Chapter Eight

Vekra

Someone delivered it.

That is the thought ringing in my head as Alex, Crawn and I slip through the forest, trying our best to remain hidden as we sneak into the Ultimate Alpha's territory.

I come to a stop.

"What is it?" Crawn asks, stopping immediately.

"Did you see something?" Alex whispers worriedly, doubling back to meet us.

As full wolves, she and Crawn have to reduce their speed to match mine when they could go ten times as fast as I can.

"No." I say, thinking furiously. "Someone delivered it." I say, looking at them and trying to organise my thoughts.

Alec looks more haggard than I have ever seen her, despite her new immortality. I know I don't look any better.

Crawn on the other hand could have rolled right out of a beauty magazine cover. Despite the anxiety I can feel pulsing through our gamma bond, he looks cool as a cucumber.

"Delivered what?" Alec asks impatiently.

"The vial. It didn't fall to the floor on its own. We didn't see who but someone delivered that vial." I say.

"What are you trying to say?" Crawn asks slowly.

I think they are both figuring out the same thing that I am.

"So Ma did not come into contact with silver by accident. She was poisoned by someone." I say.

"Alpha Din was threatened with her life." Alec adds.

"And he chose her over the Ultimate Alpha." Crawn completes.

I still cannot believe he is dead. It seems like forbidden words to think that thought, talk less of uttering them. Alpha Lor was practically larger than life in my mind. I saw him a few times from afar, once with his Luna who is currently out of town. The man was the most vital man I had ever seen, he looked as tough and resilient as the mountains.

And my father killed him, and in a most dishonourable manner too if the rumours are to be believed.

"Why did they not even try to investigate? They could have easily figured this out with the littlest of investigations." Alec says, kicking a stone.

"Why search further when an answer has already dropped into your lap?" Crawn says.

"It does not matter." I say. "It does not matter if there was a good reason or not for him to kill the Ultimate alpha. He is dead and that is all everyone cares about."

I feel a headache spring up between my brows.

"Pa needs to tell us who blackmailed him. We need to expose them so Pa can be freed and they can take their punishment." I say urgently.

"Then what are are waiting for?" Alec asks.

We race through the woods again, our cloaks clutched close to minimise our scents spreading.

There is a reason why we are sneaking through the woods and it is as easy as we not being allowed into the territory. Outlaws have no right to step into the Ultimate Alpha's territory.

But we must get to my father.

I need to see him, to see his face and give him the chance to tell me by himself that he did it.

It is stupid but there is still a part of my heart that hopes to the moon that this was only one huge misunderstanding.

"I see where he is being held." Alec says, pointing in one corner.

I look towards where she is pointing to see two Sentinels manning a huge gate hundreds of feet away.

"Sentinels." I hiss.

I did not think I would grow to hate the sight of them so much. They are guarding the gate to the dungeon.

"Those people scare me." Alec says, wrapping an arm around her middle.

"Me too." I say.

Crawn takes my hand in his, sending me a pulse of reassurance and togetherness and I take it before I drop his hand. He gives me the strength and courage to continue.

"We made it this far, we can't turn around now can we?"

"No we can't." Alec says but she does not sound too sure of herself.

"Stay here, the both of you. I'll go there alone. If anything goes wrong, you'll get me out of it is possible and get out of here if it is not." I tell them.

"No way." Crawn says.

"No, I'm coming with you." Alec says, more firmly now.

I take her hand and look at Crawn.

"I appreciate it, the both of you. I really do. But we have to be smart about this. We have no idea how this is going to. They will be compelled to go easy on me because I am still mortal. You two, not so much." I say.

It is in werewolves' nature to nurture and so it is rare to find one harming a mortal if they can help it.

After a little more convincing, they finally agree and I throw my hood up and run out of the woods.

The sight of someone running is far from strange in the werewolf community and I pass by a few people innocuously.

