Chapter 20
"I know it's only been a month since I've met him, but the feeling is indescribable." I gushed to Finn as I felt my cheeks heat up, "He's the best thing that's ever happened in my life."
Finn chuckled, "I'll try not to take offense to that." And he didn't because there was no sign of hurt on his face. "And I think he feels the same way."
"How can you tell?" I asked curiously.
"The way you two drool over each other." He laughed when I squeezed his hands between my palm, "What I mean is, I can it on you two. The way you guys look at each other with heart eyes and have that sickeningly sweet moment that passes between you two. It's hard not to notice and I'm surprised you're unaware."
Have I really missed that?
'Everette, June and Callum-' Pen's voice entered my head through mind link but was cut off as I heard screams of children from outside.
Finn and I were on our feet immediately as we dashed down the steps, 'Pen, what happened?'
'Something's happened, June just mind linked me but was cut off before she could say what. She was at the back of the packhouse, I'm on my way.' Came her reply.
I didn't know what was going on but she said June and Callum. My stomach was in my feet as I pushed through the other pack members that were filtering out the backdoor.
Five kids were standing staring at the forest as tears streamed down their faces. One of the girls approached me as the others stood there quaking with their parents tending to them.
"A-Alpha," She croaked, "there were rogues."
We all went on high alert as I nodded for a pack member to get border patrol ready. I bent towards the girl and cupped her cheeks, "Where are they? Is there anyone out in the forest?"
The girl was shaking and took forever to answer me as I looked around the backyard for June or Callum but I didn't see any of them even though their scents lingered in the air. Where the hell were they?
"J-June and the Máni. They went after us and t-the Máni saved me. T-t-they're in the forest with the rogues." She hiccuped.
Everything slowed down, even my heart felt like it stopped. The only thing I remembered I seem capable of doing was running.
I rushed away from the girl as I took off and shifted. The voices in my head were screaming at me to slow down.
But I couldn't make sense why they'd say that.
Heavy steps followed me as I ran towards the trees and I sniffed the air for Callum.
Penelope's wolf rushed through the trees as she started running at my side and I felt the tension radiating off her in waves.
'What did June say?'
Her eyes briefly glanced at me, 'She mind linked me and she was panicking. June said that there were rogues and that she and Callum were out here. She just said to save the kids before her link got cut off.'
I growled harshly at what she said and both our running sped up.
My breathing was labored, not because I was running, but because I felt like someone stole the air from me.
My own personal oxygen tank.
I tried mind linking June but her link wasn't there. It like a line that was knocked out by a lack of electricity. The line was dead and the silence was like the annoying beeping you heard when you couldn't be connected.
Up ahead I saw a fire and I felt my heart sped up but as we got closer, it froze.
There was a dead wolf being burnt by fire. The area was empty.
And the scent of my mate was gone.
I put my snout to the dry earth beneath me and sniffed but I only smelt the horrid odor that was rogues and the faintest scent of Callum and June. But it was overpowered by the rogues and the burning flesh.
I whimpered when I couldn't smell him anymore. 'I want the best sniffers out here! Now!' My voice boomed through the pack's mind link.
When I stepped closer to the burning wolf, my paw stepped in something that was warm.
My eyes flicked down to see that it was blood. Reluctantly I brought my paw to my snout and caught the scent.
Juniper berries and fresh sage lingered.
My vision was blinded by fury and ice filled my veins as the only thing on my mind was murdering those rogues. The blood wasn't enough to say he was... dead. But it was enough to say he was hurt. And I didn't know how badly.
I did know that I was going to spill more blood until I found him.
Penelope's panicked voice filled my head, 'Where are they?'
'I can't smell them. The fire washed out their scent from the air.' Finn's voice answered as he kept sniffing the ground. 'If you can't sniff June, I wouldn't be able to.'
Her scared eyes shifted to me and I think it was the first time that I had ever seen that look on her. I knew exactly what she was going to do and I right behind her.
She broke out into a run towards the pack border which was close. I tailed her and quickly caught up, but it was no use. The scents of our mates disappeared with only the faint trace of rogues.
The trees started to grow thicker, I knew we were we approaching the deep forest.
