FENRIS

"Yes, a werewolf named Xavier is responsible for my brother's disappearance and I have come to seek your help as you are the Prince of wolves who's responsible for the werewolves' contribution in continual of peace in the supernatural world."

His words confuse me. Xavier kidnapped Dominic? How can he be kidnapped?

"There must be some misunderstanding," I say unable to accept that Dominic got kidnapped. His sixth-sense would never allow him to be kidnapped unless... he was deliberately cornered; I think remembering his proud display of skills when I was on the verge of getting caught by the human police.

"We didn't know about his whereabouts. We don't live here in Siberia or in the old language, Recrania. Dominic is my twin and because of that connection, I knew something went wrong during his investigation.

"I waited for a year before confirming the fact that my brother has indeed, been kidnapped. When I came here, my brother's castle was in ruins. I came to know later that it's a werewolf who's captured over that property," he speaks grimly and my mind quickly works, connecting the dots.

"The property. Where is it?" I ask.

"I don't know. I could only see glimpses of my brother's memory through dreams. That's how I came to know that he's been kidnapped," he informs and I stiffen.

"What did you see around him," I ask trying to at least find a link about the location.

"He was in a castle. But this one was ruined. Completely in debris," he says. I try and think about a castle which is in ruins but come up fruitless.

"There's a ruined castle near Crimson Shadow's west," Alpha Zac murmurs all of a sudden and as if a fuse goes off in my mind, I remember the ruined castle.

"But that's not Dominic's home," I say.

"I don't know then. I thought this one would be his castle since we have an affinity towards residing in old and antique places," Dmitriy defends himself but I am no longer paying attention.

If whatever he is saying is even a mile closer to the truth then he's closer to Sierra's father's pack. I quickly make a decision of calling Alpha Shaw and informing him that I would be coming there. I also need to inform Sierra's dad. This is going to be hard.

"Let's go to the Alpha's house," I request the vampire couple and then turn towards Alpha Zac. "I hope it is okay for them to stay here for the time being?" I ask him and he only nods then smiles in welcome at the couple. I feel a little relieved that there's no tension between them. A vampire and a werewolf haven't been known for their mutual understanding.

Just as I enter the Alpha's house, I find Nora's tear-filled gaze. Not knowing the problem, I walk towards her and she breaks down. She bursts into gut-wrenching sobs and I have no clue of how to react.

"What's wrong?" I ask sensing the rage, grief and an overwhelming sense of loss from her. Her emotions are haywire, all over her and I have a hard time segregating them but I stand still refusing to bend under the weight of it.

"Alcina... She left and I can't feel her anymore." I can make out only this from her hiccupping sobs and the meaning freezes me. She can't feel her, that means... Alcina's dead?!

No! Not another cousin.

"What do you mean?" I ask carefully trying to sound calm, yet the lack of steadiness in my voice betrays me.

"She left to go find out something about the rogue and his plans. I came to know just this morning but then her essence was strong," she speaks and then again breaks down, weeping, leaning on me heavily. I literally carry her towards the nearest sofa and make her sit, sitting down beside her.

"Just a few minutes before you came, I lost her essence and since then I cannot locate her," she sobs putting her face in her hands and I can only hold her while she loses her composure.

"You can't jump to conclusions, Nora. She might be alive. Just because you lost her essence doesn't mean that she's... that we lost her," I say unable to come to terms with it. I can't accept that she's dead not without evidence.

"Yes, Nora. Why don't you calm down and we'll talk about it later?" suggests elder Raoul, who's standing just in front of us. She only nods and then wipes her tears away, shrugging out of my hold. I let her go, knowing that she wouldn't like being treated like a weak person.

"I need to be alone for some time," she whispers to all of us and then walks out of the hall. I look towards Luna Valentina and silently urge her towards Nora. She only nods and offers a small smile. I nod in thanks, relieved that she will help Nora.

"You can have the cottage behind this house if that's okay?" asks Alpha Zac and then only do I realise that Dmitriy is still here with his mate, watching the entire scene. He nods at me sympathetically and then whispers a quiet "thank you" to the Alpha before walking out of the house following the guard who's been told to escort them.

"You should rest, Fenris. You haven't healed yet completely," reminds Alpha Zac. At the same time, I feel my muscles protest in overuse. I can't turn my neck without wincing. I don't know what to do and now this. Why would Alcina walk off into the rogue territory? Was she foolish or was she trying to prove something?

Goddess! I feel a headache building behind my eyelids and let out a groan of frustration, not knowing how to reach my mate and how to deal with the ever-increasing pile of problems.

