Zena

This could not be happening, it had to be a dream.

I looked towards the brooding, strong Alpha male above and back to Yil. He had to be an Alpha, his scent was too strong. And to make matters worse he was her mate.... Or was he? I couldn't be so sure.

"Yil," I whispered and shook her gently out of her dazed stance. "We have to get out of here now," I lowly hissed, aware of Jayce and Jared who now stared at us with concern.

"Don't mind us, she's just drunk." I said, turning to them. "Those mimosas are finally kicking in," I added with an uneasy laugh.

"You sure you don't need a lift?" Jared asked slowly as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we don't mind," Jayce added with a reassuring nod and moved to get up from his seated position.

"No, really you don't need to" I assured, waving my hand wildly. "I appreciate your...." I trailed off when I felt a warm but firm hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine," Yil croaked from behind me and I turned towards her relieved that her dulled senses had finally awakened. This was so unlike her.

"See, she's totally alright," I said pointing to her and chuckling.

Jayce and Jared kept on staring at me in disbelief as they tried to assess the situation and the reason for my sudden agitation. Wasting no time, I grabbed Yil's hand and pulled her towards the exit, hurriedly.

"It was nice meeting you two," I called out with my back to them, giving a half-hearted wave before they could ask other questions or make comments.

"What is up with you?" I enquired when we were out of earshot. "It's almost dawn and I haven't even opened the portal yet, we are in so much trouble," I declared, feeling very apprehensive at the possibility of not making it to the pack on time.

I quieted when we reached the tattooed guard and threw him a forced smile. He proceeded to open the sliding door and tipped his imaginary hat as we passed through.

"Come some other time, ladies" he called out and Yil and I replied with another tense smile.

"I saw my mate Zena," she whispered, shocked. "You saw him as well, didn't you?" She asked, looking towards me for confirmation. Not waiting for an answer she continued. "But that's impossible," she looked away and muttered. I could sense the wheels turning in her head as she tried to comprehend the unthinkable. Today was a very eventful day, shocking and confusing if I do say so myself

"We'll talk about that later," I dismissed, just anxious to open the portal and get home. "At least he didn't try to follow you. What would we have done then?" I reasoned.

Just my luck that Yil got paired with an Alpha and not just any Alpha but an outsider?! Well if it isn't my words coming back to bite me in the ass then I don't know what gives.

As we moved swiftly along the sidewalks, dodging intoxicated couples who swayed and turned, hurling obscenities at any and every one. I noticed a turn into an alleyway up ahead and ushered a still confused Yil into it. Empty, quiet and dark. The perfect place to open up the tunnel.

I quickly moved towards the wall and stretched out my hands. Man this was too easy, almost frightening that an Alpha or any wolf would let his mate walk away.

"Yil, stay close to me. This might be a whirlwind ride," I announced as the swirls started to form but I was met with silence. "Yil?" I tried again, not wanting to take a peek at her lest I lose my concentration.

Zena stop now! She commanded through the mind-link.

Ugh I was seriously going to strangle her. Now was certainly not the time to grow cold feet or curious at the possibility of her new found mate.

I let my hands fall and turned towards her, ready to give her a piece of my mind when I felt the cold change in the previously warm weather.

"Where do you think you're going?" A deep male voice asked. I traced the sound of the voice towards the foot of the alley and sure enough standing before us was the Alpha male that I had seen by the railings. Her supposed mate and boy did he look displeased.

His stance was one of utmost power and authority and with every purposeful step that he took into the alleyway, his muscles, outlined by his form fitting suit, bulged with determination and strength.

"Mine," he growled possessively towards Yil and I instinctively moved backwards affected by the Alpha essence radiating from his body.

Heavy panting could be heard approaching the alleyway and soon after another wolf male -the one I had scented- emerged, hunched over behind the Alpha as he tried to catch his breath.

"Do you mind explaining that sudden rush of adrenaline amidst a very important deal," he complained.

"What do you know I finally found my long-awaited mate," the Alpha replied dryly. Wasn't he happy that he had found Yil. I mean he'd never be accepted in our world but still it wasn't the reaction I was expecting.

"You must be mistaken," Yil's clear, still voice broke the silence as she stared back with steel eyes. "I am not your mate," she declared.

Oh! she speaks, I mocked through the mind-link, furious at her for guilt tripping me into portalling her here. And now this.

Not now, she groaned.

"What in this dark hell hole is going on?" The dark-haired male, that I was assuming was his beta, asked confused. As he looked from Yil to his Alpha.

"Why do you lie?" the Alpha enquired, ignoring his question and moving closer to Yil. He's sky blue eyes held amusement as he regarded Yil with curiosity. "You feel it just as much as I do," he added with a slight growl.

"I'm not lying," Yil answered, trying to cover up the slight crack in her voice with a defiant stare. "I know not of what you speak," she added and moved back as he neared her.

Zena we are in big trouble, she mind-link. I wanted, so badly, to retort a smark remark but I figured now would not be the time for an I told you so.

"We are new in this town," I smiled as I took a brave step towards Yil's side. "And our parents are expecting us so please if you could allow us to go on our way," I said, eyeing his tall, muscle-solid build which towered above us and blocked most of our escape route.

"Alpha, are you even sure that she-wolf is your....." the beta started but was immediately silenced by the Alpha's raised palm as he moved his intimidating stare from Yil to me.

"Would that be the explanation for entering into a dead end?" his tone was laced with incredulity as he raised an eyebrow and I flinched slightly from being caught out in my lie. "Besides, I have no dealings with you so you can go on your way," he continued, moving to let me pass. "But she leaves with me," he stated determinedly with his eyes on Yil.

"Make me," Yil dared with a slight smirk. "I am not your mate and I sure as day am not going anywhere with you," she declared.

