Chapter 91: CATCHING A RAT

THIRD PERSON'S POV.

In no time, Logan had shown up with Audrey, and Ryan had quickly broken down things for them.

"That bastard's tyranny should be brought to an end today." Audrey muttered, tightening her hold around Rosa. "I'm so sorry you went through all of that, honey." She whispered, kissing her temple.

Ryan and Logan shared a look between each other, silently communicating that it was time they left.

"We would leave now. We cannot afford for Guilford to slip off our hands, before we get to the Kennedy estate." Ryan said.

"Of course." Audrey nodded in agreement. "Off you go. Please stay safe, you both."

"Relax, my love. I doubt the imbecile would be able to wreck any more havoc now." Logan said. Ohhhhh, little did he know.

"You should know by now, not to underestimate an evil person." Audrey shot him a chastising glare. "Remember that your stepbrother went as far as convincing the rogues to go to war against us."

"True." Ryan nodded in agreement. "We would tread carefully." With that, he gave a nod to Logan and they got going.

They had gotten to the door, when Rosa called their attention again.

"Ryan." She whispered, and he turned to look at her. She had tears in her eyes, and his heart softened.

"Don't cry baby. I'll be back in one piece." He assured, but she shook her head.

"I'm not teary because of you." She said, and he frowned. "I think Isabella might be in danger. Please ensure that she is safe."

The place fell silent for a moment, until Ryan spoke.

"I wouldn't let him do the same thing he did to Aliya."

"Good." Rosa nodded in appreciation. Logan and Ryan left, leaving the women to themselves.

The journey to Kennedy Estate was a brief one. Logan and Ryan had raced down there in their vamp speed, leaving Phillip, Gamma Ray and the few other soldiers to run in their wolf forms behind them.

Ryan and Logan had stopped just a few feets away from the Kennedy Estate gates, waiting for the rest to meet up with them.

It took an extra seven minutes for them to eventually arrive.

"Took a while there." Ryan noted, making Philip release a scoff.

"Not all of us are...." Philip was still speaking, when Ryan cut him off.

".... like you who has vamp speed. Blah blah blah." He mocked dryly. He was clearly not in a good mood, but still couldn't douse the urge of making fun of Philip.

Sensitive to the current situation of things, Philip said nothing in return, choosing to remain silent.

"Let's head in." Logan tilted his head in the direction of the gates, and they all walked there in solid strides.

The moment the guards at the Kennedy Estate saw Ryan and Logan, they literally cowered under the influence of the strong energy they emitted. One look at the pack's crest on the sheath of Gamma Ray's sword, and they all bowed in submission. "Your Majesty, Alpha!!" They bowed their heads, still trying to steal glances amongst themselves. It was obvious that there was trouble.

The king of the werewolf kingdom, and the Alpha of their pack were here. By such time of the night? Something was definitely wrong.

"Open the gates." Ryan said in a angry tone, and the guards swung to action. The gates were pulled open immediately, and they all made their way in.

It seemed to be that the guards had mindlinked some of the Kennedys, informing them about the unexpected visitors they had just received at that time of the night.

Some of the Kennedys whose houses were much closer to the gates, had stepped out to know what was happening.

Logan, Ryan, and the rest of the party, all walked further, expecting the criminal or the power custodian to show up soon.

After a shortwhile, they sighted the power custodian hastily walking towards them, escorted by her parents and some Kennedy guards.

"Your Majesty!" She gasped, still a few feets away from them. "Alpha." She called, giving a bow. "Good evening. Hope all is well?"

"Where is Guilford?" Ryan bit out, cutting straight to the chase.

"My uncle?" She whispered, unsure. Then and there, Ryan's paranoia towards the Kennedys shot up.

"I doubt there is another member of the Kennedy family, going by that name. None I definitely know of. Where is Guilford? I wouldn't repeat myself." He warned.

At that point, Sonya realized there was trouble.

"I h... have mindlinked the guards sta.. st... stationed at his home." She stuttered, blinking furiously. Her father and mother just stood beside her, looking more lost than she was.

Quickly sensing something was off, Ryan mindlinked his plan B.

'Austin', he called, the moment he connected to his trusted soldier.

'Alpha, we just got to the gates. You were right, he is here'.

Immediately he heard that, he nodded at Logan, who nodded back in understanding. Their target was at a different location. Somewhere Ryan had expected him to run off to. The very same place Austin had trailed Aliya to, on the day she was murdered.

"Alpha Ryan, the guards have just confirmed that my uncle left the estate about half an hour ago. Please what is the problem?"

"Not to worry, Sonya. We know just where your uncle is hiding." Ryan gave a grim smile, before turning to the rest of his men. "Philip, Ray, connect to Austin and lead the rest of our men wherever he directs. The king and I would be going ahead of you all."

"But Alpha...." Angus Kennedy was still speaking, when Ryan sped off with Logan following suite. The man knew his brother had offended the Alpha, but he wasn't sure how.

As soon as King Logan and Alpha Ryan left, Angus and his family had insisted on following Ray and the other soldiers.

They all shifted into their wolf forms, heading to wherever Beta Philip and Gamma Ray's wolves led them.

