Chapter 5

RAEGAN

My fingers tapped repeatedly against the stone table, my eyes snapped shut, as the voices increased in their tempo.

"We need to do something, with every day that passes, the rogue gets even more unbridled in their actions, we can't just sit around waiting while they grow in their numbers."

"Eldrich is right. In just a few weeks, so many villages have been marauded, families slaughtered, crops burned to the ground, their actions are abominable."

"Alpha Raegan, you need to do something, we can't just sit around waiting."

Those were the voices of my council, wolves appointed by the people of Eryndor and my Father's authority to be the voice of reason or so they claimed.

For weeks, reports had flooded in of rogues, discarded wolves from different Packs who cared no whit for the laws guiding Eryndor, set in place by my forefathers.

They had laid siege on the lands bordering my kingdom, killing and plundering all that they could find. They spared no one, making a bloody mark in the North and all these men cared to do was continuously have argumentative back and forths in this warm, sheltered room.

Despite their continuous calls of 'Alpha Raegan,' I said nothing because I was waiting for Cicero’s return.

He was my Lieutenant, sent to scout the activities of the rogue Packs and track their movements and he was yet to return.

"Alpha Raegan, you need to answer to the people, they are tense, worried and only you can allay their fears," Salvatore, High Lord of Aeloria and my dead Father's best friend said and my eyes fluttered open.

They met his and he gave me a subtle nod, a sign for me to say something that would quieten the voices of the rest of the council.

I took in a deep breath, retracting my tapping fingers and leaned forward. They stopped murmuring, their gazes expectant.

"I see you are all very worried," I started, "I have taken all of your words into consideration as well and that is why I will be taking a team of men to expedite the annihilation of the rogue wolves, which of you is willing to go with me?"

Silence, pin drop quality ensued after my words, they exchanged glances and the few I turned my gaze to avoided it.

I smiled, a flickering smile whose light did not reach my eyes, these were the men meant to be the guardians of Eryndor.

Till date, I could not tell if my Father was misguided or just stupid.

"I will go with you," Salvatore broke the silence, meeting my gaze, "The others can stay behind to keep watch while we are gone."

His words successfully broke the tension, and relief tinged the faces of the others.

I leaned back, relaxing my posture, "Thank you Salvatore, but I will be going alone. I only trust your judgement in my absence."

Low murmur rang out again, dissatisfied voices.

A knock sounded then, rapt but brief and Cicero stepped in.

He gave a light formal bow to acknowledge the men in the room then headed straight to my side, "I have the information you need, my King."

I nodded, gesturing for him to speak.

"They have scattered my king, we were able to round up a few but the others are elusive. They seem to be banding together as well and we will need more men if we are to capture and kill them all." He reported, his voice low.

"How many packs are we dealing with?" I asked calmly, a storm brewing beneath it.

"At least Ten," Cicero replied, worry reflected in his gaze.

"As expected, it's a wound we have allowed to fester for too long," I nodded.

"It's hard to tell if they are one large pack divided into smaller groups or are disjointed groups that joined forces. However, the latter seems more likely," He added.

Their numbers and motives mattered little to me, they were laying waste to my Kingdom and that was enough reason to kill them all.

"Prepare the steeds and gather the men, we are going after them," I declared.

"You are taking the lead yourself, my king?" Cicero’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Yes," I answered, rising to my feet and sending a passing glance across the room again, "I only trust myself to get the job done.

********

I led my men towards the outskirts of Eryndor, providing relief to affected villagers and killing every rogue we laid sight upon.

It was no longer just tracking them down, it was a hunt, fueled by blood and anger.

"Lead the way," Cicero nudged a rogue forward, bloodied and tied to the reins of his horse.

"The rest of the Pack is down this terrain, I already promised I would lead you to them but you have to keep your promise to spare my life too," He wasn't speaking to Cicero, his words were directed towards me.

"We will see about that," I muttered coldly, steering my horse forward.

We pressed deeper into the wood, wet air and pine filling my lungs and then a woman's scream rang out, distant but unmistakable.

"They should be right there..." The rogue could not finish his words because he breathed his last, neck cut deep by the dagger that was previously at my waist.

Cicero turned to me with a smile. He knew I would do that.

"Let's take a look," I said, already moving towards the sound.

I picked up on an unfamiliar scent as well, it tingled my nostrils and I could feel my wolf rising.

We came upon them quickly, a group of rogues and a woman surrounded in their middle.

The rogues were startled apart by our sudden appearance and rushed to put up a fight which ended as quickly as it began.

My hands clutched at the neck of the last rogue, snapping it with one twist and his body fell limply, next to the woman who I began to inspect.

She was trembling but didn't look scared, her body battered and bruised but it wasn't her appearance that struck me the most, it was her eyes-wild, haunted and the smell emanating from her.

"Raegan, your neck," Cicero gasped all of a sudden, forgoing all formalities that he normally upheld before the public, staring wide-eyed at the crescent shaped insignia on my neck.

I felt the sting then, like the slow burn of dry wood and I pressed a hand to my neck, my gaze snapping back to the woman.

Was she....

"Mate," The word tore through my throat, before I even realized I'd spoken and the woman's eyes enlarged.

"Mate?"