《I Claim Your Love》


 Chapter 4: Unknown Feelings

    Chapter 4: Unknown Feelings

    The shackles which bounded Einar eventually thawed. Hisplete demeanor was that of a brute,

    savage monster. He could feel blood rushing through the veins of the dragon. Whereas the dragon

    could not specte what stood before him, he became a bit wobbly, a bit scared. The ck mist

    surrounding Einar was getting stronger andrger. Einar scowled showing his canines with aggression;

    he slowly levitated his body and was in front of the dragon in no time. The dragon was in an attacking

    position, he was ready to fire his mighty me but even before he could do that the mist clouded the

    dragon and circled its neck, constricting its supply of air. The dragon choked and whined painfully until

    he was forced to transform in his human form. Can could not believe his eyeballs when he registered

    that the beast who had driven him crazy, attacked a boy brutally and was about to kill him for food or

    worst for his own amusement, was in fact a boy who must have been around sixteen or seventeen.

    How ironic was this, the boy in in sight looked harmless and innocent but his other side was equally

    demonic and barbaric.

    Einar got hold of the boy with his right hand. He was fuming in anger when he choked the boy''s jugr.

    "How dare you touch him!"

    This voice was cold, deathly and certainly different than that of Einar. The hold through the boys neck

    was getting tighter as the dragon shifter struggled to release himself. The boy showed fear and defeat

    clearly in his eyes. Einar ascended his ws and with one swift move pulled out the insides of the boys

    trachea.

    To say Can was scared was an understatement, he was hugely terrified at the moment. Petrified

    from what he just saw. He had seen nothing like this in his entire existence.

    What was it?

    A shifter; a beast; a monster; or a supreme entity. Whatever it was, one thing was for sure that this

    thing saved his life. But was he really safe? Would Can suffer the same fate as the boy? These

    thoughts scared him and his heart hammered in his chest. The rhythmic rise and fall of Can''s chest

    caught the attention of Einar, or what was supposed to be Einar.

    He turned his gaze to Can. He was transfixed at him. On the other hand all Can could see was an

    entity approaching him without touching the ground. But somehow Can was mesmerized with its

    aura; he awed the being in front of him. He felt safe. While Einar had a look of content and admiration

    on his face. He lowered himself and was fingertips away from Can''s lips and brushed his mouth

    momentarily.

    The very next moment Einar was thrown back at a considerable distance in the air. He took a flight and

    crashed to a nearby tree trunknding in bushes. Can could not help but notice that it was the same

    power that sent Einar flying, the only difference being that the power was stronger and more maic.

    It was the Alpha.

    Ragnar shielded Can and was in a defensive stance, whereas the other members of the pack

    watched the scenario unfold from a distance. When Einar woke up from the ground, he was himself. He

    was disoriented but quicklyposed himself. He could see his father standing in front of the boy

    whereas a few pack members including some warriors had shock and fear written all over them. And all

    of them were watching Einar with horror.

    "Are you okay son?" The Alpha inquired.

    "I..I''m fine father. A bit dizzy though." Ragnar signaled his pack members toe and do their job. The

    warriors kept a safe distance from the Alpha''s son when they were carrying the corpse. While a few of

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    them attended Garrick and rushed him to the Alpha house.

    "Hello son." Justus was calm but concern reflected his eyes.

    "I''m going to pick you up now. It might pain a bit. Just hang on tight." Justus took a deep breath and

    lifted his son off the ground. The very slightest movement caused Can great difort. He painfully

    groaned for every movement his father made. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tightly. He was in

    tears. This was not going too well with Einar who for some reason felt very ufortable with every

    sound of pain Can was making. He suppressed his urge for growling countless times. Even his wolf

    was whining within him.

    "I need to go for a run father. My wolf needs out, I will be back as soon as possible. Please take care of

    Garrick." His father nodded curtly. Einar took onest nce at the pained look of Can before he

    turned and paced away into the safer part of the woods.

    ****

    Garrick was unconscious and had lost a lot of blood. Both Garrick and Can were ced in two

    separate beds juxtaposed at a handful of distance. Garrick and Can''s parents were besides their

    boys while the healers were treating the youngds. Though Garrick was in a grave danger than

    Can, the situation would soon change because of Garrick''s healing power as a wolf. But on the other

    hand Can had to endure all the pain for days toe until he is fit to carry out his regr activities.

    This worried him even more. His leg would prove an obstacle in his training sessions and his father

    would be disappointed. Once again.

    "What''s the statusdy Odile?" Alpha asked the petite woman with curls who was checking Garrick at

    the moment.

    "Garrick would be fine Alpha. Its Can I''m worried about."

    "What do you mean by that? Please exin yourself."

    "Garrick''s healing poweres from his wolf, in fact the process has already begun; but Can has no

    shifter spirit in him so his recovery is unprecedented. His left foot has been wounded and he has lost a

    lot of blood, however my concern here is his leg. I fear he might have dislocated his bone or may even

    have broken it."

    Simultaneous gasps of pity and shock ringed the entire room. Mary was in tears the entire time.

    "Do everything you can Odile, but make sure the boy is healthy and fine."

    "I''ll try my best Alpha."

    "Justus, Umberto I need to discuss some urgent matters with you. Come with me."

    With that the Alpha and his men left the room, leaving behind the boys and thedies. Lady Odile was

    the head healer of the entire pack. She served the important people of the n, but Can somehow

    felt ufortable near her. He wanted someone who knows him, who couldfort him.

    He wanted his friend.

    "Lady Odile, could you please inform Aurora about the situation." Can requested the head healer.

    "Of course, my dear boy. In fact Aurora is on her way as we speak. She went to collect some herbs for

    you."

    Aurora was another healer who worked in the pack. But unlike other healers Aurora knew some magic.

    She was a part witch. She had been always fond of the little boy since his birth. Children of Can''s

    age were really not interested to be friends with him. Therefore he sought sce in Aurora and

    confided in her. She had a pleasing and charming personality. When Justus told him that they were

    shifting base, Can was upset but at the same time relieved that he would be living in a ce where

    he would be epted, he could make new friends with other shifters and humans as also he would be

    near Aurora''s house as well. This brought a smile on his face.

    Can was interrupted from his thought process when he heard the Alpha son''s voice. He was

    standing at the door having a conversation with the healer. He slowly entered the room and stole

    nces at Can. He then moved on the other side of the room where his friend was sleeping. Can

    wanted to thank Einar for saving his life, but he did not know how to broach the subject. Whenever

    Can wanted to talk to the boy he either would turn away or make himself busy by doing some

    random chore. After a while the room became empty except for Einar, Can and an unconscious

    Garrick.

    "I need to speak to you Einar." Can took it upon himself to start a conversation. Hearing his name

    from Can sent shivers through Einar''s body, he was confused but equally delighted nheless. He

    fixated his gaze on Can.

    "I''m all ears."

    "I-I wanted to thank you for saving my life. Had it not been you or your cloudy thing, I would have been

    reduced to ashes."

    "You were not afraid of my other form!" Einar''s interest was piqued, he raised his eyebrows in

    astonishment, somehow he was interested to know Can''s answer.

    "No. As a matter of fact I thought your other form was simply captivating."

    Einar was delighted and relieved to know that Can was not afraid of him. Since the incident, the pack

    members have been wary of Einar. They were afraid and scared of him, he could see fear in their eyes,

    they were avoiding him like a gue. Like he would burst at any moment or harm anyone. But not

    Can. He was happy that Can liked him; his other form. But why does it matter to him in the first

    ce? Why should Can''s approval of him bring joy and content to Einar?

    Why?

    "So.... Thank you." Can extended his hand in appreciation for Einar to shake. Einar was in two

    minds, he looked straight at the hand of Can and then into his eyes. He was happy, he had a grin on

    his face and slowly moved his left hand to meet Can''s right.

    "Cally....."

    Einar''s grin turned into a frown when a beautifuldy with long ck hair entered the room when he

    was just about to touch the boy. She was wearing a blue long gown with wristlets and even her

    adornments were unique. She quickly put aside the pots she was carrying and went over to Can and

    embraced him, much to the distaste of Einar.

    "Oh Cally. Please don''t do this stupid thing again. Fighting a dragon on your own! What were you

    thinking!" She yfully smacked Can''s arm. Einar frowned again.

    "I have brought some mixture of radish, bishop wort, wormwood, crop leek and Garlick. You just have

    to apply to your wounds and your pain would be relieved."

    "Alright. Stay with me, I feel less anxious when you are near." Einar felt hurt and betrayed by Can''s

    words.

    "Of course my darling. I will always be with you my little handsome boy." She ruffled Can''s hair and

    put her right palm on Can''s cheek.

    Einar was furious all of a sudden. Every touch the female made to Can chafed Einar more and more.

    He growled.

    Aurora realized that she hadpany and looked to the source of the sound. Einar frowned and

    pursed his lips. Aurora could not understand what was causing Einar''s ire to grow.

    "What happened Einar?" Can was curios.

    Einar calmed his features when the women lifted her hands off Can. Aurora noticed the change.

    "I don''t know, my wolf is behaving abrupt."

    Aurora saw the look in the face of Einar when he was talking to Can. She saw admiration and delight

    in his eyes.

    "Hello, Son of Alpha." Aurora bowed in respect, but hearing her voice made Einar frown again. Aurora

    could not help but notice that something was bothering the future Alpha. She quickly moved away from

    Can and went near Garrick to inspect him. She even applied her medicines and herbs to Garrick''s

    wounds and would steal nces at Einar very often. She noticed that he was indifferent when she was

    near Garrick.

    Something came across Auroras mind. A realization.

    She was back on Can''s side to test her assumptions.

    "Your body needs to cool down a bit. Otherwise you may fall ill." She reached for Can''s shirt and

    undid his buttons ever so slowly and with a side nce observed the reaction of Einar. He was fuming.

    She went even further and gave a light kiss on Can''s hair and to his cheeks.

    This infuriated Einar like anything. His wolf was restless and wanted out. He wanted to ughter the

    women; behead her. He growled ferociously. Aurora jumped from her seat away to the walls while

    Can was confused with Einar''s behavior.

    "Are you alright?" Can could not understand Einar''s mood swings. He was again calm and

    "I-uh-I need to go." He swiftly moved out of the doors to the main gate towards the woods. While back

    in the room Aurora was grinning with victory.

    "Why are you smiling?"

    "Oh. Its nothing." But in contrast Aurora had concluded something for which she was happy.+

    Happy for Can.

 Chapter 5: The Other Form

    Chapter 5: The Other Form

    For the next several days Can was advised bed rest. His leg was bothering him. The healers under

    the guidance ofdy Odile performed several measures to cure the wounded leg. None of which

    proved effective for him. Aurora even tried to perform her magic potions on Can but she failed time

    and again. The growing concern of the head Warrior and his mate affected even the Alpha. Aurora

    knew that Can may suffer a permanent damage to his leg and it may happen that he would not be

    able to walk. Ever.

    Einar paid frequent visits to meet Garrick, but in reality all he wanted to do was to get a glimpse of the

    face which had ruled his dreams these days. Unfortunately for him Garrick had recoveredpletely

    just after a few days of the incident. So Einar could no longer visit as frequently as he used to do. It

    saddened him the most; he missed his trainings and socialized even less with others. He was worried

    for the boy. He would enquire about his well being to other pack members every chance he got. This

    unknown concern within him was baffling to say the least. Can had clouded his thoughts more so

    often. He was desperate to get the boy out of his mind, but the more he tried the more he failed.

    On the other hand back in his room, Can was absorbed in his thoughts when a knock on the door

    caught his attention.

    "How is my darling doing today? How is your leg?" Aurora set aside her bag and sat in front of Can

    crossing her legs.

    "I guess I''m fine. The pain seems to be on the same level as it was on the first day. I don''t think it is

    going to subside anytime soon." Can exhaled with defeat.

    "Don''t think about that honey. We are trying our best; your father has even consulted healers from other

    packs and even other ns. We will surely find a way." Assurance was all Aurora could give Can at

    the moment, deep down she knew that the problem was grave. The situation with Can''s wound was

    worsening day by day. Unless a solution is presented, Can was in danger. She changed the

    bandages and applied the cure on him. With a curt smile she excused herself and went straightaway to

    find Justus.

    *****

    "We have discussed this already; there is no proper exnation to whatever conclusions we are

    making. We need someone who could answer our questions. One who knows it all." Umberto was

    presenting his case on the ongoing discussion in the Alphas office.

    "I know that. But the problem is as soon as this news gets out, my son would be a target. Every other

    Alpha would try to capture him or influence him for his own benefit." The Alpha was even more pensive

    now. "Before we seek out help we must figure out what caused this situation in the first ce."

    "The entire pack knows Alpha. They fear Einar, they see him as an abomination. From what I have

    heard the people are keeping a safe distance or even running away on the in sight of the boy. For

    the same reason Einar has stopped socializing. It is not fair to the little boy when he does not even

    know about his powers." The Alpha nodded in agreement for what Justus said.

    "May Ie in Alpha." Aurora was on the door waiting for the Alpha''s response.

    "The healer, pleasee in. What brings you here?" Aurora took the empty seat adjacent to the

    Alphas desk. She saw that the Alpha, beta and the head warrior were circling another table with some

    papers and inks.

    "Have I disturbed you?"

    "Of course not. Just give us a moment." Ragnar rolled his papers and headed for his chair whereas

    Umberto and Justus took the vacant seats in front of the Alpha. "So you were saying.."

    "I heard a bit of your conversation when I was standing outside the door. I am sorry to intrude your

    privacy, but I guess you were talking about the future Alpha, your son. Maybe I can help." Ragnar

    looked at his friends who were in the same dilemma. Should they tell Aurora or refrain. Einar''s

    transformation was a serious situation and the less the people knew the better. His son''s safety

    mattered the most for Ragnar as his packs future depended on it. But what if he could not handle the

    situation? What if it''s toote?

    Should they trust Aurora?

    Ragnar needed every help he could possibly get. Maybe being a half witch on his side could prove to

    be an added advantage. Ragnar ran his hands through his hairs and exhaled.

    "I believe whatever we would be discussing would be for your ears only. Confidential."

    "I promise you Alpha. You have my word." Aurora took the traditional oath of secrecy to assure Alpha

    that she means no harm.

    "The shedim spirits have been a part of our existence for a very long time. Every Alpha wolf of the Blue

    Moon pack is born with an individual spirit of their own. These spirits are demonic, lurid, and ghastly.

    Every supernatural n is aware of the destruction and mayhem this spirit can cause. It is one the

    reasons why we have been living in peace for so long, nobody wants to mess with the spirit. They can

    win you wars and even kingdoms. You could be the ruler of the world.

    But the spirit has a downside to it.

    These spirits are inconsiderate. When on a destruction spree they will not differentiate between old and

    young, men and warriors even women and children. If need be they would even sacrifice their own kin."

    Aurora gasped in shock. She had never known this side of the Shedim spirit. She and the entire pack in

    fact have always seen their Alpha use this power to win battles or save the members of the pack.

    "You mean that the spirit can also kill its own child!"

    "Yes. As I said they don''t differentiate when in blood bath. Now my main concern is that the spirit shows

    itself or manifests its energy only on the coronation day of the Alpha, which of course urs on a blue

    moon night, which in itself is quite rare. But Einar has already awakened the spirit within him without a

    coronation or even without a blue moon. This is truly unheard of."

    "Maybe the attack from the dragon might have triggered the spirit."

    "Do you think the boy is that weak?" The Alpha snorted derisively; agitated by the fact that the healer

    thinks his kin wascking with force or ability.

    "NO Alpha, my apologies. What I meant was that the Dragon could have made Einar angry and that

    must have triggered this whole thing."

    "This is exactly the thought which is concerning me. Einar is an Alpha wolf; his wolf is capable enough

    to fight any creature in the world. Hell he is even more stronger than I am. On the other hand, the

    dragon shifter was a mdroit. For other members of the pack the dragon was definitely a danger but

    he wasn''t a big threat for Einar''s wolf. He could have easily taken over and defended himself which is

    the norm in these kinds of situations."

    "I still don''t understand why it is a big problem that Einar''s shedim spirit showed itself. It would have

    happened at some point of time eventually." Aurora was a little perplexed over the information she was

    receiving.

    "The spirit within you lies moribund until the coronation ceremony. At the ceremony however when the

    enchantments begin to awaken your spirit, it feels like your life is been taken away from you.

    Everything is at a standstill; the air in your body betrays you. Every part of you is screaming in agony. It

    was the most difficult moment of my life.

    The most pain I have ever suffered in my existence.

    When the elder bestows the wisdom staff on your head, you feel a surge of energy like nothing else.

    The power is maddening. And then the spirit in you awakens. The primal instinct of the spirit is to show

    his dominance to the world by doing what it does best. Kill."

    Ragnar remembered his coronation ceremony when the spirit got out of control which resulted in

    bloodstained monster everyone despised.

    Calm down Alpha, It was not your fault. Umberto spoke through his mind link. The disturbing emotions

    of the Alpha could be felt by the entire pack at this moment which was not a good sign.

    "Then how did the destruction stopped?" Aurora was curios.

    "When the spirit was causing mayhem, the elders pushed Zelda to my side. She was my mate and the

    future Luna. She bravely but cautiously took measured steps in my way. Just a glimpse of her stopped

    me in my tracks and from what I was doing. She put one hand on my chest and the other on the back

    of my neck. We stared each other for a long time when she finally kissed me. Every vein in my body

    was pumping blood to my heart, the spirit was long gone. Zelda saved the pack. Saved me."

    Ragnar cracked a smile on remembering the day he imed his beloved.

    "This was not the first time it had happened. Even some of my forefathers had to suffer the same fate;

    you can only be stopped by the presence of your true mate cause the spirit will recognize ''his soul''

    only. This is the reason why every Alpha wolf in our pack has to first find his mate to im the title and

    hold the reigns. Einar is still na?ve, without proper training and experience he is bound to make

    mistakes. He is like a volcano that can erupt anytime anywhere. Given his age, he could be easily

    influenced and be used as a weapon. Einar''s powers are unprecedented; I''m still trying to figure out the

    strength and capabilities of his wolf and now his spirit shows up! He is an unknown territory for us. But

    one thing is for sure.

    He is capable of a mass destruction."

    "That is a lot of information to digest." Aurora still could not believe what she heard about Einar. She

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    realized that she was ying with fire the other day when she was teasing Einar in front of Can. But

    then she remembered something. "If Einar''s spirit has shown himself, can it be possible that it was

    trying to protect someone who was dear to him. Someone significant."

    Aurora was convinced about what she was assuming was true but she needed verification.

    "This could only happen in the case of a true mate. If the spirit has strong intuition that his mate''s life is

    in jeopardy; that his mate is in danger; He will do anything in his power to eliminate the danger."

    This confirms my doubt about Can and Einar. Aurora thought.

    "But as you can see Einar is just thirteen and so finding his mate is impossible at his age. Moreover the

    premise had presence of the dragon which he killed, his best friend Garrick, and Justus'' son Can.

    His mate was not there or we would have known definitely."

    If only they knew. Aurora thought. She then moved her focus to Justus "Speaking of Can; I need to

    talk to you Justus."

    Justus demeanor changed after hearing his son''s name. He was worried for his son. He focused his

    attention to the healer now.

    "Can''s condition is not improving. On the contrary he is getting worse day by day, the infected wound

    is hampering any chance of recovery he has. I know you have reached for other healers as well, and

    let me tell you we have used their methods too. But nothing seems to be working for him."

    "There must be some way. Luna have mercy." Justus was desperate while he felt helpless for his son.

    Einar knocked on the door and the room diverted its attention to him. He gave a short wave of greeting

    to everyone but Aurora. He did not like her proximity with Can. He was jealous of the healer.

    "Mother sent me to fetch the invitations for next month''s soiree."

    "Its alright son, you will find some invitations in the drawer and some on the table. Count those cards

    before you go Einar, make sure you have everyone on the list." Einar nodded at once and moved

    towards the cupboard. While Einar was searching for the invitations Aurora came up with a vague idea,

    something that could cure Can. It was a long shot but it was worth a try.

    "I have to be truthful to you Justus; I don''t think Can would make it." Justus'' heart constricted at

    those words, bile formed in his throats. He was devastated. The Alpha and Beta were crestfallen. They

    loved the boy dearly. Hearing Can''s name made Einar''s ears perk up. Aurora knew that it was harsh

    on the father to say such a thing but she wanted to gain Einar''s attention. And she did.

    "You have been curing people from centuries. Don''t tell me this is a first of a kind case you''ve ever

    encountered. You have to transform my boy in good shape again. Please..." Justus almost choked

    while pleading his case.

    Aurora smirked mentally when she saw Einar ncing sideways, almost hiding the fact that he was

    intruding their conversation. This is exactly what she wanted.

    "Well there is a way about which we all know."

    "What is it. Please tell me, I will do anything to save my son''s life." Justus hunched and was miserably

    helpless.

    "A strong Alpha bloodline or Can''s TRUE MATE can only save him. A wolf''s saliva has healing

    properties as we all know. A true mate can heal his other half or take away the pain. Since we don''t

    know who Can''s mate is, we can''t waste our time on that probability. We have to choose the other

    option. Alpha Ragnar, youe from a powerful bloodline of Alphas. I think we should try using you as

    ast resort method."

    "I will be delighted to help. We should not waste any time, let''s go." Aurora shook her head and

    gestured The Alpha to rx.

    "We can''t do that right now. As I said Can needs his true mate to relieve him of all the pain. Your

    powers won''t work on any day unlike the case of a true mate. We have to wait until the next full moon,

    day after tomorrow. Your powers would be magnified and we can pray that Can survives his fate."

    Einar unconsciously scrambled the cards when he closed his fists in exasperation. He stood up

    abruptly and walked himself out in haste. Ragnar could deduce Einar''s mood but could not understand

    the reason behind it. But Aurora understood that her n had worked perfectly. She knew that only a

    true mate can remove the physical pain of his beloved. She also knew that the Alpha wolf''s saliva won''t

    work on Can since he is not a wolf. But she had to try something since Can and Einar were both

    too young to identify each other as their mates. She hoped that things would be different the next day...

    ****

    The next morning Can woke up feeling dizzy. He got out of the bed and looked himself in the mirror

    to witness his disheveled hair and his untidy look. He took two steps towards his door when his brows

    touched the sky on realizing that his left leg was pain free. He moved his leg slowly in backward

    forward movement and then sideways. He was ecstatic, he could walk and jump and stand on his feet

    effortlessly like nothing had happened to him. He pulled his pants down to closely observe that the

    wound waspletely healed. In fact there were no scar marks as well.+

    But how was this even possible.

 Chapter 6: A Birthday to Celebrate

    Chapter 6: A Birthday to Celebrate

    2 yearster

    It was cold on the mountain top as the icy wind was dominating the entire region. Can stepped every

    foot cautiously. After walking a few distances he could clearly see his destination. Two g posts on

    either side of arge cave. This ce was home to a small poption of grizzly bears. It was Can''s

    favorite ce in the world. As soon as Can crossed the gs he was crushed by a hug and he fell

    down.

    "You are finally here. I had told Mother that you will visit today but she said that you would rather spend

    your day with your pack and I told her that you can never ditch your best friend but she said....."

    "Can''t breathe." Can said in almost a whisper, it was difficult for him to speak. His face was red as his

    best friend had bottlenecked the air supply.

    "Ohh! Pardon me. Sometimes I forget that you are a non-shifter. Here you go." He released his friend

    while Can exhaled arge breath he was holding up thanks to his friend. He got himself up and

    dusted all the ice from his clothes.

    "You really should stop doing that Archer. By the way Happy birthday my dear friend" Can twitched

    his nose and hit Archer on the back of his head yfully.

    "That hurts." Archer groaned.

    "Exactly my point." Archer and Can continued their yful banter as they rolled over the ice and

    wrestled each other. Archer''s ears perked up when his father whistled from inside the cave.

    "We should go inside, Father is calling us. By the way happy birthday to you too." Can smiled and

    followed his friend inside the cave.

    The cave inside resembled a dome structure. It was essentially carved out to fit a family of eight bears.

    The Kemps resided to the nearest boundaries of the western region of the blue moon pack. After

    Can moved to his new home he was finally able to make some new friends who were uncritical and

    less concerned with his inability to shift. One such dear friend was Archer who stumbled upon Can

    when thetter was returning home after fishing while Archer in a pang of hunger had consumed all his

    catch on his way home. Archer had no time to go back to the river and catch any fish. It would require

    tremendous effort and his precious time. So Can selflessly gave away all his fish to Archer so that his

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    family could feed and Archer be saved from the scolding of his father. That was the beginning of an

    affectionate confraternity between the boys.

    As soon as he entered the cave, Can was assaulted with the aroma of delicacies which were served

    on the table for everyone to eat.

    "Can my boy. How have you been?" Can was again squeezed tightly in the arms of Archer''s father.

    Archer was a true copy of Lancelot, the only difference being that the father was buff and hirsute while

    Archer still had his boyish charms. Anothermon thing with the family was that they were always in

    their bare essentials to cover themselves. They hated clothing.

    "I''m fine thank you. Mother has sent her wishes and has asked you to visit us someday." He quickly

    grabbed a box of berries from his pocket and handed over to the chief of the house. Lancelot

    appreciated the gesture and set the box on the table besides all the food.

    "You are finally here. I hope the ice has not bothered you much, soon it will be winter and the weather

    up here can be severe." Can was greeted by ady of his height. She closed the gap between them

    and embraced Can." I wish you a very happy birthday dear Can. I hope your special day brings

    you lots of happiness and fun. You deserve them a lot." Can could see the merry and delight in

    M''s eyes.

    The table was decorated with different kinds of cuisine ranging from hare, deer, boar and fishes to

    puddings, tarts, custards and patties. It was a lot of food on the table.

    After a whileter the other members of the family joined in. Archer''s grandma, his elder brother and

    his mate with their toddler and Archer''s elder sister. They all wished Can on his birthday. It had only

    been two years but the Kemps were already fond of the boy. Lillian, the elder sister of Archer was

    nervous and fidgeting.

    "Are you all right my child?" M asked her daughter with concern.

    "Y-yes mother." She could not help but look at Can every chance she got. When Can returned her

    gaze she blushed red, bowing down looking at herp. Can looked sideways to his friend and raised

    an eyebrow as if to ask what was happening. Archer just shrugged and pursed his smile. Can knew

    that Archer was teasing him and made a point to broach the subjectter.

    "What are you your ns for your birthday celebration?" Lancelot asked striking a conversation.

    "This day is never about me. It''s about the future Alpha of the pack. We have a feast in his honor and

    we all cherish the fact what a great Alpha he is going to be. The man born with a silver spoon." Can

    was nonchnt and sarcastic in his tone.

    "That''s too bad. Surely your parents must have had celebration ns for you. After all you are their

    only child." M sympathized with the boy.

    "My father is the head of the security while my mother is assisting our Luna all day. Since it is a big day,

    both of them are busy and don''t have much time even for each other. So even if they want to be with

    me they really can''t. They alwaysete that day; usually I get to see them the next morning. Most

    of the times I have celebrated my birthday the day before or the day after, but it''s not the same. I feel

    like the essence of one being special is missing. To be honest this is the first time when I have

    celebrated my birthday on the exact day." Can could see pity andpassion in every face on the

    table.

    "Don''t worry Can, you are always wee to celebrate your birthday with us."

    "Alphonse is right we could celebrate ording to your likes and wishes from next year onwards. You

    could bring your friends if you want." Can appreciated the gesture by the elder brother and his mate.

    "Oh you poor thing! I did not realize when I asked Archer to invite you today. You must be feeling

    terrible to share your special day with someone else even today." M was regretful that Can had to

    share his birthday with her son. She thought that Can needs to be treated special, like the day was

    meant for him.

    "On the contrary, this has been the best birthday of my life! I can''t express in words how happy I am

    today. And no, I don''t have any problem to share this day with my best friend. At least I get

    acknowledged here unlike my pack." Can''s eyes had been glossy at this time.

    "What do you mean?" Lancelot was perplexed.

    "What he means father is that very few people in his pack remember that its Can''s birthday as well. It

    is strange, but only Can and the Alpha''s son share the same birth date in the entire pack. Which

    means that only these two should have a special asion to celebrate. Yet they neither acknowledge

    him nor do they appreciate it, they simply ignore him. It''s always his parents and a few elders of the

    pack who bless him. Rest of them surround the Alpha''s son and try to please him as if he was the

    king." Archer was furious on how the blue moon pack treated his friend. He had advised Can

    countless times to stay with him in his cave, but the boy loved his parents too much and knew that he

    can''t escape his responsibilities. Can weakly smiled and patted the back of the palm of Archer to

    assure that he was alright and that Archer should calm down.

    ****

    After the feast the family presented gifts to the birthday boys. Archer presented a new Axe made from

    the strongest wood in the forest while Can gave a pot of freshly harvested honey to Archer. Honey

    was difficult to get in this season but Can managed to arrange some from his human friends just to

    see the delight and excitement in his best friend''s eyes. Archer was ecstatic when he sniffed the honey

    and straightaway attacked the pot. Lillian presented Can with freshly baked muffins which she made

    herself. She seductively touched Can''s hand while gifting him the muffins. She giggled and moved

    strands of her hair to the back of her ear. Can was ufortable with this gesture; he nervously

    pulled himself back and sat besides his best friend.

    "What has happened to Lillian? She is behaving strange."

    "Not just Lillian my friend, the girls in these mountains are swoon over by your charm. They want to eat

    you alive." Archer could not control hisughter when Can''s expressions were as if he could die of

    embarrassment any moment. "The Be''s daughter had visited our home three times today, just to

    know if we need any assistance with the preparations. Her real motive however was to join us because

    YOU were our guest for the feast. Fun fact; she and Lillian had a girl fight over you yesterday. Oh! I just

    loved it!" Can was baffled with all this information.

    "Oh Luna! Not Lillian please. I have always treated her as my sister. This is definitely awkward. What

    has happened to the girls these days? Fighting over something like this is just too much."

    "You must be joking! Have you seen yourself in a mirror? You are the best looking man I have ever

    seen in my life. You have the hair, the face the body which a girl desires and a boy envies. Don''t take it

    otherwise but had I been a girl I would''ve definitely mated you."

    "Stop exaggerating. This has be a serious issue for me these days; the girls have been behaving

    odd around me. They stammer, they don''t look my way and some keep giggling when they pass me."

    "I am not exaggerating my friend. Don''t tell me that the girls in your pack are not hitting on you.

    Everyone wants a piece of you Can." Archer winked and smacked Can''s arm yfully while

    devouring the sweet taste of honey.

    Can was pensive at what Archer had said. He surely was getting all the attention from the girls and

    more of ire from his male counterparts. He never asked any of it, it was already difficult to be the odd

    man in the pack and now his looks have only strained his bond with his coetaneous members. Can

    was jaded with these thoughts and decided to call it a day. He departed from the cave thanking the

    Kemps and mostly avoiding Lillian while Archer apanied his friend to his house.

    The weather outside had been severe. The wind was harsh and chilly. However Archer noticed that

    while the wind was attacking him left and right Can was unfazed by the ambush as the winds made a

    straight pathway for Can to follow. This was strange. It was like Mother Nature was helping the boy

    find his way back home. Archer did not think too much about it, he considered this a fluke and was

    behind his friend taking advantage of the situation. On reaching the house, both the boysid the

    presents on the table and went straightway to the human settlement to meet their other friends there.

    The boys celebrated their day with merriment and enthusiasm. Can felt like he belonged somewhere,

    where people do care about him and he is not burdened to prove himself to anyone.1

    At twilight however Can realized that he had to visit the grand feast at the Alpha mansion and

    participate in the celebrations. He bid adieu to his friends and was on his way to the center of the

    vige. The birthday celebration in their pack has never been a happy moment for Can. Everyone

    surrounded Einar and blessed him, wished him to be the fierce and the most dominant wolf in the

    world. As if he needed any of it. While Can would be avoided as if he does not belong there. Einar on

    the other hand enjoyed all the attention he used to get. People glorified him; put him to a pedestal like

    he was meant to be.

    Can also hated the fact that Einar had be cold towards him. After the day following his recovery

    Einar stopped showing himself abruptly. There were days in a stretch when the boy did not see or hear

    anything about the Alpha''s son. When he finally showed up; he was cold and different towards him. He

    used to re at Can with a scowl every time they crossed paths. It even happened once that his wolf

    lost control and was about to attack Can but was saved by the Alpha.

    The boy however did not know what had caused Einar''s fury.

    The Alpha''s son was punished for the act and Can was med for the entire incident by his fellow

    pack mates. From that day onward Can had maintained a safe distance from Einar and his friends.

    He only focused on his training and his routines and was back home when it was all done. He avoided

    the boy like a gue. Even during breakfast at the Alpha house Can used to sit to the farthest point

    away from Einar. It was not that he feared him, in some proportion he did but mostly he wanted to avoid

    any conflict as Einar was going to be their future leader and he had to be in good terms with him. The

    only time he regretted was times like this when he had no other option but to face the Alpha''s son. Not

    only did he have to face him today but also wish him for his birthday by presenting him with a gift as

    was the tradition.

    Can knew that Einar despised him as thetter appreciated every gift he used to get in some way or

    another except his. He would use the gifts for their meant purposes or as a decoration, but Can''s gift

    was never to be seen by anybody. This was the case every year.1

    Why do I even bother to present him with a gift. Can thought. Even if I give him a present that

    imbecile will be thankless and throw it away like he always does. I would have appreciated even a

    single gesture of gratitude for investing my time and effort for the gift. But no, he has to feed his

    gigantic ego. As always, I have no other option. Had it not been for father I would have never visited

    this ce today. Ever.

    Can scowled at that thought and exhaled with exasperation when he saw the Alpha house in sight.

    ****

    "You have been pacing around and looking outside the window the entire day. You even missed the

    hunt. Who does that? Are you even listening to me?" Garrick patted Einar''s shoulder who was lost in

    his own thoughts never leaving his gaze off the window. Garrick had his attention atst when he finally

    spoke. "You have avoided every one of us from the time when sun showed up." Einar was in no mood

    to argue with his friend and was out of his room straightaway.

    "Where are you going?" Garrick asked his friend, trying to understand the state of his mind. Einar

    blocked Garrick and went for a run alone.

    He was furious.

    He expected his rtives and friends to be there as his parents were ostentatious when it came to

    celebrations, so the entire vige had been invited. But he eagerly awaited the arrival of his favorite

    countenance. Since his departure from the alpha vige, Einar had been on his toes for his arrival in

    the pack house. He eagerly awaited his entrance everyday while equally dejected when he leaved the

    premise. He used to secretly watch Can train. He watched the boy doing his various other tasks as

    well. But he always turned a blind eye when the boy was in front of him or looked at his side, as if he

    never existed. His wolf however was in dispute with him over the issue. His wolf wined and wed his

    way out to catch a glimpse of the boy, to touch him, to feel him, to be near him.

    One such day when the boy was training; another wolf was touching Can bare. It was a part of their

    training but Einar was still agitated. His anger knew no bounds when in a fighting state the other wolf

    was lying above Can on the ground, with their bare chests in contact with each other. Einar lost his

    cool and his wolf came out, but when he was about to attack the other wolf Can was in front of the

    boy shielding him. Einar''s wolf growled and snorted not at Can but at the other wolf that he could see

    over the shoulder of Can. His father''s timely intervention saved the other wolf from his wrath. It took

    Garrick and a run to the woods to cool his temperament and return to his normal state. After that

    incident however everyone thought that Einar was furious over Can for some reason. Even Einar did

    not refute those rumors.

    The feelings for Can had grown within the two years'' time span. When Can did not show up for

    training, Einar would have a sour mood while his temperamental wolf wanted to go find him. He did not

    know the reason for this behavior, but he concluded that his wolf cares for the boy.

    Einar thought that these emotions were just a phase or it could happen that Einar was attracted to

    Can. And why would he not. He was breathtakingly gorgeous. His stature, his built, the way he

    carried himself was all beautiful. Einar always wondered what it would feel like to have a taste of his

    scarlet lips. Einar brushed aside these thoughts. He had to control himself. The Lycan code proscribed

    a same gender mating. Those found guilty would be disciplined by thew makers. Einar was an alpha

    wolf who had to lead by an example. He had expectations and responsibilities to his pack. Being the

    only child of the Alpha he had no option to quit. He was sure that the tryst with Can was just a phase.

    But what if it was beyond that. What if he loved him and wanted him to be on his side.

    What if he wanted Can to be his. Forever.

 Chapter 7: A Birthday to Regret

    Chapter 7: A Birthday to Regret

    The Alpha had invited the entire vige as it was a special asion for the Knights. Not only was his

    only son turning sixteen but also he was now eligible to search for his mate. Unlike other wolves an

    Alpha wolf can recognize their mate at the age of sixteen and not the usual eighteen. Everyone

    seemed excited by the thought of having a new Luna in the pack.

    Huge amount of wood and bales of straw were gathered in the centre of arge open ground. It was

    time for the festivities to begin. However Einar was still vexed at the disappearance of his soother. He

    looked around the cheerful faces of his fellow mates and other members of the pack among whom

    were some pretty girls who vied for his attention. They hoped for being the new Luna of the pack. But

    Einar did not care for any of them. His mind was clouded by thoughts of someone else. He was in such

    a sour mood that instead of being the merrymaker he couldsh out his anger to anyone who

    approached him at that moment. Even Garrick was keeping his distances from a foul mood Einar.

    He missed Can.

    He took it upon himself to know the whereabouts of the boy. He pushed his mind link to the head

    warrior hoping for some answers.

    Hello Justus. Is everything alright with the security? Do you need my help?

    Everything is perfect here Einar. You need not worry.

    Have the guests arrived yet?

    The chiefs of some viges have already arrived while the others are on their way. I have mind linked

    them all, they will be here soon.

    Einar was finding it difficult to ask Justus about Can. It was like asking a girl''s father for his

    permission to court his daughter. This was weird for him. The awkwardness was there but the curiosity

    to see Can was showing dominance now.

    Could you please send Can to the arsenal? I wanted to show the ce to my friends. I want to make

    sure everything is organized.

    Can has not arrived yet. I will send Peter to do the job don''t worry.

    Einar did know that Can was not present here but he wanted to assess the reason for it.

    Actually I was insisting for Can because he knows the ce better; but if he does not want to do the

    job then its fine..

    That''s not the case Einar. Can has been visiting his friends in the mountains and the human vige.

    But he assured me that he would reach the Alpha house before the feast begins.

    Einar knew exactly where the boy was and he hated it. It was his so called best friend who used to

    always stick with him. The boy spent almost all of his time with his friend when not in the alpha house.

    One could smell the were-bear all over Can and that aggravated Einar. Just thinking about the boy

    with someone else was making his blood boil. His beast was restless and wanted out. Einar thought it

    would be best if he calms the beast and return for the celebrationster.

    He was about to turn when he bumped into someone and clumsily fell on that person. Both of them

    were on the ground with their torsos kissing each other. Einar''s mood saw a dramatic change; he was

    pleasantly content from within. He knew that only one person could bring these alterations in him.

    It was Can.

    His hair was in disarray, his skin was pale and smooth while his eyes were staring at his culprit; at

    Einar. It was a perfect piquant situation for Einar. He could not help but stare at the alluring deep green

    eyes. He was perfect.

    When Einar heard somemotion around he regained himself and quickly stood up. "Watch where

    your going Ashton. I hope your not blind." Einar spat with venom in his mouth and pain in his heart. On

    the other hand Can could not believe that instead of apologizing the egoistic douche was ming

    him.

    "If I''m not wrong you bumped into me while I was on my way and not the other way around."

    At this point a few people had already gathered around the two of them.

    "Are you saying that it was my fault? That I purposely fell on you." Einar scowled.

    Can opened his mouth to revert but he looked around himself and saw people taking interest in their

    conversation. He did not wanted any disorder today; not on his birthday. He knew he was right but to

    avoid any conflict he lowered his head in submission.

    "Exactly what I thought." Einar snorted.

    Among the people surrounding them were Marden, Tusker, Richard and Aldous. These boys belonged

    to respected families of the Alpha vige. Like many in the pack, they detested Can for being a non-

    shifter and unlike the other pack members they were vocal about it. They were of the opinion that

    Can should be banished from the pack as he was not one of them. They degraded Can on every

    chance they got.

    "You don''t cease any opportunity to cause trouble. Do you Ashton?" The tall blonde boy with sharp

    features said.

    "It''s not his fault Tusker. He''s a loner and therefore he wants all the attention to himself." Aldous said

    derisively.

    "But he always gets away after putting our future Alpha in trouble. Remember thest time when Einar

    was confined in his room for a week. It was all thanks to this spastic." This time it was Richard''s turn to

    speak.

    Can was agitated and equally pained at the offensive words used against him. Einar did sense

    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Can''s dejection but he felt powerless at the moment. If he stood by Can, people would doubt his

    motives and on the other hand if he hurts any of these boys, the pack could get suspicious of his

    behavior. His father would be angry and may even punish him.

    He tried to pacify the situation. "It''s aright Richard; the boy will not hurt me again. He knows better."

    Einar hoped that the boys would understand and back off. Instead he saw hatred and mischief in their

    eyes when Marden spoke. "It may be alright for you but we won''t let the offender go scot free. This guy

    has an enormous pride for supposedly being the ''best'' inbats, that''s the reason he considers

    everyone below him including our future Alpha. He thinks he can outsmart us. He needs to learn a

    lesson. He must apologize to Einar Traditionally." Marden spoke venomously ever so slow.

    There was silence everywhere. Can was shocked at the statement. A traditional apology was outright

    humiliation. It was a stab to his honor. Even if he wanted to he knew he should not do this as his

    conscience would never forgive him. He was shattered from within. He looked around for support but it

    was futile. The onlookers agreed with Marden in unison as for them the Alpha was their leader, he

    should be regarded with utmost respect. As a future alpha Einar should''ve been respected.

    "I think you are blowing the matter out of proportion Marden. I have already apologized. What else can

    I do?" Can pleaded his case.

    "We have already told you what you must do. Mere uttering the words mean nothing, you should beg

    for forgiveness and endure it. Even Einar agrees with us." Aldous looked at Einar who was holding

    back his anger and frustration for what was going on. He wanted to save the boy badly but he was

    conscious enough and knew that every effort he makes towards the boy will garner suspicion from

    others. With a heavy heart Einar nodded and reluctantly agreed to the punishment.

    "You are at fault here Can. Just take your punishment and leave." Einar was ashamed for every word

    he said. He was in pain. He knew it was his fault but peer pressure around him was urging him to part

    ways with the boy.

    Can gritted his teeth and looked sideways. He did not want to show his teary eyed face to anyone.

    He reluctantlyposed himself and with his head hung low, he moved in front of Einar. He then

    slowly was on his knees with his hands at the back; he bowed his spine and rubbed his nose on each

    shoe of Einar. He moved in such a gesture as if his motion was cleansing the dirt from Einar''s shoes.

    He gritted his teeth and forcefully kissed his feet with pursed lips. This was a low blow for any man,

    wolf or not. At this moment Can was shattered a million times. He valued his honor too much but it

    had been trampled cruelly by these inconsiderate people, especially the moron in front of him.

    He straightened his back with his head still low; he took sharp breaths and uttered the words which he

    dreaded at this moment "I apologize son of Alpha, I was not careful enough. I would make sure that I

    don''t repeat this mistake again. I beg for your forgiveness."

    Marden and Tusker smirked with their arms crossing their chest while Richard and Aldous were

    whispering to each other with a smug look on their face.

    "I-I ept your apology Can." Einar almost choked while saying those words while his face was on

    the verge of betraying him, leaking all his emotions. Surprisingly his wolf was calm at this juncture.

    Can stood up and wiped his tears down his cheeks. He was hurt and angry. He clenched his teeth

    with a scowl, closed his fists and turned his body to make way through the crowd and be away

    somece alone. He certainly did not wanted the day to progress this way. It was his birthday after all.

    On the other hand Einar hated himself for what just happened. He wanted to protect the boy, hold him

    in his arms and make him feel safe but he went against it. What shocked him to the core was the fact

    that his wolf loved the submission of the boy. The wolf swelled with pride when Can was on his feet.

    Einar was disgusted with himself. He thought of apologizing to Canter.

    ****

    The sky restlessly grumbled. The clouds soon gave in and poured down the burden of water with a

    roar. Aurora was at a distance of a few yards from her door when the droplets of water were on her

    face. It was a downpour. Something about these rains seemed odd to her. She quickly grabbed the

    locket from inside her little bag and found it glowing. She rushed her way to the Alpha house in search

    for the cause of this thunder and lightning. Her posture was weakening by the weight of her wet

    clothes.

    Can was sitting in a little shade in a far away ce from the feast. The memories of earlier haunting

    his imagery. His shoulders were slump and his face was wet with not just the rains but all the crying as

    well. The rains were blurring his vision. Streaming tears mixed with the rain cleansed his face.

    He was in grief.

    When Aurora reached Can she was amused to see the beads of water forming a cocoon of blue

    color around him in a transparent oval manner. It was a sight to behold. She was near Can and could

    see the dejected face of her favorite boy. He had been crying all alone for a long time. It seemed as if

    the sky was saddened with the pain and agony of Can.

    "Hey little boy." Aurora entered the cocoon and sat beside him.

    Without lifting his face Can swiftly turned and hugged Aurora in an embrace. He was crying

    profusely,ying his heart out. He revealed everything that transpired in the Alpha vige.

    "Shh.... Hey it''s fine. I am here for you Cally."

    "Why does this always happen to me Aurora? I never asked to be different. I want to be able tough

    and y like everyone else. If I had to choose I would have never opted for this life. Why do they all

    hate me? How am I at fault for being without a wolf? They should question Luna for this and not me. I

    was BORN this way. I only want eptance from them Aurora. Is it too much to ask? The killing of my

    honor was thest straw. How much more should I suffer and why?"

    Aurora could not hold her tears back. Can''s pain was making her heart swell. She knew answers to

    some of his questions and was speechless for others. It shocked her the most to know that Einar was

    the one who had caused so much suffering for the poor boy. Even Can was unaware of the fact that

    his outburst was more of a result of betrayal from his mate. She was irate with Einar''s behavior.

    She expected more from him.

    Aurora witnessed that the wristlet on Can''s hand was glowing and she realized that she had to

    console Can soon otherwise his emotions would be responsible for a holocaust.

    "Look at me Cally. Don''t think that everyone hates you. Your parents love you the most in the world.

    You have Archer and the entire Kemp family, your human friends, the other shifter friends. Even the

    Alpha, Luna and the elders adore you. You are not alone. And when all else fails; there''s me. I''ll always

    be there for you Cally."

    "Do you promise?"

    "I promise Cally. Believe me you did not need any promise to keep me with you. I would''ve never left

    your side anyways. I can''t resist your charm you know." She yfully winked at Can to which he

    chuckled.

    "Do not ask for eptance from others Can. By doing so you are questioning Luna. You are what

    you are. You are special my boy. You don''t have to prove anything to anyone. Soon everyone will

    realize your worth and they will regret their doings." Aurora was conversing in a different context all

    together. But na?ve Can thought that Aurora was talking about the incident that urred earlier.

    Heposed himself and wiped his tears.

    "Thank you for the talk. It helped me a lot." Can smiled at thedy.

    Aurora observed that the sky was now translucent and the moon bathed the ground with its light. The

    rains were long gone and water was swallowed by the ground. She got up and gave a hand to Can

    who looked at her perplexed.

    "Let''s go."

    "Where?"

    "To the Celebrations."

    Can hesitated "To be honest I don''t feel like going there after whatever happened."

    "You have to go there to prove everyone that you are not a loser. You are much stronger than they think

    and they cannot break you."

    "I don''t know." Can was reluctant and unsure.

    "Common Cally. I promise you are free to leave once you gift your present. Please do it for your

    parents."

    Can heaved a sigh of defeat and held Aurora''s hand.

    Aurora was right. In his growing years Can was always taunted and tortured for him being himself.

    But it never mattered to him back them. He had seen worse than this. Then why were his emotions all

    over the ce tonight? What was so special about tonight that affected him so deeply?

    Can concluded that it must have been the years of anguish and sufferings that must have finally

    erupted today. He felt light. Contented.

    On the other hand Aurora knew that Einar had recognized the early signs about Can being his mate.

