Chapter 14: Dangers Lurking In The Shadows

Zephyrus’ POV:

As I drove over the smooth snow-covered terrain to the pack house, I had a strange feeling of dread shrouding my mind. I could feel the restlessness Lena was going through. Would she defy me despite my threat? I couldn’t take the risk. I immediately connected with Stavros.

“Stav, can you arrange for some clothes for Lena?”

“Yes, but that might take some time. The stores don’t open so early, Zeph!” I shook my head vehemently. I didn’t have so much time. Would she escape in my shirt? No, I didn’t want anyone else to see her in that!

“No, borrow some clothes from someone and get them delivered to my house. Ask someone to bring Lena over to the pack house once she’s ready.”

“Fine. I’ll do that.” I disconnected the link and drove on.

I would never have left her alone if the meetings weren’t so important. Surely she would know I marked her so she couldn’t go far. I reached the pack house, where I found Leandros and Stavros waiting for me.

“Ready? Have the investors arrived?” I had a word with two companies from Yellowknife who were interested in investing in our village. They would collaborate with the Canadian Government to develop our rural hospital into a super-specialty unit. That would bring patients from the neighboring villages, since it would be the best in the area. Right now, the village economy depended on fishing, hunting, construction services and travel agencies. I wanted to restart my father’s flourishing construction business. Having inherited enormous sums of money from our extended family in Aromania, both Hera and I were financially secure. I wanted to put that money to good use and restart my father’s dream company.

“Not yet, Alpha,” informed Stavros.

“Have you arranged for what I asked you to do?” I asked Stavros, and he nodded.

“Who did you send?”

“Hazel.” I could see the color that crept to his cheeks at the mention of Hera’s best friend’s name. Hazel was our Gamma, Atlas’ daughter, who fled with us twenty years ago. Her mother, Carol, was an omega, but Gamma Atlas loved her immensely.

Hazel didn’t accompany us to Aromania, but went to live with her grandparents in Alaska. Despite everything, Hera and I always kept in touch with her. After our return here, Hera wanted to meet her. She came over to visit her for a short period only, but Stavros had other plans for Hazel, maybe.

I could depend on Hazel to bring Lena over. The investors arrived, and we got busy discussing the pressing issues at hand. I didn’t want to explore the mining sector as it would disrupt our peaceful lives. Mount Astral was rich in gold, uranium, and diamond mines. I had seen them while on my run, but I would never want the world here. I couldn’t rob my village of its natural resources.

For the next four hours, I didn’t have a moment of respite. Yet at the back of my mind, I was worried about Lena. I could feel a strange agitation deep inside me! But I couldn’t disrupt the meeting. It was important for the future of our pack. I didn’t want them to have a hand-to-mouth existence like earlier under Alpha Atticus’s rule. I wanted them to prosper, to earn their livelihood respectably.

After the investors left, I stretched my tired limbs and turned towards Stavros. I could feel a strange constriction in my heart while Zeus emitted a low growl of discomfort. I knew something was wrong.

“Have Hazel and Lena arrived?” I asked Stavros when he relaxed beside me with a satisfied smile hovering on his lips. The meeting went well, and we were hopeful about the future of Lucania, yet I couldn’t share his enthusiasm.

“I’ll check.” He left the conference room, and I packed up my laptop and papers back into my bag. It was time to take a break now. I wanted to go out with Lena on a lunch date! This romantic side of my nature amazed me! Was I really the same indomitable Zephyrus who had never been defeated? She was melting me!

“Zeph, they haven’t arrived yet. I mind-linked with Hazel. She gave some clothes to Lena, but she escaped,” announced Stavros, rushing into the room. I gaped at my Beta for a split second before his words registered in my brain.

Had Lena escaped again? Even after I threatened her, she escaped. Even after I marked her, she escaped! How did I not feel it? Had she blocked me? A wave of fury coursed through me again!

No wonder I was feeling so restless!

“Escaped? Where?” I handed my belongings to Stavros and headed towards the main door.

