5 years later(Barin's POV)

   Five years have passed since I was captured and spoke with the black panther. The whole time Alessio was on edge. He had the pack constantly training and was never satisfied with what they did. The deaths of those 30 pack members really hit him hard.

   As for me, I have been pretty laid back. Because I was weak when I found my way back, I have been recovering my strength. Not only that, I have also been telling Clara as much as I could recall about the black panther that spared my life.

   Whenever I got to the part about how both me and the black panther wanted to die, she would get mad and yell at me.

   "Don't you ever say that you have nothing to live for! Not only do you have the rest of the pack to  protect, you also have me. I already lost one son. I don't wanna lose another one."

   "Sorry mom, I was being selfish. I wasn't thinking about how others would feel if I really did die."

   "You're forgiven."

   I paused for a second before asking a question that has always been in my mind,"Mom, do you remember anything about your son?"

   She gave me a sad smile and said, "I do but it's nothing big. He was taken just seconds after he was born. I held him in my arms and was able to catch his scent right before the kidnapper attacked. I had just finished giving birth so I was really weak. My mate was alert and fought him but ended up being critically injured. Our wolves decided that the safest course of action was to momentarily stop our hearts so that he thought we were dead.

   "Once the kidnapper left, we stopped playing possum and went somewhere to rest and heal. As we went outside, we saw that our whole pack was slaughtered. It was hard. But we survived. Then the alpha couple of this pack, who were close friends with us, took us in as we searched for our son. I never gave up my hope that he was alive. I know I will find him."

   "Well, I hope you do too mum." I said giving her a comforting hug only to be interrupted by Alessio.

   "Pack meeting now." He ordered

   The whole pack gathered outside so they could hear the news that their beloved alpha has to tell them, including me and Clara.

   "My dear pack. For five years we have been training. Training for the day when we can take down the Underworld. Not only have they gone around kidnapping shifters from other packs, they had the audacity to take some of our own captive and kill them! It is time we attacked and avenge our lost people. Most of the warriors will be going with me but some will stay behind to protect the people who are not able to fight. Those of you who will be going already know who you are. Now, let's move out." He said as he shifted and took off into the woods with his pack following his example.

   I shifted and ran until I took my place running behind the alpha and in front of everyone else. What stunned me was that I saw Clara's wolf running alongside mine.

   'Mum, what are you doing? I thought that you were going to stay home.'

   'I was, but my wolf has been wanting to release some stress for a while now so I thought why not now? Besides, I want to meet the person who saved your life.'

   'Fine. As long as you don't deliberately put yourself in danger then I guess it's alright.' I said begrudgingly

   'I didn't know I needed your permission son.' She scoffed

   I just shook my head and continued running.

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   Once we were at the edge of the compound that was used as the HQ for the Underworld, we all stopped and waited for orders from our alpha.

   'Alright. I want you to break into your groups. Those groups will run onto the territory and engage the enemy. Me and the wolves that I will take with me and go into the compound to rescue the people in there and to kill the leader. You know what you are to do, now do it!' Alessio said through the mind-link

   'Yes alpha.' Was strongly said in answer to him.

   Me, Alessio, Clara, and two other wolves grouped up to form the rescue group while the others grouped up to form the attack group. Once they were all ready, Alessio gave the signal and the attack started.

   As they ran out into open field, wolves from the compound came running out. But one good thing is that we outnumber the wolves on the opposite side.

   So as they fought, our rescue group ran across the field and into the compound. Since I was here once before, I led the group through the compound to the cells where they keep people. The only reason I know where to go is because they were sure that I was going to die. Their hubris.

   It took ten minutes to walk from the entry way to the cells but I wish it took longer so that I could prepare for what I saw. Bodies were in the cells and not all of them were alive. Not all of them were even in one piece. After the initial shock, we started to set free the ones who were alive which only numbered to five. When I got to my person, I saw that he was a male in his thirties or forties that looked like he hasn't eaten in a long time. Once the chains were off, he started to talk to me.

   "Help." He said

   "That's what we're doing sir." I replied to him.

   "No. I mean help him. There is one more person in this place who is not kept in the common holding area. He is the reason that you are alive Beta Barin." He said as Alessio and Clara came over to where I was

   "Where are the other two along with the prisoners?" I asked

   "We thought that this was it so we sent them ahead of us, but we overheard your conversation with  him." Clara said

   "Yeah, but the question is how do you know the information that you do? Who are you?" Alessio questioned

   The guy who I was supporting looked away and then answered "I am Antone. A scientist. I was friends with Thayer."

   "I knew it! You can't be trusted! Leave him here to die, Barin." Alessio said

   "Wait." Clara said as she turned towards Antone "Let me see your eyes. Let me see if you are truthful."

   When he lifted up his head, his eyes were full of tears. It was weird to see a grown man cry and also heartbreaking.