    But was pensive for why he was denying the pull or not acknowledging his mate. She was hopeful that

    everything would be fine once Einar and Can meet tonight.

    Little did she know what awaited them at the Alpha house..

 Chapter 8: Out Of Control

    Chapter 8: Out Of Control

    The ground was soaked with the incessant rains. The rains had be a killjoy in the otherwise happy

    environment. The abrupt arrival of rainwater was unforeseen as the sky had been clear the entire time.

    But soon the sound of music was reced by spine-chilling noise of thunder and lightning. The entire

    ground was turned into a pool of water. The pack was appalled with the sudden disappearance of the

    rains as well. It was as if the rains wanted to make its presence felt; like a warning.

    Einar could not concentrate on his surroundings. His mind was wandering.

    He was remorseful.

    He knew that he owned his behavior, that he trigged the flicker of his emotions. It seemed unfair that no

    matter how much he strived to be the man his conscience wanted him to be, he still would have to

    carry the burden on his shoulders and kill his heart.

    He wanted forgiveness otherwise the memory of Can''s hurt face would haunt his memories

    tomorrow and the days which followed.

    On the other hand, the pack had now assembled around therge open space. It was time for the

    celebrants to ask for longevity, prosperity and wisdom to Luna. As per the traditions the chief would be

    honored the duty to lit the bonfire. But the rains proved spoilsport here, the entire substance of heat

    had been wet due to the sudden downpour. Ragnar tried to ignite the bonfire but he failed miserably

    every time. The tradition was an offering to the Luna and if it could not be finished than as per the

    beliefs of the people, bad omen would follow the pack.

    "Why don''t you let Einar try? After all it''s his birthday today; the Luna would definitely ept his

    offering." Ragnar agreed with Umberto.

    "Come here son. Hold this torch and incinerate the bonfire. This would be your first step to reign in as

    the next Alpha." Ragnar''s smug look said it all. He was happy that his son could finally carry his legacy

    forward.

    Einar cautiously marched forward and held the torch in his hand with Garrick behind him. He was stiff

    and uninterested with the procedures that were going on. He gave the torch to Garrick while Garrick lit

    the torch and handed it back to Einar. When he reached the bonfire the illumination of the torch

    disyed a beauty; Can was standing a few distances from the bonfire across the Alpha''s son. Einar

    was mesmerized with Can at the moment; his wet clothes hugged him tightly while his white shirt

    was transparent enough to show his beautiful skin.

    Einar was turned on by the beautiful boy.

    The beast inside him wanted toe out and be near Can. Sniff him; taste him; devour him.

    A slow tap on his shoulders brought him out of his trance.

    "What are you waiting for? Light it up." Ragnar ordered his son.

    Einar cleared his throat and concentrated on the task in hand. The moment the torch touched the

    bonfire, it doused off. The material was heavily wet and hence could not hold any fire. He tried once

    again but the result did not change. The pack members around were now tensed, the lighting of the

    bonfire was necessary for their procession to begin.

    Aurora was standing near Can and observed the situation. She knew that in order to light the bonfire

    her intervention was necessary. She quickly stood behind Can''s ears and whispered. "This may

    sound uncanny but I want you to concentrate on the bonfire. You were angry sometime before. Right?"

    Can nodded curtly.

    "Channelize your anger at the bonfire. This will be your redemption."

    Can did what Aurora said. He focused his sight on the wet substance and remembered all the wrong

    that had happened to him today. He remembered all the pain, the suffering and the agony he had to

    endure because of Einar.

    He was enraged.

    Momentster, beads of water were flowing upwards as the bonfire made a whoosh sound. The people

    around were astounded with the glimpse of the miracle in front of them. The water in the substance

    was detaching itself, while it looked like it was raining in an upward direction, in a reverse fashion. The

    people had not recovered from the instance when the woods crackled and ignited a huge amount of fire

    to blur everyones vision for a moment.

    Everyone around gasped in shock.

    "That''s enough Can. Calm down now." Aurora kept one hand on his shoulder.

    The people around were happy that the miracle did happen in the first ce. They gave all the credit to

    Einar as they believed it was he who had been blessed by the Luna. That the Luna had epted

    Einar''s offering. How wrong could they be! Ragnar was swelled with pride for his son.

    "Your magic definitely works Aurora. This wristlet is convenient indeed. I was in two minds to wear it

    initially but now I think I will keep it. Thank you for the gift." Can hugged Aurora who returned his

    embrace with a curt smile.

    Aurora had been gifting Can a piece of ornament for his birthday every year. This was to keep his

    powers under control and make sure he is safe always. While Can thought that all the strange

    happenings around him was because of Aurora''s magical jewellery, it was actually the ornament which

    used to keep track of Cans powers and contain his emotions which he himself did not knew.

    "But remember Cally. You are to tell no one."

    "I know I know. I haven''t even said anything to Archer, though I am dying to tell him."

    "No Cally, you have to keep it a secret. Or you can to give it back to me."Aurora raised one eyebrow.

    Can forcefully pulled his hand back, hiding his wristlet with the other hand.

    "I promise I won''t tell anyone. Please don''t take it back. Besides it''s a gift, you don''t take your gift back.

    Once it is given it is the sole property of the recipient."

    Aurora ruffled his hair and kissed his cheeks.

    "That''s the reason I love you."

    Can turned back when he heard a growl from Einar who was meticulously staring at Can and the

    witch. He waspletely miffed with Einar''s behavior. "What is wrong with him? I always try to keep

    my distance but somehow he keeps meddling in my business. He must surely hate me to do this."

    "He must''ve been stressed today. Don''t hold any anger against him dear. I''m sure he must feel regretful

    for what happened earlier. Give the boy a chance." Aurora tried to pacify Can.

    Can rolled his eyes "As you say Aurora."

    Meanwhile Zelda was besides her son when she felt his anger.

    "What happened son? Are you not feeling well?" Zelda asked with concern.

    Einar frowned and answered "I''m feeling a bit tired mother. Can we just finish with this please."

    "Of course my love."

    Everyone gathered around the bonfire. People swayed to the music of therge drums while they sang

    their songs of glory and merriment, all to please the Luna.

    Can stood alone at a distance from everything. He was uninterested; standing there with nothing to

    stare at but distorting mes of fire was excruciatingly dull. He wanted go home and have some rest.

    "Hi Can. Happy birthday."

    He was surprised to see a young girl with ck curls and beautiful blue eyes standing behind him. Her

    lips were carefully tinted red and her skin was wless. She was beautiful.

    "You remembered! Thank you so much Meredith." Can smiled in appreciation. He was smitten by the

    girl.

    "Of course I do. By the way you are looking gorgeous!" Can blushed at thepliment.

    "Says the beauty herself." The girl''s cheeks were red as she was giggling at what Can had just said.

    This was not going too well for Einar who had been watching Can the entire time. He arched his back

    with his head to the moon and howled in a strong voice. The sound was of authority. The sound was of

    a raging fire burning inside him.

    The entire pack was on a standstill with their heads bowed in submission. Except for Einar''s parents

    and surprisingly Can. Ragnar felt the conflicting emotions inside his son and realized that his beast

    was taking control. This could have been because of the full moon he thought. Hemanded Einar to

    cool down but all Einar did was he red at his father more fiercely like he was challenging his

    dominion.

    Meredith was so scared that she ran towards her father for safety. Meanwhile Einar was ring in full

    force. Ragnar knew that his son was now epting the full force of his beast, which was dangerous in

    this situation as the beast could go berserk and hurt someone. He had to fight his son to keep his pack

    safe. What Ragnar did not know was that the beast wanted out only to eliminate the possible

    Can stood alone watching the eye battle. There was silence everywhere but as nature would have it,

    he sneezed all of a sudden pulling attention of everyone towards him. He embarrassingly returned a

    weak smile and apologized to the Alpha. But To Ragnar''s utmost surprise his son was nowughing at

    the hrious situation. His beast was in control and his emotions were serene. The entire pack was

    relieved and they all joined in theughter of their future Alpha.

    Can found this insulting. What he did not know was that Einar wasughing in admiration of the boy

    and not degrading him.

    Ragnar took control and announced.

    "Be in order everyone. Now the presentation of your gifts to my son shallmence." He knew that the

    full moon was affecting his son. And before the situation got out of control he had to finish this feast

    before it''s toote for his pack.

    Einar was standing near the bonfire. He saw a long queue before him eager to present him their gifts.

    This was baffling him as he only wanted Can to be near him tonight. His father presented him with a

    nicely carved and a sharp spear while his mother gave him a finely made tunic which she handcrafted

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    herself. Thereafter he received gifts of all sorts from the members for which he hardly cared. He weakly

    smiled at them and kept the conversation small to mostly avoid them.

    As per the tradition, Can had to carry ash and circle Einar. He then had to throw the ash at the

    bonfire and pray to ward off any evil from Einar. He then had to present his gift and kiss the back of the

    hand of Einar.

    Just the thought of it infuriated Can. As if the humiliation earlier was not enough that he had to go

    through this all over again.

    "Can my dear! Where is your gift? Are you not going to present it to your future Alpha?" His mother

    and a fewdies were now besides Can.

    "Goodness grace! Your son really is a precious gem." One of the women said with amusement. Even

    the others could not help but praise Mary''s son.

    "He is gorgeous. That''s the reason every girl wishes him to be her mate."

    "It looks like the gods have carved his beauty themselves."

    "No wonder why my daughter always talks about you. She really is fond of you and I can see the

    reason for it now." It was Meredith''s Mother who spoke.

    These praises from the woman actually uplifted Can''s mood. He was blushing red to which thedies

    "Don''t mind them honey. You haven''t told me where your gift is."

    "It is right there Mother. I will give it to Einar when the time is right." He pointed to a nearby tree where

    an object covered in a ck cloth was kept.

    "It''s fine dear. But remember that you had promised to stay until the feast is over. Your father and I

    would love to spend some time with you my child."

    The admiration and hope in Mary''s eyes forced Can to change his decision to leave early. He got

    hold of his gift and followed the queue.

    On the other hand Einar was now getting pissed with the gift receiving ceremony. Usually he loved this

    part of his birthday. But today he was finding it unbearable, like he was trapped somewhere. He used to

    tilt sideways every now and then to see if his pacifier had joined the queue of his admirers.

    After a few anxious moments Can was visible in line of sight and Einars happiness knew no bounds.

    He was purposely avoiding everyone so that he could get closer to his beloved. He red at them and

    even snatched some of the gifts to make sure the people fall out of line fast.

    Can was relieved that he had to wait a very little time for his opportunity toe. He even assumed

    that this procedure will be over soon as everyone was falling out of line prematurely. It was a good sign

    for him.

    Little did he know..!

    Standing toe to toe were Einar and Can.

    Can grabbed a handful of ash from the container and started circling Einar. Whereas the Alpha''s son

    was relieved and his features were calm when he saw the beauty of his life standing in front of him.

    Everything else had blurred. He wanted the moment to stop; he wanted to touch the boy so badly, feel

    his skin with the palm of his hands. But he remembered what he did earlier and his demeanor changed

    to the one of regret and remorse. He wanted to apologize. He tried to speak to him but Can did not

    spare him a nce.

    After circling the boy Can threw the ash at the bonfire which surprisingly med with great intensity.

    Aurora was aware of it as also she witnessed the shocked faces of some people. Can then turned to

    pick up his gift and handed it over to Einar. It was covered in a beautiful ck satin cloth.

    Einar wanted to gain Cans forgiveness but as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, Can

    touched Einar''s palm, turned it over and kissed it with his soft lips.

    Einar was euphoric.

    A sensation of bee stings in a beautiful manner ran throughout his body. He started sniffing the air

    harshly and was soothed when he inhaled an aroma like no other. It was faint but it was making him

    insane.

    It wasing from Can.

    In the midst of the confusion, Can saw Einar''s expressions changing. Einar''s jaws were tickling while

    he forcefully elongated his canines. His sclera was bloody red while a faint vermilion mist had appeared

    all over him. Einar''s beasts were unleashing.

    The onlookers were running in helter skelter. The shouts and screams attracted the attention of the

    Alpha and he soon was on the side of his son. He witnessed a scene of horror. The full moon was

    lighting up the spirit of his son while both his inner beasts were struggling, dominating toe out.

    "Justus, Umberto, Gyroe here. Grab Einar''s arms." The Alpha ordered in a state of panic.

    Can moved back slowly without realizing that the distance was causing the beasts agitation of

    another level. Einar was sweating and breathing heavily to try and calm his beasts but he was being

    overpowered. The Alpha and his aides were finding it difficult to contain Einar.

    He was very strong.

    Even when the Alpha was using his own powers he could not override the strength of Einar at this

    moment. Einar flipped his arms to get rid of the resistance. Umberto, Gyro and Justus were stroked

    down every now and then. Can could not see the state of his fathers apathy and decided to help.

    He saw an opening when Justus fell back and swiftly moved in his position to rece his father. As

    soon as Can touched the shoulder of Einar, he visibly rxed. His eyebrows returned to its normal

    ce. The constant flickering of his orbs stopped while he moved his head around to see Can who

    was out of his sight. He was on his knees because of the struggle while he closed his eyes taking deep

    breaths topose himself.

    "Are you all right my child? You scared me for a moment there." Zelda''s horrified face said it all.

    "I''m all right mother. Just a little tired... Nothing I can''t handle." He said in between his heavy long

    breaths.

    "I did not believe you when you said that your birthday would be remembered for a long time. But now I

    see your point." Garrick chuckled to lighten up the mood.

    Can paced his way to Aurora the very next moment. "Did you see that?!?"

    Aurora nodded with fear in her eyes. She waspletely shaken.

    "I think your magic helped him calm down."

    "What do you mean?" Aurora frowned while her eyes showed skepticism.

    Can lifted his arm to show the ornament gifted by Aurora.

    "As soon as I touched him, the wristlet glowed. But this time it was changing colors from blue, yellow,

    brown, white andstly it changed to ck." Can said in an amused manner and looked at his

    wristlet in awe.

    Aurora''s eyes widened in trepidation while her mouth opened in astonishment for what she just heard

    from Can. This meant that her assumptions were underfed. The boys were more than what she

    presumed. This was even bigger than she thought. Maybe she should have refrained Can from

    Aurora realized her mistake and vowed to keep Einar and Can apart before it''s toote..

 Chapter 9: The First Kiss

    Chapter 9: The First Kiss

    "Where are you going? The feast is about to begin."

    Aurora parted her lips to speak but nothing concrete came out of her mouth. What could she possibly

    tell the boy? That she isn''t excited about the feast anymore after realizing what was on stake! That her

    greatest fears were about toe to life! Or what a horrible mistake she did when she thought of

    uniting two souls without assessing the repercussions.

    She should have listened to elder Odulf. Let nature take its course and be patient; meddling in its line

    of work will only cause chaos and anarchy, he said. She clearly undermined the terms of engagement

    of this union. But she thought that it would be a noble deed to coalesce two spirits as one. How wrong

    was she!

    "Are you even listening to what I''m saying?" Can was now being impatient to the non responsive

    behavior of Aurora.

    "Y..yes ca-lly.. Oh.. uhh Can." She was petrified and shaking, unable to form any words.

    "Are you all right? You are stammering. I''m concerned about you. Is it because of the rains? Should I

    take you home? I''m sure the healers will know what is wrong with you."

    "No... No Cally. Would you do me a favor though?" Aurora''s heartbeat was on the rise while she was

    shaking with fear. Her eyes clearly showed desperation.

    "Yes of course. Do you want me to apany you to the healers'' cottage?" Can was perturbed with

    his friend''s behavior.

    "That won''t be necessary Cally. I want you to go home as soon as possible. I know you want to wait for

    your parents and have a family time with them but you have to listen to me. Go home." Aurora uttered

    these words firmly and slowly to which Can only nodded with a confused look. Something was

    wrong. But he did believe in Aurora as she had always put his safety before her own. He thought about

    grilling herter though.

    "And one more thing; Stay away from the Alpha''s son." Aurora was now serious in her demeanor like

    she meant every word she said and it had to be followed.

    Can nodded vigorously when he looked at Aurora. She looked dominating and a bit scary at the

    moment.

    Aurora then made her way out of the Alpha vige. She knew that there would be a peculiar situation

    soon where everyone in the house would be clueless. They won''t be able to stop the onught that

    would ur as Can has not yet reached his full potential while Einar''s beasts have already made

    their presence felt. The moon had started showing its effect. She knew that she could not take control

    of the situation. Not alone.

    She had to bring reinforcements.

    ****

    Einar was nowpletely serene, but everything that was rushing through his mind was leading him to

    only one person: Can. He was dubious about his feelings for the boy and thought it to be as mere

    attraction but he could not refute the possibility of Can being something more than that. Sure he

    found other girls attractive but no one couldpare to the beauty, the charm and the god like looks of

    the boy. Everyone was attracted to him, the boy could take your breath away.

    So was Can only an infatuation? Or did he mean something more to Einar.

    "Gather around everyone. The moon is at its peak now and its light has bathed ournd. It is time. We

    shall now proceed for the run." The voice of his father caught Einar''s attention. His eyes frantically

    searched the boy. For some odd reasons his wolf desired to run with him.

    Ragnar wanted the night to be over as soon as possible. His son was showing great restrain so far but

    he may not be able to control it for long. Einar''s eyes flickered every now and then which showed that

    his beasts have surfaced; thankfully he was able to hold them back. But he knew that the moon will

    dominate sooner orter. It will bring out his beasts in its full glory and controlling them would be an out

    of the world task. To save his pack from any unforeseen tragedy he had to finish the celebrations at the

    earliest.

    "Einar, as the event has been called in your name I want you to lead the run today."

    "But father, I am yet to be the Alpha of this pack. I can''t do this. I am not ready."

    "You have to do this, not just for me but for the entire pack as well. They have high hopes for you as

    you are going to be their future Alpha. Don''t let them down son." Ragnar was stern in his voice. He

    wanted his son to take charge. Einar had to be ready sooner orter.

    The Alpha went to his mate while Einar was pensive again for reasons only he knew. His wolf was

    wing inside him. The beast was restless and wanted to taste that sweet aroma again. Restraining

    the wolf was bing a hectic task for him. While his treacherous mind was at it again, holding

    images of the boy continuously who he did not want to see.

    Umberto witnessed the dilemma of the Alpha''s son and was quick to inquire.

    "What is troubling you Einar? You have been awfully quiet the entire time. You speak only when spoken

    to like you don''t want to be here. Tell me what''s wrong?"

    Einar looked at Umberto and opened his mouth to speak but decided against it. He slowly lowered his

    head. The beta understood that a storm was brewing inside Einar''s mind, something was making him

    upset. There could possibly only one reason for his state: his mate. Maybe he was confused and did

    not know what was going around him. So the beta decided to lend a word of advice to him.

    "Are you worried because your mate has not shown up tonight?"

    Einar''s ears perked up hearing about his mate. His eyes brightened and his mannerism changed.

    "So it is about your mate." Umberto chuckled as he caught him red handed.

    "You are tensed about finding your mate, its natural. Don''t worry, she will show up soon. She may not

    be in the vige or in our pack altogether. But rest assured you will meet her when the time is right."

    When Umberto talked about his mate being a ''female'' Einar became even more distressed. It was

    obvious that everyone assumed his mate to be a girl. Hell even he wanted his mate to be a girl. But his

    heart belonged somewhere else. He prodded further for his own rity; he wanted to know what the

    probabilities were of his mate being ''different''.

    "How do you recognize your mate? How do you know she is the one?"

    "It''s easy. There are signs you know. You realize when a particr face is bothering your mind more so

    than often. Your eyes are only for her, like she is the most precious thing in the entire world. You want

    to be with her; touch her; feel her. The thought of seeing her with someone else makes you jealous and

    angry. You always think about her well being and safety before anyone else''s." Einar slightly faltered in

    his stance. The information had shocked him. All the signs were there, he had experienced them but

    they were not for any girl.

    Einar was now even more tensed because his thoughts directed its trajectory to only one person:

    Can. He did not wanted the boy to be his mate; but at the same time he did.

    "But you can feel these things for another person as well, who may not necessarily be your mate.

    Right?" Einar still hoped that what he was thinking was not true. His assumptions had to be false; that

    the boy was not the one who he thinks he was.

    "That''s where your wolfes into y. A wolf is governed by his instincts. He recognizes his mate by

    sight, touch and smell which are his core strengths. He can never be wrong in searching for his other

    half soul."

    "How is this possible?"

    Umberto chuckled and sighed "When I first saw Catherine it was like the world had stopped moving.

    My eyes could only see her and no one else. My wolf was restless and wanted to touch her; be with her

    always."

    Einar remembered the time today when he saw Can in the light of the illumination. He wanted to be

    close to him then.

    "The scent of your mate is aphrodisiac to your senses while the first touch brings you sensation like

    you could never imagine. This is the best feeling in the world! However these tingling effects continue

    only until the marking process. Once you have marked your mate the sensation is there but its effects

    are diminished."

    It was hard for Einar to process everything what Umberto was saying. How could he tell anyone that his

    outburst earlier was more or less because of the touch of Can; that his wolf wanted to graze his

    canines on his beautiful skin.

    "Lastly, a wolf''s primal instinct is to mark and mate as soon as he recognizes his other half. It is done to

    stake im, to eliminate any furtherpetition and this is where you have to be more alert. Our

    wolves are possessive animals and they can get barbaric to im their mate, hurting other people in

    the process. That is the reason we never keep a wolf away from its mate."

    "I-I was just thinking. What if my mate is not what everyone is hoping for?"

    Einar''s question baffled the beta while he pursed his lips with a frown. Einar had to try; he wanted to

    know if he could possibly have a future with Can.

    "I mean; what if my mate is not a wolf? What if she...."

    "Don''t even think about it." Umberto was quick to reply. "The council has specified the rules for a

    reason. Inter species mating in werewolf world is forbidden. It is necessary to keep the bloodline pure.

    While same-gender mating is a lost cause in itself, we neither talk about it nor have we heard about

    any such mating till now."

    "But..."

    "Don''t worry Einar. You are an Alpha wolf. An Alpha always has a strong she-wolf as his mate. It is one

    of the perks of being the leader as it is necessary to have healthy pups that could carry the bloodline

    and legacy forward. This is how the pack grows."

    The bloodline and the legacy. That''s what ites around ultimately. The pack needs an heir and

    Can cannot provide me one. But I cannot reject the boy as well; I don''t have the strength to do that. I

    have my duties as the future Alpha, I cannot neglect my pack. They have certain expectations from me

    which are just. They need a strong Luna and an heir. The boy cannot give me any of it.

    "Einare here." Einar''s thoughts were put to rest when he looked at his father who had assembled

    people for the run.

    Einar was sad, depressed for he juggled between his possible mate and his responsibilities towards his

    people. His face reflected his apathy while people assumed that he was tired after the events of

    tonight.

    Letting the wolf take control Ragnar surged forward and nudged his son. Soon the people followed,

    shedding their clothes and reigning in their beats they all gathered around Einar.

    Can observed this from the position he had been standing all along. He had to stay back with some

    other wolves because he could not shift and hence unqualified for a run. It made him upset that he

    could not be a part of this ritual. He watched Justus, who before shifting gave a weak smile of

    acknowledgment to his son, encouraging him to be strong.

    "My dear, are you ready to go home?"

    "Are you noting with me mother? You said we were going to be together after the feast."

    Mary lowered her eyes in shame as she could not fulfill her promise to her son. Not even on his

    birthday. "Zelda and Catherine want me to be with them. The feast will start soon and they will need my

    help. It will take longer than I expected."

    "I understand." Can replied with a dejected smile to assure his mother that he was fine. "I will leave

    with Meredith then."

    Mary widened her eyes in surprise and a knowing smile formed on her face. Can was blushing

    deeply.

    "The girl seems to be pretty interested in you. Do you like her?" Can nodded with his head hung low.

    He was embarrassed to admit his feelings for another girl to his mother. On the contrary Mary found his

    behavior endearing.

    "I do like her mother. She is pretty and she wants to befriend me. She even wished me on my birthday

    today while she is staying back and not joining the run, just to be with me."

    "Looks like someone will have a memorable birthday after all. I am happy for you my son." Mary kissed

    her son''s forehead and wished him happiness galore.

    Einar could see Can from a distance but could not make out the conversation he was having with his

    mother. His world lit up when Can blushed and smiled on something which Mary said. He had a grin

    of his own while he shed his clothes and was in his naked glory.

    With a long howl he slowly transformed into his magnificent beast. His beast was a sight to behold. His

    fur was shiny ck while his eyes resembled the night; dark and gloomy. A faint red mist had engulfed

    himpletely. He thumped his paw to show his dominance while he bared his teeth for anyone to

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    dare challenge him.

    He exalted power.

    All other wolves bowed in submission to the mighty wolf. It pained the beast to not be near his beloved.

    The distance between them was unbearable. But the beast realized that he had to prove his worth to

    his mate. With onest nce at Can he marched ahead swiftly leaving everyone behind.

    Can walked towards Meredith with the constant smile he had on his face. "Are you ready to go?"

    "Yes I am." she blushed "I''ll just let my mother know."

    Meredith and Can lived in the same vige which was near to the western boundaries of the blue

    moon pack. While Can lived at an extreme end, Meredith lived in the centre of the vige. They

    decided to leave the ce together as Meredith''s family would have to stay long to perform their duties

    like that of Can''s parents. In reality she only wished to spend some alone time with the handsome

    boy beside her.

    On the way home they had conversations about their everyday life and their hopes for their future while

    they were flushed every now and then due to their juvenile traits.

    When they were about to enter the vige Meredith raced ahead to be in front of Can.

    "What''s the matter?" Can asked with concern.

    "I have to try something." She was fidgeting and visibly nervous. She got hold of Can''s arms and

    ced them behind her back while she put one of her hands behind Cans head. With deep and

    anxious breaths, the distance between them was thinning. Their chests collided while she tilted her

    head slowly.

    They closed their eyes and Kissed.

    With that kiss Can set out for an unknown world. It was the same feeling when you hear the birds

    sing, see the melting snow, witness blossoming of a rose. It was euphoric. It was all he could think of:

    The kiss. His first ever kiss..!

    After a few wonderful moments both the juveniles parted their lips and rested their foreheads against

    each other. Can could see the crimson red color of her wet lips while her cheeks glowed with the

    blood rushing to it.

    "You are blushing!" Can could see the adorable look of Meredith. He smiled and pecked her lips once

    more.

    The rustling of bushes and voices of footsteps brought an end to the moment. It was dark and the only

    source of light was the magnificent moon. Can and Meredith were on the edge of their vige where

    he could see houses and open space on one side and dark thick forest on the other. He looked around

    cautiously and pulled the girl behind his back, shielding her. The cluster of shrubs was now making

    more movements. Something was approaching them.

    Can made his stance defensive and pulled out the dagger which he carried in his pocket. He

    signaled Meredith to call for help through her mind link. Themotion could now be heard from some

    other directions as well. They were in plural.

    Before Can could make his move he heard a deafening roar which brought chills to his spine. He

    looked to his left and saw two red eyes. It was Einar. But something was off about him. Can had

    seen the Alpha son''s wolf before, it was shiny ck and had serene features. But this right in front of

    him resembled a monster. It was bigger than what he remembered and looked more feral. His entire

    posture looked ready to Kill while his eyes solely focused on the boy.+

    The wolf looked pissed as he bared his teeth and made a dash towards Can.

 Chapter 10: Reinforcements

    Chapter 10: Reinforcements

    The dwellers of the forest paced their way to the peak point in hopes of reaching the moon.

    Thunderous paws sank into the wet moss leaving every tree behind. They raced against the winds with

    the high ranks showing their dominance by closing the gap with the ones who were ahead of them.

    The moon was calling them.

    Einar had covered a considerable distance ahead of everyone. He covered the unevennd with a

    great lolloping gait. Each one of his mighty strides were worth of at least three of others. His body

    stretched to its full extent while he ran with a force barely touching the ground. When he reached the

    cliff, he stared at the moon in defiance and howled in agony. He bared his teeth to the moon as if he

    was challenging it to a fight.

    The wolves soon joined Einar but were taken aback at the provocative yelping of the Alpha''s son. The

    other members of the pack saw it as a disrespect to the Supreme Being. In response some of them

    howled a cry of annoyance while others howled in respect to the moon. They could not tolerate the

    uncanny behavior of the Alpha''s son.

    No one was above the goddess.

    Einar shook his head andposed himself when he realized what he was doing. He snorted. He was

    embarrassed with his head hung low and apologized to the moon goddess and everyone in the pack

    through his mind link. Even Ragnar was amused with the behavior of his son. This wasn''t the behavior

    to which the Alpha was ustomed to. Had it not been his son, the perpetrator would have been

    severely punished.

    Umberto then nuzzled the Einar in assurance that everything will work out. He was sure that Einar

    acted this way only because he had been aloof from his mate. He again pushed through the mind of

    Einar to knock some sense in him.

    ��You were intransigent and howled in contempt at the moon goddess. That''s not a good thing to do son.

    ��

    ''I know uncle Umberto; I''m trying to control my wolf but I don''t know what has gotten into him. He is

    acting weird today the whole time.''

    Umberto knew for a fact that a wolf gets upset when he does not detects his other half on a full moon

    night. In most cases he is either calm, upset about it or he howls in pain. But he is never defiant or feral

    for it. However it can behave this way only if...

    ''Einar look at me.�� The Alpha''s son slowly raised his head to look into the eyes of his mentor. ��I want

    you to tell me the truth. HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR MATE?��

    Einar ached to let someone know that indeed he has found his mate. But would people understand that

    the mate in question was not a girl or a wolf entirely? Perhaps he could share this information with his

    advisor. Maybe he would understand his dilemma.

    ��Yes uncle Umberto. I-I think I have found my mate.��

    Umberto was ecstatic and equally appalled. Finding ones mate is the happiest moment in a wolf''s life

    but if Einar was hiding this fact from everyone than there must be a grave reason for it.

    ��Your mate is a wolf. Right?��

    Einar was ashamed at the fact that his mate did not have a wolf within him. He lowered his eyes and

    shook his head. Umberto was surprised to say the least.

    ��This has never happened in the before! An Alpha mate who is not a wolf is truly unheard of. I don''t

    know how your parents or the pack will digest this information. Alpha mates have to be strong to breed

    strong pups and hence only an Alpha, beta or in some cases a gamma blood is usually the mate

    chosen by the moon goddess for the high ranks. There is a very thin chance of your parents approving

    this mating. However they are not the ones we need to be concerned about at this moment. Your

    mating can cause quite a ruckus at the council. The King and his people won''t be pleased.��

    That was thest thought on Einar''s mind right now. He knew for a fact that no one would be epting

    of his bond with the boy. He would bring shame to his family.

    ��Tell me Einar, which shifter family does she belong to? Maybe we could possibly find a solution to unite

    you both.��

    ''My mate is not a shifter Uncle Umberto. In fact my mate is not a girl.��

    ''What do you...''

    Before Umberto could react or respond, Einar growled grinding his teeth. He ought to cry out, to

    scream, fear was creeping through him along with anger. It was as if his life was in danger. With a final

    deafening roar he jumped leaps and strides with no clear destination in mind relying purely on his wolf.

    His instincts indicated that Can was in danger.

    He made his way through the dense web of the jungle where his movements were resisted by the

    wend, hampering his speed. But no one could stop him at this moment. He can''t bear anything

    happening to Can. Even the idea of him being in pain was maddening enough.

    When Einar reached the boundaries of the vige, he could hear two heartbeats and the faint maic

    aroma of his mate. But what surprised him was the fact that he was not alone. The woodpecker''s

    daughter was with him. He strode ahead to get a glimpse of them both.

    But what he saw shattered his worldpletely.

    The endearing look in both their eyes; the Embrace; the KISS. To say he was angry was an

    understatement. He did not know how to respond. His mate was now taken. His mate was now

    ''impure''. Every wolf saves himself for their half as the custom dictates but the girl took his rightful honor

    to give his mate the pleasure of his first kiss; their first Kiss..!

    His tongue tasted bitterness not only for the girl but also for his beloved. The stench of betrayal hurting

    him to the core. He med himself for not marking his mate when he had the chance.

    The rustling of bushes diverted his attention. He could see a bunch of feral wolves approaching from

    the thick forests. They were solely focused on encroaching the area but for that they had to eliminate

    the only barrier thatid between them and the way to the pack: Can.

    Einar was enraged.

    His nostrils red while he wed his feet to the ground. He roared vociferously and made his way to

    the boy. He took long strides while his legs bounced. As soon as he reached the boy he jumped above

    his full height and pierced his canines on the neck of the rouge wolf who was about to attack Can

    from behind. The rogue wolf whimpered and struggled to make an escape but Einar brawned his grip to

    strangte him to death.

    The other feral wolves appeared from the bushes all surrounding the trio. Meredith pulled the hem of

    Can''s shirt in utmost panic which did not go too well with Einar. He growled at her. She flinched and

    fell back, while Einar was ring at her. He ordered her to shift in her wolf and run for cover. Though at

    that moment, he yearned to kill her.

    Can was amused to see if Einar''s wolf even understood who the real enemy was. However he knew

    that he had to take matters in his own hand as the girls safety depended on him. He was relieved to

    see Meredith taking cover in the opposite direction of this chaos. He saw other wolves approaching him

    and he flew his dagger at one of them aiming their eye. Soon the other ferals marched ahead in

    retaliation.3

    At this point of time, the blue moon pack had also arrived at the scene. Some of the pack members

    followed their Alpha to the pack house while the other members of the pack had made a beeline

    alongside Can and Einar. The feral wolves however were more in number than expected. It was a

    nned attack to wipe out the entire blue moon pack. Ragnar could feel that his mate was in difficulty,

    her life was in danger. So he along with Justus and some wolves, rushed to the Alpha house to save

    her. Meanwhile Umberto took the charge of his army and was standing in front of them as an

    unbreakable wall.

    Growling and snarling were a part of the aggression of these wolves, expressing their willingness for a

    fight. With a long howl from Umberto the warriors marched ahead to save theirnd and their people.

    Feet pounding, teeth gnawing, menacing attacks from ws was amon sight on thend. It was

    barbaric, it was brutal. The ferals only wanted to taste blood in any unorthodox manner they see fit.

    They charged their way to Einar estimating him as the leader of the pack. They wanted to attack the

    Alphas son seemingly understanding that if they could rout him out, victory will be theirs. If only they

    knew that it was a death wish!

    Can used his skills and dodged attacks with his swiftness and agility. He was now using his sword

    and was offensive only when needed. One of his traits however was that he only wounded the ferals so

    that they didn''t make any movements in return while he did not kill them unless it was necessary. On

    the flip side the rogues were determined to wipe out whoever stood against them.

    One such rogue blindsided Can and caught hold of his thigh. Einar felt Can''s pain and rushed

    towards him. The canines of the wolf had just prated Can when Einar broke the leg of the rogue

    with his jaws. The rogue was limping and whining in pain when Einar seizured his neck to leave him

    unmoving.

    The attack left Can bruised and soon the wound was dripping blood. Einar got a whiff of the metallic

    scent and he arched his back once again to roar a deafening howl. It was so loud that the entire wolves

    retreated to their respective sides while Can put both of his hands covering his ears. The whimpering

    and whining of the ferals did not go unnoticed by anyone. Even the blue moon pack was on their knees

    bowing their heads, some rolling over and showing their torso in act of submission. Though the rouges

    wanted to make an instinctive capittion, their feral nature showed defiance.

    Einar was now incensed like never before.

    As he growled, his wolf form was suddenly growing in size. The more he grew the more the ferals

    limped in fear. Umberto and everyone around were now ttening their ears and their torso kissing the

    ground burying themselves more deeper to the earth. However Can was once again mesmerized by

    Einar''s other form and was not afraid of him. His morals dictated that he bow before a greater force but

    his conscience was against it. He wanted to devour the wonderful sight of the magnificent beast.

    Einar then took a defensive stance ahead of Can. He slowly moved his head and licked the wounds

    of the boy touching his bare skin. Can flinched initially but as soon as the wolf touched him with his

    tongue, a soothing sensation nerved his body. Can''s wounds were healing all of a sudden.

    Umberto was bbergasted to witness the scene before him. His eyes widened in realization when he

    learned that the mate Einar was talking about was a boy, a non-shifter.

    It was Can!

    Many unanswered questions had been resolved. Umberto''s mind showed him a chain of images,

    glimpses from the pasts. Einar would always ask about the whereabouts of the boy in their off days.

    Umberto never understood why Einar would always attend the warrior trainings when he himself was

    coached in a special environment away from others. But now he knew that it was because of Can.

    His eyes flickered when he was around the boy and people assumed that Can might''ve made him

    angry but in reality it was Einar''s wolf''s struggle to be out and mark his mate. The constant growling at

    Can was actually not aimed at him but for the people who were with him, who touched him or even

    looked at him inappropriately. Themotion today urred only after Can had performed the

    presentation of his gift while Einar was soothed only when Can lend his touching hand.

    It was all making sense now.

    Umberto thought that it was a matter of great concern. A male mate indicated that the pack would have

    no Luna in the real sense. In fact there would be no future Alpha as Can could not produce any heir

    to the pack. The future of the pack looked grim. The more serious issue ahead of them was that same

    gender mating was banned for centuries now. While any pack found to disobey this rule was sorely

    taken to task by the King and his people. He made a note to discuss it thoroughly with the Alphater.

    After shifting his focus from the boy, Einar''s wolf dived into the yard of the ferals. The attack on Can

    had made him insanely furious. He caught hold of the rogues and amidst their whimpering and

    pleading eyes he dug his ws in their insides and retracted the organs out of their fur. It was Barbaric;

    It was Violent. He strangted their necks with his death gripping jaw topletely break their jugr.

    He submerged his canines deep inside the fur. His teeth were bloody red which resembled the color of

    his crimson eyes.

    He was savage.

    The wolves ran carelessly any which way to save their lives but they could not match the speed of the

    beast. Just a look in his eyes glued them to their spot. Their feet became jelly while they stenched from

    putrefaction of their urine. He was on a killing spree. There was no honor in his ughtering as he was

    even more feral than the rogues. His eyes were unfocused and he attacked everything that moved. The

    screams and whines of the ferals terrified even the blue moon pack.

    The spectators to the scene were utterly horrified. They had been in battles before but never had they

    seen a bloodbath like this. Even their Alpha and his predecessors were modest enough to leave the

    body intact after killing. But this creature was rabid. It had gone rogue. It was like the blood in his

    canines fueled his systems to want for more. The putrid smell of blood everywhere brought bile to the

    throats of some, while others were praying for the souls of the fallen. The once who were dead either

    had their intestines severed from their fur and spilled on the floor or their heads were detached to a

    distance from their body.

    Thend waspletely decorated with dead bodies or what remained of it.

    Can was worried for the Alpha''s son. Unlike other people of the pack he was not afraid of him.

    Somehow he was reassured that the beast would not harm him. In the meanwhile Umberto had shifted

    back to his human form and reached the boy from behind.

    "I haven''t seen anything like this in my entire life! He is not stopping. He has gone insane. He is unable

    to differentiate between right and wrong and soon it will be our turn! Only you could do something."

    Umberto pleaded with desperation. His eyes had be glossy while he was helpless and worried for

    his people''s safety.

    "How am I supposed to stop him? I am no wolf. He is way too powerful for any shifter, how would I

    stand in front of him! He could kill me in a blink of an eye." Can was nonchnt as he stated the

    facts.

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    At that very moment Umberto realized that Can was unaware of what he was to Einar. Eventually the

    bloodbathmenced only to avenge Can''s attack. How could the boy even think that Einar would

    harm him! He would rather kill himself than let any paine to the boy. Umberto gave a curt smile at

    Can''s innocence.

    "Listen to me Can. Do as I say; call him. Say that you want him to stop everything he is doing."

    "But.."

    "Please Can."

    Umberto knew that only a true mate''s call can bring Einar back from his insanity. For that, he needed

    help of Can. He slowly moved away from the boy when the boy was about to speak.

    Can took deep breaths before finally uttering- "Einar...... STOP." These were the only two words

    which he could form.

    The ck wolf steadied himself and looked in the direction of Can but he was so engrossed in his

    mayhem that he ignored the callings of his mate. Umberto had no other choice but to awaken the

    primal instinct of Einar''s wolf: Can''s safety. He stood besides the boy and gripped his arm strongly

    with his hand. Can gasped and moaned in pain. This caught the attention of Einar who angrily

    growled at the beta. He made his way to the boy. A part of the n was sessful and the other part

    required Umberto to stay out of reach of Einar. But looking at the ferocious nature of the ck wolf

    Umberto knew that his chances of survival were slim.

    Einar sprinted with vigor but was halted in his speed when a red dust smoke appeared out of nowhere.

    His eyes burnt while his senses weakened. He got hold of himself and marched forward but was again

    stalled with another mist from a different direction. Soon a transparent dome of red mist surrounded the

    Alpha''s son.

    Can could see thirteen mystical people surrounding Einar in a circle. Each one of them was wearing

    a long ck gown while their heads were covered up to their nose by a silky brown cloth. They all had

    a small keister from which they rained the dust at Einar. The whispering and murmuring sounds

    suggested that the people were using enchantments to control him.

    Umberto was relieved that the elders hade to their rescue.

    Each one of them threw the powdered substance at Einar chanting some mystical words. It was Aurora

    who had called upon these people to stop the carnage. She was standing behind them at a distance

    with her eyes focused on the Alpha''s son. Einar was on his knees now, but his wolf was not ready to

    quit. Hisrge groans and his growling sounds made it clear that he was struggling to be in charge but

    not ready to give his dominance.

    Can suddenly felt suffocated watching this. It was as if he was trapped in a closed confined ce. He

    took sharp heavy breaths which concerned Umberto. "Can.. Are you all right?"

    Can did not respond to that. In fact after a few exhales his head hung low while his wristlet started

    glowing. When he looked up; he could see only Einar in front of him. His eyes were stoic while his

    surroundings were silenced. He was in a different trance altogether, like some unknown power was

    pulling him towards the ck wolf. He started his movements ahead aiming straight at the circr wall

    of mist.

    Unknown to Can a wounded rogue wolf, which was attacked by the boy earlier, was hiding in the

    shrubs. He saw the carelessness of the boy and decided to take the ultimate opportunity to strike. He

    wanted to make a dash for the kill; to make sure the boy suffers the same fate as his fellow

    Aurora saw the wolf approaching Can but she was toote. The wolf was about to make a kill as he

    aimed at Can. She screamed his name at the top of her voice.

    "Can! NO......"

    She could not believe her eyes for what happened next.

 Chapter 11: The Sacrifice

    Chapter 11: The Sacrifice

    Garrick watched his father lying motionless in bed. The agony and pain had made him unreachable.

    Ragnar was frantically trying to arrange every help possible while Catherine was helpless seeing the

    love of her life slowly slipping away from her. Garrick had calleddy Odile who was treating the other

    wounded when the mishap had urred. When she arrived to check the beta she knew the fate of his

    survival, there was only so much a wolf could take and the healer knew that any increase in his

    medication dose would do him no good.

    Umberto''s condition was worsening. His breaths came in ragged and shallow gasps. His loved ones

    wanted to save him. His fragile heart was trying to pump in all the life to save him but his other senses

    were slowly giving up. One look at the healer could deduce the fact that it was far toote to save the

    beta.

    Umberto was breathing hisst.

    ****

    When Can was out of his haze, he could not recall anything that happened. He was on a bed with

    countless other warriors lining side by side to him. He steadied his wobbly feet and blinked his eyes

    hurriedly to gain a clear vision. It was chaos in the healers'' cottage. The smell of blood and the

    screams of pain were everywhere around him. He could see that the healers were attending the

    patients with all their might while he noticed his parents were nowhere to be found. Being one without a

    mind-link he could notmunicate with them and assure himself of their safety. He made his way to

    Alpha house where all the high ranks were treated in hopes of finding his parents.

    On reaching the Alpha house he could hearmotion everywhere but soon they all were silenced

    when Can announced his arrival through the doors. The entrance was swamped with people who

    were emoting mixed sentiments, some of sympathy while others of utter despair. The hatred for the boy

    was evident in their eyes. But Can could not assess what earned him this response. Apparently he

    recalled that he was fighting side by side with the pack. As also he did not put anyone in trouble as far

    as he could remember.

    Distinct noises could be heard from a room which was near to the Alpha''s Office; one of the voices he

    heard was of Aurora. He was relieved that his friend was safe and here so she could now reply to his

    unanswered questions. He made his way through the pool of people and breached the room. He could

    see the Alpha, Luna, Beta female, Garrick and some healers including Aurora around a bed. They were

    all surrounding- UMBERTO.

    Can gasped in shock when he saw the physical state of the beta. His face was marked with ws all

    over while his wounds down his chest were so deep that the skin was now hanging loosely from his

    upper torso. One could even see the bones of his rib cage. His leg was definitely the worst hit; Can

    could see a chunk of mass missing from his thighs oozing blood.

    He took one step to the beta but was thrashed to the nearest wall by a force. He could see two red

    swollen eyes. Can did not miss the fury and the pain in the teary eyed face.

    "YOU!.. You have caused this. You are the reason my father is suffering. Your reckless behavior has

    put my father''s life at stake. I never believed what people said but you really are a CURSE for the

    entire pack." Garrick angrily raised his voice. He caught hold of Cans neckband and punched him

    with his full strength. Can was dizzy and fell on the floor a bit disoriented. Garrick picked him up with

    his brute force and punched him even harder than before.

    "That''s enough Garrick. This is neither the time nor the ce for your childish deportment."

    The Alpha is right Garrick. Come here, sit next to your mother. Taking deep breaths Umberto

    The betas son reluctantly released the boy with a strong exhale of his breath, snorting derisively. Can

    looked at Aurora in confusion who herself masked her emotions and was weakly smiling at him.

    Garrick''s rude behavior took Can by surprise. Though the betas son was not a friend of Can but he

    was never rude to him. Then what had changed all of a sudden?

    Can needed answers.

    Looking at the bleeding face of the boy Aurora approached him hesitatingly. She held his hand and

    helped him out of the room. Aurora took Can to the nearest avable room. She wiped the blood

    from his face and applied some herbs on his busted lips.

    "This will help you heal." Can frowned at her as she was avoiding eye contact.

    "Was Garrick true? Did I have something to do with Umberto''s condition? Please answer me Aurora."

    Can asked in almost a hushed voice.

    Even before the healer could speak, a treacherous bead slipped through her eye running down her

    cheek. She lowered her head, took a deep breath andposed herself trying to be strong at this

    moment.

    "The beta is in a precarious situation. The healers are trying their best to avoid any fatalities but his

    injuries..."

    "That''s not what I''m asking Aurora." Can quickly interjected "Did I have something to do with the

    betas attack? Please tell me the truth." Can was desperate in his request while Aurora was trying her

    best to gather courage to answer the boy. She deeply sighed to finally face the boy.

    "Yes.." her voice broke in a whisper.

    Can almost choked. He forgot to breathe for a moment. He was confused. How could he possibly do

    that? There had to be a catch in the story.

    "H-How..?" The boy was unable to form any other words.

    "You were in a.. Haze. When the Elders were performing their enchantments to control Einar, you were

    drawn to the circle. You were in a different trance, you did not listen to any of our warnings and were

    about to infiltrate the circle. Umberto tried to save you but at the same time a feral wolf jumped in front

    of you. Umberto shielded you and took the brunt of the feral''s attacks while you just kept moving. As he

    was trying to shift, you had almost reached the circle and were very close to enter it. Hence the beta

    decided to help you first.."

    "I am trying hard but I am unable to remember anything.." Can was squeezing his eyebrows to

    refresh his memories.

    "I know. What happened next is what made the whole situation grave. When Umberto was reaching

    you another feral was about to attack you from behind. The beta pushed you away and shifted. You fell

    on the floor and were unconscious thereafter. The other feral had now joined hispanion while

    Umberto protected you from their attacks as you were helpless. But the fight was too much for him."

    "I don''t understand. Why didn''t the other pack members help him? Why were they being mute

    spectators?"

    "The beta had ordered them not to interfere. The Elders had not finished their job yet and the

    procedure required theirplete attention. In cases where their own powers have limitations they

    source their power from the souls of the wolves present; The more the better. Had the other warrior

    wolves joined the beta, the strength of the circle would have lessened and Einar would have broken the

    shield. Hence Umberto decided to face the ferals on his own. But till the time the enchantments were

    over and help arrived; the damage was done."

