Chapter Twelve
John
I hurtled through the woods toward Kara’s cabin in wolf form. I was wearing the necklace Kara gave me to enable me to move through the protective barrier without any issues. I wanted to try to get a sense of whatever happened myself. See if I could pick up a scent trail.
I wasn’t sure when I went past the barrier. I didn’t feel anything if I did. I knew I had to have been close as her cabin was in view. I began to sniff around trying to pick up Kara’s scent. It wasn’t hard. Her scent was everywhere. I suppose I should try to pick up Warwick’s, too. Wolves had a strong scent and due to my abilities, I could block out scents and narrow in on one. Even though we all don’t have the same scent, it should be easy to distinguish a wolf’s scent from that of a human and a witch.
I trotted around a bit before I caught the scent I was looking for. I tried to stay with it and followed it to an area close to the cabin. Warwick’s scent and that of Kara’s were strongly mixed up. He must have been all over her. That thought alone had gotten both, me and my wolf angry. But, that wasn’t what got me enraged.
Everyone’s scent changes when they are usually aroused and I could tell Warwick certainly was. I could ascertain through Kara’s scent that she was furious and I’m sure it was because this wolf had not only gotten the best of her, but he was assaulting her and she was helpless in defending herself. I let out a growl and snarled my fangs. I was going to make Warwick pay for what he did.
I’m sure he must have covered her mouth to prevent her from casting any spell. I didn’t know her that well, but I was sure that she would not have let him take her or anyone from this place without a fight.
My fur stood up on end as I imagined his hands all over her as she fought him with all the energy she had. I had never felt like this before. I mean, I have dated before, but I have never ached as much as I was and I supposed that was how it was with mates. My body and my heart hurt. Kara had been kidnapped and she and that other woman was in danger and I didn’t know where to turn to look for them.
Kara had become my universe in the short time that I had been with her, and whatever happened to her affected me tenfold. I’d seen what being kept from one’s mate could do to a wolf. I was a little lucky that my fate and Kara’s had not particularly been sealed yet. Still, I was getting increasingly uneasy. Indignation was swirling within me, threatening to blow me up from inside. My wolf was agitated, making my body shake uncontrollably. The images of tearing Warwick to shreds flickered in my mind as the only means to pacify my wolf.
My investigation wasn’t over yet. I still needed to go through the cabin, as well as out front where Mera said she had seen the vehicles. As I made my way through the cabin, I shifted into my human form and fell on my knees, trying to catch my breath. I was struggling. There were too many scents and so many mixed emotions in here that my head was spinning. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to just focus on Kara until she was all I could see. Our last meeting replayed in my head. I remembered her smile. I remembered how our skin touched for that brief moment. My heart was now beating as fast as it did then, but for a different reason.
I opened my eyes sharply. I took one deep breath, steadying myself. I couldn’t afford to allow myself to become overwhelmed at this point. I needed my head in the game. I needed to be thinking straight. That was the only way I could ever hope to find Kara.
I walked around naked for a bit, just thinking. I wondered what Aiden would do in this situation. I contemplated calling him, but I changed my mind. If he made me the alpha here, then he wouldn’t expect me to run to him at every problem. As much as I didn’t like any of this—being an alpha of an unruly pack, being in New York—and as much as I didn’t think I was anything close to alpha material, I wanted to do my best to be up to the task, and actually lead.
I had the brains. I knew I was smart. I could handle this situation myself. Besides, this was Kara, and whether we bonded or not, she was my mate. Of what use was I if I couldn’t save her myself?
The cabin seemed empty. I wondered where Kara kept all the women she saved. They must be safely hidden somewhere around here or was there another building that I couldn’t see? Or perhaps she had relocated them, out of town?
How was Warwick able to get to Sophia? I had a feeling there was someone on the inside, some of the women Kara saved, who was still loyal to the wolves. I needed to talk to Mera to see if we could figure out who that might be. Hell, it could be Mera herself. Fuck.
I shifted back into my wolf form and began trotting into the woods. I couldn’t focus on picking up anything else here. I needed to see Mera and properly interrogate her. I was starting to think I’d made a mistake not doing that earlier, instead I had let her go with George to meet his brother.
