Chapter 9

It was a glorious morning in Lima, sunshine bright and not a cloud in the sky. Rachel lay on the grass at the back of her packs house basking in the early morning quiet, almost falling asleep as the light warmed her. She was consciously trying not to think about what her life had quickly become and thus avoid thinking about the human who had set it all into motion that fateful night. But her ears picked up every scrape of furniture in the house and Rachel's mind leapt to the possibility that what her other half described as her human may be up and able to join Rachel. Brown hairr spread out further across the grass when Rachel shook her head, battling to clear it. A twig snapped. Rachel shot up, body automatically dropping into a ready stance.

"Whoa there, Miss Berry," The stranger to Rachel smiled, "Nothing to worry about, I'm Blaine." Rachel's eyes widened as she read the ID he produced, "just hear for a quick look around, see your human. It's caused quite a stir, this little story" You could see pointed teeth when he smiled but his eyes swirled as Rachel's did. She suppressed a shiver as she realised what he was and a forced mega-watt smile graced her lips.

"Lovely to meet you Sir, I'm afraid I was not aware of your visit so the house isn't in top shape."

Blaine raised his hand cutting Rachel off as he passed her and made his way up to the house. Rachel stood dumbfounded for a split second as he passed her but scurried after him. The back door creaked as it opened, loud and jarring to Rachel's ears as it was apparent no one else in the house was awake.

The mongrel's eyes swept over the living room, a few plates dotted around near the sofas but he'd seen worse in other nests and pack dens. His nose wrinkled as the stench, at least to him, of an adolescent pack met him, though the odd hint of the sweeter smell of a human occasionally graced his senses. Blaine nodded to Rachel, who instantly stood as attention and summoned her pack, an inhuman howl coming from her body. Blaine's eyebrows rose, such a call from such a small woman, it was surprising but not unexpected after studying her test scores. Footsteps started thundering towards the living room as her pack rushed to her call, obedient though their ruffled appearance amused Blaine. Quinn was slower to arrive, the clack of her crutches announcing her arrival as she tentatively entered the room. The pack made room for Rachel to get past as she went to stand by Quinn's side. Quinn's pale face coloured when Rachel placed her arm around her waist.

"Good Morning junior pack 001 of Lima, I'm Blaine, advisor to the True Masters and you have come to their attention. I'm here today simply to observe. I do not participate in the inspections; I am not marking you on performance. I am here to ensure that the True Masters wishes are adhered to. I am not interested in whether you can jump though the hoops of an inspection. That has been seen more than once." The pack was stood stock still to attention, apart from Quinn who was leaning into Rachel. Blaine looked directly at her, "I am intimately aware of each of your personal histories, both the average and extraordinary among them. I will be talking to each of you one at a time to see whether this is something that is truly an error in judgement or something deeper running through Lima. The True Masters are on their way and I will report my findings directly to them. I advise you not to try to conceal truths from me, my kind are incredibly good at what we do." His previously stern expression blossomed into a warm smile, "Brittany S Pearce, if you'd like to come with me, the rest of you may attend to your role call duties, including you Rachel; I shall keep an eye on Quinn Fabray for you."

The usually boisterous pack filed docilely out of the door. Rachel hung back giving Quinn a squeeze, encouraging the blonde to look at her instead of the floor. Once their eyes met Rachel gave Quinn a small rueful smile, they couldn't change anything now, collaborate any story and now a lackey had appeared on their doorstep no conversation would be private, at least within these walls. Rachel turned and gave a small wave and smile to Brittany before joining her pack on their way to the heart of the compound.


Shelby's nostrils flared in barely concealed shock as Rachel followed the rest of her pack outside without Quinn or the other blonde of her pack. She hadn't expected this new player on the scene to start pulling it all apart so quickly. It was time to talk to the rest of her people and see if this would have to bring their plans forward. As much promise Miss Fabray had shown, all this scrutiny on her personally was eventually going to lead too close to the rebel faction. The wolf's fingers started flying across her keyboard, connecting to the networks of contacts that spread far and wide; there was no time to waste.


The pack was quiet as they made their way. Each member was lost in their own thoughts, until Puck broke the silence, "How could you just leave Brit there with that?!"

Rachel just shook her head, unable to answer.

"Answer me Rachel! You're meant to be our Alpha, to keep us together, keep us safe, stronger together" Brown eyes snapped to Puck, something had struck a nerve.