    Aurora was discreet in what she told Can. She had guessed it that Umberto knew about the Alphas''

    son and Can and he was trying to avoid interference of other wolves. Had the other wolves joined in

    the fight and touched the boy; Einar would''ve definitely broken the shield in his rage and killed his own

    pack mates.

    The beta saved the pack at the expense of his own life.

    Can was dumbfounded at Auroras revtion. This cleared things on why the people earlier were

    behaving strange. This also meant that Garrick was right. In a way he did put his father''s life at stake.

    He could no more hold his emotions and cried his heart out to his good friend.

    ****

    It had been months since the death of the beta. Catherine could not tolerate the separation from her

    mate and soon followed him to the Promised Land. Ragnar and the entire pack were mourning the

    departure of their second inmand Alpha and second inmand Luna. With a heavy heart he

    appointed Peter as his new beta. The most affected of them all was Garrick. He confined himself in his

    room and bewailed for days that followed.

    Since the day of the mayhem, Einar had been kept in a dark dungeon by the Elders. The Elders had

    been associated with some powerful warlocks and witches to find a solution to the menace of the

    beasts inside of the boy. They wanted to keep the beasts at bay until the right time for coronation of the

    future Alpha arrived. Zelda and Ragnar had been worried about their son and so was Aurora.

    Somehow she felt responsible for everything that happened and was guilty for the Alpha son''s present

    state.

    "Hello Aurora, are we ready to go." Aurora was bemused to see a tall man with curls and caramel skin.

    It was Elder Odulf.

    "Yes. I have made all the preparations and even informed the Alpha and Luna. They will be on their

    way soon." Aurora said bowing her head.

    "Do they know?" The Elder asked nonchntly.

    Aurora did not have to be a highbrow to know exactly what the Elder was talking about "No master. The

    Alpha mates know nothing about the bond. However I think the former beta might have had his

    suspicions."

    "Hmm... I see. Do the boys know?"

    "Can is na?ve, he is convinced that he is born without a mate and thinks that his powers are a result

    of the bracelet I gave him. Whereas Einar has recognized the other part of his soul."

    The Elder was pensive for a very long time before he said "We have to keep them apart till the boy

    reaches his potential. Only he has the power to control the beasts or else this time even the strongest

    of our magic spells would not be able to stop the demolition of every supernatural being in the world.

    We have to be very careful."

    The cluster of Elders had always tried to cease the impending probability of destruction of their race.

    They had always prepared for this moment.

    The Alpha and Luna arrived a few momentster. Both of them had been emotionally devastated from

    the events of the mayhem. Losing their close friends, seeing their warriors fall and more importantly the

    condition of their only son had driven them to their extremities.

    "I hope you are ready Alpha." The Alpha nodded.

    "What do I have to do Elder Odulf?"

    The Elder nced at Aurora for a moment and then again at the Alpha mates. He was in a quandary

    as for how to exin what the Alpha had to sacrifice in order to keep the pack safe from his very own

    flesh and blood.

    "This is not going to be easy for the both of you. Controlling Einar has be a next to impossible

    task for us. We have been using all our forces to calm his beasts but it has only proved to drag us to

    our limits. The beasts are resisting our spells and trying to break the barrier at an rming rate. Soon

    our powers will subsidepletely and will have no effect on them."

    "What do you suggest Elder Odulf? What should we do? I can''t watch my son go through this

    anymore." The helpless mother said in a creaking voice.

    "There is only one solution Alpha Ragnar- Sacrifice."

    The Alpha mates were surprised and eager to know what the Elder had in mind.

    "What do you mean?" The Alpha frowned at the Elder''s suggestion.

    The Elder slowly pulled a shiny red stone locket from his clothing and handed it over to the Alpha.

    "We have to set this locket on Einar. The locket will draw energy from the beasts and help keep them

    calm. However the ornament in itself is not too powerful to hold or influence the beasts for a very long

    time. After a few months the effect of this spell will fade and the beasts will have their control back. This

    is where you have to make a sacrifice.."

    The Elder lost his breath for a moment before looking at both the Alpha and the luna of the pack.

    "To counter Einar''s power we need the locket to be able to handle the resistance from the beasts. The

    locket in its own cannot do this task and so we need a force equal to Einar''s to control him. We need

    your shedim spirit."

    "I don''t understand." The Alpha was perplexed at the moment while his spirit was getting agitated.

    Sensing the agony of her mate, Zelda held his hand.

    "In the entire world only your spirit can match the powers of your son as of now. If we extract it in the

    form of energy and store it in the locket it can prove to be a stronger shield for every outburst Einar

    has."

    The alpha widened his eyes at inconceivable notion of the Elder "NO.. I can''t do this. Killing my spirit

    would mean that I make my pack vulnerable. I cannot risk my people''s safety. I can''t just..."

    "Please calm down." The Luna of the pack held his hand. "Just listen to me, our son has been in the

    dungeons for months now. I can no longer bear to see him there; its breaking me from the inside."

    Zelda pleaded her mate with spheres of water running down her cheeks.

    "Moreover we can''t control him for much longer. The shield will break eventually and when he escapes

    the barrier, it would mean the end the pack entirely. Think about it." The Elder tried to reason with the

    Alpha.

    After deliberating every aspect of it the Alpha decided that it would be best to sacrifice his spirit if it

    means his pack remains safe. The loss of his spirit however also meant that the Alpha would now be

    weaker than before. In case of any adversity he had to solely depend upon his wolf now. However the

    immediate danger was far worse than the possibilities of any future attacks.

    The Alpha put his hand on the locket and reluctantly nodded at the Elder. The Elder and Aurora

    whispered the enchantments while they both kept their palms above the Alpha''s hand. After a series of

    anxious breaths, the Alpha could feel his life force draining. He painfully groaned at every passing

    moment. He was on his knees while his screams and moans of pain brought tears to the eyes of the

    Luna. The ck mist around the Alpha was now being absorbed by the red gem of the ornament. The

    Alpha copsed due to the exhaustion of being deprived of his strength.

    The shedim spirit in him was gone forever.

    The Elder than collected the gem and headed straight for the dungeons while the Alpha was taken care

    of by his mate.

    ****

    It had been two days since the Alpha lost his consciousness. When he woke up, he felt a part of him

    missing. He had experienced a near death circumstance but was relieved to know that he had his son

    in his proximity, alive and healthy. Einar was sitting besides his father and frantically apologizing for his

    deeds. His father embraced him and patted his back in a gesture of forgiveness.

    On the other side Can had been visiting the betas son to try and reason with him, make him

    understand that whatever happened was not his fault and he should forgive him. But Garrick was

    adamant the whole time which broke the heart of the Head warrior''s son. He had be rude to the

    boy like everyone else. The death of his parents had made him bitter towards the boy.

    Aurora and Elder Odulf knew that situation would soon escte if Einar and Can stay close to each

    other. They had to find a solution to keep the boys apart until the right time. They decided to meet the

    Alpha to solve this predicament.

    Aurora tapped the Alpha office door asking for permission to enter; Elder Odulf and a few more Elders

    had joined her.

    "Pleasee in Healer." The entire group of people entered the room while the Alpha was seemingly

    perplexed and ordered his fellow pack mates who were already present in the office to leave the room.

    The Elders had never visited him in his lifetime so this must be a serious issue for them. He nodded his

    head and greeted everyone.

    "What do I owe this pleasure for?"

    "We are here for some pressing matters that needs immediate attention."

    "I''m listening." The Alpha replied to Elder Odulf.

    "We think that you should send Einar for his training years to the king''snd."

    The Alpha was taken aback by the suggestion and retorted quickly "But it is too soon. He is not of age

    yet."

    Indeed he was not of age yet but the elders had other motive behind their suggestion."We all think that

    it is a right time. The sooner he learns everything the better. He can then search for his mate in every

    werewolfnd around the world."

    "Don''t you think he should wait two more years as is the norm? Why the rush?" The alpha tried to

    reason.

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    "The beasts inside him will soon yearn for a mate. We need to make him prepared before the thirst of

    his other half drives him mad. The training years will make him more responsible and more controlling."

    "But what if his beasts show up and attack anyone in the kings''nd. We won''t be there to control him."

    "He has been sane for the past few weeks and hopefully remains the same for theing time. The

    gem in his locket will control his beasts in the meantime so you don''t have to worry about it.''

    "But still I don''t trust him with his beasts."

    "Don''t worry Alpha; the other boy will apany him- The former beta''s son. He understands Einar

    well and will help him control his anger. Moreover even he has toplete his training years so it

    better be now."

    "It won''t be fair to Garrick." The responsibility of Garrick had now fallen onto the shoulders of the alpha

    and he wanted him to have every fair opportunity in life like of his own son.

    "The boys would rather be together than be alone apart. They can take care of each other so you don''t

    have to be concerned about any one of them."

    The training years of the Alpha was an important exercise followed by packs around the world. Every

    future Alpha from every pack had to attend it to learn everything there is to be a good Alpha. In hinder

    side though, the king always had these camps only to be sure if any of the wolves possessed a threat

    to his throne and eliminated it at the source.

    Ragnar tapped his chin while he was assessing the situation. He knew the deceitful and maniptive

    working of the king and his men. He witnessed it himself in his training years. Thankfully he could keep

    only the lessons he knew were necessary while he discarded the others much to the dismay of the

    king. He feared that his boy would turn more of a self destructive egoist man than a peoples person

    altogether. But it was a ritual and it had to be followed and ultimately Einar had to decide between right

    and wrong. Usually the age of any visiting Alpha is eighteen but since Einar''s was a special case the

    Elders thought that it would be better to send him this year itself.

    The Alpha nodded at the request of the Elders and hoped that the training years bring the best in Einar

    and Garrick.

 Chapter 12: The Ancient Book

    Chapter 12: The Ancient Book

    5 Yearster

    It was those spring days with a kiss of coldness and some warmth of the rays of the shining sun. Can

    bathed himself with sunshine in nothing but his bare essentials. He admired the nature at its best. The

    blossoming flowers, the sweet melody of the winged animals, the fresh sweet aroma of thend. These

    were the things which he loved being part of.

    "Are you not done yet? I''m getting bored." A buff tall man with hairs around his entire body was lying

    "You are always ingrate about this ce Archer. Why do you even follow me here?"

    "Being your best friend it''s my job to be with you. Always." Archer smirked and held Can with one

    arm over his shoulder. "I don''t know why you are so fascinated with these kind of ces. We could

    have easily gone to the market in the human vige today. It would have been so much fun."

    "Even I want to meet Bradyn and his family. It has been weeks since Ist visited the human vige but

    I can''t as I have to go the Alpha house today. I cannote with you."

    Archer squint his eyes and looked at his friend. "Why do you have to go to the Alpha house today? I

    thought today was your day off."

    "It''s a celebration actually." Can gave a weak and unconvincing smile before saying "Richard has

    found his mate. Its Aldous'' sister Madeline."

    The governing age of Can meant that it was time for his fellow counterparts to search for their

    respective mates. Almost every member of the pack who was of Cans age had marked their

    significant other. The ones who were yet to find their mate were sent as goodwill ambassadors to other

    packs in search for their mates. But Can was advised to desist any hopes of finding his mate. Ever.

    From a very young age he was taught about the customs and rituals about the werewolfmunity. He

    always considered himself a part of them. The most enchanting aspect about it was the feeling of being

    loved, the feeling of belonging and the feeling of eptance, something which Can was deprived

    throughout his very existence. He wanted to have what other people had. He wanted to share the

    bond, the rtionship which his parents and every other couple in the pack had.

    He wanted his Soul-Mate.

    Justus knew that Can was different from his peers. He understood that not only he had more

    struggles in his life but he would also be underprivileged at the boon of a mate by the moon goddess.

    The day after his sixteenth birthday Can was devastated with the ount from his father that he may

    never have a chance at a mate or of true love altogether. Can cried his heart out in the arms of his

    best friend. The news was annihtion of his very soul, the very aspect of his being, of his existence

    was missing.

    In the years toe he gathered courage to portray a fake fa?ade in the eyes of everyone else. Some

    people sympathized with him while the others believed that Luna was justified in her doing and not

    granting him a mate. The irony of it being that every woman in the pack wished that the Luna paired

    them with the handsome man.

    The Alpha celebrated every new bonding in the pack. Can was happy for them but he used to be

    disheartened at the same time for he may never have his chance of true love to share with his special

    person. The only one thing he yearned to have; Love.1

    Archer waved his hands in front of Can to get his attention. Can blinked his glossy eyes and parted

    his lips to give another of his fake smiles. But Archer knew every time when the boy was not being true.

    In fact they were so close that one could discern every emotion of the other, without any saying.

    "Don''t worry Can, the goddess must have thought something for you, something special. You will

    definitely have your chance at true love. Who knows Vi could be the one for you." Archer patted his

    back in assurance.

    Vi was a fellow pack member who was in a rtionship with Can for over a year now. She was

    twenty nine and had lost all her hopes of finding her mate and hence was forced to settle for an alliance

    with any other wolf. But like every female she had her eyes for the most desired man of their pack.

    "I don''t know archer. She is a beautiful and sweet woman. I know she is always there for me but

    sometimes I feel this is not enough. Like a part of the puzzle is missing. There is a sense of guilt after

    every time we make love. It feels like I have betrayed someone or something. I don''t know why."

    "Let go of this feeling for want of a mate brother and look at the brighter side of things. Vi loves you;

    she is even ready to forego her parents and the pack for you. Her resistance to the pack members and

    her parents ismendable. I think you should ept her offer of being her mate." Archer tried to

    reason with his best friend.

    Archer was right. Vi had been his strength for the past one year. The girl had suffered discrimination

    and bad mouthing because she decided to be with Can: A non wolf. She always encouraged him to

    be the best as also she was always with him in his times of need.

    She was potentially a perfect mate but the only downside of it being that there was still a possibility of

    her finding her other half. It may take weeks, months or even years but whenever she finds her mate

    Can knew that she would chose the bond over him.

    "Don''t over think it Can, life has given you a chance and it is up to you what you want to make out of

    it."

    ****

    The Alpha was seemingly nervous but excited as well. He had called upon the members of the pack

    who were now filling up the empty hall. He paced around and looked for Justus to enquire about

    everyones presence. Justus gave a curt nod and closed the doors of the assembly hall. Can had

    taken a corner seat aloof from the crowd. As it is, nobody had taken a seat next to or around the boy.

    The chattering and murmuring resembled the sound of bees. Peter pout his lips and whistled to gain

    attention of the attendants. The pack was silenced in an instant.

    "Thank you for visiting. Let''s start with the order of business today. As many of you must have already

    realized that we are here to celebrate another mate bond in our pack. This generation is very lucky to

    have found their mates at a very young age. We all know that a true mate bond is difficult to find until

    you are twenty five while some may even find their mates at a veryter stage in their lives. The moon

    goddess has really been kind to us. Without dying any further I present to you all; Richard foreman

    and Madeline kewood daughter of our beta Peter kewood."

    A tall man with smooth ck hair and a smug look appeared from the corner of the stage holding

    hands with a blonde beautiful female. The entire hall roared with a deafening noise of apuse. It''s not

    every day that a pack member finds his mate, so it was a reason to celebrate. Amidst the cheering,

    whistling and hooting the girl blushed and hid herself partially behind her mate while the man was

    acknowledging the hall with a wave smirking devilishly when he caught eyes of Can.

    The Alpha then gestured for attention of the pack "I have some more good news to share with you all.

    Einar along with Garrick havepleted their training years and have decided to return to the pack as

    early as next week."

    The hall again erupted with a thunderous apuse with smirks and happy faces all around. For some

    reason even Can was happy with the news. Nobody had seen Einar for around five years now.

    Ragnar thought that it was time for Einar to be announced as the new Alpha. The smiling faces of the

    Luna and all thedies were a sight to behold. The other females of the pack hoped to be the new Luna

    of the blue moon pack while the youngds were looking forward to be a part of the high ranks and

    work under the new Alpha. This also meant that the day of reckoning was approaching. Can had to

    prepare himself for every member that challenged his position as the head warrior.

    ****

    Back in her room, Aurora was trying some new potions for a more effective cure. She collected all the

    herbs, a stack of hay, stones and fine ash which were decorated around her in a circr manner. She

    was about to transport the cauldron from her almirah to the burner when her door suddenly opened

    making a loud squeaking sound.

    "Hello Aurora."

    The half healer half witch was shocked by the sudden noise and because of that the cauldron from her

    hands fell to the ground. She gasped with her hands to her chest while Can wasughing so

    hysterically that his eyes were forced to free some of its water.

    "Stopughing will you!" Aurora frowned cleaning the mess on her gown and the floor.

    "Ohh.. you should have s-seen your face." Can managed to utter between hisughs.

    "What brings you here handsome? You have beentely too busy to even take a note of your friends

    well being. Last time I heard, that female warrior was all over you like a leech." Cans expressions

    changed dramatically. Hisughs vanished and a cold concerned look marked his face. He did not

    have to be a genius to realize who Aurora was talking about. For some apparent reason she did not

    like him and Vi bonding up but he never understood why. Being his close friend, Can thought that

    the healer would understand his situation and be weing of it, but he was wrong.

    "Why do you hate Vi so much? She is a nice female and wants to spend her life with me. I like her

    and she likes me."

    "She is not your mate Can. When will you understand this?"

    "You have been saying the same thing for every past rtionship I had. I am tired looking for that one

    special person and honestly I don''t even think she exists. Vi is a good partner for me and moreover I

    think she does not have a mate. If there was one she would have definitely been taken by now." Can

    frowned with a pinch of agitation.

    "You cannot be sure about that. What if her mate is still there somewhere, what if he is searching for

    her? What would happen if hees to our pack? She will always choose her mate over you. No one

    can win over the bond and you should know that."2

    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    "Then what do you want me to do. I don''t want to be alone forever; I have to take my chances. She

    makes me happy; she likes me and wants to be with me as her mate. For some twisted fates if her

    mate does find her in the near future the decision will be hers entirely to chose but until then we would

    cherish every moment together." Can was almost desperately presenting his case cause for him this

    was his only chance for happiness.

    Aurora was finding it difficult to reason with Can as he was right in his arguments but she knew that

    his heart belonged to someone else. It was not Vi but Can who had to make a choice once his

    mate returns from the king''snd.

    She sighed and sat near Can with her one arm around his shoulder. They sat in silence for a few

    moments before Cans emotions were stable and calm. Aurora then tilted her head towards Can

    and said." Would you care for a muffin?"

    Can sighed and smiled a little at her "Yes please."

    She ruffled his hairs and brought her famous muffins which Can loved so dearly. He devoured every

    bite of it and thanked Aurora for cooking it. The muffins helped made the atmosphere cheery again.

    When he was about to leave, his eyes caught a golden strip which was glowing so strong that it could

    easily blind any normal human being. Aurora gasped in shock and tried to shield Can from the light.

    The curiosity in Can made him overtake his friend to reach for the source of the light.

    "No! don''t touch it."

    But it was toote. Can already came in contact with the source of the light and much to the

    astonishment of Aurora the glow started fading until it waspletely diminished on the first touch of

    Can.

    "What is this? It looks like a book."

    Aurora gasped in shock when the mystical book let Can touch it and not just that it also flipped its

    pages on its own while its nk pages were being filled by some magical ink out of nowhere. Can

    was awed at the opus while Aurora could not reel her mind from what just she saw there.

    "This is amazing! What is this book called?"

    "T-This...this is the book of the ancients." she cleared her throat to gain some confidence "It has

    knowledge of the entire supernatural worlds. It contains possible answers to every query of our world."

    "But why are the other pages empty." Can was thoughtful.

    "The ancient book allows you to perceive only that knowledge which it wants to show you and not the

    other way around. Just read what is written there."

    "Nothing is written here."

    "What!" Aurora eyes widened in astonishment.

    "There is no writing here. It has pictures in it; one is simr to a beast man while the other looks like a

    ghost." After examining it further Can concluded-"It seems like they are at war. Does this click with

    you?"

    Indeed Aurora knew what it meant. The book was a mirror of what had transpired ages ago. It showed

    Can those images because he was rted to it.

    She reluctantly shook her head and went straight ahead to the book. As soon as she tried to read its

    content the book mysteriously pped itself and closed. This meant that she did not had ess to the

    knowledge which she desperately needed. Can was amused by this and thought that Aurora has

    some more of the magical stuff in her hiding. He was about to move from his ce when his palm

    scratched the edge of the book oozing a pint of blood. Unknown to him some of his blood had dripped

    on the book cover. Aurora took Cans palm in his hand and breezed some air to soothe the injury.

    "Are you alright? Let me heal you." The witch was worried for the handsome man.

    "I''m fine Aurora. You don''t have to worry."

    A musical sound of chirping echoed the room when a winged creature with long throat hackles and

    glossy plumage entered through the door. It pped its arms to reach the shoulders of the man and

    settled there with a re at Aurora, like it was warning her.

    "Calm down Cornell. No need to threaten the poordy." Can giggled at the panicked state of the

    healer. Apparently the bird was in a defensive state against Aurora.

    Taking a clue Aurora took a few steps backwards while keeping her eyes on the bird.

    "I don''t like him. Get rid of him as soon as you can."

    Can giggled once more and slowly listened to the voice of the bird in his ears.

    "He has a message for me. Father has summoned me. I guess I don''t get to see your magical woo-

    shoo today after all."

    Can had found the raven in summer ofst year when the bird was struggling to release himself from

    the clutches of a strong in the bushes. It was a trap set by hunters. Can helped the bird and

    aided him in his injuries; mysteriously though the bird was able tomunicate with him in anguage

    which only he could understand. The first thing he did was to introduce the bird to the healer as he

    thought Aurora would know who the mystical creature actually was. But as it happened the bird on

    arrival in the healers cottage attacked Aurora with its beak expressing his displeasure and dislike

    towards her. Thus the two have been on bitter ends there on.

    "I have to visit Archer this evening after my training, after it is over we have to meet and you will have

    to reveal all your magical paraphernalia to me." He winked at her yfully and bowed before he

    headed for the exit.

    Aurora heaved a sigh of relief as she knew that it would have been difficult to exin everything to

    Can about the book. The blood on the book cover had done the trick and Aurora was happy.

    Can entered his house where he was assaulted with the delicious smell of cooked fish. He took a

    piece the savory and set it aside for the bird while he himself was about to dive in the freshly cooked

    fish when the back of his palm was harshly tapped by his mother.

    "It hurts Mother, that was rude." He made a baby face with a pout to express his fake innocence and

    hurt in front of his mother.

    "Wait for your father will you." Mary scolded her son.

    "He is not home yet? His shift was over when I went to Aurora''s ce."

    "The Alpha had something to.... Here hees."

    Justus entered the house and embraced his mate with a sweet kiss. Can was happy to see his

    parents'' joy but resented the feeling of being alone and never having a bond like every other couple or

    even his parents had. He brushed aside his negativity and looked to his father.

    "Cornell said you wanted to meet me. Is everything fine father?"

    Justus relieved his coat and took a seat near his son. He was perplexed when the bird was making a

    grating sound as if to warn him to keep his distance from Can. Justus and Mary smiled when the bird

    was calmed by their son just by his single touch of affection. It was amazing to see the bond

    developing between the two. Justus straightened his back and focused his eyes on his son.

    "Everything is fine Cally. I was in a meeting with the Alpha and they were discussing about the return of

    Einar and Garrick. The Alpha has assigned Peter and me to lead a group of warriors to go to the kings''

    Hearing Einars name made Can a bit cautious. He knew for a fact that Garrick hated him but Einar

    was a different story altogether. The Alpha''s son was cause of many of a misery and troubles faced by

    Can. But sincest five years Cans life was going smooth with less hurdles due to the absence of

    Einar and now he was returning. He wished he never had to see him again but at the same time his

    heart fluttered on hearing the news of Einars arrival for which he was confused.

    Everyone was aware of the powers Einar possessed and also his ability of destruction and mayhem.

    Can remembered all the times when he growled at him, the time when he almost attacked him as

    also he remembered the precarious situations in which he used to be reprimanded just because of

    Einar. The man was trouble, hence Can promised himself to never have a friendly rtionship with

    Einar and keep a safe distance from the future Alpha.

    But he never knew that his fate would not allow for this. Ever.

 Chapter 13: Mesmerised

    Chapter 13: Mesmerised

    Einar stepped out once again into the sand and dust of the open arena which was heavily stained with

    the blood of his previous victims. The audience cheered wildly while Einar raised his hand skyward as

    a greeting to the gathered thousands. Another prisoner was pushed ahead in the centre of the ring to

    meet the same fate as his predecessors and fellow inmates. Einar had already executed more than a

    dozen of these ferals with no help from his beasts. Wild response arosed from the audience as Einar

    bowed his head to the king. The men inside the arena now circled each other with ferocity and an

    unreadable expression. Einar looked at his friend for a moment while the feral took this distraction as

    an opportunity and shifted mid air elerating towards his opponent. But the going to be Alpha was

    quick enough to move sideways and dodge the attack. He caught hold of his neck and squeezed it with

    his muscr arms until the body became motionless.

    "And the winner of this bout- Einar Ragnar Knight." The game master announced.

    The crowd erupted in cheers and thunderous apuse while Garrick looked at his friend with

    enormous joy and pride. Einar once again bowed to the King-Stanis and made his way through the

    exit of the arena. His friends and soon to be Alphas weed him with hoots and shouts while some

    even patted his back in encouragement and appreciation. He was the first in ages topete in this

    The people of Stanis''snd simply loved the strength and skill of the boy. He was seemingly younger

    than most of hispatriots but was morepetent and eligible than everyonebined. There

    were people who admired him and there were some who simply thought that he was overrated. Due to

    his adeptness, Stanis was mighty impressed with Einar and gave him a proposal to work under him

    as one of kings close guard, as one of the high ranks- The Enforcers.

    The women folks desperately wanted to be his mate. They turned their way to ogle him on every

    chance they got and why would they not. The man was sex on legs. His growing years had done

    wonders on him. He was taller than most of the men and had a well toned muscr body. His squared

    jaw and his mesmerizing eyes added to his good looks. He always returned a smile when he caught an

    admiring nce, but his heart had long been taken.

    "You did great today." Einar turned when a handnded on his shoulder and hugged his friend.

    "Father would have been so proud of you." Garrick shed a bead from his eye when he almost

    whispered the sentence. Umberto was a mentor, a teacher and a guide for Einar. He learnt many a

    things from him.1

    "I miss him." Einar said with glossy eyes and a disappointed heart when he patted his friends back

    lightly.

    "I miss him too."

    Garrick wiped his tears and lightly pushed his friend away. He took a scroll out of his bag and was

    about to hand it over to his friend when a knock intervened their conversation. It was one of the royal

    guards.

    "I apologize for the interference sire; the king has summoned you to his manor."

    Both the friends were quite amused with the sudden call of Stanis at this ungodly hour. Einar swiftly

    nodded to the guard and went right after him.

    Over the years Stanis had be very fond of Ragnar''s son. Not only he roared power but he was

    good in his learning as well. Stanis was so impressed with the man that he had consistently tried to

    persuade him to stay in his kingdom. Stanis knew that Einar was special because of his power and

    he would only prove be an asset to the royal army.

    Einar climbed the curved stairs to reach the balcony where he saw a man facing his back to him and

    looking at the bright blue sky. His shiny brown hair waved with the motion of the wind while his wrinkled

    cheeks gave way for his lips to expand when his nostrils caught a whiff.

    "My king." Einar bowed to the man in front of him "How can I be of your service today?"

    Stanis turned and hugged Einar with a smile. He held his arms with his hand and looked at him "You

    have made me and the entire werewolf n proud today."

    Einar did not have to be a genius to register what Stanis was talking about. The battle of the arena

    was not a small feat. Everyone knew that Einar had a spirit in him and even then he defeated all the

    rogues with his brute strength and skill without using his power. Not just that, no one has ever killed

    more than six rogues in the annual game but Einar outperformed himself when he killed almost all of

    the ferals in Stanis''s game. It was unbelievable!

    "I''m d I could please you my king." The man was expressionless in his tone.

    "If you really want to please me you know what you have to do. Just say yes to my offer." Stanis

    looked intently at Einar for his answer.

    "I wish I could be of any help here my king but my pack needs me. I am the sole heir to my father''s

    position, my people have expectations from me and I shall fulfill them." Einar was clear in his mind that

    he was not necessarily required in Stanis'' pce. The ce already had many proficient wolfs.

    "Don''t worry about Ragnar. I know him very well, he still has some more decades left in him and I''m

    sure he will be able to manage the pack just fine." Stanis returned to his position and was thoughtful

    about what he said.

    He knew about the stubborn nature of the blue moon''s Alpha. The pack became one of the strongest

    because of its leader. Though the Alpha was respectful about the throne but he was aware of the

    deceitful and conniving nature of the king. He once had also persuaded Ragnar to join his kingdom, but

    the Alpha had passed on the offer to his younger brother to avoid any conflict of interests.

    Stanis was convinced that with Einar on his side he would be able to challenge any supernatural

    kingdom and establish his supremacy in the entire world.

    Stanis'' thoughts were distracted by amotion which he could hear from downstairs. Einar and

    Stanis quickly made their way to the main hall. The king took his rightful ce on therge oversized

    bejeweled chair while Einar was standing at a few distances away from the closest pir to the stairs.

    Arge crowd of people had gathered around the main hall where the centre of attraction were two

    youngds around Einar''s age bounded in shackles. One was taller, muscr with brown hair while the

    other was submissive and shorter with blonde hair. Einar noticed that these youngsters were beaten

    and bruised while their movements were restricted with the metal around their legs. Some part of their

    skin was red and was even discharging the crimson liquid.

    Even in these brutal conditions Einar noticed that the youngds were smiling. But Einar''s eyes

    widened like saucers when he saw the boys holding each others hand.

    They were mates.

    Themotion was gaining momentum as the people around were trying to separate the two while the

    guards were trying to control the crowd.

    "SILENCE." The king roared throughout the throne room. Everybody bowed their heads in submission.

    Stanis ordered his men to exin what was going on.

    "Sire, the young boys here are from the Ravencrow pack. T-They... They im to be mates."

    The people around gasped in shock and the room suddenly sounded like a swarm of bees murmuring

    around its nest. Soon the murmuring turned into shouts and curses while the atmosphere became

    tensed. The people showed no sympathy to the duo while they cursed and demanded that they should

    be punished.

    Einar was now more or less habitual of these proceedings. Every month one or two such cases would

    arise before the king. Individuals of the same gender iming to be mates, aspiring of a life where

    there is no fear or hatred among their peers. But once you are in the clutches of the kings judiciary you

    have no escape. Every one of them suffered the same fate. Death.

    However death did not deterred those individuals to step back or regret their decisions, on the contrary

    they preferred to die together than live a life estranged with their other half. It was painful to be away

    from your beloved.

    "What are your names boys?" The king was cool in his stature.

    "I am Octavious Redwood and he is my mate Lucius Cardin."

    The king raised his eyes in anger and annoyance at the word mate. "Do you even know what you are

    saying? " he hissed "You have the audacity to stand in front me and confess your crime like you''ve won

    a war. How dare you!"

    The boy had a smug look on his face while his mate was looking at the king intently.

    "I said what I know and what is right." The brte said with confidence and defiance.

    "You seem to be from a royal blood line and higher ranks in your pack perhaps. Don''t waste your life

    this way. You have plenty of bright years ahead of you."

    Octavious nced at his mate and said "I have no life without him."

    "Don''t you know that same gender pairs are cursed? Moreover He cannot give you an heir! There

    would be no one to carry your blood line forward. He is an omega for Lunas sake! You are a smart and

    a handsome man, any girl would love to be your mate. Just think about it." The king tried to manipte

    the man.

    "The Luna paired us with a beautiful bond. I don''t want any children if it means I have to stay away from

    my mate. I''d rather be childless my entire life." He tightened the hold of his palms.

    "You are saying these words under the influence of the bond. You have the option to sever the bond

    and once it is done you will be free from this curse and live a new life afresh."

    "The only curse around here is YOU oh almighty king!" The sarcastic tone did not go unnoticed by the

    king while the entire room gasped. "And remember, you are going against the wishes of the Luna and

    she won''t stay quiet for long."

    The entire room buzzed again with the defiant nature of the man. Even Einar was amused by the

    confidence the man possessed in this adverse situation. "That''s enough..! I tried to make you see

    reason but you are an adamant man. This stubbornness of yours will cost you dearly."

    The king knew that this couple had to be made an example of otherwise the people would lose trust in

    him as also it would create fear among the other werewolf packs to not allow such pairings to exist or

    they would face severe consequences.

    "I Stanis Grimoir, king of the werewolf world hereby announce that these two individuals who are

    iming to be mates would be hanged till death on the first rays of sunlight falling on the giant gong

    tomorrow morning. Until then lock them up in different dungeons."

    The screaming and groaning of the men took the hall by storm as their pain was ignored and people

    around could only feel hatred towards them.

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Aloof from everyone else Einar was reying the scene before him and instead of the two boys he

    imagined himself and Can standing there. Had Einar acknowledged his bond he would have suffered

    the same fate as these men. People would have hated him, his own family and pack would have

    looked at him differently, and moreover he would have let down histe mentor.

    But the most torturous moment for Einar would have been to see Can in pain. His beautiful body in

    shackles would havepletely broken his heart.

    Just the thought of Can in pain made the beasts ufortable as they were growling and

    screeching inside of Einar to let them out. Einar held tight his locket which was now glowing and

    hanging around his neck trying to calm himself and reign above his beasts. Finally the pendant did its

    job as Einar heaved a sigh of relief and dashed his way out of the royal pce to get some fresh air.

    On the outskirts of a beautiful garden Einar was in a deep thought when his beasts started pacing

    inside him restlessly. Even he felt a need to release his beasts to calm his growing anxiety within him.

    He started taking heavy breathes for a rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. On the fourth breath however

    his nostrils were assaulted by a very faint but intoxicating smell. He made his way to the source of it

    and ran as fast as he could. The smell brought him towards the main gate of thend where he could

    see his fellow pack mates being greeted by his best friend. It was the head warrior and a few pack

    warriors who apanied him. Justus saw the future Alpha and went ahead to greet him. He bowed

    on one knee with his warriors following suit.

    "Greetings Son of Ragnar. We are here on the orders of our Alpha to escort you to ournd."

    "It would have been fine this way Justus. I had already told father that we were going to be visiting all

    on our own but he never listens." He exhaled in defeat. "I think we should carry our talks in my

    chamber." Einar gestured the men to follow him.

    "My apologies Einar. But we are still short of one member." One among the warriors said with concern.

    "Who is...."

    Before Einar could even finish his sentence he heard neighing of a horse which a man was riding. The

    man looked familiar yet totally unrecognizable. He stepped down from the horse and motioned his

    hands back and forth to the mane of the horse. A sudden pang of jealousy erupted inside of Einar

    where now his myriads of emotions were making him loose control. He was about to confront the man

    but what he saw next made his feet glued to the ground as he was astounded and appalled by the

    sheer beauty of this being.

    There were no words to describe the man ahead of him. His face was strong and defined. His lips were

    pale and thin while his nose was slender. A prominent jaw curved gracefully around. He had dark

    eyebrows which perfectly matched his shiny thick ck hair. His entire body was lean yet muscr.

    The man was almost as tall as him. But the one thing which stood out from the rest were the deep

    green forest eyes. Just a look into those beautiful eyes and Einar''s entire world was swept away. He

    was transported into another universe. How can he ever forget those eyes!

    It was his mate Can.

    Can''s beauty was such that one look and both women and men swooned at the sight of him no

    matter their sexual preferences. Just the thought of other beings seeing his mate made Einar furious

    and he growled in anger. His sudden outrage confused his best friend but brought terror to the ones

    who were nearby.

    "What happened Einar? Is something bothering you?" Garrick who was now standing beside him was

    concerned for his friend.

    "N-Nothing." Einar gained hisposure and looked every now and then to the handsome man in front

    of him. He continued "Now can we go to our chambers." He retorted sarcastically.

    "Yes Einar."

    "Actually father I wanted to visit someone first." Can interrupted the talk.

    "Where do you want to go at this hour Cally." Even Einar wanted to know the answer for this.

    "You know where father." Can rolled his eyes a bit and said shyly. "Please permit me to go?" he said

    in a soft voice.

    "Alright, but make sure you are here before the intended time. Do you promise?"

    "Yes father."

    Can jumped excitedly. He looked sideways towards the buff man and made his way to the other side

    of the open area with his horse.

    Einar could not believe that even after so many years he still yearned for a nce, a smile, or just an

    approval from Can. He could not believe how a simple human could influence his emotions so much.

    At this moment his every intent was to chase his mate, embrace him and never let go but he knew well

    that he cannot do as he pleased. He sighed heavily and signaled his men to follow him.

    On the other side Can visited the town area of the pce. As it happened he was met with curious

    nces. Both men and women could simply note to terms with his beauty.

    He came to a halt near an old cottage and knocked on its door thrice. The moment the person was

    about to open the door Can glued his back to the wall besides the door. The person who came out of

    the door was an old woman with curls and a bit hunched in her stature. She looked around but found

    no one in particr and assumed that it would have been her age doing tricks on her. She was about to

    turn her back when Can stood in front of her out of nowhere and shouted.

    "Grandma!"

    The olddy was surprised and astounded with the sudden visit from her grandchild. Her lips curved a

    smile while her eyes had be glossy with happiness. The joy in her face was priceless.

    "My boy." She embraced Can with all her strength. "What a wonderful surprise! Come inside."

    ****

    Back in Einar''s chamber everyone were discussing about the awaited return of the future Alpha.

    Garrick was busy telling stories about their years to hispanions while Justus was discussing legal

    matters with the counselor of the pce. Einar was trying very hard to concentrate on the matter in

    hand but his mind wandered only to a single person. His mate.

    "We have to leave before sunset tomorrow if we intend to visit our pack in time. Will Can make it in

    time tomorrow?" a fellow warrior asked the head of the warriors. Einar''s ears perked after hearing the

    question.

    "He will join us before we leave. In fact he will be here with us in the afternoon before we meet the

    king." But why is he not here at this moment ? thought Einar.

    "Head warrior, don''t you think he should have joined us as of now. I mean he did not even meet Einar

    for whom the trip was arranged." Now to think of it even Einar did not like the fact that Can did not

    greet or spoke any word with him. Though he was not the alpha yet, the action felt like a disrespect

    towards the high ranks.

    "Believe me Zinadine if it was possible he could have been here. He was here in thisnd for a purpose

    and the person he is meeting is very beloved to him. Can cannot resist meeting her."

    This did not go too well with Einar. The thought that Can had someone else in his life made him

    furious. He gripped the hands of his chairs to try and pacify himself as his beasts were wanting out and

    eliminate everypetition to im his mate.

    With a snort he growled and dashed his way out of the chamber to find Cans lover and KILL

    her.

 Chapter 14: Meeting The Ashtons

    Chapter 14: Meeting The Ashtons

    The old woman was short with a fairplexion. Her wrinkles and grey hair clearly showed that the

    woman had crossed her peak long ago. But still one could see the spirit and enthusiasm in her as it

    was a special day. Among the many grandchildren she had, she admired Can the most and he was

    with her today. Not only was he kind and loving but also he would regrly visit the old couple every

    chance he got.

    The old Ashton was not still; she baked and had conversation with her grandchild simultaneously. But

    what stood out most was the happiness and content which she was experiencing in her otherwise

    mundane life.

    She served him a full meal of beef, pork and her famous muffins. Can was surprised at how the old

    hunger, eagerness to consume it all. He moaned and rolled his eyes every now and then indicating

    how delicious the meal really was.

    After the meal, both of them went straight to the garden where the olddy was eager to show the man

    her new ntations and the blossoming flowers when Can suddenly asked.. "Why don''t youe

    with us grandma? I miss you so much! I feel really bad when you can''t visit me on my birthdays."

    "I wish it was that easy my child. When your grandfather passed on the mantle to your father he really

    was not relieved from his duties." The olddy replied.

    "How can that be possible?" Can was puzzled as to what the olddy was referring to.

    "The King invites people around the world who have relinquished their positions to their sessors.

    Every couple of the esteemed high ranks has got to stay in hisnds."

    Can sighed and said "I know about this grandma but father told me that it was your choice if you

    really want to go or not then why do you wish to stay here?"

    The olddy chuckled "Believe me my child if it was really a choice we would have never chosen to be

    in this ce. The King does not ''enforce'' anyone to be a part of theirnd. Not directly though."

    She snorted with her head hung low as if she remembered something unpleasant. "He wants the high

    ranks to join him so that he would always have an upper hand on their respective packs. The elders of

    the pack are a treasured lot due to their knowledge and experience and without them most of the packs

    would copse."

    She plucked some flowers and deposited them in her basket. She stepped ahead of a beautiful violet

    rose and closed her eyes smelling the divine essence of the flower. "When it came to the blue moon

    pack, Ragnar''s father and Umberto''s father, the then Alpha and beta were martyrs for theirnd as they

    died saving all of the pack. Both Ragnar and Umberto had to take the responsibility of being an Alpha

    and Beta at a very tender age. Thankfully he did not change the positions of the other ranks for quite a

    time until which he mastered himself on all ounts through administration and warfare."

    She looked at her grandchild and smiled weakly. "The King was getting impatient because there were

    no representations from the blue moon pack as Ragnar refused to appoint new people as the

    sessors of the respective jobs. The King deemed it as defiance to hisws and started creating

    problems for Ragnar. He forced other packs to revoke their treaties. The blue moon pack was

    disbanded from attending the royal pce. Means of livelihood and trade were disrupted systematically

    while the King refused any help to the pack in case of adversity."

    She moved one step further and caressed the cheeks of Can with admiration and love. She lowered

    her gaze, turned her back to pick out some more fresh flowers. "Ragnar was brave enough to

    ovee all the difficulties without any outside assistance. He sessfully created a strong army and

    with the help of his shedim spirit he never lost any battle. He created job opportunities for his men in

    the pack itself. The pack was self sufficient and prosperous all on its own. It was strong enough to face

    any army; even the King''s!"

    Can huffed and asked "Then why are you still here?"

    The olddy sighed, she paused for a bit and then said "Zelda was pregnant for the very first time.

    Everyone was excited for the arrival of the baby; the future Alpha; the heir to Ragnar''s throne." She

    closed her eyes and a tiny drop escaped her eye.

    "What happened?" Can asked worriedly at the disheartened look of his grandmother. She slowly

    opened her eyes and gathered her strength with a deep breath.

    "Zelda''s pregnancy news spread like wildfire everywhere and with that followed a systematic attack

    routine of the ferals and some rival packs alternately. It was like everyone of them wanted to eliminate

    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Ragnar''s child. And that is what happened eventually!"

    Can stopped in his tracks when he heard the sentence. "W-What do you mean?"

    "In one such battle... Zelda lost her first child."

    Can gasped in shock and pictured a distraught and shattered Luna Zelda. This meant that Einar was

    not the first child of the Alpha couple.

    "The entire pack was devastated, especially Ragnar. That was the beginning of the series of

    misfortunes the pack had to endure."

    "You mean there were more people who died! Who?"

    The olddy weakly nodded "The loss of the child brought bad luck to the pack. There were no new

    mate pairs as not a single pack allowed their members to associate with us. The hunting grounds

    became limited due to encroachers as also the water source was almost depleting. In this great apathy

    it was poor Zelda who had suffered the most. After her first child she lost three more children..!"

    Can could not believe his ears. His eyes were wide while his mouth remained hung open in shock.

    There was only sympathy andpassion within him for the Luna. Unknown to him the weather

    around the ce suddenly be cloudy with light showers pouring on thend.

    "We elders took a tough decision and decided to ept the offer of the King to reside in hisnd to

    save the pack of some misery and bad omen. Ragnar and Zelda revolted against our decision. They

    urged us to stay and be united in those adverse times but we had made our minds. It took weeks to

    make them see reason but they finally understood our plight and let us go."

    The ounts of the King from his grandmother and the people around were quite ironic. While every

    other person praised the emperor the Ashtons were not impressed by him it seemed. "You always say

    that the King is not to be trusted. In fact you have always warned us to be careful for our every visit. Is

    it something to do with what you are telling me?"

    "Stanis is a great liar. He wants to create fear among his peers and all the packs around the world.

    Every elder knows that this man wants to rule the world and would not shy from going to any lengths to

    achieve his dream. He has created hatred among people about a particrmunity and united the

    rest of the people. Now he is misguiding them into believing his every lie."

    She put her basket on the ground and sat on the ground with her knees folded "For long we suspected

    that the King had something to do with the attacks on our pack. In fact there were a few evidences that

    Stanis was behind this conspiracy but the other packs refused to believe us. The ones who did were

    scared for their own lives. Hence we could do nothing to confront him."

    "I never knew that Alpha Ragnar had to suffer through all of this. It must have been terrible for him."

    Can sat beside his grandmother a bit sad thinking about the ordeals alpha Ragnar had to go through

    as the leader of the pack. "I still don''t understand. Why does he have you here still? I mean the pack

    does not possess any danger to him anymore. Then why?"

    "You could say that the elders are a provision or a protection against the threats from their respective

    packs. As long as we stay in thisnd no respective pack will dare to attack the King."

    She sighed and realized that it had been too long since her mate had left for the market. She

    connected him through her mind link and requested him to be home as soon as possible.

    ****

    It was difficult to chase Can as he was not a wolf and for some reasons he did not have any scent on

    him but this did not deterred Einar from finding his way. He chased the smell of the horse which Can

    was riding on his way here. He was led to a small cottage wherein he again got the whiff of the faint but

    exhrating smell of his mate. He was happy that he finally found his beloved but his nostrils also

    detected presence of another being very close to Can.

    It is definitely a female Einar thought but who could she possibly be? He frowned at the thought of

    someone being this close to Can It doesn''t matter.. As long as she is after my mate she deserves to

    be killed!

    He was about to crash the entrance when he was dashed by an elderly man with all the strength he

    could muster. This movement caused Einar to step back a little. He saw an elderly man standing in

    front of him staring in his eyes.

    "I will ask you just once... STAY BACK." The old man warned Einar.

    Both the men were standing face to face but one could see that Einar could easily overpower the old

    man in every aspect. Still the elderly was not moving and adamant in his stand while his wolf was

    forcing him to submit in front of a greater force.

    Einar''s wolf saw this as a challenge and he growled. His sound creeped fear into the spine of the old

    man and he realized that the man in front should not be messed with.

    But it was toote..

    Einar grabbed the old man by his cor and thrashed him towards the nearest wall. His hands curled

    around the old mans weak jugr.

    Can''s grandma sensed her mates pain and she boomingly moaned attracting Can''s attention. He

    was near her the very next instant. Her stature was copsing before she weakly pointed her index

    finger towards the door. Can panicked and was worried for his grandmother. He followed her

    direction and opened the door.

    The sight he saw made his eyes wide with disbelief.

    "STOP IT! You are killing him! Just stop it...!" Can pressed one of his hands on the chest of Einar and

    the other one on the arms of his grandfather trying to separate the old man from the future alpha.

    The very touch of Can brought flutters to Einar and he was out of the murderous re immediately.

    He blinked his eyes rapidly to gainposure while he rubbed his locket to calm his beasts.

    Can''s grandfather sank to the ground and kept his breathing heavy. He was having a hard time

    keeping his eyes open but thankfully the old man survived the assault as his veins were still pumping

    blood.

    The once worried features of Can were now turned into a red hot furious face. He stood up and

    turned to look at the culprit. The wind was now zing in haphazard direction like a storm was near.

    And indeed it was.

    "Are. You. Out. Of. Your. Mind." With every word uttered Can smacked Einar''s chest hard which

    pushed him back. Can could not believe how Einar would possibly do what he did. How could he

    attack a man of this age? There was nopassion within him.

    The very touch of his mate brought excitement and anger to Einar''s wolf. He was about to confront

    Can when a small petite hand on Can''s shoulders stopped him from hitting Einar.

    "Don''t be angry son."

    "But grandpa.." Can protested. This made Einar realize that the special person Can was about to

    meet were his grandparents! That the special female was none other than his mates grandmother! All

    his anger and jealousy evaporated and were reced with utter shame and regret.

