CHAPTER 3

Kael’s POV:

The office was quiet, stacks of reports spread across the heavy oak desk, half read. The faint scent of pine smoke from the fireplace lingered, mixed with ink and leather. 

The door opened wide as my beta, Dennis, walked in and banged it shut behind him. His steps hurried, he slammed his hands on my desk and removed strands from his face. I dropped the papers I held on top of my desk, to join with the rest scattered on the desk.

“The elders council wants a meeting with you now,” he said. “They demand answers about the girl that was found at the borders.”

I raised my brows and leaned back on the chair. Dennis is always tense with matters that concern the council because of how level headed they can be. My mind goes to the girl, her well structured face, green eyes and blonde hair. My mate. My wolf, Rowan, starts to get restless. Why did she have to come from the enemies pack? 

Tightened. my jaw, I stood to my feet. “Then let's go and not keep them waiting.” 

I dropped the paper I held and arranged the stack of papers. I intended to find out if the girl told the truth after the meeting. Dennis headed out and I followed him and closed the door behind me. 

I entered the council chambers and the smell of old wood hit me. The elders were already seated. A half circle of gray haired men with piercing eyes. My dad is seated to my left. It is usually a tradition that old Alphas joined the council. The thought of doing this seemed foreign to me.I took my seat and my beta took his by my right. 

“It has reached us,” one elder started, “that you brought an outsider here without consulting us. A girl that was found at the borders.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. The elder that just spoke is the oldest in the council, one of the people who always finds reason to question how I run the pack.

“She was injured,” I said evenly. “It seemed she was pursued through the borders. My beta’s patrol found her before she was attacked, but the rogues were not found.”

Murmurs rippled through the council. Another elder leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. “And you believed her?”

I heard disdain in his voice and I felt my wolf stirred, he spoke about our mates like that. I raised my hands and the murmur died down. Even if theynfound ways to challenge my authority. I am still their Alpha. 

“She spoke about an attack on her pack,” I replied calmly, from experience it's the best way to deal with them. “I and my beta would be going to see for ourselves.”

There's silence in the room. The elders exchanged looks, but didn't say anything. They seemed to agree with the way the situation was being handled. I looked to my Dad, he nodded slightly and I turned to my beta. 

“When would you be going to her pack?” The oldest man asked. He adjusted his glasses and leaned forward. The sound of the fan was heard. 

“We intend to leave after the meeting.” I replied. 

I hit a wooden hammer on the desk to signify the end of the meeting. We all stood and bowed slightly. I left with my beta.

The car had already been arranged and set for the road by the time the meeting was done. Two dark men, tall and well- built men stood by either side of the backseat door. My guard, Ken, held the door to the car for me. I entered with my beta, Ken took the seat in front and the second guard, Derick, took the seat with wheels so he drove. I am not a fan of moving with plenty of cars and escorts except when necessary.

I stared out the window. They drove through the night, the forest appeared blurry. The closer we drew, the heavier the air seemed. 

They reached the top of the hill.

The valley below was so quiet. There was nobody in sight. The pack's village lay in ashes, houses destroyed and the earth blackened. It looked like fire wiped off the whole pack. 

“This is so bad,” my beta speaks first. 

“Stop the car and let's check if we will see anyone.” 

I have walked for like ten minutes, no sign of life. I ran my fingers across the blackened earth. It's still warm. It's recent. She has been around for two days so it's possible that the night she was found at the borders being pursued by the rogues was the day of the attack. 

When rogues attack a pack. They do it to claim the territory or take over the pack. They usually attack till the pack is weak. 

My dad was a rogue. He conquered the other pack by attacking with other rogues till they surrendered. The general council was not so happy with this, they just had to accept since the pack surrendered. This looks like their aim was to erase the existence of the pack. A meeting will need to be held to discuss this matter. If not there's a tendency for another park to be next in line. The rogue had already trespassed our territory with her that night. 

I heard footsteps so I turned, it's Derek. 

“I have not found any one, a couple of corpses,” he said.

“Who do you think would have done this?” My beta asked as he joined us. 

I straightened slowly and my expression was unreadable. “No. Not yet.”

But my mind raced. The pack that lays destroyed had been our enemies for two generations. Large and powerful. It will take more than rogues to wipe them like this. 

My eyes gazed at the area, as we walked to the car to head back to the pack. We all entered and Derek drove. My beta stared outside the window. Just then my beta’s phone rang and he picked it. His voice sounded tensed and he ended the call. Turning to face me. My heart skipped a bi

t, I felt I won't like what's coming. 

“ We were attacked.”