Chapter 5

POV Darien

Standing by the Alpha and Luna we all awaited further instructions. The patrol members are noticeably on edge but taking some comfort in how relaxed the Alpha and Luna are.

Alpha Aiden voice comes through. “I need you, a few trusted patrols and a good tracker to stay behind. Quietly, Luna and Eric have enough going on without worrying what we are up to. Gather by the crossroads and stay hidden. I will meet up with you when Eric is safely on his way back.”

“What are we up to Alpha?”

“This girl didn’t just fall out of the sky, she came from somewhere and as young as she is I doubt she traveled here alone.”

Our territory is over 100 miles from the next pack making attacking us inconvenient but not impossible. Mostly rogues and the occasional scholar seeking Miss Evens for lore and knowledge came across our boarders but this area makes everyone nervous.

Wandering through the waiting pack members I gave a few of the worriers orders on where to meet. The best tracker here is a young boy name Nicolas, his talent came naturally and with further education he would one day be the best in the pack. I made my way over to him as his ability to keep him mind closed was still lacking.

“I need a word with you.” I whispered.

Nicolas followed me away from the others. “A few of the others will be hanging back and meeting up with the Alpha and I. Stick with them, we are going to see if we can find where this girl has been hiding.

This is a big responsibility and opportunity to prove yourself. Are you up for it?”

Nicolas’s sandy brown wolf Micco shifted his weight from one paw to the other while Nicolas’s answered confidently. “I won’t let you down sir.”

Watching as Eric scooped the child up and followed the Alpha to the road. The Luna packed her robe back into a bag and made her way over to me. “You keep them safe.” She whispered knowingly to me before shifting and leading the others towards the border.

“Can’t keep anything from that woman.” Alex stated with a huff.

“She would have ordered us to look if she didn’t think the Alpha had already.” I replied.

The five of us waited and watched as Alpha and Eric disappeared into the tree line while Luna and the rest of the patrol took to the left side of the lake eventually disappearing from view.

We made our way to the tree line, staying far enough back as to not be noticed. Making plans on how we would search the area Nicolas asked the question we had all been avoiding. “Are we searching the caves?”

All eyes snapped to me. “We will follow her trail wherever that might lead us.” We all know the stories about the caves and were all to happy to keep our distance. Now was not the time to give in to myths and legends.

The pack lands were originally the home to Abigail and her tribe. Considered sacred no one really knows how Alpha Marcus came to own it. The town on the lake is built over the rival tribes land.

Legend has it the first Alpha was driven mad by the curse, taking members of his pack into the caves. He used a mixture he procured from another witch to hold them in wolf form then skinned them alive in an attempt to sever the tie to the human form. It didn’t work but generations continued the ritual as a form of punishment or torture. They say you can hear the screams of their victims echoing through the caves and their spirits dance on the lake on foggy nights.

Alpha Aiden joined us, looking the group over he seemed displeased but stopping on Micco he signed and seemed ready. “Micco, lead the way.”

Under cover of darkness Micco began retracing the girls path. Around the trees first to a small spring in a clearing then twisting around till he came to the uphill climb at the base of the mountain. Micco looked to the Alpha but Aiden’s intent was unwavering.

Making our way up the hillside Micco stopped at the first cave entrance. You could feel the air being sucked inside. The sound of the wind moving through the opening sounded haunted. Like wheezing, gasping for air.

Micco stepped inside, the rest of us waited as he disappeared into the dark abyss. Seconds ticking by like hours before his eyes could be seen shining, making his way back to the exit he walked out and shuddered. “She was here but not for long.” He said. Looking up at the Alpha, he just nodded.

We pressed on the next few caves we came to were shallow. Able to see the whole inside with sunrise creeping up on us. Micco and Nicolas were visibly relieved at not having to venture into them. With dawn now fully upon us we covered the terrain with greater speed and urgency. Micco quickly disappearing into the cave mouths only to return shaking his head. We could tell she had been in this area but none so far were what we were looking for.

Mid morning had passed and the afternoon was approaching, Alpha Aiden was about to call the search for the time being. We had all been up through the night and a few could no longer hide their fatigue.

Alpha came to a stop on the path waiting for the other four of us to catch up to him. Bringing up the rear of the search I approached the others just in time to see Micco disappear off the path.

“I think we’ve been at this long enough for today. Beta have a fresh group ready to begin the search tonight.”

Gagging noises echoed from behind Alpha Aiden. The sound of paws running bounced off cave walls before turning into the sound of bare feet slapping on stone. Nicolas burst from behind the nearby bushes before collapsing to his knees and violently vomiting.