Chapter Three

Of course, they had to send Abtez’s team, why would they punish me sending me away and then sending the reason I was being punished here as well? Is it to test me?

“Isn’t he the Berserker that got you in trouble to begin with?” Bryia asked.

“It’s not a secret.” I mumbled grumpily.

“Sorry.” She laughed, “I just can’t believe you of all people got in trouble with the order. You are our general and the leader of our team and respected by the higher ups.”

“Don’t remind me. I fucked up, and it won't happen again.” I retorted, pulling out my dagger and pulling out my sharpening stone, spitting on it before sharpening my blade on it. It was a little difficult to do with one hand, but I wanted to distract myself as we continued through the city.

I glanced out of the window every once in a while, watching the buildings going by and people going about their business, completely unaware of the creatures that threatened their very existence.

We headed out of the city and drove deep into the Rocky Mountains until we were at the gates of the werewolf compound. The guards quickly opened the gate to let us in and we drove for another half an hour down the road, passing houses and businesses until we got to the pack house.

Crimson Fangs Pack was one of the largest packs in North America, and one of the most feared. Their bloodline was old, dating back to when wolves were first created.

We pulled up outside of a large mansion, guards armed with swords came to meet us.

Opening my door, I jumped out of the van, wanting to get as far from the target as possible.

“He’s in the back.” I told one man. He nodded and moved to the back of the van, opening the doors and Prince Dagon hoped out of the back with a smile on his face, as six guards surrounded him, taking him away from the pack house to the pack prison.

“Later Bride.” He smiled at me as the guards frowned in response.

“No later, my job is done.” I retorted with a smile, as he frowned in anger. He fought against the pack members, but with the help of my team, they could lead him away.

“Is Alpha Rawlins inside?” I asked one of the guards that remained behind.

“Yes, he is in his office waiting for you.”

I nodded and headed inside. The mansion reminded me of a hunting lodge; the outside was all made from brick and logs and inside the theme was the same, making you feel like you were in a giant log cabin. In a way, it reminded me of home. Large couches sat in the living room and an enormous stone fireplace was in the center of the far wall. The second floor overlooked the living area. I headed upstairs to where the Alpha's office was and knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

I entered the roomy office and stood in front of the desk. Alpha Rawlins looked up from the documents he was busy with and smiled.

He was a handsome man with a broad muscular build, short black hair and has a shadow of a beard. His eyes were a piercing green and amplified his strong features.

“Alpha Rawlins,” I nodded at him. “We have found the target, and he is being moved to your prisons.”

“Any luck getting information out of him?”

“He says he stole nothing and refused to cooperate.”

“Very well. Thank you, General Nerine. Will you be heading back to Norway?” he asked, his eyes shimmering to amber.

“If you have no need for us, my team and I will report back to Valhalla Bridge. The Berserker team will be here to interrogate the target for you tomorrow.”

“We are capable of doing that ourselves.” He replied, annoyed.

“The order is aware of that and means no insult, but as you hired us for locating and finding the stolen item, the interrogation is part of the deal, if you don’t find the stolen item then we haven’t done our jobs and Valhalla Bridge is very thorough.”

“Very well. Thank you for your hard work. As the job is technically not completed, I will ask that your team stay. It is very important to my pack that we find what he took, and I like working with you.” He paused, looking me up and down. “And your team." He frowned. "You should get your arm looked at."

“It will heal in a few hours.”

“Make sure it is set right, I would hate if they had to break it again to let it heal properly.”

“Very well, can you have someone show me to the infirmary?”

“I can take you to the pack hospital, I was done here anyway.” He stated as put his papers aside and stood up, opening the door for me.

I walked out of the office, and he led me back outside, one guard pulled up in a jeep, “Need a lift?” He smiled.

“How...” I stopped myself, remembering that they could communicate telepathically within the pack.

I nodded, and Alpha Rawlins opened the door, and I climbed in, sitting in between him and the driver. They headed down the road a way and stopped. The lights to the pack hospital were on, even though it was the middle of the night.

The Alpha and I got out and headed into the building and walked up to the reception area.

“General Nerine has broken her arm; I would like the doctor to make sure it is set properly before it heals."

The receptionist nodded and picked up the phone. A few minutes later, a doctor walked out into the waiting area.

“I am doctor Aura, please come with me.”

Dr Aura was small for a werewolf; she was petite with greying brown hair and brown eyes.

I nodded and followed her as she led me down a hallway and into an examination room.

“Please sit on the bed.”

I did as she asked and awkwardly pulled my leather jacket off. Wincing when I had to move my arm.

“You are General Nerine, correct?”

I nodded, “Yes.”

She nodded and moved to look at my arm. “I am going to feel where the bone is and make sure it is sitting properly. It will hurt.”

I nodded, as she reached and felt my arm, when her hand felt around the break, I fought back the urge to scream. She pulled her hand away.

“I will have to set it.” She frowned. “Can Alpha Rawlins help me?”

"I have no issue with it, lets just get it done." I mumbled, wanting to get this over with.

The doctor's eyes glazed over as she mind linked with him. Soon after Alpha Rawlins entered the room and walked over to us. “What do you need me to do?”

"I need you to hold her still while I place the bone properly." Doctor Aura told him.

He nodded and held my shoulders as the doctor grabbed my elbow and wrist pulling them in opposite directions as I bit my tongue trying not to make a sound as she set the bone, tears threatened to spill but I managed not to make a sound. Once it was placed properly, she put on a cast so it wouldn’t slip out of place.

“I still can’t move my arm.” I noted, knowing it was dislocated because of how it was hanging.

“It’s dislocated.”

She looked at Alpha Rawlins and he held me while Doctor Aura popped my shoulder back in and placed my arm in a sling.

“You should only need it for a few hours to a day.” She commented. “Let it heal completely before removing the cast.”

I nodded, luckily, I still had my immortality and although it wouldn’t instantly heal like a vampire's wound, it would heal much quicker than a human.

“Thank you.” I smiled as I jumped down from the hospital bed and went to leave.

“Are you heading back to your team?” Alpha Rawlins asked awkwardly.

“Yeah, I’ll let them know we will be here until the stolen property is returned and to set up camp for the Berserkers.”

“You and your team are more than welcome in our guest house.”

“We are comfortable in our current accommodations. Thank you for the offer, though.” I left the room, and he followed, grabbing my good hand.

I turned to face him, “Yes.”

“Would you have dinner with me?”

“Like a date?” I asked, confused.

“Yes.”

“It is not allowed. You are our client.” I stated and added, “Don’t werewolves have mates?”

“They do, but some choose their own. I like you a lot, Nerine. You could do a lot of good here.”

I frowned, “I’m sorry, but it is not possible.”

“Why not?”

I sighed annoyed, “I am a Valkyrie, and we are celibate. We are not allowed to have intimate relationships.”

“How old are you?”

“You don’t want to know.” I laughed.

“Wow, and I felt bad for thirty-year-old virgins.” He frowned.

I burst out laughing. His expression was hilarious, like a little kid who lost a toy.

“Goodnight, Alpha Rawlins.”

"Goodnight." He frowned as he released my hand, exchanging a look with the doctor.