AFTER taking a mouthful of beer, June put the empty bottle beside the others. Without asking the bartender, he put another bottle of beer in front of her.

　　This is the usual scene at night for June for almost two years. She went from one bar to another at least three times a week hoping to find the person she has been longing to find since she was seventeen.

　　In the morning, she would be driving in her bike downtown wishing to have a sniff of the mate meant for her.

　　For someone like her and the rest of the pack around the world, they have waiting to get hold of the mate the moon goddess bestowed to each and every werewolf. Yes, June is a werewolf.

　　At seventeen, werewolves can already recognize their mate. Lucky those who found their mate inside the pack they belong. However, some other found their mate in the neighboring pack and some others in the human population.

　　It was not an issue for June that she has not found her mate at seventeen thinking that her mate may not be part of the same pack. She may not be as fortunate as her older sister, May, who is mated to the current alpha of their pack.

　　However, the alpha’s sister and her best friend, Brandy, found her mate in one of the conventions they attended. They were twenty years old at that time. Adding another salt to injury, her younger brother found his mate the year after.

　　It was fine being surrounded by family and friends but it was different when their mates tag along. She became the third wheel, or is it the seventh wheel?

　　It went on for years. Though envious, she kept herself busy since she was one of the warriors of the pack. In fact, she was promoted to a sentinel position.

　　A sentinel is one of the selected few from the warriors of the pack. They were the elite warriors. They underwent through a more challenging trainings.

　　Having not finding her mate, she direct her attention to trainings. In lieu with this, she work under the supervision of the pack gamma. She oversee the trainings of the pack together with the other sentinels of the pack.

　　Nevertheless, she felt lonely when she came home after training and patrol. There is no mate that awaits for her arrival. Everything seems overwhelming and tiring.

　　A couple of years ago, she asked the permission of her immediate superior, the pack gamma, that she will withdraw her position as the head of the pack trainer. He objected at first but when she told him her reasons, he consented eventually. The alpha approved when the gamma gave him the go signal.

　　She asked an approval from the alpha to stay in the human population. She wanted to have an indefinite leave from the pack. But the alpha gave her only two years. Included in the approval is to report in the pack every three months.

　　This reporting is mandatory to all the werewolves that asked for the permission to leave the pack. In this manner, the alpha will be able to monitor his pack members and who will be considered as rogue. The report of the pack members quarterly also gave the pack the whereabouts of the werewolves outside the pack territory.

　　Often, the werewolves that went rogue cause havoc to both human and werewolf population. Werewolves may live freely in the pack but the human population is still oblivious of the existence of the other. The pack around the world wanted to maintain it that way.

　　“Another one?”

　　June break away from her thought and look at the bartender. He was standing in front of her.

　　She glanced at the bottle in her hand. It was almost empty. Her eyes went to the bottles beside her. She counted nine empty bottles.

　　She shook her head and asked for the bill instead.

　　The cool air hit her face the moment that June exited the bar.

　　It was after midnight but the people is still coming inside the bar. The parking space is already full. People were loitering beside the cars. Some were smoking and while others were laughing at the person throwing up beside them.

　　June started walking towards the place where she parked her bike. It’s a Kawasaki ninja. She acquired it when she left the pack.

　　Though she parked at the far side of the bar, she knew that it still reached by the CCTV camera.

　　She grabbed the helmet and put it on her head before straddling the bike. Bless her for having long legs.

　　She was having a slow drive not far from the bar when she heard a commotion. She owes it to her werewolf hearing.

　　She stopped and unmounted from the bike. She looked around and noticed that she is in a part of the district where only a few people lurks around at this time of the night.

　　Her ears twitched. She heard a scream similar to a plea for help. She walked forward until she reached a dark alley. She distinguished four shadows.

　　She became aware of the cheery voices of several males together with a fearful plea of a woman.

　　She put two fingers in her mouth and whistled. Silence enveloped the dark alley. A moment later, two young men emerged.

　　June scratched her eyebrow when she saw them smirked as they approached her.

　　“You want to join the fun, babe?” She shook her head. “Too bad.”

　　“This one is ripe.” Said the other one as he finally neared.

　　When one guy grabbed her shoulder, she takes hold of his wrist before turning 180 degrees. She bend her knees and upper torso before pulling him above her head. He sprawled on his back groaning.

　　The other guy is coming towards her. She stepped aside and kicked him in the back. The two gangsters laid together in the pavement.

　　June stood straight and glanced at the dark alley as two other thugs came out. One has a piece of wood while the other has a short knife.

　　She released a deep sigh and ready herself for a fight.

　　The guy with a piece of wood sauntered towards her confidently. He strike the wood sideways. She waited for it with two of her hands. She clutched the other end of the wood and kick the head of the person holding the other end. Three down, one more to go.

　　Holding the piece of wood, she face the man with the knife. Play time is over is screaming in his face.

　　June tightened her grip and hit him in the hand holding the knife. She did it twice until the sharp object fell.

　　Confidence left his face. He walked backwards, putting more distance between them. The three other accomplice were already standing. Each holding a part of their body.

　　She tapped the piece of wood in her other hand. She stared at the four hooligans and raised her brow.

　　Together, they ran away from the alley.