   "Please," he pleaded, "please do what you will to me. I admit that I have done terrible wrongs in my life. So I don't care what you do to me but please save him. He doesn't deserve what has been done to him. He doesn't deserve to be in this-this hell. Please, give him a chance at life."

   As he cried I looked over to Clara and Alessio. They were both stunned but it was Clara who moved first. She stretched out her hand and cupped Antone's cheek. They looked at each other and their eyes momentarily glowed before going back to their original colors.

   "Mate." They said at the same time

   "Mate? But didn't your mate die mum?" I asked

   "He did. But don't forget that there are cases where some people find another mate after losing theirs."

   "I congratulate you Clara. I really do. However, we must move on before Thayer moves bases." Alessio said

   "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. He isn't going to leave without him and his records." Antone said

   "Him, him, him. All you say is him. Why don't you call him by name instead of degrading him?"

   "Because he doesn't have a name! Thayer never named him. He calls him number 19. And don't you dare accuse me of degrading him in any way because I think of him as someone important! After all, I was the one who called you guys to raid this place in order to rescue him. If you hadn't of failed in the first place, I wouldn't be here. I would be with 19 and watching over him."

   Alessio started to argue with him because he didn't like the blatant display of disrespect but I cut him off.

   "Whoa there Alessio. Don't we have more important matters to handle right now? Deal with that then deal with this. But for now, let's go save my savior."

   He stood there for a minute and thought over my words before giving a stiff nod of his head before signaling Antone to lead the way. He let go of me and steadied himself before he left the cells with Clara following after him and me and Alessio taking the rear.

   From the cells to the room in which the person they call 19 was kept was a twenty minute walk. Antone, who was weak, was being held up by his new found mate, Clara. My mum. He stopped right in front of a room door that reeked of the smell of blood.

   "Are you sure that this is the room?" Clara asked

   "I'm positive. This is the only room that gives off this smell." He said as he reached to open the door but then stopped as his hand touched the handle. "But be warned. I haven't been in that cell since after your failed attack five years ago, so I do not know what Thayer has done in that time span. Be prepared to see anything." He turned the handle and went inside with the rest of us following behind him.

   Before I saw anything, I heard Clara's gasp of surprise. When I heard it I quickly looked to see what had startled her. 'Now, I know that Antone said to be prepared, but nothing could prepare me for this.' I thought to myself as I looked in the room.

   The room was dark. No light at all was present in the room. If we didn't have excellent night vision, then we wouldn't have been able to see anything. But we did. The room itself was stone and stained with blood that looked years old. There were two doors on each side of the room, but the wall was what got all of our attention. On the wall, a person was pinned there. To be more specific about it, his arms, feet, and what appeared to be wings were pinned to the wall with metal rods. The person himself had multiple broken bones all over his body that were visible to the eye. Across his skin, cuts, burns, gashes, and scars decorated his skin with a tattoo on his chest that looked like it went to his back. It didn't even look like he was breathing. I try moving in my spot to see his face, but his hair, which was really long, was covering it like a curtain.

   Antone took a few steps towards  him before the door on the left revealed Thayer, the man behind all of this. He looked up, see all of us in this room, and frowned upon seeing Antone.

   "Is this what it comes to, Antone? Leading the enemy straight to me? Your friend?" He accuses

   "Yes this is what it comes to, my former friend. You have hurt this poor boy enough and it is time it stops. We are going to take him and leave this place. Take him to a place that is far away from you."

   When he finished talking, he started to walking towards 19 but was tackled down to the floor with Thayer on top of him cutting off his air supply.

   "You will not take him away from me! He is mine and belongs to me!" He growled out almost in hysterics "And don't you dare forget that you had a part in his life as well."

   Alessio suddenly ran for Thayer and grabbed him by his neck. My guess is that his patience has finally run out.

   "You may not want to listen to him, but you are going to listen to me. You are going to go over there and unpin that person from the wall. Then, you're going to surrender yourself and leave quietly. Now do it!" He ordered

   "I don't think that it's such a good idea to release him. Who knows what he's going to do."

   "We'll deal with it when the time comes. Now get to it!" Alessio said as he released his hold on Thayer's neck.

   Thayer walked over to 19, put some kind of gloves on, and started to take the metal rods out one by one until they were all out.  There were six in all. One for each foot, hand, and wing. When he was finished, 19's body heavily dropped to the ground. Thayer stood there for a minute before he tried to make a run for it, but lucky for us Antone caught him before he could escape.

   "You made this bed you messed up bastard. Now it's time to lie in it." Antone said as he turned Thayer around to face 19 who was lying on the floor.

