Emma's Pov

　　Matthew's fist struck Michael's jaw with an audible impact, the force enough to leave a cut on my former mate's lip. The air around us seemed to stop for a moment, a tense silence enveloping us all in that second. Before Michael could retaliate, I instinctively stepped forward toward the two and stood in front of them with my arms open, trying to calm the tense situation. I know that my unprepared body to confront the two is not enough to stop them, but I need to try anyway. I can't let a battle break out between the two wolf packs because of me. That would trigger a war between Night Howlers Pack and my Moonshadow Pack.

　　"Enough!" I shout to both of them. Michael and Matthew stand still, but I still notice the tension between the two. I scan all the members of my pack. I notice the disdain in my brother's eyes, the anger building up on his face. I take a deep breath before proclaiming my words; "Michael, I'm not going back with you to Moonshadow Pack. I don't belong to the pack anymore; I don't belong to you," I say sincerely, my words sounding firmer, but inside me, I feel a growing nervousness and fear.

　　Michael spits the blood that formed in his mouth right onto my hiking boot, a gesture of challenge and contempt. He wipes the back of his hand across the injured lip, his angry eyes staring at me. I hold his gaze; I won't go back to Moonshadow Pack, no matter what Michael says.

　　"You belong to us, Emma. You always will. You owe us a life, your life," Michael points a finger at me, his voice filled with hatred and fury. "I won't leave without you. Without justice for my sister Ava!" in every word spoken, I feel the resentment within them.

　　Michael's arm comes towards me, ready to grab me. However, Matthew is quicker; his hand finds my waist faster, Alpha Matthew pulls me back while his body moves in front of mine.

　　"Don't touch her, you bastard!" Matthew orders, his voice resonating with the authority of an alpha he possesses and ready to punch Michael in the face again. I stagger backward, almost losing my balance and falling to the ground.

　　The heat of the argument increases, exploding into an imminent physical confrontation. I desperately try to calm the situation again before the violence becomes uncontrollable. But I end up feeling helpless in the midst of the storm of emotions and hormones they both possess. Michael is furious as well as Alpha Matthew, their faces contorted with anger as they grapple in a furious fight.

　　I witness Matthew landing another punch on Michael, but this time my former mate doesn't back down. As his face turns, Michael's hand does the same, hitting Matthew's face hard, the sound of the impact echoing throughout the surroundings. This is the signal needed for the Night Howlers pack to advance in defense of their alpha; the members of the Moonshadow Pack also come forward to join the battle. I am pushed forward, not knowing who passed by me to reach the line at the entrance of the Night Howlers pack.

　　Shit, shit! What do I do? What do I do?! My blood boils with so much chaos happening. My adrenaline peaks, but I don't know what to do. Until a member of my Moonshadow pack advances towards me, his eyes full of fury and determination, trying to capture me.

　　With my training showing results, I defend myself from his attack. I dodge his attack with precision, planting my foot on the ground to gain more grip and balance. The young warrior tries once again to hit me with a punch, but I am quicker and hit him with a kick right in the side of his body, making him fall in pain. I dodge others trying to reach me.

　　"Emma, go inside the pack," Matthew shouts at me, his voice cutting through the air and surprising me. I turn my head to see him; Alpha Matthew is a few meters away from me, his body on the ground, but not for long. With a push from his heels, he gets up ready to continue preventing Michael from taking me away. "Go inside, now! That's an order, Emma!"

　　I want to argue, want to say I won't go, that I'll stay here and fight by his side. But fear freezes me in place, the chaos of battle leaves me confused, without control over my true actions.

　　Michael shifts his attention from Matthew to me, "If you run, Emma, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth. I swear!" the sound of his words makes the air tremble towards me; I know there's a deep truth in that oath, he would do it. But my eyes go back to Matthew, and in them, I feel something much stronger than fear. I feel safe. And with that, I obey Matthew's order. I run to the gates of the Night Howlers Pack; the path from where I am to the gates never seemed so long and so far at the same time. I stumble, dodge fallen bodies and fights that want to reach me. The smell of blood swirls in the air, along with the smell of grass and earth.

　　I'm almost there, Goddess, help me, please! My lungs burn with my effort to keep my breath level with the level of effort I'm putting into dodging my obstacles.

　　Screams and chaos surround me until I feel someone pulling me back by my backpack, making me stumble and almost fall. Before I can react and defend myself, I'm cornered by seven warriors from the Moonshadow Pack. They all have eyes filled with lupine rage. Some try to advance towards me, but I manage to strike them to keep my distance.

　　"Don't be stupid, Emma. You belong to the Moonshadow Pack," a warrior declares with his teeth bared, as if he would devour me with them.

　　"Fuck off and leave me alone!" I snarl at them, the warriors' reaction is to laugh at me. A warrior who was on my left grabbed the next one tightly; my first reaction was to hit him with a punch with my other arm and then a kick in his stomach. "I told you to leave me alone, you bastards!"

　　"You little bitch!" one of them curses at me, and I just open a scornful smile at them. I position myself to fight whoever is necessary to get out of this torment. Many advance towards me, and I fight against most of them, but suddenly I feel a strong blow to my neck.

　　It takes two seconds for the pain to come, and darkness takes over me, leaving me unconscious.