"Aren't you a little fiesty dynamite," he grinned, completely unfazed by her declaration. Well things were certainly going to get heated because nobody and I mean nobody calls Yil 'little'.

As if on cue, the weather began to change as a steady rush of wind started to blow. The already warm temperatures spiked up and there was a decrease in dew point. From my peripheral vision, Yil continued to stare calmly at the Alpha but I knew this change was her doing. It was her way of concealing her powers. Suddenly the dumpsters began to rattle under the force of the gathering wind and all at once they fell rolling to the ground.

The Alpha and his beta were momentarily distracted by this sudden change and wasting no time she grabbed my hand and made for the little space that they had created.

We ran....I mean sprinted. I couldn't even tell as the buildings sped along my vision in a rush. It was indeed a mad man's race as we tried to outrun the Alpha and Beta who were slightly behind but gaining on us.

"Remind me again why we are after a she-wolf who vehemently claims she isn't your mate," I heard the Beta shout out, to the Alpha, behind me.

Yil sprinted ahead in front of me and I tried to keep up with her as she kept swerving right then left and right then left again.

I was going dizzy with all this and closed my eyes briefly to quell my queasiness. When I reopened them, Yil's distinct silver-white hair disappeared from my view and I failed to see her. Turning around repetitively, in an attempt to sight her, I noticed the Beta just across the street from where I was, the Alpha was nowhere in sight, and I started to panic

I'm in a foriegn world dammit! Where are you? You double-crossing deserter. I frantically asked via the mind-link but got no response. I'm just going to dump your sorry ass here, I threatened, desperate to hear her voice.

A flash of clothing caught my eye and I noticed that the Beta had now seen me and was moving to cross over to where I was, making sure to keep a firm grip on the black bag slung across his chest.

I was out of options as I wasn't familiar with this terrain. Or any place in this world. Yil and I had run faraway from the city and when I hadn't seen her, I had strayed into a deserted street corner and now I had nowhere else to run. I moved quickly and stealthily towards a lone building and hid behind the solid, square pillars. I waited patiently keeping an ear to the ground as I tried to calm the erratic beating of my heart and quiet my sharp intakes of breath.

"I know you are somewhere here. The beating of your heart is as loud as a thousand drums," he pointed out, stopping just a few paces from where I was. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," he said, cautiously. "And neither would Alpha Aryn," he continued. "Even though I'm still not sure what all this is about," he muttered to himself.

Aryn? That was the Alpha's name. It sounded vaguely familiar. However, this wolf had another thing coming if he thought I'd willingly follow him to who knows where.

"So please come out," he begged. "Or I might have to drag you out," he added, apologetically.

Ha! Let him try it. I inhaled a deep breath ready to finally unleash my power, starting with a blazing fire ball, to show this arrogant male wolf what I was about when my wrist was suddenly pulled into the soffit of a staircase with a firm hand to my mouth. I quit resisting when my eyes met that of Yil's. She slowly removed her hand and signalled for me to keep quiet with a finger to her lips.

"Where the hell did she go?" the beta hissed as he moved closer to the staircase where we were hidden. There was an iron bar just ahead propped against a wall and with the help of a strong wind, Yil was able to push it down and it rolled noisily down the street.

The betas' ears perked up at the sound and he turned abruptly around and ran in the opposite direction but not before I caught sight of an ancient drawing on a box as the wind lifted the bags' flap. A white-wolf?

"Beta by day, Actor by evening, Tracker by night. What a jolly good day," I heard him mumble, wryly, as he ran further along the opposite path.

Let's go! There is an empty broken-down hall just down there, she mind-linked, pointing to an opening by the left. You can open up the portal there, she assured, hastily.

Oh! I wanted to hug her in relief and chew off her head in anger at the same time for putting me through this. But taking one look at her crest-fallen expression, which she tried to cover up with a slight smile, I knew that running away from her mate was not an easy task. Ava was probably giving her a hard time but nevertheless she did so to protect our clan.

We had made a mistake by coming here, yes, but all we could do now was try to minimise the consequences of that mistake. So I settled for a determined nod and let her pull me up towards the empty broken-down hall.

The illumination of the morning twilight, shining down the roofless hall was sufficient to navigate our way around and so when I was content that we were deep inside the hall away from prying eyes, I stood to take position in front of one of the walls.

With my hands outstretched I tried to calm my nerves. I could never open the portal if I wasn't calm. I was steadily regaining control over my emotions when she dragged me to a crouched down position along with her.

"What now?" I hissed, frustadely. I was sure to have an anxiety disorder after this.

"He's here, I can sense him," she whispered, referring to the Alpha. "He can sense me too,"

I looked around our surroundings and noticed the crumbled concrete wall by the side of the hall. It was still a little bit too high to jump over but nothing we couldn't do.

Carry us over that wall over there, I mindlinked. Then I'll open a portal mid air, I explained. I saw the internal battle between a reluctant Ava and her as the colour of her eyes shifted from green to emerald. Hurry, I urged through the mind-link and placed my palms by both sides of her face. I could only imagine how hard it was for her to choose between her mate and protecting her pack.

Her face steeled in determination and with a move of her fingers she gathered the air force to create small cumulus clouds which we promptly stepped on. Then she air-lifted us over the wall. I could sense the Alpha's approaching presence and tried not to think too much of it as I opened up the portal.

It swirled and continued to swirl as it began to take its form. Yil entered first and then I did but not before I noticed that the Alpha was already by the foot of the hall and had seen what I had done. He had a sly, knowing smile on his face as he rested against the door frame with his hand crossed across his chest.

I turned and entered swiftly into the portal, trying not to think about it... or the familiar box that I had seen his beta with.
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