2

KANE

Present time

I need to find him and bring him home, is what I thought the day I found out about Larson.

Larson's body was soon dumped outside of Deepwater pack, no one had seen anyone come or go, tracks were so well hidden that not even our best tracker could find any trace of whoever left Larson's body in the middle of the forest.

His headless body was laid dumped onto the ground like he was nothing like he was no one like he was dirt. His body was beyond recognizable if not for the tattoo of the Shadow league on his chest.

The death of Larson had rocked me to my core, a deep and buried anger that I kept at bay was coming out and I didn't even want to hide it, I wanted to embrace it, to find this fucker and do what he did to my close friend of all these years.

His face is all I can see now, his eyes wide open staring back at me.

I was going to find Theodin and kill him, for good this time I will fucking make sure he is dead before I walk away, that I knew for sure, he does not live after what he's done.

Emma, Larson's mate was missing and nowhere to be seen or heard, it's been a week since my birthday and since then, chaos has erupted within The Vale and neighboring realms.

The whispers of war are now screaming voices of angry people of my world.

With multiple reports of people sighting Theodin Grinmorte throughout all realms, it was near impossible to keep track of who and what they saw and when, but I made sure no rock was left unchecked.

The sooner I find Theodin and rip him to shreds, the sooner I can put Orion behind me and my people, after thousands of years of torment, I want it to end, and it ends with Theodin.

He kept sorcerers alive after all this time, and I didn't have the slightest clue, nobody did and that's what is concerning me.

How can I protect my family when I didn't see this coming?

Why didn't I check his fucking body?

I sniff the air and smell my mate close, then theirs a knock at the door, that's when I see my beautiful better half peek her head into my office, instantly making me feel less tense and stressed.

"Hey." She smiles shyly, making my muscles relax. "I brought you lunch." She says, coming into my office with a tray with a sandwich and a drink on top.

I smile at my girl and stand up to go to her, I take the tray from her and place it on my desk, then I wrap my arms around my mate and take in her scent.

"I missed you." I mumble against her hair.

Sora chuckles softly, her small hands rub my back and I feel ten times better with her next to me. "I missed you too."

I lean back and plant a kiss on her lips, then head over to the tray, she shuts the door behind her and sits on the sofa so I join her, with a sandwich in my hand.

There's a comforting silence as I sit and eat with Sora next to me, just with her beside me I can start to begin to think more clearly of what I need to do next before all hell breaks loose.

I finish up my sandwich and lean back into the sofa with my eyes closed, letting out a heavy sigh, I feel my mate crawl on top of me and sit on me, I open my eyes are stare up at my girl and take in all her beauty and everything I love about her, down to the last freckle.

"You're not alone in this, you know that right Kane?" She says, sadness in her eyes and pain in her voice.

I smile up at her. "I know, I just don't wan-"

"You don't want me to get hurt, I know." She sighs out, interrupting me. "Larson and Emma are family, I will do everything and anything to get this guy Kane, so will the millions of wolves and others whose soul they touched, we are all with you in finding Theodin, you're not doing this alone."

Sighing heavily, I know she's right, she's right about so many things but I can't help that I will always put her first, her, my children, and grandchildren.

Sora doesn't know Theodin like I do, what he is capable of, he was as ruthless as I was before I had met Sora, he didn't play fair and didn't care who got in the way, he's still that man where I have changed, I moved on.

I have weaknesses now where he doesn't, which could be my biggest downfall.

"Kane?"

Snapping out of my thoughts I nod my head and put my hands on either side of her hips. "I know, sorry- I'm just fucking tired and this headache, I need to find him Sora, before he hurts others."

She nods her head knowingly and leans forward and wraps her arms around my neck, she leans in and kisses me on the forehead, her soft hair brushes my face and her scent surrounds me.

"I can't lose you." I whisper into her chest.

The fear of losing her would break me, the thought alone makes my heart clench painfully, if war is what Theodin wants, that is what he will get, all so he could get to me and try and kill me.

"I'm not going anywhere. We are all in this together, as a family." Sora's comforting voice whispers, sending shivers down my back as she whispers the words in my ear.

I wrap my arms around her tighter and close my eyes, taking in her scent and warm skin against mine, I cling to her as close as possible, knowing I can be myself in front of my mate, she is the only one who gets to see the real me.

"We will find Emma, and we will stop Theodin." She says softly, leaning back to look me in the eye. When did my girl get so strong? "You need to sleep, you look awful." She teases.

I snort out. "Also you need to shower." She grimaces with playfulness in her eyes, making me growl out and pinch her bum, causing her to yelp out.

I get up from the sofa, with Sora in my hold as I wrap my arms around her ass, keeping her close to me. She looks at me with confusion and I just shrug my shoulders, hiding my grin as I open the door to my office and head straight for the bathroom.

A shower she wants, a shower she will get.