New Beginning : A Beautiful Ethereal Creature (Spirit Wolf Book #1)

by Jacqueline Hakitten

  I followed around and it took me some time but, in the end, I ended up again at the beginning once the mark I carved into the wall appeared under my palm. Damn. So, it was like a ring and I was right inside. I didn’t know what to do. I saw nothing but the pitch-black dark and even when I placed the hand right in front of me, I could not see it. I turned my back to the wall and slowly slipped down to the sitting position before I started to quietly cry. I didn’t know how I should get out of here. I didn’t know what I should do. I wanted Maat and I wanted Calen. ‘Please, somebody.’ I begged anybody to reply to me or talk to me.

  Chapter 40

  REI’S POV:

  “Hello? Anybody is in there?” I tried to call out loud but for the last couple of hours, the only thing I heard was the dripping water. What was this place I had no idea. My throat already started to be sore and I needed water. I had no idea how long I was down here. I lost track of the time because there was nothing to use as a starting point.

  It was still pitch-black dark the same as it was before. I searched for the dripping sound to get some water but it had to be out of my reach. When I followed the sound, I bumped into the wall so I assumed it was somewhere above me and away from the pit.

  ‘Maat, where are you.’ I tried to call for her too but she also kept silent between us and I could not reach her. I didn’t know what that bastard injected me with but it blocked my wolf away. I could not reach Calen in my link and the realization that I might die here was closing around my mind like vultures around the dead body.

  “No, you couldn’t think like that!” I scolded myself. My time here was filled with ups and downs. Every time I realized I couldn’t get out of here by myself I started to panic and the frustration was getting over me but I tried to keep myself positive. I was sure Calen was searching for me. He promised to keep me safe and take care of me so he had to be searching for me. He had to.

  “Think, what would Maat do? What would Maat do?” I tried to focus but I was already out of the ideas. I walked one more time around the walls keeping my hand at the highest position I could, but the edge of the pit had to be way higher because I could not reach the top of the wall, no matter if I tiptoed or not. The situation started to be hopeless so the only thing left for me was to try making noise from time to time in case someone would be around the pit or somewhere close searching for me so they might have a chance to hear me.

  ‘Please Moon Goddess, help me.’ I prayed silently as the hot tears were falling down my cheeks. I tried to stop them immediately because I was losing precious water which I didn’t have.

  CALEN’S POV:

  “We would find her Alpha,” Rowan assured me. We were following the traces that were left in the snow but no matter how he was looking at them, they simply vanished at the edge of the mountain. I didn’t understand that. There was no way to climb the rocks with anybody on his shoulders. He had to be somewhere here.

  ‘Alpha, we caught Ismail.’ Zack informed me of our mind-link. It started to be dark and despite our heightened senses, I was not sure how much Rowan could see in the night. “They caught Ismail,” I informed him. “Where?” He asked me and I understood why he was asking. “One-kilometer north-east also at the edge of the mountain. He was trying to escape the area.” I informed him. “Let the warriors search the whole area in between here and the place where they found him. There must be something with the mountain. Maybe a cave or secret passage, anything that would explain the missing traces.” He told me and I did exactly as he said. I ordered the warriors to get lights and search the damn mountain.

  I also understood that Rei still had to be somewhere here. He didn’t have much time to get her completely out and now he was fleeing without her means he dumped her somewhere.

  ‘Zack, I am coming back, we will interrogate him.’ I told Zack. ‘Roger Alpha.’ He replied to me. I was on my way back into the pack house and down to the jail at my full speed.

  I was already on my way down almost there when I heard that Zack already started the interrogation. “You would tell us where you left her or I swear you would suffer,” Zack spoke and the blunt and heavy thud sound from there. I heard Ismail scoffed from the pain but soon after he erupted into the laugh. He didn’t care; even if he was going to die, he didn’t care. Damn it, like this it would be impossible to get the answers from him. And on top of that, I could not ask Andrew to help with this. This twisted man was his father.

  “Bring wolfsbane and silver,” I told Zack the moment I stepped into the room where he was talking to Ismail. He was chained to the chair with his hands up on holders. “Ah, you decided to join the party Alpha?” Ismail said with the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth and with the twisted smirk on his face. He changed. From the man that was once standing right in front of me and who was sitting with other Elders, he changed, even the last time I saw him he was still – human, but now, he was just a sick and mad man. “What happened to you, Ismail? You got completely mad?” I spoke to him curiously but his expression didn’t change.

  “Nothing happened; you stripped me of my position and took away my whole life so I took yours.” He said laughing and I knew what he meant by my life. He just admitted to taking Rei so now I just needed to get him to speak where he left her.