I put Paul in charge of the pack while I was away. Officially, I was the alpha, I was calling the shots, but it was Paul who was really doing the work. He was doing a great job, too, keeping the wolves in line. They feared him, and that was good. Wolves would follow whoever they feared. Although loyalty was birthed from real love and respect.
I’d seen how loyal Paul was to Aiden. It wasn’t because he feared Aiden, it was because he had great love and respect for him. I had a feeling a great battle was inevitable. We would need as many wolves as we could rally and control. So Paul’s influence was priceless. I truly hoped that they knew how bad it would mean for them if they chose Warwick. He sealed his fate the moment he kidnapped Kara and Sophia.
As I strode along, I caught a familiar scent. I stopped immediately in my tracks when I saw him. He was in his wolf form running toward me, but stopped several yards away. When he shifted, I recognized him as the self-proclaimed alpha I banished when I arrived in New York, Seth.
I shifted to my human form, too. I needed to cool my nerves before I spoke so as not to come off bitter.
I drew in a deep breath and released it before I asked in a calm tone, “Do you really want to die?”
I wasn’t sure why he was still lingering around. I banished him. It was unnerving that he was still here. It was also against the rules. I could have him killed for this alone, but his scent wasn’t malicious.
“I see you’ve made friends with the witch,” he said.
His tone was more humbled, as opposed to being the haughty wolf that seemed to urge me to challenge him when we first met. From his statement, and his unwillingness to make a step toward me, I surmised that he was standing right behind Kara’s magical barrier, unable to walk through.
Out of curiosity, I walked a few steps closer, stuck my nose in the air, and sniffed, catching his scent. He wasn’t involved in Kara’s kidnapping, that I knew of. I didn’t smell his scent anywhere on her property.
“What do you want?” I asked, not willing to move any closer.
I couldn’t risk stepping out of the barrier if that was what was stopping him from coming closer to me. I was still not sure where it ended exactly and was only taking a chance by guessing I was close to it.
There was no one around to save me if Seth here decided to fight me after all. And there was no way I could beat him. He was much bigger than me and I was not at all a great fighter like my brother Aiden. We were also deep in the woods, a perfect place for him to kill me and bury me, and pretend like he didn’t know anything.
He placed his hands on his hips and shifted his weight to one foot, his body posture relaxing, which told me he was not here to fight. After staring at me intently for what felt like an eternity, he sighed.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” he said. “I came to tell you that you need to stop, Warwick.”
I was surprised to hear him say this. I knew he was being sincere, without ill intentions because it took him a great deal of effort to say those words.
“He is involved in something even I cannot stand,” Seth added.
“What is it?”
He hesitated before speaking.
Seth’s eyes flickered with a mix of anger and disgust as he revealed the sinister truth about Warwick.
“Warwick has this unholy alliance with a druid and they have a nefarious plan to create a hybrid army by breeding with every species and creature imaginable.”
The sheer audacity and malevolence of it all sent shivers down my spine.
Listening intently, I could feel Seth’s growing determination to personally put an end to Warwick’s abominable scheme. His clenched fists and resolute gaze betrayed his unwavering resolve. It was clear that he saw himself as the last line of defense against this unholy union of witchcraft and bestial perversion.
I couldn’t help but share Seth’s revulsion. The very thought of Warwick’s twisted ambition made my stomach churn. The world was already full of dangers and uncertainties, and now we faced the prospect of an army of unnatural creatures unleashed upon us all. It was a nightmare come to life.
“John,” he said, his voice steady and resolute, “I promise you that I will stand by your side until Warwick is brought down. We will put an end to this madness together. I hate that we got off on the wrong foot. I stepped in as alpha because I needed things to change. Warwick needed to stop.”
“I appreciate your candor. He kidnapped Kara … the witch and the woman who, I believe, is pregnant with his pup.”
He shook his head as if he was in disbelief. “I will help you find him and bring these ladies home.”
He shifted into his wolf form and bounded off back toward the pack’s base. I also shifted into my wolf and followed, but, to take precautions, I stayed several feet behind.
When I arrived back at the main house, a heavy sense of unease still lingered within me. Who else was involved in kidnapping Kara? I wasn’t sure where Seth had gone, but I needed answers, and Mera, Kara’s closest friend, was the next person I had to confront.
