77

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN.

AUTHOR'S POV.

The night air carried the faint scent of blood and despair, which flew all around the pack as Jacqueline and Carl walked the path leading to the pack's territory where all the problems were generated. Where they were ready to catch the intruder red-handed.

The tension between them was heightened, it was like a heavy weight that seemed to cling to their skin.

Instead of shifting to get to their destination in a go, they had decided to walk some distance just to see what the damage had done to the pack.

Jacqueline's eyes were not fixed on a particular spot, it kept on moving from one person to the other in a bid to take in everything without missing out.

Every step he took was calculated, he was cautious not to step on any growling individual, for the pack members had spread out on the floor, growling in pain that even when they scented their alpha passing by, they couldn't acknowledge him.

Carl followed Jacqueline closely with jaw tight and fists clenched, ready for whatever danger might be lurking around them.

*Can you sense the intruder?* Jacqueline asked Jack.

*Yes, though very faint. Whoever's out there is masking their presence well. Be cautious,* Jack warned.

Jacqueline growled low in his throat; his frustration was at its highest peak.

He could feel the unease dangling through the bond he shared with his pack members. They were all on edge, his instinct was screaming danger.

He glanced at Carl, who met his gaze with a silent nod, showing he was ready for a bust out.

They had seen enough, they both shifted and began the long run through the woods. Jumping on both dry leaves, leaving its crunches behind, and wet woods and leaves.

They moved swiftly, their heightened senses guiding them through the woods while they made sure to heighten their cautiousness.

As they moved, the sensing struggles of the pack's suffering faded away, but the memory of their cries lingered in Jacqueline's mind, fueling his anger and movement.

Soon, they pulled near to the source of the disturbance, they felt a strange energy filling the air. It was like a mixture of power and bitterness, and that made Jacqueline's hackles rise.

He slowed his pace, nudging for Carl to do the same, and immediately crouched low in the woods, their sharp eyes scanning the area for any sign of the intruder.

And then they saw it.

A figure stood in the clearing space of the territory, where Jacqueline, Carl and the pack's elders had solidly built the guidance invisible shield which was to guide the pack from a situation like this.

Jacqueline, even though he was vexed by how their territory was threatened, stood up calmly, shifting back to his human form. He moved closer to the person who was cutting through the force and he stood behind him.

"Who are you?" He demanded from the man whose back was turned to him and the attack he was causing the whole pack stopped, bringing solace all around the place.

Jacqueline had spoken in his alpha voice that echoed through the clearing. He was tensed and he stopped his deafening. So did Carl.

They wanted to hear the creature clearly when it spoke.

The figure turned slowly, revealing a blurred face covered by a hood.

They both felt a chill running down their spine when they noticed the person they thought was a man looked nothing like a man. Just a creature they didn't know.

"I am a messenger," The figure said to them, causing them to be more tense. Its voice was like that of a male and female combined. Its tone was calm yet laced with an unsettling malice.

"And I bring a warning." It completed.

Jacqueline narrowed his eyes, his Alpha instincts screaming at him to attack, to protect his pack. But he held himself back, sensing that this being was not to be underestimated nor thought out of, he decided to keep it cool.

"A warning?" Carl chipped in, stepping forward before Jacqueline. "What kind of warning?"

The figure raised a hand, and both men immediately held their stance, thinking he was ready for a fight, but the creature had another plan, it was not there to attack them. Just a mere distraction.

"A storm is coming," It said in its usual voice which echoed all around. "One that will test the strength of your pack and the bonds that hold it together."

Jacqueline's jaw tightened, his patience wearing out. "Enough with the riddles. What do you want from us?"

The figure tilted its head as if amused by Jacqueline's frustration. "I want nothing from you, Alpha. But you will need to make a choice soon. And that choice will determine the fate of your pack."

Jacqueline was confused, he also had a lot of questions to ask the creature about what it meant and how it got to know about him. He wanted to know why the creature's voice sounded cruel instead of the calm one for a normal warning.

He wanted to know why the creature did not fear him. Why the creature was looking down on him? He just had a lot of questions to ask.

Before Jacqueline could open his mouth to begin his questioning, the figure raised its other hand, and a blinding light engulfed the clearing. When it faded, it was gone, leaving behind an eerie silence.

Carl let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his body still tense from the encounter. "What the hell was that?" he muttered, turning to Jacqueline.

Jacqueline didn't respond. His mind was racing, replaying the figure's words and the unsettling energy they had felt. He knew better than to dismiss the warning, but what was it all about? What storm was coming? He didn't know, but he could tell he needed to be prepared.

*Everything about this is weird, don't you think?* Jack said to Jacqueline, *We need to make sure the pack is safe.*

Jacqueline nodded and turned to Carl. "Let's head back. We need to ensure the territory is secure and prepare for whatever's coming."

Carl agreed, "Okay, but not without checking if the territory shield is breaking."

Jacqueline nodded and waved his hands around to reveal the invisible shield which had just been visible, and with a glance at it, they saw that the creature had almost succeeded in cutting through.

They had been narrowly escaped, if they were to spend more minutes away, the pack could have been invaded.

They held hands, combining their powers, and rebuilt the fallen and weak part of the shield til it was brand new.

"That should do." Said Carl to Jacqueline and Jacqueline nodded.

"Let's move."

Together, they retraced their steps, slowly brushing their legs on the dry leaves in the woods.

Jacqueline's thoughts drifted to Rosalie and the pups. "Do you know whose pups Rosalie's pups are?" He questioned Carl.

Carl halted, and so did Jacqueline. His brows furrowed warningly and he shoved his hands into his trousers pocket.

He shrugged, "Not sure, but if you say they're yours, I won't argue."

Jacqueline's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he heard what Carl said, "How did you know?" He questioned Carl.

"It's somehow written everywhere around Rosalie that she never liked anyone else since she left the pack. Even if she did, it was too early to be pregnant for the new lover. See, it's common reasoning."

Jacqueline nodded, his shoulders slumped, "Yes, you're right. It was me who was not deeply thinking of it."

"So, they're yours, right?"

Jacqueline nodded, "And I fucked up, I punished her for nothing and kept on ruining the time I could have used to see my pups."

"It's fine. Rosalie doesn't think that way."

He nodded to Carl's words and muttered to himself, 'I will protect them at all costs, no matter what is ahead. I just have to see my core enemies to their end first.' He kept on replying the words in his head with each word leaving a stronger determination than the last.