"Stronger together is a good way to live when everyone sticks to it, when everything goes to plan. You have no idea what the Masters could do to any of us if they so wish. I shall pick our battles carefully Noah. If you truly think the Mongrel is truly anywhere without the True Masters back up you are more naïve than I thought. However if we're have a question and answer session how about you tell everyone where you were on the night that caused all of this, Noah?" Although Rachel, in this form, was smaller in stature than Puck he backed away as she stalked towards him. "I know that sector of fence was in your assigned section and you were the last to check in when we had to begin the search. What did you do Puck?"

"I did nothing!" His hand swept over his Mohawk, "really, I didn't patrol. Hell, I've not bothered before and nothing ever went wrong, how was I,"

"All of this, the compound, our pack has been turned into disarray because you just did nothing? It wasn't for anything?! Oh Goddess, Noah. I love you but nothing is ever going to be okay now. The True masters are coming and they will see the truth and they will punish me for it" Rachel's arms started to wrap around her body but Noah gently pulled them away and wrapped his own around her.

"I'm sorry Rachel, but it'll get better, worse things happen all the time, no one actually escaped"

Rachel shook her head, "I've experienced the True Masters methods Puck, and the year that Alphas get separated is at their beck and call. They don't forget or forgive Noah; the worst is yet to come." She wrenched herself away from him and started to run her body changing as she went. The rest of her pack followed suit, though there was no playful skip in their gaits like usual, it was almost like a funeral march to their duties.


"So Brittany, am I correct in assuming that, apart from Noah that you have known Rachel the longest?"

Brittany nodded eyes wide as she stared at Blaine, determined not to miss a beat and let Rachel or Quinn down. Blaine had insisted that Quinn sit with them but behind Brittany so he could gauge their reactions at the same time. Quinn was hunched, arms wrapped around herself protectively not looking in Blaine's direction clearly trying to be as still as possible.

"So it's logical at least from our perspective that you would know her the best out of your whole pack?"

"I think Puck knows Rachie best. But I'm a close second, we sometimes talk about girl things together."

Blaine smiled warmly, "I thought so, you two were outnumbered until Quinn here came to stay. Did Rachel ever mention Quinn to you, before all this mess happened?" Quinn froze for a second, only a slight pause in her breathing but noticeable to Blaine as Brittany answered,

"Yes, but only in passing about how she was the prettiest girl in the compound but she never outright said they were together but she did watch Quinn more than any other human, which I saw myself." Brittany insisted. Quinn looked puzzled though she was trying to turn her head away from Blaine to hide it.

"That's great Brittany! Now do you mind swapping places with Quinn? In fact why don't you go and catch up with your pack, no doubt they'll appreciate the extra hand." Brittany nodded hesitantly at Blaine and headed to the door giving Quinn a small smile and a wave which Quinn returned.

"She's a sweet one, shame she's been sucked into this mess," Blaine stated seriously once the door had closed and his hearing had picked up on Brittany being far enough down the path not to hear.

Quinn's hazel eyes burned into him, refusing to be baited into seemly casual conversation. Blaine sighed, "I'm not here to confront anything, and I'm just here to see what the threat is here. If there is no good answer the True Masters will be hear sooner rather than later with you in their sights"

"What exactly would be seen as a good answer Mr Anderson?" Quinn's voice was low and cautious.

Blaine grinned his fangs glinting, "Ahhh, now that would be cheating Quinn. Now let's talk about Rachel, I can smell her claim all over you so at least something is true between the two of you but the whole story isn't gelling with the Masters so give me the inside scoop Quinn" His eyes began to swirl as he pushed out with his mind to lower her inhibitions and put some trust in him, hazel eyes began to cloud.

"She's the most powerful soul I've ever met but the gentlest person I've known"

Blaine's concentration wavered for a second surprised at this answer, having expected the human to admit to the ruse straight away under his influence.

"Rachel cares more than anyone ever should and I don't know where I'd be now without her"

This was all the truth coming out of the human's mouth but it was taking so much effort to get this much out of her, Blaine was draining quickly. He retracted his influence impressed at Quinn's strength but knowing this would have to be reported to the masters. He frowned at least Quinn had the decency to look drained now also, "I'm impressed Quinn, though my methods are a hell of a lot more gentle than the True Masters, who've you've just managed to invite into your home." Despite his threating tone Quinn smirked through her tiredness,

"I'll look forward to it. Now if we're done here." Quinn scooped up her crutches and headed further into the house towards her room the loud cracks of the crutches echoing around her and Blaine. Blaine smiled ruefully and pulled his phone out of his pocket quickly dialling in memorised numbers.


