Bitchycookies: Thank you so much ceekaysmiles87. I read your message this morning and instantly got out of my block. Your words helped me so much and I encourage everyone to express themselves. It gives me motivation to write!
Anyways, Happy Reading!
Meeri: The cover up there fits perfectly with the chapter, so I would suggest listening to it while reading the first part of the chapter.
Ivan laid on his bed, slowly awakening from his slumber. Beside him, Karter snored softly, his limbs entwined around the Alpha as if bound by an invisible rope. Ivan chuckled and attempted to extricate himself from his mate's grasp, but the movement only elicited a whine from Karter, who stirred and opened his eyes.
"Morning," Ivan greeted with a smile as Karter sat up and rubbed his eyes. He noticed that Karter was wearing the T-shirt Ivan had discarded the previous night. It amused him how his mate would often wear his clothes as pajamas, finding comfort in them. Karter looked down at Ivan and grinned before playfully pouncing on him, knocking the breath out of his lungs.
"Morning!" Karter giggled, and Ivan responded by tickling him and planting gentle kisses on his neck. Karter tapped Ivan's back, signaling for him to stop, but Ivan continued until tears of laughter streamed down Karter's face. Gasping for air, Karter finally managed to persuade Ivan to let him go as the Alpha got up to take a shower.
"You seem unusually cheery this morning. What happened?" Ivan inquired as he made his way to the bathroom.
"I don't know. I just have a feeling that today will be a good day. And the weather is so nice. Let's go for a walk. I feel happy," Karter exclaimed, jumping up to pull back the blinds, revealing the gathering grey clouds. He had always found solace and happiness in storms, an inclination that Ivan found peculiar since werewolves typically preferred clear weather for runs and training. Nonetheless, Ivan smiled, appreciating the genuine happiness radiating through their mate bond.
"Alright, but before that, join me in the shower," Ivan suggested, extending his hand for Karter to take. Karter smirked mischievously and accepted the invitation.
"I'm not sure I'll be able to walk afterward," Karter teased playfully as Ivan led him under the cascading water.
The warm water enveloped them, and Karter closed his eyes, relishing in the sensation while his mate pressed against him from behind. He could feel Ivan's hands delicately tracing up and down his sides, their featherlight touch causing his skin to tingle. Ivan leaned down and peppered kisses on Karter's mating mark, sending shivers down his spine even amidst the warm water.
"We should hurry," Karter mumbled, prompting Ivan to slow down.
"Okay," Ivan acquiesced, understanding that Karter wasn't quite in the mood. He grabbed the shampoo and began washing Karter's hair. Soon, they turned around, their faces adorned with wide smiles, and began washing each other's hair simultaneously.
Inside Ivan's heart, a warm and fuzzy feeling expanded, filling him with contentment.
"Are you sure you want to go for a walk... in this weather?" Ivan asked, confusion evident in his voice as he hobbled along, relying on his sleek black cane. Thankfully, his healing was progressing well, allowing him to transition from crutches to the cane. The cold wind blew harshly, but Karter couldn't contain his beaming smile. Despite having work to attend to in his office, Ivan found himself pulled outside by his mate under the guise of "getting some fresh air."
"Yes! Let's go," Karter exclaimed, dressed in a white flowing shirt, light pink shorts, and black platform trainers. His hair was gathered in a messy bun, with a few loose strands framing his face. At that moment, Ivan marveled at how ethereal his mate appeared. He brought Karter's hand to his lips.
"I love you," Ivan expressed, his gaze locked with Karter's eyes. He watched as his mate blushed, wide-eyed at the declaration. Karter quickly returned the smile, leaning in to give him a kiss.
"I'd be upset if you didn't. And I love you even more," Karter playfully teased, winking at him before they began walking hand in hand. Ivan shook his head in amusement and followed his mate along the walking trail. Karter skipped joyfully, while Ivan, with his cane, matched his pace. They ventured into a new part of their pack's territory, where Karter collected colorful wildflowers to decorate their home and mushrooms for a recipe he intended to learn.
"Vania, look! What do you think about these for your office? They're your favorite color," Karter pointed to a patch of pink and yellow tulips, crouching down in the grass. Ivan couldn't help but feel a touch of concern as he watched his mate so close to what could potentially be hidden dangers.
"I think they'd look lovely, baby. Should I pick some?" Ivan approached, attempting to gently coax Karter away from the seemingly innocent flowers, wary of any hidden creatures lurking in the tall grass.
"Okay. I'll gather the rest, and then we can head back. It's about to rain," Ivan sighed in relief, quickly picking three yellow and five pink flowers as directed by his mate. With their collection of flowers and mushrooms in tow, they made their way back to the mansion.
