Chapter 48: War
Aiden’s POV
‘Stay close, no one will fight alone!’
My black wolf stands proud along with my pack of wolves. Nick’s brown wolf stands on my right, completely on guard. We were scattered in the middle of the land. I let the guards stoop down their positions at the border, giving chance for Ravenous wolves to enter the land and start their attack. But I kept guards around the community for the safety of our females and pups.
My pack is way stronger. In strength and in number. They don’t stand a chance to us. Elon shouldn’t have dared to.
Ashira’s safe with Seth and Zeke at the Ancestral. I assigned fighters around the house for her protection, too. Though I knew Seth could handle it well, not to mind, but Zeke adds with-
“Oh, yeah! I love wars!”
I snapped my head on my left and saw Zeke standing there on his human form. What.the.fuck? Why is this guy here?
I wanted to curse at him but since he’s not from my pack, and I’m in my wolf, I can’t communicate with him.
He looked at me with wide smile which eventually faded when I growled at him. He rolled his eyes at me. “What? My claws need to be stained, too.”
I sighed inside my head. Its alright, Seth can protect Ashira alone anyway.
I ignored him and waited. I could hear the sound of huge paws running to our direction. They’re getting near.
‘Why is the rogue on our side, Alpha Aiden?’ one of the wolf asked.
‘Don’t mind the rogue. Prepare for battle, kill the Ravenous wolves in sight. Don’t. Show. Mercy.’ I send the command to every wolves and they howl their prayers to the Moon for guidance.
It’s dark, but our eyes are used to it. We’re at territory, having the full knowledge of every corner of our land is an advantage to us. A huge disadvantage to them.
My black wolf is shaking and growling, thrilled to taste blood, to torn an enemy in half. One particular enemy to be exact. Reflecting the emotions I feel, wanting to revenge the things I seek refuge of.
Afar, I saw it. A hundred army of wolves running to our direction, prepared, without any hesitation of our numbers.
‘Hundred? Pfft. Is this a joke?’ Nick said in our mind.
We are thrice their number, ready for them. This war hasn’t started yet but the result is clear.
We’ll win this easy.
When Ravenous’ army of wolves reached the certain distance where a clearing is perfect for battle, I howled my command to attack. Loud, echoing through the forest, reaching any living. Haunting the enemy, strengthening the allies.
The growl an Alpha would give to start a war, to charge up the adrenaline of his army.
‘Attack!’
My army of wolves run forward, meeting the enemy with their sharp fangs and claw. I run past the rest, snapping the head of the first enemy who tried to claw me. My wolf watched the poor beheaded body shift back to its human form. Loud howl roared and the rest of the pack took their turn to kill the trespassers.
‘Have each others back, no one of ours will die tonight,’ I growled. “Only them.”
Everything was fast. Wolf heads of the enemy flies everywhere, its not a fair fight, one Ravenous wolf versus three of mine. It adds up when they kill one, jumping from the dead wolf to another breathing enemy.
I let my wolves attack, I know how well they can take down these weaklings. They’re making me proud from proving themselves. Nick kept his place beside me, we both had the same thought.
Our wolves could take them down easily.
I run past them, looking for a particular person. One who I thought would lead out front but not. Where is he? At the back? He’s a coward so that’s where he’ll position himself.
But no, I can’t even smell his old rotten scent.
‘Where is that bastard!?’
‘You don’t think this is another of his pranks?’ Nick questioned.
No. This is not a prank but something is off.
‘He sent half of his wolf for us to kill, Nick. This is war.’
Low growls and huffing can be heard around us. The noise of pain, strength and blood has faded together with the lives of the enemies.
Only my army stands and the rest has fallen.
“Oh, this one right there still breathes, huh.” it was Zeke. He fought in his human form, he didn’t mind to shift since he saw our advantage.
He was about to get closer to the poor foe, gasping and scared for his life. The Ravenous soldier is still young, too young. He has shifted on his human, showing the weakness of his wolf, closing to meet the darkness.
I shifted and stopped Zeke from killing the boy. “Wait.” he halted.
“Ohh. Naked Alpha boy.” Zeke tried to sound humorous but I ignored him. Nick shifted as well as he look around the war field.
