Chapter 24: Unanswered


    Can looked at his father who nodded in approval before meeting the eyes of his Alpha "I want a


    ceremony on the full moon day to announce Vi as my chosen mate."


    Einar tightly knit his brows as his mate continued to stare at him with hopeful eyes. He squeezed his


    nose every now and then. His hands twitched and he could feel a vein pulsating in his forehead.


    "What did you say?" he menacingly whispered as his nostrils red. He grinded his teeth while his eyes


    flickered from brown to devilish scarlet.


    Can could deduce that the Alpha seemed infuriated by his proposal. He did not miss the glint of


    hatred, the rage and tightening of the alpha''s jaw muscles. Einar seemed angry beyond control..


    But why?


    "I-I chose V-Vi as my mate.." Can uttered with his withering confidence.


    Burning rage hissed through Einar''s body. How unashamedly could Can profess his wish to mate


    someone else? No one was allowed to touch him, to caress him, to be with him other than Einar


    himself! It was like someone else staking a im on what rightfully was his..


    White knuckles formed from clenching his fist too hard, he gritted his teeth from an effort to remain


    silent. His hunched form exuded an animosity which was burning; slicing; potent. His face was red with


    the suppressed rage and when he saw his mate''s desires directed at someone else, he snapped.


    He held an end of the table and thrashed it to the wall on the left, breaking it in the process. The papers


    flew in air like swarming bees. He reached for Can swiftly and clutched his throat by his bare hands.


    The circumference of Can''s jugr was being strangted by the palms of the alpha.


    "How dare you even think of mating any other wolf!" He said venomously.


    The aura which emanated through Einar forced the spectators to reluctantly transfer their body weights


    to their knees. Even Ragnar was not untouched by it as he tried his best to fight this submission and


    help his dear boye out of his fury. Justus on the other hand was helpless and shedding tears of


    misery for he knew that his only son was on the verge of being ughtered.


    Can however was in his own trance. Though his trachea had been tightly gripped by the Alpha with


    great power, he hardly felt anything. He on the contrary stared at Einar with defiance. He slowly


    brought his palm to hold Einar''s hand and threateningly whispered. "Leave me."


    The feel of his touch helped Einar to regain his control. He rapidly blinked his eyes. He gasped and


    slowly released his hands from the man. Soon after, the men were on their feet and trying to create


    some distance between Einar and Can. Though many people stood between them, they stared at


    each other like they were battling with their eyes.


    Einar clicked his thumb with his middle finger and pointed at Can. "Listen carefully Ashton.. I wont let


    you mate with Vi or any other wolf. EVER!"


    This statement fuelled Can''s anger and he was about to say something when his father and Peter


    dragged him outside the chamber forcefully. Ragnar hinted Garrick to take Einar away and so he did.


    ****


    Back in his room, Einar''s frustration was declining to alleviate. His bed was turtled upside down while


    all themp posts had been thrashed. The chairs and tables were broken while sses were scattered


    wound into small brittle pieces all around the floor. He paced in anger while smashing his things at the


    wall.


    Garrick stood at a corner and patiently waited for his friend to cool down.


    "How could he..." Einar threw a ss at the entrance door. He clenched and unclenched his fist and


    muttered just those words "How could he.."


    "How could he what?" asked Garrick.


    "HOW COULD HE EVEN THINK OF MATING SOMEONE ELSE!" Einar gritted his teeth. "He has no


    right to even look at someone. Who does he thinks he is? I will not allow this." he bbered through his


    rage.


    "Calm down Einar. I am sure he will realise that he cant mate any wolf."


    "You don''t know him!" He breathed harshly.


    "And you do?" Garrick asked usingly.


    Einar in his own thoughts paced around and replied without filter "Yes. He is very stubborn. He will


    leave no stone unturned if he desires something."


    Garrick realised that his friend was distracted and found it a suitable opportunity to broach the subject


    he always avoided. He knew that Einar would not willingly ept everything and hence he decided to


    use a different approach - Jealousy.


    "On second thought. Thedy Vi has not found her mate for a long time now so she can demand to


    have a chosen mate."


    This raged Einar even further "She can have anyone else. ANYONE BUT CALLAN."