Following Milo's revelations the previous day, Ivan had suggested taking some time to process the information before making any decisions. The two pack leaders had engaged in a lengthy discussion, considering different perspectives. Karter had expressed a desire to seek help from the mysterious pack to find the enigmatic man, while Ivan harbored reservations about getting involved with them, particularly due to Milo's connection to the Aberrant pack. In order to reach a consensus, they weighed the pros and cons and decided to involve Ivan's parents in the deliberation.
In the end, Karter took the initiative to arrange a meeting with Milo's cousin, confident in their decision.
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"I asked him to meet up here," Milo nervously said as he rubbed his hands together. They were sitting at the far edge of their territory, an area under Milo's care.
Ivan glared at Milo from his place against a tree, suspicion evident in his unwavering gaze. Milo had been open about this proposition, which helped his case, but years of secrecy didn't bode well in front of Ivan. Alex and Killian remained quiet beside them. They had all been briefed on their plans with the Aberrant pack in the morning, and Milo had immediately asked his cousin to meet him at their designated spot.
"Please don't be threatening to him. He's the next-in-line Alpha and won't take challenges lightly. It's better to appear calm and inviting," Milo pleaded.
"I'm far from calm and inviting. He's a criminal and may have been involved in crimes against our pack," Ivan snapped, his alpha authority shining through his bright, glowing eyes.
"He claims they don't operate from here; they work—" Milo started.
"That's what he told you, and I don't trust him," Ivan interrupted, straightening up but held in place by Karter's firm grip.
"Enough, Ivan," Karter said, his voice softening along with his gaze. "Please, Alpha. We decided to give him a chance." The alpha turned his head towards Karter, his expression questioning.
"I never said anything about giving him a chance. We'll see what he has to offer first an—"
"Someone's coming," Alex perked up, his nose high on alert.
Everyone except Karter quickly picked up on the scents approaching them.
"That's... There's more than one," Ivan said, showing Milo a heated glare.
Alex stepped in front of Ivan and Karter, assuming a fighting stance, ready to shift at a moment's notice. Killian followed suit.
"Guys, there's no need for that," Milo sighed, looking from the four of them to the direction his cousin was coming from.
A minute later, figures came into view—one, then two.
"Five," Alex said before they fully emerged.
Sure enough, there were four individuals being followed by a hunky male Alpha, whose eyes were narrowed.
"Milo!" Milo rushed forward and embraced the man in a warm hug.
The man, known as Kaya, was obviously an Alpha, slightly shorter than Milo but muscular. His arms enveloped Milo's back, and he had dark-tanned skin and black curly hair cascading over his shoulders. His green eyes surveyed the four wolves with a keen observation.
Karter glanced toward the giggling and smiling Omegas behind Kaya. That's right, all of them were Omegas—two females and two males. They had petite bodies with well-proportioned frames. One boy, barely legal, had dark chocolate skin glowing under the sun's rays. He was the shortest among them, while the tallest girl was pale as a ghost, her face covered in freckles. The other two had a sun-kissed, tanned complexion. All of them seemed captivated by Kaya.
"What the heck, Milo?" Kaya said as they broke apart. "You know better than to surprise me like this." He gestured towards the guarded wolves behind Milo.
"I know, but it's something important," Milo scratched his head while patting Kaya's back.
"I didn't expect to meet the Black Stone pack Alpha and his blessed mate today," Kaya said with a hint of boredom in his voice. "Never wanted that, actually," he sneered.
"Come on, man," Milo pleaded, sensing the growing agitation in Alex and Ivan. "Let's talk."
"I'm not stepping inside that pack, Milo," Kaya firmly stated. Sensing the tension, two of the Omegas stepped forward and began soothing the Alpha with gentle touches.
"Why the company?" Ivan asked, his voice deep, his eyes glancing briefly at the four Omegas.
"Oh, them? I was expecting a long journey after visiting Milo. I couldn't just leave these pretty pieces behind, could I now?" Kaya said, his eyes fixated on the alluring Omegas. "They're the best in my collection," he smirked at Karter, who recoiled slightly but refused to cower. The four Omegas continued smirking and smiling, as if Kaya hadn't just reduced them to mere objects.
"How dare—" Ivan growled.
"Stop, Kai! It's serious!" Milo interjected, stepping in front of Kaya, causing the others to adopt blank expressions. "You trust me," Milo continued firmly, his voice softening. "So let's just head inside the pack." Kaya remained skeptical, his dismissive expression evident. "Would I ever let harm come near you?" Milo asked with determination and a hint of tenderness.