Rachel wanted to run home the instant that Brittany appeared to patrol, her wolf feeling that Quinn was under threat though the urgency of the feeling soon passed she still could feel the uneasiness flowing from Quinn. This ridiculous bond was just getting stronger at least for her, though did that mean that Quinn at least felt something. The optimist in Rachel crept to the surface thinking that it must be something. A small smile graced her face as she went through the role call in the third dormitory. It soon waivered when her less optimistic side popped in with the fact that her pack was personally under the scrutiny of the true masters so gods knows where any of them would end up. How they would end up.

Soon enough the bells tolled signalling the end of their patrol. Rachel didn't wait for her pack to gather before heading back to the house, Quinn was alone with the mongrel Rachel wouldn't leave her longer than necessary if she could help it.


"From what we could pick up on the call the True Masters ETA is sixteen hundred hours tomorrow morning" Artie mentioned to Shelby, while she continued typing trying to pull a cohesive plan together. Shelby nodded, "Thank you Artie, are you sure you wish to stay here for this? I could get you transferred to another base tonight, it might get dicey here soon. We're ramping things up a hell of a lot quicker than planned"

"Hell no Shelby. You guys took in me when I was thrown for dead from my compound and you expect me to just leave, this is my home, I'm going to step up and defend it."

Shelby smiled and ruffled his hair, "Either way, I'd have been proud of you Artie, you and all of the others. Send out a signal for them all to get here as close to midnight as they can, I need to run somethings by everyone before this all begins."


Rachel slowed down enough for it to appear that she entered the house calmly; Blaine smiled at her from the sofa, "Rachel Berry, right on time as always, lets chat."

Rachel looked around, "Where's Quinn?" Blaine nodded towards the corridor

"In her room, feel free to listen for her but we need to talk so you aren't going for a quick visit" Blaine's tone was firm. Rachel nodded as her sharp ears confirmed his words.

"Quinn is incredibly strong for an unremarkable human, you chose well Rachel, although unusually. She had great things to say about you and your character."

"I chose nothing, Blaine, this thing just happened. I did nothing to compromise the masters"

"Except plan a daring escape to be with your beloved?" He questioned

"I couldn't hide anymore, I thought it best if we just disappeared, I'd have been strong enough to look after both of us out there."

"No doubt of it, seeing your scores almost off the scales. Which means you know exactly how the True Masters work, which makes me doubtful on this rebellion. Scars may not last on these bodies but they stay in our hearts and minds. Please don't lie to me Rachel you'll only make things worse." Blaine stepped closer to Rachel, choosing to push forward his influence into the scars he'd mentioned, feeling her resolve flicker at his mention of the True Masters.

"I would never push against them by choice" Rachel's head lifted slightly, exposing her neck as her resolve weakened, "I never meant of any of this to happen, it's all my fault" Rachel's knees gave way and she crashed to the floor, her head now bowed completely submissive.

Blaine smiled, "Good dog" as he went to pull her up to get the answers he'd been looking for, Quinn appeared in to door having heard Rachel hit the floor. As the human hit the threshold of the room Rachel's wolf surged, pushing Blaine's influence back and her eyes flashed yellow as she moved impossibly fast and grabbed him by the neck and ran him into the nearest wall. The plaster cracked behind him with the force she'd expelled into the push.

Silence filled the room at the sudden turn of events; Blaine broke it, wheezing, "Let me go Miss Berry before you make things worse." Burning hot yellow flickered to mellow brown and back again as two forces within one body struggled for dominance but the grip weakened and Blaine was lowered to the floor. Rachel retreated to Quinn's side although she placed herself slightly in front to the human, keeping herself between Blaine and Quinn. Quinn reached forward and rested her hand at the small of Rachel's back. The wolf felt her hackles slowly lower as the touch grounded her.

Blaine was smoothing his clothing, "Well, this has been enlightening. I have no desire to talk to the rest of the pack so I'll show myself out. You can expect the True Masters tomorrow evening by the way. They're very interested in meeting the two of you." Blaine swept out of the house as if he'd been in control of the whole situation without a backwards glance.

"Rachel" Quinn began; Rachel shook her head and broke away from Quinn taking herself to the sofa. She gently lowered herself onto the soft surface. Big brown eyes looked back at Quinn, so fearful, "What have I done?"