24

THIRD PERSON VIEW

His steps were calm and even, as was his breathing. He seemed perfectly normal, as always. He forced himself to hide his nervousness and tried to ignore his racing heartbeat.

He couldn't remember if he had ever been this excited. His hand kept twitching suspiciously, but he didn't dare to reach into his jacket pocket. He knew the little box was still there, but he still wanted to make sure that it hadn't miraculously disappeared.

It wasn't far and the timing was right on schedule. When he left the house, he just heard his mother speaking softly to Alexandra.

He knew that every second counted. In fact, no part of his plan was based on his own ideas. He would only finish what Alexandra and his mother had started.

He had already made this decision when he had overheard the plan of the two. He wasn't supposed to be home yet, but school had been boring and he'd slipped away with his friends.

Neither Kate nor Alexandra had expected his presence and so he was able to fully understand Alex's plan.

A little later his half-brother and his stepfather returned. His mother had indirectly agreed to the plan without knowing that he knew exactly what she and Alex were talking about.

But he knew his mother better. She had told him who her father was and that his blood was half wolf blood. Yet she had loved him and always protected him. He knew that half-wolves were considered a crime by wolves, especially if they weren't created through a mate bond. They would kill him, he was sure of that.

Still, he was willing to bear the burden. For her, for his mother. He had seen how much she had suffered from the situation over the past few months. The glitter in her eyes was gone, taking her smile with it.

He knew his mother wouldn't be happy here, but maybe there was another way. Her mate would make her happy. At least he hoped so.

A movement tore the young black-haired man out of his thoughts. The sluggish guard outside the prison shifted impatiently from foot to foot. His shift wouldn't end for another 10 minutes, but he wanted to go home to his family.

It wasn't uncommon for the guards to leave a few minutes early or be a little late, because what human in the village would break into the wolf's prison?

The guard came to the same conclusion, so he stretched a little to loosen his limbs before heading home.

Nero had been waiting for exactly this moment. As he started walking, his steps were calm and steady again. He definitely didn't want to draw anyone's attention.

If someone did catch him, he would simply claim it was a dare to sneak as close to a wolf as possible.

But nobody caught him. He easily stepped into the shadows of the cave.

Nero had seen the red-haired wolf when they captured him back then. He'd also caught his name, Pike.

Alexandra had mentioned in a subordinate clause that she planned to give the Balrin to this wolf.

It wasn't very difficult to find the wolf, after all there weren't very many wolves among the prisoners.

"Pike?" the boy asked softly into the darkness of the inhabited cell.

"What do you want little one?" the redhead grumbled back. His voice sounded dry, which was due to the fact that the wolves rarely got water.

"Alexandra sent me." the black-haired man lied. Then it would make more sense for a villager to want the alpha to be informed.

It was quiet for a moment, then Pike got up and stepped out of the shadows towards the bars.

"The Luna?" he asked surprised. After all, the two had not had particularly good experiences with each other.

Nero nodded once. Then he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the small can. Luckily Kate had made quite a lot of Balrin and he had been able to bottle some more, because Thomas had confiscated Alexandra's can.

"Balrin" explained the younger of the two. "If you eat it, you should be able to use your mindspeech again. You need to inform the alpha so he can save Alexandra and the other humans who have mates here as well."

Without hesitating, Pike grabbed the can through the bars, but Nero pulled his arm back in time so that the wolf couldn't reach the can.

"Promise me first." Nero explained his behavior. "You have to promise me to tell him that not all people are guilty and he must spare those who have a mate."

For a moment they looked into each other's eyes.

"You know the people of your village will kill you if they find out what you're doing here? And if the wolves win, will they kill you as a half-wolf?" Pike stated in a broken voice.

"My mother gave me my life and always looked after me. Now it's my turn to give her a life, and a good life at that." Nero's voice was firm and sure.

Pike nodded, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "You are a good son. I promise I will tell the alpha to be careful not to murder the innocent and I will also tell him that you helped me."

Seriously, the two looked at each other again and looked for something in the other's eyes that would reveal a lie, but neither of them found anything.

Nero slowly handed the Balrin to the wolf.

Pike sat down on the floor with the can in his hand to concentrate better.

"Should that really work and the wolves come, then stay close to me, kid, okay? Then I'll keep an eye on you." the redhead grumbled softly.

"Well then, let's hope for the best." he added before he put the contents of the can in his mouth and closed his eyes in concentration.

