by J. L. Berry
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Cole’s body trembled with excitement like a child on Christmas Eve. His wolf was finally there and the relief he felt was beyond comprehension after being alone for so long. His wolf clearly felt strongly about the current situation and despite Cole’s natural instinct to run he darted into the cave.
Ten seconds later the guard ran past the entrance to the cave. Cole breathed a sigh of relief from the shadows readying himself to move once more.
Wait.
A few seconds later the guard returned, his wolf searching for his scent. The trail had gone cold and he had realised quickly that Cole had changed course. He hesitated at the cave entrance, the scent of the other wolf confusing him. However, he would not be swayed and so he carefully crept forwards, his gaze seeking movement in the shadows and his muscles coiled to strike. Cole held his breath, his limbs screamed at him to make a break for it before he got cornered. There was no chance he could beat a wolf in his malnourished human form even with his new Alpha power.
The guard advanced, it was too late now for Cole to do anything. His fate was sealed. His shoulder continued to drip blood and the wolf had locked on to his location and snarled in triumph at having him cornered. He prowled forwards readying himself for the kill. A flash of white leapt from the shadows crashing into the side of the guard slamming him into the cave wall. The white wolf’s jaws latched around the guard’s neck ripping out his throat in a quick effective kill. Blood pooled over the floor as the eyes of the guard’s wolf turned dull. Cole remained hidden in the shadows, anxious about the motives of the unknown white wolf.
The white wolf turned, his clear blue eyes settling on Cole in the shadows. Elijah shifted back to his human form his eyes never leaving Cole’s as he dressed in a pair of shorts he’d left in the cave earlier. Cole was stunned as the realisation dawned. He hadn’t had time to recognise Elijah before in the clearing but now stood in front of him he remembered the man who had brought him food, water and solace over the last few years. It hadn’t been a trick.
“Cole, my name is Elijah. I’m here on behalf of your sister Autumn.”
Inching forward, Cole’s eyes flitted between Elijah’s as he stared in disbelief. He didn't remember ever telling the man about his family. Tears threatened to fall down his face, “How do you know my sister?”
“I escaped some weeks ago after the Raptors caught me bringing food to you and the other prisoners. I was fortunate enough to come across your pack, and of course your family.”
The chance of those events happening seemed impossible to Cole in that moment. Maybe it had been a trick after all. “Forgive me, but why should I believe you?”
Elijah raised an eyebrow.
Well you can’t really blame him his wolf reasoned.
“Besides the fact that I just killed all those guards to help you escape.... Your bedroom at home has two photos on top of a chest of drawers. One of those photos is of your family, when your sister was a newborn baby. There’s a bookshelf with a clock and night light on top and a stuffed wolf was sitting on top of the bed.”
Tears finally fell down Cole’s face. His room was exactly how he remembered it. They hadn’t changed a thing even after all these years. He stumbled forward to Elijah his uninjured arm reaching out to him. Elijah could feel the grief and relief pouring out of Cole as he held him tight while he sobbed. Despite the years of hardship Elijah had suffered, he couldn’t bear to comprehend what Cole had been through.
“I’m so sorry Cole...” he stammered.
Pulling back, Cole held Elijah’s shoulder at arm’s length, “You saved me, what on earth do you have to apologise for?”
“I should have done it sooner. I should have saved you all.” Elijah felt a deep sense of shame with his confession. If he had acted sooner, Sam, Milo and many others may have been saved.
Cole’s grey eyes searched Elijah’s rooting for the source of his shame, “My father once told me the ultimate test of man's conscience is his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks you will not hear. You risked everything to bring us sustenance when we were dying of hunger. Your brought us hope and kindness when there was none. You could not have done anything more and yet you still returned to risk your freedom once again.”
Elijah had no response for the praise he didn’t feel he deserved and he dropped his gaze. It was then he noticed Cole’s bullet wound. “Shit,” he grasped Cole’s arm to take a better look causing him to wince.