"No," Kaya answered immediately. "Let's head inside," he said, his face relaxing within seconds. He wrapped his arms around the giggling Omegas and gestured for Milo to lead the way.
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Karter could sense his mate's piercing gaze directed towards Kaya, and it was starting to irritate him. As they walked together towards the main office for their meeting, Kaya, his group of Omegas, Karter, and Ivan, the pack members respectfully bowed to their leaders and Kaya as they passed.
"You have a remarkably open pack, with plenty of space for everyone to roam freely," Kaya remarked, his eyes scanning the vast plains and the scattered tall buildings. "Many packs are embracing innovation over tradition."
"Innovation isn't necessarily a negative thing," Karter responded directly to the young Alpha. However, he immediately regretted his words as Kaya abruptly turned his head towards him. An uneasy feeling settled within Karter as the Alpha's gaze scrutinized him, taking in his silver eyes and the streaks in his hair. Doubts crept into Karter's mind about whether Kaya's pack truly treated Omegas as equals, especially considering the way Kaya treated his four Omegas and the implications of the comment Karter had just made. Karter's unease grew, and he couldn't help but wonder if his words had triggered a negative response from the Alpha.
"It's about finding a balance," Ivan chimed in with a deadpan voice, diverting Kaya's attention away from his mate.
"I suppose you're right," Kaya mumbled under his breath.
After a few minutes, they entered the main office and settled into the largest meeting room. Two Omegas took their seats at Kaya's feet, while the other two stood on either side of him. Karter's eyes widened, and he exchanged a perplexed glance with his mate.
"Please have a seat," Karter hastily said, looking to Milo for an explanation. The Alpha shook his head, his eyes closed, as if he had grown tired of his cousin's antics.
"Don't worry about it, they enjoy it," Kaya said with a smug smile, running his fingers through their hair. True to his words, the Omegas seated on the floor appeared content.
Karter slumped in his chair, feeling dazed and deeply confused. 'Is this how Omegas are treated outside of our pack?' he pondered silently.
'I'm afraid to say it can be much worse,' Ivan's voice resonated through their mind link, making Karter realize he was addressing his mate. A glance at Alex and Killian revealed their disturbed expressions as well.
"Alright, let's get started. I wouldn't want to be here any longer than necessary," Kaya sneered, surveying the well-maintained room.
Ivan clenched his fists and ground his teeth, prompting Karter to release calming pheromones for his Alpha. It helped to some extent as Ivan relaxed and began to speak.
"First and foremost, we must ensure that whatever is discussed here remains strictly confidential."
"Cross my heart," Kaya playfully crossed his chest.
"Behave," Milo growled in a low tone.
"I'll take that as an agreement," Ivan disregarded Kaya's childish behavior and proceeded. "Can you find identifications of wolves, regardless of their location?"
"I can do much more than that." Kaya leaned forward, a glint in his eyes.
"We need to identify a specific individual," Ivan stated.
"And?" Kaya dragged out his words when Ivan didn't elaborate.
"There is minimal to non-existent information about him."
"Okay, give it to me."
Ivan looked to Karter for that part. "There really isn't much."
"Do you have a name, at least?" Kaya raised a brow.
"..No?" Karter hesitated and cowered under Kaya's intense gaze.
"Okay then, hit me with whatever you have." Kaya's expression became guarded and confused.
"Okay, he's dark-skinned-"
"Like me?" Kaya held his arm out.
"Oh no. Very dark with long dreads." Karter stuttered and finished speaking.
"That's it?" The Alpha looked shocked.
"Yeah."
"Where did you meet him?" Kaya encouraged him.
"Don't know." Karter mumbled and fidgeted.
"You don't know where you saw him?" Kaya looked baffled.
"Can you find him?" Ivan interrupted, not wanting to see Karter in such a cornered situation.
"I don't know if you're aware of this, but there are many dark-skinned people with long dreads." Kaya slowly said, as if he were talking to a child or someone lacking understanding. "It might be hard, or better yet, impossible with just this information."
Ivan felt his frustration pulsing through his veins. 'I was right, this isn't a good idea,' the pack Alpha thought.
"Fine, thank you for your time. You may leave." Ivan abruptly stood up.
"Wait, Ivan. Please." Karter gripped his arm. "I don't know if this information will be helpful or not, but let's try." The Omegas tugged their mate down to sit.
"Go on," Kaya said as his hand rested on one of his Omega's heads.
