Chapter 41

Kein’s POV

“Don’t count me out just yet” I barked leaping to my feet ready to fight

“We’ll see about that” we pounced resuming our fight, I dodged his right hook, and he dodged my left, he figured that his fists weren’t doing the trick, so he leaped in the air attacking with a roundhouse kick leaving his midsection exposed, I ducked and summoned my wolf’s paw, and hit him in the stomach

He fell and rolled back on the ground groaning in pain, holding his stomach “you were saying?” I smirked taunting him “I’ve learned a few tricks since we last fought you know” I said as a matter of fact

His face got red, and he took off his jacket slamming it on the grass as he growled at me “bring it on” I barked focusing all my energy on the fight

He launched at me hitting me with everything he had, he was unrelenting, I had no time to think, all I could do was react, and then he kicked me in the chest sending me rolling down the beautifully manicured grass, he stood looking down at me with a smirk on his face “I’ve been fighting since I was a kid, I invented those tricks”

“Don’t count me out just yet” I barked leaping to my feet and assuming a fighting stance

“Awoooo” a wolf call came from the woods in the distance, but it was no ordinary wolf cry, from the pitch, depth and sound I knew that it was a battle cry

He took my distracted state as an opportunity to catch me off guard and finally declare victory, but I wasn’t going to let him win that easily. We both knew what we were fighting for, it was not for honour or glory, we both wanted to be the victor of her heart

“Stop, stop, stop!” Alicia yelled, but we couldn’t stop, there was no clear winner yet, this had to end, and it had to end now “stop you idiots” she pointed at the distance, a pack of wolves with menacing looks on their faces were slowly approaching, my first thought was Ali, I had to get her to safety but there was no time, the attacking pack started quickening their step

"Get inside" I barked, annoyed that we both said it at the same time ‘will this guy ever quit?’

“What is going on?” Alicia asked

“Yeah, who are they? What's going on here?” I growled

“Those are the rogue wolves my father created”

“What?” I quickly grabbed Alicia’s hand and pulled her behind me “I told you to leave her alone and now look at the danger you’ve put her in” I barked my anger out on him

“I can protect my wife just fine, thanks” he smirked taking Alicia’s hand and pulling her to him, my anger flared up, and I grabbed her other arm, and without thinking I started pulling her to me

“Stop it both of you” she barked, I could feel her frustration as she pulled her hands away from us “concentrate and deal with that” I followed her pointed finger to the pack that was still advancing towards us “I hope the two of you can actually be mature enough to make sure we don’t die today; can you handle that?” we nodded both of us looking awkwardly away avoiding eye contact

The attacking pack started racing towards us, Alicia went inside with her mother and sister, and I quickly shifted into my wolf, racing past the prince “thanks for the warmup” I smirked, he growled shifting as well and following close behind

I pounced grabbing a grey-haired wolf by the neck and throwing him over my shoulder “that’s one to nothing” I shouted loud enough so the prince could hear “ha, you’re still on one” he scoffed

I growled, attacking, and killing six wolves to his eight. Then without warning the attacking pack retreated, the prince, his army, and I stood shocked at the sudden retreat

We all cheered and toasted to our victory in the castle kitchens. “Did you notice something strange about those wolves?” I asked the prince

“What do you mean?” he said taking a sip of his beer

“Didn’t they seem a little weak to you?”

“Seeing that they were made and not born, I’m not surprised”

“Oh, so that’s why”

The door flew open and through it, April, Alicia’s sister came crashing down, she looked exhausted and frightened at the same time, she searched the room and when she spotted me she started to cry, “Kein” I rushed to her side and crouched down next to her “what’s wrong?” I took her by the arms helping her up

“They took her” she cried “they took Alicia” she flung her arms around me and sobbed

“Who took her?” I barked; prince Alexander was now right by our side listening intently

“The rogue pack”

“Where did they take her?” the prince and I barked together

“I don’t know, but they went deep into the woods, she saved me, and told me to come get you, please Kein, you have to save her” the prince growled at her words

“Titus” the prince barked, and the big brick-built man came rushing in “how could you let her go? I told you to look after her, you should have told me immediately”

“I’m sorry sir” Titus replied

“No, she was safe with me, and you took her and brought her to this place, and now she’s in danger, don’t try to shift the blame, it was you, you are responsible for all of it”

“Watch it” he growled

“What, did I hurt the pampered prices feelings?” he pounced in a rage hurtling towards me

“Enough, this is not going to help anyone, least of all my sister, what we need now is a plan” April barked, then looked at prince Alexander “what do you think they want, why would they want to hurt you by taking her?” April pleaded with him

“I don’t know, but I’ll get my men ready”

“No, this needs stealth, plus you fought them, we don’t need a whole army to take them on, and besides their probably patrolling the woods, and it is crucial that we don’t get caught”

“Okay, what is your suggestion?”

“Just you and me, that way we can be quick”

“Agreed” he turned to his men “hold down the fort, and keep a lookout”

We made our way to the woods in our wolf forms, they were faster and quieter than our human forms, we made it to the heart of the forest, following her scent across a river to the other side of the forest “stop” I whispered to prince Alexander

We duck behind trees as we assessed the situation, there were three guards, guarding the hedged entrance to what looked like a campsite, it was filled with tents, it was like a mini city with tents lining the main road, all spreading far and wide towards the edge of the forest

“There were not this many earlier, there is no way we can fight all of them on our own”

“No, we can’t” prince Alexander whispered in response “we’ll have to wait for nightfall, we’ll sneak in under the cover of night, find her and quickly make our way out without being seen”

We retreated to the middle of the forest and set up camp on the other side of the river “thanks for dinner, glad I picked a fisherman to come with me” he mocked as I fished a fifth fish out of the river with my wolf's teeth

“And what did I get stuck with, oh that’s right, an abductor, the breaker of the mate bond, and ruiner of lives”

“Okay look” he growled “I may have forced her in the beginning, but she chose to marry me and bare my mark, face it she wants to be with me”

“I think it’s called Stockholm syndrome”

“Give me a break" he scoffed "you just can’t admit that she loves me too, that you’ve lost?”

“Why admit something that isn’t true”

“You know you’ll have to leave after all this is done”

“Why, are you afraid she’ll change her mind?”

“I know she won’t”

“Would you give her a chance then? To choose for herself”

“I’ve already told you; she married me through her own free will”

“No, she didn’t, if she knew the whole truth, she wouldn’t have made that choice, and you know it”

“Fine, you can ask her, but know this, she will not choose you”