Chapter 81 - Fated to the cursed Alpha

Kane

I left the office, everyone followed behind me as we began making our way out of the house. As we walked out the door and around to the side of the house, a strange feeling began to set in my stomach.

I slowed my pace, Em was quick to pick up on something being wrong. I looked around to see what was wrong, I couldn't quite put my finger on it but something was definitely out of place.

“Kane!” A piercing scream ripped through the trees, it echoed around us making it hard to decipher where it came from. it sounded like Kala, panic started to rise in my chest as I scanned the treeline trying to decipher which direction she was in, I raised my head sniffing the air.

I could see Em looking out towards the trees also, in the same area I was beginning to get a familiar scent. “That sounded like Kala!” She panicked. Stepping forward towards the trees.

“Wait!” I put my arm in front of her to stop her from going any further. Something was wrong. The hell was I going to let her go first.

I began jogging towards the trees. Kala's scent was strong, I knew I was heading straight to her. As I cleared the first line of trees I saw her. My heart stopped, I saw her on the floor, holding her chest in pain. She was trying to crawl towards me. “Over here!” I shouted back to the others, waving them forward.

I ran to Kala, scooping her up from the ground, “Kala, What's happened?” I panicked seeing the pain in her face, she was as white as a ghost.

“No! Kala!” Em gasped as she rushed to my side. A piercing scream left Kala “ What's happening?” Em asked me as she helped cradle Kala's head. She began writhing around in pain.

I put her down on the floor to try and make her more comfortable, “Kala, speak to me, I need to know what happened!” I told her, trying to keep my voice steady when all I really wanted to do was to inflict pain on whoever did this to my sister.

Rose came by her side. “Let me see if I can help try to relieve some of the pain”. She sat on her knees on the floor and held onto Kala's hand. Straight away I noticed she began to calm down. Her hair stuck to the sweat on her face, she closed her eyes as I pushed her hair back, clearing her face and making her feel more comfortable.

She began mumbling something to herself. I lowered my ear to her mouth, hearing one word repeated over and over, 'Ansel!'

“Shit!” I should have known, I thought she was injured. How could I not have expected it to be the mate bond? “Get her in the House, It's Ansel!” I shouted.

I ran as fast as I could towards the cells, Eric and Ryder fast on my heels. I slowed as I reached the door. It was open. Ansel knew to always close it behind him, he never left it open. As I got closer, the scent of blood hit my nostrils. I knew it was bad. I prayed Ansel wasn't hurt too bad.

I walked into the cells, there was a strange sour smell. I hadn't smelt it before. Walking down the middle between the cells there was no sign of a struggle, the only thing I had to go on was the strong smell of blood coming from one of the cells, Lydia's cell.

The door was slightly ajar. I pointed to Victor's cell at the bottom, telling the others to go and check on him. I walked in, Lydia and Joshua were on the floor. I could hear their heartbeats, so they were definitely alive. It was the third body in here that I cared about, the one that had been cut to pieces, battered and bruised, laid lifeless on the floor.

“Ansel!” I gasped as I ran to his side.

Ryder came running in “Victor's gone!” He panicked, stopping in his tracks as his eyes landed on Ansel. “No!” He breathed.

Eric came in behind Ryder, fear was evident in his face. I knew he would flee now he knew Victor was free to get to him. “Lydia, Joshua!” He called out, running to the other two bodies. He began to look over them both as I called Ryder to help me carry Ansel back to the house.

We lifted him. As I was about to leave, I looked back at Eric, making sure he was OK here, “Go! Help your friend. These two are fine, they've been stunned, they will wake up soon” he urged as he moved Joshua into a more comfortable position.

I rushed Ansel into the house, taking him straight down to the basement. Rose and Blair were tending to Kala who was laid on the old sofa. cleaning her up, she was passed out by the looks of it. "Oh, Gosh, is he...?" Blair gasped as she covered her mouth with her hand in shock.