    "SShhh....." The old man silenced his youngd.

    The olddy was out of her house to see the drama unfold; she recognized Einar by his looks and

    recognize his packs future Alpha.

    "I am truly sorry son of Ragnar. I could not recognize you. I thought of you as an intruder who came

    here to hurt my mate. I''m really sorry for misjudging you."

    Can was furious and unapologetic towards the behavior of Einar. It was his grandfather after all.

    Moreover Einar should have considered his age before even thinking of attacking him.

    The hatred and anger in the eyes of Can made Einar guilty of his deeds while his beasts were

    cowering inside of him with shame and disgust. Instead of apologizing he could only utter "It-It is alright

    Mr. Ashton" he held his head low "I-I think I should leave." He turned his back and strode hurriedly.

    Shame was stinging his soul as he knew that he had hurt his mate with his possessive nature.

    All the three of them went inside while the olddy nursed his mate with Can served soup to him.

    "Why was he here?" the olddy asked.

    "I don''t know."

    The old man then embraced his grandson with his admirable strength. "My boy! How have you been?

    You look even more handsome with your every visit. Surely the girls must swoon on your every move."

    The old man chuckled and pped his shoulder seemingly teasing him. Can could not help his

    cheeks changing color.

    Can''s blushing smile vanished when his grandfather asked "Have you found your mate yet?"

    Can pursed his lips and lowered his eyes while his silence answered the question.

    "Don''t worry my child you will find her soon." The olddy consoled the man.

    "Or is it a he?" the question took both Can and his grandmother off guard.

    "What are you implying?" thedy asked seemingly offended.

    "I am just saying that it could be possible that Can''s mate might be a male. There is a possibility for

    that and you know it." The old man tried to reason with his mate.

    "But I can''t feel anything grandpa. Every sign that people experience I have felt none, neither with any

    woman nor with any man." Can almost whispered as he had lost all his hopes for finding a mate.

    "Why are you saying this all of a sudden?" Even Can wanted to know why his grandfather was

    broaching this subject out of nowhere.

    "When I went to the nearby vige today I heard some news about two male wolves iming to be

    mates and were presented before the King!"

    The olddy gasped with one hand on her chest. She understood what this meant for the poor couple.

    "This means..."

    "Yes my love." The old couple did not have to use the mind link to understand what the matter was.

    Can was confused about the whole thing; he squinted his eyes and asked. "They will be sentenced

    to jail. Right?"

    The old man shook his head with sadness and negation. "Worse..! They will be hanged tomorrow

    morning..."

    It took Can several minutes to register what his grandfather just said. He was always told that the

    people from same gender were forbidden to enter a partnership. But no one told him why. His father

    had always told him that such couples were sentenced to imprisonment for life away from the pack and

    the people. He was never satisfied with the treatment meted to these couples just because they were

    different. He himself had suffered the pain and trauma of being isted and tyranny of the people

    around him and now to hear that these people were actually executed like it was a norm was really

    sickening to him.

    His heart was pure withpassion and love. He thought that couples like this should be given a

    chance to survive, to live, to be happy.

    "What are you thinking about son?" his grandmother asked worriedly.

    Can was brought out of his chain of thoughts. His curiosity got the better of him and he was eager to

    find answers. "Do you think it is bad omen to be in a same sex rtionship?"

    "No dear. We do not think so. Though not everyone share the same opinion as we do." His grandfather

    snorted.

    "Why do they hate these people so much?" Can asked again.

    The olddy looked at her mate for a moment and answered "There were these notions many

    centuries ago, you could say that it was sort of a prophecy that a same sex couple in the future would

    bring havoc to the entire werewolf n and wipe out the entire race!"1

    Can was bemused upon hearing this. But found it ridiculous to the tradition of punishing every couple

    because of an assumed superstition. "Do you believe this notion?" Can asked both of them.

    "We don''t believe them but people do. They are really scared for themselves and their families.

    Moreover the King has united all of the people on the pretext of saving the n by making these

    couples a target." The old man replied.

    "My child, for as long as we have lived there might have been countless couples like these and not

    everyone had the courage toe out and im each other but they still lived and did no harm to us."

    His grandmother added.

    The olddy was now besides her mate and caressing his shoulders. "Moreover punishing them just on

    an assumption which holds no ground is morally wrong."

    "Have you been in contact with any of such couple?" Can asked.

    The old man looked towards the sky as if he was remembering something "There were these two

    couples which we sheltered back in our pack who pretended to be husbands and wives. It so happened

    that the real couple were actually the pair of the men and the women. For a very long time we kept their

    secret but when our Alpha knew about them he ordered them to be sent away."

    "That was not a nice thing to do." Can whispered to himself.

    The old man defended his Alpha "He was doing so just to protect the pack. In those days invigtion

    was very strict. The Enforcers used to pay a surprise visit to check whether any such couple existed

    and if found the Alpha and his pack were med and punished by the King for not notifying the matter

    to the royal court."

    Can did not know what to think. It was not justified and was morally incorrect to punish someone

    without their fault. He knew for a fact that even his pack members were of the same opinion that same

    sex couples should rot in hell.

    He wanted to do something about the wrong happening around him but felt helpless at the same time

    for he cannotpete the King and his army neither he could go against his people.

    He then just asked his grandmother a question to clear up his mind. "Let''s just say that destiny has

    pitied me against a male mate. Will you be epting of the fact that I don''t have a Female as my

    mate? That I may not be able to give this family an heir."

    The question surprised his grandparents who actually looked at each other for a long time.

    His grandmother quietly sat beside Can and caressed his cheeks. "My love. For us you will always

    be our grandchild irrespective of your mating to a male or a female. We will always love you no matter

    what." She kissed his forehead and said "Yes we do hope to have great grandkids from your side some

    day but not at the cost of your happiness! As far as an heir is concerned you don''t have to worry about

    that because you have your cousins to do the job. You just live your life to the fullest and be always

    happy."

    "Remember my child. Whoever your mate may be in the future don''t turn them away. Always cherish

    the bond and make your mate happy for this is truly a gift from the Luna. Always love your mate." The

    old man patted Can''s shoulder.

    This brought tears to Can''s eyes and many of his questions were quenched with satisfying answers.

    He excused himself from his grandparents and went on to do what his heart wanted him to do and what

    agreed with his conscience.+

    But the consequences to his actions could also cost him his life!

 Chapter 15: A Stranger With Powers

    Chapter 15: A Stranger With Powers

    The night was growing darker with every passing moment. The sky was ck tranquility married to a

    poetry of stars. It was a special kind of ckness today as there was no moon to throw its light on the

    dazzling stars or the world beneath for that matter.

    Can veiled his face and covered his body to prevent leaking of his scent. The irony being that nobody

    except Einar knew how Can smelled. He strode ahead and passed the sleeping soldiers who were

    guarding therge dungeons of the King''s pce. He quickly made his way to the deep underground

    spiraling through the pavements where he was met with the horror and brutality of the King and his

    people. The prisoners here were literally rotting. There were corpses lying all around which drenched of

    foul sickening smell, others who were alive were either mutted or were reduced to their bones.

    Can was deeply saddened with the sight he witnessed. He wanted to help them but he knew he was

    out there to perform an important task. Turn after turn he quickly scanned every prison. He settled on

    one of them when he saw a blonde haired man who was of a short stature, hugging his knees with

    water flowing through his eyes constantly. His face said it all and Can knew that he had finally found

    his destination.

    "Are you Octavius?" Can murmured in a whisper so as to make sure only the man inside could hear

    him.

    The blonde man slowly raised his head to inquire about the source of the sound. He thought that his

    end was near. He wiped his tears and scrunched his nose to sit straight and look at the dark figure.

    "I-I''m his mate." He said in a shaky yet confident voice.

    "Alright. Now listen; stand back and don''t make any noise. I''m here to help you out of this. Do you

    understand?"

    The blonde man shook his head in oblivion.

    Can sighed and calmly asked "What is your name?"

    "M-my name is L-Lucius Cardin."

    "Lucius, I want you to step back and stay quiet. Can you do that for me?"

    Lucius nodded awkwardly and forced his body backwards with his legs to meet the far end of the cer.

    Can knew it was time to use his powers which he learnt with the help of Aurora. He swiftly moved his

    hand in circr motion and focused very hard on the metal lock of the cer. In the same instant a

    strong blow of wind appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the metal. The constant pressure on the

    lock forced it to detach itself from the bar.

    Lucius was dumbfounded with what he witnessed. He quickly made his way to the door and helped the

    stranger open it. He was constantly wary of the man.

    When the metal door opened with a screeching noise Can was quick to question "Can you find your

    mate?"

    "I can never miss his scent." Indeed the scent was exhrating enough for Lucius.

    The smell brought both the men more deep into the dungeons in front of an isted cer. The sight in

    front of them broke their hearts. Octavius was beaten and bruised for speaking up against the King. His

    body was scarred. injuries sustained with ws and whip decorated his entire figure. His hands were

    caned horizontally which supported his body off the ground.

    Can performed the same trickery and opened the doors of the cer. Both the men released

    Octavius from the cane and put him on the ground. Lucius was trying to wake him up but to no avail.

    "Stand back." Can ordered Lucius.

    He then joined his ring finger to his thumb and focused nowhere in particr. He moved his hands in

    half an arch and a small water sphere appeared, gradually filling the bubble in mid air. He then rested

    the bubble above the head of Octavius and released it causing his face to be sshed.

    Octavius woke with a sudden want of air to breathe and rxed after a few anxious moments. Lucius

    on the other side still could note to terms for what he just saw.

    He was contemting at the aura and figure of the stranger before uttering." Goodness Luna! You are

    not a wolf! You are.."

    "Lucius." The whispered call of his mate distracted the wolf.

    Octavius sat on his knees and hugged his mate as if his life depended on it. He caressed his cheeks

    and was all glossy before slightly kissing his mate thanking Luna for the fact that they both were safe

    and most importantly together.

    Can saw the admiration and longing in both of their eyes which was now brimmed with sheer

    happiness and content for each other.

    Octavius turned his back to Can and said. "Thank you! Lucius told me what you did for us."

    "Don''t thank me just now. Tidy yourself up we are leaving as soon as possible." Can said in a hushed

    voice before he hurried himself for the exit.

    Both of them nodded at once and readily followed Can. Just after passing a few distance Can

    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    asked both of them to mask themselves with a veil which he had brought with him.

    After walking some more, the men could see a mist of green air surrounding their route of escape.

    "Don''t worry. It''s a sleep inducing gas. It works wonders on wolves but unfortunately my vision is not as

    good as you people. So you have to lead the way to the exit."

    Octavius happily obliged and marched ahead of the other two. They crossed many a soldiers who were

    now suffering the effects of the gas and were lying on the floor in a deep slumber.

    It was a perfect time for prison escape.

    ****

    Einar''s mind was osciting his thoughts to and fro from the incidents of this afternoon. He was

    seemingly guilty enough to use his powers on an old man and it certainly did not help that the old man

    was the grandfather of his true mate.

    For every other time Einar''s brain was chilly as the mountain ice but when it came to his mate he

    always lost his cool. This caused only mishaps or hardships for Can.

    He knew his own behavior, he tried to be calm, tried to be cool but then a trigger is flicked and he was

    least proud about himself for what he does.

    What was Can doing to him?

    The wolf inside him which could easily y the toughest warrior there is, turned into a love lost puppy

    when it came to Can. How was this even possible!?

    Whatever the reason may be; one thing was for sure, Einar was at fault and he should''ve apologized to

    the elderly couple at that moment itself.

    With these thoughts in mind and a heavy heartden with guilt, Einar made his way towards the house

    of the Ashton''s. When he was a few distances away from the house he saw two soldiers who were

    actually supposed to guard the boundaries of thend, running to the mansion. He recognized one of

    the guards and was quick to stop him.

    "What happened Theodore? Why the rush? Is everything alright at the boundaries?"

    "Sire one of our soldiers in the dungeon has alerted us that there is an intruder in the castle."

    Who could be so foolish to enter the castle without permission? It must be his death wish thought Einar

    "But why are you receiving the call. The call should be answered by the guards of the castle not the

    soldiers of the boundaries." Einar stated as a matter of fact.

    "Indeed sire. The guards of the castle did go to check the matter but none of them came back, neither

    any of them are responding to our calls."

    This is strange. Who possibly could be so strong to keep an entire army of royal guards on hold? I must

    check on them. With that, Einar retrieved his steps made his way to the dungeons.

    Halfway through though, he saw the prisoners from today with an anonymous person who was

    figure out who the third person was but what did strike him was the only part that could be seen of the

    man.

    The beautiful forest green eyes!

    This could not be the person who Einar thought he would be. To be sure he concentrated hard to sniff

    his surroundings and was left astounded when he smelled the aroma for which he lived.

    The third person was Can! But what was he doing with those prisoners?

    He was about to confront the trio when suddenly a mist of white thick fog surrounded the area. All of a

    sudden strong winds were blowing in haphazard direction. It was icy chilly breeze everywhere.

    The wind blocked vision of every wolf nearby. This caused Einar to grip his position firmly to the ground

    so as to stay focused on marching ahead but the force of the wind was making it difficult to move

    ahead.

    The atmosphere around became normal after a few moments.

    When Einar regained hisposure from the beat down, he strode to his mate. By the time he

    reached the ce there was no one to be seen.

    They all had vanished.

    ****

    The King was fuming over the unprecedented escape of the prisoners. ording to the royal court the

    greatest sin one couldmit was to be in a same sex bond and thus the people acquitted must be

    punished for this heinous crime. In fact every couple who were caught were sent to jail and eventually

    punished.

    But now there was an exception to this tradition.

    For the very first time anyone had managed to escape the manor, the King''s clutches! This was not

    eptable to the King. He was furious with his guards and the enforcers who failed to perform their

    duties.

    For weeks together the King ordered search operations around every pack to nab the culprits. The

    parties involved worked day and night, searched every nook and corner there might have been

    possible, even the longest of the shores were frisked but there was no sess to their endeavors.

    Everyone was surprised over the sudden disappearance of the youngds.

    The departure of blue moon pack was put on hold by the King for security reasons. It was obvious that

    he was suspicious of everyone and wanted to be sure of any assistance in this escape.

    On the other side, the members of the blue moon pack were oblivious to the happenings around them

    while Can was really good in hiding his emotions and his expressions on the matter. Einar was

    finding it difficult to stay in the same room and yet still be unable to touch his mate. His beasts were

    making it even more difficult for him to endure the longing.

    Einar knew that uptill now the King would have been suspicious of an involvement of another being in

    the escape of his two prisoners and it won''t take long for him to realize that the culprit is someone from

    within; someone close. This could possibly lead Can into trouble and he couldnd in prison. Before

    any of this happens they must return to their ownnd. Only this could ensure Can''s safety.

    With these thoughts in mind Einar rose from his chair

    Where are you going? Garrick interjected.

    Somece important. I need you toe with me. Einar replied.

    Both the men made their way to the castle and asked the royal guards for permission of assignation to

    the King. The guards let both the men enter the pce. The men made their way through the various

    movements.

    Slow down will you! Why the rush? Would you at least tell me why are we meeting the King on such a

    short notice?

    Einar just ignored Garrick''s questions.

    "Seriously!" Garrick was perturbed with his best friend''s behavior but Einar remained as he was,

    ignoring Garrick like he was not present there.

    They knocked on arge golden metal door to ask permission to enter. Stepping inside the room one

    could see arge bed, beautifully carved artifacts made of rare gems. The corner of the room even had

    a golden statue of the King and his wife.

    "Wee Einar. Garrick." the King addressed both the men. "My guards told me you were in a hurry

    and wanted to meet me as soon as possible. Is everything alright?"

    Einar cleared his throat "My King; I and Garrick want to leave for our ce tomorrow morning at the

    earliest."

    Both the King and Garrick frowned in surprise for their own reasons.

    "Looking at Garrick I can surely tell that you haven''t discussed the situation before hand with him, it

    means that this must have been a spur of the moment decision for you. Now the question is - Why?"

    the King smirked at the bemused expression of Garrick.

    "You are right my King. Garrick does not know about this." he looked sideways to his friend.

    "You were supposed to stay for two more weeks. Then why hurry?"

    "The disrespect be pardoned but you are wrong here my King. I and my pack were supposed to leave

    weeks before. But due to some unforeseen circumstances we were held prisoners to thisnd for quite

    long now. I and my people have our duties towards my pack but we are stuck here for no apparent

    reason. I thus request you to please let us leave by tomorrow morning."

    The King was displeased with the way Einar was talking to him. He gritted his teeth and said. "What if I

    make you stay for a few more weeks."

    The King looked in his eyes while gritting his teeth like he was challenging Einar to defy him.

    Einar breathed a long exhale and snorted. "I understand your order my King. Indeed my wolf obeys

    yourmand. But the other part of me is not obligated to you and his anger has grown ten times

    more since he was locked down and denied a release. Lately it has been difficult for me to control him."

    Einar paused and marched two steps ahead.

    Einar red at the King and said in an almost whisper "In fact it is proving difficult for me to control him

    at this moment!"

    The King was undeterred from his ce but he bit his lip and gulped a bit indicating that he was scared

    of the shedim spirit inside of Einar. He knew that his wolf was obligated to his stature and hierarchy but

    his spirit was a different case altogether.

    Stanis took a deep breath to calm himself and his stoic face returned to its original charm.

    "I suppose there is no harm for you to leave. You, Garrick and your pack have my permission."

    The King nodded once while both men bowed their head before leaving.

    Garrick could not believe what he just witnessed. He was holding his emotions in him to find a right

    ce and time to talk some sense in his best friend. As soon as they left the pce doors Garrick got

    hold of Einar''s arm and he dragged him to a faraway tree aloof from the prying.

    "ARE YOU INSANE? Do you even know what you just did? You challenged the King. The KING!"

    Garrick was osciting on a small run in front of Einar while Einar was standing with his back supported

    by a tree trunk.

    "You know what the King could possibly do! It''s not a good sign to be on the bad side of the King. He

    could turn against our pack and create problems for all of us."

    Indeed the King was capable enough to harm Einar''s pack but his mate was far more important for him

    at this moment. How does he exin his side of the story to his best friend. If only Garrick knew..

    "I know what I am doing Garrick. I am also ready to face repercussions if any." He looked sideways and

    exhaled. He turned to face Garrick and intently looked at him "Do you trust me?"

    "It''s not a question about trust." Garrick rolled his eyes

    "Yes it is! Do you trust me?" Einar looked with hopeful eyes.

    Garrick sighed in defeat "You know I do."

    "Then just believe me on this."

    Garrick exhaled and looked down while cursing under his breath for his helplessness. "At least tell me

    why you want to leave so early. We could have stayed further in thisnd without any hindrance to the

    workings of our pack. The pack was ready to wait. Then why the rush?" Garrick wanted answers for his

    questions.

    "Trust me on this one. When the time will be right I would tell you everything." Einar assured Garrick.

    Both the men entered therge room where their pack was staying at the moment. Garrick''s mood was

    sour from the events earlier as also the presence of Can made it even worst, while Einar''s mind was

    filled with mixed emotions right now when he studied every gait, every movement of his beloved.

    The very next morning the entire crew was ready for a departure. Can said his goodbyes to his

    grandparents and packed a whole lot of stuff which was seemingly a gift from the elderly.

    Everyone had taken their seats on the ship. Can was sharing his muffins made by his grandmother

    to everyone. When he came to Garrick, he outright rejected the gesture by showing his palm to

    Can''s face. He used to constantly huff and avoid Can throughout their journey back home. Einar

    was worried for this behavior of Garrick which was not going too well with his inner beasts. He loved his

    best friend but his monsters did not care for anyone else when it came to Can.

    When Einar and the pack reached theirnd they quickly changed to their wolf forms and raced their

    way to the pack house in the main vige. Can stayed back taking the responsibility of the luggage

    behind.

    The pack was decorated like it was a grand festival. Thenterns and bonfire had made the night even

    more exotic. The entire Alpha vige and the other vige heads were gathered for the arrival of their

    going to be Alpha.

    The wolves howled signaling that they were approaching the Alpha house. Zelda''s eager eyes were

    roaming every tree pass to assure herself of her son''s arrival. Soon arge ck wolf with

    differentiated shiny thick fur appeared from the dense web of trees. He extended his hind legs and

    stretched his body backwards before giving a thunderous howl by raising his neck upwards to the sky.

    The ck wolf changed in his human form to reveal a tall muscr buff man. The man standing in front

    resembled both the Alpha couple but yet was so different. Thedies swooned to the pure muscr

    curves and nerves popping through the god like defined body of the Alpha son while Zelda appreciated

    the manly growth of her son which she missed in these five years.

    Einar soon dressed himself and ran towards his mother embracing her in a tight hug. It was the first

    time in five years that Zelda was meeting her son.

    Five torturous years.

    Zelda was smiling and crying at the same time when her happiness had crossed its limits on seeing her

    son.

    "Don''t cry mother. I will never leave you now." Indeed it was a promise.

    Einar went to his father next who was standing besides Zelda. He hugged his father while Ragnar

    patted his sons back with a few proud tears of his own.

    "You made quite a name for yourself in the elite circle. People have been congratting me from all

    over the world. You do really make my chest swell. I''m d you denied the offer of the King."

    Einar was dumbfounded on his fathers statement." How did you know..?"

    "I have sources." Ragnar smiled and hugged his son once more.

    At this moment Can had arrived with the whole luggage and the neighing of his horse caught

    attention of everyone around. Can stepped to the ground and lovingly moved his hands through the

    mane of the horse.

    Again with the horse. Einar did not really like the caring gesture of Can towards the mute animal. His

    eyes were glued to the movements of his mate. The pure bliss of watching the most handsome man in

    the entire world was making Einar''s nerves pump more blood, make his heart race a bit more.

    And just like that without caring about his surroundings Einar announced.+

    "Father.... I HAVE FOUND MY MATE...!"

 Chapter 16: Invitations

    Chapter 16: Invitations

    The entire open field was stunned by the revtion of their future Alpha. Ragnar and Zelda were

    inexplicably happy while the entire pack congratted the Alpha through their mind link. Unbeknownst

    to everyone around, Einar was still looking intently at somewhere in the jungle with an innocent smile

    and happy eyes. Garrick was happy for his friend but when he tried to link him, Einar did not respond to

    any mind link calls as he was consumed in his own thoughts.

    Garrick was eager to know what was causing Einar to block him. He quickly looked around to see what

    his friend was possibly seeing but found nothing intriguing. He looked again and found the only person

    in his line of sight at that moment was CALLAN.

    Can was standing near a faraway tree with his mother and was merrily having a conversation with

    her. Whenever Canughed or smiled Einar''s eyes glowed with content. This behavior of Einar was

    certainly taking Garrick off guard. He was amused and confused at the same time.

    Ragnar then hugged his son and patted his back once more which made Einar to focus on the current

    situation in hand unwillingly.

    "Words can''t exin how happy I am today! You have given me a bundle of reasons to cherish and

    celebrate. I am d you can finally take what rightfully belongs to you." Ragnar was teary eyed but had

    a constant smile on his face. The tears of joy made everyone around him emotional including Einar.

    It was the turn of his mother next. She hugged and kissed her son with absolute delight.

    "Now I can finally expect a few grandchildren from you." Einar''s smile faltered while thedies around

    were giggling and the men smirked gleefully at the state of Einar''s facial expressions.

    "Let the child breathe Zelda." The Alpha chided. He stood besides his son and signaled Peter to do his

    job.

    Peter howled to gain everybody''s attention. The Alpha then cleared his throat. "On this auspicious day

    of my son returning to his pack and finding his mate I hereby announce that we would have a grand

    celebration on thising full moon day."

    The crowd erupted in cheers and howls expressing their joy and congratted the Alpha and Luna

    once again. People gathered around Einar to pay their regards but Garrick could possibly see what no

    other person had yet noticed.

    Einar was not happy.

    Einar was trying very hard to keep a constant face but his eyes gave him away. Being with him for

    almost all his life, Garrick could detect that something was wrong with him. But instead of interrogating

    him about it, he thought to give some space to his friend. He presumed that Einar would exin himself

    when the time was right.

    ****

    It had been a week since the return of the future Alpha and the pack was already booming with joy and

    excitement everywhere. The preparations for the grand feast were already on the way while it was

    decided that the coronation ceremony of the Alpha be carried out at the earliest.

    Can was having breakfast with his pet bird and his mother when his father hurriedly barged through

    the door.

    "Hey honey. Why are you in a rush?" Mary asked her mate.

    "There is a lot to do with a very limited amount of time." Justus picked up some papers from his shelf

    and was heading back to the entrance door.

    "Atleast have something to eat." Mary pleaded her mate.

    "I will eatter honey." He kissed Mary''s forehead, looked to his son and said "Cally, make sure you

    visit the Alpha on time."+

    "I''ll be there father." With that, Justus quickly made his way out of the house.

    Can knew that he had to participate in the celebrations but the fact that these were carried out for

    Einar made him less excited for the event. It was hard for him to ept the rude man as their new

    Alpha. Moreover he could not forget what transpired at his grandparents ce.

    With a heavy heart he made his way to the Alpha house to resume his duties.

    ****

    The entire dining room in the Alpha house was buzzing with people. It had just been the morning but

    the table was already full with variety of delicacies and fruits. The Alpha headed the chair while Einar

    was sitting somewhere in the middle with his best friend Garrick and the gamma to be Arthur.

    Einar suddenly zoned out from the conversation when the sweet voice of his mate fell upon his ears.

    Garrick and Arthur were having augh while Einar remained unaffected as he was concentrating hard

    for his mate''s arrival. Garrick tried calling Einar but he did not respond.

    Garrick narrowed his eyes when Einar formed a tiny smile on his face while his eyes were glued at the

    door only to realize that Can had arrived. It was seemingly bing difficult for Garrick to

    understand this unruly behavior of his friend and he decided to have a talk about itter that day.

    "Hello my boy,e join us for breakfast." Zelda said politely putting her hand on Can''s shoulder.

    Einar''s interests perked on the mention of Can sitting with them for breakfast. This would be the first

    time that Einar would be in the same dining table as his mate.

    "I already had it Luna but thanks for asking." He bowed to the Luna and shifted his gaze to the Alpha. "I

    am at your service alpha."

    "Yes my child. Just give me a moment." The Alpha screeched his chair and gathered some papers from

    the nearby table. "Einar, Garrick, Arthur" he motioned to the three men who were sitting beside each

    other "Come with me."

    With a side nce to his mate Einar reluctantly went after his father. Each anxious step of his was

    heavier than the previous one. He just wanted to keep his eyes on Can or rather stare his mate

    forever. His inner conflicts between his heart and his mind made him frustrated.

    Einar sighed with happiness when the Alpha stopped suddenly and said "Can, why are you standing

    there alone? Come with us I will exin matters to you in my office."

    Being in the same space as Einar was always a bad thing for Can as he did notice that Einar would

    always stare at him by joining his eyebrows or would growl all of a sudden like he wanted to attack him.

    Can knew that Einar despised his presence but he had to deal with his abhorrence if he wanted to

    survive in the pack.

    Can kept his eyes low and followed the men from a distance. On entering the Alpha office he

    witnessed that a lot of people had already gathered. He found a suitable ce to station himself and

    sat there while the other men were intently listening to the Alpha instructions. Einar however was more

    interested on the man who was sitting diagonally, right behind the alpha. Unknown to Can he was

    being stared in disguise like a hawk.

    Soon the meeting became more strenuous for when Marden ,Tusker, Richard and Aldous joined them.

    Each one of them snorted derisively when they passed through Can. Richard went even further and

    slightly kicked the chair to catch Can off bnce. Can was surprisingly swift in his motions to keep

    him from falling but when Tusker followed the same routine it made Can loose his bnce and he fell

    to the ground.

    The entire room of men except the Alpha and his son, wereughing at the fallen man. Even Garrick

    chuckled a little.

    "Looks like you have found your right ce Ashton. Suits you." Aldous made a snidement and

    hystericallyughed with the other three friends.

    Einar was fuming with immense rage. He grabbed the arms of the metal chair which had to suffer the

    wrath of the going to be Alpha. His hold was so intense that at a point his ws and arms had

    constricted the width of the chair arms. He could no longer hear the tauntingughter within the room

    and was about to behead the four men when he was out of his murderous re as the Alpha roared his

    The entire room fell silent while the Alpha lent a helping hand to the fallen man. Can stood uptight

    and steadied himself. The Alpha then reprimanded the four friends and threatened dire consequences

    if they did not change their attitudes towards Can.

    The four men red at Can and apologized to the Alpha while they took their respective positions.

    The meeting resumed and went on for quite long. Tired of boredom Can fell asleep for a quick nap.

    Einar was mesmerized with the sleeping angel he saw in front of him. His dark thick hair had fallen onto

    his eyebrows while his lips were curved a little with his hands crossed against his abdomen. It was a

    pure bliss to watch the rhythmic rise and fall of the chest of the beautiful man.

    Garrick for some reason kept a close look on the hidden scenario. He was furious with Einar because

    something was definitely wrong with him. He kept smiling and snarling too often whenever he was

    around Can.

    It was strange.

    The Raven entered through the open window and sat on the shoulders of Can. It nuzzled its beak at

    Can''s cheek which awaked him, seemingly making Einar frown again.

    "s! You are awake. Can youe near the table boy?" The Alpha asked Can.

    Can rubbed his eyes and stood from his ce. he took measured steps and went straight ahead to

    the table. He caressed the creature on his shoulder and also kept soothing him with his lips.

    He was halted by an angry growl.

    For now it was too obvious for Can to recognize the growl. The Alpha and others were bemused for

    Einar''s sudden reaction. He again snarled when the bird was screeching its voice and ring at the

    future Alpha. It was unfazed by the raw power which Einar projected. The power which made even the

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Alpha wary of his son.

    It soon turned into a staring contest where both the participants were not ready to back down. Einar

    was agitated and his eyes were now turning red.

    The Alpha had to intervene. "Can could you please let the bird out of the room." Without thinking

    twice Can whispered "GO." The bird circled the room and made its way out of the window.

    "I''m sorry Can but Einar''s wolf saw the bird as a challenge and a wolf especially an Alpha does not

    likes to be disrespected. I hope you understand.."

    Can nodded curtly.

    Einar rubbed his locket and breathed heavily while Can stood besides the Alpha away from Einar.

    "The reason I called you out here was because I want you to personally invite the head of the mountain

    bears and the chief of the human viges along with their respective families for the coronation

    ceremony of Einar." Can smiled at that statement as he was a frequent visitor to thesends and he

    loved to visit these ces. "I wanted to pair you with Robert but he is busy doing some other stuff so

    Garrick will join you there."

    Hearing Garrick''s name made Can speechless for a moment. Garrick despised Can and to spend

    such a long time with him would prove difficult. Garrick on the other side frowned and looked sideways.

    He huffed and linked his best friend.

    I don''t want to go. I can''t stand him.

    Einar''s wolf was ufortable sharing Can with anyone but Einar would be relieved if Garrick would

    be around him to ensure his safety like his father once did.

    I understand you my friend but you know that no one would want to be with him willingly. Moreover

    these are the Alphas orders so you are obligated to follow.

    The alphas order is to apany him. That means I can strangte him on my way there and..

    Einar growled threateningly at his best friend at the thought of Garrick hurting his mate.

    Can however assumed that the tension arising was due to his presence. He quickly uttered "Garrick

    be ready tomorrow before sunrise and meet me at my house." With that Can did a final bow before

    leaving the Alpha office. Upset by Einar''s behavior Garrick too bowed to the Alpha and stormed out of

    the office without even ncing at his best friend. Einar palmed his face and sighed.

    ****

    The next morning, Garrick reached the Ashtons as was decided the earlier day. On entering the house

    he could see that the Ashtons were seated around a circr table with another man sitting with them

    having breakfast. They were engrossed in their talks and wereughing at some old memories. The

    loud chirping of the raven brought everyone''s attention to the door.

    "Wee Garrick. I have been waiting for you for quite some time now. Please have a seat" Justus

    offered Garrick to sit with them for which he reluctantly obliged. He could see that everyone had

    resumed their talks and were happily feeding themselves.

    They were a family. A family which Garrick had longed for almost five years.

    Garrick noticed that the buff man was quitefortable with the surroundings and was also eating

    quite a lot. He even had a cheerful banter with Can. Infact the two of them looked really close.

    After their breakfast Can stated that they would be heading to the mountains to meet the head of the

    mountain bears and said his goodbyes to his parents.

    All the three men stepped out of the door when they were halted by Garrick''s sudden interjection. "Why

    is he joining us?" Garrick directed the question to Archer.

    Archer was about to smart mouth Garrick when Can interrupted "I asked him to be with me. I guess

    we never introduced you to each other."

    Can pointed at Archer. "This is Archer. He is a were-bear and my best friend. He will apany us

    as he is well aware of the mountains."

    He then looked at Archer "And Archer..."

    "Yeah yeah I know who he is. He is the best friend of that egoistic maniac!" He uttered before Can

    could stop him.

    Garrick growled at the ndering from the were bear. Can pinched his nose and shook his head in

    embarrassment.

    "Watch your mouth bear. You are talking about a going to be Alpha. You disrespect him, you disrespect

    the entire pack."

    "Ohh! rest assured. Your going to be alpha doesn''t deserve any respect infact he should..." Can

    shoved Archer and red at him to which he huffed and threw his hands in the air. He moved towards

    a nearby tree and rubbed his back.

    "What is all this nonsense Ashton? You bad mouth Einar behind our back! That''s a new low even for

    you. I''ll make sure I report this to the Alpha." Can sighed and nodded and then shook his head again.

    In just a matter of few minutes the idiot of a friend had actually caused him trouble.

    The three men then walked to the human vige with Garrick clearly keeping his distance.

    Garrick had never visited a human vige before so it was quite unnerving for him at that moment as

    also his anxiousness grew more and more as he reached near the gates of the vige. He felt so

    ufortable that he stopped at a point right behind Can and Archer.

    "What happened? Why did you stop? We are yet to reach the main house." Can asked at the abrupt

    halt of Garrick.

    "I think you should carry on with the invitation ill stay put here." Garrick was anxious while his wolf was

    on guard like a danger was nearby.

    "Don''t worry wolf. Unlike you, these people don''t bite." Archer smirked sarcastically wiggling his

    eyebrows.

    Garrick was furious with the were-bears behavior. He was even close to attacking him at one point. But

    he knew better.

    Garrick released a long breath to calm himself and motioned Can to move ahead. Can nodded and

    pulled Archer with him.

    The border line of the human vige consisted vastnds of cultivation. There were homes which were

    at a considerable distance from each other while the borders and surrounding areas were guarded with

    nothing butrge trees. What surprised Garrick even more was that there was no security or fringing

    measures to check trespassing or any sudden attacks.

    A few distances ahead, the homes were bing more visible and were gradually increasing in the

    line of sight. Marching ahead they soon came to what Archer and Can liked the most about this

    ce- the market.

    The market was filled with hustle-bustle. There were people of every shapes and sizes. What surprised

    Garrick more was the fact that traders, sellers and shoppers alike were busy doing their own job and

    were hardly noticing a stranger intruding theirnd.

    Somehow the crowd made Garrick even more curious and short of breath. It was suffocating him.

    On the other side Can and Archer were busy looking at the weapon artifacts which feasted their

    eyes. For a moment they forgot why they were here in the first ce.

    A light tap on his shoulder forced Can to turn back.

    Standing before him was a tall girl with ocean blue eyes and ebony long hair. She was smiling with

    dimples on both her cheeks. She squeaked and embraced Can in a hug.

    "Where were you? I was waiting all day for you to show up. I also saved a piece of the cake for you but

    this fatty.." she hit Archers shoulder "He ate it all."

    "I''m really sorry Fayette, I was busy with some important work at that time."

    "Ohmon! You always make excuses. By the way every girl in here is looking at you." When Can

    circled his head from left to right he definitely could see that he was being watched. He assumed that

    the ring must have been stopped a long ago but he was wrong. The list of his admirers were

    increasing every day.

    Looking at the flushed state of Can, Archer intervened "Why don''t we go to your house and have a

    little chat."

    "Sure! Common I have to show you my new y items." The girl slid her hands in the arms of both the

    men and turned them to walk away.

    "Oh wait. I have a guest with us." The girl furrowed her eyes and gave an upward jerk to her head as if

    to ask who Can was talking about.

    "Fayette meet the future beta of our pack Garrick." The girl released her hands and bowed with a smile

    to the stranger. But her smile soon evaporated as she became concerned.

    Garrick was barely holding his own. He was sweating all over while his breaths were not in rhythm. He

    looked like he was inhaling through his mouth while his eyes moved frantically around him.

    His eyes roamed everywhere until they reached a particr spot and he growled with his might before

    falling unconscious to the ground.

 Chapter 17: A Chance Meeting

    Chapter 17: A Chance Meeting

    When Garrick opened his eyes the first thing he saw were the animal toys carved out of pure

    Mahogany woods hanging from the roof sparsely and dancing along the wind. He looked sideways and

    was surprised to see an open window which threw light all over the room. His body ached all over and

    betrayed him when he tried to sit up. His treacherous mind was making his movements numb. With

    much courage and determination he gathered his strength andnded his feet on the ground. Soon his

    veins throbbed with a dull pain and he moaned.

    "You need to rest."

    Garrick''s pain was subdued when a beautiful girl sat besides him with a bowl in her hands.

    "The effects of the medication will go away soon and you would be able to walk in no time."

    All Garrick could do was to stare at the girl trying to understand the situation and what she was saying.

    He remembered that he was in a market; he felt sick and his wolf wanted out. Then nothing.

    Thinking about his wolf he realized that he could not feel the animal within him.

    He ran his hands through his chest and squeezed his eyes. "I cant feel anything. I cant feel my wolf!"

    He whispered in horror.

    Thedy kept the bowl on a nearby table "Your wolf is weak. For now." Garrick raised his brows but

    sighed with relief that his wolf was still alive. "Don''t worry. By evening everything will be back to normal;

    but till then you need to rest."

    "Thank god you are awake mutt. I thought we have to arrange a funeral for you." Can shoved Archer

    for his hurtfulment.

    "How are you feeling?" Can asked worriedly.

    Garrick avoided Can and looked sideways "Better. Lets do our job and leave this ce as soon as

    possible."

    Fayette did not liked the tone in which Garrick was talking to Can but she kept it to herself. She

    sighed and stood up to face him. "You wont be able to walk for a few more hours. You have to take

    rest."

    Garrick scrunched his nose but reluctantly agreed knowing that there was no way out of this misery. "If

    you say so; but the moment I am able to stand we leave this ce at once." he pointed to Can.

    With that Garrick closed his eyes and let sleep takeover.

    Can was seemingly worried for hispanion as he thought it was his responsibility to keep him

    safe. Can was aware of how the human world works but he never had the time to exin any of it to

    Garrick. And how could he? Garrick always kept to himself and was distant whenever Can

    approached him.

    Can decided to reach the mountains without Garrick as thetter was of no help while the medication

    would take time to wear off. He along with Archer left the human vige and marched to their next

    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    destination.

    After long tiring hours of tedious journey Can reached the chief of bears and respectfully invited them

    over to the pack for the coronation ceremony.

    On their way back, both men halted near the foot of the mountain and rxed under the shadow of a

    huge tree. They decided to take a quick nap before heading for Fayette''s ce.

    About an hour or so, Can woke up hearing sound of some rustling of bushes which wereter

    followed by loud growls. He tilted his head left and saw that Archer was still in his dreand with his

    mouth open and loud snoring. Against his better judgement he decided to look over what was

    transpiring behind the bushes.

    He travelled along the path of the audible noise which was growing stronger with every closing

    distance. His eyes widened when he saw what was happening in front of him.

    Fiverge wolves had surrounded aparatively petite wolf and seemed ready to pounce on it at any

    moment. One of the hind leg of the wolf was badly hurt and he was limping. The wolf was barely

    managing to stand on all its fours. Then he saw the eyes of the other wolves.

    They were ferals!

    Can blew his darts to the direction of the wolves and gaining advantage of the distraction he was on

    the petite wolfs side the next instant. The darts however did not do much damage as Can expected,

    instead it made them even more angry. They marched ahead with clear sights of thier victims. A human

    and one injured wolf.

    One of them blindsided the limping wolf and attacked its injured leg one more time, sinking its teeth

    deep into the mass of the wolf. The wolf cried with all its might and fell to the ground. Can tried to

    help save him but he was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the ferals. One of the wolves crossed

    his paws across Can''s body and tore his shoulder. The ferals then growled and gathered around the

    man ready to devour its flesh. They were determined to approach the victim with bloody red eyes,

    ready to kill him.

    They were stopped in their tracks when an earth shattering growl reached their ears catching their

    attention. It was a signal for danger, for what was next toe. As if the growl was not enough, the

    earth vibrated with iing footsteps of an unknown creature. The ferals gathered on one side and

    faced the direction from where the possible danger was supposed toe.

    They were ready to attack the creature but all air left their lungs when they saw a massive ck bear

    thumping its paw, growling and then thumping its paw to the ground again.

    The ferals realised that the party was over for them. Fear evident in their once red eyes, two of them

    even tried to leave the scene but were halted when Can boomeranged his metal ropes across the

    legs of the ferals. Seeing the injury of Can the big bad bear became angry even more.

    He marched ahead and with one swift movement of his paws, he smashed the head of one of the ferals

    to the ground. The other wolves tried to attack the bear, bite him, scratch him, do anything in their

    power to subdue the beast but they failed every time they attacked. Not only was Archer swift in his

    movements but his skin had thickyers which made it difficult for the wolves to tear it with their bare

    teeth.

    All it took was one fatal blow from the bear and the wolves were left unconscious one by one on the

    ground.1

    Archer then transformed in his human and approached his injured friend.

    "You know I was handling the situation quite well." Can joked.

    "I can definitely see that." Archer scoffed while looking around the lying human bodies which once were

    the deadly creatures. "I was having these wonderful dream about catching somerge fish in theke

    and we both were enjoying the meal to our fullest. I woke up to tell you I was hungry but of course you

    were absent from the said spot. Care to exin why?" Archer raised a brow.

    "I was just helping this wolf in need."

    "Which wolf?" Archer questioned looking around.

    "This one right.... where is HE?" Can frantically scanned his surroundings but could not see the

    injured wolf. "I swear it was right there. It could not have gone far, we must find him. Try to..."

    "SShhh... you need to take care of yourself, besides the wolf left and certainly it does not want to be

    found or else it would have told you something or perhaps waited here."

    Can sighed andprehended Archers reasons.

    "Let us go to the human vige, Garrick could be awake and we need to be with him. It is a strange

    ce for him."

    "I cant believe you are still thinking about that stupid mutt. You mean nothing to him. Stop worrying, he

    would be fine by himself. Besides what do you want to do with these wolves. They are still alive you

    know."

    For a moment there Can just forgot about the unconscious wolves lying around him. These wolves

    were found near the boundary of the farthest vige of the blue moon pack; this cant be a coincidence.

    There is every possibility that these wolves could have malicious intentions towards the pack and

    hence they must be taken to the pack warriors for further interrogation.

    "I need you to pick up Garrick from the human vige and I will take these ferals to the pack council."

    "What! Me and that mutt.. NEVER!" Archer huffed his disagreement.

    "Please Archer.. I have to take these wolves to the pack before they regain themselves. You know as

    well that I don''t have a mind link or else I would have called someone for help."

    "But your shoulder needs treatment. It is bleeding."

    "I promise to get treatment once I reach the pack house. I''ll handle these beings and head straight to

    Aurora."

    Archer sighed and groaned but reluctantly agreed. "I''ll leave the mutt to your boundaries. No further."

    Can nodded.

    Archer helped Can load all the bodies to a cart which they rented from a nearby settlement and then

    the two friends bid farewell for their respective journeys.

    After about an hour Can reached the main vige after crossing many pack viges. He made sure

    that the ferals were still unconscious and jumped to the ground. Now the first thing he needed was to

    contact any of the council members and inform them about what transpired. He saw a girl passing by

    and sought to ask her help.

    "Hello Sivena." Can said with a smile "I just wanted a favor to ask."

    The poor girl could not believe that Can was talking to her. She waspletely mesmerised by his

    beauty.

    "Y-yes. Ah.. A-Anything." she batted her eyshes andughed nervously.

    "Thank you; could you please link my father and tell him that I want to meet him and the council. Say its

    urgent and must be looked upon with utmost priority."

    The girl stood there dumbfounded staring unashamed to the sheer beauty standing in front of her. She

    was so much in her own world that she did not pay heed to what Can had said.

    Can waved his hands to gain the girls attention when she was not responding. "Sivena, you there?"

    The girl got out of her trance as she fidgeted andughed nervously. "C-Could you repeat what you

    want me to say to your father."

    Can reiterated his words and waited for the girls response.

    "They are on their way." She yfully smirked as she rotated the fine strands on her forehead with her

    fingers ever so slowly "Anything else you want me to do."

    "That would be all." Can smiled awkwardly at her "Thank you for your help." The girl reluctantly left

    the spot. Now all Can was left to do was wait.

    His shoulder though was rming him to find sce urgently.

    Unknown to him, one of the ferals woke up and freed himself of the chains which were binding them.

    He slowly stepped down and looked at his tormentor who was busy nursing his wound. They were in

    the open fields and very few people were roaming around at this time. The feral thought about his

    escape and the only hurdle standing in his way was this man who he knew was not a wolf which made

    the task even easier.

    In a matter of seconds the feral transformed into his wolf and charged towards Can.

    Can was off guard by this sudden attack while the feral took advantage and bit his injured arm.

    Can moaned in pain which was difficult for him to bear. The teeth had sunk to the depths of his

    bones. The pain was excruciating and insufferable.

    Can released his pocket belt to get to his knife with his other hand. He then breathed and with all his

    energy, he stabbed the leg of the feral.

    The feral retreated in pain but was back up shaking his head to attack once more. Can caught hold

    of the nearest thing he could use as a weapon. He reached for the cart and retrieved the whip; but to

    his horror the entire group of ferals had joined him by then. They were awake and they were hungry for

    Cans blood.

    Can was firm and bravely stood in front of them. His wounded arm glued to his torso and the other

    hand was whip cracking, indicating that he was ready for the fight.

    "Who wants to go first?" He snarled with blood dripping from his other arm.

    The wolves charged towards Can but were halted in their tracks when a loud thunderous deafening

    growl tore their ears. Standing behind Can was a big ck wolf who gritted his teeth; snarling and

    growling with all his might.+

    His eyes were bloody red and he was angry as hell..

 Chapter 18: My Mate

    Chapter 18: My Mate

    The giggling and whispering brought Garrick from his deep slumber. He fluttered his eyes and looked at

    his surroundings only to find the girl from earlier talking to another woman who resembled her in every

    way.

    That would be the Mother he thought.

    Garrick''s pain had subdued and he was feeling light headed, which meant he was ready to go.

    "You are awake. How are you feeling?" the older woman asked. The sudden question caught Garrick

    off guard and for once he could not form any words, instead he just shrugged.

    "I have to let Fayette''s father know about your condition. It was good meeting you young gentleman."

    With that the olderdy left the room.

    Garrick looked around to locate his belongings which were stationed on the foot of the nearest table.

    He was startled when the girl spoke "You haven''t answered the question." Fayette was visibly upset

    with Garrick for hisck of gratitude for her mother who had cured him.

    Garrick was skeptical about her good behaviour so he reciprocated with a re.

    Fayette was never judgemental about anyone but the way Garrick was behaving throughout, reassured

    her that he was not a good person at heart. "I will take that as a yes." she rolled her eyes and went to

    pickup the bowl from the table.

    "Have the men returned?" Garrick asked not looking at her.

    "No." He groaned at her response.

    "I knew I should have not relied on them." he whispered to himself. "I apologise for the trouble I have

    caused your people but I think its time for me to leave this ce."

    Indeed. Fayette wanted him gone but out of courtesy she said "I think you should return once Can

    and Archer are back from the mountains."

    Garrick scoffed "If they really were so worried about me then they would have been here by now. I

    actually don''t believe Can to do anything right. He is just worthless and a good for nothingd. He is

    a big unnecessary burden to our pack."

