No Substitutions [Welcome To Wolf's Peak] (manxman)

Chapter eight - Time Alone

Austin's POV

The evening training sessions withthe Alpha Guard were very entertaining. Casper was a very fast learner once he got over his fear of being hit and realized that the point of it all was not to hurt him but to teach him to protect himself from those hits. He moved swiftly and gracefully as he ducked and dived away from each hit and kick his sparring partner threw at him. He was becoming an excellent fighter in his human form.

His wolf however was still very nervous and coward away from the members of the Guard. There had been a few occasions where he'd snapped at someone when he'd felt threatened and I was beginning to think that his wolf had been beaten into permanent submission and fear. Today I was going to try a different approach with him when he arrived at the house. 

"So both of you won't be joining us for training today?" Bram asked while grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. 

"No I'm taking him to the clearing. I'm hoping if it's just the two of us his wolf will feel more relaxed and not threatened." I took a bite of the roast beef sandwich I'd made for myself. I was most likely going t miss dinner if this training session ran long.

"If anything goes wrong just link me or one of the Guard and we'll come running."

"Thanks Bram." I smiled around my mouthful food and took a drink of milk to wash it down. "Has there been any more sightings of Reggie or that Mustang?"

"No, the Guards watching over Casper have been extra vigilant and they've been told to let me know straight away if they see either."

"I have a very bad feeling about this. That bastard's grin was too smug." That grin still haunts me. It gave me the impression that he was trying to tell me that he knew something that I didn't. 

"The patrol have been put on alert for any strange activity or more rogue attacks. There have been strategic areas left unguarded but I've made it look like there are just gaps in between the members on patrol. The rogue traps have been set but I don't know that they'll catch anything. We don't know what kind of training or conditioning Maurice has put them through." Bram leaned a hip against the counter across from me as he spoke.

"What are you going to do if you do catch one? They're wild, they don't shift anymore and they can't communicate," I asked him. It would be more helpful if they could tell us what we needed to know.

"I don't know, I don't want to destroy them if it's not necessary. They're being used as pawns in Maurice's sick games, how do we know that he's not turning them rogue somehow?" Bram sighed.

"How could you turn someone rogue? I thought it took a traumatic event or mental episode for someone to turn rogue?"

"Exactly! I wouldn't put it past Maurice to torture these people or do something traumatic to them to turn them. No matter how often he lays down rogue traps there's no way that he could have captured as many rogues as he seems to have." 

It was a good point and a very real possibility. A frighteningly sick possibility. We all knew that Maurice was cruel and violent but this would put him to a whole new level of cruelty. "Okay, I'll keep watch for anyone sneaking around the property while I'm out. I can't promise that they'll be captured alive though if they try to attack Casper."

"Do what you have to to protect your mate." Bram clapped me on the shoulder and walked to the door. "I'll see you later," he shouted over his shoulder.

I finished my food and cleaned my plate and glass. I was just putting them away when I heard the doorbell ring. Emery yelled out that he would answer the door and slammed the press door closed and ran for the entry hall. Emery enjoyed flirting with my mate and it was driving me crazy.