"No, he's alive, just" I answered as I laid him down on the bed.

"Let me tend to him," Rose said as she came to his side, "Blair, can you get me some fresh water please," she asked calmly as she began cutting his clothes away.

I pulled my phone out to ring Brad, "Ryder ring Foster, I want patrols everywhere."

We put orders out to the pack, everyone possible was out searching. I want him found now! Everyone had orders to search their areas, the higher-ranked wolves were scouting the perimeter. Everyone knew to report back to me, regardless of what it was. We left the women with Ansel, giving them orders to lock the door and not to open it for anyone except us.

Ryder and I had searched for quite a while. There was nothing. Blair rang just moments ago to say Kala was awake. She was still feeling pretty rough but she was up and talking to Ansel, who was also beginning to heal. We found nothing, we may not even be anywhere near the track he fled. With no scent, we were wasting time out here chasing ghosts.

"Don't you find it a bit suspicious Eric turns up just as Victor disappears?" Ryder gasped as we slowed back down to a walk. We had been running through the forest for a while now.

"It definitely is a coincidence. However, I don't think Eric has anything to do with it. The way he spoke about his brother earlier, his heart rate never faltered. He holds nothing but pure hatred for his brother"

"I hope your right man" Ryder breathed.

We chose to head back to the cells. See what clues we can find, if any. With a bit of luck, Lydia or Joshua would be awake by now and could explain what happened. As we walked back inside I saw Eric, he was sitting against the wall speaking to Joshua. He looked dazed, clearly had only just woke up.

"Joshua, how are you feeling?" I asked him. He looked up at me through squinted eyes. I lowered myself to his level, making it easier for him to see me. Ryder informed me he was going to check Victor's cell once again to see if there was anything that we missed.

"I'm OK, just a bit shaky" he sighed as he rested his head against the wall.

"He's worried about Lydia. I told him she will be awake any minute". Eric smiled as he looked down at Joshua's hand holding onto Lydia's.

"I know this isn't the best time, but I need to know what happened. We couldn't find Victor, he had to have someone with him to help him escape". I asked him, hoping he would give me something to go on.

He inhaled deeply, as he used his free hand to rub his face. "I don't know what to tell you, I didn't see anything. The air was heavy like it got foggy in here. The next thing I know, Lydia collapses on the floor. Ansel said someone was here. He started fighting something but it was throwing him around like a rag doll. We couldn't see anything to attack it. That's when I must of hit the dirt because I can't remember anymore. I'm sorry"

"It's ok," I put my hand on his shoulder to give him some reassurance. "I think we should get you all in the house in case whatever it was comes back"

"The chains were unlocked!" Ryder interrupted as he stormed back into the room with us.

"What? that's impossible, I have the only key for the" I answered him.

"They definitely weren't forced, see" He held out the chains to me, he was right. the key was still in the lock.

I looked up at Ryder, as a whole new fear ran through me. I reached into my pocket pulling out the key for the cuffs attached to the chain. It was the same lock on Lydia's original chains also. If I still had my key then this must be the spare. Holding my key up to Ryder, "I have my key, the only other one was in my room, hidden. Whoever it was has been in the house, again"

He felt the same fear as I did, I could see it in his eyes, "We need to get back in, make sure the others are ok "Ryder encouraged. I helped Joshua up to his feet as Ryder picked up Lydia.

Embry

I sat back with Blair, Kala was now awake. She was sitting by Ansel's side holding onto him, talking to him softly, waiting for him to wake up. Rose had managed to contain his pain and clean him up enough for his healing to kick in. She seemed to think there was silver in his system as he was healing slower than what he usually did.

I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I stood up looking at the door, the small window in it was just big enough to see into the basement. I couldn't help but feel like there was someone there. someone standing back just watching us. I never said anything to any of the others, I didn't want to scare them. But my wolf was locked onto something I could feel it. A part of me wanted to go out there, but my wolf was saying to stay in here, keep my pup safe.