“Hazel said she’s left for Inuvik.” I frowned at the information, since I knew exactly what it entailed. It was almost a three-day hike on the opposite side of the Astral mountains, across Mount Richardson, through the Boreal forests into the town of Inuvik.

It was the most dangerous trail inhabited by Magnus, the most powerful vampire of our times. In his fourth century now, Magnus had been in a battle with my father. In his mortal life, Magnus had been a warlock. After my father killed him, he lost his magic and transformed into a vampire seeking my blood. I have been able to avoid combat with him so far but not for long. I wasn’t afraid of him, but I wanted my pack, my village, back first. Maybe after I strengthened my position here, built a powerful army, we could face Magnus. He usually possessed silver weapons that could be fatal for my pack. Silver did not affect me, just like it didn’t affect my father!

Long before my birth, Athena, the ancient Goddess of War, had blessed my father for his struggle to save his pack. Not only did he save his pack, but he always saved the innocent, even if they belonged to the enemy pack. He became the indomitable Alpha among all the Wolf-Shifter Alphas and reigned over the Shifter Council worldwide. Later, when he met my mother, he passed on his extraordinary characteristics to me. If Magnus hadn’t used sorcery and his crooked ploys to mix Wolfsbane in his food, he wouldn’t have been ill that night of the attack.

“Zeph, wait! I’m coming with you.” Stavros’ voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Then let’s do it the right way. Get a lighter or matchbox while I get dad’s sacred sword,” I instructed a clueless Stavros.

“Right.” He ran to the backside towards the vast kitchen and adjoining dining hall. Surely there would be matchboxes stashed away in the drawers. Apart from the meetings, the place also housed the homeless members of the pack who needed a place of their own to stay. Some of them who smoked had lighters too.

I dashed up the stairs to unlock my father’s room. I had it cleaned and preserved after I came to power. My gaze went around the room to the secret vault in the wall. Since childhood, my father had told us of its existence. I closed the door and went towards the lever behind the bed. The vault opened, and I took out the treasure chest that contained the sacred knife. It was a special gift to my father from Goddess Athena. He had used it once to kill Magnus. Now I would use it to decapitate Magnus and exterminate the vampire totally.

I carried the humongous sword out of the chest. Placing back everything the way it was, I walked out, locking the door after me. I was now prepared to rescue Lena from all the beings who roamed the path she took.

“Ready, Alpha? Let’s take my truck. It can move on all terrains.” I nodded, seeing Leandros too by his side. We made a formidable team, and I needed them right now.

We took Stavros’ car, driving through the snow-covered rugged paths towards Inuvik. I tried to mind-link with Lena, but strangely, she had shut me out. In fact, I couldn’t even feel her presence. I couldn’t get her fragrance anywhere! What was wrong with me? I had marked her, hadn’t I? Why couldn’t I seek her out?

“I just mind-linked with Hazel. She followed Lena to the peak of Mount Richardson, Zeph! I’m heading that way.” I felt agitated at the thought of something untoward happening to Lena. Why was she escaping me repeatedly? Why couldn’t she settle down with me? Couldn’t she feel the mate bond between us?

“Ask her to keep following Lena. We will soon catch up and rescue them,” I urged Stavros.

“Hazel has lost sight of Lena completely now.” It wasn’t a good sign, and I tried hard to sense her whereabouts as the truck whizzed past the rugged terrain.

“We have to rescue her before nightfall!” said Leandros. They all knew what lurked in that trail during the night. I might be immune to Magnus, but Lena wasn’t.

“Hopefully, she won’t be able to go far. She hasn’t recovered completely, right?” asked Stavros hopefully.

“She hasn’t, but I’m amazed that she reached the peak of Mount Richardson so quickly.”

“Do you think she’s possessed? She survived your attack without needing your magic potion. She survived my torture in the prison. With only a night’s rest, how did she have the energy to escape? How did she cover a three-day hike in minutes?” asked Leandros while we gaped at him.