3rd Person POV
"Do it before it's too late," Keith snaps.
"Get out of my way Samuel!" A shout from down the hall has the two males jolting in surprise.
Keith and Jackson look out the door to see Samuel holding Rose's waist as she tries to pry off his arms. Daniel and Trish are on the side just as dumbstruck as them.
Rose pounds his arms. "Let me go! I need to go after Katie!"
There's only the sound of her struggling before Jackson is bolting down the staircase. Keith remains frozen in shock. He looks to Samuel for answers, but it's only then he notices his bloodshot eyes, as if he was holding back his tears for a while now.
"Trish, stay here and help Samuel, I'm going after Jackson." Daniel stops briefly at the end of the hall and stares at Keith's shocked expression. "You coming?"
Before Keith can answer though, Daniel is bolting after his Alpha who is clearly about to lose it. After a moment to collect his thoughts, Keith dashes after him. He's going to give that sneaky little...
"Katie!" Keith roars before he's shifting and running towards the butterfly field. The annoying Alpha may have cut off their connection, but it doesn't mean he doesn't know where she's headed. In the end, Katie's all about sentimental things.
He comes to a halt once he reaches the butterfly field. He sniffs the air and begins snarling, startling the butterflies out of their resting spots. It's as if Katie was here just moments ago basking under the Moon Goddess.
Keith howls into the night, calling out to her. He doesn't get a reply like he expected. He hurts from the silence. He runs east trying to follow her scent that is being scattered by the wind. If only he was faster.
***
Jackson growls at Keith's lonesome howl. He wants to call out too, but he clenches his jaws and runs faster, propelling him before the wind even touches her scent.
It's not long until he sees a flash up ahead and he jumps it, both wolves snapping their jaws at each other.
Katie's white fur is a stark contrast to the midnight black fur coating of Jackson's wolf.
Jackson growls dangerously at Katie and blocks the direction she's trying to escape to. Katie snaps her jaws at him, two can play this game. Jackson doesn't dare to shift into his human form knowing full well that she'd take that chance to run passed him. The two circle each other.
Katie can feel her inner wolf thrashing around inside her head. She can hear it yelling out growls of disapproval. "You've already hurt our mate once!" The angry voice echoes in her head. Katie's ears drop and a whimper escapes her lips.
Jackson's ears perk up at the sound of it and he tilts his head questioningly.
Katie shakes her head trying to clear the dizziness. She glares at Jackson when he takes a step closer. She bares her teeth dangerously at him.
Jackson doesn't back down. Katie is an Alpha, so he already knows it's not going to be easy to have her submit to him even though he's willing to bear the back of his neck to her. Really, what a troublesome mate! He takes another step towards her and ducks when she swipes at him. He can feel the pain from her actions and he doesn't know if it's from the bond or the wolf inside him.
When Katie jumps over him, she falls unceremoniously on her back and whimpers in pain. Her eyes keep changing color as her wolf tries to take over her.
Katie is battling her wolf for control, and it hurts.
Although she hasn't communicated with her wolf, she can still feel her and what she feels. It's probably the closest anyone has ever gotten to communicating with their wolf. This is the first time her wolf is fighting her though. Clearly she's not pleased that she's trying to leave their mate without properly rejecting him.
Katie whimpers.
Jackson's eyes begin to bleed black in response and once it's fully black and his inner wolf has taken over, he moves to his mate and nudges her softly.
Katie's eyes snap open and they're just as black as his.
Katie could only watch as her wolf and Jackson's wolf nuzzle into each other lovingly from inside her mind. She slumps down in defeat with a stream of curses leaving her lips.
The two wolves sniff each other and begin to play.
It's not long before Daniel comes with Keith trailing behind him and the two watch the black and white wolves in disbelief.
'Jackson?' Daniel calls his best friend.
Jackson's wolf looks towards the new comers and they freeze when they hear an unfamiliar voice in the mind link. 'My name is Night. I am Jackson's wolf, your Alpha.'
Daniel and Keith instinctively lower their heads to him. Their eyes flicker to the white wolf who is staring at them.
'This is Silver, my mate's wolf.' Night introduces.
'How...' Keith speaks but quickly stops when Night narrows his eyes at him.
'I do not know,' Night says honestly, 'but my mate does.' He looks at her expectantly.