“There’s a bullet lodged in there, I can feel it when I move my arm.”
He can’t shift his wolf cursed internally.
Elijah was not experienced with healing injuries although he had watched some of the women in his old pack before. They would need some form of tweezers to pull out the bullet and a way to stem the bleeding while Cole healed. But right now they needed to stem the blood or the Raptors would be able to track them in a heartbeat. Elijah was sure by now Beta Harrison would have sent for reinforcements so they didn’t have long. They would need to improvise.
He took a t-shirt from his backpack stashed in one of the crevices of the cave, ripping it into strips. He bound Cole’s wound tightly before forming a sling to hold it tight across his chest as they moved.
“That should slow the bleeding until we can get you help but we still need to mask our scents or they’ll catch up to us.” Elijah paused to think but his mind kept reverting to the same idea, but it was not something he wanted to do. He sighed audibly.
“What are you thinking?” Cole asked.
“I have an idea but it goes against all my better judgement and I don’t want you to think badly of me...”
“Will it get us out of here alive?”
“It should help yes,” Elijah began.
“Do it, whatever it takes. It can’t be worse than what we’ve already been through.”
Elijah nodded glumly and swallowed. He pulled a pocket knife from the backpack and knelt down beside the dead guard. “Forgive me,” he murmured.
He flayed the dead guard’s wolf creating a large pelt which he transformed into a makeshift cloak for Cole. His eyes locked on to Cole’s who nodded with understanding. Defiling a body was not something either of them wanted to do but this guard had kept them prisoner, used and abused them. Still it didn’t feel right. Elijah knelt back down by the body and scooped the pooled blood up in his hands before rubbing it all over his body. The blood was still warm and quickly congealed to his skin creating a sticky coating like syrup on top of a pudding. Together they were a horrifying sight but they hoped they could mask themselves long enough to get escape completely and get help.
Without another word they left the hidden depths of the cave and Elijah took the lead as they ran for their lives.
Chapter 29:
Autumn’s wolf ran into the Lunar forest without looking back. She could hear the anguished cry from Drake but her wolf didn’t appear to pay any attention. Her wolf charged ahead at breakneck speed desperate to find her mate.
We don’t know where he is Autumn tried to reason.
Her wolf didn’t respond. She was single minded, focused on Elijah and nothing else. Autumn could hear another wolf following in pursuit but could not determine who. Her wolf increased her pace pushing herself to breaking point in an attempt to stay out of reach of the chasing wolf.
STOP.
The mind-link came through from her father. Her wolf faltered torn between her desire to find her mate and the need to obey her Alpha. Her pace slowed but she pushed forward fighting against the compulsion to obey.
I said STOP!
The last word was bellowed into Autumn’s mind so forcefully it crippled her wolf to the floor like the weight of a giant hand was forcing her body to the ground. Her stubborn wolf fought the pressure, her muscular legs shaking with exertion as she tried to stand. She growled in frustration before her legs gave out making her collapse completely. Moments later Alpha Grey’s wolf appeared towering ove
r her, his natural dominance changing the feeling in the air surrounding them. He quickly shifted back into his human form, pulling on a pair of shorts which were strapped to his leg. Tossing some extra clothes her way he commanded, “Shift, we need to talk.”
Autumn finally felt her wolf cede control back to her allowing her to shift into her human form once more. Dressing quickly she avoided looking at her father not through embarrassment of her nudity but the shame of what she had done and how much she had him and her pack down. Once Autumn was dressed Alpha Grey started to walk through the woods, he didn’t instruct his daughter further but knew she would follow now her wolf was no longer desperate and in control.
After a few minutes walking in silence the pair came across a fallen tree, its branchless trunk made the perfect place to sit within the privacy of the deserted forest. Alpha Grey gestured for his daughter to take a seat before sitting down himself a foot away from her. Respecting her need for space as much as possible he continued to look into the forest as he spoke, “Do you want to tell me what happened back there?”