    "And why cant she choose Can?" Garrick raised a brow and narrowed his eyes.


    "BECAUSE HE IS...." Einar stopped abruptly and his body trembled as he tried to calm himself. He


    swallowed his anger when he realised what he was about to reveal.


    Garrick stepped closer to his friend and looked him to his eyes "Because he is someone special to


    you.. Someone close to your heart.. Someone you yearn to be with.. Someone you desire the most.."


    He almost whispered "I know he is your mate!"


    In that very moment Einar knew that he was busted. His hands trembled and his lips quivered. He


    suddenly moved back and faced the window. "W-What are you saying? T-That''s not true."


    Garrick stepped back and ran his hands through his hair in frustration "STOP PRETENDING EINAR."


    he shouted "I know he is your mate. I see the way you look at him, how your jealousy peaks when he


    talks with someone. How you despise people who even look at him."


    Einar wanted to deny it but he knew whatever Garrick implied was not wrong. The guilt to have kept it


    hidden from his best friend had made him meworthy over the years. s! It was the moment of


    truth! He closed his eyes and slowly turned his back to his friend. The rage and anger in him was long


    gone and reced by fear and regret. His head low in shame, he whispered "H-How long have you


    known?"


    "A while."


    "Have you told anyone?"


    Garrick was perturbed and humiliated by the question "I am not the one who hides secrets from his


    best friend and I am not the one to spill the beans either." He scoffed. He held Einar''s arm and turned


    him around to face him "I am your best friend Einar! I have told you everything that has transpired in


    my life. Even the minute of the details. But you.." he huffed "You have concealed the biggest and the


    most important truth of your life. Why? Was I not trusting? Have I ever failed you? Betrayed you? Or


    were we even friends to begin with?" Garrick''s muscle in his chin trembled, he looked to his friend as if


    he could sooth him. The strong exterior he portrayed copsed in that instant and he broke down in


    Einar''s arms.


    Einar''s own eyes were full of despair and guilt. Garrick was the closest being in his life. They had been


    together through thick and thin over the years and keeping secrets from him was much worse than


    betraying him. He held a vulnerable Garrick and tried to stabilize him on his feet. He almost pleaded


    when he looked in his puffy eyes. "No No No No Garrick. You are like a brother to me. I never wanted


    to hide this from you but I was helpless. I was bound to a promise."


    "A promise by who?" Garrick sniffled.


    "Uncle Umberto."


    This caught him off guard "My father? He-He knew about you two?" His father had never been


    secretive in his entire life. When in his dying days Catherine could sense that his mate was deliberately


    trying to hide something from her. The desperation and helplessness in his eyes did not go unnoticed


    by Garrick either. At that time he refuted the thought thinking that Umberto was worried for his family


    when in reality he was worried for a greater cause.


    "Now it all makes sense." Garrick exhaled a long breath. He wiped his cheeks and closed his eyes to


    you first realise that Can was your mate?" He asked all of a sudden.


    Einar sniffled and looked at the window again. "I confirmed my doubts on my sixteenth birthday."


    "So it was even before that." But Garrick recalled that Einar and Can were never close. "But as far as


    I remember as children you stopped ying with him when we were eight and had rarely talked after


    that."


    "That is what you remember Garrick." Einar snickered "My memory goes beyond that."


    "How?"


    Einar held the hem of the curtain and looked at a tree dancing to the tunes of the wind from the


    window, reminiscing his old memories. He spoke with a smile "Even as kids I liked to spend time with


    him. In fact were always together; almost inseparable. I used to share my food, my toys and even my


    clothes with him. He was so special to me."


    "Yes I do remember that. Even at the dining table you would insist that he sits with you. But if you both


    were so close than what changed?"


    He jerked his face to Garrick "Did you know that our birthdays fall on the same day?"


    "Really!" Garrick''s was a bit surprised by the new information "I never knew that." he whispered to


    himself "So that''s the reason I never see him celebrating his birthday."


    Einar turned to face the window again with his hands behind his back. "Its not your fault actually. Very


    few people know that. As kids we used to celebrate our birthdays together. He was at my side for the


    entire day. On one such fateful birthdays my father presented us with two identical wooden toys. A


    wolf." He smiled as his eyes sparkled remembering the moment. "I was very happy to see the joy in


    Can''s face when he hugged the toy. Dayster he got busy ying with his own toy and neglected


    me. That was the first time I snapped."