  “I didn’t do anything Ismail. It was your decision to go against your Alpha.” I replied to him and he laughed. “You decided to curse this pack the moment you brought that abomination in here. You were no Alpha.” He spat on me and I slapped his face. It made him laugh more. “You would never find her, I made sure of that.” He said and I could feel my own blood boiling. Thoth wanted to tear him into pieces but we still needed him.

  Then I remembered what Rowan said. There must be a cave or something so most likely he left here somewhere inside the mountain. “We already found the cave,” I told him. I was lying for sure but his expression slightly changed trying to guess if I was bluffing or if I was serious. I played it cool and made sure that I look as convincing as I should. “And what, you would need months to search the whole cave system. She doesn’t have that much.” He replied to me. So, Rowan was right. There must be a cave and she was somewhere inside of it.

  ‘Andrew, take the warriors and scan properly the whole mountain in between Rowan and the place we found Ismail. There is a cave somewhere. He just confirmed to me Rei is somewhere inside.’ I told him and I could sense his shock. He didn’t want to believe his father would hurt the mate of the Alpha. Since the first day we stripped him of his position and his escape later Andrew didn’t want to believe that his father would do something like that. He already lost the hope that he would ever be the father after the death of his mother but he still had the hope that at least, at least to the pack Ismail was still loyal. Now I broke this hope completely by confirming that he really did take our Luna.

  ‘Roger Alpha.’ He said with his voice full of sadness and disappointment. I would need to talk to him about this later. ‘Rowan, you were right. There has to be a cave, search for the entrance, please. It would be somewhere in between and it must be well hidden since we didn’t find it till now.’ I ordered him. ‘Yes, Alpha.’ He replied instantly and I knew he would carry the order immediately.

  My whole pack was now vulnerable because I had every single man out there looking for the cave and our Luna. I was just hoping no one would dare to attack in the middle of the winter with so much snow out. I was just afraid that it would start a storm or snow and we have to stop.

  “Don’t forget that I have the pack full of warriors and scouts, we would find her but you would not be here anymore to see it,” I replied to him with the full blow of my anger and frustration. I meant my words; I could not hurt him or punish him before but now I have free hands to do whatever I want with him thanks to his stupid move abducting my mate.

  “You couldn’t hurt me, boy,” Ismail said with another set of laughers. “Don’t tempt me, old man,” I replied to him. I wanted to deal with him right now but I needed
to be out there looking for my mate. I knew that she was calling for me; I knew it deep in my soul.

  ‘We found it Alpha.’ It took half an hour but the warriors finally found the entrance of the cave. It was well hidden and actually small, only one person could fit and we found the traces on the ground as he was pulling Rei inside on the ground.

  “Everyone is careful and makes sure you are always two, no one would walk around alone, we don’t know how deep this cave system is or if there is something else living there,” I told them before we moved inside the cave. It was very narrow and the entrance was heading right deep into the mountain, but soon we arrived at the first split and the whole group had to split into two. Soon enough I realized this cave is like a maze, too many crossroads were showing and reappearing. The group that once separated from us joined us a few meters later.

  “I am not sure we would find her like this Alpha,” Rowan told me. He was the one who stayed the whole time with me and tried to get any signs of Rei scent or anything but not even his nose could catch the scent in this heavy and steady air. The smell of mold and lichen was too heavy for everyone.

  “So, what are you suggesting?” I asked him and he was thinking a little bit. “We need to map properly this cave system to know where the other corridors are heading so we would not get lost. As I know Ismail was away from the pack for several months, maybe he was mapping the cave system the whole time which means he had plenty of time. We have the advantage of having a lot of people so let’s use it. If our Luna is here, we would find her but in the maze like this, we need to have a system or else we would need someone to look for us too.” Rowan said and I was deeply thinking about his words. He was right. Ismail had time to search this whole system and find a perfect spot where he could leave Rei but what he did during this whole time I could do faster with plenty of people. “Alright, what do we need? Do whatever you need to find my mate Rowan, you have my full support.” I told him and he nodded at me.

  ‘Guys, this cave is like a maze and we need to proceed with caution. I want everyone in the beginning. Emily and Tamara please go to the social area or the kitchen, take pencils and a lot of papers. I am planning to draw the map of these caves.’ Rowan spoke to everyone who was helping us to search in our pack link. ‘Alright.’ Tamara replied and I knew Emily was already with her since her reply never arrived.

  ‘Guys, as we would proceed in the cave everyone would report the turn you are taking, how long were the corridors, if you went down or up. I want every single detail to be reported to Emily and Tamara so they could draw the map. Girls make sure to not draw it very big, I am not sure how deep and big is this system so let's’ keep it every ten meters would be like one centimeter on the map.’ Rowan spoke and everyone agreed with him. We moved to the beginning of the cave system and the mapping process started.