Meanwhile, Logan and Ryan had gotten to the pack's outskirt a few minutes later. The moment Austin sighted them, he released a sigh of relief.

"There's a big situation Alpha." Austin rushed out, looking at Logan and Ryan in apparent worry.

"Rogues."

"Rogues."

Logan and Ryan whispered at the same time. They had quickly sniffed them out.

"There are rogues within these gates, Alpha. I had gotten here a few minutes before Guilford Kennedy showed up. Thankfully, I was hidden, and he didn't see me. As soon as he got to the gates, he said a few inaudible words and the gates opened. Then, I saw some rogues standing guard around the place."

"How many were they?" Logan asked, looking very alert.

"I'm not so sure. But they shouldn't be much."

"Their scent is overwhelming." Logan countered, and Ryan nodded in agreement.

Logan walked towards the gates, and frowned slightly when an invisible force blocked him off once he came too close.

"This place is barricaded with a protection spell." Logan noted, and Ryan gave him a look. "Of course, I can nullify the spell. But I think we should wait on the rest of the party."

"Are you certain we should? This damned man has rogues in my territory!" Ryan bit out angrily, and Logan released a small sigh.

Immediately, he lifted his hands towards the gates and started chanting some spells. Austin and Ryan watched patiently, until the earth beneath the gates bagan to shake violently.

"It's done." Logan whispered, walking towards the gate in certainty that he would get it open this time.

Just then the tall black gates opened, parting to two opposite directions, and revealing Guilford and over hundred soldiers standing behind him in the large courtyard. A good number of those soldiers were.... rogues.

Had Guilford been recruiting rogues under Ryan's nose? How was that even possible?! Ryan would have felt it the moment any rogue stepped foot inside his territory.

Cold moon pack was a whole lot different from other packs, and the energy of the ice sword made it possible for him to detect if something was off within his pack. Just like the other time Theo had casted a cloaking spell in his castle.

Dark fog filled the entire place. Unbeknownst to Ryan and Logan, that was a spell that would prevent them from being able mindlink anyone.

The same spell that had affected Aliya on the day she was murdered.

"Don't be so surprised now." Guilford gave a small smile, seeming almost innocent. "Let's just say some things are beyond your control, Ryan. Surprised I could bring in these wonderful supernaturals, whom you and your king thought to banish from the werewolf territory?" Guilford asked, referring to the rogue army behind him.

Ryan was fuming, but he knew this was the time to be smarter, not faster. He was going to kill this man, and was going to do so slowly. He would relish in his pains and cries for daring to think he could hurt Rosa and get away with it.

"So you confess to sinning against me and the crown?" Ryan asked calmly.

Just then, the rest of Ryan's men arrived, alongside Sonya Kennedy and her parents. They all looked very confused, especially when they saw the rogue army standing behind Guilford.

"Uncle, what is happening here?" Sonya asked, unable to stay quiet. "Why are rogues all over the place?!" She queried, her voice a bit shaky.

"It would do you good to shut up, Sonya." Guilford warned, making Sonya's eyes go wide in shock. She wondered what was going on in the head of her uncle.

Fast losing his patience, Ryan questioned Guildford once more.

"Guilford Kennedy, do you admit to being responsible for the death of a castle maid, named Aliya?" He asked, and Guilford's eyes dimmed in apparent surprise. He didn't think Ryan had caught onto that.

"What?" Angus whispered, his eyes falling on his brother. He knew Guilford could be reckless and bitter, but not to the extent of taking another person's life. If only he knew his brother had done far worse than that.

"I know nothing of what you speak." Guilford replied, wearing a stoic expression.

That seemed to have aggravated Ryan even more.

"I see....." Ryan nodded. "How about Isabella? How about my mate?" He could hear Guilford's heart skip a bit. He knew he was getting close to home. "You think I haven't figured out that you have an obsession with the women I have had intimate relationships with?" Ryan queried, not expecting Guilford to say anything back in response. "What role did you play in the mate bond between Brenda and I?" Ryan asked again, wanting to clear his suspicions once and for all.

The entire place fell silent for a while, everyone sharing confused glances amongst themselves.

"Yes....." Guilford eventually spoke up, suddenly releasing strings of sadistic laughter. In his mind, he knew there wasn't a need to hide anymore.

Hell! He had figured out what Ryan was up to just in the nick of time, and had managed to prepare his army for a battle. What more could he possibly lose?

"Yes, I used magic to create a fake bond between you both. What happens now that you know?" Guilford asked, fearlessly looking into Ryan's eyes.

"What....?" Sonya's mother released a low gasp, her eyes going wide in shock. "You did what?!" She yelled out, unable to help herself.

In the twinkle of an eye, Ryan closed the short distance between he and Guilford, grabbing him by the neck.

Guilford's legs dwindled over the surface of the earth, as a loud growl emanated from Ryan. Still, he managed to flash Ryan an evil smile, while being strangled.

"Save..... your strength, Alpha!" He choked out. "Word reaching me is that.... your mate will join us shortly."

Ryan's heart dropped, the instant Guilford mentioned Rosa.

"Since you've decided you want war," Guilford said in a firm tone. "I'd give you one."