    "What did you do?"


    "We had a fight and I punched him." Einar''s smile faltered. "I was angry for he refused to y with me.


    In a fit of rage I broke his toy and got in a tussle with him." He bowed down and lowly whispered "I was


    scared, angry that he would choose someone else over me and so I reacted."


    "That''s the reason he doesn''t celebrate his birthday with you."


    Einar slowly nodded "He was human so he was fragile. My parents knew my temper tantrums and


    hence suggested Can''s parents to let him y outside of the Alpha house. Away from me." Einar


    sighed and paused for a moment "I felt remorse when I saw the bruises on his lips and jaw. I thought


    this was my punishment."


    "Then you started hanging out with me." He chuckled.


    "Yes. You proved a great distraction. It wasn''t as if I forgot Can. It saddened me deeply to not be with


    him but I knew we were happy this way. I used to talk to him on asions but that was that."


    Indeed that was their rtionship. Garrick recalled that as kids Einar and Can would y separately.


    They never showed interest in each otherspany while they talked only when it was necessary.


    "What happened next?"


    Einar''s eyes narrowed "It was all good for the following years until that tragic incident."


    Garrick perceived what Einar was talking about and gasped "The attack of the dragon!"


    Einar nodded slowly "My senses were on a high alert that day, like my life was in danger. Something


    inside of me was pulling me towards the deep woods. I dragged you with me and we found an injured


    Can trying to save himself. You got hurt of course. When I saw the dragon inching towards him; I


    snapped again."


    Garrick nodded in understanding "The shedim spirit was awakened." He realised that the assumptions


    of the elders and the pack council failed as the spirit was forced to awaken to save its mate and did not


    show itself on its own as was previously thought.


    "It was the first time I had killed someone but it felt good. How twisted was that!" He chuckled in


    sarcasm "And that was when I smelled him."


    Garrick looked bewildered for a moment before raising an eyebrow "Can? Impossible!! He has no


    smell."


    "He does. It is very faint; but it is there and it drives me crazy." He gritted his teeth as if even


    mentioning that delicious scent of his mate was making him weak to the knees right now. "When he


    was in the healers cottage he asked for his friendspany- The witch. She seemed very fond of him.


    Their closeness incited a feeling so strong in me that I wanted to kill the healer then and there. It was


    jealousy."


    Garrick remembered the day very vividly. The dragon had attacked Can when he was on his own in


    the woods. Can was helpless and could not defend himself because he fell down and broke his leg.


    Garrick scowled and looked at his friend "His leg was so damaged that he couldn''t walk but all of a


    sudden his injuries vanished just like that. Was it you?"


    Einar took a deep breathe "I could not take it. The veins pulsating in me were making me frustrated.


    The desperation to see him healthy and fine overtook my senses and I visited him. I turned into my wolf


    and licked all of his injuries."


    Garrick was bbergasted with what he heard "But we were thirteen back then! For mates to do that


    they have toe of age and properly mate."


    "Everything is twisted in our case I guess." Einar chuckled.


    As a thirteen year old to go through such a trauma would have been hard. What worried Garrick the


    most was that his best friend had to endure it all alone. "You should have told me."


    Einar lowered his head and sighed "I was confused and scared. I did try to tell you once but you


    rebuffed me and thought I was joking."


    Indeed. He remembered Einaring to him and expressing his weird feelings and happenings when


    was around Can. Back then Garrick thought that he was bluffing or ying tricks on him. He could


    notprehend that it all could be true. "I am so sorry."


    Einar waved his hand expressing that it was all in the past and he continued "After that incident, I


    became wary of his closeness so I decided to stay away from him to clear my mind. But it never


    happened. The more I was away from him the more deranged I was bing. I was so mad when the


    news of his shifting base reached my ears, I threw a tantrum at my father that we need to move our


    Alpha house to the western borders. It took days for me to calm down." Garrick squeezed Einar''s arm


    to control his emotions and give him support which he so longed "I still remember that I used to wake


    up early and do my chores before time to sit near the chair at the entrance and wait for him to arrive."


