FENRIS

Fuck!

I do not want to deal with Amaruq and his mess. He is a traitor and has accepted his betrayal. I hope the elders do not question me because I didn't handle the situation properly. Afterall, I got all the answers when I backhanded him. I do not want this additional trouble on my head when I am already dealing with a ton of shit.

Trying to calm myself, I knock on the private chambers of Elder Alarick. The door is opened by Elder Ernouf with a poker face but his head is slightly cast downwards. He just opens the door widely gesturing me to enter and then follows me after closing and locking the door.

What the hell?

All the elders except Amaruq are present here and they all stand in front of me with their heads slightly cast downwards. The action pleases my wolf but puzzles the human part of me. I am an apprentice here. Why in the hell are they bowing to me as if I am some kind of a celebrity.

"Please, elders. You all are embarrassing me with your bowing. What is the matter and why are you all behaving weird with me?" I ask anxious now but keeping an expressionless face not allowing them to see my nervousness.

"Your... Fenris, in the past few days we learnt many new things. The letter from Xavier then you receiving the knife from some well-wisher, Sierra's kidnapping and then Amaruq's betrayal, all these events have happened so consequently that we cannot term them as a coincidence," says Elder Ernouf.

I just nod not giving any verbal affirmation as I know that there is more to what they are telling me. So, I just wait for them to continue.

"You discovered that Amaruq has betrayed you and the entire werewolf kin when he made the deal with that devil Xavier. We understand that and we justify it as a rightful behaviour on your part but we would like to point out that you have never shown any signs of such dominance then why all of a sudden did you attack Amaruq?" asks Elder Fridolf.

"You yourself said that he betrayed us. That itself explains my attacking him that day," I say which is partly true.

"No son. You attacked him way before he revealed his betrayal," he says and I am caught. It is true. I had always been suspicious of Amaruq but never had any reason to point out his fishy behavior.

"We interrogated Amaruq and he confessed everything about how he locked you in the room to let the rogues continue with their activities with the kidnapped wolf. He also repeated the entire incident in front of us without lying and hence, we ask you why you attacked him before his confession?" the elder continues when I refuse to answer.

I open my mouth to answer but I cannot utter a single word. Where do I begin with? How should I tell them that I can sense a person's emotions?

"We understand you were under distress when your mate went missing but she is now found and safe in the school building. May I point out that you said a partial truth when we first asked you about the attack on Amaruq," says Elder Raoul and unknowingly a growl slips past my throat. I brace myself for a scolding but the slight nervousness that creeps into each of the elder's eyes surprises me.

Are they scared of me? Why?

They just stand there waiting for me to speak and I realise that there is no point in hiding these facts anymore.

"I have always been suspicious of Amaruq. I stopped respecting him as an elder since the night when he said that my mate is disposable. Not just because she is my mate but also a fellow wolf. His callousness and selfish attitude towards the trainees here automatically dismiss him from being an elder. The night my mate disappeared, elder Amaruq was being very casual about it. Then he told all of the trainees present there to take some rest but I wasn't going to listen to him. I had decided to go on searching for my mate alone but Amaruq injected something, probably wolfsbane in my veins and then locked me in that room to avoid my interference in the rogue's plans. I woke up earlier than the expected time and caught Amaruq off guard which resulted in me attacking him. He also said that one she-wolf's life is nothing if he has to keep his reputation in the community, that's when my anger took over." I finish the entire story still missing out the gross detail of how I would have bathed in Amaruq's blood if the other elders had not stopped me.

"We completely understand your actions and do not hold you guilty, however we came to know that you killed two rogues when you rescued your mate, is that true?" asks elder Alarick speaking for the first time.

"Yes, it is true. I killed them because they were going to rape her," I say the words trying to hold the snarl which wants to escape my throat.

"We received a letter from the rogue Alpha regarding the deaths of the two rogues but didn't believe it so I had to confirm it from you first," the elder says unfolding a piece of paper and then laying it on the table.

I walk towards the table and read it.

I made a deal with you, Amaruq. You broke it when a trainee wolf came to rescue that she-wolf. The she-wolf is not some ordinary wolf. Find out who her mate is and hand him over to me or I will come to search for him myself. I will also see that you rot in my special cell which has all the facilities for a good old torture for traitors.

The Rogue Alpha,

Xavier.

I read the letter twice and mentally scan for any similarities in the note I received and the one in front of me but find none.

"What does this mean? Sierra is not an ordinary wolf? Why does he want her mate, me? She is special to me being my mate but why is she special to this rogue?" I ask, my mind reeling with numerous questions. The thought of this rogue's interest in my mate makes my hackles rise. I resist the shudder that unknowingly runs down my spine.

"We don't know how the rogue Alpha found out about Sierra being someone special but we do know that she is indeed special," says Elder Raoul.

