The hammering returned to the door shifting it off its hinges. And eliciting a growl of displeasure in the process.
I shivered at the raw fury that lit up Alpha Bax's eyes. They narrowed with a determination to rip limbs off the offender.
I moved swiftly but was not quick enough to get between Alpha Bax and Matthew Bane.
"Cal is gone," Matt bit out angrily, ignoring the fist that held his throat. It must really be in our genes this need to constantly provoke death.
Alpha Bax's growl only intensified. Cal was under his protection. Without another word, he shoved Matt aside and stormed off to activate a search and retrieve party. Although I didn't know what they could do to lure a lion back into its cage.
I followed behind meekly to find out. I was feeling rather guilty at the raw bargain Alpha Bax had gotten himself into in taking on us Bains. Not only was I on my own a handful to contend with but so was the rest of my family and Calvin was proving to be more of an ass then was usual.
I sort of knew what was going on with him. It was an old folks tale. A fairy tale even, for at that time of my hearing it on my nanny Bains's knee, I had no inkling that Weres existed at all.
I did know better now so perhaps I needed to revisit those tales and search for the truths within.
There was one particular tale that spoke of a king. A lion king, that led the Weres. It was a time of war and his mate was taken the enemies. Taken in and enslaved. With her soul lost, the mating link was broken. But then the king encountered his true love on the battlefield and lived happily ever after.
Using the far fetched premise of that story as an analogy, Alpha Bains sister had to be Cal's one true love especially as Aashra was his mate.
It didn't explain things on her side though. She shouldn't have had two mates. But the mating bonds were an odd thing. Its sole purpose was to establish a stronger specie. The bond must have recognised Cal as the better choice for Aashra.
I picked up my stride to keep up with my very own one true love. Admiring his frim flanks as I went, and recalling the intimacy of my hands moulding his ass. It had me hot and bothered. Hotter than usual, definitely.
What wouldn't I give to tell Cal and his problems to take a hike and tell the entire pack to do the same for a night of leisure and pleasure with my Alpha.
I sighed longingly as I moved forward in his wake. Bax seemed to sense my lusty melancholy for he paused an instant to turn a heated gaze at me. I simmered and boiled with mounting frustrations. But then we were already in the midst of the rest.
Everyone brokeout in a flurry of communication. Each trying to voice out their version of what happened but I caught the gist of it in an instant. Calvin had left but he hadn't gone alone. Aashra was missing too and so was Alpha Bax's sister, Karalia.
I turned away from the gathered Weres. I moved swiftly and silently away from the crowd. Ignoring Alpha Bax's quiet but firm commands that he began to rapidly issue to stir up a search and retrieve party.
I knew better.
Searching for a shifter was a lot more difficult than searching for a Were or any other being, really. Our scents shifted along with us. And Cal was a King. There was no knowing what else he could do. I would not be surprised to know that he could shift the scent of others too. That would make his camouflage over Aashra and Karalia, all that much more difficult to track.
But I was not a Were.
I was not a mere shifter either.
I was Sandy. A hound that grew up along side with every possible versions of Calvin Bains. Tracking him would be an easy feat for me.
I would venture out alone in seeking him because there was something I would need him to do first. Before the others caught up to him.
Before Aashra's furious mate and pack set out after him.
And that was to have him break his bond with Aashra, first.
But only after retrieving Karalia's soul. With her soul, her heart would be whole and she would be free to return Cal's love and whole again to be his bond mate.
If granny Bains fable stories were to be believed. True love would resolve all.
Karalia only needed her soul for it and to love Cal back as he undoubtedly loved her.
Love at first sight was a rare thing. Loving a soulless at first sight was rarer still. But I was running with Weres now. A myth only a time ago. I was all for believing in the fables now. Believing and trusting in its unusual and far fetched tales.