    Initially Garrick thought Einar''s behaviour was weird but he remembered that even in their training


    sessions Einar would make everyone wait for Can to arrive. Talking of training he remembered a


    trivial incident of the past "Tell me about Roderick. Why did you hit him?"


    "He was training with Can. They were being taught to use muscle strength and you know what a


    poser that douche was. He undressed his shirt to impress the girls and asked Can to do the same.


    But I saw what no one else could. The way he looked at Can, the way his eyes flickered around his


    body. He wanted him!" His nostrils red as he gritted his teeth to calm his beasts. "I was working on


    my self control those days but I was skeptical at that moment. The douche than justunched himself


    at Can and they fell back to the ground. He was on top of my mate and all of a sudden nibbled his


    ears. That is why I lost it."


    "I knew you had a reason to hit him that day. Roderick was so scared that he left the main vige and


    settled with his grandparents" Garrick snickered.


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    "I was reprimanded for what I had done. I realised I was bing a bad person; a Monster, and it was


    all because of that green eyed boy."


    Garrick wanted to repudiate all allegations that were imposed on his best friend but he knew there was


    truth in what people said and it all started on his sixteenth birthday. "Tell me about the day my father


    was attacked." Garrick almost choked.


    Einar became more alert recalling that horrible day. His stance was grim "I was barely holding myself


    that day. It was as if a thousand gallons of water could not quench my thirst. I wanted Can so bad. I


    managed to somehow control myself during the gifting but when we were on the run, uncle Umberto


    caught hold of my secret. He was really disappointed but he understood that I was not at fault. And


    then the attack came."


    "You left everyone abruptly because you sensed Can was in danger."


    Einar nodded "I ran as fast as I could but when I reached the spot, lets just say that it was the most


    dreadful moment of my life." A side of his lips curved as he huffed in his nostalgia.


    "Why? What transpired."


    A red fury gained momentum in Einar''s eyes. His jaws trembled as his entire body was shaking in


    anger. "The woodcutters girl stole my first kiss with Can. I was devastated, heartbroken and enraged


    at the audacity of the girl to malign my mate, make him impure."


    Garrick suddenly realised that the woodcutters daughter was found dead the very next day of the


    incident near the river. "Don''t tell me you had something to do with her death." Garrick questioned his


    friend but Einar never responded and kept his stance. Garrick''s eyes widened as he whispered in


    shock "No..!"


    In response Einar just took the curtain cloth in his fist and strangled it to curb his anger. "I could not get


    it out of my head. Those lips were mine to behold, mine to feel, mine to kiss and that stupid girl robbed


    me of my right. So I went after her that day and attacked her. She begged for mercy and even


    apologised but I was not having it. All I knew was I had to kill the girl and get her away from Can


    forever." he hissed in fury.


    Garrick was taken aback. "But she never knew! How could you do that!?" he roared. "She was the only


    child to her parents."


    Einar gulped as beads of his guilt slid down from the corner of his eyes. "I know and I feel deep


    remorse for the killings but I could not control myself. The wolf in me had to be satiated. Make sure that


    there is no one else to stake a im..."


    "Wait a minute.." Garrick interjected as his lips quivered "You said killings.. How many more people


    have you killed Einar?" He looked to his friend desperately searching for answers he was not ready for.


    Einar clenched and unclenched his fingers for a long amount of time. He let the tear drops flow freely


    as he looked to the side where his bewildered friend stood. "Seven."


    To say Garrick was startled was an understatement. Words had left him. He failed to recognise the man


    who stood in front him. This could not be his friend. He was a man who bloodied his hands with the


    deaths of innocents. This man destroyed other lives just to quench his want for his mate. He was a


    Monster.


    With his lips trembling Garrick started connecting all the dots in his head. "Den."


    "He snaked his arms around Can so I killed him."


    "Miriam."


    Einar snickered in distaste "She wanted to see his penis."


    All of a sudden Garrick remembered something or rather someone. He wanted to believe this to just be


    a false suspicion. He was afraid for it to be true. With hesitation he gulped and slowly whispered "And


    Kamryn? Did you.." he gulped in fear " Did you k-kill him too."


    Einar lowered his eyes in shame and looked aside.