   At first, I didn't get what he was talking about. But when I started to hear the familiar breaking of bones associated with shifting, I finally understood. It took 19 a while to shift, but when he was done, he was a beautiful black wolf. He may have looked starved and his coat not that lustrous but he was larger than an alpha and looked like a wolf from the wild. He lifted his large head up and turned it in our direction and sniffed. The next thing I know, he's growling and running towards us. Once Antone pushed Thayer out into 19's line of attack, the situation went downhill from there.

   19 landed on top of Thayer's chest growling and snarling at him. His claws were buried in place. But before he could attack, Thayer plunged a dagger deep into his side. 19 was still in shock for a small amount of time, but it was enough time for Thayer to throw him off into the wall and shift himself. Now when I say "into the wall", Thayer literally threw 19 through the wall. But 19 didn't stop even to take out the dagger in his side. He jumped up into the air the same time as Thayer and they met in a clash of claws and teeth.

   Alessio took a step towards them to try and stop them, but Antone out his arm in front of him and shook his head.

   "Please don't interfere in this fight. It needs to happen." Was all he said before returning his attention back to the fight.

   Fresh blood coated the floor as they rolled around on the floor, one trying to gain the upper hand on the other. Before long, the black wolf has Thayer in his mouth and threw him against the wall. It wasn't enough force to break the wall, but it was enough to dent it. Thayer, considerably weakened, shifted back to his human form and once again 19 was on top of his chest with his claws digging into him. Thayer then turned towards us.

   "I did what I did because I love him. Because I wanted to protect him. There is someone dangerous out in the world. And they want him. If you do not believe anything else that I say, believe this. They want him-" Thayer began to say but before he could finish 19 ripped out his throat causing Thayer to choke on his blood and die.

   'I am the victor, Thayer. Your life has come to an end.' Said the voice.

   Not expecting a voice, I jumped in surprise. At the sound of me moving, 19 turned his head in my direction and for the first time, I saw his eyes. They were a bright gold.

   'Antone.' He said as he got off of Thayer and walked over in front of Antone,' So you are still alive.'

   "Yes, I am still alive. And just like I told you, I brought help. They are going to take us out of here." Antone said to him

   'I see.' Was all he said before walking over towards Clara who was standing beside Antone. He pounced on top of her and stayed there. We all got into attack positions until we heard what he said next.

   'You. What are you?' He asked

   "What do you mean?" She replied

   'You do not smell like anybody I have smelled before. You do not smell male. Your scent is softer than a male's. Less aggressive. Not to mention you have these big mounds of flesh on your chest. What are they?' He said as he put his muzzle between her breasts and sniffed her.

   "I am a female."

   'Female?' He questioned as he lifted his head up from sniffing her and cocked it to the side.

   "He has never interacted with a female before, much less even heard of one." Antone said in answer to our confused faces.

   "If you would like, I can tell you what a female is. However, I would prefer to talk to you as a human." Clara said

   He sat on her and stared intently at her. But one thing I did notice was that he didn't put a lot of weight on her, as if he didn't want to hurt her.

   'What do you think about this...female, Antone? And these other males as well.' 19 finally asked

   "They are not a threat. They are here to help you."

   19 stared at Clara for a little longer before growling at her. 'If you mean me harm, you unknown people, this female will die.' Said before moving off of her.

   He walked off into the room that  Thayer came out of before coming back out with a pair of cargo pants. He put them down, shifted, and swiftly put them on before looking up at us and moving his hair out of his face.

   We all gasped, excluding Antone, in surprise. He was a very beautiful male. His hair was black and reached to a little past his bum. His wings were also black and folded behind his back. He appeared to be taller than me but the same height as Alessio. And lastly was his eyes. His eyes were captivating. One glowed a blood red while the other glowed a deep blue. They both had flecks of gold in them.

   Clara took a step forward and reached out a hand to cup his cheek as 19 tensed.

   "Nassir? Is it really you?" She took a moment more to look at him. "It really is you. I've finally found you." She said as he hugged him and cried into his chest.

   "Wait a minute. Nassir as in your long lost child? That can't be!" Alessio said

   "But it can. 19 was taken by Thayer only moments after he was born. He said that he killed his parents and left." Antone said

   "Antone. What is she doing and why is she crying?" 19, or rather Nassir, asked with confusion on his face

   "She is hugging you. It is a form of affection. And she is crying because she is happy to see you."

   "Hugging? Happy? Affection? What do those words mean? Wait. Why do those people smell similar to people that I have killed?"

   "This person is the alpha of the Bloodmoon pack. He is called Alessio. The other person is his beta. His name is Barin." Antone said as he introduced us

   "Barin? The person I didn't kill?" He sniffed the air and then looked towards me."It really is you Barin. Why are you here to take me out of this place after I have killed your people?"

   "WHAT?!"Alessio growled out

   Nassir turned towards Alessio, ready to attack. But then Alessio said something I didn't expect him to say.

   "Mate." And his eyes glowed, sealing the deal.