"He's somehow connected to rogues," Karter began, and when he felt his mate tense, he released comforting pheromones. "He has this deadly and terrifying look. He appears menacing, as if staying in his presence for more than a few seconds could make you lose everything you love. It felt like he could demand my life, and I would willingly give it to him. He made me want to claw myself from the inside out. I was-"
"Enough." Ivan interrupted him.
Karter looked up and observed the stunned expressions on the faces of the wolves surrounding him. Among them, Alex and Killian wore uncomfortable and pitying expressions, but it was Kaya who had a different look entirely. He appeared terrified.
"I-I can't help you," Kaya stuttered, fumbling to stand. "We should never meet again," he mumbled.
"Wait, Kai." Milo stood up and held onto Kaya. "What's wrong, brother?"
"I need to leave, or rather, we need to leave," Kaya gripped Milo's arm. "Let's go. Come with me. We'll protect you." Milo looked utterly shocked.
"What do you mean? Protect me from what?" Milo asked.
"I'll tell you later. Let's go," the Omegas stood up, their confusion evident.
"Nobody is leaving," Ivan's voice thundered. "You know something about him, don't you?" Ivan knew he had struck a nerve when Kaya sneered at him.
"Leave us out of this," Kaya tugged Milo toward him.
"Milo is part of the pack!" Ivan growled, rising to his feet.
"Please, Alpha," Milo pleaded as the guards stationed outside the room rushed in upon hearing Ivan's voice. "He's my brother!" The guards, who happened to be Milo's friends, looked on with confusion, their gazes shifting perplexedly from Milo's pale skin to Kaya's dark complexion. "He's my cousin. Don't hurt him." Milo turned to his cousin. "We're not leaving, Kaya. Let's talk it out. Please, help us."
It seemed as though Kaya was about to argue and disagree with Milo.
'Should I touch him and see what he's so afraid of?' Karter asked Ivan, Alex, and Killian through their link.
'That seems to be the only way,' Killian replied, glancing toward Ivan. 'We'll protect him. He's distracted.'
Ivan nodded, his eyes darting to the guards who were hovering over Kaya, who appeared infuriated.
Karter approached Kaya with stealth, growing frustrated by his confinement within the circle of four Omegas. He noticed Alex and Killian discreetly positioned by his side, prepared to intervene if necessary. Suddenly, Kaya's gaze snapped towards him, inducing a surge of panic within Karter. Acting swiftly, he lunged forward, extending his hand.
In a blur of motion, the surrounding Omegas swiftly reacted, forcefully twisting Karter's arm behind his back. Grunts of pain escaped Karter's lips as he struggled against their unyielding grip. Meanwhile, Killian and Alex were engaged in a fierce struggle with two other Omegas on the floor. Confusion swept over Karter as he glanced at the once-giggling Omegas, their expressions now hardened and devoid of emotion.
"Release them!" Karter strained his neck to catch a glimpse of Ivan, who had an Omega pinned down by her neck on the table. His eyes emitted an intense glow, indicating Nicholas' presence.
Ivan's guards reacted swiftly, attempting to separate the Omegas from Karter, Alex, and Killian. A chaotic skirmish broke out as the struggle intensified. Amidst the chaos, Milo called out to Kaya, urging him to intervene.
As Karter's silver eye glowed, he felt a surge of power coursing through his arm. In an instant, the pain that had gripped his arm vanished, replaced by a newfound strength. With a low groan, his body forcefully ripped away from the male Omega who had tightly held him just seconds before. The display of strength left the surrounding wolves momentarily stunned, their eyes widening in astonishment at the unexpected turn of events. After seeing that without certainty in his expression, Kaya let out a piercing whistle. Suddenly, the four Omegas went limp, making it easier for the guards to remove them from the others.
As a moment of calm settled over the room, the wolves present began to notice a palpable shift in the atmosphere. It was then that Karter's voice reverberated with a commanding authority, causing everyone's attention to be drawn toward him. Ivan's gaze snapped towards his mate, his eyes widening as he realized that not only one, but both of Karter's eyes now shimmered with a bright silver hue.
The shock and something else in Karter's voice compelled Kaya to instantly obey, sinking back into his seat. It dawned on Ivan that the presence before them was not Karter but rather Obelious, a powerful being.
"You have encountered him," Obelious stated with unwavering certainty.
Kaya responded with a quick nod, his expression revealing the weight of the encounter.
"He appeared in our pack a few weeks ago," Kaya's voice came out hoarse. "He left behind a trail of death."
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Again, thank you to ceekaysmiles87 for leaving a message. It helped me so fucking much!!!
The first half was written by Meeri and the second half was written by Angel.
I love where this is going, I can't wait to hear your response to this.
BYE!!!