Finding Mera, I approached her cautiously. “Mera, I need to talk to you,” I said, my tone firm. “I need to know if you had any involvement in Kara’s abduction?”
Mera’s eyes widened with a mix of surprise and fear, her innocence evident in her gaze. She stuttered, denying any knowledge or involvement, but I needed to be certain. The gravity of the situation demanded that I employ unconventional methods to uncover the truth.
Drawing upon my omega instincts, I allowed the primal energy within me to surge forward. My body trembled, and in an instant, I shifted into my wolf form. The room was filled with an aura of wild power as my gaze locked onto Mera’s widened eyes.
With a low, rumbling growl emanating from deep within my chest, I circled her, my movements calculated and deliberate. Every step I took was designed to unnerve her, push her past her limits, and extract the truth.
Mera trembled, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she backed away, confronted by the immense presence of the wolf before her. The fear in her eyes mirrored the intensity of the situation, as her resolve wavered under the weight of my primal display.
Her body froze as I sniffed her. I hated scaring her, but this was the only way I could find what I was looking for. My senses keenly attuned to any signs of deception, it became clear that Mera truly knew nothing about Kara’s kidnapping. Her fear was genuine, her innocence undeniable. The truth finally revealed itself in the depths of her eyes, but it also answered something else.
I shifted back into my human form, the tension in the room dissipating. Mera’s trembling subsided, and she met my gaze with a mixture of relief and lingering fear. It was then that I realized the toll my actions had taken on her, and a wave of remorse washed over me.
She flinched when I approached her, but I ensured her with my posture that it was with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with the previous intensity of my wolf form.
“I apologize for having to show you my true form. It isn’t a method I would use around humans, but I needed to be sure that you were telling me the truth. You are innocent.”
“I tried to tell you I wasn’t involved.”
“I apologize for any fear that I have caused you. There were a few scents that I picked up at your cabin. I didn’t find them on you.”
“I don’t know who they are other than that one wolf. I’m not involved in this in any way.”
“I believe you.” I paused for a moment before I spoke again. I wasn’t sure if I should tell Mera or not, but surely she would understand if I did. “I know you and Kara are close, but she means something to me, too.”
Mera, still shaken, managed a weak smile as if she understood what I meant. We both knew the magnitude of the situation we were facing and that unwavering loyalty and trust were paramount in our pursuit of justice.
Together, we were united in our determination to bring her back safely. The encounter with Mera had provided clarity, eliminating one potential suspect from our list. It was a small victory amidst the chaos, but it bolstered my resolve to find the truth and ensure Kara’s safe return.
Leaving Mera to recover from the ordeal, I set off once again, my mind focused on the next steps in our investigation. The truth was out there, waiting to be discovered, and I would not rest until Kara was found and those responsible were brought to justice. I needed to call Aiden and give him an update. He would have to call the council if he hadn’t already. I wasn’t sure what the council had planned for Warwick if anything.
As the weight of the situation pressed upon my shoulders, I retreated to my room, seeking solitude and a moment of respite before calling my brother. Just as I settled into the quiet, George entered with a sense of urgency in his eyes.
“John,” George spoke, his voice filled with a mix of concern, “I have news from the police. While you were out, Mera provided them with a description of the human who aided Warwick in Kara’s abduction. They’ve initiated an active search for him. My brother has started his investigation on Warwick.”
My heart skipped a beat at the news. “Thank you, George, for the update. I need some time to decompress. I had gotten myself a bit overstimulated.”
“Sure thing, boss. I’ll give you some quiet time to yourself,” he said and escorted Mera out of the room.
As the others filed out, I closed the door behind them, allowing the weight of the moment to settle within the confines of my mind.
Now all alone, I paced back and forth, my thoughts racing as I mulled over the information at hand. The police were informed, but I knew all too well the limitations of their investigation when it came to dealing with those from my world involving themselves in the human world.
The police operated within the boundaries of human law, while our pursuit of justice was unrestricted by such constraints. It wasn’t rare that our two worlds collided. In fact, it has become a huge problem that I was sure would grow into something too big for our kind to deal with.
I was becoming overly anxious. Maybe the quiet wasn’t such a good idea. My wolf and my mind were both telling me that I needed to be doing more. I wasn’t sure what, just yet.