I walked closer to the boy laying helplessly on the ground. “Where’s your Alpha?” I said in my commanding Alpha voice.
The boy opened his mouth to speak but lood came off from his mouth, it flowed thick and red on his chin and neck, choking himself in the process.
“W-We…j-just…” he coughed but I can see in his eyes that he wants to say something, he’s willing to say something. They are just what?
“What?’ my teeth snarled, getting impatient yet was left with no choice but to wait.
The poor boy coughed and more blood gushed out of his mouth. The slit on his throat made it harder for him to speak and I knew he’s going to die soon.
Nick knelt beside the boy, too. All three of us waits to hear what the poor Ravenous soldier was trying to say.
He coughed over and over again.I watched him suffer as darkness tries and pull him to his death.
When I figured he was not able to survive, I sighed and stood up. He won’t be able to add any more words, anyway.
“D-De-”
I stopped and turned to him again. Looking down at him as he tries and speak.
“What’s the boy saying?” I ignored Zeke, Nick kept kneeling in front of the boy, waiting for more information but the lad has his eyes on me.
His focus was on me, he wanted to tell me something.
“D-Dec-Decoys.”
My eyes widened but before the boy speak more, he breathe out his last breath as darkness took him.
They were just decoys. I heard it right and clear. I’m not weakened, I’m far from failing war strategies and I’m sure this attack is a war.
I looked around, trying to see what I failed to perceive. There is nothing different with the wars I knew and seen. Numerous count of dead body laid down halved or chopped and bloody everywhere.
I didn’t notice it at first, I didn’t see it through. But its there. What I failed to notice is just in front of my eyes, slapping an unexpected strategy straight to my face.
“They are all pups.” I said the observation that slide my sight. I sighed and screwed my eyes shut.
Nick stood beside me and looked around. Zeke did the same.
“Oh, no.” Nick hissed.
“Hm, explained their weakness.” Zeke said, unaware and numb of the situation.
It was hard to see their maturity while in their wolf form but now its clear, they are all a pup, someone you wouldn’t send to war.
The wolves Elon sent was beginners. Around the age of the shifters I sent for basic training, the ones taking advanced upbringing. They are all a pup to me.
“No high ranks, No experienced wolves.” I observed.
Elon fucking used his mind in a wrong way. AGAIN.
“They are just a decoy. That’s what the boy said.” Nick knelt and touch one of the dead body. “Their blood were thick and cold, afraid inside. Not the usual hot-boiled blood of someone eager to kill. The attack was made because of an Alpha’s command, an order they can’t bent.”
“Ugh. Pack’s are the worst.” Zeke murmured when he gets it.
Elon wasted the future of these boys to cover something, and he’s not even here. His presence is nowhere in my land, nor other wolves from his pack. I knew because my nerve is connected with every soil of my territory. No other trespassers. So for what does these boys stands decoy for?
My head kept thinking of the probabilities. Decoy… For what?
“Listen.” I said out loud, taking the attention of my wolves. “Burn the bodies and patrol the area. Don’t let your guard down, this war is not finish.” they obliged. “Not. Yet.” I whispered through my teeth.
The wolves nodded their head, howling. Some shifted in their human form, the rest stayed in their wolf.
“I’ll head to the Ancestral. Something is not right with this.” I started walking but got distracted when the rogue spoke warily.
“What?” Zeke blurted, making me turn towards him. His eyes are dilated, means he is talking with someone inside his head. He’s not from a pack, so it must be his mother that he could mind-link with.
He looked at me after a while, his expression was unreadable and I cringe from what message got through him. I don’t know it yet but it made my chest pumped, an instinct I could only feel when Ashira is involve.
“Mother found your Gamma’s body covered in blood.” he paused, listening to their mindlink. “And some of your guards laying on the ground, dead, no, fallen asleep.”
I shiver from his news. I don’t want to think it is real but when I tried and reach Ashira’s mind, its as if she’s nowhere to be found. Like she don’t exist at all.
She’s barred, concealed, again. Like the first time.
This is not right.
I shifted on my wolf and started running home, I need to see it. I need to see her! I need to know if she’s safe because I can’t fucking get to her!
Why didn’t I receive any message from Seth if they’re under attack? That’s not the only question I have, the fact that even Seth and the guards surrounding the Ancestral were concealed and unreachable messes with my head!