I had my snout to the ground as we trailed to the border and followed the faint scent of the rogues. They must have picked them both up because there was no way we could have missed our mates' scents. Especially Penelope since she was mated with June.
'Anything?' I asked her.
'No.' Her voice was hoarse. 'Finn's right, if I can't smell her...'
I didn't push her to finish her sentence and as we reached the border, everything went to shit.
Three bodies were laid out, dead. Three pack members from our border patrol.
How the hell did we not feel it? Or how did no one know?
'Fucking hell!' Penelope cursed.
The bodies weren't all. Aside from the smell of the dead bodies, the rogues' scents split in every direction.
No traceable leads. No footprints.
No Callum.
This wasn't happening. It couldn't be.
The earth beneath my paws felt like they were crumbling and swallowing me into the deep earth. My heart felt it was in the claws of a bear.
I didn't protect him. He needed me and I wasn't there.
But something was wrong here. This picture was all wrong.
Pen's wolf was about to sprint off again but I grabbed her leg and pulled her back.
'I swear Everette, I don't care who you are, you need to let me the fuck go. Right now!' She hissed. 'I need to find her. You don't understand... I need her!'
'I know.' I felt my heart squeeze tighter and my stomach felt immense pain, 'But something isn't right. The scents are everywhere, it's not safe to run out there.'
'And you think it's safe here? Our mates just got kidnapped from the backyard!'
My eyes cut to her, 'I know that! But I won't have you running out there if there's a trap. We don't know where they took them and prancing into the forest without a solid lead is asking for targets on our backs. What if they ki- hurt them if they see us approaching?'
'The longer we wait, the further away they're moving.'
'We don't know where they're going, Penelope. We need backup, supplies and a plan. Most importantly we need to stay alive to keep them alive.'
'Everette-'
'Remember the day Callum ran off?'
She stared at me in anger, 'What does it matter?'
'You told me that I had to wait for backup. If I ran off and made it there one minute before everyone else, those rogues could have killed Callum and I.' I explained.
I wanted to do it her way. The Moon Goddess knows I wanted to run into the woods and tear down every tree until I found him but as Alpha that wasn't the logical thing to do. As Callum's mate, I couldn't risk putting him in more danger if I don't even know where to look.
'What if they do something to her?' Pen's voice was low, 'She's a female Everette. What do you think they'd do to her?'
I gulped, 'Callum will protect her.'
'And if he can't?'
'Then I'll help you kill every goddamn rogue that ever breathed the same air as her.' I promised her.
The other wolves reached us and from their confused expressions, I knew they caught the scent of the rogues branching out every direction and death of our friends.
'You!' Pen growled when she saw Finn approach us. She growled as she throttled his wolf to the ground. 'You've been disappearing into the forest. So help me Moon Goddes, if you've been with the rogues, I'm going to rip your intestines out and feed it to you.'
'That's not where I've been.' He told her calmly as I nudged her off him with my head.
'I don't believe you!'
'He's telling the truth Pen, he wasn't with them.' Her eyes flickered to me and she slowly moved off him.
'If he's lying-'
'If he is, I'll kill him myself.' I assured her and when I looked at Finn he didn't look angry or surprised, just nodded in understanding.
Pen turned away from Finnick as she faced me and spoke to me alone, 'If she dies Everette, I wouldn't be able to survive it...'
'We'll find them. I promise you, Callum and June will be alright. As long you feel her through your bond, then they're alive.'
'We need to get back and make a plan. The longer we wait, the worst the pain will feel for us.' She stared at me knowingly.
Despite Cal and I not being mated, the pain was immeasurable and indescribable. Worse than being bitten with silver berry or having a chunk of my flesh bitten off. I could take that pain any day, but losing him, even for a minute, was unbearable.
I didn't even want to know how Penelope was feeling with that pain strengthed by her bond with June.
'Charlotte, send all the best hunters to the packhouse immediately. I'll be there in a minute.' I mind linked my Gamma before turning to Finn, 'Take these bodies back to Kitara and find out how the hell we didn't feel them die through the pack link.'
'Yes, Alpha.' He nodded.
I took one last sniff of the forest floor but it was as if they all split up.
