Tree Sector Defense
SCARLETT
“Will you ever stop teasing me about this?” I asked, rubbing a hand down my face as we made our way down the narrow path leading to the river.
Lily grinned beside me, clearly enjoying herself way too much. “Nope. Never. The way you slept like a baby in his arms… I still can’t get over it. You were literally curled up against Saint’s chest like he was your personal giant teddy bear.”
My cheeks burned. “Lily!”
She laughed softly, bumping her shoulder against mine. “What? It was cute! You’ve never been cuddled before, have you?”
I didn’t answer right away. Because she was right.
I had never been cuddled like that not once in my life.
Not by my father, not by my brothers, and certainly not by any boy back in my old pack.
Saint’s arm had been heavy but gentle around my waist, his chest warm and solid against my back, his breath steady against my hair. I woke up feeling… safe. Protected.
Secretly happy.
When the wake-up call came at six, Saint had been reluctant to let me go.
He’d grumbled low in his throat, tightening his hold for a second like he wanted to keep me there forever.
I’d had to whisper to him, “Saint, go back to sleep. I’m just going to take a bath with the girls.”
Only then had he reluctantly released me, eyes sleepy and a little grumpy.
Lily’s teasing voice pulled me back to the present. “He didn’t want to let you go this morning either. Big scary Alpha acting all soft and pouty. It’s adorable.”
I groaned, covering my face with one hand. “Can we please talk about something else?”
We were walking in a straight line with the other girls, supervised by Miss Annabelle, a tall, no-nonsense Beta woman with sharp features and short silver hair. She had been introduced briefly this morning as the one in charge of the female bathing slots to “maintain order and safety.”
When we reached the river, everyone stopped.
It was beautiful, wide, clear water flowing gently between mossy rocks, sunlight filtering through the tall trees overhead. A natural hot spring bubbled softly a little further upstream.
Miss Belle raised her voice. “Alright, ladies. You have forty minutes. Stay within the marked area. No going deeper into the woods. Undress here, bathe, and get dressed again. We rotate in groups to avoid issues. Be quick and respectful.”
Some girls groaned at the lack of privacy, but most just started undressing, keeping towels close. Lily and I found a slightly more secluded spot behind some large rocks.
As we washed, the cool river water felt refreshing against my skin. Lily sighed beside me.
“This is actually nice,” she admitted quietly. “If you ignore the fact that we’re in a death forest.”
I smiled faintly, but my mind was still on Saint… and the others.
After we finished and changed back into clean clothes, we rejoined the group and started walking back toward the campsite.
The path felt longer on the way back. The woods around us were quiet.. too quiet.
Until we heard it again.
That same faint rustling from earlier, deeper this time. Leaves shifting. Branches snapping.
Lily grabbed my arm. “Scar… did you hear that?”
I nodded, heart picking up speed. “Yeah. Let’s just keep walking.”
We hurried a little faster, rejoining the main group of girls. But the feeling lingered like something was watching us from between the trees.
When we finally reached the campsite, most of the boys were already up and moving around. Saint was standing near our tent, looking relieved the moment he saw me.
But my eyes drifted further.
Rhys and Kane were leaning against a tree nearby, watching our group return. Kane’s gaze locked on me instantly, dark and intense. Rhys’s golden eyes followed more slowly, calm… but burning.
I looked away quickly, cheeks warm again.
This retreat was only just beginning.
And something told me the real tension hadn’t even started yet.
Professor Ryan’s voice rang out across the clearing.
“Alright, ladies, you’re done. Boys, it’s your turn for the river. Same rules. Forty minutes. No nonsense. Move out!”
The boys grumbled but started lining up.
Some threw teasing comments at the girls as they passed, but most looked tired and wary after the long night and early morning.
Saint gave me one last lingering look before following the group, while Rhys and Kane walked at the back like they owned the entire forest.
As the boys disappeared down the path, one of the staff members, the tall feline shifter, Mr. Halloway stepped forward with a clipboard in hand. His tail flicked lazily behind him, but his golden-slitted eyes were sharp.
“While the boys are bathing,” he announced, voice carrying easily, “let’s go over today’s itinerary.”
Everyone tensed immediately. The clearing grew quiet.
Halloway smiled, showing a hint of fang.
“Today’s first activity is called Canopy Claim.”
The clearing went quiet.
He didn’t explain further.
“You will be split into your assigned tent groups. We’ll give you the full details once the boys return from the river. For now, get changed and ready.”
Staff members began distributing the gear immediately.
Each student received:
- Reinforced dark leather pants (thick but flexible, with extra padding at the knees and thighs for climbing and branch impact)
- Sturdy combat-style boots with deep grip treads designed for tree bark
- Long-sleeved, breathable black shirts with reinforced elbows
- Gripped climbing gloves
- A utility belt with rope, carabiners, scent markers, a small fixed-blade knife, and a flare
- A lightweight backpack for extra supplies
The girls changed quickly behind the privacy screens. The leather felt strong and flexible, made for movement, but the weight of it reminded Scarlett this wasn’t a normal camping trip.
By the time the boys returned (hair damp, looking freshly washed and alert), everyone was geared up and waiting.
Halloway waited until the full group was assembled before speaking again.
“Now that everyone is here,” he said, voice carrying clearly, “let me explain **Canopy Claim** properly.”
“You will be split into your assigned tent groups. Each group will be given a marked sector high up in the ancient canopy of Blackthorn Ridge. Your task is to climb into your sector, secure it, and hold it for exactly two hours.”
Murmurs broke out instantly.
Halloway continued, clearly enjoying the tension.
“This is not a simple climb. The trees here are hundreds of years old some branches are unstable, others are perfect for leaping between. You must use your full shifter abilities: strength, balance, agility, and scent marking. Set your boundary markers on the branches.
Defend your sector from rival groups if they try to take it. Non-lethal contact is allowed. Drawing blood or causing serious injury is not.”
He let the words sink in.
“At the end of the two hours, each group will present what they’ve successfully claimed and defended. The strongest groups will earn major privileges for the rest of the retreat. The weakest groups…” His tail flicked once. “Will learn valuable lessons about survival.”
Students shifted uneasily. Lily squeezed Scarlett’s hand tighter.
Halloway smiled again that unsettling feline grin.
“You have ten minutes to prepare with your group. Then we begin.”
The words hung in the air like a challenge.
Scarlett looked at Lily, then toward the massive, ancient trees rising like dark giants around them.
Two hours.
In the canopy.
Against other groups.
Her stomach tightened with a mix of fear and adrenaline.
This wasn’t just a game.
This was a test.
And she had a terrible feeling that the real predators weren’t just the ones hiding in the woods.