10

Kiara’s body was frozen in a state of shock, but her mind raced trying to figure out just when exactly she lost touch with her wolf. After her rejection of the Alpha or after she woke up from that nightmare? She couldn’t tell because the wolfsbane had numbed everything.

Devon brought her back to the room, and after assuring her that he’d be back as soon as he can, he had rushed off to attend to the pack duties, and she didn’t know how to take it. Was he not supposed to be right here by her side at this time? She had just lost her wolf, but he went off to check on his pack?

Turning slightly, she laid on her side and stared blankly at the wall. She no longer knew what to think or believe in, everything has gone haywire from the very day she got mated to Kristen, and no matter how hard she tried, it felt like everything was out of her reach - almost as if a greater force was deliberately pushing her to the brink of madness.

Agitation flooded Devon’s veins. He wanted to be beside his mate, comforting her and trying to get to the root of her problems, but he was forced to be here - to interrogate a bloody rogue, whom has refused to say anything to him.

“I am going to ask you just one last time,” he wrapped his hand over the rogue’s shoulders and pressed down hard until he heard his bones snap and a scream erupted from his victim. “Why are you and your fellow rogues attacking my borders?”

He half expected him to say something about Kiara’s scents, but he didn’t seem to know about it. He was clueless, and that drove Devon insane. Everything was getting too complex and he did not know where to start anymore... Kiara also seems clueless so probing for answers wasn’t even an option.

“I have nothing to say to you,” the rogue said, spitting out blood and Devon stood up straight.

He pulled the sleeves of his shirt up and encircled the rogue, checking him out for any sign of marking - rogues who swore alliances were always marked. He had almost decided he had no marking when he caught sight of it on his left ankle.

It was a mark of a snake on a pole, but the snake is upside down. He scrunched up the skin on his forehead as he tried to recall where he had seen that mark before.

“You have sworn an alliance to someone,” he stated and walked back to face the rogue; anger glinting in his eyes, and the rogue swallowed. “Your name is Kent, right?” He grabbed him by the jaw, sinking his clawlike fingers into the skin of his cheeks and the blood trailed on his finger, “I can tell that you have sworn to protect the secrets of whatever alliance you are in, I’m sure you think you are ready to die, but I promise you that you are not. Especially not by my hands.” He dragged his fingers out after he had created two finger sized holes on both of his cheeks, and Kent stared at him with eyes as wide as saucers while the pain from his cheek holes permeated his bones.

It would eventually heal, but that was the worst part. The look in Devon’s eyes told him that he’d create the holes again and again till his body is unable to heal itself.

“I am going to give you two options,” Devon started while wiping his bloodstained fingers on a handkerchief , drawing Kent out of his racing thoughts, “you can either tell me the truth I seek, and in return I’ll protect you from your alliance, or I can tear you apart, limb  by limb and feed your skin and bones to the vultures.”

“It was a blood oath,” Kent spoke up, afraid of whatever pain might get inflicted on him next, and Devon raised his brows, “if I tell you anything about who I am in alliance with, my heart is going to burst right out of me.”

“Blood Oaths only work with the power of witches, and witches have been wiped out.” Devon pointed out and his eyes narrowed suspiciously when Kent nodded along.

“You are right, but she...”

“She has a witch working for her?” He guessed and Kent shook his head, “does she come from the bloodline of witches?” Kent nodded and the hairs on Devon’s body stood. “She is the person you are in alliance with, the head and organizer of the rogue attacks?” Kent nodded again.

“West Pack,” Devon whispered and Kent’s eyes widened at how fast he picked that up before he nodded, and Devon’s hands balled into fists. “Ketura”

He never once thought she’d be the one behind the attacks, and now that he figured it out, he felt quite stupid. Of course she was the one attacking him, she had made him that promise 10 years ago.

Instantly, Devon walked out of the room and ordered the guards to release Kent and clean him up, then through the mind link he called for his Beta and his Gamma. He was going to leave for West Pack first thing tomorrow morning, but first...

He stopped at Kiara’s door and knocked, but after several knocks and no response, he pushed open the door and walked in.

Kiara was still in the same position, staring at the wall and he felt a sharp pain at his chest seeing her like that. “Kiara,” he turned her around to face him, and he was taken aback at the look in her eyes. All signs of life departed from it and she looked empty. He instantly knew it was pointless trying to have a conversation with her.

“This is not the end of it all, Kiara. I promise I’ll help you get back your wolf as soon as I can, so just hang in there.” He hoped his words would get an emotion out of her, but she remained just as lifeless and he released a deep sigh. “I’m leaving the pack for something important; Luka will be here though and he will take care of you in my absence.” He walked to the door and was almost all the way out, but then he paused. “Kiara, my name is Devon Vukovic, and the name of this pack is Akira Pack.” He walked out and shut the door behind him – he didn’t know why he just randomly told her, but he felt it was absolutely necessary - and for the first time since the news of her wolf, Kiara sat up on bed: her eyes wide at what she heard.