“I’m so ashamed. I screwed up Dad,” Autumn whispered after a pause.
“It’s not too late to go back.”
“I can’t. I just don’t understand how this all happened?” Alpha Grey remained silent, giving her the chance to sort through her thoughts before she continued, “Drake was supposed to be my mate, he said he was. But my wolf is saying he isn’t and I think she wants Elijah. He said he was my mate but I didn’t believe him because of Drake and I hurt him. Now I’ve hurt Drake too and the pack, as well as humiliated myself in front of all our guests.” Tears ran down Autumn’s cheeks, “And I just don’t understand how it all happened.... when you meet your mate you’re just supposed to know but I didn’t. Now I definitely know it’s meant to be Elijah, but it took nearly marrying Drake for that to happen.”
“Your wolf’s instincts overpowered everything else to make the decision for you. It’s rare but not everyone marries their fated mate Autumn, technically we are allowed to choose.”
Autumn looked at her father in horror, “Why would you not marry your fated mate? Rejecting your mate is painful for all involved and disrespectful to the Moon Goddess.”
“Well not everyone gets to meet their fated mate for starters. For others they choose a mate because it’s in the best interests of their family or their pack or because they genuinely love them.”
The weight of her father’s words laid heavy on Autumn, “Are you saying I should reject Elijah and marry Drake because it’s what’s best for the pack?”
Alpha Grey sighed before turning his body and gaze towards his daughter, “No sweetheart. I’m telling you that when Drake turned eighteen he found out you weren’t his fated mate,” Autumn gasped in shock even though she knew it to be true. “He came to me to confess this and I lamented the outcome for the both of you. But despite everything Drake still wanted to marry you and be your mate. He truly loves you and knows you would be happy together, and he was willing to give up on the chance to meet his fated mate for you.”
Autumn felt a mixture of emotions at her father’s revelation. Grief. Betrayal. Love. Sacrifice. She was at a loss for what to say because there were so many thoughts and questions in her head. She rose to her feet and began pacing in front of the fallen tree.
“He lied to me?”
“Yes, but only because he wanted it to be true. He loves you and didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“That’s not an excuse!!!”
“Really? You wouldn’t lie to protect the ones you love?”
“Not about something as serious as this! He was going to give up his fated mate, some poor girl out there was going to end up alone and heartbroken because of his lie.” She stopped pacing looking around to her father with pain all over her face, “Oh goddess, Elijah! Dad, I.... I sent him away, I all but rejected him. What if he’s gone forever?”
Alpha Grey gave her a small sympathetic smile, “I doubt that. I think Elijah has gone on a crusade to find his old pack. We will hear from him again soon no doubt, one way or another.”
“You still doubt him?”
“I don’t know him sweetheart. A part of me would love to believe him, to think your brother is alive and there’s a chance we could bring him home. But right now I need to think like an Alpha and not like a father.”
“I need to go find him. I need to explain...”
“No.” Her father was firm in his decision, “I have already lost one child to the Raptors, I will not risk a second. Think of your mother before you go charging off alone into dangers unknown.”
He was right of course and Autumn felt the weight of sorrow and regret heavy in her heart. “You’re right. I don’t know what I’d say anyway. I mean I get Drake’s reasons for lying even if I don’t agree with them. But that still doesn’t explain why I didn’t realise when I turned eighteen myself.”
Dread dawned on Alpha Grey’s face and Autumn noticed the change in his expression, “What is it? What do you know?”
“Sweetheart, when Drake came to me and told me you weren’t fated I tried to dissuade him from marrying you. I believed you should both go and find your fated mates as the Goddess intended. But when it became clear Drake would not change his mind he asked me for help to convince you.”
Autumn bristled with anger. First Drake and now my father!