    Hearing him badmouthing Can made Fayette a bit furious. She had had it with his behaviour. In a not

    so subtle tone she replied. "You are wrong mister. Can is the most reliable and trustworthy person I

    have ever known. He is not just a good friend but also a loving and kind soul."

    Somehow hearing the girls praises for Can did not go too well with Garrick and he growled in

    annoyance at her.

    Fayette gasped and pointed her hand at the door. "Just leave!"

    This show of tant disrespect had made Garrick angry. Who treats their guests this way he thought.

    Garrick wore his shoes, took his bag and stood up to leave for the door. As he was reaching for the

    door Fayette interrupted. "By the way; you were out for just two hours after my friends left, so even if

    they wanted they cannot reach here in this short span of time. Just so you know."

    Garrick furrowed his brows and nodded his head before leaving the premises angrily.

    After about half an hour from leaving the house he regained fullposure and felt alive. He wanted to

    wait for Can but thought against it. Can can take care of himself He turned into his beast and

    sprinted for his home.

    The running into the wild would make his mind free and rxed of any stress or so he thought.

    Whatever happened back in the human ce was not something to be forgotten easily; it kept

    rewinding itself throughout his journey. After insulting a guest and asking him to leave, one should feel

    disrespected and utterly humiliated but on the contrary all Garrick could feel was remorse; guilt for no

    known reason.

    He reached his pack borders in no time and transformed into his human. When he was nearing the

    open area he saw a familiardy approaching from the other side but almost in a battered and bruised

    condition. Her clothes were torn, her hair were in a disarray while her legs oozed blood which was a

    sight he thought he would never see.

    "Rosaline!" Garrick tried to get the attention of thedy. She was visibly weak and fumbled with every

    step of hers. Soon her strength gave up on her and she fainted right there.

    Garrick ran as fast as he could and immediately linked Einar.

    Einar

    The panicked voice in his mind made Einar worried Garrick your back so early. Is everything all right?

    Yes and No. This reply only made Einar even more anxious. Can was with Garrick, could it be

    possible that something had happened to him; something bad!

    Garrick its no time for puzzles. A-Are you both alright? The panic in his voice clearly visible.

    Who are you talking about?

    Can of course. You were with him right. Einar stated as a matter of fact.

    Its not Can you need to worry about; its Roseline.. Garrick replied annoyingly. How could Einar still

    think about Can. He was not a child; he could take care of himself.

    What happened to her? Einar seemed perplexed.

    There is no time to exin. I''m bringing her to the pack house. Could you please call healer Odulf there

    and say it is important.

    But wha... Garrick closed his connection and ran straight away to the nearest home to find some help.

    Luckily for him Marden and Richard had just arrived from their run. Garrick exined the situation to

    them and both the men helped him get the woman to the Alpha house.

    The woman was brought to the guest room where Einar, his parents, Justus, Peter and elder Odulf

    were already present.

    "ce her on the bed carefully." elder Odulf started examining his patient.

    "So this is Rosaline.." Zelda said looking at Garrick with a worried expression which reflected the same

    as her mate.

    Garrick nodded at once.

    For a long time no one said anything while they were impatiently waiting for the healer to give his

    verdict.

    "She is fine for now. She might have exhausted herself with the travelling and maybe the fighting. I

    have given her some medications, put on some bandages. Once she awakes tell her to change into her

    wolf; that will help the healing process to speed up. Her wolf is strong, she will be fine in no time."

    "She was supposed to be herest week. I had sent some men to get her here. Clearly there is no sign

    of any of them." Ragnar expressed his concern.

    Einar looked at Garrick with curiosity. "Care to exin what happened to her."

    "I don''t really know.. When I reached the borders I saw her at a distance, she was weak and barely

    able to stand. Then she copsed all of a sudden."

    "Wait.. you were with Can right? Where is he Garrick?" somehow Garrick felt the tone as usatory

    and did not liked it. He opened his mouth to reply when Marden broke the conversation.

    "Look what I have found with thedy."

    He carried a pointed looking sharp metal in front of his audience.

    "Its a dart." he said "And there are no points on guessing who they belong to."

    Of course it was a known fact that Can used items like these as weapons for self defence and while

    in training. "Now I wonder how theynded here.." Marden emoted his fake concern by clicking his

    chin.

    Justus and Ragnar''s face fell with worry for they had no exnation for this as certainly the boy was in

    danger; while Marden and Richard were smirking for they had turned the tables against Can.

    Garrick finally looked into Einar''s eyes. I know these are serious allegations but if there is any chance

    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    that there is truth in what they are saying then we must...

    Einar cut short Garrick as his nose was assaulted with a familiar but an unweed scent. He red

    his nostrils to put a finger on it. Do you smell that?

    Smell what? Garrick could smell no different and was clueless about what his friend was saying.

    BLOOD...!

    The atmosphere in the room changed as Einar''s locket glowed the brightest it had ever been. Einar

    knew whose red matter he smelled and he or his beasts were not liking it at all. He growled powerfully

    and broke the doors to head out in a hurry leaving behind astonished and fearful faces.

    The scent was leading him to the open field and was growing stronger. He changed into hisrge ck

    wolf and charged with force towards the open field.

    The sight in there was the one he dreaded the most. His mate was defending himself against a group

    of five ferals. What caught his eye though was the injured arm which was oozing blood and had

    drenched the man in its liquid.

    All he saw was Red.

    He growled and jumped right above Can taking his first victim who was near his mate. He chewed

    his neck and threw him at a distance with a greater force. The other ferals looked in horror and made a

    dash for their life. Unfortunately they had been surrounded by guards covering the open field whereas

    some onlookers had also gathered to witness the event.

    The ferals seemingly thought that it would be good surrendering to the guards to keep themselves safe.

    They ran towards the guards to get caught intentionally.

    When the guards were about to apprehend them; Einar growled.

    No one touches them. THEY ARE MINE.

    The guards retreated. Seeing that there is no root to escape the ferals ran helter skelter around the

    field to dy the inevitable.

    Einar ferociously grabbed the ferals one by one and relieved them of their misery. It was pure

    monstrosity the way he attacked those wolves. Everyone around bowed their head in respect and fear

    when Einar growled.

    With blood dripping through his canines Einar''s sole attention was directed towards his mate. He saw

    Cans injury and became even more furious for he failed to protect him.

    Einar with his eyes set on Can''s shoulder started approaching him. Though he was angry at himself,

    his aura radiated his emotion which affected the entire field; except Can.

    The onlookers including Ragnar and Justus were rmed with the sudden mood change of the going

    to be Alpha. They feared the worst for their beloved boy as he was reaching Can. It looked as if Einar

    was ready to kill Can.

    Einar was inches away from his mate when he heard familiar footsteps.

    "No.. wait." Rosaline made it quick to stand in front of Can and shielded him "Please don''t hurt him..!"

    Realisation struck in. Analysing the situation Einar thought it was best to leave this ce. He growled

    once again and sprinted towards the deep woods against the will of his wolf. He needed some time to

    cool off.

    Garrick was baffled with the abrupt behaviour of Einar which has been going on for days now.

    something is definitely wrong with Einar. he thought

    Elder Odulf quickly reached Can and requested the Alpha to get him to the nearest healers cottage.

    For Can the pain was surmounting its level and he could barely hold his cries. He groaned, grunted

    and moaned in pain like his life was being taken away from him.

    After about an hourter elder Odulf was out of the cottage. He witnessed the Alpha mates, Can''s

    parents and Rosaline anxiously waiting outside while Mary barely contained her tears for the tribtion

    of her child.

    "What news elder Odulf?" inquired the Alpha.

    "Well it could have gone either ways. The bite marks are too deep. Given the physiology of Can he

    would need more time to recover. But he is a strong man. I have never seen anyone so mentally tough

    as he. We can only hope."

    The entire surrounding was filled with despair. Though elder Odulf had reassured Can''s well being

    the people close to him knew that Can was no wolf. His injury meant serious business. They certainly

    would give credit to his emotional and mental well being. Going through adversary his entire life had

    made the man tough. But his injuries always pulled him down.

    Their silence was broken when everyone heard Aurora''s strides from afar as she hurried her way to the

    cottage. She was not alone.

    A tall man with a walking stick was not far behind her. The man had rough beard and small chin with

    soft round edges. He stood in front of the alpha, undressed his Trilby and bowed.

    "Sabinus!? What a pleasant surprise!" The Alpha greeted the man.

    The man was puffed out and sweaty. He waited for his breath to be normal and replied "Greetings

    Alpha of the Blue Moon pack. It is a pleasure to be here."

    He reached out his hands to greet the Alpha.

    "I guess you have travelled all alone but I hope Regulus and Cicero will show up with their mates at the

    coronation ceremony."

    "They will my lord." he quickly nced around everyones sad faces.

    "So the man really is in trouble. That''s amazing!"

    Everyone looked at Sabinus as if he grew two heads.

    "Pardon me healer of the Rivera pack but what do you find amazing in my sons misery." Justus was

    irritated and quick to retort.

    "O-oh. I-I apologise head warrior. Ugh... That just came out wrong." he bowed his head as an act of

    forgiveness. "When Aurora and I were nearing the pack borders a ck bird was hovering around us

    and was constantly ''wonk-wonk''ing before settling on Auroras shoulder. Aurora deduced that a man

    named Can is in danger and I thought she was just being paranoid but she sprinted so fast that it

    was hard to keep up. I now finally realise what she was saying was the truth. The bird calling for help

    just seemed to amaze me."

    Everyone nodded in understanding. "Where is Aurora by the way?" Zelda asked after noticing her

    absence.

    "She is inside. Having a chat with her friend." Elder Odulf replied.

    Soon after, Aurora made her presence felt. She was upset with Can''s condition and her watery eyes

    showed that she cared for her friend. She regainedposure and cleared her throat. "He is asking for

    you all."

    As soon as the word left her mouth Can''s parents, the Alpha mates and Roseline made a beeline to

    the cottage.

    Inside the cottage Can was rested with his injured arm above his chest. It was bandaged but was still

    not enough to stop the blood from leaking.

    "My boy! My boy! How worried you made me there... What more I ask of you than to be guarded. Next

    time you put yourself in danger just think about your mothers heart first." Mary choked.

    "Don''t cry mother. See.." he gestured to his body "I''m all fine." Can smiled weakly at his mother to

    reassure her.

    "Not just Mary and Justus but you had worried us both my dear. I hope you have a speedy recovery."

    Zelda expressed her concern as she kissed Can''s forehead..

    "Thank you Luna."

    "I definitely would love to know the events that led us here Can but first you need to rest. don''t think

    about taking too long; you have a lot of work to do before the ceremonymences." Ragnar blinked

    his eye with a smile and kissed Can''s forehead. "Get well soon."

    Can reciprocated with a smile of his own. He acknowledged the presence of a stranger there and

    recognised her from before. It was the woman who saved him from Einar.

    He looked at her and said "I''m really grateful for what you did for me at the field. It was brave of you to

    face him. Thank you."

    Rosaline just chuckled and shook her head "Its me who should thank you for saving my life from those

    monsters back in the forest today."

    "But I never..." Can narrowed his eyes in cognizance.

    What was thedy talking about? He never met her. He was in the forest but he never saved a woman.

    Rather he and Archer saved a wolf. Unless...

    She was the He.

    She was the wolf who was attacked in the woods! Can looked at her in astonishment and nervously

    smiled in his own stupidity. How could he be so foolish to miss that!

    "You were the wolf!" Can was taken by surprise when the woman nodded her head in affirmation.

    "Words cant express how obligated I am to you. My entire crew had been killed in the onught and I

    would have been next if it wasn''t for you. Thank you." she sped her hands with Can''s with a teary

    eyed smile.

    "Your wee. Sorry I never got your name." thedy smiled at him and said+

    "I am Rosaline. I am Einar''s mate.."

 Chapter 19: The Known Secret

    Chapter 19: The Known Secret

    It seemed that the clouds had gotten a sudden fascination to the cottage as they hugged each other

    and hovered above it. The sky which once was swept away by flickering stars entirely, now could no

    longer hold its ce. The clouds had banished the illumination of the celestial bodies.

    The heavens were restless tonight.

    Sabinus tapped his fingers to the curved silvery top of his walking stick. He asionally nced at the

    coruscation of the clouds, the way they were moving around the cottage and rumbling against each

    other as if threatening the mortals beneath.

    Elder Odulf was restless while Aurora could not keep her emotions at check.

    "Will you please say something!" she nced at the man who was pensive looking at the sky. He

    rested his stick to a nearby tree and turned to face the duo. Aurora could extrapte the gravity of the

    situation when she saw the grim face of the healer.

    Sabinus sighed in defeat "I''m afraid there is little we can do."

    "There has to be a way!" Aurora almost choked while her eyes could no longer dy the tears.

    The sharp loud cracks from above were making matters even horrifying.

    "The wounds are too deep for any shifter to bear let alone this human form. The canines have ruptured

    his skin entirely. You can even see his bones!" Sabinus caught a moment and sat on the nearest

    wooden log. "His powers have not fully manifested yet which makes it even worse. The minimum

    powers which he has activated are keeping him alive but barely."

    "I don''t believe I am saying this.." Odulf whispered and sighed "but if the arm is the real culprit then why

    cant we just get rid of it. Rip off his arm!?" Elder Odulf asked unsure of himself.

    Sabinus shook his head "That would not help elder Odulf. Their race can survive only when every part

    of the human is intact. Think of it as a circle where the soul is the centre surrounded by the body; any

    part missing and the circle is broken, the energy flow lost."

    "So we are back to square one. I cannot think of any more possible solutions. My medications and

    potions work differently on him; but I cant keep on experimenting. Its dangerous!" elder Odulf said in a

    low voice.

    "Your right elder Odulf. We should not take the risk."

    "So you are saying that there is no way to save Can." asked thedy.

    Sabinus stood from his ce and looked at the motion of the wind which was gaining strength. "I can

    think of only one way." he turned to face them and said indifferently. "His true mate.."

    Skeptical of the solution Aurora and Odulf looked at each other helplessly. It wasn''t as if they had not

    thought about it. Even as a child Aurora had tricked Einar to save Can, but tonight was different.

    Einar was not a child anymore; he could not be tricked or forced to do anything against his will.

    Moreover he had detached himself from his mate for a long time now so they were unsure if Einar

    would help.

    "The fact is, Einar has not epted Can as his mate. From what I can gather, even his wolf has

    some issues regarding Can. So I don''t think he will agree to do it." Aurora reasoned with Sabinus.

    She knew for some reason Einar has not been epting of his mate and keeping a safe distance from

    him. Aiding his process was his wolf who showed no sign of marking his mate as any normal case

    would be.

    "Here is where you are wrong my love. The bond they share is way too stronger for the wolf to not

    acknowledge. However its not the wolf we need here." Sabinus whispered thest words.

    Perplexed by the statement elder Odulf interjected. "As far as I remember Einar''s wolf cured Can

    when he was thirteen so it should not be a problem now."

    Sabinus smiled curtly and nodded. "Back then Can was a child and barely had his defences. Now

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    the situation is contrasting, Can''s powers will repel every attempt made by the wolfs bond to im

    him."

    "So you are suggesting...." Elder Odulf tried to understand what the healer was trying to say.

    Sabinus crossed his arms to his shoulders and said "We need the shedim spirit''s power to cure him."

    Elder Odulf could not form any words to speak while all Aurora could do was to stare at nothingness

    remembering thest time the shedim spirit had unleashed itself.

    It was a brutal mayhem.

    The problem was, that if the spirit was released from the enchantments than it would be

    uncontroble. It would crave thepany of its mate and unleash its wrath on anyone who came their

    way. It would be disastrous..!

    But they seemed to have run out of options. If saving Can would require a higher price to pay; than

    so be it.

    "How much time does he have?" the helplessness and utter fear for her beloved friend had made

    Aurora cautious.

    "The clouds have gathered already. I would say Can has until midday to revive himself." Sabinus

    dejectedly lowered his eyes.

    "Einar would never agree to such a request. He will not jeopardise his lineage by giving control to the

    beast." Elder Odulf stated as a matter of fact.

    "He will agree elder Odulf." Aurora spoke with a resolve "He has to agree.." she almost whispered as if

    reassuring herself of Einar''s affirmation.

    ****

    Inside the Alpha house everyone was sitting on the dinner table sharing each of their stories. The

    elongatedrge table had space enough for every higher adherent to eat with their families. Today''s

    main attraction had been the new going to be pack member. Rosaline had charmed everyone around

    the table. Ragnar and Zelda were extremely joyous to finally meet their son''s mate.

    Einar was sitting in between Garrick and Rosaline. He was certainly not enjoying himself being in this

    situation. The constant chatting and muttering made the event even more unwanted for him.

    Einar''s thoughts were drifted to todays events. How he reached the field in the nick of time to save his

    mate. Not only were the culprits killed but Can was also out of harms way. The reassurance that

    Can was fine made him less worrisome but his beasts had the mind of their own. Their anxiousness

    made Can more suffocated in the confined space. The beasts wanted to have a look at their mate

    with their own naked eyes. They wanted to confirm Can''s safety.

    After dinner everyone headed for their respective amodations. Garrick followed Einar in his room

    to discuss some pack business. Their interaction was disturbed when a guard knocked on their door.

    The guard bowed his head and said "Sire,dy Aurora wishes to see you."

    Both the friends were bemused at the healers presence at such an ungodly hour.

    "Is father not present in the house?" Einar asked the guard.

    "He is sire."

    Einar sighed and turned his back, returning to do his work. "Then askdy Aurora to take up her matter

    with him. I have some unfinished work to do."

    The guard hesitated "But sire she insists that it is important and is adamant to meet you."

    Einar furrowed his eyes and processed his line of thought for why the healer wants to meet him. For

    any other reason the healer was to report to the delta of the pack. Only in cases where the packs

    integrity was at stake was any healer required to handle the matter with the beta; in any which case

    Einar did not fit in the picture.

    However, Einar also noticed that this healer was different. She had defied orders in the past and

    certainly doesn''t care for the packs functioning procedure.

    Garrick looked at his friend. What could possibly bring the healer here at this time? Garrick asked with

    curiosity.

    I am as clueless as you are. Einar shrugged. He than faced the guard "Bring her in respectfully."

    Aurora entered the room quivering, shaking and a little disturbed. The first thing both of them noticed

    were her wet clothes. It looked liked she was caught in a rain, but how could that be possible when the

    sky was clear outside.

    She stood at a distance and looked at Einar firmly contemting on how to broach the subject. Einar

    discerned her hesitation and spoke himself "I believe you have something to discuss healer."

    "Yes I do." She opened her mouth but ate her words when she realised Garrick was there too.

    "Actually.. I-I wanted to talk to you alone."

    Garrick raised his brow while Einar sighed "Don''t be hesitant. Garrick is a friend and I trust him with my

    life."

    "ITS ABOUT CALLAN." Aurora uttered at a go with her fidgeting thumbs.

    All color drained his face when he heard the healer talk about his mate. The beasts could sense that

    something was wrong with him. Unbeknownst to Einar, Garrick witnessed the tension surmounting and

    the glowing of the locket.

    "Garrick would you mind giving us some space." Einar said without looking at his friend.

    "But Einar.."

    "Please Garrick.." Einar almost pleaded.

    Garrick huffed and left the room with much reluctance.

    Einar locked the room and appeared normal; his fa?ade to hide his emotions. "So you were saying..."

    "Can u-uh." She sighed and took a deep breath. "Can needs your help."

    "What are you talking about?" His beasts knew there was something wrong with his mate but Einar

    dismissed them thinking that they were overly anxious.

    "His injury is talking a toll on him."

    With every passing moment it was bing difficult for Einar to control his emotions and have a

    straight face. To avoid Aurora, he turned his back and pretended to search for something. "I suppose

    he was recovering when mother visited him before sunset." he grabbed a seidel and poured some

    liquor to it.

    "Yes but his condition deteriorated thereafter and he is now barely holding up."

    "But you are the healer. How could you possibly think that I-I can help." he gulped ss after ss to

    ease his pain.

    "If there is anyone in the world who can help Can right now its YOU."

    He put the ss with a thud on the table. "W-What do you mean?"

    "The bite from the ferals has poisoned Can''s bloodstream. You know as well that his healing power is

    that of a normal human. The situation has gotten so worse that even amputation cannot give him his

    life!"

    Hearing about detaching his mates arm made him furious and he growled at her. Just the sight of blood

    earlier had made his beasts insane so how could he imagine him to be amputated.

    Einar got hold of his locket, took deep breaths and calmed himself.

    "I''m sorry about that." he poured another ss of liquor through his throat.

    "Its fine." she almost whimpered.

    "So what do you expect me to do."

    Aurora sighed "We have tried everything in our power, every magic that I knew has failed. We are

    running out of time to experiment anything on him. We don''t want anything to backfire you know."

    "I still don''t get it. How do I fit in this proposal?" Einar was getting irritated by the healer''s beating

    around the bush nonsense talk.

    Now was the time. Auroraposed herself and took deep breaths of credence "If a higher power

    Einar faltered in his stance and spoke his words carefully slow "What you mean is that I use my.."

    "Shedim spirit. Yes."

    He turned to face her with wide eyes. "IMPOSSIBLE." he said with conformity. "I am not releasing the

    beast ever. Thest time I had it, it ate me up from the inside. The horrors I faced; the sufferings I put

    my family, my pack through. I cannot fathom any more harming their way."

    Aurora half expected this answer but she had to try. She supplicated her request by pleading "Please..!

    he needs your help."

    "I will not risk it. The packes first."

    "Even before your own MATE??"

    Einar''s mouth hung open while the liquor bottle shattered into pieces as it slipped through his hands. To

    say he was shocked was an understatement. Einar''s brain stuttered for a moment and his eyes took in

    more light than he expected; totally stunned by the revtion of the healer. He lost the ability to

    process things.

    How could the healer know? He had been careful to remain unnoticed throughout these years. He had

    gone to such an extent as in to neglect Can and insult him every chance he got. It blocked every

    thoughts of suspicion there could arise. So how could''ve he be caught?

    "W-What a-are you saying?" Einar gulped "You know that putting such false allegations on your going

    to be Alpha can put you in a lot of trouble." he stuttered through his unmasking.

    "I am ready to face any punishment to speak the truth. Lets just put this in theory. How about I inform

    everyone about your bond and let the council decide on the matter for itself."

    The council was a bad news. It wont be hard to prove that indeed Can was his mate. His position as

    the going to be alpha would be jeopardised or worse he could be banished from the pack.

    It was as if Einar''s face was sshed with cold water. His worst nightmare would be reality.

    Everything he worked for to keep his semnce would vanish just like that.

    "You wont do any such thing..!" Einar whispered threateningly.

    "Then help me please! I know you will always put your pack before anything else but let it slide just this

    once. I promise to do anything you ask but please just help me save Can.."

    What other option did he have. He never liked the healer, her proximity with his mate always made him

    jealous which led to his dislike for thedy. He never treated her right and she knew that. She had

    every reason to do what she says; besides the pack safety would now be up on her.

    Einar nodded while contemting a possible escape route.

    The going to be Alpha and the healer made a backdoor exit to evade suspicion.

    The easiest way to the cottage was through the woods. Both of them decided to walk as Aurora would

    not be able to keep up with Einar''s wolf. Halfway through Einar could hear rumbling of the clouds. He

    looked at the sky and thought storm was nearing. The zing winds and the haphazard walkway made

    the journey time consuming.

    Einar realised that Can was been treated in the lone isted cottage which was far away from the

    rest. What Einar did not expect were the brittle showers which strangely surrounded just the cottage.

    They made their way only to discern that Can was already apanied by Sabinus and elder Odulf.

    Einar raised his brow. "Do they know too!?"

    "Yes son of Ragnar; we know too." Elder Odulf said nonchntly.

    This was not good; this was thest thing Einar wanted. The more the people knew the more chances

    of him getting exposed. He growled furiously at Aurora "How many more people have you told?"

    "Don''t worry Einar its just us." she replied in assurance.

    Yes they knew about Einar and Can being mates but up to what extent. Einar thought about grilling

    the healerter. First he must do the said job and go back to the pack house before anyone gets

    sceptical.

    "I''m here now. What do I need to do?" he sighed.

    It was Sabinus'' turn to speak. "You have to connect yourself with your shedim spirit. Summon it. Once

    you feel the energy surge let the beast take charge and he will do the rest."

    "What about when the job is done? The spirit goes at its will and I wont have any control over it." by the

    looks of the three humans Einar deduced that they have contemted the oue already.

    "I have a n for that as well. Now we must leave." Elder odulf nced at Aurora and Sabinus and

    looked back at Einar. "Just make sure we go far away before you strip your locket. Aurora will be here

    after an hour."

    The trio made their way out and went straight to Auroras ce where they all waited impatiently when

    suddenly Sabinus chuckled looking at Odulf''s features. "You really don''t have any idea how to put the

    beast back in his cage right?"

    Aurora was shocked and surprised at the revtion.

    Elder Odulf replied calmly. "I''m working on it."

    "This is absurd. We haven''t thought this through. The spirit once unleashed will not relieve its charge.

    Moreover it would be revengeful for every wrongdoing and misery Can had to go through." Aurora

    voiced her concern.

    "How many people are we talking here." Sabinus asked out of curiosity.

    "The entire pack." she gulped nervously. "Almost.."

    "What! I cannot believe this! The entire blue moon pack wronged the boy!" Sabinus was dumbfounded

    to say the least.

    "Yes. People always considered him an outsider since he could not shift. Never appreciated him, never

    acknowledged him. He was put to a lot of strain since his childhood, burdened by expectations from his

    family, a struggle to make a name for himself. It has been just too much for him." Aurora had tears in

    her eyes.

    "We have to do something before the spirit has its way."

    "Can was born with a destiny. One we cannot deny." Elder Odulf whispered with a sigh

    Sabinus rubbed his forehead and yelled at him "But at what cost! We cannot put an entire pack at

    danger." he exhaled "How do we stop this! his absolute obsession with his mate will be our doom."

    Sabinus looked at both of them for any possible solution but elder Odulf replied helplessly "Only Luna

    can save us now."

 Chapter 20: Beast Beloved

    Chapter 20: Beast Beloved

    Serenity was stered across Can''s face; his heart thumped in ordance with his slow shallow

    breaths. The pure innocence on his face could make anyone fall to his knees. His perfect hair bnced

    above his forehead dancing to his breathing motions.

    Einar stared at the beautiful man with content. It was the first time since ages that they were together

    and regret that he cant touch him, hold him or ept him even when they are this close. Why was the

    goddess so cruel to him? Can was perfect in every way; he was strong, determined and always

    thought about others well being and safety; qualities fit for a luna. With just one exception..

    He was a man.

    Einar would have readily epted any girl as his mate. He never had high expectations from the

    goddess. A royal blood or an omega, shifter from other ns, hell even a human he would have

    epted. But of all the pairs the luna made she linked him with a man. Why!?

    Einar''s thought process was interrupted when his eyesnded on Can''s injured arm. It was

    supported by a beam of wood attached through his neck. It was bandaged but the stain of blood was

    clearly visible.

    The wolves live for their mate. It is they who make themplete and so it was necessary for every

    wolf to keep their mates loved and protected; it was the first rule! But all Einar did in his entire life was

    to treat the man poorly, make him feel unwanted. He was really ashamed of himself but he had no

    choice.

    He failed as a mate.

    He sighed with frustration. The metal to his chest glowed. His beasts wanted out, to be close to their

    mate. This internal battle between his beasts and him made Einar uneasy and a furious growl escaped

    his lips.

    Can woke in a jiffy hearing the roar, his head spinned and he struggled to find hisposure.

    However it was his arm which was causing all the trouble. "Aw.." he groaned in pain.

    "What happened?" Einar asked worriedly.

    Can could not believe what he saw. Was Einar really in the same space as he was! He couldn''t even

    remember when Einar spoke to him thest time. He blinked his eyes rapidly and concluded that it

    must be a hallucination; the after effects of the medicine.

    "Does your arm hurt?" Einar asked again.

    He really is here! Can thought. He was staggered at the surprise appearance of the going to be

    Alpha. Not just that; Luna had been merciful today for the going to be alpha was talking to him!

    "Just say something." Einar growled with exasperation.

    "F-Fine" Can cleared his throat. "I''m fine." he tried to sit up

    "No!" Einar said in a jiffy "Don''t do that.. You must rest." Einar put his hand on Can''s shoulder

    motioning him to lie down.

    Can just stared at the man with utter disbelief. This must have been the only good words spoken by

    Einar in years. But he found it difficult to believe him, there must have been a hidden motive behind his

    visit he thought. After a long silence Can looked at his arm and chuckled. "What does it matter; I am

    soon going to be in a deep slumber anyway. A long long sleep."

    Einar''s blood boiled hearing his own mate say such a thing. Does he not know how much his heartbeat

    means to him! His demon and his wolf will disappear if anything goes wrong with the man just like that.

    Hence it was important for Can to live. He grinded his teeth and said "Why are you being so

    pessimistic? You will be just fine."

    The anger in his face did not go unnoticed by Can. But why was he angry in the first ce? Even if

    he had a bad day he should have the basic decency to control his emotions in front of an injured

    patient. But again one could never forecast Einar''s mood, he was furious one moment while happy just

    right after. Can calmly replied "I have faced injuries for my entire life. I have worked closely with

    Aurora to realise the limits of any medication. As also; her face said it all."

    Einar lowered his eyes hiding his pain. "So you know that.."

    "I am dying.. Yes." Can portrayed a brave smile and slowly nodded "I am weak and exhausted and

    this hurts like hell! Never thought I would go this way but I don''t have any regrets."

    Einar''s heart churned and he felt like his life was slipping away. He was never eptable of Can

    getting injured in any way so how could he bear the trepidation of his mates life. Though he never

    wanted him to be a part of his life but he could never imagine living without him being around.

    Unknowingly his pain had soaked his eyes and droplets moved freely. "You wont go anywhere.. I wont

    let you die!" he whispered a promise.

    Seeing Einar so vulnerable was something new for Can. He had always been arrogant, egoistic and

    boisterous but seeing him care for someone was refreshing. What he could not believe though that that

    someone would be a person like Can whom he detested his entire life. When the first bead made its

    way down to his cheeks Can asked worriedly "A-Are you all right?"

    Einar found it hard to believe the emotional state he was in right now. Surely the actions of his beasts

    were justified but his ardour to his mate was questioning. Yes he was his mate, yes they were destined

    to be together; but he never loved the guy. He always execrated Luna for pairing him with this man.

    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    This wonderfully beautiful man. Then why was he crying?

    Einar vigorously shook his head and kept his emotions at bay. He concluded that his emotions were not

    his own but his beasts and that he just sympathized with the man and nothing else. He sighed and with

    a straight-face he said "I want you to listen carefully. I am calling in the spirit and he would heal you but

    you have to promise me something."

    "What?" It was both curiosity and surprise for Can. What possibly could the demon do in this

    situation.

    "After you are healed, you have to promise me that you would put this locket back on me. You know

    what he could do right? Coerce him to wear the locket." Einar pointed to his chest where the locket

    hanged through his neck.

    Can furrowed his eyes "But why would your beast listen to me?" Indeed why. He was no one

    important. He never had any connections with the beasts. Moreover how was he supposed to convince

    the monster when he himself was unsure of what was going around.

    Einar raised a brow "Believe me; he will listen to you." if in the entire world the beast would listen to

    someone it would only be you.

    Why Einar thought that his beast would adhere to him was beyond his reasoning but what troubled him

    more was why the son of Alpha was making such a hard decision. It was no secret that Einar was

    unable to control his beasts and so the locket. Why risk letting them out just for saving a man; an

    unimportant someone. The n could backfire and the spirit would be released to this world. It was a

    huge risk. Can was confused "Why are you doing this?"

    "You are pack. A part of the family. I am just being the responsible Alpha." Besides if anything happens

    to you I would be dead too.

    Can''s forest green eyes were captivating; it captured Einar in a trance and his features softened. He

    looked at his mate with adoration, admiration and pure bliss. While Can looked at him suspiciously

    trying to decipher what was going through the troubled minds of Einar.

    Einar gulped and sighed to avoid getting caught "You ready?"

    Can nodded hesitatingly.

    Einar slowly undressed his locket and handed it over to his mate. He moved to the end of the room and

    closed his eyes. Hisplete focus was now on his shedim spirit. His call for help did not go

    unnoticed.

    Einar growled ferociously as a ck mist appeared out of nowhere and engulfed him. His body was

    lifted in the air while it shook like tremors rocked his flesh. After about a minute or so Einar stopped

    trembling and was motionless on his spot with his eyes closed.

    Can was scared but was also curious. He gathered courage and sat up straight resting his back to

    the wooden board of the bed.

    "E-Einar. Y-You there?" Can muttered in his weak shaky voice.

    The mist surrounded Einar like a shadow; he raised his head and sucked in lots of air before slowly

    opening his eyes andnding his feet to the ground. Can noticed that Einar''s veins in his entire body

    popped up but were infused with the ck mist as if dark blood flew through him. But what kept him

    captivating were the eyes; twopletely ck globes were now staring at him.

    Einar approached his mate cautiously. With every measured step of the beast, Can''s heartbeat just

    elerated. Upon realising this Einar smirked and sat on the nearby chair.

    "You don''t have to be scared of me." The voice was cold, deep and guttural.

    Can sighed and was out of his trance. "I-I''m sorry. I-Its just that." he expelled air from his mouth.

    "Your e-eyes." he gulped "They are different. Not that I amining but I''m just not habitual to see

    such stuff." he chuckled nervously.

    The demon replied with a chuckle of his own and looked at the ceiling ring his nose and taking deep

    breaths. He brought his head to level his mate whose eyes were wide like saucers when he saw that

    Einar''s eyes had changed like a normal human being. The sclerapletely white and the orbs dark

    as the night.

    "I hope you like them now."

    Can''s mouth was hung open, mesmerised with what he just saw. Nobody had seen this side of the

    beast ever "H-How did you do that?"

    The demon smirked ."I can do anything for you my love."

    Hearing Einar calling him love just made him uneasy and weird. It was too intimate.

    "My name is Can." he corrected Einar.

    "I know my love."

    Can forgot to breathe. It was confusing. The fragment of memories he had of the beast were

    horrifying and mostly violent. To see this side; the loving and caring part waspletely opposite of

    what he expected.

    But why does he keep calling him ''My love!''

    Can was ufortable. "Could you please call me by my name."

    "As you wish." Anything for you my love.

    The next few moments were spend just in a staring contest mostly by Einar. Can felt exposed to his

    gaze and found it difficult to carry forward the conversation but Einar did not back down. He wanted to

    amass every inch of the beauty and fill in those empty years which he stayed away from his mate.

    Can could not take it any more and he broke the silence "You do know why you were summoned

    here right?"

    Einar''s smirk faltered and he leaned back in his chair "Yes I do. But first; they have to pay."

    The demon''s eyes were murderous. The aura around him grew darker and stronger. His fuming anger

    caused shivering of the inanimate objects around them, they were raised from their tforms and all of

    them started shattering one by one.

    Can realised that Einar was causing this frightening scenario. He immediately ced his uninjured

    arm on Einar''s thigh on instinct. Einar''s features rxed and he looked at his mate.

    "Every person who is responsible for your misery WILL HAVE TO PAY."

    Can could notprehend why the spirit was hell bent on killing those who were already dead. Of

    course what he did not knew was the fact that Einar was not talking about the ferals but meant to

    punish the entire pack for his sufferings.

    Whatever it was; Can knew one thing for sure that an angry spirit can never be good news. He had

    to distract him from his devious ns "Don''t you think healing me should be your first priority since I

    may not have much time left."

    Einar just roared his voice "I WONT LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO YOU THIS TIME.."

    Can was clueless about the abrupt behaviour of the spirit. Why was he helping him and how could he

    even help him? These questions boggled his mind but he kept them to himself and decided to go with

    the flow.

    Einar ced his hand on Can''s injured arm and a surge of energy flew through his entire body. The

    ck mist was transferring its glow to the body of Can through his arm.

    Soon after, the bandages were ripped open and the wooden appendage was thawed. Can

    experienced an anguish like no other. The sudden sting to his skin was tormenting his body. He

    screamed of the agony, the mountain of pain he was going through right now. It was something he had

    never faced in his life.

    His skin was now forming tissues around the bitten area and filling the gap. After a gruesome amount

    of time the skin had finally formed its alignment with the rest of its body.

    Can breathed heavily while his throat went dry. He ced his arm vertically, leveling his eye and

    rotated it. It was a miracle! The once beyond repaired arm was good as new.

    "Are you feeling fine?" the look of concern and worry almost melted Can''s heart.

    Can could notprehend his feelings. "Y-Yes it just feels strange."

    Can remembered about the locket which Einar had lent him some time ago. He did say that Can

    should put the locket on Einar once the job was done. But how was he supposed to do that?

    If he failed to aplish the job only luna knows what chaos would the spirit unleash.

    But was it even worth it? The spirit seemed to care and did not harm him a bit. He definitely was not

    something what was talked about or what he heard through people. He was serene and calm and

    looked at Can with such adoration. Most importantly how could he forget that he now owed his life to

    the spirit. It just showed that the spirit was capable of mercy. Maybe if Einar had a different approach to

    deal with his beasts he may not have to use the locket. But again who was he to question the son of

    the Alpha.

    All these thoughts made him confused and sad.

    Einar deduced that his mate was in a certain dilemma when he looked at him. He narrowed his eyes

    "What are you thinking?"

    "Just that I could not thank you for saving my life." Can smiled meekly.

    "There is more to it. Isn''t it?"

    Certainly there was. He had received his orders to punish the one who just saved his life! Can

    lowered his eyes trying to avert the gaze of the spirit. The guilt was eating him from within. How could

    he cage the one who put him out of his misery. It was against his conscience to reciprocate the spirits

    kindness with betrayal. He was feeling disgusted with himself.

    Einar sensed the mental battle his mate was going through; he was not scared of him but it looked like

    something was bothering him. "What is it? Just tell me please.." The demon pleaded

    The helplessness in the spirit made Can even more meworthy. He deeply sighed before raising

    his uninjured arm in front of his chest where the locket oscited in a reserved motion.

    Einar growled.

    He did not wanted to be incarcerated again not when his mate was sitting just right in front of him. He

    had waited a long time for this moment to happen. Had it not been for the damn locket he would have

    swept away Can to a deserted ind all to himself. Away from these lowlifes.1

    But then again he would not repeat his mistake. He looked at Can calmly. "So this is what''s bothering

    you."

    Can looked at him apologetically and nodded. "Einar wanted me to put this on your body once the

    job was done."

    "And what do you want?"

    "I don''t know" he whispered looking intently at Einar and shrugged. "You certainly don''t seem the one

    people hear stories about. Your...different."

    Einar chuckled. "I am what they say in every respect. I am just different to.. YOU."

    Can was bemused by the way the spirit was behaving. It was utterly contrasting than what he saw

    don''t feel good about putting you in a cage again but this must be done."

    The spirit was all smiles because he knew that he had won a battle of the many. He had done

    something which neither the human nor the wolf achieved.

    He had made a connection with his mate. Most importantly Can cared for him.

    "Then you must do it." Einar said firmly.

    "But what about you? You may not be able to be out again."

    "I don''t wish to be out for these foolish people." he leaned forward to look into the eyes of Can "But I

    will always be there for the one I love."

    Who is he talking about? is he talking about me? He smacked his head yfully and chuckled How

    stupid of me! it is a known fact that Einar had found his Rosaline. So the spirit must''ve been talking

    about his love for her obviously Can thought. He looked at the demon and smiled in

    acknowledgement.

    Einar held Can''s hand and nodded, directing him to do his job. Can took deep breaths and he

    slowly put the metal around Einar''s head.

    "We will surely meet again; and this time no power will keep us apart. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE..!"

    With that Einar leaned back. He opened his mouth and sucked in a lot of air in a jiffy while his arms

    were raised to the sky. The mist which once surrounded him was now absorbed by his body. Einar

    coughed and breathed heavily to calm himself. He rubbed his hand to his chest to sooth himself. Can

    smiled weakly at him and uttered "I''m really thankful for...."

    "IT WAS ONE SIMPLE JOB!" Einar stood abruptly. He was furious and raised his voice at Can''s

    confused features.

    "But I did as you told."

    "NO YOU DID NOT!" he breathed angrily "You were having second thoughts about wearing me the

    locket. Do you have any idea what would happen if the spirit was let loose!?" Can narrowed his eyes.

    "IT WOULD KILL THE ENTIRE PACK!"

    "B-But why would it do that?"

    Because he wants to punish the people for you. Because he wants to punish me for keeping him away

    from you.

    Can continued" Besides he was not beastly at all. He was friendly. He took care of my arm and did

    not harm me a bit."

    "Where have you knocked your senses Ashton tell me. Do you even realise the gravity of your fault or

    are you so dumb to ignore the warnings as you always do."

    Can was speechless at the sudden outburst of Einar.

    "Friendly you say.." Einar continued "Are you so foolish to believe anything what the spirit says or you

    must be really desperate to make friends since you have NONE in the pack."1

    With that Einar snorted and stormed out of the cottage in a rage.

    It was an unscrupulous attack on Can''s dignity. A wound cut to the very core of his soul. It was not

    his inability to make friends in the pack rather it was the voluntary distancing of the people which kept

    him aloof from apanion. So how was he at fault? He swept a treacherous bead from his chin with

    the back of his palm. Todays incident had confirmed Einar''s image in his mind. An arrogant and

    conceited fool whose egoistic mind will never cease to suppress anyone under his superiority.+

    He hates Einar with the same vigour as Einar hates him.

 Chapter 22: The Awakening

    Chapter 22: The Awakening

    Right after parting ways with Garrick and the humans; Can put his feet in motion to his designated

    spot. On the way though, he could feel his knees trembling and his head spinning. His eyes were

    contracting themselves to take in more of the surroundings. He halted his legs and put one hand over

    his forehead pressing his thumbs over it to ease the newly generated pain. His body was burning like a

    hot furnace.

    He looked around for any possible help. His mother was too far away sitting with the bunch ofdies

    while his father was nowhere to be seen. Fayette on the other hand was sitting in the front lines and

    calling her would grab unnecessary attention. Any pack member would hardly care for his plea while

    disturbing anyone outside the pack would not be fair to them.

    Can''s vision was fading and he needed help as soon as possible.

    A tap on his shoulders caught his attention. "If you don''t feel good maybe you should have just stayed

    at home."

    Can could gather that ady wearing a green ankle length gown was standing in front of him. She

    had long shiny hair while she smiled at the man as if she knew him. But Can was not able to

    recognise her. His sight caught hold of the bracelet she was wearing and to his relief he suddenly

    embraced thedy.

    "Aurora."

    "Then who stupid." She smacked his forehead only to retract it fast as if she had just touched a melting

    "You are burning!"

    "I don''t know what is happening Aurora. I don''t feel so good.." Can said between his panting breaths.

    "Don''t worry. Lets just get out of here first."

    "But what about the ceremony?"

    Aurora rolled her eyes. "I am sure someone will spare the details for you. Nowmon!"

    She wrapped her palm with a cloth and got hold of Can''s hand. Can was feeling dizzy, beads of

    sweat formed around his forehead. His feet were wobbly while he waspletely unaware where he

    was going. He tried to take measured steps to keep his bnce but failed after a few times. He trusted

    Aurora and tried his best to follow her lead.

    They escaped the ceremony and made their way through the forests. Halfway though Can''s senses

    gave up and he copsed suddenly. Aurora tried to pick up the man but he was too heavy for her to lift.

    She struggled for sometime but she gasped when suddenly Can''s body was up above the ground

    floating in mid air.

    "He is too heavy." Sabinus groaned and gritted his teeth to use his strength to lift Can.

    Aurora rushed to Sabinus and held his hands to ease his pain. She helped him with her own powers.

    "You arete. You were supposed to meet me at the entrance of the field."

    "I was stalled by my Alpha. I had to attend him first."

    Aurora nodded in understanding. The Rivera pack representatives were thest to show up. Since their

    arrival Sabinus had been busy catering to the needs of his pack. Both of them shifted their attention to

    Can and very carefully made a safe way for him through the forest.

    Can was taken to a cliff by the edge of the river. He was then rested to a thick spread of grass. His

    breaths quivered in short quick gasps every time he inhaled. His chest thumped dramatically as he was

    unable to bear the chilly winds outside. He could not stop shaking either.

    Aurora was visibly disturbed by Can''s current condition. But she knew that he had to go through this

    sooner orter.

    Sabinus on the other hand was busy encircling his enchanted dust around the man. He then carefully

    ced five earthen pots at equal distance. He nodded at Aurora and both of them began building a

    mystical dome around Can.

    "How long will it take before he wakes up?" Aurora asked Sabinus curiously.

    "One hour maybe. But if the procedurepletes itself before that than maybe he could wake up

    before we could think of."

    "I should have increased the dose, maybe he would have slept for three hours." Indeed it was Aurora

    who had put some magical herbs in Can''s food to drug him. As per their n it was necessary for

    Can to be unconscious for the procedure.

    "You did good." Sabinus kissed her forehead. "Besides he wont be human after tonight so any amount

    of dose would have been useless."

    "Will Einar be able to trace Can here? I mean Can has no scent remember."

    Sabinus pointed to the sky "Its the blue moon my love. He will definitely find a way to be near his

    beloved. But when that happens we have to flee the spot."

    Aurora was already feeling guilty for putting her friend in such situation and now leaving him to deal

    with his problems alone did not seem fair. "But why? Can might need us. He might not adjust with his

    surroundings."

    Sabinus sighed and put his arm around Aurora "When he wakes up, he will feel an emotional

    turbulence like no other. His body will be trying to modify itself. In this state he would reflect the

    emotions of the person who is near to him as if the feeling is his own."

    "Can would want to rely on someone." She furrowed her eyes and whispered "That means when

    Einar finds him; Can''s emotions would mirror that of Einar."

    "Yes and since its a full moon day, all Einar would want to do is mate his beloved. Einar''s wolf would

    want to im Can as his forever."

    "And Can would reciprocate his feelings." Aurora raised her brows and happily gasped as if she had

    solved the puzzle.

    "Yes my love."

    Their chat was interrupted when the sky creaked and the clouds bellowed itsrgest. The sky had

    gathered clouds above them in its fullest while the moon seemed to be shining all its glow to the ground

    below. The rumbling of clouds took a dramatic turn when a gigantic column of wildly twisting air

    appeared out of nowhere. It was fascinating but horrifying at the same time. Aurora and Sabinus

    quickly shielded themselves with their magic.

    The twisting air made a deafening sound and was slowly approaching the earth below. The wild column

    kissed the ground below and encircled its tapering end around the body of the man as if sucking him in.

    It swept away Can''s body which was now floating up in the air. Can''s body was elevated at a

    considerable distance from the ground while his arms were raised to the sky as if embracing the

    onught as a friend. The air had entirely engulfed Can and was now revolving around him

    vigorously. The strength of the winds had such power that it tarnished every piece of cloth Can was

    wearing.

    With the powerfully rotating winds came the deathly dark clouds. The condensed ck mass floated

    around the man just outside the storm. The clouds carried the unassable thunder and lightning which

    demanded attention as it gathered momentum. The clouds through the winds were dashing its shes

    of lightning at Can''s body. With every stroke of thunder he beamed like a shining star. Every muscle

    fibre on his body glowed to the extreme while it diminished its illumination gradually. This continued for

    a fair amount of time until he gasped inhumanlyrge while his body radiated, resembling the morning

    sun; he shined like pure gold.

    Aurora and Sabinus could not believe their eyes. They had heard and read about this phenomenon but

    considered themselves fortunate to witness it with their own eyes. Once in a thousand years they say.

    They considered themselves fortunate to have been acquaintances with such a supreme being. Can

    just looked phenomenal. He radiated such a powerful aura which automatically brought the mystics to

    their knees. It was beyond magical.

    The sky roared thunderously and the air decelerated its speed. Can''s body became horizontal and

    he was slowly back to the ground again. As if on que the clouds and the tornado disappeared

    miraculously. The sky became clear once again leaving the moon and the stars to dominate their reign.

    Aurora started collecting the pots while Sabinus was trying to erase the encircled mist. He grabbed a

    spare trousers from his bag and wore them to the unconscious body of Can.

    "I hope elder odulf is handling the situation as nned." Sabinus prayed the goddess.

