Kael
I walked out of the tent before I did something I would regret.
My wolf was a snarling mess in my head, furious I had left her. He demanded I go back and claim what was rightfully mine. The bond tugged at my chest and it grew more stubborn with every step I took away from her.
"Shut it." I hissed silently.
My wolf ceased his incessant whining.
I continued, "Something is strange here. She didn't feel it."
"What are you talking about? She did!" he bit back. "And you know it!"
I stopped in my tracks, grimacing.
"Not like that," I grumbled, speaking out loud this time.
The bond should have been mutual. Instant. She should have felt the same overwhelming certainty I had felt. But hers wasn't as sudden. That was the frustrating and annoying element. The part I couldn't even handle. She clearly did not feel the bond the same way I did. There had been no recognition, just her power reacting, wild and uncontrolled.
And she had looked at me with mostly fear and confusion.
"I felt it. The bond is there," my wolf hissed, "Why are you downplaying it?"
"Enough!"
"Kael."
I turned.
Ila briskly approached me, her dark eyes sharp with questions she was too smart to ask outright. My second beta was more forthright than the other one, whom I had left behind in the capital to oversee the territory in my absence.
They could both read me better than most.
Better than I wanted Ila to especially.
"Don't," I clipped as she opened her mouth to talk. Her lips clamped shut and I started making my way towards the center of the camp where my tent was.
Ila fell in step beside me.
"Have those three give her some of the game. I don't think she has had anything to eat yet," I said.
Her short shaggy hair bounced as she nodded. "Yes, I had already notified them of that when you went into the tent."
"Good."
"Kael…" Her tone shifted, concerned. "No one is complaining, but while everyone is surprised you brought a lone wolf to camp, I am worried. She does not smell like anything we are familiar with. And I am sure the other pack members would sense it too the moment we return back to the capital. The girls also noticed a strange pendant on her. What if she is from the other side?"
My jaw twitched. "She has something I want."
And until I was certain about this bond, no one else was to know of it.
"I see… Forgive me, but you seemed so agitated after seeing her…"
I quickened my pace, and her voice faltered as I increased the distance between us and walked into the dark tent. She followed close behind. I grimaced and stopped, resting my hands on my hips. Ila immediately halted at the entrance, her shoulders rigid.
"Everything is fine, Ila," I grumbled, "I have very important use for her. In regards to your question, the pendant is familiar. That young woman isn't from that place."
"Oh… I understand."
I relaxed my arms and turned around to face her. "I will address whatever concerns the others might have about her. She will be joining the pack."
Ila's eyes widened in shock. "My Lord, she… this is a lone wolf. One from another Supreme Alpha's territory to be precise. Even if she wasn't, this is usually acceptable in any other pack but yours. And you usually do not make exceptions."
"I will handle it," I said flatly.
"Kael—"
My eyes heated up in a subtle glow that made her flinch. "I said I will handle it, Ila. My decision is final."
Ila took a step back and lowered her gaze, but her expression remained troubled.
How do you tell your Beta that you'd found your mate, and she had no idea she was yours?
Something wasn't adding up.
"Ila."
Her head perked up, her hair shifting at the sudden movement. "Sir?"
"Mobilise Darius and Ton. You'll all be going to the border with me."
She looked surprised. "We have already carried out the inspection for this zone—"
"She is from one of the border packs in Palisa's domain, and appeared to be running away from something or someone when I found her. And I for one, do not want any wolves crossing this neutral zone or sniffing around our borders."
[-]
I lurked between the trees, my presence entirely shrouded from others at the border. My white fur had shimmered into a dark black that matched the shadows of the woods, an old trick only Supreme Alphas could master. It offered even more concealment.
As I had expected, I didn't have to come close to even sense the Shadowpine wolves lurking at the border markers. And there they remained for quite a while before venturing into the neutral zone. They did have a right to be cautious, after all this neutral zone in particular separated two nations.
Upon sending the three to tackle the foreign wolves, I lingered closeby.
Watching.
Listening.
And sensing the bloodthirst they emanated morph into fear as Ila and the other two made themselves known.
"I do not like that. Pull every information you can about it," I hissed at Ila through the mental link.
"Yes sir," she responded, her body shifting as she morphed into her human form.
One of them shifted in turn, raising his hands in a show of non-aggression.
"You are getting very close to Fresna," Ila addressed the figure.
An older man with a striking scar on his face.
"I promise, we had no intentions to intrude. We are still in the neutral zone," he said, his arms still raised.
"You should be aware of the routine patrols along the neutral zones separating nations. Your bloodthirst was too sharp to ignore. No one hunts in the neutral zone in packs. Who are you looking for?" Irritation began to creep into Ila's voice. "If it's a dangerous rogue wolf that has snuck into our nation through this zone, we would need to look into it. They might just as easily creep into Fresna."
Alarm flashed across his face. He lowered his arms. "Yes. We are looking for someone."
My wolf and I shuddered with hungry excitement.
I knew perfectly well who they were looking for.