I woke up what felt like hours later. It was still the night, but something was wrong.

"Gale?" I asked as I noticed a tall, well-built shadow on the other side of what was the fire. It was Gale, but he seemed tense...on edge...fearful?

"Robyn we have to move now," he said taking long strides over to me.

"Why?" I questioned as I was brought to my feet.

"I'll explain everything later but for now just let me get you away from here," he said his voice fast and agitated. I nodded before going to grab my bag from the tree a few metres away.

I leant down to grab the straps when I noticed a pair of feet. Bare feet.

I froze, but my heart had other ideas. It beat faster than it had beaten before. 

"Gale," I whimpered not even daring to lift myself to see the face of the man. Thawn? Raven? I don't know, but whoever it was one thing's for sure: it could never be good.

I felt Gale's hand grab my arm and pull me roughly behind his body in some kind of instinctual protection.

"Thawn," Gale said deeply.

"Gale," Thawn replied scornfully. I knew Thawn Hazelwood wasn't the nicest person in the pack from personal experiences throughout our childhood, but his tone shocked me. So wicked, so sinister, so...evil. 

"What are you doing here?" Gale asked his face hard as stone.

"Sent by the Elder," Thawn replied casually.

"But the real question is..." Another voice said from behind us. "What are you doing here?"

Gale seized my hand and spun around, only to face Raven, another young man which a similar persona to Thawn.

"And why are you off territory with the girl the Elder specifically ordered you to stay away from?" Yet another voice said before a figure emerged from the forest shortly followed by another figure.

Blaise and Fern Rivers - the eldest of Gale's three younger brothers.

The four of them left us completely surrounded. Gale was an Alpha, but could he fight a Beta and three others even with my help?

"So Alpha...what are you doing two hundred miles from home?" Thawn asked.

"It's not our home anymore," Gale stated his voice deep and heavy. "We've left that God forsaken place for good."

"One does not simply leave the Elder pack, brother," Blaise said as they enclosed around us.

"Do you think I don't know that? I spent almost two months as Alpha of that oh so 'peaceful' brainwashed cult. I know what goes on in there, Blaise," Gale said. I was slightly taken aback by Gale's words. I hadn't yet had the chance to ask him to explain what he meant when he said things like that.

"Then you should know that nobody runs away without getting caught," Fern said stepping a little too close to me for comfort.

"Stay away from her Fern," Gale growled pulling me closer to his body.

"Somebody a little protective over their girlfriend?" Raven said stepping closer to me from the opposite direction.

A growl emerged from somewhere deep inside Gale's throat.

"Oh come on Alpha, we aren't going to do anything to her..." Fern said a malicious smirk flooding onto his face.

"...yet," Blaise added.

"Enough of the games," Thawn said sounding bored. "Seize them," he ordered.

In seconds, I felt a set of arms wrap around my waist that didn't belong to Gale. Blaise and Raven each had one of Gale's arms meaning the person dragging me away from him must be Fern.

I madly fought against him and somehow managed to break free just as Gale shook Raven to the floor after already slamming Blaise into a tree.

I went straight towards him and felt his large hands engulf my face before bringing my lips to his.

At first, my eyes widened in shock yet it felt natural. It felt...breathtaking.

"I should have done that a long time ago," he whispered before pulling my lips back to his.

That was the point when our special moment was ruined. The same pair of hands wrapped around my waist lifting me off my feet and whilst Thawn, Blaise and Raven dragged Gale away from me.

"I love you, Robyn," he shouted still trying to break free without much success.

The realisation hit me hard.

I love him.

I'm so stupid not to have recognised that my total adoration for him is beyond just being friends.

How can anyone be so naive?

I love Gale Rivers.

I watched helplessly as Fern carried me further away from him and as he fought tirelessly against the three of them

"I love you too," I whispered knowing he could hear me as a tear ran down my cheek.