Zeke ran beside me in his human form. Nick following on our trail, not able to keep up with our speed.
“Your mate is nowhere to be found, too, mother said.” Zeke added and I growled loud. I don’t need him to say that because I already can’t connect our link, and if he’s saying that then Ashira is gone for real!
Fuck!
I galloped faster, outrunning Zeke and Nick behind. My head kept reaching out to Ashira but I can’t feel her. I can’t fucking sense her at all! Not through mind-link, not through our bond, I can’t even fucking smell or sense her at my territory!
Just like when Zeke took her! This feels just like that but the only thing that stir my system is that my mate is in danger this time!
This is Elon’s plan! This is what his young army stands decoy for!
But why would he take my mate? To mess with me? To weaken me? That fucking bastard! I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU, ELON!
“Do you think she was taken? Did anyone found out about Ashira’s abnormality?” It was Nick who asked.
Wait!
Did he found out about her abnormality? Did he knew my mate was a stealer? What-
My legs slowed down as realization hit me. Elon’s mate had died, and Ashira is a stealer. He found her. He came for her. He fucking knew! Did he?
But how!?
I felt my chest will explode, tearing into tiny little pieces. My wolf was angered, terrified as it looked up to the moon. My wolf is hurting, its threefold longing for his mate and that only means he lost connection with Ashira’s wolf, too!
Howling, it calls for her wolf. It calls for his mate. It prayed for the Moon Goddess to bring back what was his and I can’t control him, I fucking can’t take back my wolf’s emotion grasped under my power!
Fuck! My wolf’s Alpha is taking charge, overpowering my sanity as human!
I can hear voices around me as my wolf continues to howl in agony, calling for our mate. My wolf’s focus has gotten hard to control, it was drowned with our loneliness as if its mate had died.
Fuck! No! Ashira is alive! This is just another potion! I can’t feel that I lost my half, I’m worried, incredibly unease, but I don’t feel she’s dead.
Damn, the thought itself makes a mess inside me!
Nick tries to call me, calling my name. He has shifted on his human and was standing in front of me in a safe distance. My wolf has stopped and just continues to howl like a mindless dog and I tried my best to tame him!
This is not me. I’m an Alpha and I can’t let my wolf weaken me! I’m of James’ blood, my father, the true strength of an Alpha. I need to overpower my wolf or else I’ll go limp and watch it cry over and over!
“Aiden! Fuck! Get a hold of yourself!”
I’m trying, you fucker!
I know my wolf won’t listen to me at this point and the only thing to stop him was to shut him off for a while. But how could I save Ashira if I’ll make my wolf sleep in a deep slumber?
No. This is not the time to shut him off.
Complete control of one’s wolf is a lifelong practice. I thought I had, but with what’s happening right now, it turns out that the mate bond can surely mess with what I had trained to be.
“What’s happening to that dog?” Zeke asked. I could hear them but my wolf couldn’t.
“He’s losing control of his wolf. Aiden!”
“I thought he’s an Alpha.”
“He is, dumbhead! His wolf felt the absence of their mate. Its the mate bond messing with him right now. You should fight your wolf, Aiden!”
“Oh. And I thought packs’ are the worst.”
I know I should fought my wolf through this but fuck! I did it easily before, but its so hard to do right now! It’s like my wolf had no connection with me at all but to our mate solely!
Wait. No.
No, I’m unconsciously longing, worrying and scared which affects the link I have with my wolf, adding on his. The feelings had multiplied which made it hard for me to put my grip to our power. I’m angered but I don’t sense anger from my wolf’s emotions right now which only means he cares for none other than its mate.
No, I can’t be this way or else my wolf won’t think of anything to avenge this.
I concentrated on my pulse, the sound of it echoed in my ears as I tries to focus my head.
Calm down, Aiden. Fucking calm down.
I tranquil my thoughts, freeing my mind from every disturbance.
I kept repeating these phrase over and over in my head.
‘Tame your wolf so you can have every power you’ll need to save Ashira.’
The sound of waters gushing like heavy flood became a serene sound of water drops. I exhaled and opened my eyes as I ordered my wolf to back down because I’ll shift back to my human.
And I did.
“Thank Heaven.” Nick breathed.