  Chapter 41

  CALEN’S POV:

  We were searching for more than a day now. I was praying to the Moon Goddess to herself to help me find her. I knew she would be getting weak with every hour she is somewhere alone, maybe in the dark, and most likely without the wood or the water. ‘I swear I would find you, please stay with me.’ I said in my mind fully focused on Rei. I needed her by my side. I wanted her in my hug, kissed her, and told her that I would never leave her side again. I swear I would make the bed in my office and even when I would work, she would always be in my sight. We already mapped several kilometers of the tunnels but it always ended up as a blind corridor or it was leading us back together at some point. It was getting hopeless but Rowan and the others were working really hard and did their maximum to search the whole cave system.

  I was getting nervous but suddenly a wave or air came around me and brought me a warm and nice feeling. ‘Rei.’ I thought for the second. I knew she was calling me. I was sure she was doing her best to stay with me and strong so I would have the time to find her. This strange warm air brought new energy into my searching. I was more determined than I was a few minutes ago. We had to be close, I felt that.

  ~*****~

  “This is taking too long,” I shouted at Rowan. I know it was not his fault but we were already mapping the whole cave system for two days in a row and we still could not find anything. I felt hopeless and helpless. I knew she was somewhere here but we couldn’t find her.

  “I am sorry Alpha. I know it takes longer but we would find her. We already mapped a huge portion of those corridors and we are deep inside the cave system. But people need rest, water, and food. Also, we need to make sure we have the necessary equipment if we go deeper.” Rowan replied to me but I still didn’t understand how deep he wanted to go.

  “She couldn’t be that deep. He had only several hours before we found him, not days to go deep inside the cave system. We are missing something.” I told him back. He opened his mouth to argue but then he closed it and looked at the map we had in our hands. It was the drawing of the cave system we checked up for now.

  “Maybe…,” He paused, still checking the map properly. ‘There was a corridor where one wall was missing. Maybe we could go check it down there.” He suggested. I wasn’t sure about which part he was talking about but it was not so deep inside when he showed me the place on the map.

  We collected our stuff and were heading there. I knew we still had too many people inside in small groups mapping the other corridors and searching the area. The whole cave system was actually quite impressive and I was already thinking of building it as a hideout for the women and children in case of attack. It would take days or maybe weeks before anybody would find them but first, we need to make sure there would be the passage through the mountain so they would have a chance to escape if the situation gets really bad.

  “How deep is it?” I asked Rowan and Zack who joined us on the way. We had some more warriors with us who brought the ropes and climbing equipment so we could go check it down. There was actually a small passage if someone would go down carefully it could be done without the equipment.

  “I don’t know. We actually didn’t go to check it down yet.” Rowan replied to me and I was angry. What if he just dropped her down there and she is hurt or anything and they even didn’t bother to check it.

  I was in the group who was climbing down. I was really desperate. I tried to call her many times in our mind link but she was either unconscious or he blocked her wolf. The mate bond was still there so I knew she was not dead yet, at least one positive information.

  The people were starting to be tired and frozen so I knew we needed to hurry up and find her. I didn't even know in which condition she was.

  “Wait,” I said suddenly. There was some kind of another tunnel right in front of me and I was moving down the wall. The path was not easy to reach but with a simple rope or with the careful movements one person could manage to get there. This whole place had to me old mine or something like that because some of those caves were definitely not naturally made.

  “What did you find?” Zack asked me and was now heading to me. “There is another tunnel. I would go check it.” I told them and they didn’t try to stop me. It was surprisingly big and there was a small terrace right under the edge of the entrance of the tunnel. It was really strange and the terrace was not seen from the up. To be honest it was promising. I couldn’t stand straight up to not hit my head but the tunnel wasn’t small either. I continued for several long minutes and thanks to Goddess I had a really good cave lamp which was making a lot of light especially in front of me otherwise I was sure I would trip somewhere.

  REI’S POV:

  I was sure I was sitting down here for dozens of hours. My right hip was hurting me now pretty badly and I assumed that I had to hit it before I woke up here. Maybe when that imbecile dropped me here it was too high and I hit my hip during landing. I didn’t know but now since my body was resting and I was mostly sitting on the ground this part of the body started to be really painful. I was terribly thirsty that I already could not speak or call anyone not to mention the h
unger I had a few hours ago. My stomach was hurting now but the rumbling sound already stopped as the stomach gave up on getting any food. I was too weak. I am sure if he would catch me another time, I would have higher chances to get myself from this shi*ty situation but he had to choose the time when I was on my weakest. I started to doubt that he was actually working on his own. His timing for putting down into this pit somewhere underground was absolutely perfect.

  I wanted to sleep so badly. My eyes were already hurting me but I was afraid that if someone would be looking for me, they might just miss me if I would not hear them and make some noise at the same time. I was keeping the stone I found before in my pocket for this reason. I already lost my voice but I still could make noise around and for any werewolf who would be looking and searching for me should be enough to hear.