"How? Is she the royal heiress?" I ask not able to think coherently.

"No Son. She is the mate of the royal heir," says elder Raoul and I unknowingly take a step back.

"What? That's impossible. I am an orphan," I say dumbly.

"No son. You are the royal heir, the one who will ascend the throne and rule over the werewolf community in this country," says elder Raoul making me look at him in the eye.

The emotions wafting from the elder are of happiness and relief? This doesn't sit well with me. Did the elder already know about it?

"What do you mean Elder? How are you so sure? This rogue hasn't anywhere mentioned that I am the royal heir or that Sierra's mate is the royal heir. Then why are you directly claiming that I am this lost royal?" I ask and look at all the elders in their eyes. Everyone is looking guilty of something I think I know but would like to hear from them.

"I knew about your lineage from the time you were born son. Your parents knew about the danger looming on their family and the royal throne. They chose a few allies or warriors from among the royal army to take care of you in case the rogue alpha killed them," says Elder Raoul.

"A royal army? That means there must be some royal pack too. I want the complete detail elder." I tell him.

"You do not belong to the Mystic Shadow pack son. You belonged to Crimson Shadow pack which is the oldest one in this country. All other packs have actually descended from the crimson shadow pack when the werewolf population increased. The rogue alpha destroyed your pack during the great war and murdered every royal member excluding you only because your mother gave me your responsibility. I ran away with you and gave you to the beta of the Mystic Shadow Pack. The Alphas of that pack were good friends of your parents and hence, took you under their roof," finishes Elder Raoul and I feel the entire world spinning around me.

Such life changing news. I cannot digest everything at the same time. my mind is reeling. I close my eyes and take deep breaths to stop the light headedness that I feel. Everything that I am right now, is all fake. Fuck! This all sounds like a fairy tale but clearly doesn't feel like I am going to get the happily ever after.

What a mess! How am I going to deal with this?

I open my eyes to find myself seated in the chair in front of Elder Alarick's desk. How did I sit? I was standing when Elder Raoul was talking. Goddess! What is happening to me?

Someone keeps their hand on my shoulder momentarily startling me but then I realise that the elders are here with me. The three elders come and sit around me in their respective chairs and Elder Raoul stands behind me still with his hand on my shoulder.

"Drink some water son. I understand it is very shocking to hear this kind of news all of a sudden," says the elder.

"You cannot even imagine the magnitude of the shock I am feeling right now, elder," I say unable to stop all different thoughts running through my mind.

"Have you ever wondered that why there are five elders when actually there are only four packs in this country?" asks Elder Alarick.

"Yes, I had asked elder Raoul but he said that he is the oldest one here and you all felt the need to have him in your panel of elders," I say turning my head to look at elder Raoul thinking that he will nod his confirmation but he shakes his head.

Another betrayal. This person I felt was my mentor, my well-wisher, my guardian and he hid such a huge fact from me. A very loud growl slips from my mouth but the growl ends with a slight tremble indicating the distress I am feeling right now. I feel elder Raoul squeezing my shoulder to probably offer comfort.

Goddess!

"Elder Raoul is actually the elder from the Crimson Shadow pack. He had temporarily left the job of elder to look after you that is to make sure you do not fall in the hands of the wrong people after your parent's and family's death. After he gave you to the Mystic Shadow Pack, he joined the post of elder again to handle the post war problems wisely. It is partially true that we had asked him to come back because of his age and experience," Elder Alarick said.

"Partial truth! I don't give a fuck about this partial truth. You still lied to me. And you gave me away to another pack alpha. How come I don't remember you? The war happened 2 decades ago and I am 24 years old that means I was four at the time of that war. I should be able to remember my parents, my family, my life before the war. Werewolf memory is stronger than a normal human memory, right?" I ask desperate to connect these dots. I am sweating at the moment.

I am so frustrated at this moment. I knew I am an orphan and I would've given up everything to know about my heritage but never in my dreams had I thought that the truth would be so much different.

"Your mother had asked her younger sister to erase your memories before the war so that you wouldn't accidently reveal your true identity. She was a seer and that's why your parents knew about the looming danger on their family," says Elder Raoul.

"Erase my memories? My mother was a seer? How is that possible? Werewolves do not possess such powers. How can she know this? How can my aunt erase my memories?" I ask now pulling at my hair. I stand and start pacing not able to sit still and listen to their revelation.

"Yes, they could."

"How?" I ask.

"Have you ever wondered why you have powers different from any other werewolf?" asks Elder Alarick and again a growl slips from my throat.

"Stop talking in riddles, elder. Why do I have such powers? What is it? Who was my mother?" I ask slamming my fist on the elder's table.

"You have such powers because your mother was a witch and the first ever witch mate of a werewolf," says Elder Raoul and I surrender to the looming darkness.

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