“That took long.”
I was huffing like I fought with a hundred army all by myself. This is the fucking first time that I lose control over my wolf aside from when I was fifteen.
Fuck. I need to find Ashira now!
Nick walked close to me in a slow careful move. Afraid that my wolf might get accelerated once more.
“Aiden. Are you calm?”
I nodded my head though I knew I don’t seem at peace by now. My eyes are narrowed and my heart beats like crazy through my chest.
I closed my eyes and Ashira’s angelic smile was what I captured. My chest burned and ached that I can’t stop itching to kill every Ravenous wolf I will see.
I gathered myself and exhaled, balancing the emotions as hard as I can.
“Let’s head home and plan.”
"What happened, Mother?” Zeke went to Z waiting in front of the Ancestral.
I looked around and through the bushes I can see some wolf guards fallen into deep sleep.
“Aiden!” Nick called inside the house. I run to him and closed my eyes upon seeing Seth laying on the floor, drowned in blood.
My nose flared in anger when I saw Seth almost dead, and the fact that there’s only a faint smell of Ashira around the house added to it.
I went to see Seth’s body. He was clawed in his chest and stomach, bruises are visible on his face down to his neck and arms. My Gamma fought a strong wolf, and not just one, I presume.
“I made him drink a healing potion but his wounds are too deep.” Zynia said.
“He’s barely breathing. Bring him to the clinic and call the pack doctor to tend to him first.”
Nick and Zeke immediately took action, leaving me and Zynia alone.
“What happened here?” I asked, my lips trembled through the words. The house is a mess, a forced entrance has obviously occurred.
And its so quiet than how it really is. Like it misses half of my world.
“I don’t know the whole of it. When I went up, I saw your Gamma on the floor like that. I didn’t saw anyone and Luna Ashira was nowhere in the house.” Zynia explained with worry and panic.
“You didn’t hear anything?” I’m starting to think ill about Zynia. She’s just at the basement, she’ll clearly hear a thing. Any thing.
“I fell asleep, too but the effect of the potion was only for a short time because I got the blood of a stealer and-”
I snapped my head to her. “Potion?”
“Yes, Alpha Aiden. I believe someone used a sleeping smoke potion around the house. That explains the guards outside in slumber.”
I eyed her for a second. Is this woman telling the truth?
“Should I believe you?”
“I owe my life to you, Alpha Aiden. I won’t harm you or your mate. She’s one of us, a good kind. I have no reason to betray you or your people.”
“Seth clearly fought. He don’t have the blood of your kind. He didn’t fell asleep, how could you explain that?’
Zynia gulped hard that I heard it. My forehead creased from how her face turned into a worrier expression.
“What!” I snapped when she took her time in silence. She looked like she’s observing me, thinking if she should speak or not.
“A-Actually, this is what I was trying to say earlier. Luna Ashira, she-she’s pregnant.”
My jaw dropped and a high-pitched sound haunt my ears like tinnitus. I was shaken once more, the tiny little pieces that shattered inside my chest has been pulverized.
I felt numb that I can’t feel my feet, making my body stumble and leaning on the wall.
“A pregnant stealer can protect herself and those she wanted to protect near her, but unconsciously. The changes you said to me are also the symptoms of pregnancy of our kind but-”
I didn’t heard the rest of what she’s saying.
My Ashira was taken by a mateless wolf and she’s carrying my child!
“Alpha Aiden, if I was right, I think I heard Seth utter Ravenous Alpha Elon’s name before he fell senseless.”
I snapped my head at her upon hearing the bastard’s name.
ELON!
“I-I’m afraid Alpha Elon’s mate was dead. Luna Ashira is pregnant and the pup in her womb will protect her but also weaken the bond between you two.”
My head is floating and I can’t follow what she’s trying to say to me. Does it matter? She’s not with me, she’s in possible danger and God knows what Elon will do to her!
“I’ll take her back to me.”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant, Alpha Aiden.” I knotted my forehead. “The mate bond will be weak. Have you heard that stealers can be stolen?”
I stiffened.
“If Elon has enough knowledge about this, your mate might be stolen like she didn’t met you. At all.”
I never thought a world could be destroyed in just a day but for me, at this very moment, mine just got crushed.
***
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