    Garrick gasped in shock "How could you!? He was old! How was he even a threat to you or your mate."


    He roared


    "His closeness to Can unnerved me. I tried to reason with my mind but the beast in me wasn''t having


    it." Einar looked at his friend apologetically "Believe me Garrick I did not wanted to harm anyone of


    them but I had no control over my myself."


    Garrick realised that these weren''t just killings; it was madness. Yes mates do things in love and


    protection but this was something else. it was beyond possessiveness, a grim warning to be away from


    Can and a stake to im Can as his mate to the entire world. People just don''t go on killing other


    people for their mates! What was worse was that Can and Einar had not even been bonded than


    how in the world would''ve any of the deceased heed the warning? Clearly Einar''s mind was demented.


    "It wasn''t fair to anyone of them. You should have asked for help Einar."


    "I did." Einar hanged his head in shame "I confessed everything to the elders and they put me behind


    bars to control my thirst to kill. Those days in the dark dungeons gave a new perspective to my life. I


    thought about everything that happened and concluded just one thing." he gritted his teeth "Can was


    responsible." he spoke the words ever so slowly.


    "How was he responsible?"


    Einar witnessed the atmosphere outside the window changing. The once waving tree tops were


    standing in attention. He huffed and sighed "He used to stir up my emotions like no other. It was


    bing worse day after day. I was bing an abomination. I never really cared about anyone until


    and unless it had to do something with Can. I hated the fact that my life revolved around him. So I


    requested the elders to let me participate in the training before time."


    "The kingsnd."


    Einar kept his eyes to the window and nodded. "I wanted to be as far away from him as possible. I had


    a n. I just had to keep the beasts at bay and I could control myself, turn into a new man."


    "The locket helped."


    "Immensely." he turned to look at his friend "I was free from the thoughts of Can finally. The beasts


    were there but I had full control over my mind and body. It felt exhrating, liberating. For once I did not


    had to care about that stupid boy, but I knew that it wontst..."


    "You would''ve met Can some day or other." Garrickpleted Einar''s unspoken words.


    "Exactly. So I trained myself hard, focused my skills to gain control on my senses. You being there


    helped me a lot and I could see the change in me that I always wanted."


    Garrick understood Einar''s need to be in control. He grasped as much that Can influenced his


    emotions on another level. But what he could notprehend was the role his current mate Rosaline


    had to y in his story. "How does Rosaline fit in the picture?"


    Einar closed his eyes for a moment and sighed "I met her in the penultimate year when she was


    crossing a river. We connected and began a conceited friendship on her request."


    "Why?"


    "There were people on her lookout. You see her mate had died when she was thirteen. He belonged to


    the same pack, ten years older to her. Her pack was ambushed and everything dear to her was lost.


    She with other survivors, took shelter with the kings people."


    "You introduced me and everyone else to Rosaline in ourst year. Why did you wait so long?"


    Einar tasted the air and dampened his dry lips before answering "People started noticing her being


    without a mate. After she turned eighteen she would have been forced to join the harem. So I came up


    with a solution; I asked her to be my chosen mate and escape this life."


    "And she agreed?"


    "Not at first." He replied quickly "It took a lot of convincing."


    Garrick thought that bringing Rosaline into the scenario was immoral. The poordy was unaware how


    maniacal Einar''s beasts can behave. All because of a mystery mate of his. "Does she know about


    Can?"


    "Not exactly. She knows that I have a mate. I have told her that my mate is not a wolf and hence not


    eptive of me."


    "How ironical!" Garrick chuckled. The fact was that the mate in question did not even knew about the


    other half of his soul being the leader of the pack himself. Einar never gave him a chance of even


    acknowledging the bond. How can he be at fault? But what disturbed him more was Einar''s behaviour.


    He imed to not want him but his actions suggested otherwise.


    "What about Can? Do you want him as a mate?"


    Einar lowered his head to think about what Garrick had said. He chuckled at the thought and looked at


    his friend, shaking his head "You have to understand this Garrick. The way I react whenever I am


    around my mate is not my doing. Its the beasts. I don''t love my mate but they do."


    "Just in case if you...." Garrick could notplete his sentence for he was stunned andpletely


    shocked to see Can on the entrance door.


    ********


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