And then a wolf catches a hint of my scent and they immediately sense my outlaw status. As their bodies are programmed, they immediately condemn me and rear back from me as if I am contaminated. The reaction soon spreads and the Sentinels are aware of me long before I get to them.

I ignore the reaction and stares of the wolves and head right for the Sentinels.

Is it just me or does the black smoke coming out of their body grow thicker as I approach?

I stop several feet in front of them.

"I want to see a prisoner." I say.

"Outlaw. Show your face." The first Sentinel orders.

Slowly, I push my hood down. I try not to show my fear or my nervousness or my desperation, wondering if they can smell it. Of course they can.

The Sentinel takes one menacing step forward.

"How did you get here? Outlaws are not permitted on these lands." He says.

"I just need two minutes. Just give me two minutes with a prisoner." I plead.

"You have two minutes to leave this territory the way you came in, otherwise you will not be leaving alive." He says, baring his teeth.

I was right, the smoke is getting blacker. All of my instincts are quaking, pushing me to hightail it out of here in the opposite direction but I force myself to stand my ground.

"One minute. Just give me one minute. You can watch." I plead.

"Let me guess, you want to see your traitorous alpha." He says.

My hands curl into fists at hearing my father reduced to nothing more than a traitorous alpha.

He is a good man, a good mate, a good father and a good leader.

That is why I am trying to speak to him, because I know I can clear his name. If I am given the chance, I can make everyone else see the truth of his actions that he was not acting if his own free will.

My father was friends with the late alpha. After what he did, I cannot imagine what he must be going through. If they can just let me see him once, I can finally be rest assured that he is fine.

"There." The Sentinel taunts. "Treachery runs in the pack it seems. You snuck your way in here and you want to meet with the biggest traitor in the community. Give me a reason why I should not spill your mortal blood here and now." He says, advancing on me.

I take another step back, one half of my mind screaming at me to run while the other part insists I should push, that there is only this gate separating me from my father.

I hesitate.

If I am being honest to myself, I am not here simply to ask about the poison. I am overwhelmed.

I have shouldered the responsibility of taking care of the pack with Rollen for only a day and I am exhausted. I need guidance. I need my father.

My need is beginning to look like it may cost me my life however.

The Sentinel takes another step forward. In front of me, he seems to grow larger than his normal size, like more of his wolf is taking over him.

"I would leave if I were you, little wolf." The second Sentinel finally speaks. "Give him ten seconds and your blood will be mixing  with the sands."

I meet the eyes of the first Sentinel and I see nothing but blackness and death.

I turn around and run.

I don't even head towards the forest. I don't want them to discover Alec and Crawn.

I run for the gates, feeling Crawn's slight panic at the back of my mind.

When the normal guards manning the gates see me, they stream from their positions and surround me.

"Where the fuck did she come from?" One of them asks.

I am gasping for breath when I come to a halt.

"I want no problems. I just want to leave." I say.

"How did she get in in the first place?" Another says, scowling.

Their faces are all closed down as they stare down at me. Two days ago, I might have even joked or flirted with one of them. Today, I am a threat to the realm that they must protect against. It does not feel good to be on the other side of the law.

Some of them look more aggressive than others and I eye them warily. In front of these people, I am so helpless it is pathetic.

"She is mortal. Let her go." One of the more laid back ones says.

One of them peels away from the group and stops in front of me. He is so huge that I have to tilt my face up to look at him. The promise of death in his eyes is unsettling.

"If I ever see you behind these walls again, you will not live to tell the tale." He says in a low, deadly tone.

I bristle from being threatened but I am powerless so I force myself to lower my eyes and be docile.

"Understood." I grit out.

Immediately they give the command, I shoot out of there as fast as my mortal legs will carry me.

My frustration is on a boil. I did not get anywhere with this at all, I have only succeeded in humiliating myself.

I cannot help my pack however, if I am blind, deaf and clueless.

There is only one person left that could give me the answers I need.