Present time

Raising my head, I stare at myself in the mirror and can't help but hate what I see staring back at me.

Larson's body in pieces in the forest is vividly burnt into my skull, every time I close my eyes I see his dead ones staring back at me, asking me why this happened to him.

It's because of me he was there, in The Vale, it's because of me that he's dead and burning outside right now with all his family and friends who loved him surrounding him, sending prayers in the hope his soul can make it.

That fucker Theodin.

Once he was done dismembering Larson, I was told he had carved his eyes out with something sharp, to do so is to never rest in the afterlife, to never join your mate in the presence of our moon goddess, it is our most punishable sentence for wolves, one I do not enjoy passing.

Larson did not deserve this fate, he was good. He was loved, I had never seen him harm for fun, he had a family, has a mate, he was.. happy.

I had to light his body not knowing what fate had in store for him, yet I prayed along with those that loved him, in hope that she would listen to me and answer my prayer, so I could personally get on my knees and apologize for forgiveness to him when it is my time to pass.

My clothes are still thick with the scent of the fire as it burns the remaining of his remains, a sacred farewell for my people, the fire burns bright crescent white in the night, in the hope that the light will guide him to our fallen brothers and sisters in the afterlife.

I splash water on my face once again and grab a towel to dry, a familiar scent I know well comes stronger, and then theirs a knock at the door.

"Kane?" My sweet mate's voice says worriedly behind the door.

Opening the door I look down at my mate, not missing the fact that her eyes are swollen and red from crying. The death of Larson has been hard on her, and with Emma missing, Sora had been equally scared for the fate of her close friend.

"Are you okay?" She asks, placing her hand on the side of my face, making me sigh out and grab her hand, bringing it to my lips.

Was I okay? I was not fucking okay. I have never been so mad in my entire existence, I see red everywhere I look, I want nothing more then to hunt down Theodin and rip him apart- to inflict every single thing he did to Larson to his own body.

That's just the tip of what I want to do to him. "I'm good, where's Lucas?" I ask, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

She sniffles and wraps her arm around my torso and inhales my scent. "With Caelan and Larson's family... they want to thank you.. for what you said before the ritual."

I scoff. Thank me? I killed their son. "Sora- I can't, I-"

She interrupts me, pulling my shirt down roughly, making me look at her. "You did not kill Larson, Kane!" She yells at me in the face angrily, her eyes changing color. "They know you did not kill their son, Theodin killed Larson, Theodin is the reason he is not here and that Emma is missing, not you!" She snaps out, releasing my shirt.

I watch her turn and walk away, with claws out and breathing heavily I watch her until she makes it outside, slamming the door behind her, making the pictures on the wall fall and smash.

I sigh heavily and run my fingers through my head as I head down the stairs and pick up the pictures on the floor before anyone stands on the pieces of broken glass on the floor.

The picture that fell was the first picture I had taken with Larson. In the photo there stands, Larson, me, Lucas, and Rogon. I remember the day it was taken, we didn't want a photo taken because the flash kept angering our wolves, but Larson said it would be a reminder of the past, so we could always stare back at this photo and remember the memories we shared together.

After this photo was taken, exactly a year later, Rogon died in battle with a rogue pack. He was 23 years old and had just found his mate, she later died from killing herself before the 7, leaving behind a young pup of 1 year old.

Their son is the only living member of his family, I had tried to get in contact with him as a child, only to get the harsh reality of how reckless I was during that time. Rogon died in a battle we had won against a rogue Alpha that has enslaved his pack, on my order we invaded, he shouldn't have even been there with me, because he was my friend and loyal- he died fighting a war that shouldn't have happened.

When I look at this picture now, all I see is death.

*****

Rubbing my face roughly I growl out. "There must be something!" I snap out, slamming my fist on the desk, and glare at the wolves in front of me. "The Grinmote family knows something, he is their kin, they can't hide for long, go and fucking find them!" I shout out angrily.

"Y-Yes sir." The wolf in front of me says, I snarl back at him and excuse him.

How did Larson put up with them? The Shadow League is incompetent, finding the Grinmortes should not be this much of a challenge, where could they possibly go? The death of Larson reaches all six realms, even my contacts in the human realm from my time as King are keeping their eyes open for any sign of them.

Fucking Grinmorte's, I should've known the moment my family got tangled up in their business years ago that they would once again be into something shady, history seems to repeat itself. 

I mindlink Caelan, my son and current King of The Vale to come to my office. After relocating back to the palace with my mate, we had made the decision to keep family close until we can track the whereabouts of Theodin.

It had been too long that we were all under the same roof, my parents, my children, and grandchildren are all in the palace, in the meantime. Despite the situation, it's been comforting having them all here, there's less for me to worry about knowing they are protected within these walls.

The double doors to my office open and Caelan come inside. I don't miss the way he stares at the mess of my office, causing me to growl at him. "Close the doors." I tell him and he does so with a raised brow.

"Why did you call me all the way over here? Do you have news?" He asks, sitting in front of my desk with a hard expression.

I grunt and shake my head. "No." I watch my son's face turn confused. "I need you to do something for me, and keep it to yourself." 

He looks at me with a stoic face. "Dad if this is-"

I interrupt him by standing up and glaring at him. "Caelan, you have close ties to the daughter of Navi Grinmorte, she will speak with you."

He sighs out and stands up. "I ended those ties with her, we have not spoken in over fifty years, what makes you think she will risk her family to speak to me?" 

"You broke our sacred law with her Caelan!" I snap out angrily. 

I growl out frustrated and sit back down, theirs's a long silence in my office as none of us speak and I know that Caelan had not forgiven himself for what he did in the past, not waiting for your mate goes against everything a wolf believes in, it's considered disrespectful, it's something that made me at one time, wish it was not true, that my own son broke something I believed in.

Arabella Grinmorte was also mateless, I allowed my son to be friends with her, but not in my wildest dreams did I think he would go as far as to start a relationship with her. Too close to 100 I knew I had no reason to be upset with him, I was proud that he had kept his sanity, where most mateless wolves turning 100 would be dead- or wishing it were so.

"Fine."

I raise my head and stare at my son, who turns and keeps his hand on the doorknob tightly. "After this, I want you to never bring that up ever again." He whispers out, before opening the door and closing it behind him.

Fuck, I'm such a bastard. I rub my face and sigh out. 

I had never wanted to bring this up again, and using my son like this doesn't make me feel any better about myself, but it was my last option. The girl will reach out to Caelan, which I have no doubt about and when she does, I can put a stop to whatever Theodin is planning.

I just pray it's not too late and I can stop whatever is heading my way.

I will... forever and always.. protect my family.

Even if it means death.