Adilah~

I don't have the guts to tell Cole myself that I agreed to put him in trial as a distraction for our plan, so I leave it to Faith to explain everything and he accepted it. Now I am feeling the guilt as Crimson and I prepare for our trip. We are going to infiltrate the Hope pack tomorrow, something that no one has done or even attempted before. Faith is going to announce Cole's trial too before we go.

"Why don't you go see him?" Crimson is stuffing some necessities into a backpack for us to use in our mission. Faith offered us a room of our own to talk to ourselves about the plan, the rest is elsewhere even Benetha. It's sad that my best friend can't even be with me in this.

"There's no point. He's probably mad at me." The bond is getting stronger by day and it's a little hard not being with him right now, especially in this situation.

"Faith said he was okay with it and even volunteered to send Travis with us."

I shake my head. "I am scared Crimson. If we fail we are going to lose everything. Our pack, our family,  in my case my mate."

She raises an eyebrow at me, "So you're accepting him now?" She regards me in wonder almost in an awe.

"No." I quickly dismiss the idea.  "But he already helped us a lot, so I owe him."

Of course, the girl doesn't look convinced. So I just move to the bed, settle down and cover myself with the sheets hoping to clear my mind.

"You're not gonna help me." Crimson's irritated voice is still clear even with the blanket over me.

"I am helping you by sleeping. I don't feel good and we have a difficult task tomorrow. " My words are muffled by the pillow that I just put over my head too. I need to draw out every noise to stay sane.

"Whatever. Don't go crying on me if you regret not seeing him before we go later." Guess my efforts are futile. I just close my eyes. I won't because I am determined to see everyone again after this, including him.

***

"I can't believe that I am driving for the very first time in this situation. "

"I congratulate you. Just make sure not to crash into the border or the two of you will surely die." Faith doesn't really like to sugarcoat her words. Since we didn't really get any sleep at all last night, Crimson and I decide to leave early. Unfortunately, since the Luna of Justice can't drop us there because she has a role to play here later I am stuck with Crimson to get us there. I don't even want to think of what's gonna happen here with Cole later so I didn't argue even though I fear for my life.

"I'm not dumb you know,  trust me. I'll follow the instructions that you give us. Leave it to me." Faith gives us one final look and steps back to allow the car to go. "Good luck."

"Promise me you're not going to be harsh on him." I can't hold myself back to say to her.

"We need to act the part, so I can't promise anything." My jaw ticks. She only smiles at me amusedly,  "But I'll try."

"Please do."

Crimson then steps on the gas and the car jerks for a couple of times before we move steadily. I grab my seat belt for my life.
Noticing me Crimson frowns, "With all the people after us, I am the last person who is going to kill you, you know."

"I know." But just in case I keep on holding it. Who knows what might happen? For all I know I wasn't in this mess a couple of days ago. Life loves to throw things at us randomly.

***

The Hope pack is isolated from the other packs because it's on the South of the territory and is surrounded by the thick forest. It comes to the point that Crimson and I need to abandon the car to walk the rest of the way to the border because the road already ended.

"Definitely not on your vacation list 101." Crimson grumbles as she stares at the map that Faith provided for us. "I think climbing the border wall is much easier than all of this." She hands it to me after examining it for a couple of while and starts walking aimlessly.

"The guards remember." I roll the map away and tuck it in my pocket.

"Who would work at such an early time? Even the birds are still sleeping."

"Samirah's men would." She then nags at how pessimistic I am and after a good fifteen minutes, we finally face the 20 ft. walls that hide the Hope pack from the rest of the world. Excited, Crimson immediately test it by tapping on it hard. "Steep, but doable. You know how to climb?"

"What did Faith tell us to do?" I grab the map again.

"She gave us instructions on how to get to the border, but not specifically inside." I then crumple the useless paper, "Seriously?"

The lady just shrugs, "Come on we can do it. It's not that hard, while it's still a little dark." She starts climbing. I sigh, "Lordy. Lead the way."