'Let's go.' I told Penelope who looked at the forest before hesitantly turning with me and heading back.
As I took more steps away from the border, I felt like something was grating against my chest and weighing me down. Begging me to go back and find him.
For once, I didn't know what to do.
I stalked back to the packhouse and without wasting a second, shifted back and pulled on some clothes and Pen and I met the group in the office on the first floor.
"I expect, now more than ever, for every person in this room to put there one million percent into this," I snapped harshly.
"Yes, Alpha." They all replied.
"Good." I rolled out the map on the table as the thirty plus wolves gathered around as my and Pen's father entered the room, "This is where Callum and June were taken. The scent was faint but we caught a the rogues nasty odor leading to the border. Three members are dead and the rogues' scents split up in every direction possible."
"How is that possible? We didn't feel their deaths." Sam pointed out.
I looked at my father who looked as baffled as I felt, "Didn't feel their deaths? That's not something we've experienced before."
"It doesn't matter right now." Penelope cut in, "June and Callum need to be found. We don't know where they took them or in what condition they're in."
"There was blood," I muttered in a low tone. "It was Callum's. So I need you all to pair up in groups of three and take another wolf in the pack that isn't on border patrol. You need at least four persons to travel."
"And make sure you check in every half hour." Pen informed.
"We don't know what direction they headed but we can cancel out east since that would head back towards the pack. I have a feeling they're heading northwest seeing as most of the attacks happen at the south, they wouldn't risk patrol seeing them if other rogues are there." I deduced because it made logical sense. But these stupid rogues had little logic to them.
"But every direction still needs to be covered." Pen directed as she pointed to the map.
Charlotte and I started to point out the areas that had the most activity last month and areas in the woods that we haven't checked up on in a long time.
"Most of the streams in the forest lead to this big river at the bottom of the northern mountains towards the valley." I pointed out. "No one's been there in years since it covers dead land and there isn't much for animals to survive. But it's a source of water, empty and quiet. It seems like a good place to look at as well."
Charlotte mused, "I agree and there's been no activity reported from the border that closest to there. But it's far."
"That will take at least twenty-four hours to scout out." A pack member informed and I saw red.
I slammed my fist on the table and he flinched back as the wood cracked, "We don't have twenty-four hours let alone an extra minute. You'll do your best to find your Máni and your Beta's wife as soon as possible."
The pack member lowered his eyes and nodded.
"I know it will take time and I'm not asking you to do a sloppy job," I growled between clenched teeth. "But we can't waste time."
"I understand Alpha." He replied.
"Good." I looked at the map one more time. "Any other suggestions?"
"No, but I think this will give us at least a lead," Charlotte said.
"It better," I muttered because I don't know what the hell I'd do. "Take as many supplies and as you'll need. Charlotte will help gather other pack members to go with you. That means we have at least twelve groups. We leave in an hour."
"Remember to send word immediately of your location if you spot anything that may lead us to them." Penelope clarified before Charlotte led them all outside.
"You're not going out there." My father and uncle Lucas directed at Pen and me.
I scoffed, "I didn't ask for your permission."
"Everette, it's dangerous in the north because the pack hasn't been out there in ages." My father tried to explain.
Sam turned to me, "You know that it's a bad idea. And you can't leave the pack without someone in charge."
I glared at the men in the room, "What if it was any of your mates? Dad, what if it was mom? Would you leave the pack to find her while you stay back?"
His eyes grew cold, "You know I wouldn't."
"Then don't ask me to do something you wouldn't do," I said and I saw the fight leave him.
Uncle Lucas and Sam sported the exact expressions. But uncle Lucas had to be a hard ass, "You know it's dangerous. What if something happened to you both?"
Her jaw clenched, "I'm not fragile, June's out there and I'm not coming back until I find her."
"Look," I sighed, "I'll make sure that she, June and Callum get back here safely. You have my word. However, I won't sit around and wait for the pack to do my job and I don't expect Penelope to either."
"This is insane." Sam admonished, "I'm going with you."
"Absolutely not." I shook my head. "You're supposed to produce the next Beta, you're vital to the pack."
"You're the freaking Alpha!" He exclaimed.