“As you learnt in your tactics lessons with Mariah, there are some herbal potions which can be used to suppress a wolf’s awareness and instincts. With the help of a shaman I had a moonstone imbued to stop your wolf from recognising your fated mate as long as you were wearing it. We used some of Drake’s DNA to create a spell which would feel like a mating call whenever he was in close proximity, hoping it would be enough for you to choose him. When you took off the stone the spell stopped working, which is why your wolf then reacted the way she did.”
The amber necklace Autumn’s wolf growled audibly, the sound echoed through the forest. The only reason she hadn’t shifted was because this was her Alpha and it would challenge his authority.
“I never imagined Elijah would come along! If I’d known then I would never have... I’m so sorry sweetheart.” Tears rolled down his own cheeks now, he had failed his daughter and caused all this pain.
“HOW DARE YOU!” She bellowed causing birds to flutter away from the treetops. “Regardless of whether Elijah even existed you took away my right to choose! You let Drake’s wants and wishes overrule my own.”
“It wasn’t just Drake,” he responded quietly, “The pack will need a new Alpha and the two of you together was a perfect match, one everyone would have welcomed.”
“So because I’m your only child that gives you the right to marry me off to the best suitor?” She scoffed.
“It wasn’t like that and you know it.”
“It’s not my fault Cole is gone or that you didn’t have any more children after me?”
“Watch your tone Autumn! I will not have you disrespecting the grief we went through no matter how angry you are right now.”
Autumn’s body was trembling with rage and her wolf was livid at the turn of events. She didn’t know who she could trust anymore. Betrayed by her father and her best friend/boyfriend, “Does Mom know what you did?”
Alpha Grey swallowed deeply shaking his head in response.
Good at least that’s one person on our side. Without a word to her father Autumn turned to walk away.
“Where are you going?” He called after her.
“To clean up your mess Alpha.”
Chapter 30:
Together Elijah and Cole headed to the border of the Raptor’s territory. The first aid Elijah had performed on Cole’s shoulder minimised the bleeding, they just had to hope it would be enough to disguise their trail. Cole initially felt a great sense of relief with his arm strapped across his chest but the pain was slowly increasing, draining him of energy. He stumbled over a tree root, Elijah’s arm shot out to catch him f
rom falling, “Hang on, not much further.”
Cole grunted in answer, conserving his strength for the climb up the hill. As they reached the top they crossed the line marking the perimeter and felt the weight of silence lift. Cole stopped dead in his tracks, “What the hell just happened?”
Elijah had continued running but stopped when he heard Cole’s shout. “We just crossed the pack’s border.”
“Yeah I get that... but why do I feel like I just stepped into Technicolor after being in black and white?”
“Oh, yeah I’m not 100% sure. They have these cages of herbs or something which block your wolf’s perception. I think it deters other animals from entering their territory as well.”
“Show me.”
“Cole, we don’t have time for this! They could be right on our tail.”
“I know, but I need to understand how. We’re going to need to know everything possible for when we come back.”
“When we come back? You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“Stop wasting time arguing with me and show me,” Cole replied forcefully, letting his alpha blood take command which just resulted in Elijah arching an eyebrow.
At an impasse Elijah didn’t want to waste more time just standing there so muttering under his breath he walked the perimeter line in search of one of the hidden cages. Once again his eyes fell on an abnormal area of plant growth; it was easier now he knew what to look for. “There,” he indicated.
Cole inspected the ground, kicking at it with his feet. Kneeling down he used his good arm to pull away the plants and soil, digging down for the cage. The smell hit him hard, making his eyes water, “Jeez!”
“Yeah I know, look Cole we’ve gotta go. We haven’t got time for this.”
Cole knew Elijah was right; they didn’t have time to investigate properly right now. “Give me the backpack we’re bringing it with us.”
What the hell Elijah’s wolf growled. Elijah was already recognising how stubborn Cole could be and in the interests of getting out of there he shucked the backpack from his shoulders and opened it with an exasperated sigh.