Chapter Three

Divine wished he could unhear what he had just heard. He wished there weren't so many questions going around his mind. He wished that he could not see the puzzled looks on his friends' faces.

"Are you sure you heard her right Vines?" Mik asked.

All he could do was nod his head.

"Maybe she is not able to do it yet, let's not get ahead of ourselves."  Orion tried to reassure.

"Think about it friends, when a wolf gets sick or in trouble, fearing for their life in their human form,what is the first thing they do?" He asked them.

They looked at him with wide eyes.

"Exactly! We shift but she did not. Maybe she...."

"No brother, don't think like that. She is a wolf." Orion said.

"Her scent is there but not very strong." Mik told him."Wait for her to wake up and she will explain why she can't shift. Do not lose your peace over this." He added.

He nodded.

"We have to go now. We have you covered at the post." Orion said.

"No one except us knows she is here per your request. And the men who went looking with us are not going to say anything." Mik assured him.

"I doubt they saw anything at all. We kind of left the place in a rush."

"Still, I'm going to go with you guys for a bit so we don't raise suspicions." Divine said. 

"Are you sure it's not just because you're afraid you will lose control around your mate..." Orion asked.

Divine growled. "She is not my mate...."

"Don't say that brother. You have to give her a chance." Mik told him holding his shoulder.

Divine closed his eyes and sighed. "Let's just go now. Please."

The other two looked at each other but said nothing. They saddled their horses and left for the border.

It was obvious Divine was not in the right spirits for rhythms so they stayed silent the whole way.

The gate opened and they went up to the guard house for a handover report.

There were no new reports of threats.

"The singing voice did not come again." One of the guards began to say.

"Yes alpha, who ever it was must have gotten scared and fled." Another said.

Divine sighed loudly."Please don't...."

"I'm sorry alph...." He said.

"You should rather listen to my nephew lads..." A voice said.

They all turned and saw their current alpha Ivan standing in the door way.

When had he gotten there? Did the guards not feel his presence because of Divine? 

They all stood and bowed slightly except Mik and Orion who just stood. Divine gave them a look and they hesitantly followed suit.

"I am sorry alpha, I was not informed of your visit to this unit." Divine said.

"It's all right nephew, It was a rather sudden decision." Ivan said smugly.

Divine looked at him with narrowed eyes. This was definitely intentional. What had he hoped to find in this place anyway.

"I hope you are well sir." Divine said being unphased about it.

"I am quiet fine. Can I talk to you three in private." Ivan asked looking directly at him.

"Of course. Thank you all, you can head back to your posts now." Divine dismissed the guards and they all left. He saw anger sweep across his uncle's features then he replaced it with a smirk in his face as if he had just gotten the greatest idea.

"At least you're being useful." He said scowling at the guards' backs. They all ignored him and kept walking off.

"What can we do for you uncle?" Divine asked.

"What is this story about a singing voice?" Ivan asked.

"Some of the men thought they heard singing, we went to find out but there was no one there." Mik said rather calmly.

They all knew what Ivan was like and any falter in this story would raise suspicion.

"Is that right Divine?" He asked.

"Yes sir, there was no one. They must have fled."

"Or you can stay and find out in the night, could be ghosts..." Orion said with a smirk.

Ivan's eyes widened with surprise but he regained composure quickly. "I am sure you can handle that." He said clearing his throat.

"Sure will."

"Anyways, I have a meeting with the alpha of the Rainbow pack in a few days, I was hoping you would accompany me." Ivan said.

Orion looked at him like he had grown a pointy horn on his head. What was this man up to?

"Alright." Was all Divine said and they all looked at him surprised, even Ivan.

"Very well then, I will see you then." He said slowly. It was as if he was hoping Divine would say no. With that he left.

The other two turned to Divine as soon as they were sure Ivan and his entourage were out of earshot. A Wolf's earshot precisely.

"Why would you agree to that Vines? Are you crazy?" Orion said.

"No, listen. He knows the alpha of Rainbow pack has a soft spot for me. If he goes without me, the whole place will be hostile." Divine explained.

"Oh. Right. He must be looking to have a treaty with them then..." Mik said.

"Probably." 

"Well, we will be there with you." Orion stated.

"I was hoping you would say so."

"I don't trust him or his intentions. He is a snake." Mik said. 

"Don't worry. Let's just sort some things and......" Divine stopped mid sentence.

He clutched the chair and groaned, his heart rate quickening.

*"Divine.... Help. Please."* a voice sounded in his head.

"Vines... What's wrong brother?" Mik asked as he and Orion held him each side.

"I have to go. It's Aliyah, she is in pain."

He said and went out. The other two followed giving hasty instructions to the guards.

Divine got to the house in record time and went to his room. He found Aliyah in bed thrashing and groaning in bed. She was sweating profusely.

He slowly approached her, calling her name. He put a hand on her forehead and sang softly. 

She awoke with a scream. Her eyes which had tears in them searched the room frantically and then landed on him.