"Let's get you fed and then you should sleep," says elder Raoul all of a sudden standing in front of me, looming over my seated form. I can only nod. I am no use to my mate if I am tired. I sigh, shaking my head and trudge behind Alpha Zac towards the infirmary room.

~~~~~~

Now that I am healing and almost as healthy as new, my mother just can't keep from not talking to me. I understand her concern but no way should a mother be allowed to watch her son plan to go into battle. I suddenly sympathise with Zion who's no doubt going to be pampered after he's healed. Yesterday I woke up from my temporary coma and since then, I have worked to the brink of insanity, trying to find out the whereabouts of my mate's current location.

According to Nora, Xavier was near the south of the neutral territory whereas according to what Dmitriy says, Xavier is in the middle of Samara and Crimson Shadow packs.

Goddess! How is it possible for Xavier to move such long distances within a short span of time?

This question has been troubling me a lot. I don't like a dead end.

"You need to eat, Fenris."

"I will eat, mother but with everyone else. Okay?" She nods happily and allows me a few minutes of precious silence. Walking out of the infirmary, I sigh in relief when I find no one on the other side of the door. My mother's affections are sometimes very suffocating. Quickly making my way towards the dining room, I spot elder and Alpha Zac having a conversation.

Just as I go to follow elder Raoul and Alpha Zac into the dining room, a loud crash echoes from the entrance of the house and on instinct, I run off towards the sound.

I reach in the hall just in time to watch Tatiana stumble into the house with a look of clear panic on her face.

How did she reach here? I go to voice my question when she runs directly towards Luna Valentina who has walked into the living room from the other side of the house.

"Where's he?" she pleads, looking around frantically before her gaze settles on the Luna. The Luna embraces Tatiana and I see both the women lose composure, holding onto each other.

"He's healing," says Alpha Zac in an emotion-clogged voice.

"Let's go to see him," I suggest, feeling guilty for not asking to meet my friend before. He so valiantly tried to fight off Xavier. No way does he deserve such blatant disregard from my side. I feel like kicking myself.

The Luna puts an arm around Tatiana before leading her down towards the infirmary. Alpha Zac and I follow close behind the women.

The smell of disinfectant invades my nostrils but underneath it, Zion's scent washes over us. Tatiana doesn't waste time and quickly rushes to her mate's side taking hold of his hand in both of hers. And just like that, the memory of my own mate lying in the infirmary bed after her rescue from the rogue flits past my mind. I clench my fingers, recalling my mate's soft flesh beneath them.

Fuck! I need her. I swallow the whine that desperately wants to slip out of my throat. I can't break down. Not now. Not before I find her.

I hope she's fine. Quickly closing my eyes, I focus on my mate's pull. I have been doing this almost every day. After a long minute, I find her fragile spirit fighting but still strong enough for survival. I let out a breath of relief but my wolf struggles now impatient in rescuing our mate. A throat clearing breaks my concentration and I look up at the others.

Tatiana is looking at me with an anxious look in her eyes whereas Alpha Zac and the Luna look at me with an underlying sense of insecurity.

What did I miss?

My unanswered question is answered by Tatiana who quickly understands that I am recalling my mate. She tries to give me a smile but it comes out like a grimace.

"I am so sorry Fenris," she begins before taking a long breath and then continues, "but I want to claim my mate here and now itself," she speaks with quiet determination and I freeze, stunned at her request.

"It is your mate and your life, Tatiana but would it snap in place? He's unconscious," I try to reason, to try and ready her for the possible disappointment.

"There are chances that Zion might not respond to your claim. I just don't want you to be disappointed," I speak softly trying to explain to her in very patient tones where I hardly feel any patience.

"I know but I want to try. If the bond snaps into place, he'll be able to link with me and then I'll be assured that he's really fine. Please, I need this," her voice wavers at the last words. I understand I do for I would have done the same if my mate were here now.

I look at the Alpha to note what they feel and all I see is a very ill-concealed hope.

"Fine, let's try now, it is a full moon tonight so we can do it now. What say?" I ask, realising that if Sierra were here tonight, we would've been performing the bonding ceremony right now. But she's not and the thought of her suffering pains me.

Pushing away from the thoughts of my mate aside, I get ready for the selfless blood sacrifice without which the blood bond wouldn't be recognised.

The Luna quickly hands one scalpel to Tatiana and another one to me. I accept it after she gives my hands a squeeze, whispering a small thank you. I nod in acknowledgement and then focus on Tatiana, who's silently crying over her mate's still form.

She makes a small cut on his palm whispering a soft apology to her unconscious mate and then cuts her palm before joining their bleeding hands. Tatiana's palm starts healing after a few minutes but Zion's healing comes in slow, slower than for a normal healing patient which scares us more.

I don't pay attention to that observation before quickly making a cut on my hand, allowing the blood flow into the bowl which Alpha Zac holds beneath my hand. Like last time, I have to make two cuts for the appropriate amount of blood required for the sacrifice.

At first, we don't observe anything since such changes are visceral not at all for public display but right now at this moment, I can see, Zion's skin tone changes from the unhealthy grey to a slightly pale hue.

A gasp is what startles me from my observation and I turn to look at Tatiana who's hunched over her mate's body, looking at his face.

"He's warm. His skin is not cold anymore!" she exclaims loudly looking up from her seat, her eyes sparkling with hope and happiness. It is a bittersweet moment for all of us. To have hope that the Goddess is with us in this battle against evil.

The Luna quickly walks towards her son and immediately checks his vitals being the pack healer but Alpha Zac's hand on my shoulder distracts me from the scene.

"Thank you," he speaks, his voice gruff with emotion. I can only nod unable to form any words after witnessing the miracle in front of my eyes. He might not be awake but the blood bond snapped into place and that could only happen if he's truly accepting of his mate. His mind knew his mate's touch and that's why the bond snapped into place. I realise the true meaning of this ceremony. There's a visceral bond which allows the injured mate to draw energy from their bonded mate, thus, speeding the healing process.

"Zac, his vitals are fine, he's healing well enough and I don't think any of his arteries are blocked now." The Luna is bouncing on her feet and has tears running down her cheeks as she relays the information to her mate. Both the parents embrace their daughter-by-mating who's weeping uncontrollably. The sight is overwhelming and I quickly bid my goodbyes not able to keep a lid on my emotions. I need her here with me, I need my mate with me.

