Chapter 39: Chapter Thirty-Eight: Guilty Nightmare

Alexander Lykos

I clenched my jaw in frustration as we walked to the forest. We were not covering as much ground as I had hoped, having to stop at every sound and hide... hoping that it was not a scout team from Blackwater sent by Damien to do the same mission as we were. The inability to track them by scent was extremely nerve-racking as it left us vulnerable and forced us to advance at a snail's pace.

"Do you have a plan to scout out Blackwater? Or were you just going to charge in like a raging bull?"

"Angel has got a point, Xander. Breaking into the pack undetected is going to be hard enough, but moving around undetected? That might be almost impossible with all of Damien's forces crawling around the place."

I gave a small chuckle and reached down to grab a fistful of mud, Amelia huffing in amusement as she caught my train of thought.

"Wolves have masking their scents long before Damien concocted his little miracle. My plan is that we cover ourselves in mid the moment we cross the Blackwater border, and only then. Our kind are to tell the difference between the earth where their pack stands and anywhere else, that is why we are able to differentiate our own. The mud from Blackwater land should be a good cover... and it is the best we got."

We stared at each other for a moment before I threw the mud back to the ground and pushed forward, Amelia padding to my side.

*"We will find Sapphire and the rest of our family, Xander. Don't lose hope."*

"Sapphire has the highest chance, out of all of them, of being left alive... but what state will he leave her in, Amelia? He might leave some of our own alive, but his mark will remain for the rest of their lives. Sapphire screamed and cried almost every night since she had escaped, her physical body might have healed but her mind... he scarred it and she has to carry it forever."

Blood dripped from my hands as I thought of that monster and everything he had put Sapphire through, my claws digging deeper into the palm of my hand. However, before any blood could hit the ground, Amelia licked at the wound, her eyes closing in disgust. Angel must have seen the look on her face as she was at my side with a small cloth at the ready.

"Thank you."

I nodded apologetically at Amelia as I tied the cloth around the wound to prevent the blood from flowing freely. Amelia's lips curled back to bare her fangs as her tongue hung out of her mouth.

*"Control yourself, Xander! We might still be in your territory, but once we are out of it... we become sitting ducks in unfamiliar territory, and the scent of your blood is not going to help!"*

With that she shuddered as she drew her tongue back into her mouth before turning on me to venture forward, crawling under the foliage to camouflage herself as a Werecat would immediately raise suspicions. Angel gave me a small smile before following Amelia and Jared clapped a hand on my shoulder.

"I think we really need a change of pace."

My claws sunk into the hard flesh of the tree as I stablised myself, Angel landing soundlessly against the tree next to me. The both of us had decided to use the trees to move faster through the mountains as well as to get a better view of the surroundings. Jared and Amelia took to the ground, weaving through bushes and boulders to avoid detection.

*"We know these mountains like the back of our hands, Xander, but it is going to take at least a day to get through the mountains, and another day's travel to get to Blackwater's borders."*

I sighed as I looked down at Jared who was snaking through a hollowed out fallen log. We had trekked through the mountains since we were children, and knew every nook and cranny, but... constantly having to make sure that we were not being followed or detected, and having to tip toe to avoid making any noise greatly slowed us down.

And to make things worst, the Sun was starting to set. On any other day, the darkness would have provided the perfect cover for us to move undetected, but now, it tilted favour in the hands of Damien's forces who were already undetectable in the day. Every bone in my body wanted to keep on going to get Sapphire back into my arms and return the missing members to their families, but we would be worse off if we were caught.

*"We need to make camp for the night, it is too dangerous to continue moving."*

*"We can't afford to lose the time, Xander!"*

*"Amelia, Damien used his resources to allow his pack to move through this very area in broad daylight, I'd hate to fathom what they could do under the cover of night. Now, you and Jared start to scout through all our usual safe spots for the night while Angel and I will secure a perimeter."*

*"Got it, Xander."*

Jared gently nudged Amelia to follow him while Angel and I covered their backs, alerting them if the spot they were scoping out had openings that were susceptible to an attack, or could be easily spotted. It took us a few hours before we finally found a safe spot to send the night.

It was a small opening between two boulders that had a curtain of ivy to prevent us from being spotted from the front, and another large rock to limit detection from the back... not the most spacious place, but it was the best one out of the rest.

My fingers dug into the earth as I leaped from my place in the trees, Angel following suite beside me.

"We will have to spend the night in the cold, I don't want to risk starting a fire."

Jared sneezed and shook his fur.

"At least we came equipped."

The cold night air sent a shiver down my spine, my thick coat barely keeping me warm. I had picked a spot at the mouth of our little den so that I would be the first to know if we were being surrounded.

My eyelids felt heavy as I struggled to stay awake, the stress and exhaustion from the past few days starting to take its toll on me. I tried my best to fight the embrace of fatigue, but soon fell into its warm hold.

