Marcus's POV
Steve, Nicole and I decided to take a stroll inside the woods. They noticed how reserved I have become and wanted to cheer me up. I haven't been myself ever since I left Alyssa at the Blood Brothers pack.
My father had gone to help a friendly pack fight off some enemy pack.
My father is a great warrior but these days it worries me that he is still actively engaging himself in this kind of fight.
I feel his duty should be to his pack and family. But whenever I bring up the topic he would brush it aside.
He always said to be there for a friend in times of need is what defines a true friend.
He believed gestures like this is what will keep the various packs united.
I offered to go with him but he needs someone to stay back and look after the pack.
We walked through the woods gisting about our last hunting game. I couldn't help but think about Tyler. It still feels like a dream that Tyler was no more.
The scene of how he died still haunts me in my dream and imagination. Each time I think about him, I feel guilty. I feel like I have let him down.
It didn't feel right that I just stood there unable to help him. I felt like I should have done more.
Nicole and Steve told me how they had escaped from the Red Hills pack during the attack.
They were somewhere within the outskirts of the village when they heard loud growling coming from the village. As they turned to see what was happening they noticed members of a pack they couldn't recognize coming towards them with iron rods and swords.
They immediately knew something was wrong. As they approached they noticed one of the men holding the sword had blood splashed all over his face.
That was the signal. They took to their hills making their way into the forest.
To their surprise, they stopped chasing them and went back into the village.
They came back to look for me and Tyler only to find Tyler laying lifeless in a pool of blood.
As they narrated the story to me, I understood exactly how they must have felt on seeing him like that.
Seeing how emotional that topic was, I quickly changed it to something else.
As we strolled through the woods, the gentle rustling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds filled the air. The sun was high in the sky, casting dappled shadows across the forest floor.
It was a peaceful day, and we kept talking about exciting past events. Going from this topic to another.
I felt grateful for agreeing to go on a stroll with them. The strolling helped improve my mood.
I felt grateful for having good friends like them. What would I have done without them?
Suddenly, we stumbled upon two figures, their faces shrouded in cloth, who darted away from us as soon as we came into view.
Initially, we were taken aback, unsure of what to make of these mysterious strangers. But then they started running, and we knew that we had to give it a chase.
The times are dangerous and any sign of threat needs to be taken seriously.
I could not allow them to escape without knowing who they were and what their purpose was in these woods.
And so we ran, our feet pounding against the ground as we pursued the two fleeing figures. They were nimble, but we were determined, and we soon closed the distance between us. They twisted and turned through the forest, but we were not deterred. We followed them, darting around trees and leaping over fallen branches, our hearts pounding with excitement.
As we drew nearer, I could see that the strangers were carrying something between them, something that they were desperate to protect. I could not tell what it was, but I knew that it must be of great importance to them. And so we pressed on, our eyes fixed on our quarry.
The chase went on for what felt like hours, but we did not falter. We were determined to catch our prey, to uncover their secrets and bring them to justice. Finally, we emerged from the forest into a clearing, where the two strangers had been cornered by our relentless pursuit.
Breathless and panting, we stood before them, our swords drawn and ready. The strangers were backed up against a rock, their faces still concealed by the cloth masks they wore. They looked at us with a mixture of fear and defiance, their breathing ragged and shallow.
"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice ringing out across the clearing.
The strangers said nothing, but I could sense their unease. They knew that they had been caught and that their fate was in our hands.
"Show us your faces," I said, gesturing with my sword.
Slowly, reluctantly, the strangers lowered their masks, revealing their features for the first time. I could see the fear in their eyes, but I also saw something else, something that made me pause.
They were young boys whom I suspect should be around twenty-one to twenty-two years of age. Another thing was the look on their faces.
They looked so innocent but I know better than to let facial expressions deceive me.
Although something tells me they were not bad people I need to be sure.
We tied their hands together and led them into the village. Taking them straight into the dungeon where criminals are kept.
"Who are you two?" I asked hoping they would cooperate and be honest with me but none of them answered.
They both faced down. Interrogating a criminal isn't my kind of thing. I know I suck at it so I decided to give it a shot.
I tried to use one of my father's techniques.
I started by telling them that I understand their condition.
I tried to look as understanding and sympathetic as possible so that they would believe that I could feel their pain.
But they turned out to be a hard nut to crack. They refused to say a word.
Out of annoyance, I left the dungeon assigning the interrogator to see what he can get out of them.
When my father returns from his journey he will know what to do about them.
I felt tired. My limbs were sore from the chase of those two guys.
I decided to go and take my bath and then rest.
As I walked back to the village, making my way to my chambers, I suddenly felt the heavy burden my father is carrying as the alpha.
I realized the price that comes with being an alpha is just too immense. Yet one has to fulfill all of them lest one would be called incompetent.
I just know I would never want to be an alpha. I just want to be a normal person with a life with Alyssa beside me as my partner forever. I smiled.