supposed to be going on between Mike''s dad and Ryder''s."


    "I''m afraid I don''t," Harry said, his expression turning grim. "What little I do know is the violence has


    started. Ryan isn''t holding back. Some other packs have gotten involved, some for us, some for Ryan. I


    heard he promised to give Beth to an alpha thirty years her senior as a mate if the alpha supports him


    against Brent."


    Seriously? Did that monster not have any limits? "Is Mike''s dad winning?" My stomach churned at the


    thought of it. No way was I going to be able to eat like this.


    "No one is really winning. Both sides are evenly matched, both in force and in casualties."


    How did Andy act normal with Kara out there? "Why is everyone acting like nothing is happening?"


    "The fighting still is taking ce on the borders, more specific, the eastern borders. When the pack''s


    hospital became overrun with the injured they set up several medical camps a few miles from the


    borders to tend to the non-critical injured or those who wouldn''t live long enough to reach the hospital."


    "Brook," Mom said, patting my hand with hers. "You shouldn''t think about this. It''s only going to make


    you feel bad, and there is nothing we can do, but wait."


    Maybe she couldn''t do anything, but this was about me, and I was doing nothing. The feeling I should


    be doing something, anything, wouldn''t leave me. Only I had no clue what.


    Throughout the next week, I tried to find out more about the war, but I didn''t get too far. Ryder didn''t


    seem to know any more than I did. When I finally got the nerve to ask his Dad, Brent just told me he


    couldn''t give me details, and I should try to simply enjoy my stay in his home.


    Once I left the bathroom, I sat on my bed and brushed out my hair. Thankfully, it no longer smelled like


    fried chicken. I nced at the clock on the wall. I had five minutes to meet Ryder and the gang for


    dinner. I jumped, nearly ripping out a small portion of my hair when my phone rang. It was Anna. I had


    tried to call her a couple of times since I got here but always got voicemail.


    "Brook," Anna said in a hurry as soon as I answered the phone. "Is it true? Are you really Blue


    Crescent''s future Luna?"


    Well hello to you too. "Yeah, it is. Why?"


    "Oh thank, God. You have to help my family and me! The alpha, he knows we were friends. Please, he


    beat up my dad and my brother nearly killing them. He says he''s going toe backter and finish


    the job. Please, Brooke, help us."


    My heart jumped into my throat. Alpha Ryan was a monster? How could he do these things to his


    people? "Of course, I''ll help. What can I do?"


    "I - we are just outside of Blue Crescent Territory. Can youe and help us pass the borders. We


    don''t want trouble. Just, please Brook. If you tell them we were friends, they''d have to let us pass,


    right?"


    "Of course. I can Alpha Brent toe with me-"


    "No," she shouted, making me jump again. "There''s no time. You have toe now! I think the alpha


    knows we ran. It has to be you, and it has to be now."


    I frowned, not sure what to say. I''ve watched enough videos on Youtube about scammers to figure out


    when someone says it has to be now they''re usually lying. Yet, this was Anna, my one and only friend


    until now. If there was even a chance the danger was real, I had to do something, right? "Alright, where


    are you?"


    "Southeast border, near the interstate."


    "Okay, stay hidden and keep quiet. I''ming." I got out my little can of silver pepper spray, stuffing it


    in my hoodie pocket. When I was in the car, I called Ryder. "Hey, Anna, a friend of mine in ck


    Mountain pack, called. She and her family are in danger. They are trying toe here for asylum. I''m


    going to get them. She says there isn''t much time so I''m on my way now. It''s the southeastern border


    by the interstate." I hung up and stuff the phone in my pocket too.