*I smiled at path in front of us as we drew closer to the gates of Avarelia , it had taken us a few months but we were finally home from negotiations and I could not wait to see Rose again.*

*"I know that smile well, my Brother. I just hope Rose has missed that ugly mug of yours as much as you have missed her sweet face, because I know I would not have if I was your wife."*

*The soldiers behind me snickered at Orion's remark, while Maxwell just shook his head, causing me to smile before giving my brother a hard shove which almost knocked him off his saddle. Their laughter silenced immediately as we the gates became visible... the soldiers in charge of the gate were running around the walls in a panic and there was smoke snaking into the sky. I tighten my feet around my horse's midsection to spur it on.*

*"Open the gates!"*

*There was utter chaos the wall patrol crashed into each other as they spotted us, trying their best to get the gates opened for us.*

*I gripped the hilt of my sword as the portcullis rose up slowly, anticipating enemy soldiers to come running our, but there were none. The only ones who came running out were my own people, they rushed to my side as soon as they saw me.*

*"Your Majesty, you have to save them!"*

*"The fires just started, everything is burning!"*

*A myriad of voices spoke at once, leaving me barely able to register any information they were spouting in panic. There was some movement in the crowd before the soldier in charge of the wall shoved his way forward.*

*"The fire started from the castle, Your Majesty, and someone must have then set the barns alight. The drawbridge has been drawn up, and we are making little progress with the battering ram, leaving us unable to get all of its occupants out--"*

*I did not let him finish rushing through the gates, the thought of Rose trapped in the burning castle filling my heart with dread.*

*"Orion, take a group and start putting out the fires in the village and comb through to make sure no one was left in those houses. Maxwell, take a group and head to the fields."*

*Xander, we can't--"*

*"I will take my personal guard with me, Maxwell, and I am the only one who knows how to get into the castle without the drawbridge."*

*The both of them reluctantly nodded before we went our separate ways. I looked around in horror as my kingdom was up in flames, coughing as smoke filled my lungs. The person who had started this had better pray that he dies before I get my hands on him.*

*"To the back!"*

*We circled around my castle walls before I leapt off my horse, feeling around the stone before I felt the larger crack between them and started to throw my body against it. My guard leapt off their horses to help me, it took a few tries before the stone crumbled away, revealing a small passage into the castle.*

*We walked through the musty passage before I pushed away the fake stone that covered the exit, and the sight that greeted me caused my heart to sink.*

*All my servants laid before me dead, their glassy eyes staring up at the ceiling while their blood continue to pour... soaking their clothes. Instinctively, I drew my sword and walked around their bodies... this could not be the work of just one person.*

*"Henry, go and get Maxwell and Orion immediately, the rest of us, start to search the place for intruders. Francis and Ronald, follow me."*

*"Yes, Sir!"*

*We walked through the hallway, stepping over even more bodies that had been cut down... my heart sinking further and further as I thought of Rose... each new body diminishing my hope of finding her alive bit by bit.*

*I had almost lost hope before a scream caused me to start running. I knew that scream, and it came from my chambers... she might still be alive."*

*I finally reach my chambers and kicked my door in, my fist clenching tighter around my sword at what I saw.

*Stephen was standing at the side of my bed while Rose sat on it, her eyes red with tears as she tried to cover herself up... her face bruised and battered. I let out a scream as I charged towards Stephen, my sword raised... only for a sharp pain to erupt from my abdomen and Rose began to scream.*

*I looked down and saw a sword jutting out of my belly, staggering, I turned to see the smiling faces of my two guards.*

*"Oh dear Brother, your belief in loyalty is admirable, but I have to remind you that we live in a world where money triumphs everything. None of your guard is going to help you."*

*I could feel my knees start to buckle, but the rage I felt in that moment took away the pain, and I swung my sword causing Francis to lose his head as he stood there in shock over my actions. Ronald, the one who had stabbed me, took a dagger from his belt and swung it at me but I managed to catch his hand and force the dagger between the slits in his helmet causing blood to spurt out onto my face. I released him causing him to fall to the ground in a heap before I turned my attention back onto to Stephen who had dragged Rose from the bed, a knife at her throat.*

*You took what belonged to me, Xander. Now... I am going to take everything from you, so you can experience what I have felt all these years. Long live the King"*

*With that last sentence, he raised his knife from Rose's neck. I tried to reach him before he could bring it down but I was not fast enough, and he plunged the blade into her belly causing her to scream.*

*He tossed her aside as I wrestled him to the ground, pounding my fist onto his face agina and again while he laughed.*

*"I could have given her everything she wanted, but you ruined everything. Her suffering is all on you, Xander!"*

*All my rage was channeled into my punches that I forgot to watch his hands that had already wrapped around my back and around the hilt of the sword that had stabbed me. I hunched over as he drew it out, my blood spilling all over his body. He laughed as he pushed my body aside, scratching heard as my armour made contact with the ground.*

*I watched through hazy vision as he stood up, wiping the blood from his face with a handkerchief. I tried to get up as he moved to Rose, who was whimpering and taking shallow breaths, blood pouring from her wound. He sighed as he surveyed her body before bending down.*

*Get away from her!*

*He ignored me before pressing a kiss on her forehead.*

*"I could have given you so much more... such a waste."*

*His attention then turned onto me as he stood up.*

*"A new era has begun, my King."*

*He scoffed at the title before turning to leave the room, slamming the door behind him. The flames were starting to creep up the walls of the room, the heat closing in on us. I winced as I started to drag my body to Rose's side, wrapping my arms around her as I stared into her green eyes for the last time.*

*"May we meet in our next life... I could not protect you now, but I will protect in the next."*

*She gave me a weak smile and raised a bloodied hand to my face, her fair hair and skin as well as green eyes turning dark.*

*"No, you did not."*

*I began to scream as the fire enveloped the both of us, its flames licked at my skin as her words sounded in my head again and again. I closed my eyes as the pain of the burns grew unbearable, but soon it all stopped.*

I opened my eyes to see myself standing in the Shadow Mountain forest, right in front of my parents' tree. I looked down at my skin, but it was free from any burns. My hands reached up to tear at my hair as I screamed for Sapphire... I could not fail her again.

"Hush, child. She is not here."