~~~~~~~

The ringing of my phone startles me from my meditation and I quickly go to answer, hoping that it is about Sierra. My gut tells me that he's not in the south of the neutral territory. The only thing keeping me from following my wolf's instincts and my mate's very thin trail is that I don't want to be wrong. If I am wrong, I'll be more delayed in rescuing my mate and she's already on the verge of giving up. The marking should have allowed me to locate her but the only reason hindering me might be that she's very far from me. And far means, she's on the other side of this country.

A couple of days have passed after Tatiana and Zion's blood bond and since then, Zion's condition has started improving tremendously.

I pick up the call.

"Hello?"

I listen to the person talking from the other side of the country and quickly make my decision.

"I'll reach there in two days," I tell him and quickly get up, taking my bag which has been specifically packed for emergencies like this. Now that I have confirmation of where my mate is, I won't let anyone come in the middle of my plan to rescue her. Fucking asshole! I am going to rip Xavier into pieces.

Fuck! I hate airports. But it's the only way to reach there ASAP.

A loud commotion from the hall attracts my attention and I hang up the call before moving out of my room and towards the booming voice of Alpha Zac.

"A guard informed me just now that the pack is under attack," informs Alpha Zac just as I walk in the hall.

Urgh! Xavier had this all planned. The knowledge and foresight of this rogue surprise me yet it angers me. He's such an expert in creating a distraction that I don't understand where to attack from. If I stay here for even a second more, I'll lose my mind, that's for sure but I can't even leave the pack defenceless. After all, the pack is getting attacked because of my presence.

Quickly thinking of a way to distract the rogues but coming up with nothing, I growl in frustration.

"Did you get a call from Christopher?" asks Alpha Zac and I nod.

"Good, I have booked a flight ticket for you, Nora and elder Raoul. Dmitriy made his own arrangements and is ready to leave. A few of my pack's warriors which are in the school at this moment have been instructed to go to the Samara Pack as they are much closer to that pack than we are from here." The Alpha is in pure business mode, barking orders and expecting them to be followed to the T.

"Excuse me, Alpha, Prince Fenris."

We both are startled by Cayden's sudden presence. Did I not hear or was he really that stealthy? Looking over at Alpha Zac's shrewd gaze, my thoughts are confirmed. He sneaked upon us. A useful trait!

"Yes, Cayden?"

"I would like to accompany you. You have to understand, my mother is trapped there and if she doesn't see me when she's rescued, she'll think that I am not alive. I need to be there please." I stare at him for a moment. That's the most maximum number of words that he's spoken since he was brought here by Kestrel.

"Okay."

I numbly nod at the Alpha and walk out of the house to pack my IDs. Elder Raoul and Nora are already standing outside with their bags in hand so I walk quickly and get all my stuff, looking forward and hoping to meet my mate, hopefully, unscathed.

~~~~~~~~

Dakujem!

So, what do you think Alcina is doing disappearing like that? 

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