Chapter 21

~ Johnathon’s POV

It’s been 3 days since Timber’s kidnapping and Bane’s starting to get out of control. “Alpha, we are going to find her. Please calm down.” Andrew said. “ROOAAAAR!!!” is all was heard as Bane growled out again trying to smash everything and everyone in his way. “I want her found…. NOW!!!” Bane bellowed out.

‘Bane… move back’ I said to him. ‘NO!!’ He shouted back. ‘If you do not let me have control back, at least mostly, then we’ll never find her!’ I yelled at him.

‘FINE! But I’m going to kill them all for taking her from me.’ He snarled. ‘Us. You mean.’ I barked back. ‘whatever.’ Bane was fuming and I was not any different in my mood than he was.

He stepped back enough for me to gain better control, but I could feel him lurking at the front of my mind, like someone looking over your shoulder.

‘Can you sense or reach Karin, Timber’s wolf yet?’ ‘No. And it’s driving me more and more insane with rage.’ ‘I know Bane, but we need to focus and not go rampant on everyone and everything.’ I tried calming him, but I know just as he does, only Timber can do that. I really need to find her and fast. If not for her, for me and the pack. Bane will lose it without her… and I’m afraid I’ll let him this time.

“Alpha Johnathon. I think we may have a lead.” Andrew my Beta said. “What is it?” interest peaked with the news.

“Remember when we were out checking the border and territory perimeters by the Western Border?” “Yees?” trying to remember why he would bring this up until…

“YES!! The western border patrols mentioned they found a new dwelling that just showed up around a week ago.” Pacing while nodding as I start remembering the details. This is when rogues really started showing up on the territory. There’s got to be a connection.

“Right! Do you think that dwelling has something to do with Luna’s disappearance?” Andrew asked like we may be on to something. “Andrew, it could be. Have we heard anything more from the Western border about activity?” thinking he may be onto something too.

“No sir. They say all is quiet still. But Alpha, what if there was activity and they couldn’t sense it like Cy and us couldn’t smell the rogues coming until they showed up?”

“Yes, Cy and I were thinking the same thing. Let’s get over there ASAP! I don’t want to miss this opportunity if she’s there. Tell them to send out special search parties to survey the dwelling quietly.”

“Yes sir.” Andrews eyes glazed over as he mind-linked the Western border patrol to let them know what’s going on and to send out 3 parties of 5 to surround the area. He also instructed them not to confront unless given no other option. We need the upper hand here. Discreetness will be our friend if we do this right.

‘Timber? Can you hear me, my love?’ I thought hard on Timber in hopes to be able to find her or at least bring myself to her like I did once before. But it was no use. I couldn’t reach her. What’s this power good for if I can’t use it when I need it. Feeling frustrated I started throwing things about.

‘Maybe I don’t know how, to call it?’ Feeling frustrated and powerless without her. ‘I don’t know, but Bane wants out the more there’s silence. I try to reassure him she’s still alive or we would’ve felt it, but crazy wolves don’t reason well when they’re separated from their mates.’ I sigh at the thought.

~ Time Lapse

It took Andrew and I quicker than I thought to get back to the Western Border. We ran so fast it was like a blur to those around us. Like wind rushing past them. As we were reaching the shelter a soldier came with some clothes for the both of us.

“Any word yet on the dwelling that was found?” I asked as I pulled the jeans up and fastened them. “Yes, Alpha. We just got word about some activity there as we saw you and Beta Andrew running up.” He seemed pleased with himself that he could give us some affirmation about their search.

As I and Andrew were putting the shirts over our heads, we followed him to the Western Command station to get the complete briefing. “What kind of activity did they find? Was she seen?” I asked trying to get a sense if she was in fact there or not.

“No Alpha, we didn’t see or hear her. What we did find is that there are about 50 rogues living there. All in which we cannot smell or sense.”

“How are they masking their scent?” I questioned out loud but mostly for myself. “We don’t know Alpha, but we did notice there was a new way to track them.” He said with a small smile pleased that he gave us a new upper hand.

“Really?! How’s that? Maybe it can prove helpful if attacked again or in a rescue in attempt.” Pleased with this game changing information he let him continue.

“Do we know who’s behind this organized group of rogues? Someone has to be as rogues don’t gather like this for no reason.”

“We did Sir. Apparently while on a search one search party overheard some rogues talking. They kept mentioning someone named Kronin, and how he wants to be Alpha, and if he does then there will be no stopping them from doing whatever they want.”

“Kronin?!” baffled with the sound of this name. “Are you sure they said it was Kronin?” clarifying before I start jumping to conclusions and Bane takes over again.

“Yes Alpha. That’s whose name they said.” Looking a little scared now, and backing up slightly before saying, “It was said, once Kronin gets his mate, he will be the most powerful Alpha in all the world” making the men a little nervous at what this may mean exactly.

Bane let out a growl that shook the command post and knocked down some soldiers with its fierceness and power. ‘Bane, no! calm. We found her. I promise you can rip him apart for taking our mate.’ ‘He will die a slow and painful death for this.’ Bane growled again this time from his throat.

Andrew looked at me as he knows who Kronin is and why this is a problem for us, the pack, everyone really, and especially Timber. ‘How do you think he found out about Timber?’ he mind-linked me. ‘I don’t know. But considering the scent cloaking I’m thinking it has something to do with a witch or he has figured out how to use some magic.’

“You said something about knowing how we can track them? What did your men find?” Andrew asked directly.

“We noticed every time the temperature changed slightly; they were somewhere near. Also, we noticed their scent was woods like instead of that dirty grotesque smell we would normally expect from them.”

“If they are in or near the woods then how was it different from the normal scent around you?” Trying to gain some sense of reasoning on how this information will benefit them.

“It had a more, richer woodsy scent to it. Like it was being overcompensated for.” He said as I nodded in understanding.

“Ok then we need to make sure our senses are on high alert for any over abundant woodsy smells and temperature changes. Since they are using darts to attack with, we need to have all soldiers and fighters wearing the new fighting uniform.”

The new uniforms were created by my engineering team in the Southern Border. Most of my scientists and engineers are there because the main training ground is there, and they can test out and train all new members with any and all new items invented.

The uniform was black that covered almost the whole body except for the head. It was a form fitting fighting suit that went up high on the neck to just below the jaw line. It covered the arms and legs just to the wrists and ankles.

It may seem to be heavy or uncomfortable but on the contrary, it was very comfortable actually. Sleep worthy; comfortable. The material was breathable and lightweight allowing for maximum movement and positioning. I like to think of it as a removable skin. There were even invisible pockets grafted in for carrying hidden weaponry.

“Yes Alpha.” He said nodding “Let all your men know.” “Yes sir, right away” he said again as he left me with Andrew.

“Andrew, we need to get word to all the territory soldiers and fighters of what we’ve just learned as they prepare for anything.” “Yes Alpha, already on top of it.”