She quickly threw herself at him and he enveloped her in a tight hug. He continued singing till she calmed down.

"I'm sorry...." She whispered to him.

"It's okay. I'm here. It was just a bad dream."

"It was not a dream....." She said.

He lifted his head up to look at her properly. He saw Mik and Orion in the doorway and gestured for them to give them some privacy.

"What do you mean it was not a dream?"

"It's more like a memory....." She said then looked down.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She stiffened a little at that. 

"It's okay if you are not ready. " Divine told her.

"No. I trust you, as weird as it may sound. I want to tell you." She sat up on the bed then sighed. "It was the night before the moon festival, the alpha's son wanted to find his mate that day and he was very sure it was me. It was instead another girl who worked in the kitchens who was his mate. He was very angry and locked me up. He thought I had cast some kind of magic to deflect the bond. He had two witches strip me off my essence and bound my wolf. I could not shift again....." She said with a wimper.

He could not help but take her hand in his,soothing it. "It's okay. They will not hurt you again."

"I am a prisoner in my own body D, I don't know how to undo it."

"We will figure it out." 

She nodded and the room fell silent.

"Have you eaten anything? How are you feeling?" Divine asked.

"The fever is gone now. I'm not hungry though."

"No you have to eat."

She looked at him with a smile. "If my mate says so I will."

Divine stiffened yet again.

"Listen Aliyah, we don't know each other yet...." He began and she looked at him with fear in her eyes. "What I mean is, let's be friends first, take it slow and if our relationship progresses then good. We can't just depend on instincts. I may end up being a bad mate and that will anger the moon goddess."

She looked at him thoughtfully. "You are not rejecting me, are you?"

"No. I'm not. Your wolf may be my mate but I want you to be sure of your feelings for me. Do you understand?"

"Yes." She said smiling.

"Stay put I will bring you some food." He told her and left the room.

He found his best friends in the living room waiting.

"How is she?" Mik asked.

"She is fine now. I have to get her some food." 

"Vines..... Sorry but how did you know she needed you?" Orion asked.

Divine looked up and scratched his head a bit. "I don't know too. I just had this overwhelming feeling and then her voice kept crying for help."

They all looked at each other speechless. Each thinking of possibilities.

"Did you two get physical at some point? Did you mark her already?" Orion asked his eyes widening.

"No. Of course not." 

"Maybe your bond is just that strong...." Mik began.

"Please guys. Don't." He said with a sigh.

"Fine. Did she tell you anything?"

"Yes. She says she can't shift because some witches put a curse on her that bound her wolf."

The other two gasped.

"That requires dark magic! It's a very painful thing!" Mik said with shock.

"Who would dare do that?"

"An alpha had witches do it...."

"A wolf did that to another wolf?! That's unheard of."

"It's despicable."

"We will find who did that to her. And if her wolf is really bound we will find a way." Divine said.

"What do you mean if, Vines?" Mik asked scoffing.

"You don't trust her, do you?"

Divine turned and looked at them. "Look. I will do all I can to help her out. If she is indeed my mate then let's wait for the night of the big moon."

"That's like two months away. And it will be your birthday!" Orion said.

"Plenty of time to figure this all out. In the mean time I will be there for her, protecting her." He said.

"What happens when she gets into heat before then?"

"She won't, she can't shift remember?"

"Oh right. Her wolf is suppressed."

"You are scared the Mirabel crisis will happen again aren't you?" Mik said.

"No."

"You answered that pretty quick." Orion teased.

"Stop it you two. I'm still baffled by what happened with Ivan today."

"Me too. That man does not just show up to places. He must have heard something or been up to something." Mik said

"You are very right."

"I think he is looking for a way to attack you. Or discredit you." Orion said.

"How do you mean?"

"It was the way he looked at you, us and what he did with the guards. And then asking you to go with him to the Rainbow pack? It's all very fishy." Orion clarified.

"Yes. It is."

"There have been rumors  of him making a treaty with the Red sun pack..." Orion said.

"He would not dare. That pack can not be trusted at all. They are wicked." Mik said.

"I know. None of us likes them. Most packs avoid them. Their alpha enjoys inflicting pain on others. He can do anything to just about anyone." Divine said.

"They were afraid of your father though. They must be scheming ways now that he is gone. And with your not as an alpha king...."

"They can do anything to take over."

"Exactly. And Ivan is a coward. He would agree to a treaty with them."

"Fine. Please go back to the border gates we need to tighten security. I will be with you at the break of dawn."

He escorted them out and stopped suddenly on high alert. Someone had followed them and was trying to get in through the tall hedges.

They separated and started to follow where he was. They surrounded him. He was wearing dark colored pants and a hood over his head.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Divine said with intensity.

The individual quickly turned around and threw a dagger at him. He deflected it and subdued him quickly, the others helping.

The assailant then stuck a dart on Divine's abdomen.

"You are still going to die, alpha."