Silver glares at her mate, but then sighs and stares at Keith. She walks to him and he relaxes under her as she rubs their cheeks together. Keith flicks his tail happily.
'You are part of my pack,' Silver purrs softly and Keith is enjoying the attention on him, 'however even I am not allowed to say anything.'
Daniel frowns at the actions. 'How can you mind link us and why are you...doing that to Keith? Is Jackson and Night not your mate?'
Night growls in the mind link and Daniel bows his head lower unsure of what he said wrong.
'It has been long since wolves had communicated with their humans, so it is not surprising that there are things you do not know. It is also not surprising that you do not know Katie has accepted Keith into her pack and rejected Jackson.' Silver flicks her tail at him.
Daniel's ears perk up in surprise. 'She rejected Jackson?'
'Foolish girl, isn't she? I didn't mind when she killed our mother...well technically that was my fault, and nor the time she had forgiven Rose when she betrayed us. However, I will not accept her rejecting our mate.' She snarls at the thought. 'But I do understand where she is coming from.' Silver looks at all three males and she whimpers sullenly. 'She and I must leave, and as much as I do not want to leave my mate and pack, we just must. But you, our mate, is holding us back.'
Night growls at Silver's words. 'I'm letting you leave until I've claimed you.'
Silver flicks her tail teasingly. 'I never said you couldn't, but I wouldn't appreciate it if you hurt Katie, although she is a foolish human girl, she is a part of me and I do not want to burden her more than I've already have.' Her voice takes on a challenging edge. 'So do not think I will bare my neck to you without her consent.'
Daniel and Keith gulp at the sudden exchange of words.
'Katie is my mate too,' Night snarls, 'I do not wish to hurt her even if she's already done so to me and Jackson. We just want our mate.'
Silver looks down before she looks her mate in the eyes and calmly asks, 'Can you wait?'
'Wait?' Night flicks his tail irritably. 'You're still planning on leaving?'
'I just said we must go. I cannot guarantee we'll ever come back, but we'll try.' Silver says.
'So there really is a possibility you might die...' Keith suddenly speaks.
All heads turn to him.
Silver's grins, showing her sharp canines. 'You indeed are sharp child. I can understand why Katie was afraid to have someone like you close.'
'What do you mean?' Daniel asks.
'Yeah,' Night seconds that, more angrily than confused.
'I can't say, but will you wait?' Silver stares at her mate patiently.
Night walks over to her and nuzzles their noses together. He can feel Jackson, and knows what he has to say. 'I'll wait as long as it'll take.' His voice is low and pleading. He looks his mate in the eyes. And Silver's eyes widen in surprise when they're now no longer black. 'I will wait forever if I have to. Go. You're free.'
'I'm free...' Silver licks his cheek and nuzzles back. '...Thank you.' And she's gone with the wind.
Jackson's eyes go wide at the familiarity of the voice. 'That was...'
'The voice...' Daniel and Keith finishes.
'It was Katie's wolf!' Daniel shouts into the mind link. 'We need to go-'
'No.' Jackson stops him. 'I think Katie and Silver already knows what they need to do.'
Daniel looks confused as Keith shifts back and falls to his knees.
Jackson shifts back and stands in front of the teen. "I gave her an option that benefits us both."
Keith looks up to him with tears streaming down his cheeks. "And that option only qualifies if she doesn't die with whatever she does over there in the Old World... I..."
Jackson kneels down before him and hugs him. "Do not think of the worse."
"I have been trained to always think of the worse, Jack. And Katie...I don't want her to leave, not when she's resigned to whatever fate awaits her over there."
"I know. I don't want her too either." Jackson only says.
After they have their little moment, Daniel shifts back and clears his throat. "Not that the scene isn't touching and all, but grown guys hugging in the middle of the forest butt naked isn't really my thing."
It's to lighten up the mood, they know that.
Jackson and Keith chuckle at that and reluctantly stand up. The three begin heading back to the pack house.
Jackson stares towards the east for a few seconds before closing his eyes. I'll wait...so please come back, Katie, Silver.
"Samuel is on his way with a bag of clothes for us." Daniel's voice has him opening his eyes and turning back to his beta and younger cousin.
"Can you feel her?" Jackson asks.
Daniel looks at him then to Keith who is quietly walking.
"I can," Keith answers.
"Who else?"
