Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the underbrush to their right. Everyone froze, eyes darting to the source of the noise. A deer bolted out, sprinting away into the forest. The rogues relaxed slightly, but Avery saw her chance.
"Now!" she whispered urgently to her mates, hoping they had been planning for this moment.
Shane, Sean, Cruz, and Romeo sprang into action with a burst of coordinated energy that had been brewing beneath their tense exteriors. Shane, moving with the precision of a seasoned warrior, tackled the nearest rogue, disarming him with a swift and fluid motion that sent the rogue’s weapon clattering to the ground. His eyes blazed with determination as he delivered a quick, incapacitating blow to the rogue’s midsection, ensuring he wouldn’t rise again soon.
Sean, who ha