I turned to my father, "You'll stay here dad and ensure that the pack runs smoothly. Sam, you're staying here with Charlotte and Max. Enough people to ensure the pack survives while we're gone. I promise your sister will be back with her mate Samuel. Trust me." I vowed.
My father shook his head, "No, Callum's your mate and I'm coming with you."
"And June's like a daughter to me, I'm going as well." Uncle Lucas added.
I looked over at Pen's ashen expression and I felt unease in my stomach, "We need as many people here in case they turn up or the rogues come back while we're gone. I'm not asking, I'm telling you both."
Dad looked concerned but after a second he gave in, "Fine, but your mother isn't going to like this."
"Then don't tell her." I cut across, "We'll be leaving in the next half hour and Pen and I are heading north with the group that's going that way. My gut tells me that's where they are."
"I don't like this one bit," Sam warned.
"There's only one thing I need you to do Sam." I looked at him, "Make sure everyone in the pack stays away from the forest and sticks in groups of five." I looked at my old man, "Dad, I want no one going anywhere alone. I want a curfew at six and only border patrol out and tight. No one leaves and no one enters."
"I can do that." He stated.
"Pen," I turned to my Beta, "Go help Charlotte sort the supplies while I find out what's going on with those guys that turned up dead on the border patrol."
She nodded and left with her father and brother.
My dad turned to me and pulled me in for a hug, "You find him and bring him back in one piece, you hear? I want to kick his ass for putting you through this."
I wanted to laugh at what he said but I didn't have it in me. The only emotions I felt was guilt, sadness and anger.
"He'll be okay, I know it. He's strong." My dad placed a kiss on the top of my head, "Be safe kiddo or else your mother will kill me."
I nodded my head and without another word, we parted as I headed straight for the room next to the infirmary. It wasn't a morgue but it was where the doctor did any required autopsy. Kitara was every kind of specialist, including a forensic pathologist.
Holding my breath, I entered the cold room where she was examining one of the corpses of the border patrol. Off to the left corner of the room, Joana, the pack's forensic scientist was peering down at something through a microscope.
"Kit, did you find anything yet?" I asked.
She looked up at me and nodded before laying down her scalpel and lowering her face mask.
"The nasal passages of all three bodies were coated with a certain type of coarse powder made from stone. From the color, I assumed it was silver but Joana took the samples of the rock fragments under the microscope and found out that it's hypersthene." She informed me as we walked over to Joana.
"Hypersthene?" I questioned in confusion. Didn't ring any bells.
"It's a natural rock." Joana quipped without looking up at us. "It's usually found in rocks that change because of heat and pressure and sometimes in meteorites. They must have crushed it up into a rough powder and threw it in faces of the patrol."
"Do you know why?"
"I think I figured it out." Finn came rushing through the door with two books in his hand. He turned one around and showed us a very long paragraph.
"Summarize Finn." I hurried him up.
"While hypersthene is a rock, many people consider it to be a crystal as well. According to this book, the healing properties of it is usually to protect the user from chaos, overthinking and other external factors that create a noisy environment." He explained.
"And?" Kitara looked at him expectantly.
"And, that basically means it can protect someone from external noises like a pack link. The properties are meant to create a quiet space and being connected to a pack, with mind link, it isn't exactly solitude."
"But those are just superficial beliefs on the 'healing properties' of crystals." Joana rolled her eyes.
"That's what I thought, but I found this book on ancient wolf artifacts" He opened up the second book and showed us a picture of a rock that was metallic gray and brown and another that looked that a bracelet made up of black beads. "It says that the tribes back in the day used hypersthene to temporarily disconnect from the pack when they wanted to a day of silence. They made them into bracelets when one of the Alphas wanted to shut himself off from the pack. No one has used it for centuries so who knows if this is real."
"I knew you being a nerd would come in handy," I muttered as my mind made sense of this ancient substance.
He smiled, "Books hold the answers to pretty much most wolf stuff."
Kit shrugged before going back to the body, "I'll try to remove as much of the rock fragments as possible and have someone track down some hypersthene online so we can test it out."
"But don't let this information get to anyone else in the pack, Kitara and Joana." I alpha commanded them both.