    "He has the most difficult job among the three of us. I wish Can''s shirt does the trick."

    "I hope so too. Now lets go."

    Sabinus quickly moved his palm in a circr motion to make disappear the mystical dome around

    Can while Aurora collected the five pots and wrapped them with clothes of different colors. Aurora

    smiled at Can onest time and both of them left the ce hoping that Einar sessfully finds

    Can and mates him.

    ****

    After a few moments Can could feel his heavy lids, his heart beats were steady while his quite lure to

    sleepiness still remained. He was conscious but just.

    Soon his breathing started picking up pace. His throat went dry and he moaned lustfully licking his lips.

    He moved his hands through his chest and then through his hair. A fire was ignited in his gut. He

    unconsciously moved his hands through his chest to his abdomen all the way down to his groins.

    His hands found a head as one peculiar sulent pair of lips had wrapped his penis all around it. Two

    hands grabbed his hips and took all of him inside their mouth. He moaned in pleasure. He tangled and

    twisted his fingers inside long strands of thick hair. His manhood was grabbed by a hand which

    generally stroked him in slow painful motions while his body was electrified when another hand ran

    through his naked torso. Teasing him; making him even more hungry.

    His lips became aware of being touched as feathered fingertips were outlining the entirety of his lips.

    Small bumps appeared on the surface of his skin as his body hair became erect and he breathed

    heavily. He slowly opened his eyes in a daze and saw a beautiful face staring at him. He could see the

    lust, the passion and the hunger in those eyes.

    It was Vi.

    He snapped and quickly flipped, reversing the position and being the dominant. He moved the strands

    of hair from her face and looked at her intently. His heart beats matched hers while she coyly lowered

    her eyes. Can was smitten; he could no longer hold himself and his mouth was on hers in the next

    instant. His didn''t relent in his movements as he ravished every bit of those pulpy lips. He held the back

    of her neck with one hand while moving his other hand around her body seemingly removing her

    clothes in the process. He caressed his hands between her legs and slowly moved his longest finger

    inside her. Vi gasped in ecstasy. He continued the thrusts with a steady motion before putting

    another of his fingers inside of her. With every stroke he made, Vi screamed, moaned Can''s

    name. At this moment she did not care if she appeared to be needy. All she wanted was to melt in her

    mans arms and be the dirty bitch. Can slowly lowered his body while kissing every part of her torso

    before digging his face in herdy parts. Vi couldn''t hold herself and she giggled with heavy breaths;

    panting and moaning in pleasure.

    "Wait.." She gasped in surprise and moved her head in a circr motion "Did you hear that?"

    Can uninterestingly replied "What?" and continued to fondle her vagina.

    "I think I heard Einar."

    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Can looked up at her and furrowed his eyes. "Why would he be here? A grand ceremony is going on

    for him he must be busy with that."

    "I think I heard him. It was his cry of distress; like he was in pain." She whispered "Should we go and

    check?"

    Can sighed "First of all he would nevere to this part of the pack in the middle of his coronation. It

    is way too far. Secondly lets just say that he is in some kind of a situation than there are people who

    can take care of him." he raised an eyebrow "Besides, do you really want to go now when I do this.." he

    stroked his tongue in and out of her. Shepletely gave in to her temptations and started fondling her

    breasts.

    Vis moans of pleasure were seemingly bing louder and Can knew that she was close. Can

    than slowly grabbed her orbs and made his way to im her mouth again. He positioned his length in

    between her legs and teased her when he circled it around her loins of heat and snapped her with his

    penis.

    "Can we cant." Vi suddenly pulled back.

    "But why?" Can whispered nibbling her ears.

    "Its a full moon." He sighed and rested his head on the shoulders of thedy. The female wolf was the

    most fertile around the full moon. Since Can and Vi were not mated yet they did not want to irate

    the pack members by going all the way tonight. He caressed her a few more times and gave her small

    kisses all over her face before standing on his feet.

    Can smiled and picked up a giggling Vi. He swept her off her feet while he nibbled sweet words in

    her ears. He took her to the stream and submerged themselves inside the cool numbing water to

    diffuse their heat of lust. Both of them made their way to Vis home and snuggled each other in her

    bed.

    It had been a long time since Can met Vi as thetter was travelling for most the time the past few

    months. He was taken by surprise when she showed up tonight in a deserted ce where he himself

    could not recall how he came there.

    "How did you find me?" he asked all of a sudden twisting her hair strands in a circle.

    "My work in the foreign packs was finished before time so I wanted to surprise you. I visited the

    ceremony only to find out that you had left the ce with Aurora. I was on my way to her ce but was

    fascinated by the sudden disturbance of the sky and so my curiosity got the better of me."

    "What disturbances?"

    "I was afar so I couldn''t get a better look but it felt like the sky was touching the earth. There were

    strong winds and lightning. When I came closer, the sky was clear but I found you lying on the ground."

    Can could not remember any of it. And if the sky was thunderous tonight than rains must have

    urred. Than why didn''t he wake up from his sleep? Or why didn''t he wake up after hearing the

    rumbling of the clouds? It was strange for him.

    "So you just decided to pounce on your prey."

    "You were sleeping there without any shirt. There was something different about you. Every muscle of

    yours was gleaming and pulsing. I could not help myself; you were irresistibly mouth watering. I wanted

    you then, and as if you could hear my thoughts I saw the bulge in your pants and you know the rest."

    He remembered he wore a shirt at the ceremony. Why had he been half naked and lying unconscious

    on an abandoned ce? There were so many unanswered questions which were disturbing him. He

    wanted to know the truth from Aurora but right now he wanted to focus on his time with Vi.

    "That was a good way to wake someone."

    *****

    The next morning Can rubbed the remainder of the sleep from his eyes and gazed from the window

    at the horizon, watching the egg yolk sun pouring its light to its environment. The sun seemed different

    today. Never had Can been more enthusiastic about waking up from a sleep but today he felt alive.

    He looked at the beauty sleeping under the silk sheets on the bed and a loving smile stered his face.

    He dressed himself and made his way out of the room. He looked around to see that her parents and

    her brother were yet to arrive home. He reached the gardens to collect some flowers and present them

    to Vi as her wee gift. To his utter disappointment, all the tulip petals were shy and would take a

    day or two to blossom. Having no other alternative he plucked the flowers in its current state and

    marched towards the house. His legs were halted when the tulips all of a sudden blossomed in his

    hands.

    Can was bewildered.

    How was this possible? The flower was yet to reach its maturity and it blossomed all of a sudden right

    after it was plucked. It made no sense.

    He heard footsteps and he grinned from ear to ear when he saw Vi. He slowly presented the flowers

    to thedy but retracted his hands when he saw her crying.

    "What happened?"

    "Its my house. We need to go."

    Can did not need to hear any further. He gathered as much that something bad had happened at

    Vis new home. "Ill meet you there."

    With that, Vi turned into her wolf and tarnished the bushes to make her way to the woods. Can

    grabbed all his belongings and made his way to her house. He wanted to go with her but he knew that

    he would have slowed her down. After about a few minutes he reached her ce. The first thing he

    saw was an inconsble Vi who was beingforted by her brother. It broke his heart to see her

    this way.

    And then he saw it!

    Her entire house was brought down to ashes. The mes that consumed the air, demanded everything

    to turn into nothing. The heat radiating burned his eyes of agony. It was like someone had torched his

    insides. The little fire that was left was dancing to the tunes of the wind.

    The house was special to Can because he helped Vi built it. Their efforts to spend time together;

    to be together. It was their hideout from prying eyes. He had even nned to move with her once they

    were mated. But now everything was turned into ashes- their house, their dreams and their hopes to be

    together.

    The scorching bright sun hid behind the malevolent sky and soon raindrops kissed Can''s face. The

    little droplets helped to douse the fire and ease his heartbreak; but the damage was done. Vi had to

    move with her parents again. Owing to their respective duties both of them will now have little time to

    see each other as Vi lived in another vige farthest from Can''s vige.

    "You need to go home son." Vi''s father urged Can as he squeezed his shoulder lightly.

    The look on Vi''s fathers face was unnerving to Can. His instincts suggested that the fire is not the

    only tragedy to ur, perhaps more is awaiting for him in his home. He curtly nodded and sprinted his

    legs as fast as he could. Thankfully both their homes were not far from each other so he reached his

    ce in no time.

    His house looked deserted. The first thoughts in his mind were of his parents. He prayed for their

    safety. The rumbling of the sky was making the situation even more intense but today Can was not

    afraid of any of it. In fact he hardly even noticed it. He surveyed his house thoroughly but there were no

    signs of his parents. He tried to be optimistic about the situation but bad thoughts crept its way into his

    minds.

    He then went to his stable to search for Mary and Justus. As soon as he reached the ce his legs

    trembled, his body shook and he fell to his knees.

    Lying before him were two bodies. Lifeless. Unmoving.

    Their hair were scattered while it was stained by the now dried blood. The deady on their sides

    resting on the cold floor. The embracing wind flowed with itself the putrid stench of the flesh. But it was

    those eyes which ripped Can''s heart. It was those two pair of globes; helpless horrified and filled with

    sadness. His heart pounded as puzzling questions raced through his mind.

    Who did this? Why?

    A gentle hand squeezed his shoulder and Can sobbed quietly.

    "H-How did this happen mother?"

    "We really don''t know Cally. We were at the Alpha house the entire night, we left for home this morning

    but we could smell the blood from a distance. When we reached here we saw the horses lying on the

    floor, bleeding. It was toote to help them."

    These horses were special to Can. He had raised them from the time when they were a month old.

    Their mother had died and he took care of them ever since. They became his friends; an integral part

    of his lives. Witnessing them in this condition teared Can from the inside. But why would someone do

    such a thing? They were not killed for food that was certain as their body remained intact. The fences

    were not breached while there was no sign of resistance from the horses. It concluded just one thing.

    It was a murder.

    He caressed their manes with all his love and slowly closed the eyes of the animals. He did not miss

    the w marks which decorated their necks, back and their stomach. He cursed himself for binding his

    horses with knots but then how would he have known that they were unsafe in their own ce! who in

    their right mind would dare attack a mute helpless animal. The attack on Vis home and the stable

    cant be mere coincidences. It was a nned attack.

    But why?

    He never had any ill intentions for anyone as also Vi was not present in the pack for months now. So

    why target them? One thing was for sure - whoever did this had a motive behind his actions. The only

    probable reason he could think of was that the attacker detested his and Vis proximity. Well if this

    theory was true than Can had to act fast or the attacks would keeping.

    With deep breaths and strong determination Can looked at his mother. He swiftly moved strands of

    hair to the back of her ear and caressed her cheeks. He swiped the tear drops from her cheeks with his

    thumb and smiled at her consoling her in the process.

    "Don''t worry mother we will get through this. I must go and dug the burial pits to give them a proper

    internment. Meanwhile I want you to do something for me mother."

    Mary sniffled her nose and discarded her tears with the back of her hands. She nodded curtly and

    looked to her son. "You know the rules Cally, we cant cremate these horses, the packw wont allow

    otherwise."

    "I will take care of the funeral mother. I wont bury them in the packnds. I was asking for a different

    kind of help."

    Mary raised a brow. "What is it that you want me to do Cally?"

    "I want you to ask father to arrange an audience with the Alpha. The nexting full moon I am going

    to mate Vi as my chosen."

    ********

    Feedback is appreciated.

 Chapter 23: Nightmare

    Chapter 23: Nightmare

    Everyone stood at the front of the funeral with their heads down. Can held Aurora''s shaky hand the

    entire time. Elder Odulf was a mentor and like a father to her. His death broke herpletely. People

    said their prayers to the Luna and the body was buried ording to the rituals. They paid respect to

    thest rites of the man as he was the head of the elders.

    Einar on the other hand kept a factitious face of despair and ache for the entirety of the funeral. He

    really wanted to feel bad for the elder but deep inside he felt nothing. The elder knew what wasing

    for him. Whatever the reason, Einar was aware that killing the man only brought fear to his fellow pack

    members. This wasn''t how he thought his reign as the new Alpha would begin.

    To make matters worse, his mate was constantly dangling between Aurora and Vi. Either he was

    busy consoling the witch by giving her a shoulder to cry or he kept fondling his lover''s face as an act of

    his affection. Can was paying attention to everyone around but he never spared a nce for the

    Alpha. This infuriated Einar even more. He drew up various scenarios in his head to kill everyone who

    was dear to him. This way Einar would be the only person who he sees, who he cares about.

    Garrick was quite worried for his friend. He could not apprehend what Einar had became. He knew that

    the Alpha was creating a fa?ade only to please his pack members but deep inside he seemed relived to

    have killed the elder. This wasn''t the Einar he knew. His friend would never harm anyone intentionally,

    killing was a different game altogether. Though it was not as if he had never killed before but he always

    felt remorse where it mattered. This man right in front of him was different. Einar was mostly

    uninterested in interacting with the people in position. He had shut his mind link while he stole nces

    at Can. On asions his nostrils would re and he fisted his hands. Since Garrick had experienced

    the same vehemence, he knew what his emotions signified.

    ****

    It had been one whole week since the funeral. In the absence of elder Odulf, Aurora was handled the

    responsibility to be the head healer of the pack. Both Can and Vi had resumed their pack duties

    and managed their together time with great efforts. On the other hand Garrick and Einar had been

    drafting schedules for the uing trials and preparing the lists for the nominees. Einar was

    overwhelmed by the work and duties as the new Alpha. The first entire week he visited the viges and

    their chiefs and surveyed his pack area.

    But Einar''s mind had been distracted..

    The newly crowned alpha always used to think what his mate was doing and then his train of thoughts

    went to his lover Vi. Just the thought of them together made his blood boil. He also came to know

    that Can had requested an audience with him but he thought the probable reason for this meeting

    would be to discuss the unfortunate incident at his ce.

    Can on the other hand had been sleepless for most of his nights since the blue moon. The constant

    nightmares had deprived him of his slumber. Moreover the passing of his horses had saddened him

    deeply. The one good thing about it all was his constantpanion- the raven. Since the full moon the

    raven seemed to be more attached to Can. He was at his side for the most of his time.

    He decided to visit Aurora to find a cure for his nightmares.

    He entered her cottage and shouted her name trying to locate her. After repeatedly calling her he

    concluded that she was not present in the premises. He decided to wait for her until she came. He sat

    on a nearby chair with his eyes glued to the entrance. He was finding it difficult to kill time and so he

    decided to explore the ce. A door near arge table caught his attention. It had been a long time

    since he had visited the room so he decided to spend some time there until Aurora came back. He

    enthusiastically went forward and entered the room.

    The ce had been the same since Canst visited. Arge tree stood in the middle of the room

    whose branches were trimmed to the roof whereas itsrge trunk had some intricate designs carved

    out beautifully in the middle. One side of the room contained an open almirah where books of various

    kinds were stashed while the other side contained all her utensils and appliances used to make

    different kinds of decoction.

    However, Can''s eyes zoomed to the wall where five pots of different colors were lined up andy

    hanging in the air without any support. What made him curious though was that the five pots were

    colored in the same way his bracelet reflected. Blue, Brown, Yellow, White and ck.

    Was it just a coincidence?

    The man decided to delve further. Out of curiosity he slowly marched to the pots to discern the contents

    in it. With each step he took the colors of the pots sparkled. It was like watching dazzling stars on a

    new moon night. The glittering and sparkling of the pots fascinated Can''s mood more and more.

    When he was about to close the gap he heard distinct footsteps and he knew for once that Aurora had

    arrived. He stepped back and hid behind the entrance door of the room, he watched a shadow appear

    through the door. As soon as thedy entered her foot in the room Can appeared out of nowhere and

    screamed in his loud voice taking the poordy by surprise. Aurora was startled with the sudden

    onught and she screamed in fear, the bags in her hand fell while she closed her eyes and covered

    her ears.

    Fat tears rolled down Can''s cheeks as heughed his heart out. Hisughter was so free, so childish

    despite his adult years. On the other hand Aurora''s heart beats increased, her rhythmic palpitations

    elerated and she put hear hands to her chest probably making sure if she was still alive.

    She angrily smacked him "How many times have I told you not to ambush me in such a way. Goodness

    Luna the heart of a poordy!"

    "I-I am sorry. Its always fun with you." Can said between his hystericalughs.

    She gave him his own sweet little time toe out of his guffaw. She collected her bags and looked up

    to him. "So, what brings you here?"

    "Can''t I juste to visit an old friend of mine." He narrowed his eyes and pouted like a kid.

    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    "Yes you can." She sighed and started emptying the contents of the bag. "But I can assure you, you are

    not here to just meet me. Are you?" She put her bags to a nearby table.

    "Well you are right on that ount."

    "So get going with it."

    "Well.." Can continuously ticked his forefingers "I don''t know how to tell you but I am having these

    strange dreamstely."

    This caught Auroras attention and she asked curiously "What kind of dreams?"

    "Its actually just a single dream, more of a nightmare i''ll say but it has kept me awake all nights since

    the blue moon."

    Aurora knew that Can''s dreams were no longer a coincidence. She knew that the dreams signified

    something. Either it could be the urrence of the past or the visions of the future. So it was necessary

    for her to know what was transpiring in that mysterious mind of Can. "Full moon day you say.."

    Can nodded. Aurora grasped his arm and took him near the trunk of the tree in the middle of the

    room. She closed her eyes and muttered some verse. When she touched the tree trunk it opened its

    chest and a book engulfed by thick green vines appeared from it. It slowly released it leafy creepers

    and the book opened itself. Can remembered the thing as he had seen it before.

    "It is the book of the ancients." He raised a brow.

    "Very good Can. Now just stand ahead and try to remember what you saw."

    Can did as he was told. The book pped its pages until settling for a random one. It glowed a light in

    the air and a white cloud was formed vertically upwards of the book. The clouds slowly became

    transparent and images started appearing out of nowhere. Can was confused by the trickery of the

    book but soon he realised that the book was picturising the events from his dream.

    And then he saw it.

    It looked like the skies were angry. There were thunderstorms and the ground beneath was shaking.

    The gravels from the earth were uplifting themselves and vigorously rotating. All of a sudden these fine

    particles were moving in a particr direction like they were attacking someone. A loud roar could be

    heard as a ck wolf made its appearance piercing the thick fog. He looked angry and ready to kill a

    person who was standing a few distances away. He glued his bloody red eyes to his perpetrator and

    growled in anger. The wolf thenunched itself in the direction of the person but was held midway and

    thrashed to the ground by an unknown force. He tried to stand on his four legs but was unable to do so.

    The wolf struggled before finally transforming into his human.

    It was Einar.

    The person in front of Einar took slow measured steps towards him. Blood decorated his face as

    wounds and bruises covered his entire body. He limped slowly but painfully towards Einar as the once

    forceful winds now werepletely calm. Einar looked to his tormentor with a stoic face maintaining a

    brave exterior. He snarled when the person was close enough indicating him to stand back, to warn

    him. The bruised person stopped in his tracks and narrowed his swollen eyes. He slowly lifted his right

    hand fingers to circle it. As he did the motion, Einar''s face became red, the veins in his body bulged

    and it appeared to make its way by tearing the flesh. He was breathless as he tried to soothe his neck

    by rubbing his hands frantically up and down. He felt strangted like the air was leaving his body. He

    was struggling to survive..

    The clouds puffed and disappeared all of a sudden leaving the images in a blur before clearing out.

    Can was amazed by how vivid the pictures were. It was exactly what he had been dreaming. He

    closed the book and looked at a distraught Aurora. Her face mirrored horror while her eyes could not

    stop the beads which soaked her cheeks. Her mouthy hung open while her body was trembling with

    fear. She could not believe what she just saw.

    Can was about to kill Einar!

    This is not what was supposed to happen! Einar and Can were the two most powerful entities in the

    entire world. This sh of titans would only result in a catastrophic destruction! They would kill an

    entire pack. But why would they end up fighting? Weren''t they supposed toplete each other? The

    Luna paired them for a reason so what could let them going for each others throat? Nobody knew what

    the future holds but if Can was seeing this than things were serious.

    "Is this what you see in your dreams?" Aurora cautiously asked him.

    Can looked intently at his friend "Yes. The same for the past several days."

    "Have you told anyone about it?"

    "Archer." Can nervously smiled at Aurora. She sighed and lowered her head "What''s wrong? Was I

    not to tell him?"

    She shook her head. Letting people know about this dream was a bad idea. It may cause greater

    consequences. But right know she wanted to know the reason why this fight urred in the first ce.

    "Tell me Can when you see yourself killing Einar, what do you feel? I mean what were you going

    through?

    "What kind of a question is that!"

    Though she was being absurd but it was necessary to know Can''s emotional state at that moment.

    This way she could try to understand the situation better. "Please Can, it is important for me to

    know." She pleaded.

    Can narrowed his eyes and looked to the ceiling "I don''t know. I wasn''t happy; but I wasn''t sad

    either." He looked at her and almost whispered "Like him living or dead just means nothing to me."

    "Any remorse." Aurora almost choked.

    Can thought over it for a moment before saying "No actually." His reaction was not well taken by

    Aurora who was now fidgeting her fingers while her face was an anxious mess. "But why are you so

    bothered by it. It is just a dream. How can a person like me ever stand up to a person as powerful as

    Einar." He raised a brow and shrugged.

    Aurora was skeptical to reveal Cans true identity to him. She wanted to badly tell him how wrong he

    was to undermine himself. Can saw the worried look on her face and tried to ease her tension. "I

    don''t want to die young." he chuckled. But this act made the witch even more nervous "Rx! The

    dream has no significance." he tried to assure his friend.

    Aurora caught hold of herself as she knew she had to present a brave front or else Can would be

    suspicious "You are right. Just wait here."

    She quickly went to her cupboard to collect some of her decoctions and handed it over to Can "Take

    these before you sleep." She then took out an intricately designed hollow triangr bar to give to him

    "And put this besides your bed. It will keep the bad dreams away."

    By the looks of it Can knew that Aurora was stressing herself too much so to divert her attention he

    thought about shifting her focus to something else. "By the way this bracelet of yours is behaving very

    strange these days." He pointed to the ornament in his arm.

    Aurora gave him confused look "Strange as in.."

    "Blossoming flowers, chilly winds and some times even thunders. Just about yesterday the gravels on

    my way moved aside to make a clear path for me. I know it is supposed to help me but this is too

    much.. Just imagine if someone sees it. It would be hard to exin."

    She nodded "Indeed it would be hard to exin." hard to exin that the bracelet had no part to y in

    these strange happenings at all. She knew a situation such as this would arise sooner orter. "Well I

    have something prepared for you in the meantime." she took out another wristlet from her bag. The

    ends of the knot had eagle faces carved out of gold while the metal seemed heavy from the previous

    ones. "Take this."

    Can was fascinated by the metal piece but was in dubious mind whether or not he should ept it.

    The past few days have been really strange for him. Something had changed in him. He felt like a

    different person, like a sudden surge of power has emanated from his very core. It made him uneasy. "I

    think I should not wear it anymore. No offense but these bracelets are making me uneasy nowadays."

    Aurora smiled "Consider it as a present for your uing birthday."

    Can could not refuse it. He returned the old bracelet and wore the new one with a smile. He

    remembered his ns to mate Vi on his birthday and an innocent blush flushed his cheeks "Oh I am

    going to give myself a really good present this birthday." his eyes widened all of a sudden and he

    pursed his lips "Oh my goodness!" He eximed in panic "I totally forgot. I had to visit the Alpha

    chambers for the meeting. I''ll see youter Aurora." He tookrge strides and made his way out of her

    house leaving a bewildered Aurora behind.

    ****

    Einar was sitting in his desk attending to the various duties he was allotted. He had been very busy of

    of being an Alpha. Since the trials were yet to happen he was left with no option but to work with the

    people serving the previous Alpha- Ragnar. On the other side Ragnar, Peter, Justus and the others

    were trying to help the new Alpha get through.

    Einar submerged himself in heaps of papers which mainly belonged to the treaties, transfers and

    various other orders requiring urgent attention from the Alpha. His look of helplessness and boredom

    amused Garrick and he chuckled "Its different to see you this way."

    "Tired and sulking?" Einar scoffed.

    "Yes that." Garrick snickered "And taking responsibility. Its refreshing to see you this way."

    "Don''t worry. Your going to join me soon in this misery. You know I have been..." he left his words

    hanging mid sentence when the faint sweet aroma of a certain person fragranced the room. He

    nced at the door and saw Can talking to his father. He had worn a light blue shirt today while his

    sleeves outlined his muscles. His hair wasbed perfectly while his smile brought fluttering to Einar''s

    stomach. And then there were those green eyes! Those orbs were the most beautiful features of

    Can''s beauty. Einar could never take his eyes off him.

    But he remembered what Can had done.

    Einar huffed and quickly rposed his features. He was happy that his wolf had been eerily quite

    even when Can was near. He got tensed when he saw that the father-son duo were looking in his

    direction and approaching him but he could not fathom the emotions of his mate. He looked somewhat

    tensed and furious or maybe he was a bit disappointed.

    "Greetings alpha." Einar was so mesmerised by Can that he did not notice when his mate showed up

    in front of him. He just kept staring at him with an unknown expression. Garrick realised his friends

    unresponsiveness and tapped his shoulder.

    "Uh.. what?" Einar was startled.

    "Can is here for the meeting." Garrick replied.

    "Oh y-yes.. Go ahead."

    Can scrunched his nose and heaved. For some reason he was so angry with the man in front of him

    that he wanted to punch him in his perfect face. His breathings were levelled when his father rested his

    hand on his back to mollify him.

    Can sighed and said. "Alpha I request your time and patience to discuss two matters which are close

    to my heart."

    Einar dipped his head to the papers on the table and resumed his work. He uninterestingly replied. "I

    already have a lot on my te Ashton. I suppose you can handle your bullying issues on your own. You

    are not a child anymore."

    This only fuelled Can''s anger. Firstly, he always handled his bullies and neverined about it to

    anyone. Secondly, Einar seemed to take no interest in what he had to say..

    "I am not here to rattle out anyone. I havee to discuss something rting to me alone." Can''s

    anger was soaring.

    "Can''t it wait?" Einar scoffed.

    "No it can''t alpha." Can gritted his teeth seemingly unhappy with Einar''s behaviour. He just stared at

    the Alpha and refused to back down. He was so pissed at him that he almost forgot that this could ire

    the wolf and he could see it as a challenge. Einar on the other hand was hanging his patience on a

    loose thread. He did not wanted to harm Can but he could not ept behaviour of this kind mate or

    not.

    Ragnar saw this predicament and interjected "Son, Can is a part of the pack. He requested this

    meeting five days ago. He even gave a prior intimation about it. This must be something serious he

    wants to talk about, just listen to him."

    His fathers words calmed him a bit and he heaved a sigh "Continue.."

    Can took some pages from his hand and quietly kept them on the Alphas desk.

    "What are these?" Einar huffed in ignorance.

    "This is the list of nominees for the trials."

    "So?" Einar picked those papers and tossed them to his trash bin.

    The rude behaviour of the Alpha was not going down too well with Can but he knew that Einar was

    incharge and he had the power to do whatever he wanted. Can took a few breaths before saying

    "So. Why am I not named in this? There is no mention about Can Justus Ashton. Why?" he asked

    usingly.

    Einar was getting all worked up with the disrespectful tone of Can. His wolf was not having it. He

    wanted out and show him his ce. He snarled and before he could do anything else Garrick

    squeezed his shoulder and interjected. "You know how the trials work, right Ashton? There are

    hundreds of candidates eager to face to you in the open field. Not everyone likes you."

    "Oh I know that." Can chuckled "But that still doesn''t mean that I should notpete."

    "Do you know how many people have listed for the head warriors post. It is one hundred and three!

    Even a wolf cannotpete with so many people, you are just a human." Garrick tried to reason while

    Einar supported him "You wontst after the fifth match."

    "I wont back down from a fight even if it means I lose my life." Can said with finality.

    This bold confidence of Can was irritating Einar even more. Who did he think he was? Einar knew

    that his mate would notst after a few matches and he could get injured but he also knew how

    stubborn he was. Can would die fighting for his pride but wont back down. This was foolishness. "Not

    going to happen Ashton. No arguments."

    "It is my right Alpha." Can thumped his hands to the table. "And what do you have to lose. either I

    disy my proficiency as a fighter or I die as a fallen warrior."

    The rising tension between his son and the Alpha propelled Justus to intervene "If I may intrude Alpha

    Einar. I know you are worried about my son but it has been the tradition of the pack for generations.

    After me, the responsibly of the post falls directly on the shoulders of my heir. He has the first im."

    "He is right Einar. You cannot deny what rightfully is his. Let him fight and defend his position. If he wins

    he will prove his mettle to the entire pack which I''m sure of. However if he loses, than you can do what

    you deem fit." Ragnar added.

    Einar knew that every argument that was made was justified but how was he supposed to tell them that

    he cannot see Can in a battlefield! That he does not want him to get hurt or worse kill himself! That

    his own life depended on how long Can lives! He knew he was cornered and there was no more

    counter arguments, otherwise they would get suspicious and ask him his reasons for not letting Can

    participate. He ran his fingers through his head in frustration and sighed. "Alright then. He may have his

    chance but I will not be responsible for what happens in the battle field." He gestured his hands for

    Can to leave. "If you are done here you can leave at once Ashton."

    Can was happy that he finally got eptance to participate. Since he was at it, he thought of getting

    another permission. "I just have one more request Alpha."

    Einar threw his pen in irritation and crossed his arms leaning back to the chair. "Now what?"

    "The next full moon is..."

    "Is my birthday. What about it?"

    Can gritted his teeth. How self conceited and selfish one could be! How was he suppose to respect

    him as his Alpha when all Einar thought was only about his big ego. However Can knew that he had

    to please this thoughtless and inconsiderate being in front of him to get things done. He calmed himself

    and said "Yes Alpha but what I was saying was that I have decided to aplish an important life

    event which affects me deeply."

    "Just say it Ashton." Einar hissed through his teeth.

    Can looked to 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."

    ********

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 Chapter 24: Unanswered

    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.

    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.

    "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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 Chapter 25: Make A Wish

    Chapter 25: Make A Wish

    After the episode in the Alpha''s office, Can was taken to a nearby room to help him ease his anger.

    His face was red and all he could think of was rage, animosity and disgust for Einar. He huffed every

    now and then before mming his fist down on a table. The sudden action caught off guard Justus and

    Peter. Both of them stared at each other and then looked at the distraught state of Can. Peter

    courageously stepped forward and held Can''s arm to make him sit on a chair.

    "Listen here Can, I know you are angry but you have to calm yourself."

    Can lifted his head to look at the former beta. "Why is it always me? Why does he hate me so much?

    I did nothing as such to ire him back in the office. I wished to be a part of the trials because it was my

    right. I wish to mate Vi because we chose each other. Where have I gone wrong?"

    Peter looked at a distressed Justus and nodded at him when Justus was about to coerce his son,

    assuring him that he would handle the upset boy. He sighed and sat near Can "I know son that in

    your mind you feel what you are doing is correct. But a request to demand a chosen mate has to be

    done by a wolf. Moreover Vi has not found her mate, that doesn''t mean he is not alive."

    "But we are two consenting adults. Shouldn''t our wish be given consideration." Can tried to reason.

    "Yes it should but only when both the parties have a deceased mate."

    Indeed thew stated that only a wolf whose mate had died can put forth his plea to find a chosen

    mate. Vi never mentioned about her mate in the past few years because she had visited many a

    packs but always returned empty handed. On the other hand people who had visited the blue moon

    pack did not strike a chord with thedy. Thus she assumed that either her mate was not a wolf or he

    was dead. "No one imed her. Maybe her mate is no more." He looked at Peter with his eyes full of

    hope.

    "Did she feel that? Did she feel the death of her mate?" Can was dumbfounded on that question.

    "Mark my words Can; it doesn''t end well! Your father did told me about the rtionship of you both.

    Lets just say that I am disappointed in you."

    "But why?"

    Peter sighed and kneeled in front of Can. "We as animals are very possessive of our mates Can.

    For us meeting our other half is the most blessed moment of our life. To cherish this union, both the

    wolves gift each other the most sacred thing they posses- their purity. If however one partner was

    involved even in the act of kissing someone else, the other partner may go insanely deranged and

    loose his senses. It will be the biggest betrayal of his life. He may be unstable and his mentally ill

    behaviour may cost the pack greatly."

    "But.."

    "I know you haven''t thought about any of it when you established a physical rtionship with her but

    indulging in intimate contacts with other wolves is a crime and the werewolvesw clearly states severe

    punishments for such acts. So know this much son, Einar was a bit harsh back in the office but he

    wasn''t wrong and you should apologise to him."

    Can hunched in his position as his head lowered and his eyes filled in the tears.

    This meant that Can had to let go of Vi. Even if her mate was dead she could not choose him

    because he himself was not blessed with one, so his mate being dead was out of question which

    eventually meant that he could not put forward a request. It also emotionally weakened him because

    now his greatest fear wasing alive. He would be left with no one to love; no one to cherish; no one

    to spend the rest of his life with. He had lived a lonely life all throughout which was already affecting

    him deeply.

    He thought that he would have a chance at a mate but that was shattered when his father squashed

    any hopes of him having one. He thought that he would live a life with his chosen mate but he was

    once again robbed of the privilege. If he choses love from outside than he had to leave the pack and if

    he decided to stay than he had to endure the depression for being alone his entire life!

    Fate had always prejudiced him and his love life was nothing more but a mockery. None of his previous

    rtionships sustained. He had always failed in love.

    These thoughts broke him downpletely as his legs shivered and he kneeled besides the beta to

    tightly hug him. "This is my only chance at happiness; my only chance at life! I cannot mate any other

    shifter because the pack hardly epts me how will they ept my mate. Why am I to suffer this

    lonely life? Can I never have someone to love me!? Someone who I can love back. Someone to bear

    my children."

    Can was a crying mess. His shoulders hunched while his tear drops soaked Peterpletely. The

    former beta himself was having a hard time witnessing a wretched Can. Justus was hardly having it

    as he could no longer see the state his son was in. He cursed his fate and also the Luna for making his

    only son go through so many trials and tribtions in his life. He gulped his own sorrow and lend a

    and we love you immensely."

    ****

    On the request of his father Can unwilling marched his steps to Einar''s ce. The situation which

    urred back at the Alpha''s ce shouldn''t have had arised in the first ce. He knew Einar was right

    but he knew he was not wrong either. Nheless he was binded by thews and whatever the reason

    maybe, inciting an Alpha was disrespectful. He could have been severely punished or even banished

    by the pack. If he did not wished for matters to escte he knew that he should apologise to Einar as

    soon as possible.

    He entered therge mahogany doors and climbed the stairways to reach Einar''s room. He saw the

    door open and stood parallel to it. He was about to knock when he heard Einar saying "Its the beasts. I

    don''t love my mate but they do." Can''s eyes narrowed as his hand was left hanging mid air in act of

    knocking. He froze to his spot as his mouthy open and he gazed at both of them intently.

    Einar caught hold of the faint alluring scent of his mate and his feet turned his body on itself. He was

    glued to the spot while his brain just stopped working. Every part of him paused while his thoughts

    were put on a break. He slowly retreated his steps back and ced one hand on Garrick''s shoulder.

    With utter desperation he linked his best friend

    What do we do? Say something Garrick.

    Garrick himself was so astonished to see the person on the door that he forgot to breathe for a

    moment. When his friend linked him, he stuttered but reluctantly forced his body to maintain a tough

    posture.

    "It is impolite to intrude Ashton. What reason brings you here?"

    Can unconsciously shifted his gaze from Einar to the voice of Garrick "Uh.. I-I needed to speak with

    the Alpha."

    Einar just gulped as his ability to form words vanished.

    Do something Garrick. Make him go, I cannot face him now.

    Garrick quaffed and cleared his throat. "Whatever it is Ashton, I know it can wait. We are in the middle

    of something important, you can visit some other time."

    By the looks of it, Can knew that the friends were discussing something personal to them. But what

    he heard kept reying itself in his mind. He realized it was better to leave now ande backter as

    he did not wanted to ire Einar more than he already was. He slowly lowered his eyes, nodded his head

    and turned his back to leave.

    Both the friends heaved a sigh of relief. "That was close. Do you think he heard something?" Garrick

    asked curiously.

    "I don''t know Garrick. I don''t know." Einar whispered in apprehension while his eyes were glued to the

    entrance door.

    ****

    Can stepped out of his house in merriment. He wore knee long shoes, ck trousers and his favorite

    white shirt. The past few days had been emotionally draining for him. Vi was unwillingly sent to

    foreign packs beyond the sea to have her chance of finding her true mate. She reluctantly left the pack

    with a heavy heart leaving Can emotionally devastated. He kept himself locked for a few days but

    with some encouragement and love from his parents he was ready for aeback.

    Up until yesterday his mood had been slightly dull and dry but today his mood had been rather uplifted.

    He walked his feet for a long time before stepping on a small path. The small path than widened into a

    multicoloured sea shore where rocks big enough like boulders to small grains were present. Beyond

    the rocksy a beautifully stillke which mirrored the sky. Hovering above the sky was hispanion-

    the raven which pped its wings in cirction of the water body as if inspecting the area.

    At a casual distance near one such rockid ady with her back stick to the ground and legs crossed.

    Her headid on a small rockfortable enough to support her shoulders while her hands were

    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    crossed across her chest. From the high surface of thend she watched a buff muscr man inside

    theke waters trying his best to bnce his position. The man jerked his head in Can''s position and

    he waved at him cheerfully.

    Can than approached thedy and embraced her with a kiss on her forehead. "Am Ite?" He asked

    thedy.

    "Rather we are here early." She pointed to the man who was making his way to the surface "This idiot

    showed up at my door early before sunrise and spoiled my beauty sleep only to ask me what I wanted

    to eat."

    Can chuckled. "What did you say?"

    "I gave him a long list of options and here we are." Fayette arched her back and stretched her hands to

    sway away thezy bones. She than sat upright with her back supported by the rock.

    Can moved his head around before saying "But I don''t see any food."

    "Oh cause supposedly we were about to eat fish today which by the way was not even on the list." She

    stretched her lips and rapidly blinked her eyes at Archer who had just appeared behind Can.

    "Hey! don''t just me me. Can likes to eat fish too." Archer said with a raised brow before sshing

    all his catch in the basket ahead of him.

    Can just shook his head and chuckled at the typical behaviour of Archer. "Let us worry about the

    foodter. How about we go ahead with the procedure."

    Both the friends nodded in agreement and held each others hands before stepping their feet in water.

    Fayette gave a coin each to the men and held one tightly in her palms. All the three friends held the

    coin close to their mouth, brushed it with their lips and muttered something. After a while, each of them

    took few steps back and threw the coins in the water at a faraway distance with all their might. They

    smiled at each other and marched to return to their favored spot.

    On their way back, Archer just stopped Can by his shoulder and moved closer to his ear before

    whispering. "The mutt is watching is."

    Can just smiled and whispered back "I know."

    In fact Can saw Garrick hiding behind arge tree when he was arriving at theke. Garrick was

    smoldered by Fayette and he grinned watching her every movement. Can had known since long that

    Garrick had been following her wherever she went so it was not surprising for him to see him here. He

    pretended to not have seen him and went on his way.

    Archer was not having it. He never liked any of the wolves from Can''s pack since they misbehaved

    with his best friend. Therefore Garrick''s presence was only annoying him at the moment. "This is

    creeping me out. Is he following us? Is he on a secret mission or something? Is he here to watch you?"

    Archer red his nostrils. "Is he troubling you? If that is so let me handle him."

    Can suddenly jerked back and held Archer''s hand. "No! He is not here for us."

    "Then who? Me?" he scoffed "Is he out of his mind? Ill thrash him with just my punch." He raised his fist

    and smacked it to the other hand palm.

    Can sighed "Get a hold of yourself. He is here neither for you nor me. He is here for his mate."

    "Who?" Archer asked in his own trance but gasped when he saw Garrick''s line of sight directed at

    Fayette who sat near the boulder trying to make a fire. In that very instant while rubbing two stones

    against each other, one of her fingers came in between the rocks and she hurt herself.

    "Ahh.." The rocks fell down and she swayed her hand as blood started dripping from the injured finger.

    Not caring of the consequences Garrick paced his feet from the hiding and reached thedy in no time.

    He kneeled before her and took her injured hand in his own. He looked conflicted for a moment but

    quickly put her injured finger in his mouth and licked all the blood.

    Can, Archer and especially Fayette were bbergasted by the whole scenario. Fayette was so

    caught up in the moment that she failed to register that she was injured. She quickly recollected herself

    and prised her hand with force as if securing something precious to her. She stared at him with wide

    eyes and opened her mouth to curse him when Can and Archer showed up.

    "Are you all right." Archer took her hand in his own to examine her. This gesture infuriated Garrick and

    he growled.

    "What is with you mutt." Archer spewed at Garrick before Can elbowed him.

    Garrick was ready with his nastyeback but he held his breath when Fayette spoke. "How dare you

    take my hand. Who gave you the right to touch me." She retorted to Garrick.

    Garrick on the other hand was bewildered with the sudden outburst of thedy and he meekly replied.

    "I-I was trying to help."

    "And how did you help me exactly."

    Can just cleared his throat to gain Fayette''s attention. He gestured her to look at her hands. When

    her eyes fell on her palms she was astonished to see that the once injured and bloody finger was

    slowly as if talking to herself. "How is this possible!"

    Garrick smiled at her and opened his mouth to exin when Can interjected. "It is a wolf thing."

    Garrick just narrowed his eyes at him and tried to defy him but Can just made his eyes bigger and

    shook his head slowly as if warning Garrick to not say anything. He than looked at a bewildered

    Fayette and said. "I think Garrick should stay with us for a meal as a gesture for his deed. This is the

    least we could do to return the favor. Don''t you think Archer."

    Archer''s mouthy hung open and with a distaste he replied "Hell no! This mutt...ow" he was elbowed

    by an intently staring Can. Archer than faked his smile and said. "W-Why not. Be our guest mutt."

    Archer said through his gritted teeth.

    "So it is settled than." Can sped his hand. "Archer why don''t you help Fayette with the setup while

    me and Garrick collect some extra wood."

    Can motioned the wolf to follow him. Garrick hesitatingly shadowed him for a distance before uttering

    "I am not out here to have meal with you Ashton. I am here to stake my im. I don''t know if you

    realise this but the girl is.."

    "Your mate."

    Garrick was taken aback "I was about to say that she is mine but you are notpletely wrong." He

    narrowed his eyes "How did you know? Are you putting your nose in our personal lives now Ashton?"

    "Believe me; I have known for a long time now." Can chuckled but Garrick did not seem to buy it. "I

    have been reading the signs you know." Can than jumped in front of Garrick as their steps halted and

    he grimly looked at the wolf "But as a pack member and a good friend I would suggest you to refrain

    yourself from telling her the truth."

    Garrick loudly growled and grabbed Can by his cor. "Are you suggesting that I stay away from my

    own mate. What are your intentions Ashton?"

    Can sighed deeply "Calm yourself and please listen to me." He carefully removed Garrick''s hands

    from his neckline "Whatever be your im, she is not affected by the bond as you are." Garrick was

    dumbfounded for the moment as he knew that Can was right. The bond only affected wolf and other

    shifters. In some proportions it may influence other species but humans were always known to have

    been immune by it. Nobody never knew why. This was the reason inter-speices mating especially with

    humans had been prohibited in many packs..

    Garrick thought for a few moments. He suddenly looked at Can and asked him. "What should I do?"

    Can sighed "The only way left for you is to win her heart first. She is not ustomed to the traditions

    and rituals of the wolves. Our lives are more constrained, filled with rules and regtions. While she is

    more outgoing and does not likes to live by the rules. She will not willingly ept to be a part of the

    pack. A part of you."

    "What are you implying Ashton?"

    Can sighed and wet his lips probably finding a suitable way to make Garrick understand "I am not

    against you. I am just saying that I have spend my entire childhood with her and I know her. She is a

    free bird. She is a kind hearted girl and will stand for what is right even if her neck is on the line. You

    cant just merely expect her to give away her life and mould into yours so easily."

    "So you are saying that I should not pursue her?"

    "No." Can immediately shook his head "In fact I want to help you get her."

    "You want to help me... Why?" Garrick raised a brow in suspicion.

    "You are the one destined for her. I know no one will ever love her the way you would. You can bring

    the world to her feet. I want her to be happy and you are the person who can do that. You are a good

    man Garrick, what more could I ask for."

    Those few words from Can made himpletely speechless. In his mind he always considered

    Can an enemy. He felt that Can was responsible for him being an orphan, in fact he had never left

    any chance to degrade him and curse him for the deed. Of course that should have had a rebound

    effect from Can which was quite alrite with Garrick. The irony being that Can never reciprocated,

    never even raised a brow and took everything that came his way like he deserved it. Hearing Can

    praise him and wanting his closest friend to mate him, took him by surprise. "I don''t know what to say to

    that."

    He chuckled at Garrick''s bemused expressions. "Lets head back, they must be waiting."

    Both of them made their way back to theke side. The preparations for a roast were promptly made by

    the friends and they cooked the fish with crity. Garrick''s presence made the trio ufortable at

    first but Can made sure that he blends in perfectly well. Soon all of them gelled in and the cheerful

    banter got a head start. Garrick''s expressions were all over the ce as he was at times beguiled, at

    times angered and at times anxious over his mate''s deportments. But he was relieved as this was the

    first time since his visit to the human ce to be near Fayette.

    In his own haze he forgot that he was eyeing Fayette for a long time. She noticed this behavior and

    asked him "Is something bothering you?"

    Garrick gulped as he was caught in the act and quickly changed the focus from her "Not as such but I

    was wondering what you three did back in theke with the coin."

    This did the trick as Fayette chuckled in surprise. "So you saw that!"

    "Its a silly tradition of ours. As kids we heard rumors about thiske that when you offer a coin it will

    make your one wish true. We used toe here every month with other kids and throw coins for fun.

    But gradually we were the only fools left carrying the procedure to fulfil our wish." Archer replied with

    glee.

    "Hence wee here every once in a while and do our part. I know it sounds stupid.." Fayette added.

    Garrick quickly replied "No it sounds fun actually." The grin on his face refused to leave him while

    Can and Archer took note of his amusement "Can I also try it?" He asked Fayette.

    Fayette was surprised at the question and looked in the direction of her friends while Can nodded

    with a smile Archer just rolled his eyes and huffed. Archer gave his reluctant nod when Can squinted

    his eyes at him.

    Garrick took a coin from Fayette. When their hands brushed each other a tingling spread throughout

    his body. He quickly made his way to the water and entered knee length before throwing the coin at a

    distance and making his wish. He returned to the three friends with a happy and content face and

    unexpectedly sat near the open space besides Fayette.

    Garrick continuously stared at Fayette with admiration when Can cleared his throat and spoke "So

    now when we have all asked for a wish, it is time for the reveal."

    This caught everyone''s attention and they looked at Can. Archer swelled his chest and said with

    pride "I wished to be the strongest bear in the whole world."

    Can lowered his eyes and spoke meekly "I wished for Vi to find her mate and be happy." Archer

    kept his hand on the shoulder of Can to give himfort.

    Fayette''s eyes glowed when she spoke "I wished for the most loving and caring husband."

    This intrigued Garrick and without any sieve he admiringly looked at Fayette. "I wished a mate for life."

    Suddenly Can was bemused when a white mystical aura surrounded Archer, Fayette and Garrick. It

    glowed for a few moments before disappearingpletely. Can wondered if anyone else saw it.

    Fayette found it strange and a bit disturbing as she was wary of Garrick eyeing her the entire day but

    what took her by surprise were thest spoken words of him which she waspletely sure were

    attributed to her. She wondered what was wrong with the wolf. She opened her mouth to clear her

    doubts but was halted in her motion when the raven suddenly cawed, hovering above them and sat on

    Can''s shoulder in the next moment.

    The bird squeaked and cawed which made Can apprehensive and he jumped to his feet. He looked

    at Garrick with a grim face and almost whispered in horror "Someone stabbed the Alpha. Einar is in

    danger."

    ********

 Chapter 26: Stabbed

    Chapter 26: Stabbed

    Einar and Garrick had been on good terms since thetter''s unfolding of the truth. Einar on the other

    hand had been relieved to share everything with his best friend. His tranquility reflected in his moods

    and his work. It was as if a huge burden from his shoulders was being lifted and he felt lonely no more.