Keith looks at Jackson and is frowning. "Why do you want to know?"
"So I know the people to ask about Katie." Jackson shrugs.
"I think you already know." Keith continues walking away.
Daniel and Jackson follow him until they see a blonde wolf heading their way. It shifts and Samuel takes its place. They all stare at him as he smiles while holding out a bag full of clothes. "Here."
"You're not going to ask about Katie?" Daniel questions.
Samuel's smile becomes smaller. "She's not here with you guys, so it's obvious you couldn't stop her."
"You don't seem surprised." Jackson adds.
Samuel's smile disappears. "I already knew she would. It's my fault she's leaving now. The minute I said she'd be leaving by the end of the month it wasn't hard to figure out she'd leave before anyone else found out to stop her."
"It's not entirely your fault," Keith sighs. "So just-just stop."
"Rose just mind linked me. She wants to talk to you, Jack." Samuel decides to change topic.
Jackson runs his hand through his hair and sighs. "Let's go home."
Once they're dressed, they walk back to the pack house in silence.
They all think over of the past two months Katie and Rose had entered their life, like a raging storm full of unspeakable things that are dangerous yet so tempting.
Samuel remembers the day he'd first saw the raven and though she looked so peaceful cuddled up with his mate, once she considered him it was like he was facing heavenly judgment. Katie meant so much to Rose, and when he got her approval he was so happy. Too happy to even care that Rose was the daughter of the man he hated most in the world. Then, they hung out and they became close enough that Samuel can consider her as a sister even though his sister doesn't like them.
Daniel shoves his hands into his pockets and frowns. He's going to get the beating of his life when he breaks the news to Trish. Although their meeting wasn't really nice, Katie really did have a lasting first expression on him. He then thinks back to the night hang outs they had together. It was fun, and ever since the two rogues entered their life he's been able to hang out with his friends more than with only Jackson for doing pack duties. He knows Trish isn't the only one who is going to miss her.
Keith walks ahead of them, not wanting them to see his bloodshot eyes. Samuel had time for his to smoothen out, but Keith doesn't think his will be any time soon. He hated Katie the moment the news that they're from the west spread. He immediately agreed to help those who wanted revenge, hell he wanted his too. Then, when he met them, she had almost killed him had it not been for Rose or Jackson. His wound didn't heal as it usually should so he stayed behind and watched her from afar in case she decided to betray them. She hadn't. She confused him and so he ventured closer one day only to fall into her pace and get sucked up into her world. She filled in the void Vivian had left behind, but then she told him about Vivian. Then, she accepted him. It all happened too quickly and though he doesn't feel as empty as before, Keith doesn't feel the least bit reassured. His glances back at Jackson and wonders how he feels about it. How his wolf feels about it.
He stops walking and the three high ranked werewolves stop behind him staring at him questioningly.
"Jack..."Keith starts and his eyes are wide. "Your wolf..."
Samuel looks at him dumbly then to his best friends only to tilt his head in confusion. They're wearing the same look Keith has on. "Uh, guys?"
"Holy shit!" Daniel all but shouts. "That's right!"
"What? What?" Samuel asks cause he wants in too.
"We talked to your wolf! What happened to you? Tell us!" Keith is up in his face.
Jackson's eyebrows nit together and he shrugs. "Not much to tell. I just knew I was somewhere in my mind watching Night control my body like how I watch tv, except I didn't have the remote control, he did."
"Come on! Your wolf is probably the first wolf to ever communicate with other wolves!" Daniel groans. "So answer properly!"
"Wait. Wait. Wait. You guys talked to his wolf? What? How? Tell me!" Samuel is rocking himself on the balls of his feet. "Well?"
"I don't know, alright? I couldn't speak with my wolf, but I was able to watch and hear everything he did. He somehow took over when he heard Ka-no, Silver whimper." Jackson rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.
Samuel groans. "Who is Silver?"
"Silver is Katie's wolf." Daniel answers.
Samuel eyes go wide. "You spoke to her wolf too? No fair!"
"Yeah, and check this out man. Remember that voice we all heard a while back?" Daniel grins. "Well it was Katie's wolf's voice."
"I see..." Samuel pouts. He already feels left out. "How'd you know?"
"Because when she said 'I'm free' it was practically the same as that other time." Keith says.
"Wait, what?" Samuel asks.
"What?" Keith asks back.