By the time that the two of us reach the top, I am already out of breath while Crimson still has the audacity to laugh at me.

"You need to get in shape." I wave her off dismissively,  "I think it's normal for people not to be good at this ." I focus my gaze on what's on our other side instead. The very first thing that catches our eyes is the castle-like building on top of a rocky hill.

"At least we don't have to ask where Samirah stays." I nod to Crimson. Without any guards at sight, we landed perfectly inside with no trouble. At last, we are in the Hope pack. I observe the rest of the land. In contrast to the almost glassy building on top of everything, the rest of the houses here are simple and small. Some have some kind of wood patches on them and most of the roofs are made of nipa leaves. Since the sun isn't up yet, everything is still. "Where do you think we should go?" Crimson lowers her voice to not get any attention. Even the wind is undetectable here.

I take careful steps forward, and Crimson follows. Halfway through we both halt, for a horn is played so loudly that it looks like the sound originated from everywhere. Uniform footsteps boom in the distance. Shouts of orders are muffled, but we don't have to hear it clearly to know what is truly happening.

"The guards." Crimson tenses beside me.

"No the military," I whisper and immediately grab her hand and hide in the shelter of one of the houses nearest to us. We hide behind a pot of plants with a window above us.

"They are going to find us here. They're gonna round the whole place."

"Well, we don't have a choice. Faith didn't tell us anything like this, and you wouldn't wait for us to form a plan."

"So it's my fault now?"

"Crimson I am not say-"

The window above us suddenly bursts open cutting our argument shortly. We both freeze.

" I really appreciate such lovely chattings in the morning but I think the horn and the footsteps were enough to wake me up." A girl, not younger than us narrows her blue orbs as she looks down from the wooden window. We visibly relax when she doesn't seem to know us. She grins, her wise blue eyes is getting familiar by the second. She looks like someone I know.

"I don't like for the guards to make a commotion outside of my house, so I'll invite you in. The curfew is not up yet. They'll surely arrest you." Having no choice, Crimson is already up on her feet while I reluctantly stand up. She opens the door for us and we say our thanks as we step inside, the footsteps still somehow audible behind the closed door. I can't imagine living every morning like this. The house is a typical village house, it's clean with only a few furniture to lighten the place. A small center table, a couch fit for 2 people and some shelves with little books on them.

"You're parents are still sleeping?" I ask the girl who is now fixing something for us in a small kitchen at the corner. "I'm an orphan. I live alone."

"Oh," I mutter apologetically. She shakes her head in assurance, "It doesn't bother me. My name is Rae by the way." She hands us a mug of hot milk and shakes our hands with glee. Soon after, and we are sitting comfortably on the couch."The soldiers are early today because they have an important news in the Justice pack later."

My heart hitches up,"What's wrong?" They can't know it, Faith hasn't even announced it yet.

"Our Luna said it yesterday. Although what's new? It's probably another one who is getting arrested for nothing." A shadow falls upon Rae's face, showing that she doesn't like what's happening. I loosen up a bit on her as she opposed it too.

"Listen, Rae. We need to get to Luna Samirah's place as soon as possible. Can you help us?" I ask boldly. If she questions us further I can give her half the version of the truth because she seems like she doesn't like Samirah's doing either. She's our only hope right now.

She stares off the distance first before she nods unsurely. "I work there as a servant. I think I can help you." Her uneasiness quickly disappears in a smile.

"Great!" Crimson exclaims patting me on the shoulder.

I stay focus on Rae though, "Don't worry we won't get you into trouble. We just need to do something."

The blue-eyed girl walks up to close the window that she opened for us earlier, "I love helping others. It's my duty as a Hope pack member."

The irony of the situation, the people here are not cruel than what I imagine they would be. I am thankful that they are not like their Luna, I hope.

***

What's the deal with Rae? 6 more chapters to go and it's done! Thanks to you who are still reading this ;).