    Most importantly, Einar knew that Garrick would be in the frontline to help him, defend him with his

    mate situation now more than ever.

    Speaking of mates, Garrick revealed his own discovery and tryst with his bond mate to Einar. Garrick

    had a problem of his own as the mate in question was a human. The Alpha was apprehensive of the

    situation as a human mate would create quite a ruckus in the council. He promised Garrick that he

    would help him convince the council to ept Fayette as the pack member.

    ****

    It was a fine day in the packnds today. The sky was blue while the clouds were puffs of joy. Pure rays

    reflected from the sky as the light that touched the ground warmed Rosaline''s skin. Her crimson gown

    absorbed the sun rays at its best while her hair were perfectlybed with a few strands on her

    forehead dancing to the tunes of the wavy wind. She looked to the silent motion of the clouds and a

    small grin formed on her face. With that smile were two rolling beads dripping from her eyes.

    She was remembering someone dear to her.

    Today was the day when her pack was massacred. Lives were lost and people had to flee to save

    themselves. Among the deceased were her parents and her little brother. The bloodbath assured that

    no mortal remains be present at the scene. That was the reason she could not bury her people with the

    respect they deserved.

    To pay homage and honor her people, she and Einar decided to pay a visit to her previous pack.

    Though she was quite reluctant and scared to go there, it was the Alpha''s encouragement that brought

    a pinch of courage in her.

    Einar stood beside thedy "Lets go."

    "Are you sure we don''t need any guards with us. I mean those people are hostile." She fidgeted her

    fingers.

    Einar took her fidgeting fingers in his hand and smiled at her "I know you are worried but we are not

    going there for war. Besides I have already informed the Alpha and taken his permission."

    "You don''t have to do this.."

    He caressed her cheek "Yes I do." He kissed her forehead "You are my responsibility now. Good or bad

    we share it both."

    This brought a smile to Rosaline''s face while both of them turned into their wolves and started their

    journey to the pack of Idris. They ran for quite a while before reaching the pack beyond the mountains.

    They quickly changed into their human forms and dressed up to meet the Alpha of Idris pack.

    When Einar and Rosaline arrived at the pack borders they were forced to wait for hours. Initially Einar

    thought that it was a required precautionary measure so he kept his calm but soon his patience was

    waning. He contemted barging in, breaking the chain of warriors stationed at the border but it would

    show his disrespect and dishonour towards the pack and its Alpha. Moreover Rosaline needed him to

    be with her.

    After agitating hours of wait, a middle aged petite man was seen from a distance. He was short in

    stature and had a thin moustache while his hair were all ruffed. He carried a walking stick and a slew of

    bodyguards surrounded him as if a procession was being carried out. With a smug look on his face he

    said "Wee Son of Ragnar, Alpha of the blue moon pack. I have been waiting for you since you

    announced your wish to visit us."

    "I can see that." Einar remarked sarcastically.

    The petite man tilted his head and looked at Rosaline curiously "I think I have seen you somewhere..

    Have we met before youngdy?"

    The anxiousness in her faltered her stance for a moment but Einar held her hand infort and she

    "Ohh... So I suppose you are here to reminiscent the past memories or perhaps collect a souvenir."

    Einar growled at the Alpha for hisment. "Wee here in peace Alpha Lothar. It is already tough

    for my luna to be in a ce where her family was killed. Don''t make it hard for us." He uttered thest

    part as a warning.

    With a fake smile and a mysterious glint in his eyes, the Alpha rebuffed Einar. "Of course youe in

    peace! I can see that you have brought no one but yourself to my packnds. So you see; you are in

    no position to make threats here son of Ragnar." He rested both his palms on his stick and curled his

    fingers.

    Einar sighed as he realised why the Alpha took so long to meet him. His sudden visit must have alerted

    Lothar of a surprise attack. The Alpha''s instincts would have forced him to be insecure and extra

    cautious. He must have searched the perimeter or its nearby areas to make sure Einar brought no men

    with him.

    Einar just huffed in amusement when he thought about it "You think I would require an army if I were to

    attack your pack! Believe me Alpha I have no aspirations to take over such a puny pack like yours. I

    alone am capable of destroying the whole pack if I so wish."

    Lothar was enraged with Einar''s audacity to challenge him in his own ce. He was na?ve and

    underestimated the power of Einar''s beasts. He wanted to react, however he kept his grin intact while

    his eyes expressed rage and defiance. "Well well well. Peace it is." He exhaled a long breath "I, Alpha

    Lothar of the Idris pack, wee you Einar Ragnar knight and his mate Rosaline to my pack." With

    that, the Alpha left in arrogance without even actually inviting the guests in. Einar knew it was

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    disrespectful but he did not wanted to create a fuss.

    A young man who had simr features that of the Alpha arrived at the scene and meekly smiled at

    them. "Hello my name is Bryce. I apologise on behalf of my father. His ambitious nature has made him

    power hungry and conceited. He is always rude to outside people and hence we have no alliance."

    "And why are you telling us this?" Rosaline asked to which the man merely just smiled. Einar on the

    other hand nodded at him as he understood what the young man was implying. He wanted to rece

    his father and for that he needed help. Indirectly he was hoping for Einar to help him in his mission to

    oust his father.

    Bryce took it upon himself to tour the guests and make them visit the ce they wanted to see.

    Rosaline took charge and memories of her previous life flooded her brain. Every path, every house

    even every tree took her down in memorynes of her beautiful past. The strong waves of nostalgia

    yed with her emotions as sheughed and cried all at the same time. She then halted her steps to a

    deserted house.

    It looked like a giant had sat on the roof of the house for it sagged terribly. The windows were gaping

    holes for the winds to rush in and out and the door rested on its hinges at a jaunty angle. With shivering

    legs and glossy eyes Rosaline stepped slowly but cautiously towards what was supposed to be her

    home. She requested Einar and Bryce to wait outside.

    The two men sat on arge tree log nearby while the Alpha''s son ordered tea for the guest.

    "So what do you think?" Bryce asked suddenly.

    "Is it a right ce to talk about such things." Einar swept his eyes around.

    "No one is here at this ce right now. I don''t know if we would get any other chances."

    "Why are youpelled to do this." Einar sighed after sipping some tea from the cup "I mean shouldn''t

    you be the alpha right now. You seem of age."

    "Yes I do. " Bryce chuckled "I havepleted my training in the kingsnd years ago but when I came

    back I saw that my father had changedpletely. He wanted to amass as much power as he could,

    he was reluctant to stand down from his position and still is. His and my opinions arepletely

    different. I am not ''worthy enough'' for him." He huffed and lowered his eyes when a treacherous bead

    left his eye "The hunger for more has already caused the lives of my mother and my younger brother. I

    don''t want the same fate for my sister."

    Einar deduced that whatever Bryce was speaking was true indeed. Still, meddling in other pack

    business can breach thew of trust amongst packs. If he intervenes here, other packs may take

    objection to it cause Idris has done nothing of sort to provoke the blue moon pack.

    Einar sighed "Lets discuss this some dayter. I will try my best to do what I can and you are invited for

    a visit to the blue moon pack whenever you deem fit." Einar squeezed Bryce''s shoulder in assurance to

    help him out the way he can.

    As if on cue Rosaline came out of the house with a bag whose contents struggled to peek out of its

    container. She smiled at Einar and said "Lets go; I am done here." She than looked at Bryce with

    gratitude "Thank you for helping us out."

    "Its my pleasure." Bryce reciprocated the grin.

    "Please let the Alpha know that we are obliged for his generosity and look forward to do business with

    him." Einar blinked an eye as both the men chuckled at the sarcasm.

    The pair than made their way out of the pack house and decided to walk a few distance before

    changing into their wolves. They had to walk a few more distance of the lone deserted meadow before

    the lush green outskirts of the forest began. They halted in their path when they heard distant footsteps

    thumping its way at faster rate. They looked back and saw a wolf heading their way. When the wolf

    reached the duo, it hid behind a big boulder and changed its appearance into a beautiful girl. The girl

    breathed heavily; she was frantically looking behind her shoulders and to her sides.

    "Who are you?" Asked a perplexed Rosaline.

    "You must run. They areing..." The girl looked scared as drops of precipitation covered her entire

    face.

    Looking at her distraught state Einar guessed something was suspicious and took initiative to probe

    further "You look familiar to the man we just met. Are you rted?"

    She briskly nodded her head. Einar sighed "Tell me what''s wrong."

    "M-My father. He... He wants to kill you." Rosaline gasped while Einar chuckled at the stupidity of the

    Alpha.

    The girl shivered when vibrations from beneath the ground were felt as they witnessed a few number of

    men heading their way in a casual manner.

    Einar closed the gap between him and Rosaline and hid her behind his back. He looked behind his

    shoulders and mumbled "Take the girl with you and find Garrick. Tell no one else. I will handle this

    myself."

    Rosaline nodded as she knew there was no point arguing. Einar was capable to take on every single

    one of them with ease. She grabbed the girl''s hand and made her way to the pack.

    Einar stood firm at his position. He crossed his hands on his chest and intently looked at the

    approaching group of men. The only person he recalled was the one who seemed to lead the group.

    He was the head warrior of the pack. What also intrigued him was that the Alpha was absent in his own

    n of action.

    The group of men stood in front of Einar at a distance. They formed a human chain blocking Einar''s

    view to the front.

    "I suppose the girl has ratted us out." The buff muscr man smirked.

    Einar nodded "The question is not whether the girl spoke about you. The question is... Do you really

    want to go through with it." Einar''s smug look said it all.

    The buff man chuckled "Your reputation exceeds you Alpha but let me tell you this, son of Ragnar... We

    Einar huffed at his stupidity. "Alright then" He uncrossed his hands and stood in attention while he

    clenched his fists. "Who wants to go first" he said menacingly.

    All of a sudden the smirk on Einar''s face vanished as he gasped taking in more breath. His lips

    quivered and he fell to his knees. He widened his eyes in surprise as he looked behind his shoulders

    and saw the old petite man leaning towards his ear.

    "I want to go first." He chuckled and startedughing hysterically.

    Einar could feel the surge in his pain as he tried to recover the dagger which was pierced right into his

    spine. As he was trying to reach for the metal he noticed that the Alpha was now standing ahead of

    him.

    "Not so powerful anymore right. The more you struggle the more the Alsim will infuse into your blood

    stream you see." Einar was horrified. Indeed the Idris pack hade well prepared. Silver was already

    potent enough to make Einar weak and to make it worse the metal had been infused with the wolf

    poison. Einar could deduce that the metal had been dipped in a strong dose of Alsim. He could already

    feel his nerves failing to flow blood and his muscles seemed unmoving.

    The Alpha looked at a struggling Einar "I have been preparing for this day for a long time now.. Do you

    remember your horrible birthday?" Einar look startled as he squeezed his eyes. "Ahh.. you do

    remember. Did you know how many months it took me to gather such a huge army but you and your

    people killed them like rodents." he hissed angrily "I underestimated you powers back then but I

    realised my mistake and began to amend my n."

    "Why are you doing this?" Einar said between his muffled breaths.

    "You still don''t get it? Its all about power. I am done overtaking those small, diminutive packs. Their

    resources gets used up real fast. However when I stumbled upon your pack, my eyes gleamed in

    hunger. Those green luscious forests, the big open space for festivities, the massivend that stretched

    from mountain to mountain. I wanted that; I wanted that all to myself."

    The Alpha grabbed Einar''s chin "But there was one slight problem. I observed that their are no border

    patrols for such a big pack. When I gathered some information I came to know that the formidable spirit

    has blessed your pack and the Alpha possessed it. So I made a n of attack when the pack was most

    vulnerable."

    Einar chuckled "Your sources failed to tell you that there were two spirits in the packnd that day."

    The Alpha scrunched his nose and jerked Einar''s face to the side with a force. "I admit that it was a

    mistake. I failed miserably, but as they say you learn from your mistakes. If I had to take on your pack I

    realised the only barrier I had to eliminate was YOU."

    The attack on the pack was several years ago. Lothar must have known that Einar was away from the

    pack in those years. It was ample amount of time to strike again but Einar wondered why Lothar did not

    use this opportunity. "Why wait so long? You could have taken me out in the following years."

    "Gathering an army requires time my boy."

    "Certainly you had some help." Being able to take on a pack ten timesrger than yours was not a

    small feat. What bothered Einar though were the number of ferals that were present in the attack. They

    equalled the number of people the Idris pack had. It was clear that Alpha Lothar had outside help.

    Someone who had his own agenda against the blue moon pack must have aided Lothar. The question

    remained- Who could it be?

    "People have ulterior motives my friend. As the saying goes, an enemy of an enemy is a friend." he

    smiled with arrogance. "We had been nning on attacking your pack this full moon day. The n was

    simple; lure you out, iste you and kill you. But just look how our fortunes have turned out to be." He

    giggled menacingly "You showed up on my doors and made my job facile. Now I will easily take over

    your pack."

    Einar huffed as he bared his teeth to the alpha "You have to kill me to do that."

    The Alpha justughed at Einar and slowly retrieved another silver metal from his sleeves. "That''s not

    going to be a big problem now. Is it?"

    The knife met Einar''s flesh and made a squish as the tip of the de sank deep enough to make Einar

    scream. The Alpha twisted the des in his hands all the while sinking it deeper and deeper. Einar''s

    skin was tearing as the knife rotated in his abdomen. The sound of his muscles and nerves being

    gauged was growing louder. The Alpha jerked the knife all the way inside Einar until the metal had

    disappeared inside him. Einar cried through his excruciating pain, guttural chokes mixed with an

    agonised roar. He sunk to his side, convulsing and trembling like a rabid animal. Soon thick blood

    started flowing through the stabbed holes.

    "Goodbye son of Ragnar." The Alphaughed maniacally. "Safe journey to heavens."

    Einar felt his life slipping away as the men of Idris pack surrounded him, probably waiting for the entire

    life source of his body cascading away and killing him. He could see the menugh, cheer and curse

    him in their victory. He barely managed to keep his eyes open. The pain that once burned like fire had

    faded away to an icy numbness. ck filled the edges of his vision and the only thing he could hear

    was his own heartbeat. The warriors of the pack swarmed him trying to make sure he breathed hisst

    today. Amongst the cheerful heads in a circle, he could see the sky through the gap hole in the middle.

    He could see the beautiful blue sky and the ck raven hovering above their heads.

 Chapter 27: A Trip To The Mountains

    Chapter 27: A Trip To The Mountains

    Lothar and his men were low on forbearance. Just as he thought that his job was done, he was left

    disappointed for Einar still lived. He waited for a long time and stood guard near Einar to make sure he

    breathed hisst but that was not happening soon enough. He was puzzled for Einar''s resilience as the

    poison he used was enough to kill ten wolves at a time. He used all that heavy dose on this powerful

    Alpha and he still managed to hang by a thread.

    Lothar huffed in frustration and ran his hands through his hair "I cant take the risk. Arrange another

    knife for me and make sure you double the dose this time." One of his men bowed and ran to the

    opposite direction to do the said job.

    A vicious grin colored Lothar''s face when he saw the man returning with a glimmering metal. The man

    carefully handed over the knife to his Alpha and backed off. Lothar raised the knife in air andughed

    hysterically "My fellow soldiers, from this day on the blue moon pack will be ours. No one can stop us

    now.." He lifted his foot and crushed it above Einar''s chin "I have done what no one could dare think of.

    The blue moon pack will bow to me because their mighty Alpha has fallen.." The people around him

    jeered and hailed their Alpha. Lothar gripped the metal firmly and aimed at Einar''s head this time,

    making sure that blue moon Alpha is done once and for all.

    As he was about to lower his hands a glint of light caught his attention and what followed was a sickly

    caw. A bird with grievous eyes and ink stained wings, seemed to float over him with a swift movements

    of its feathers. It pped its wings and circled the men from above, booming its caw to the extreme.

    The jarring caws were sickening as it pierced through the men and brought little shivers to their body.

    After circling the men a few times, itnded on a tree branch which was directly opposite of Lothar and

    bobbed its head up and down. Lothar found this behaviour unusual and rather tried to ignore the ck

    bird. He was wary of the raven as its eyes bored continuously into the eyes of Lothar.

    The Alpha just gave a fit of petty annoyance at the bird and lifted his hands once more. As soon he did

    the motion a loud noise of fluttering wings could be heard from a distance. What followed left the entire

    pack stand in disbelief. A swarm of dark feathers covered the skies and painted the space above them

    in ck. They cawed and hovered above the men before settling; upying the branches of every

    nearby tree.

    Lothar and his men looked in dismay at the scene unfold. Some were even trembling in their feet as the

    ck birds were considered the bringer of bad omen while some believed they opened the door to hell.

    Lothar was wary of the intently gazing eyes which surrounded himpletely but he was over

    confident of himself and undermined the signs in his arrogance. He ordered his frightened men to

    brace themselves as he lifted the metal one final time.

    Lothar could do no more as the birds took off leaving the branches naked. They cawed and bellowed

    and aimed their beaks to the faces of the lowly people. Soon the men were dressed in ck from head

    to tow as the birds scratched every part of their bodies with their beaks and their ws. The men cried

    in pain as they tried to free themselves from the painful stings of the determined birds. The Alpha was

    astonished by the sudden unprovoked attack and made an effort to save himself from the onught.

    On one such instance he caught hold of a bird and strangted its neck to thrash it down to the

    ground. What followed left him bewildered in veneration.

    The fallen crow had turned to ashes.

    Lothar understood that these were out of the world creatures and should not be messed with. He

    instructed his bleeding men to retreat and return to the pack. The men heeded the order and struggled

    their way back home amidst the attacks of the birds.

    ****

    With haggard breaths and an insecure mind, Can, Garrick, Fayette and Archer followed the raven

    blindly putting their trust on the bird. Though Fayette and Archer did not have any fondness for the

    Alpha they were still worried because deep in their conscience they knew it was a matter of life and

    death. Can on the other hand was apprehensive for a disturbed Garrick. He could clearly see the

    distraught and worried face of Garrick. He wanted to dispel his fears and put his mind to rest but

    decided against it.

    When they reached the spot the first thing they saw was the blood stainednd. The ground was

    colored with crimson patches all around. On approaching further the volume of redness increased as

    they could see a body lying to its side covered in a pool of blood.

    It was Einar.

    Garrick screamed his best friends name in absolute horror, assuming the worst for him. In his apathy

    he failed to take note of his nerves. Thankfully Archer was another shifter in the d and reassured the

    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    members that Einar was still alive. Garrick soon kneeled in front of Einar''s chest and convulsed his

    shoulders, trying to wake him up. He scrutinised thepletely infused knife and decided to detach it

    from Einar''s body. As soon as his hands reached the metal Can screamed. "NO! DONT DO THAT."

    Garrick retreated his hands in a jiffy, astounded by the sudden interjection. Can took charge and

    urged Garrick to step aside. He then diligently but carefully held Einar''s head and cradled him on his

    worsen." Can cautioned Garrick.

    Garrick moved back a bit and looked around. He closed his eyes and sniffed all the smells around him.

    "I cant sense Rosaline anywhere."

    Archer and Fayette followed suite to look around for signs of Rosaline. Right then Archer noticed

    something "Why is his face all blue?" He said looking at Einar.

    Can closely watched Einar''s face and pursed his lips. "Perhaps he has been poisoned."

    "But his mouth is free of foam." Fayette reasoned.

    Can held Einar''s chin to open his mouth. He saw no traces of the poison being swallowed but he was

    sure that Einar was injected with it. However if not taken through his mouth than... "The knife!" Can

    uttered in realisation.

    As if stabbing him wasn''t bad enough that Einar had to endure the pain of the piercing knife which was

    him to Aurora. Only she can help him now." Garrick said in a panicked voice. He looked at the three

    people surrounding Einar "The pack must not know. It will create a state of panic among them and if

    the word goes out we will be left vulnerable."

    "Why are you looking at us?" Archer squeezed his eyes at Garrick. Surely the words of Garrick could

    be interpreted as a tant distrust among the ''outsiders''. He gritted his teeth and looked at Can and

    Fayette before uttering "Are you trying to say that we will sell you out mutt?"

    "No! I have faith in you two." Garrick quickly retorted. He did not wanted to seem like a viin in this

    scenario.

    "Than what do we do?" Fayette asked worriedly.

    "Take him to my house. It is the closest from this ce and we will call Aurora there." Can

    suggested.

    All the other three people nodded at each other. Can''s house was in istion with less people

    staying around. This would be advantageous for them to help Einar stay away from prying eyes. "That

    seems like a good idea." Garrick said.

    Can nodded at Garrick "Help me get him up."

    Garrick adhered to the request and quickly went near Einar''s body to help him get up. He put one of his

    arms around his shoulder while the other arm was held by Can. However when Garrick was about to

    move a step further he faltered in his ce. A sudden surge of pain dominated his head as he

    squeezed it with his fingers to make it go away. Archer looked at his condition and asked out of

    curiosity "What happened to you all of sudden?"

    "I don''t know. I am just feeling uneasy."

    Fayette took a step further and looked at the blue linings around Einar''s wound "It is Alsim; the wolf

    poison!" She gasped "Garrick you must step aside. Archer help him out."

    Archer reced Garrick and all of them made their way to the outskirts of the blue moon pack on the

    western boundaries. Can''s house stood aloof from the rest of the ce. It was close to the foot of a

    mountain where a small river flowed through its backyard. Since the settlement there was rare, it was

    an ideal ce for Einar to heal. Can in the meanwhile had sent the raven to fetch his friend and

    healer.

    The men took the unconscious Alpha to Can''s room and helped himy on his side on the bed.

    Archer than tore Einar''s shirt and trashed it outside. Fayette on the other hand brought a wet cloth and

    carefully cleaned the surrounding area of the wounds.

    Soon Aurora appeared from the door. She was staggered a bit after witnessing the mighty Alpha lying

    in a vegetative state. She quickly sat near the edge of the table and examined Einar''s body. Suddenly

    she jerked her hands back and sighed heavily pursing her lips.

    "How bad is it?" Garrick asked.

    "It is not good at all. The poison has started entering his blood stream, had it not been for his beasts he

    would have died after a few brief moments of injecting it."

    "What kind of poison is that?"

    Fayette raised her brow "I know what it is. It is called Alsim."

    "How do you know about it?"

    Fayette quickly replied "We grow them." Garrick still looked doubtful so she further added "It may be

    poison for you but we grow them as medicinal herbs." Her eyes met that of the wolf and both stared at

    each other. Confused by the constant ring she nervously backed away and looked at Aurora "So

    what do we do now?"

    "We have to give him the theriac but I don''t have all the necessary elements now."

    Garrick stood up with a jerk "What do you need? Just tell me and I will get it for you."

    Aurora held Garrick''s hand when he was about to run for the door. "It is not that easy Garrick."

    "Tell me Aurora." he pleaded

    She sighed and quickly looked at Can before replying "We would require a handful of ponic weeds,

    the Alsim shrubs and the purple grass."

    Can formed an ''O'' with his mouth and heaved a long breath of exasperation. Aurora looked quite

    pitiful herself. Noticing their expressions Archers interest perked "Why do you both look so stressed?"

    "We can arrange the other two items but the purple grass grows in the peak of the mountains of

    Elenoir." Can replied

    "So what is the problem?"

    "The mountain is covered in snow at this time." Can replied.

    Aurora stood up and slowly marched to look outside the window. The Elenoir mountains were famous

    for a lone standing tree. Beneath the treeid a bed of long tipped purple grass which had strong

    medicinal properties. The problem being that the grass was avable only for a quarter of a year when

    there was no snow. However the majority of the trouble was to get there in these harsh weather

    conditions. It was an unachievable task. Only a divine power could help them now.

    Aurora sighed and suddenly gasped as her eyes were gleaming with hope. She looked at her friend

    "Can can I have a minute." Can nodded and went after her outside the room "I want you to go to

    the Elenoir mountains."

    "But why?" he squeezed his eyes "You know it is worthless to try. What would I even find there?"

    "If anyone can bring those grass right now its you Can. You have to take the risk. Just believe in

    yourself and this.." she pointed to the bracelet in his hands.

    Can paused for a moment before saying "But it would be freezing up there. How am I supposed to

    ditch that?"

    "You will find a way. Think of it as chance to prove your worth to Einar. Besides he does not have much

    time left. I can only prolong his life by another three days at the maximum."

    Can curtly nodded and fiercely looked at the road ahead "I will go."

    ****

    Amid Garrick''s persistence to join the expedition to the mountains he was denied his request. Aurora

    thought that his being here was necessary to handle situations if something goes awry. Meanwhile

    Rosaline had made her appearance with a young girl in the Ashton house. She was found by a

    wandering Arthur near one of the borders and decided to help her. He connected with Garrick and took

    the pair to Can''s house. Thus Arthur was now part of the secret too.

    It was decided that Archer would bring in weeds, Fayette would go collect Alsim shrubs and Can

    would be joined by Arthur to fetch the purple grass.

    The Elenoir mountains were beyond a terrain of river with strong currents. They managed to cross the

    river with great difficulties and marched their way to the foot of the mountain. The wind flew effortlessly

    yet with each footfall both the men struggled to strengthen their foot forward. The path was rocky and

    steep in a chaotic way. What fascinated Arthur though was the way Can was carrying his gait. Being

    a human he showed resilience andnguorously braved the extreme weather conditions. When they

    had reached halfway of their journey the fog was so dense that it was impossible to look at a distance

    beyond ones arms stretch. However, Can walked confidently ahead as the fog thinned instinctively

    like it was making way for the handsome man to move forward.

    "This is amazing!" Arthur was astonished.

    "What?"

    "I thought the trip would be quite troublesome owing to these extremities but now when I am here I

    assume that the weather gods have became lenient towards us all of sudden."

    "What are you talking about?"

    "Did you not see! The river currents down below are always wild as far as I remember but not today.

    Even the path from the foot of the mountain up till here is uneven filled with small rocks and gravels but

    the path was clear when we arrived and now when we are reaching the snonds the fog is

    disappearing automatically. It is like magic!"

    In his mission to secure the grass Can had became so absorbed that he forgot the bracelet would

    create some magic and help him. The fact that Arthur was taking a note of these changes was

    worrisome. Aurora had always warned him not to reveal the secrets of the bracelet to anyone or use its

    powers in front of anyone. But the bracelet had been acting on its own which increased Can''s

    worries.

    "You think too much." Can nervously chuckled and without looking at Arthur he marched forward to

    reach arge tree bending to a side with the weight of the snow. Clouds swirled around them in an icy

    greeting while the snow coated the entirend ahead. Can gestured Arthur toe near the tree and

    start digging. To his knowledge he knew that the magical grass grows near the singlerge tree in the

    entire mountains.

    When Arthur reached the spot he started digging the snow to remove the nket of ice. He almost dug

    around the circumference of the tree to rejig thend to its original green and brown color. He was left

    disappointed as thend he dug was barren. There was no sign of any life on thends near the tree.

    "What do we do now?" Arthur asked dejectedly.

    Can had no answer for this question. Aurora had said to believe in himself and find the answer within

    but what was he suppose to do exactly? He looked to the carved eagles of the bracelet and decided to

    go with his mind and use the powers on its own. He kneeled on his right leg and touched the ground

    with the palm of his hand. He closed his eyes and concentrated solely on connecting himself with the

    earth below.

    Arthur was perplexed for a moment at Can''s behaviour but he gasped and his eyes widened like

    saucers when he felt light tremors from the earth below. Small grass roots were stemming from the

    barrennd covering it entirely in green. He was also surprised at the fact that the snow was unaffected

    by the tremors while it seemed that Can was unaffected by his surroundings too.

    The grass roots rapidly shot up to knee length. After reaching a sizeable extent the tip of the vegetation

    slowly started changing its color and turning into bright purple shade. Arthur left his mouth hung open

    for the entire time.

    "How...How did you.. you do that?" he stammered as he struggled to maintain his serenity. Can

    opened his eyes when he heard Arthur''s voice. He stood up on his legs and faced a bewildered Arthur.

    He took a step forward when Arthur unconsciously stepped back in apprehension.

    "I promise there is an exnation for this but you have to keep this a secret from everyone."

    Arthur did not hear any of it as he stared in utter disbelief. "You are a warlock!"

    "No.. No." Can chuckled in embarrassment "No I am not."

    "Than what was that and don''t deny it cause I saw it with my own two eyes. The grass just grew on

    itself. How is it even possible!"

    "I will exin it to youter but right now we have to help Einar. You with me?" Arthur slowly but

    cautiously nodded. His brain froze for a moment for he contemted whether to trust Can or not. His

    train of thoughts was interrupted when the raven suddenly showed up out of nowhere and sat on his

    shoulder. Can was really surprised at this fact cause the bird was never friendly with any other being.

    It preferred being alone and was mostly hostile to anyone who was even near him. In fact he

    remembered one such instance when he even dared challenge Einar back in the day. Seeing the raven

    with Arthur was refreshing.

    "Do you know the bird?" Can asked out of curiosity.

    A dreamy smile made its way to Arthur''s face "It just showed up at my window one fine morning. I

    shooed him away but he did not budge from his ce. He just kept staring at me and flew only when

    he wanted to. This continued for a few more days before finally I gave in and concluded that the bird

    means no harm. Now we are good friends." he retrenched his grin and looked at Can "Do you know

    this bird too?"

    Can nodded "I found it trapped in a hunters when I was on my way to meet Archer. He has been

    a constantpanion since then."

    Arthur squeezed his eyes and thought for a moment "Then I guess I can trust you." he spoke no further

    and marched his way back to the foot of the mountain caressing the mane of the bird. Can was

    perplexed by Arthur''s logic but was relieved that he would not create a ruckus as of now. He resolved

    to exin himter and vow his secrecy.

    When the men reached the house, Einar was still lying on his side but he was different. Hisplexion

    hadpletely changed to a shade of light blue. While his body was cold and shuddering. He exhaled

    deep long breaths while the air he threw had greater intensity than usual as if his body using up hisst

    resource in its full force.

    "What took you so long Ashton?" Can''s line of sight changed its trajectory to a distraught and

    disheartened Garrick. His eyes reflected the pain for his best friend. Can also noticed that Rosaline,

    Fayette, Arthur and Aurora had congested his small room. He quickly put his hands in hisrge sac and

    retrieved the shiny purple grass from it. "The snow made it hard for us." He then slowly kept the grass

    on the table and was about to leave when he heard a raucous sound say "Don''t leave me my love."

    The sh of excitement in everyone around was reflected because of Einar. He was breathing heavily

    and had not uttered a single word since he was brought here. So to hear his voice was like a blessing.

    Rosaline quickly made her way to the Alpha and sped his palm. "I am right beside you Einar. I wont

    go anywhere."

    When Rosaline touched the Alpha, he shivered and lowly growled. Aurora and Garrick looked worriedly

    at each other while Rosaline''s face fell; dejected with the reaction from Einar.

    Tofort Rosaline, Garrick pulled her back and made her sit on a chair "Maybe you should take a

    rest."

    "But he needs me." she pleaded

    Garrick gulped and looked sideways. He was trying to find words to reason with thedy "The poison in

    him will be detrimental for your health. We should refrain from touching him or being near him."

    "But you are equally at risk as I am. Who will be there to take care of him Garrick?"

    Indeed who. Fayette had to leave for her ce while Archer''s presence was not helpful at all. Everyone

    knew he despised the wolves and so he could not be trusted. The wolves would have to stand back

    because of the poison while Aurora had to leave for her cottage to prepare the decoction.

    Garrick sighed and pursed his lips cause he knew that there was only one option left now..

    "Can would stay the night with Einar."

    ********

    do let me know what you feel about the chapter.

    Be safe. Be healthy.

    Take care.

    Happy Reading....!

 Chapter 28: To Heal A Heart

    Chapter 28: To Heal A Heart

    Garrick paced from wall to wall with his eyes glued to the door. It had been hours since Can''s

    departure but still no sign of the remedy. Everything hinged on what Can did in the mountains to

    retrieve the grass. Garrick could not think straight today. His panicked face just made everyone around

    him nervous. He was distressed to look at an immobile Einar. He wanted to find a way to ensure that

    Einar was still there, to know the extent of his pain and find a solution to lessen it.

    Einar was bing quite gaunt as the moments passed. His heavy breaths were rming while his

    asional grunts were keeping Garrick on his toes. His skin was changing its usual color to a shade of

    blue which was gleaming darker and darker. What petrified Garrick though was Einar''s sudden jerk and

    shuddering which urred at any moment. Einar shivered with a jolt for some time and became normal

    thereafter.

    Garrick could not take it anymore. He looked at a pensive Aurora andshed out "Your decision to send

    him out to fetch those grass waspletely pathetic. He is just a human! He does not have the skill or

    the speed to reach there on time. What if he takes too long? I don''t trust Can. In fact he could have

    done a lot more if he just stayed here with Einar."

    Aurora sat upright when she heard thest words. Garrick was adamant for the part of keeping Can

    inside the house. Perhaps he wanted to keep a close watch on Can or perhaps he wanted his help

    with Einar''s case. But why a sudden change of heart? Aurora knew that since his father''s death Garrick

    had been bitter towards Can and could not bear him in his proximity. So what changed now? She

    looked at Einar and then at Garrick. The future beta wanting Can nearby only meant one thing-

    Can could aid his true mate and ease his pain. That meant Garrick had unfolded the truth. "You

    know...!" she whispered.

    Garrick raised his brow usingly "And how do you know?"

    Aurora rxed her stance "I have known for a long time son of Umberto." She sighed "It is finally good

    to talk about it with someone from the pack. An actual wolf."

    Garrick nodded "So you do agree that Can being here would have been more beneficial rather than

    wandering in those mountains."

    "This is where you are wrong Garrick. The location of the tree is not easy to find, your wolf senses

    would have been useless once you were up there. Besides Can has a fair judgement about the

    area." As also no one would be able to retrieve the grass other than Can.

    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Garrick huffed in annoyance "Even if I agree with you, don''t you think Can was needed here more

    than at the mountains. He could soothe Einar''s pain and maybe even help him in his recovery."

    Aurora chuckled in amusement "It doesn''t work that way. Can would only elerate the rate of his

    recovery but for that we need to start the curing process first."

    Garrick sat on a chair and hunched his arms running fingers around his hair in frustration. He knew that

    the healer was right but he was too consumed in Einar''s deprivation. Add it to the burden of concealing

    such a vital information from Einar''s parents and the entire pack. Moreover, Arthur had just linked him

    that he and Rosaline were headed their way. For the next few days he had toe up with a

    believable excuse about the Alpha''s absence and since the initiation did not take ce he was not

    conferred the title of the beta. Hence he could not help Einar in managing the pack even if he wanted

    to. These thoughts would''ve only bothered his mind and busted his head after a point of time. He

    needed a distraction. The only person who could divert his mind right now was thedy in front of him.

    Garrick realised that she has been living here for ages but he knows nothing about her. Maybe it was

    time to break the mould.

    "How long have you been in this pack?"

    Aurora could see what Garrick was trying to do. She curtly smiled "I was born at the time of your great

    grandfather. We have to master our powers as a witch before being assigned to any pack. I was part

    healer, part witch- a rarebination in our world. I was awarded the blue moon pack after a few years

    of the coronation of the previous alpha."

    Garrick was dumbfounded on the information he received. The witch did not look even a year older

    than himself. Moreover if she was that old why didn''t she have any friends before Can. "You are

    close to only Can in the pack. Why?"

    "That is not true." she shook her head in negation "I am close to most of the elders and people from my

    n who are scattered around the world. My work keeps me busy hence I don''tmunicate much,

    that doesn''t mean I am unreachable." she sighed with a smile "I have travelled a lot. I was carefree and

    reluctant to join the pack duties no sooner. Lady Odile did a fabulous job in handling my absence.

    However it all changed when Can was born. I knew the boy was special, so much so that he glued

    me to the pack forever."

    Understanding Aurora and Can''s rtionship was hard. Firstly they were the loners no one

    associated themselves with. Secondly one could observe that they were really close given their age

    gap "D-Do you love Can?" Garrick asked hesitatingly

    Aurora just smiled and shook her head. "I do love him but not the way as you think. I have my own

    mate to love you know." She winked "For others, mine and Can''s rtionship is that of friendship but

    for me he is like my own son."

    Garrick gulped in embarrassment and lowered his eyes in shame. He was abashed for the straight

    forward talk "I.. I am sorry. I just spoke out what was on my mind without even giving a thought."

    "It is all right." She waved her hands "Communication is the key. It is good that you cleared up things

    with me."

    It was satisfying for Garrick to know that Can had a protector. This would keep Einar''s worries at bay

    up to a certain extent. Otherwise Can could bring a side of Einar which would be catastrophic to

    everyone around. But how long would Einar avoid the inevitable? There will be a time when his beasts

    will reign supreme and make his resolve weak. They will crave Can more and more and may even

    hurt Rosaline in the process. So what was the right thing to do? Should they abstain from seeing each

    other as they have done up till now or should Einar give his fate a chance? He rubbed his temples and

    sighed before looking at Aurora "What about them?"

    "What about them?" She asked in confusion.

    "What do you think would happen when Can knows about being mates with Einar?"

    Aurora had imagined this scenario hundreds of times- The moment when the truth was revealed to

    Can. However, everytime the oue was devastating! Owing to their closeness, Can had

    deduced that Aurora had been hiding something important from him. He trusted her and he knew that

    when the time was right his friend woulde to him and let him know what the matter was. What he

    did not knew was the fact that Aurora had been keeping the biggest secret of his life from him. Can

    may never forgive her when hees to know that she was aware about his mate all along "This

    thought has plundered my ease for years now. I dont know if he will be eptive of the bond and even

    if he is, Einar has closed all the doors for them to be together!"

    "He had his own reasons.." Garrick defended his friend. Einar had already chosen a path and now he

    could not back down. Rosaline was his mate for all purposes. People would never ept Can and

    may even reject Einar as their alpha. Thus it was important to keep things as they were "Can''t we just

    do anything to keep them away from each other without Einar''s beasts getting agitated."

    "You don''t understand." She gasped "There is no power in the entire world which can keep them away

    from each other." She whispered, worry clear in her face.

    "What do you mean?"

    Aurora just faltered and shrugged. She realised that she had revealed more than what was necessary

    "Don''t think too much about what i just said. Just remember that Einar''s beasts will ept no one if it is

    not Can; so we have to find a way to keep them together."

    "Sometimes I feel pity for Can and annoyed at my friend. He has moved on with his life, has his own

    ''mate'' now but he refuses to acknowledge anyone pairing up with Can."

    The obvious reason for that being his possessiveness. Whatever ims the alpha may make but one

    thing was for sure, Einar could never tolerate any other person with his mate. "As you said, he must

    have his reasons but let me warn you.." she sternly looked at Garrick ''''He can''t avoid Can for much

    long. The more they stay together the stronger the bond grows and the weaker will be his resolve."

    And only Luna knows what havoc would arise when it happens.

    ****

    Without even taking his views into consideration Can was forcefully orded the task of

    apanying the alpha for the night. What bothered him though was the fact that he had to stay with

    him in his own bed until sunrise with no one being around. It was no secret that both the men despised

    each other but the situation before them demanded that they keep their animosity aside and help the

    alpha the way he can.

    But what was he supposed to do exactly?

    Sleeping in the same space with Einar was out of question. If somehow Einar''s conditions deteriorates

    he could be of little help because these were Aurora''s expertise to handle such situations. It was

    was absolutely pointless.

    With these thoughts in mind Can strolled around in his own room. He asionally watched the rise

    and fall of Einar''s chest. He did not miss the abrupt grunts and ring of Einar''s nose. Can sighed in

    annoyance and decided to take a walk to clear his mind. As soon as he was close to the door, Einar

    snarled a low threating growl. Can was surprised by this but assumed that the alpha might have

    been having a bad dream. He shook his head a little and lifted his leg again. The moment he crossed

    the door, Einar growled again. Can could not understand this unruly behaviour of Einar. He thought

    that maybe his subconscious mind wanted someone to upy the empty space with him. He gruffed

    and reluctantly retreated his steps to sit beside the alpha.

    Can supported his chin by one hand and the other was resting on the bed where Einar was sleeping.

    He constantly watched the pained features of Einar''s face which changed its expressions dramatically.

    Sometimes it was serene while other times he looked like he was agitated. Can realised that Einar

    was distressed.

    But what could he possibly do to ease his pain?

    Einar was disallowed to eat or drink anything until he has his theriac so feeding him was out of option.

    Can did not knew if Einar likes to hear lubies. He wanted to sing a song but thought against it as

    his n could easily backfire and Einar would be angry even more. There was simply no pleasing the

    alpha!

    All of a sudden Can gasped as Einar grabbed his hand which was lying besides his unconscious

    body. Soon Einar''s mien changed as his eyebrows rxed to its original position and a sweet smile

    stered his face. "I knew you woulde for me my love."

    The guttural voice brought chills to Can as he knew it was not Einar but his demonic spirit taking

    charge. Einar was lying motionless but his eyes were slightly ajar while a faint mist was surrounding his

    exterior now. Can opened his mouth in utter disbelief but no word came out of it.

    "I never imagined we would meet this way again but I am d for you are with me."

    Can did not know how to respond. In his defence he only managed to utter. "You.. You should take

    some rest."

    Einar smiled a little more. "I have told you before. Of all the people in the world you are the only one I

    can never ever think of hurting. s! I cannot imagine you in pain! So don''t be afraid of me. I don''t like

    it."

    But Can was frightened. Einar''s beast was thest being he thought he would encounter on such an

    eventful day. However he knew that he had to calm himself for Einar was in suffering. He took deep

    breaths and calmly uttered. "Are you feeling alright? Should I call someone for help?"

    "I will always be alright when you are around me. So don''t leave me. Ever."

    Can slowly jerked his head back. He was confused with the spirits words once again. "Sometimes I

    feel that your words mean more than what you say." Can gasped as he said out loud what he was

    thinking. He embarrassingly lowered his eyes. "I- I am sorry. I never meant to..."

    "You don''t have to be sorry for anything. I mean every word I say."

    This conversation was making Can slightly nervous. It was like the other day when they met where

    all the cryptic talk made Can all the more confused and slightly frustrated. He also knew that when

    Einar wakes up he would not like it if he knew Can spoke with the spirit again.

    "Say something! Is anything bothering you?"

    The spirits abrupt question took Can off guard and he came out of his thoughts. "Einar would not like

    it if he knew that we had a conversation."

    The spirit growled "He has no control over his body now. Besides both the human and the wolf are

    reeling heavily from the effects of the poison."

    "Are you not affected by the poison?"

    "No." Einar smiled "In fact I am the one who is keeping this body surviving."

    Can thought that Einar should be really grateful to have a spirit power in him. Or else he would have

    been done for and the pack would have lost its precious alpha. What bothered him though was the

    mighty spirit lying low and not healing itself like he did to Can when he was attacked by the wolves

    "Why cant you heal yourself like you healed me?"

    "Its not that simple. To begin with, the locket is restraining my powers and even if the locket is removed,

    the spirit of the wolf will take control and it will suffer irreversible damages from the poison."

    "How long do you think you can hold up?"

    "I can keep them breathing for eternity. However.." The smile on his face grewrger "I don''t intend to

    use up my energy on them as I have something else nned."

    Thispletely surprised Can. What could be more important than saving your own life? His

    curiosity piqued and he hesitatingly asked "Ohh.. May I know for what other purpose you would using

    that power of yours?"

    In his low guttural voice the spirit chuckled weakly "Its your birthday on the full moon this month.

    Right?" Can hummed "I have a special surprise nned for you that day. Just wait for me."

    Words failed to form when Einar replied Can''s question. What surprise could he be talking about and

    why him? He did not remember anyone at receiving end of the spirits gift giving side. Even then,

    shouldn''t it be Rosaline to be addressed about any gift. What was so different about Can? There was

    only one thing he could think of

    He was human.

    So were the legends true? Does the spirit wants Can''s soul because he was the only human in the

    entire vicinity. If this was true than that meant Can''s birthday would be hisst day on earth! These

    thoughts petrified Can more and he needed rity to think straight "W-what surprise?"

    "All in due time my love. For now I need to rest.." The spirit made a low, steady continuous sound and

    exhaled holding his mans hand firmly "Do you promise to be my side tonight?"

    Thosest words took Can''s breath away. His mind was once again boggled with the uncertainty of

    the beasts moves but his childlike request to hold him hostage just melted Can''s heart. An unknown

    smile formed on his face "I promise.."

 Chapter 29: Too Close Yet Too Far

    Chapter 29: Too Close Yet Too Far

    In the bright early morning, Einar struggled to open his eyes. Today had been the most pleasant day in

    his entire life. He felt content, he felt happy, overjoyed for he was not restless about a certain person

    the weing rays of the early sun, scratching its way through the window. The curtains added an

    orange glow to the morning light. He reached for the fabric beneath noticing the warmth of the material.

    With the warmth came a faint mesmerising aroma which reeled his senses on a high alert. He looked

    sideways and sucked in a lot of breath in astonishment.

    Sleeping besides him was a shirtless Can!

    He frantically moved his head around and noticed that he was out of his ce. He sniffed smells to

    confirm that the house belonged to Ashtons. He could note up with the exnation as to why he

    was in Can''s house out of all the ces. The more important question being; why was his mate

    sleeping besides him partially naked?!

    Unintentionally his eyes went to the torso of Can. He noticed small amount of hair surrounding the

    nipples to the the line of fine strands reaching from his chest to his belly button all the way to his groin

    area. However when he looked at his perfectly sculpted abs his mouth went dry. Can was beauty

    personified! His wless skin could put all the gods to shame. Though nudity was a norm in the

    werewolf world still Einar was being all shy and nervous in the presence of his mate. The urge to touch

    that physique was overwhelming. Einar in his own trance reached for Can''s rhythmic heart. He was

    about to touch Can''s chest when the handsome man hummed in his sleep. The sleepy melodic voice

    brought Einar out of his daze and he pulled his hand back.

    He wanted to distract himself from the beautiful body and so his eyes went straight for his face. That

    was even bigger a mistake..

    The pure bliss of watching this beautiful man sleeping with him was making Einar nuts. The shallow

    breaths Can took increased Einar''s palpitations. His perfect shiny ck hair covered his temples

    while his fluffy pink lips were inviting enough to make Einar crazy. He was thankful though that Can''s

    eyes were closed. Had it been otherwise, the fire in Can''s eyes would have burnt Einar through and

    through. Just a look and all of Einar''s senses would havee crashing through. Before his heart lost

    its control Einar decided to leave the ce and head for his home.

    He carefullynded on his feet. His head throbbed and his legs wobbled but he still managed to cross

    the door with great difficulties. In his rush he did not realise that he had been on medication and so the

    weakness. Moreover the fact that he was in his bare essentials lying with his half naked mate added to

    his woes. He made his way down to the main hall and searched for the kitchen. All the sexiness of his

    mate had made his mouth dry and elerated his heartbeat. He opened the lid of a few water

    containers but found it empty. He saw a jug of water lying near the burner and reached for it.

    Unfortunately there was not a single drop of water in it. He tilited it upside down in hopes to quench his

    thirst but it failed.

    Einar was startled when a ss of water appeared in his line of sight right in front of his chest. He

    gulped and sharply exhaled as a sexy half naked man was holding the ss with a smile.

    "Here.. take it." Can pushed forward the ss "You should have woken me up. There is no water in

    the house currently. The one barrel which was left was used up in your medication and healing."

    Einar just hummed and pretended to listen to what Can had to say. When in reality his mind was

    distracted by the sheer amount of flesh his mate was disying. The disheveled hair of his mate were

    dangling through his forehead while the beautiful forest green eyes were tempting Einar to kiss Can.

    His train of thoughts were put on hold when a hand was been waved in front of his eyes.

    "Do you need more?"

    "uh"

    "I asked if you need more water."

    "T-That will be all." He looked around in embarrassment and tried avoiding his mate. He could not take

    the proximity anymore and uttered "I think I should leave." He marched his way to find the door when

    suddenly his walk was interrupted by a hand.

    Can caught hold of Einar''s arm "You cannot go right now. Yourst decoction is yet to be consumed

    by you. I have alerted Aurora and she must''ve been on her way."