CYRIANS POINT OF VIEW

The sun replaced the moon, climbed up the sky only to be replaced by the moon again.

day passed. weeks passed.

Every single day went by so sluggishly slow and monotonous.

The drumming of my paws on the forest floor, my desperate, angry howl and the realization that I would not find her that day either.

Our time together had been so short, too short.

And we've been apart for so long, too long.

It was becoming increasingly difficult for me to remember all of her details. Her image seemed to fade more and more. Again I wished I had a photo of her or at least something to which her smell was attached.

I knew I would find something at home, but I wasn't ready to turn back. My paws carried me further and further. Through forests and mountains across meadows and steppes.

I didn't stop, just kept walking. On and on. Sometimes I got to a point where even I was too exhausted to take another step.

Only then did I drop to the ground and sleep. Usually only a few hours, because dreams about her brought me back to reality.

Dreams in which she suffered pain, dreams in which she died.

The first few days I was traveling alone. Hunted from village to village, questioning ignorant people.

But now I had realized that nobody here had seen my mate, so I just ran.

My human form receded further and further into the background. I had become more wolf than anything else. My diet consisted of raw meat from deer or deer that crossed my path.

Behind me I felt the familiar presence of my wolves. They kept their distance, they were afraid of me. But I didn't care. A few months ago I would have done anything to assuage her fear, but now it seemed so irrelevant.

The further I ran, the more wolves had joined me. Angry at the loss of her Luna and worried for me.

I didn't know who exactly was running my kingdom, but I had no head to worry about.

I couldn't think of anything else but her.

Even the wolves that hadn't joined me were looking for my mate. Actually, it was completely impossible that we had not found them. Every inch of my territory had been searched.

The little information I shared with my pack was through telepathy. I hadn't spoken in so many days that I wasn't sure if any sound would come out of my mouth if I said anything.

But I could still cry. And that was the only sound that left my mouth. It was a threat.

Anyone even remotely involved in my mate's kidnapping would suffer a slow, agonizing death.

A crack sounded. I looked around in confusion, not knowing where the sudden sound had come from. But even when I stopped, I couldn't find the source.

I flattened my ears to those who disapproved. Another crack, followed by a hiss.

That didn't come from my environment, it was clearly in my head. I glanced over my shoulder. A few wolves had now caught up with me as I was still standing in the same spot.

A look at their faces showed me that they heard it too.

"Cyrian?" My name echoed faintly in my own head.

"Who are you? What's that about?" was my growling reply. Only the wolves in a pack could communicate via telepathy. If the voice was that weak, it could only be someone who used to be part of the pack but isn't anymore. An outcast, an exile.

"Pike" came the quiet reply. A growl sounded. It took me a moment to realize it was my growl.

I started to insult him, after all he was banished and stopped my search, but his next words stopped me.

"It was Alexandra's idea to communicate with you like this."

Silence.

Realization slowly trickled into my head.

She was alive, Pike knew where she was, I would find her.

"Where is she?" I hissed when Pike didn't continue. Had he kidnapped her? Did he want to blackmail me now? But why was it Alex's idea?

"Before I tell you that, I have to explain what's going on here. The -" Pike started, but I cut him off.

"I don't care what's going on, where the hell is she? How is she? Answer me!"

"She's alive, she's fine. But if you rush to save her now, you'll probably die or kill many innocent people. They use herbs and plants to weaken us. They make it look like they're a pack of wolves , but the truth is they are humans. They have traps everywhere, wolf traps. Believe me, Cyrian, these humans are dangerous.

The wolves here are being held against their will. They have our mates and they're blackmailing us with them. Do you understand Cyrian? You must not kill them all! Not all of the people are bad, some have helped me and that's the only way I could reach you and tell them where Alexandra is. "

"You haven't told me where she is yet." I snapped back half-heartedly. I had yet to process what I had just heard. humans, but they had experience fighting wolves.

Suddenly I realized I was wrong. Pike had already told me where Alexandra was. Hellsbrook. The little speck just outside my border with the rebellious wolf pack that always managed to outsmart me and my troops.

I hadn't suspected Alexandra there because I recognized the kidnapper's smell as human and thus excluded the rebellious wolf pack.

I automatically set off again in the direction of Hellsbrook.

"I'm on my way," I informed Pike.

"Cyrian, please, be careful and don't kill them all. Not everyone there is bad. You have to at least let the mates and children live. They are innocent and it's not their fault." Pike protested again.

I severed the connection between us after sending one last sentence to him.

"I'm the Alpha, I don't have to do anything!"