Xander

'Help!!"


Regan turned to me alarmed.

'Grey?!" Leila called through the bond.

'Where are you?" I asked.


'Outside…pack…ah!!"

His sudden scream seemed to resonate through the pack bond. Instinctively, we all started running to the boundary before I could reason.


'Stop!" I commanded, using my voice and the bond.

Everyone came to a halt. A very reluctant one, their anxious gaze fixed on me. It was definitely the wrong time to think about this but I couldn't help the pride coursing through my body at my decision of making Grey beta.

Their love for him was very clear.

'We can't all go. It would be stupid and there might be a trap."

Watching them blink off their initial decision to rush into an unknown decision, I continued.

'Some people will have to stay behind to watch the pack members and keep an eye out for Antonio or his sorcerer. We have no idea which one of them is with Grey and we can't risk them getting close to the pack members."

The sorcerer might try to reclaim control on the pack members.

'Another group of people will search for the children and missing people."

'Yes Alpha!!"

I sighed, relieved that I was able to snap out of if immediately and get to them.

'I will stay behind and join the search for the children," Liam volunteered through the link. 'Leila and I found a mother looking for her daughter, we were questioning her."

'I'm coming to you. I'm going to look for Grey," my brave mate said.

'Alright."

Regan looked embarrassed. I knew he didn't expect himself to act as impulsive as we all did but that couldn't be helped. Grey had the ability to worm into people's heart. The soldiers divided themselves into groups, choosing the tasks they wanted to carry out.

By the time Leila reached us, we had three groups of almost even numbered soldiers. Damien walked to me, his face grim and set with determination.

'I will stay to watch the pack," Regan said, surprising me. 'Some people haven't woken up yet and the ones that are awake will soon start panicking."

I nodded. There was no point questioning his decision even though it took me by surprise.

'You have your strong mate and others, they will do a better job protecting you Alpha," Regan said with a sad smile on his face as he watched Leila walk towards us.

I knew he was thinking about our fallen brothers in arms and what happened the last time we marched into battle together.

'We still haven't had a drink together Regan. Don't die on me."

He smirked, 'you too Xander."

Regan walked away, giving Leila a pat on her shoulder as he passed.

'He's not coming?" Leila watched him join the soldiers, giving orders immediately.

'No. They need him more here." Turning from Regan, I looked at the soldiers with me, 'From Grey's words, we know that they aren't in the pack so there's no need to search here. Form two groups, one to search the entrance of the pack and the other, the back end. Leila and Hera are protecting us from their senses but stealth is still required. Do not put yourself or anyone in a compromising situation."

'Yes Alpha."


****

‘Something is wrong,' Hala jerked up.

Leila and I were in the group for the back end. So far, we had only seen bushes and trees, nothing out of the ordinary.

‘What?'

‘I can't seem to sense…'

'... Alpha Xander!!" Hera interrupted, sounding distressed. 'There's something wrong, grey's wolf is fading. It's like he's dying but I know it's only his wild that is draining!!'

Leila's eyes widened.

'What does that mean?"

'Hera?"

Hala spoke up, ‘Someone is trying to remove his wolf from him. The person is succeeding.'

Can that be done?!

'Xander what does that mean? What is wrong with Grey?!" Leila asked, her eyes getting teary.

Around me, the soldiers began to shift, relying on their wolves superior senses to pick up grey's scent.

'Someone is trying to remove Grey's wolf from him."

I kept the succeeding part to myself. Damien froze then shifted with a growl. The pack bond was filled with anxiety and panic.

Fear.

'Another innocent person. Another fucking innocent person hurt because of me…"

'Leila…" she was spiraling. Fast.

'...No. it's not my fault. It's Antonio, it's always Antonio."

I increased my pace, decreasing the distance between us. I could feel her power stretching. It felt like a weight on my mind.

Stunned, I realized what she was doing. Leila was using mental magic. She was assessing the mind of everything around her trying to find Antonio. The low whines of the nearby wolves told me that her reach was spreading.

'I won't let that happen…"

'I found his scent!!" someone shouted.

The pressure on my mind disappeared instantly, so quickly that it felt like I just imagined it.

Relieved that I've finally reached her, I placed my hand on her shoulder. She was rigid.

My mate rested her head on my chest. The tension in her shoulders reducing slowly.

'Where?"

'Hera, is the process reversible?"

'You have to get there in time before his wolf leaves fully. If you're late, there's nothing anyone can do."

'How much time do we have?"

'Not much Alpha."

'This way Alpha," the soldier said. According to my memory, his name was Yul. The other wolves hearing my conversation with Hera were already close to him.

'Thank you Yul," Leila said, beating me to it. She pulled away and gave me a once over. I've come to realize that was her way of checking if I'm alright.

'Step back," she ordered raising her hands to the air.

Obeying, they moved away from the edge of the gathering of trees that held Grey's scent. A scent that I was just recognizing. It must have been seriously masked but fortunately, not well done.

Leila flicked her wrist. The trees instantly started to shrink, grasses disappeared and shrubs withered away. The soldiers and I watched in amazement and shock as the once green gathering became a baren land.

A barren land that Grey laid tied up in the middle with traps that were obviously set for us littered around him.

'Grey!!" Damien shouted, snapping everyone out of their trance. He had shifted back without my notice.

He moved but his eyes were still shut. I'll take that, it's a sign that he was still alive.

Damien ran towards him naked. Jumping over the traps and pits that were covered with leaves.

'Interesting," a man said. He had just emerged from the forest.

I didn't hear him approach or sense him.

The sorcerer.

Damien came to a halt. Eyeing the man suspiciously, I watched him guage the distance between himself and Grey.

Damien was closer to Grey.

'What is this?" I heard him before I saw him.

Antonio.

'Oh."