They nodded in understanding. No one has given me a reason to say that they're working with the rogues but I didn't want to risk this rock information getting into the wrong hands. But heck, the rogues already knew about it and I probably should have dedicated my time at the library.
As the two scientists got back to work, Finn and I walked out of the cold room.
"You're going them, aren't you." He stated instead of asked.
"I can't leave him alone out there," I grunted in response.
He nodded, "I know and I'm going with you."
"Finn it's dangerous."
"When have I ever not followed you into battle?" He asked.
"Never." I sighed.
"Exactly. Callum and I may not be friends, but he's your mate which makes him important to me. Besides June's out there too and we've all been friends since we were kids. I'm coming along because you have no idea what you're going up against." He said with finality.
"Fine, but we leave in fifteen minutes." I gave up. We could honestly use as much help as possible if those rogues turn out to be too much for us.
He nodded and I headed up the stairs to grab something I've been meaning to give Callum. Turning to my room, I reached under my bed and grabbed the gun that he almost shot me with. I was going to put it in the Crypt but figured I give him it back after I realized he wasn't a threat anymore.
He never was a threat.
All the silver bullets were still intact and I was going to use them to kill the ones who took my mate and June. I could easily rip their throats out but the silver will ensure their last moments were utter hell.
Walking out of my room, I stopped in front of Cal's bedroom door where there was a burnt spot from one of our heated make-out sessions.
I opened the door and shivered at the emptiness which only squished my heart with an iron grip. The wind was knocked out of my body and I felt tears welling up in my eyes.
Quickly blinking them away, I shut the door and marched back down the stairs. I didn't have time to cry and I never did cry anyways.
I was probably five when I shed my last tear and now that Callum was away from me, I couldn't waste time over tears.
"Ev." Taelyn knocked into me as I reached the bottom step. Her arms wrapped around me and I noticed Thor hovering behind her with an indistinguishable expression.
"You'll get him back wouldn't you?" Thor asked me as his wild eyes met my own.
I reached out and ruffled his hair, "Don't worry, I'll bring him back in one piece."
"And you?" Tae asked me as she pulled back and I saw tears on her cheeks, "You need to get back here in one piece."
"Do you think I'll actually not come back to pester you two?" I tried to lighten the mood for them.
Thor stepped closer with a hard expression, "We're not joking around Ev, you better get back here. Alive."
"Thor's right. You better be careful or we'll make mom and dad ground you." Tae poked my arm.
"Alpha or not." Thor agreed.
They didn't say it in so many words, but I knew they were telling me they cared. Just as Cal said.
"I'll be alright guys, I promise." I tried to give them a smile but it came out wonky, "Take care of each other and stay out of the woods, alright?"
My siblings nodded their heads but before I could go to the backyard, Tae pulled me back and removed a ribbon from her hair.
"You might need something to carry that around with." She glanced at my gun.
I accepted the piece of material, "Thanks Tae."
'Protect your brother alright.' I mind linked her and her eyes sparkled in determination.
'I will.'
With one last glance at the pair, I walked out to the backdoor where about fifty wolves all grouped together. I noticed Charlotte and Max standing with Pen and the group going with us.
"If you think I wasn't going with you, then you're clearly wrong," Char said.
"And where she goes, I go." Max shrugged.
We didn't have time to argue over this so I just nodded, "Thank you."
"We'll get him back, you know it deep down, that he'll be alright," Char whispered.
I really freaking hope so or else I don't know what I'd do.
Finn joined our group as we all shifted. Char helped secured the gun to front leg before shifting into her wolf.
Heading to the front of the group, I let out a loud growl which signaled to everyone that it was time to leave.
I took off into a sprint with Pen at my side and the seven others following behind us.
The only thing on my mind was, will we make it in time?
A/N
Chapter Update: Wednesday-ish?
Holy sheeeeet! So no news of Callum and June yet but I wonder where they are? Or if they're alive? 👀
Maybe next chapter we'll know? Who knows...
Also hypersthene! I'm actually proud of myself for creating that in terms of the werewolf world, it does exist in real life though. 🤣🤣🤣
Song: Maldito - Alone Made of Ice
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-Shania. 🐾