The key

Kane

Everything happened so fast. I didn’t even have a chance to question Alpha Mernard about Audra’s disappearance when the attack happened. Loki, Finn and I fought our way through his warriors to get away.

We wanted to stay and fight, but we do not have the numbers. An attack like this one wiped out our pack and now I wonder if Alpha Perez is the one behind it.

Does he know where Audra is?

“Help! Let me go!!” a girl shrieks as we head into the forest. I look at Loki and Finn and I watch as they both shake their heads no, but he’s alone and headed to a van; at least we could save her and the van full of women they have.

We all three attack and then I see it… her white hair.  Something I haven’t seen in years.

“Do you see it?” I ask Finn and he nods, his mouth wide open in shock.

So many people believe white hair is a curse….. but we know better.

“Take her!” I command as more of Alpha Perez’s warriors come out from the trees. Loki sighs wearily as he knocks the screaming girl over the head, knocking her out, but she can’t fight us… she needs to come with us.

She must be protected.

“Where to now, Kane?” Finn yells at me before shifting and I shift too, letting Loki climb on my back, carrying the one-armed girl as we race out of these pack lands.

“Where did she come from?” Finn mind-links me. “They were all wiped out…. Or went into hiding.” I nod knowing we haven’t been able to find any for years since the night of the attack on our pack.

“Maybe a bastard?” Loki suggests. “Someone from the sacred family could have messed around.” He says, his eyes shifting towards the embankment to the road.

“It doesn’t matter now,” I pause. “She is here. We will figure out her lineage once we are somewhere safe.”

“Somewhere safe? Alpha Perez will be able to tell it was us who killed his warrior. We can’t go home.” Loki says, his eyes wide.

I nod, knowing he is correct: Our training is more important now than ever. She is a sacred one and must be protected.

“The Pilgrim safehouse isn’t too far from here if I remember, correctly.”  Finn says, as he glances at us both.

“It should be three miles that way,” I say, looking left. “I’m not sure if it’s still there or what shape it’s in but lets go there.”

They both nod and we shift direction. I glance up, seeing the descendant girl is still knocked out. I am not sure how she is a part of Alpha Mernard’s pack or even her name, but I can’t sense her wolf; maybe she isn’t of age? But she looks over the age of 16.

Thunderclaps above us and she gasps awake, her eyes looking around as she starts to scream. “Loki, keep her quiet! We are on river packs land!” I mind link him. “We are almost to the safehouse but if she gets us caught, Alpha Mason will not be happy!” Loki covers her mouth, holding her tightly as she thrashes against him.

Many of our safehouse were built on pack lands that didn’t belong to us. We can hide our scents once inside and no one could find us.

“I think it’s there,” Finn says, his snout pointing to a large boulder. “Here, help me.”

I nod as Loki gets off my back, holding the descendant tight as we both look at the boulder, knowing we must push it aside to get inside.

Rain is drenching us and our feet slip in the mud when a howl pierces the night sky, “Shit!” Finn says as he looks at Loki and me.

 River pack knows someone is trespassing.

“Again!” I urge, pushing the boulder. Finn nods and we use all our strength, trying to get it to budge, but just as it begins to, I watch the descendant stomp on Loki’s foot and he screams in pain, letting go of her.

She gasps as she runs in terror in the opposite direction of us, “HELP!!!” She yells and I run after her, tackling her to the ground.

“QUIET!” I yell at her, trying to shush her, but she bites my arm as she tries to wrestle me off of her. I yelp in pain and grab her face, making her look me in the eyes.

“Please! Don’t hurt me! Please! I just want to be a rogue,” she pleads. “I don’t want my curse to harm anyone!”

I shake my head, feeling the heat of her body against mine as the rain and mud cover us both, “We are trying to protect you! Not hurt you!”

‘Lies! No one would want to help a cursed one!” She yells, tears streaming down her face.

“Come on, Kane, we got the door open!” Loki says as he comes to help me wrangle her to the safehouse. “Please, just trust us,” I plead as I look into her eyes. “I promise, we will not hurt you. You are not cursed, and I will tell you everything if you come inside with us.”

I watch as her eyes wide and she sobs as I get off of her, “Or you can go if you want…. But River pack is known to be ruthless,” I say as another howl rings out. “We will not hurt you, but I can’t promise they won’t,” I sigh, looking towards the trees. “Please, just let me explain everything to you...” I say, my voice calm and soft as I offer her my hand to help her up.

“Kane….” Finn mind links me, but I stay silent as she looks at me, thinking over everything I just said. “She’s going to run, Kane. Why aren’t you dragging her inside!”

But I sigh in relief as she grabs my hand, her big blue eyes looking into mine, “Fine,” she whispers. “I want to know.” I interlock her fingers with mine as I guide her into the safehouse.

Is she the key to finding Audra? I have so much to tell her….