Chapter 21
The smell of burning flesh assaulted my nose as we found yet another wolf burned alive at the stake just beyond my borders.“Damnit, it’s another unmated female.”
Larsen whispered from a few feet in front of me.
I forced myself to take in every detail.
Every notch of wood on the oakwood used to form the stake.
The thickness of the rope wrapped around her ankles, her wrists tied above her head, the hollowness that remained where her insides should be, even after being burned alive.
She was tortured.
Then burned alive.
We all dropped to one knee and whispered a prayer to the goddess as Larsen lowered her body to the ground.
" Goddess be with her, Goddess free her from any pain, Goddess protect her soul.”
These foreign wolves and their mages were getting closer and closer to my mate and I’d be damned if I let something happen to her.
“How do they keep breaking through the barrier?”
Trystan asked.
“I have no fucking clue but we can’t stand to lose one more pack member.
Our numbers are dwindling enough as it is with half our males gone right now.”
I growled.
Fists clenching at my sides as images of Talia screaming while flames engulfed her body had filled my dreams since we found the first wolf three weeks ago.
Increasing patrols around the border and sending my men through the barrier to find our missing wolves had gotten us nowhere, and it was fucking pissing me off.
“We could pull them back.
They haven’t been in the fold for too long.
He would never notice their disappearance.”
Trystan said from beside me.
“We have worked too hard to infiltrate his ranks.
I will not stop now." I replied anger in my voice.
“Even if it means endangering our pack and our future queen?”
Trystan shouted.
“Be quiet.
No one can know who she truly is.
It will only endanger her more.”
I snapped at him.
The quiet of the forest surrounded us.
Our voices echoing as we spoke.
“The men are asking more questions.
And after the show of magic she had during your little duel the other day, they want to know what she is.
They want to know more about her.
Why she hasn’t been made their Luna yet? They are starting to put it together that she is the cause of the havoc being done to our pack and the men camped on our borders Declan.”
He said while never dropping his gaze.
“Are you challenging me right now Trystan?”
I asked, my voice deepening as my vision began to sharpen as my wolf made his way to the surface.
“You know I am not.
But you owe the pack answers.
You do not need to give her up, I would never insist that.
She is my charge.
But you do owe them something.”
He spoke, firmness in his tone.
A sigh left me as I took in my surroundings.
Embers floated through the air around us, smoke filling the clearing as my men put the flames out at the stake.
A grave was being dug at the base of a large pine tree to lay this female to rest, we had no clue who she was, which family would never see their daughter or sister again.
The flames had burnt her flesh so thoroughly.
The ground crunched beneath my feet as I moved towards the men digging the grave.
“Alpha, she has no identifying markers left.
She had to have been burning for a while...”
Larsen spoke as I approached him.
Soot covered his face from being so close to the smoke, his eyes full of sorrow as he lowered his gaze.
“Hand me that shovel please.”
My fists clenching at my sides as I prepared myself to bury another pack member.
“Alpha, you do not-"
“She was my pack member, my responsibility to keep safe.
Give me the shovel.”
I demanded while I reached my arm out, the smell of smoke invading my nose.
My eyes watered as I forced them to stay open.
I would not forget this.
I would remember every detail of every burial.
I would pay him back for every loss ten fold.
He may have known me in the past ,but he did not know what he created by endangering my pack.
My mate.
By murdering innocent females under my protection. Roaring filled my ears as I thought of everyone I had let down. “Yes sir.”
Larsen replied, lowering his head, backing away and handing me the shovel.
She did not deserve this.
None of them had deserved this.
Silence.
Not a word was spoken as we headed back through the forest.
We had buried fifteen wolves so far.
None of whom we could identify.
Fifteen pack members who I failed to protect.
Would my mate meet the same fate? Fury filled me at the thought of losing her.
My jaw clenched as I ground my teeth together.
I had been keeping a distance since the day I showed her the training room.
I couldn’t handle the thought of strengthening our bond only to lose her. If I could just keep my distance, maybe I could protect her. A growl filled my head as my wolf strongly disagreed with my decision. He thought we could better protect her if we sealed our bond. I disagreed.
She was not ready, and she would not want me once she found out my past and how it still was connected to my present.
“You need to tell her what is happening.
She deserves to know the truth.”
I stopped and turned towards Trystan.
“You really need to mind your business.”
I grumbled.
“And you really need to stop being a fucking twat waffle.”
He spat “Twat waffle? Really that’s the best you could come up with?”
I laughed.
Where did he come up with this shit? His retort caused the rest of the men to chuckle while they all found a spot to rest.
Most of them leaned against one of the trees, there packs being used as a pillow, others unloaded their packs and set up around the middle of the clearing, where a fire would be dug.
“Let’s camp here for the night.”
I said, while catching the eye of Killian.
Who was already setting up his tent at the forest line, and said, “Take Calder, Larsen, and a few others to find some good wood to burn.
I’ll start digging a pit for the fire.”
He nodded and headed to where they were unloading their packs.
Turning my attention back to Trystan I just shook my head at the smile on his face.
He had taken quite a liking to my mate’s best friend.
One I doubt he would act on without the permission from his princess and future queen.
“I heard it from Celeste.
I found it quite catching to be honest.
And it’s the perfect description of your behavior toward Natalia.”
He said while leaning his back against the tree.
'You may be right, but she is safer not knowing the full truth.”
“That may be, but what is your excuse for putting a giant wall up when it comes to your feelings towards her.
I thought you wanted the mate bond.”
He asked.
Why was I putting a wall up? I saw the way she looked at me the other day, the way she reacted with her magic after the words I uttered to her.
I would yield for her and her alone.
The tug on my heart, my soul as her power pushed its way through me, warming me up from the inside out as I watched her create a storm of emotions.
Her power forcing its way out into the world.
She would be a force to be reckoned with.
Looking around, I found a tree stump to sit on.
I began to unlace my boots as I told him, “To be honest I just want her to be safe. She has made it clear she doesn’t want a mate, and I know our bond has already deepened just living together, training her, and being near her at night.”
I sighed then continued, “I don’t want to bond with her and then have her pull away from me when she learns of who I truly am.
How I came to be the man that I am.”
“Then fucking tell her.
She isn’t a tiny flower.
She is going to be queen for fucks sake.
She isn’t going to wilt in front of your eyes at the truth.
Give her a chance to show you, her strength.”
He declared.
Could she accept me and the demons from my past? A sharp pain tore through me as another pack link was severed.
My eyes widened as Calder yelled through the pack link, “They made it through the barrier! Declan, Larsen just had his throat torn out!”
I jumped up from where I sat and turned towards Trystan, “The men are being attacked.
Larsen is dead.”
“Fuck.
Let’s move.”
He growled shooting to his feet.
I turned towards the rest of the men still at our camp, “More enemy wolves have made it past the barrier, Killian and Calder need our help.”
“What about Larsen?”
Yari asked.
“He’s dead.”
A howl tore from my throat, lighting filling the darkened night sky as a storm rolled though.
The clouds covering the moonlight as a lighting bolt hit the tree to my right, the cracking of branches made me jump to the side, “MOVE!”
I yelled, while I led my men through the tree lines, and hoped we weren't too late.