CHAPTER 4

Kael's POV: 

My pulse quickened when I heard what my beta had said. I didn't leave the pack unprotected, but my mind went to the council members and the nursing mothers in the pack then my mate. I felt my wolf, Rowan, stirred. He was restless. The air suddenly felt too heavy and the space felt very tight.

The colour of my eyes changed to gold, the colour of my wolf’s eyes. Derek stopped the car as he heard me growl. I stepped down and my bones snapped very quickly leaving no time to get off the clothes. I heard my beta's breath heavily, he shifted too.

We raced through the woods, the trees appeared blurry as we passed. The familiar walls of the territory came into view, my stomach sank. There was a lot of movement along the borders- Guards, healers, scouts- almost every group from the pack were there. I could tell there was a lot of tension, considering my pack members were not aware of what's happened.

I shifted back to human form. 

There's usually not the incident of attacks, even when I agreed to train other pack soldiers and my pack soldiers came along. The pack was left with small defence then. I will send a message to other packs to inform them about the last few days, maybe a general council meeting.

“Alpha!” One of the soldiers called and bowed his head quickly.“The rogues came from the north. They were about twenty.”

“Were there any serious casualties? Where's my ma- mom?” I asked hurriedly. 

The pack doesn't know about my Goddess given mate yet. Pack law is that I can assume the Alpha position, but if I don't find my mate after three full moons then I will have a chosen mate to be my Luna. Then if the goddess fated mate is found, the next full moon is the Luna ceremony. The full moon is a month away. This is going to be the fourth full moon since I assumed the Alpha position so the next full moon is supposed to be the Luna ceremony. 

I wore the shorts handed to me by the soldier. I should go around the pack and have a meeting concerning how this matter should be handled and find out if the Moon pack is really destroyed. I wondered how my mate was going to take this, she was pure Alpha blooded, I could sniff it. So that means her dad or brother was the alpha. For a pack to be destroyed like the Alpha is dead, the pack members may be taken as slaves but the alpha’s bloodline is not spared.

“A rogue was caught by the stranger?” The soldier said behind me.

“How's that possible?” My Beta asked behind me. His voice sounded coarse.

“She tried to escape during the rogue's attack, but held one in the hopes that she would find out why they attacked her pack.

A muscle ticked in my jaw. I turned to face my beta, He was the only one that knew about her being my mate. I felt my wolf become restless, it growled in protest at the thought of her fleeing.

“Where's she now?” My beta asked. I think my expression gave it off. 

It seemed my mate was going to give us trouble, but what did I expect from a full blooded female. I exhaled slowly, forcing control.

“She’s being held,” the soldier replied and bowed his head while he faced my beta.

“Bring her to me.”

She needed to be taught a lesson. I don't blame her for trying to escape, considering she wasn't aware of what was happening. The soldier left.

The courtyard of the pack house smelled faintly of smoke and iron from dawn. The guards walked around the edges of the clearing. The lantern glowed against the dusk, their orange flames flickered in the cool wind. A figure approached us. My beta quickly excused himself. 

“There you are,” she said as soon as she was sure I would hear her. She smiled and her eyes flickered to my beta retreating figure. 

It was Clara, she's the alpha's daughter of the silver pack. She's my chosen mate and supposed to be Luna of my pack after the ceremony. She was chosen by the council to form an alliance with her pack. She lost her fated mate in a fight between our packs. Our union was a form of alliance between our packs. 

“You came back quite early,” she said and wrapped her arms on my neck to draw me into a hug.

I stiffened.

“I heard about the attack so I had to rush down.”

I sniffed her honey perfume, but it didn't do anything to calm me. Her golden hair shimmered with the sun rays. She rested her head on my chin and her hands tugged at her sides. I kept my hands on her waist. 

My wolf stirred under my skin and claws itched. I raised my face and locked eyes with her. It seemed the air supply was shorter, Clara gave me a questioning look and followed my eyes. 

She was in chains and being dragged along by the soldier and a guard. She looked better than the last time I saw her. Her wounds have healed except a visible wound by her lips. Her long dark brown hair looked disheveled. They pushed her to her knees in front of us. Her eyes flickered quickly to my hands on Clara’s waist, so fast I almost missed it. Her breaths were uneven.

The sight of my mate being treated in such a manner. I growled. The soldier tugged the chain lighter when he sensed I wasn't pleased. Clara shifted and placed her hand on my chest. 

“Honey, It seems you have a matter to settle,” she stood on her toes and placed a kiss on my cheeks. Then continued. “I should go back to prepare for the Luna ceremony.”

The guard lowered his gaze and the soldier coughed lightly as he tried to ease the tension. Her gaze lowered to the fl

oor not before it screamed betrayal and the hurt evident.