    Einar looked hesitant enough, like staying here for another minute would make him loose his sanity and

    he would take his mate here and now.

    Can noticed the dilemma in Einar''s face and thought that Einar must''ve been feeling out of ce,

    ufortable. Hence to aid him rx he offered him breakfast. "Why don''t you wait here for some

    time. I will freshen up and then we can have breakfast together."

    "Uh." Einar looked puzzled.

    "Don''t worry. I am not a bad cook." Can chuckled on the startled look of Einar and leaved for the

    door. He came back after some time with a bucket of water and a clean pair of clothes. "Your wounds

    have almost healed but still if you feel any difort don''t apply water to it." He then kept the clothes

    to a nearby table. "I guessed that since we are of the same height the clothes would fit you. I am sorry

    but I have no new washed pair. My mother usually does theundry and since you can see she is not

    here I have no choice but to hand you these." Einar fidgeted his fingers as he kept looking at the

    clothes intently. The unwashed clothes where the scent of his mate was lingering.

    When he looked at Einar''s face Can thought that he had insulted him or made him angry. Einar''s

    face was stoic and glued to the clothes. "I am sorry if I have insulted you in any way. Don''t worry about

    the clothes. You can call Garrick and..."

    "NO! The clothes will do." Einar quickly snatched the fabric and turned his back. He leaned his head

    and breathed in the mesmerising aroma of the clothes.

    Can was confused for a moment but he recovered quickly and went to do his morning chores. After

    some time when he came back to the kitchen he saw that Einar had taken his seat on the food table

    already. He was wearing the clothes Can had provided him while he admiringly red at the fabric

    from its cuffs to the shoulders. Can smiled that the alpha had liked his clothes and went straight to

    the kitchen table. Heid down the water container he had filled on his way to the house and looked at

    Einar. "So what would you like to eat?"

    ''I..I don''t know. Surprise me."

    Can smiled and started picking up the utensils to make a dish. All this time Einar just focused solely

    on the bare back of his mate. The sheer amount of muscles, the perfect skin and the curved bottom.

    These were making it difficult for the alpha to think straight. He wanted to distract himself from the

    vulgar thoughts he had for his mate but his manhood had a mind of its own. It was struggling to

    maintain its position and tried to sneak out of the now tightened pants. Einar breathed heavily to calm

    himself but nothing seemed to be working right now. He could not stand from his ce as it would

    show his arousal and embarrass him even further. He clenched and unclenched his fists and took deep

    breaths.

    Can was all smiles when he returned soon with a tter full of food. Eggs, pork cuts, piles of fried

    potatoes were all decorated in the short space of the container. He kept it on a side of the table and

    returned again with a teapot and muffins sprinkled with strawberry sugar cubes. There was a joy in how

    Can ted the food. There was a feeling of love in his subtle smile and soft gaze. For the first time

    ever Einar could see every day of his future he desired. He wanted this happiness; he wanted this

    contentment. Most importantly; he wanted Can.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    These thoughts brought so much joy in him that Einar''s eyes could no longer control his emotions as it

    freely flew.

    "What happened? Are you hurt?"

    Einar blinked his eyes rapidly andposed himself. "Don''t worry. Its just the wounds. It will subside

    soon."

    To cry on a healing wound was not the Einar he knew. Can thought that probably Einar had recalled

    the moments from his attack which got him emotionally weak. "Do you remember anything from the

    attack?" he asked cautiously.

    Einar nodded "I remember everything. By the way, how long have I been out and why am I in your

    ce rather the pack house?"

    "It has been four days. To bring you here was my idea. We thought that you must recuperate

    somewhere aloof so that the pack does not know of your attack."

    "That was a wise decision." Einar smirked. "And why are you not wearing any shirt?''''

    Can instinctively looked at his bare self and chuckled "It is an old habit of mine. I usually sleep naked

    in my bed but since I was sleeping with you, I had to make apromise and cover myself partially."

    "You should not change your habits for someone." These words halted Can''s action. His mind

    suggested that Einar''s words had a different meaning. He just rebuffed the thought as he looked

    intently at the alpha.

    They red at each other awkwardly for a few moments before Can cleared his throat "Have some

    food. Some sugar in your system will do you good.''''

    Einar coyly smiled and nodded at his mate. He then shyly dug in to the food and when the first bite

    entered his mouth; he moaned in ecstasy. He had never tasted delicacy as such. The food was more

    than delicious. Einar just forgot the world and started eating the food as if there was no tomorrow.

    Can was dumbfounded by the appetite Einar possessed and kept looking at him in amusement.

    When Einar was about to finish the food, Can offered his own te and the alpha happily obliged.

    The childlike behaviour of Einar brought a smile to Can''s face.

    In his hurry to consume it all, Einar had spilled some of the food on the table while some of it was

    smeared on his lips slightly outwards towards the chin. Can could no longer control himself and he

    "What?" Einar asked confused. His focus had been shifted from the food he was eating to the

    captivatingugh of his mate. Einar grinned from ear to ear without any reason.

    Can picked up a napkin from the table and went over the other side. He started cleaning Einar''s face

    with the cloth but the closeness was making it difficult to breathe for the alpha. He could take no more

    as he grasped Can''s cleaning hand with his own. There faces were now inches away as their eyes

    bored into each other. The forest green eyes were making the alpha fall to his knees while all Can

    did was to stare at Einar in bewilderment.

    The moment of blissful frenzy was disturbed when Einar smelled a familiar but unwanted smell at this

    time. He reluctantly jerked Can''s hand away and looked to the other side in annoyance.

    Can still confused looked at the iing shadows piercing through the door. He saw a worried

    looking Rosaline followed by a relieved Garrick and Arthur. She quickly ran towards the alpha and

    embraced him in a tight hug "You cant even begin toprehend how much worried I was for you.

    Thank Luna you are safe." She kissed Einar''s cheeks much to his dislike. Einar on the other hand just

    hummed and caught Rosaline from the arm to make her stand in front of him. "Are you all right? Did

    that bastard of an alpha hurt you?"

    "I escaped in time."

    Einar weakly smiled at her and asked her to take a seat on the dining table. Then it was the time for his

    best friend to greet him. Even before he could touch Einar, Garrick sobbed his heart out and clung to

    his best friend like he would loose him should he let him go. Both of them cried in each others embrace

    with no words spoken.

    Seeing the emotional reunion made Can''s eyes glossy and he decided to cheer them up. "Who is

    ready for a breakfast? I have made plenty of food today."

    "Than I will have it all." All heads jerked to the door as a smiling Archer entered through the doors

    followed by Fayette and Aurora. Archer quickly held Can''s waist and hugged him. He picked him up

    and swirled him around. This made Einar burn with jealousy.

    Aurora approached the alpha "How are you feeling?"

    "I think I will survive. How long will the medications take to bring me back to my original self?"

    "You would be back to normal before sunrise tomorrow." she put her hand in her bag and retreated a

    small bottle. "Take it. This is thest of your doses."

    "Thank you so much. Garrick told me the efforts you all people did to heal me." Einar looked around

    everyone in the room as all of them nodded in acknowledegment.

    ****

    After a few chitchats food was served again to the table. This time Fayette and Archer helped Can to

    serve the dishes. The wolves sat with the healer on the dining table while Can and his friends sat on

    the couch nearby as there was no more space on the table. The food was appreciated by everyone.

    Can smiled and thanked his guests for theirpliments.

    Einar had his eyes to the food but his ears were perking up to hear what Can was talking with his

    friends. By the looks of it all, the three of them looked pretty excited and ted. However the constant

    touching of both of his friends to Can''s naked torso was agitating Einar. He huffed in annoyance and

    looked at Can "Why don''t you put on some shirt. You are making thedies ufortable."

    "Whichdies?" Archer asked bluntly. "Ohh them.." he looked at Fayette and Aurora. "Dont worry about

    them. This is not the first time they are witnessing him without a shirt. In fact they have seen the naked

    god in his full glory many a times." All the peopleughed at this statement but Einar growled in

    agitation. Soon the devilish part of him wasing to the fore. He wanted to kill everyone present in

    this room to even think of seeing his mate bare.

    Garrick realised his cause of frustration and linked him Control yourself Einar. There are people here.

    Breath in his scent, It will calm your nerves he then looked at the beautiful man. "We have the Luna

    here Can. It is of basic decency that you should be presentable In front of her. I hope you know how

    jealous a mate can get."

    Can nodded for he understood that right now Einar was thinking him of as a rival who had his eyes

    on his mate. It was a basic animal instinct. He quickly went inside his room and wore the first piece of

    fabric that came to his sight- The white shirt.

    Looking at Can wearing his favorite shirt eased Einar''s mind "I am really sorry for what I did. I

    apologise."

    "You should apologise. Cause had it not been for my best friend the blue moon pack alpha would have

    been dead by now." Archer spitted his words in distaste as he red at Einar.

    Einar gulped this brazen disrespect as Archer was one of the people who helped save his life. "I

    understand and I will always be grateful for that."

    Even after expressing his regret Einar could not back down from the hateful stares which were directed

    at him by the friends of his mate. The spiteful looks in their demeanor clearly indicated that Can had

    denigrated his alphas image in the minds of the non-wolves. Einar was agitated and slightly hurt for he

    himself had created an image to be despised of. However this was always what he wanted. He wanted

    Can to hate him, detest him and stay at a distance. Then why did it hurt so bad? Why did Einar''s

    image in Can''s mind mattered above all else?

    Einar gently put his spoon down and dejectedly sighed. He faked his smile when Rosaline looked at

    him with concern. Above the shoulder of his Luna, he could see that the friends had resumed their

    joyous chitchat. By the looks of it they seemed to be excited about something. Even though it was of no

    business of Einar still he wanted to know what they were talking about. He wanted to know what was

    making his mate all cheerful and happy. He lost to his insecure mind and connected with Garrick.

    Garrick

    Hmm

    Do you know what they are talking about?

    Yes

    Einar raised his brow in annoyance indicating Garrick to speak up what he knows.

    It is bad to intrude. Besides why don''t you use your own hearing to know what they are talking about.

    My senses are weak right now and I desperately want to know what they are talking about. Einar

    pleaded with his eyes.

    Garrick sighed in amusement They are talking about visiting some ce. Maybe it is some kind of

    asion. They are saying that they will have more fun thanst year.

    This is not helping Garrick.

    I am sorry but I have told you what they are talking about. I could hear as much.

    Are you really not impatient to know where your mate is going? What is making her so excited?

    This sowed seeds of curiosity in Garrick''s mind. Since Einar had talked about it, he was impatient all of

    a sudden. He took a long pause, cleared his throat and smiled at the three of them. "You guys seem

    really excited. May we know the reason?"

    "And why do you want to know anything?" Archer replied annoyingly.

    "J-Just because we can join in the fun."

    "You may not know. Besides it is the secret of our three friends."

    Both Garrick and Einar were agitated by Archer''s response. Garrick even wanted to reply his snark

    to deal with." she smiled embarrassingly.

    "It is all right if you don''t want to share your secret with us. I was just curious that''s all." Garrick replied.

    Einar angrily red at his best friend because the purpose of this conversation was to know their

    secret.

    "It is not a big deal as such. We were talking about the carnival that urs every year in our vige.

    There are people from all over, foods of various kinds and different booths holding various events.

    People cheer and meet each other and have fun all day long. Archer, Can and I have been attending

    this carnival on a regr basis. This time our settlement is going to be the host." Garrick could see the

    gleam of excitement in his mate''s eyes as she exined herself.

    "So the carnival happening in your ce is the big news?" Arthur questioned all of a sudden.

    "No. The big news is that it is decided to be organized on the full moon day this month." she gleefully

    looked at Can.

    Einar widened his eyes. The full moon day! It held a special meaning because it was the day when

    both him and his mate were born. The day when both of their souls were bonded as one.

    "Would you all like to join us this year?" Fayette asked in her innocence much to the dismay of

    everyone around. Only Arthur and Rosaline seemed to be excited about the event. Rest everyones

    face fell for their own reasons. Einar was not very excited about the idea of Can and him being

    together or even in proximity on that fateful day. He remembered his sixteenth birthday when

    everything went fine until Can had showed up. He messed up with his mind and his beasts became

    out of control. What if his monsters overpower him this time? What if they crave their mate and hurt the

    people he loved?

    Einar thought to himself that it was better if he stayed away from Can for good. He opened his mouth

    to reject the proposal when Rosaline beat him to it. "We will definitelye to the carnival with you all."

    Garrick looked at a worried Einar for he knew that he waspletely doomed.

    ********

 Chapter 30: The Trials

    Chapter 30: The Trials

    "Today is the day Cornell." The petite bird sitting on the shoulders of Can nuzzled its mane to the

    flesh of the man. Can looked at the open field which was starting to fill in with young enthusiasts who

    wished to prove their capability and serve the Alpha. The contenders this time were three times more

    than what used to be in the previous trials. He was aware of the fact that most of the men were eyeing

    the head warriors spot. The men presumed that levelling a human in the field would be a child''s y

    and they could easily surpass Can''s mettle.

    Everyone underestimated Can for he was human.

    Can looked at the ground which had a long rope circled above the earth around his knee height and

    then he looked sideways at the long stand where his father and other elders had already taken their

    seats with their mates. His eyes caught the anxious and hopeful eyes of his father- the current head

    warrior.

    Justus was devastated when he came to know that Can was not a shifter. Still he kept his hopes

    alive and trained the boy to outperform any expectations which came his way. Can had proved that

    he could tackle any shifter or any adversity with ease. Justus made his son tough and brave. What

    worried him though were the sheer number of participants who nominated themselves to challenge his

    son. Under any other circumstances Can could fight four to five people at a stretch but to face these

    many people would tire him out and eventually his exhaustion would force him to quit.

    When Justus registered Can looking at him, he smiled in acknowledgement. He smiled for he knew

    that whether his son wins or loses today he was already a champion for his parents. The love Mary and

    Justus will shower on him, would never depend upon the legacy of their forefathers which Can may

    lose today.

    Can smiled cheerfully and shifted his focus to take note of the other participants. He noticed that

    among the men some juvenile entrants were also present. It was a no brainer that they were willing to

    grab the easy pie.

    Can huffed at their stupidity and moved his focus to other people. His smile faltered when he saw

    Aldous, Marden, Richard and Tusker flexing their muscles and ring at him. This was not a good

    sign. Though these four were always after Can and deeply hated him, the fact that they were some

    of the best fighters amongst the pack could not be ignored.

    Can fidgeted his fingers as he exhaled an air of anxiety.

    "I have been preparing for the trials for my entire life and now when the moment has finally arrived I

    feel like a deer caught by the hunter." The raven cawed and bobbed its head up and down. Can

    chuckled "No you silly bird. I don''t want you to interfere in any of the fights I go through today. I

    appreciate your concern but I will keep myself safe."

    But the bird was not having it as it cawed and bellowed its voice in a threatening manner. Soon the

    entire crowd looked at the man in confusion. Can embarrassingly smiled at them and bowed his

    head. "Fine, fine you can meddle in between only if my life is in danger."

    "If that''s the case than you should take the bird with you. Keep it as your secret weapon." Can was

    startled for a moment when he heard Aurora''s voice. He embraced her with a smile. She winked at him

    and caressed the mane of the bird "I can see you are all ready."

    "I think so. By the way what are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be going to the stands, cheering for me

    perhaps."

    Aurora chuckled "You are my one and only favorite people around here. Who do you think I would root

    for? I just came here to see how you are and to tell you something."

    "What? "

    The healer hesitated "It is more of a request actually.." Aurora held one of Can''s hands and brought it

    up to his chest height, pointing to the shining metal wrapped around his wrist "I want you to keep

    wearing this throughout your bouts."

    Can was taken aback at this appeal "No way! keeping this bracelet would mean that I am cheating

    my way up. Besides this metal acts on its own sometimes. I have no control over it. If something

    happens, we could get exposed."

    Aurora was persistent "I know you are worried but I am worried too. If you keep wearing this bracelet it

    would give me assurance of your safety. Just wear it for my sake please."

    "What if it shows its powers?"

    "It wont. It will only act when you have extreme emotions. So try to take deep breaths and keep your

    mind cool." However what Aurora was saying was theplete opposite of how the metal worked. She

    just wanted to keep him under check. For the past few days she had been working on deciphering the

    know how of Can''s powers through the old book. In the meantime she wanted Can to control his

    powers so she could be ready to teach him what she learned through the book.

    Can reluctantly nodded at his friend which brought an enthusiastic smile on Aurora''s face.

    ****

    The anticipation and anxiousness of the crowd was silenced when the Alpha entered the arena and

    took his rightful ce besides Rosaline. He moved his head around the entire open field and saw the

    one for whom his heart ached, standing near a tree all alone. He looked to his sides and noticed that

    Garrick had left his ce to stand among the participants.

    Einar stood from his ce and raised his head to reach the sky. He bellowed his howl to show his

    authority and dered that there was no one above him. The crowd all at once bowed their heads and

    kneeled in their own ces expressing their respect and acknowledging the Alpha''s dominance. These

    were the times when Can regretted not being a wolf. Unlike everyone else, he was notpelled to

    bow down or submit to the Alpha. It was very hard for his conscience to give in before any other force.

    His instincts denied this enfeeblement. With a sigh and reluctance he kneeled before Einar.

    Einar then linked everyone andmanded them to take their positions. He saw the look on Can''s

    face expressing dispassion. Though he would have overlooked a million of his misdeeds but when it

    came to respecting him as the leader, Einar could not tolerate the disregard Can showed.

    He gulped his anger at the moment and looked at everyone around with delight "It is with great honor

    and privilege I announce that this years participants are the most ever witnessed than in any of the

    previous trials. I am humbled to know that you all are willing to serve your Alpha. It means that I have

    proved my worth. Thank you." He quickly scanned the ground and located his father. He acknowledged

    the proud look of his father with a smile of his own.

    "Now to begin with, to make our pack more efficient and self reliant I have decided to bring in some

    changes..." As soon as the words left his mouth the crowd erupted in murmurs. The wolves loved their

    everyday lives however monotonous it might''ve been. It was their basic instinct. It was one of the

    reasons the rituals and traditions were followed generations after generations without any questions.

    They did not wanted to embrace change.

    Einar cleared his throat "I know that you all are disinclined to do something which you have not done

    ever. However I would want you all to trust me because whatever I do will only be for the betterment of

    the pack."

    The crowd hummed in response. Einar looked around before bellowing his voice "Before we begin the

    trials I would like the defenders to step forward." Amongst the chattering and buzzing of the people

    Garrick, Arthur and Can made their way to the stands of the Alpha. They stood at afortable

    distance from each other and turned their backs to their Alpha to face the crowd.

    "Standing before you are the sons of the former beta, gamma and the head warrior. Make sure you

    choose the right person to challenge for there are no second chances." Einar pointed his finger towards

    Garrick "The ones who wish to challenge Garrick; step forward."

    People looked around each other and wondered who would turn up to face the former beta''s son.

    Though Garrick was not at the same level as Einar but still he was a skilled fighter nheless. Add it

    to the fact that he had been trained along side the Alpha and had never lost to anyone aside from his

    best friend. After long anxious breaths a tall muscr man raised his hand and marched his way to

    stand in front of Garrick. It was Aldous.

    After waiting for a few brief moments Einar spoke again "I guess that''s it for Garrick then." He looked

    towards Arthur and gestured his hand "The ones who wish to challenge Arthur may step forward."

    Tusker and two other men made their way to stand in front of the former gamma''s son.

    "Finally the ones who want to face the head warriors son may step forward."

    To the astonishment of everyone in the stands, a chain of people lined up in front of Can. The

    numbers were such that three rows had to be formed to amodate the challengers.

    While someughed at the situation, people close to Can were tensed and worried for he was

    outnumbered by arge factor. To face so many people and ovee their confrontation was out of

    the bounds challenge for Can. He cautiously put a brave front in front of his opponents and smirked

    in artificial confidence.

    Can knew he was cornered.

    On the outside he was showing a courageous front while on the contrary he was scared and lonely

    from within. People were sure of the demise of the Ashton legacy with Can''s defeat. He could see it

    in their eyes. The hatred; the rage; the detest for him. Like every particle in the universe was pitted

    against him.

    And then he saw the smiling face of his mother.

    She gleefully smiled and swept the tear drops from her chin. She lifted one of her thumbs to him and

    cheered him with her love. That was all what Can needed. The simple gesture from his mother gave

    a new zeal of confidence to him. Instead of caring about the oue, he decided to give his all in the

    matches.

    Einar whistled to gain attention of the muttering crowd "Let me summarize the rule for you once again.

    Every opponent will be picked at random to face the defenders. You can either fight in your wolf or

    human form. You have to force your opponent to submit. This process will continue till only a single

    man stands tall. He will be dered the winner."

    Einar held the hammer with a big wooden head and struck therge metal disc "Let the bouts begin."

    He than gave the hammer to the announcer and sat near a smiling Rosaline.

    The first match to be announced was between Aldous and Garrick. Both the men took their respective

    stance in the ring and waited for the match to start. As soon as the metal ringed, both the men turned

    into their respective wolves and snarled at each other. They circled around the circumference judging

    each others actions before making a powerful dash to the centre. Both the bodies collided with a great

    force while their muzzles were trying to dominate the other mouth. They used various manoeuvres to

    subdue the other. There was growling, biting and rolling over each other; all to show their dominance

    over the other. The onlookers cheered, screamed and ced bets to decide who would win the fight.

    Up until now both the wolves were critically injured. Bleeding, w marks, broken bones and other

    injuries was amon sight. Einar was worried for his friend but at the same time he was thoroughly

    impressed by the resistance that Aldous had put on. To level a wolf of Garrick''s calibre was no small

    feat and for Aldous to stay put in this match for so long wasmendable.

    With haggard breaths and injured legs both the contenders circled each other. Garrick realised that

    Aldous was wasting time to regain his strength and his end was near. He found an opportune moment

    when Aldous slightly faltered moving ahead andunched himself over his opponent with all his might.

    Aldous was thrashed to the ground by the weight of Garrick''s wolf and the canines were now piercing

    through his mane deeper and deeper. With nowhere to run Aldous reluctantly buried his head to the

    ground and whined. The announcer crashed the gong with the hammer indicating that Aldous had

    submitted and the match was over. Every member in the arena stood up for the wolves with a

    thunderous apuse appreciating the valor and will power of the fighters.

    The sight in front of them was a wake up call for the other contestants. Aldous and Garrick had

    transformed in their humans but both of them were heavily bruised and blood oozed from every part of

    their injuries. The match had taken such a toll on their bodies that their senses were badly affected and

    they were supported by other arms to even stand on their feet.

    Both of them waved their hands to the audience and bowed to the Alpha before leaving the premises.

    The dong went again and next was the battle for the position of gamma of the pack. The biggest

    advantage for Arthur was that he was quick on his feet and relied mostly on his wits. He made a sorry

    figure for two of his opponents before a gruelling duel between him and Tusker took ce. The fight

    was captivating and nail biting to say the least. Eventually Arthur was helmed as the better of the two

    men. Both the Alpha and Luna had smiles on their faces when the men bowed before them.

    However the stretch of Einar''s lips reduced when the hammer hit the metal disc again for now it was

    time for his mate to enter the ring.

    Can slowly motioned his legs to the centre and bowed before the audiences and the Alpha. As

    expected he received a luke warm response from the onlookers. No pping, no cheering; just blind

    stares. As if they were uninterested to be there or they wanted the match to be over in an instant. At

    that very moment Can dreaded his decision to participate. The undue pressure of winning was

    overwhelming him. Everything hinged on what he did inside the ring. There was no backing down now.

    Moreover, whatever happened today could not be undone ever. There wont be any second chances

    and so he had to pass the test.

    Can stared at his hands as he felt the warmth of the sun. His eyes wandered the rugged surface

    beneath all the way to the stands were his parents were breathing in anxiety. Can just smiled at them

    and reassured them that their son would be victorious today. Memories of his training shed in front of

    his eyes. The sweat and efforts his father put in to craft his son and make him a skilled fighter and all

    those years of hardship were a dose of encouragement for him.

    Rosaline seemed pretty excited when Can''s name was announced. She had even wished him

    sess before the ceremony started. On the contrary Einar supported his elbows through his thighs

    and leaned his chin to the entangled fists. He stared keenly at the uing match. Can could

    deduce that the Alpha did not seem too enthusiastic about the bout. However today he was out there to

    prove every assumption wrong and win people.

    The announcer introduced the first random opponent to the audience. He was a huge buff man who

    devilishly smirked at Can for he towered over him easily by a foot. Can stood head to head with

    the man never breaking his gaze. The man yfully shouldered Can which pushed him back by a

    few steps. The sudden faltering in his steps was cheered by the people around. It was concocted that

    the man would easily break Can''s neck and win the match.

    The dong rang once more and both the men took their respective positions. In his haste to finish

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    Can''s chapter the man elerated towards him. The menacing look in his eyes confirmed his

    intentions to Can. But as soon as he reached the handsome man every mouth in the arenay hung

    open for Can swiftly jumped over his shoulders and grabbed his opponents hands backwards. He

    kicked the back of his legs to stumble him to the ground and stretched the hands with force, dislocating

    it from the joints. His opponenty on the ground moaning in grave pain as his handsid behind his

    back in an unnaturally twisted position.

    Everyone around was stunned.

    People looked at the scene with utter disbelief. To defeat a man of such a built was praiseworthy. What

    surprised them though was that the man was taken down by the most ''weak'' being of the pack, a

    human. The astonishment was such that even the announcer forgot to ring the bell for a moment. He

    steadily hammered the ring and dered Can as the winner with a low voice, seemingly confused

    and unsure of himself.

    Can seemed relieved as the match did the trick. For the next several gongs a number of his

    opponents did not show up. While the once who did, suffered a simr fate as the first match. Though

    Can was now gaining more confidence within, he was constantly on his nerves as he wanted to save

    his energy and finish his matches as early as possible. He made quick jobs of his easy opponents

    while he used his bag of tricks to fend off the others. But now the challenge was getting real.

    He was left with just two opponents- Richard and Marden.

    Can was exhaling long breaths as he was exhausted going through the long list of fighters. He knew

    that the hurdles before him were the final obstacle before he gained his moment of glory. The first

    person to enter the ring was Richard. He carefully undressed his clothes ever so slowly as if he was

    taunting Can with his steady motions. He then oscited in a particr area before growling loudly

    and transforming into his wolf.

    There were no holds barred when Richard made the dash. Initially the wolf only made fake passes and

    mock attacks at Can. He wasn''t trying to battle him. His main intention was to prolong time in the ring

    and worn out the human. The trick seemed to be working as Can had now lost momentum and his

    mind waspelling his body to rx, to breathe, to slow down perhaps. Can was taken by surprise

    when the wolf jumped over his head and turned his body to attack him from behind. The wolf in the

    very next instant caught hold of Can''s leg from behind. He bit the flesh of his lower leg and forced

    him to kneel down. The canines were sunk in deep and Can could feel the protruding of his flesh, the

    spilling of his blood. Though Can was in excruciating pain he knew that he would have to retaliate or

    else the game would be over for him.

    The wolf used its strength and pulled Can''s body backwards through the power of his mane. Can

    moaned in pain so loud that his voice echoed throughout the arena. He took deep breaths and with

    great efforts retrieved a dagger from his chest pocket. With one breath of confidence he swayed his left

    hand all the way down to the back of his knee to hit the mane of the wolf, piercing the dagger through

    it. As soon as he did the motion the wolf detached its canines from Can''s flesh and roared in agony.

    Can took this moment and pressed the metal deep inside the wolfs flesh. This led the wolf toy on

    his side pressing his body to the ground while Can tied a rope around its neck and pulled the wolf

    backwards by bending its spine.

    The pain and suffocation forced the wolf to submit as heid his body to the ground. Can pulled

    himself up but wobbled in his stance due to his grievous injury. He had taken just two steps forward

    when suddenly the back of his leg was thrashed with a force by a shoulder. Richard had shifted to his

    human and attacked Can blindsided. Though the match was over the gong had not belled. Richard

    took advantage of this situation and further injured the already weak man.

    Pain seared through Can''s leg as his minds focus was now on solely to recuperate through his

    wounds. But as fate would have it he was in more pain than he thought. The canines had pierced at a

    deeper interjection while the agony wasing in like waves. The blindsided hit made matters worse

    for him. He looked at a smiling Richard whose eyes were lined in at a smirking Marden. Can sighed

    for he now understood what this was all about. It was a n by the two of them to make him weak and

    take him out of the match.

    Richard raised both his hands in mock surrender and with a devilish smile he stepped out of the ring.

    Marden entered the ring as the announcer dered the final match for the trials.

    This was it. This was the moment where Can had to decide to either rise or perish. He was asked if

    he wanted to quit from the duel but he refused every time. He gathered his courage and with blood

    dripping injured leg he took his position. When the hammer hit the gong onest time he stayed put in

    his position for he knew that he needed just one powerful but effective move to take down Marden. On

    the other side Marden had changed in his wolf and his eyes were now set to the already injured leg of

    Can. He dashed his way ahead but before he could make any of his moves Can walloped his

    hidden dart straight to one of the hind legs of the wolf and he faltered. The wolf bounced a few steps

    before unintentionally leaning his head in front of the man. The dart had made the wolfs movements

    numb and he copsed. Every effort to move his limbs was in vain as Can thrashed his leg to the

    mane of the wolf and forced him to submit. With a frozen body and no where to escape, Marden

    reluctantly submitted to the man standing on his neck.

    The entire crowd was mere mute spectators. They could not believe what they saw! The most

    underrated man among all of the pack proved to be the best among all the fighters. People were left

    speechless. Their heart sank while there was worry and hatred in their eyes. For them it was like a

    nightmare that came to life..

    The gong ran once again and Can was over the moon for he had defeated every opponent of the

    pack and sessfully proved his worth. The years of torture, pain and resentment had finally made

    him realise his dreams. It was a sweet victory for him. The first thing he wanted to do was to hug his

    parents and embrace their love for he knew that he had made them proud.

    The once stunned and unresponsive crowd were on their feet again as they cheered, whistled and

    roared their voices. Can was taken aback by the sudden reaction of the people and his mind was at

    expressed in the happy tears that were brimming his eyes. He grinned from ear to ear between his

    deep breaths. He was overwhelmed with jubtion because people had finally epted him..

    With the excruciating pain and wobbly feet, he moved a leg forward to step out of the ring but his

    gesture came to a halt by the sudden loud ringing of therge metal disc. The ringing of the gong

    indicated just one thing- someone had challenged Can!

    Can was addled. As far as he remembered he had defeated every one of the men who had stepped

    foot in the ring. Then who could this new opposer be? After facing a number of men and exhausting his

    body to the limits how was it fair to him! He was drained physically while his mind lost its capability to

    think rationally. However if the dong had belled one more time he was left with no choice but to face

    whoever was in front of him.

    He carefully moved his body around with a limping leg and took a defensive stance when all air left his

    lungs. His eyes widened like saucers while his mouth was left ajar. He could not believe what he was

    witnessing. He did not miss the ring of the nose, the eyes full of rage and the snarling and huffing in

    between. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that he woulde across an opponent as such.

    Can''s hopes just came crashing down as standing before him was non other than the Alpha himself!

    ********

 Chapter 31: A Winning Loser

    Chapter 31: A Winning Loser

    The fear thoughts looped around in Einar''s mind as there was room for no other thought. In a matter of

    a few hours his mate would be in the battle field preparing for his death bed perhaps. The thought

    brought plenty of rage as Einar had tried his every move to refrain Can from entering thepetition

    but the adamant nature of his matepelled him to bow. The next few hours would simply pass as

    blip or it would break his mindpletely.

    Sitting in his office in front of piles of paper was the only salvation Einar had. He constantly made sure

    to keep himself busy in other works which would distract him from the inevitable. But the diversion

    worked only for a few moments before his mind engulfed in the thoughts of Can again. Einar

    visualised the smiling and charming face of Can which would soon turn into a bloody, bruised figure.

    He wanted to have good thoughts throughout but his heart could not deny the possible oue of

    tomorrow.

    Einar screeched his chair back and rose to his feet. He slowly made his way to the window to look

    outside the open ground. Young enthusiasts were training themselves for the important day. He was

    happy for the strength of will of hisrades. However he was more afraid about how he would

    survive tomorrow when Can entered the ring. His determined beast would kill on the spot if even a

    hair of his mate was touched. How was he supposed to perform his duties as the alpha and control his

    animal at the same time?

    The Alpha sighed in frustration and ran his fingers through his head. His attention was drawn to the

    door when a sweaty figure made its presence.

    "I thought you were working." Garrick asked wiping his face of the wetness.

    "I am trying to work but somehow I always get distracted."

    By this time Garrick was intelligent enough to know who ruled his best friends thoughts. Talking about

    Can with someone had brought a little relief to Einar''s burdened mind. Though the pain, the agony

    would remain the same but the Alpha was soothed a bit when he shared things with Garrick.

    "Then i suppose it is the right moment to have a conversation."

    Einar furrowed his brow and looked behind his shoulders. "What do you want to talk about."

    "The gift perhaps.. Have you thought of anything yet?" Einar sighed as he forgot about the age old

    traditions of the pack. It was mandatory for every Alpha to present a gift to his Luna weing her in

    the pack. Though it had to be done on the night of the coronation but the situation back then was far

    from ideal.

    "I promised her to give whatever she desires."

    Garrick nodded and sat on a chair "You may have to announce a ceremony after the trials."

    "For what purpose?"

    "We have two new mate pairs on the cards." Einar raised a brow and uplifted his chin for Garrick to

    continue "The bastard Alpha''s daughter is apparently Tusker''s mate."

    "And the other?"

    "It is Hazel; Lue''s daughter." Einar deeply sighed when he heard the name. Lue was a distant

    cousin of Garrick who lived in one of the viges in the northern borders and Hazel was her daughter.

    Einar was astonished as Hazel was just eight years old.

    "You look surprised." Garrick asked.

    "I am more shocked actually. The Luna definitely has a wicked sense of humor when she pairs the

    souls." The irony never lost in his tone.

    "And now returning to your problem. How are you holding up?"

    Einar shook his head "I have no answer to that question cause I don''t know how to feel."

    "Don''t worry Einar, he wont win tomorrow."

    "Have you seen him fight?" Garrick was speechless for a moment "Exactly. No one has seen what he is

    capable of. You can have a fair idea for he has been trained by Justus himself." Garrick understood

    what Einar was implying. Justus was fierce and a man of many talents. His fighting skills were well

    known across packs.

    "Even if what you say is possible, he cannot face those number of people in the ring tomorrow. I mean

    it is mentally and physically taxing even for a wolf." Garrick reasoned.

    "You dont think the thought wouldn''t have crossed his mind. He must have anticipated this onught

    already and made ns ordingly."

    Garrick narrowed his eyes "You talk as if you are sure he is going to win."

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    "You don''t know him as I do." Einar almost whispered "Once he sets his eyes onto something he will do

    everything in his power to make sure he gets what he wants."

    "What about your beasts? Will they be all right when they see their mate in the battle field."

    "The demon for some reason has been eerily quite for the past few days." Einar sighed "It is the wolf I

    am worried about."

    "What if it jumps in the middle of the ring and goes on a killing spree."

    "I have arranged a temporary solution for that." Einar took a small transperent bottle filled with liquid out

    of his pocket "It will sedate him for quite some time, hopefully till the day is over."

    "Why do you want him losing so bad?" Though Garrick knew the answer to this question he wanted to

    hear it from his friend.

    "You know what the Head warriors post mean. He has to be in the frontline every time there''s an attack.

    He has to put his own life at stake to protect his Alpha. Do you think this will go down well with my

    beasts. Every moment he is on the field would put me in a tornado of anxiousness and worry. Moreover

    how am I suppose to bear his injuries, cause he is going to get hurt a lot."

    Garrick pursed his lip and nonchntly sighed shaking his head. He wasn''t entirely convinced with

    what Einar just said "There is more to it isn''t it?"

    Einar turned away from the window and sat on his chair. He rested his palms on the desk while his

    head leaned backwards facing the ceiling "If he bes the next head warrior than we have to work

    together. Our proximity will increase our tensions. So it is better if he stays away."

    "How ironic it is." Garrick chuckled "On one hand you want him to be safe and uninjured while on the

    other hand you have epted all the willing applications to fight Can without even blinking an eye.

    Let us assume that he ovees all the hurdles tomorrow; then what would you do?"

    Einar leaned his head forward and looked at his friend in despair "I dont want that to happen but if the

    situation reaches a bind than I would do everything in my power to make sure he does not wins."

    ****

    Warrior after warrior failed to bring the human down. Can had been on a roll since he stepped foot in

    the ring. His fight tactics and manoeuvres were not only unique but were also quite effective on the

    wolves as well. He managed to defeat even the seasoned warriors of the pack which was truly

    amazing.

    Though Einar felt immensely proud of his mate, a part of him was worried, scared for he was close to

    wining his trial. Einar''s initial n was to let nature take its course while Can faced every opponent

    who had listed for the head warriors post. Even after facing fifty five people, he was not backing down!

    What stressed Einar more was the fact that if his mate did win then he would have no reason to deny

    what Can was after.

    When the final dong belled Einar''s breath got struck. No one in the arena could believe what they were

    witnessing. He saw the reaction of the people, the look of hate and disgust for his mate. He knew that

    no one would be eptive of Can as the new head warrior. With a firm resolve, he quickly stood up

    from his seat and muttered some words to the announcer. He exhaled a deep breath as headed

    straight to the ring.

    When Can saw the man in front of him, he was shocked. Never in their life had the two of them

    fought each other. Can was weak and out of breath. Moreover his injuries added to his woes. How

    was it fair for him to face the strongest wolf in the entire pack in such a condition! Can was sure that

    even in his good health he could not defeat the alpha. He was dumbstruck when the announcer

    dered Einar as his new opponent.

    When he saw the raging figure approaching him Can almost pleaded "Please don''t do this. You will

    ruin everything for me!"

    Einar huffed in his anger "You left me no choice."

    Can gasped as the very next moment Einar made a dash towards the man and threw him flying to a

    distance with just a tuck of his shoulder. Can fell back on his injured leg and groaned in pain amidst

    the cheering of the crowd. He steadily stood up on his wobbly feet and took a long breath to calm

    himself. He concluded that there was no other way toe out of this than to fight the alpha. Since

    Einar decided to fight in the human form he was partially relieved. He took a mental note on the

    essories he had right now. A metal staff attached to his back, a few darts, a rope, a dagger and

    some meditated dust. He gathered some courage and both the men went at it again.

    A sudden wild reaction rose from the audience as Einar approached Can. Thetter deceived the

    alpha with a handful of dust. He threw the powder aiming the eyes of the alpha. Einar in the very next

    instant was rendered helpless as a strange irritation surged through his eyes and he lost his

    coordination. Can took advantage of the moment and flew his darts right at Einar''s legs till the alpha

    was on his knees moaning in pain. He then fastened Einar''s hands tightly together and pierced the

    dagger right at Einar''s flesh which joined his head and shoulders.

    The alpha roared in agony but the move seemed to infuriate him even more.

    Can was bewildered when he saw that the tightly knit ropes were thawed by the pure muscr

    strength of the alpha. Einar stood on his feet with angry eyes. His nostrils red once again as he

    charged at Can with a growl. No sooner Can came from his shock did an iron fist collided with his

    jaw. He felt the pain and saw the second blowe for his abdomen. Blow after blow Einar exploded

    every part of the body deemed fit as per any warriors etiquettes. The hits had such a force that Can''s

    ribs were almost dismantled, his eyes bulged while his shirt was tore open showing his crimson

    patched wounds all over his torso. All this while Can was trying hard to save himself from the

    onught but his senses were giving up soon.

    Can sunk to Einar''s stomach and threw up some blood. His eyes were swollen while more blood

    pooled in his mouth. A sensation of sting bees rang through his head as he made his one final attempt,

    a sloppy fist aiming nowhere in particr..

    Einar was chagrined. Even in this condition his mate was not ready to quit. He held Can''s neckband

    with one of his hands and brought him up, levelling him to stand face to face. Can''s eyes were barely

    open while his lips were oozing blood from the cuts. His once beautiful face was now decorated in

    scarlet, red liquid. It ached Einar to do this but he had to fulfill his duty for his people. Without thinking

    twice he fisted his other hand to swung it back and force it down to Can''s face for the final blow.

    With feathers ck as tar, the Raven hovered around the alpha with a sickly caw. Einar''s movement

    was suddenly interrupted as he let go of Can and focused solely on the approaching bird. The raven

    pped its ebony feathers andnded the first attack on Einar''s face with its sharp beak. Though Einar

    was taken aback for a moment he was contemting the attack of the bird to be trivial. However the

    strike of the bird brought a burning pain to the area which it hit. The sting was excruciatingly painful and

    was not subsiding. The bird was swift in its movements and surprisingly faster. Moreover, every attack

    the bird made took Einar by surprise as he was weakening in his stance. He was irritated and

    extremely infuriated at the raven.

    Up until this time Can had awakened from his rest and was proud on his bird for defending his

    honour. He saw the look on Einar''s face and knew that he had to strike at once while the alpha was

    distracted, when he has the chance. He stood up and took slow heavy steps forward to help the raven

    when suddenly bones cracked and arge ck wolf appeared out of nowhere.

    Can was dumbfounded "Luna.. have mercy!"

    To change into your wolf in between a match was immoral but not against the rules. What worried

    Can though was the wolf in question was the alpha himself. No one had ever defeated him; hell no

    one was even able to stand before him more than a few moments.

    Dark as the night, his fur was glossy and thick. His paws thumped the earth with a bang. His

    movements were fluid and without any effort. The blood shot eyes ring with a full intent ahead,

    aiming straight at its victim. With a vicious roar the wolf paced after the bird and jumped at an

    unimaginable height to grab the raven with its jaws and strangte its body with its bare teeth until

    blood sttered through its muzzle. The gentle aching caws of the raven slowly died with the tightening

    of the jaws before it fell to the ground; lifeless.

    Can was still. It was as if something inside of him had died. He felt guilty, ashamed for he became

    the reason why hispanion was murdered. Tears spilled in session as his lips quivered and legs

    wobbled.

    The wolf saw his mate crying and his instinctsmanded him to soothe him. However when he saw

    the reason of his sorrow was the bird on the floor, he was agitated. Jealous that his mate was still

    inattentive to him even after all these years. He snarled at once and picked up the bird with his strong

    muzzle and swayed his mouth to threw him at arge distance. He then looked at his mate and

    ferociously growled. He wanted his mate to submit before him; to ept his nature; to embrace his

    wild.

    When Can saw his friend tossed at a distance a searing pain rose within him. His heart was aching.

    He was angry. He wanted retribution for the dead and when the wolf growled at him, he snapped! He

    screamed in exasperation on the top of his voice and retrieved the staff from his back gripping it firmly

    through his palms "COMMON YOU FILTHY WOLF. I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!"

    The tant insult from his mate made the wolf angrier and he vowed to show the man his ce. The

    wolf swiftly jumped to the front and tookrge strides to take a shot at Can. When he was about to

    bite the man, Can stashed the staff in between the wolfs teeth and juggled to take control of his

    muzzle. The wolf and everyone in the arena were surprised for Can was just a human but the

    strength he possessed right now was unthinkable. He had clearly managed to subdue the wolf. It

    wasn''t as if the wolf was holding back rather it was Can who was making it difficult for the animal.

    The tussle soon ended and what followed were a series of hits and misses. The wolf on asions tried

    to get hold of his mate while Can was leaving no opportunity to hit the wolf with his staff. On one

    such instance the staff was thrown away and Can was left defenceless. Still, the man bared his teeth

    and went ahead tond his naked blows left and right to the lower muzzle and the front legs of the wolf.

    The power of his fists were hampering the wolf''s movement. Can gathered all his strength and

    was stilled. Silence everywhere.

    The wolf had had enough. He gathered his stance and shook his head violently before roaring a mighty

    growl. He quickly raised his left paw and tore open the torso of the man. The already injured Can

    could take no more as he fell to the ground, lying t on his back. The wolf pounced on him and stood

    on his arms. With one final growl the wolf extended his canines and buried his teeth in the shoulders of

    the man. An unimaginable pain scorched the flesh of Can.

    He screamed in agony, he screamed in pain..

    Right at that moment the sky rumbled, wild winds flowed haphazard throughout while the air near the

    ground uplifted the mud with itself and swirled. Can was beyond angry, though the pain he was

    feeling was out of this world, he did not wanted to back down. In his desperation he looked everywhere

    to try and find a route to escape when suddenly his eyesnded on the glowing bracelet in his hands.

    He realised that unknowingly he had released the power of the metal. He bit his lower lips hard before

    burying the back of his head to the ground. Giving up.

    The once angry atmosphere was serene back again.

    Can lied down with his eyes closed. Tears made their way through the constricted eyelids. A myriad

    of emotions were flowing through his body.

    PAIN- for the bundle of injuries his body suffered.

    RELIEF- as the hours of torture were finally over.

    CONTENT- for it took the Alpha to take him down.

    BETRAYAL- as his fate had conspired against him.

    SORROW- as his dreams were crashed forever.

    However, the poor fellow was unaware that the worst was yet toe as another emotion was ready to

    raise his ugly head and leech itself forever to Can- HUMILIATION..!

    ********

 Chapter 32: A New Role

    Chapter 32: A New Role

    When the metallic taste hit the senses of the wolf he was out of his daze at once. He slowly retracted

    his canines from the shoulders of Can and took a few steps back. The sight in front of him broke his

    heartpletely.

    Can was a disaster.

    A deep piercing wound was marked by the grazing of the wolfs canines to Can''s flesh. The muscles

    from the back of his legs were tore open and protruding in an unusual manner. The scars and wounds

    which decorated his ribs, arms and entire body made him moan in pain. His eyes; the most beautiful

    feature of the man were brutally attacked. He was barely able to keep them open. The organ bulged

    abnormallyrge while the side of one of the eye had a long deep cut extending from the eye to the

    side of the ear. His jaws were swollen while his bruised lips exhaled air to soothe his body.

    Remorse. It was the first thing which crept through the veins of Einar. What had he done? He was

    supposed to protect his beloved; keep him out of harms way but all he did was to bring him on the brink

    of endangering his life. Can was left bruised; battered; destroyed just because Einar had to do his

    damn duty. With a heinous deed as such, how was he supposed to face the moon?

    Thispelled Einar to have a moment of weakness before giving up his control entirely to his wolf.

    The blood shot eyes of the wolf gripped its entire body in a faint red mist. The animal was ted. It had

    been years since he was this close to his mate. He sniffed the aroma and a smile made its way as he

    snickered. However, the wounds and bruises all over his mates body made him worried. He was

    agitated, infuriated when he saw the state he was in. He quickly stuck out his tongue and decided to

    lick Can''s wounds and heal him. He stepped near his mate the next instant but out of fear of his life

    Can flinched and slid his body backwards.

    This action only made the wolf more determined. However when he stepped ahead, he growled in

    jealousy. Can''s body was reeking of a mixture of different smells. It was the smell of all the people he

    had been in fight today. It brought the possessive side of the wolf to the fore and he decided to mark

    his mate then and there.

    He growled in annoyance before circling his mate; sniffing him, licking him on asions. All the while

    Can was in pain and was mostly unaware of his surroundings. The wet snippets of the wolfs saliva in

    between were embarrassing him and he wanted to stand on his feet and leave the ce at once. Just

    as he thought the worst was over, he could feel the wetness of a hot liquid with putrid smell dampening

    his body. The fluid started from his legs and was now reaching his torso before gargling his mouth. The

    wet hot liquid was burning his body while his pain intensified.

    And then he took a whiff.

    Can was mortified, frozen to the spot. He felt traumatized. He couldn''t believe it had happened to him

    and in front of everyone too. He could hear the screams, he could hear the cruelughter soaked in his

    embarrassment.

    He was being humiliated.

    For the wolf it was nothing out of the normal. He was marking his territory in the most barbaric way

    possible. The way he knew. It had been the way of the wolves before they civilized. What he failed to

    understand was with changing times, urinating on a person was considered as an act to defame

    someone; to degrade him, demean him to the lowest.

    Can''s head was spinning. It was a painful new memory rooted deeply within the depths of his mind.

    People would never forget this, he would be reminded of this moment till the day he died. A thousand

    unpleasant thoughts ran through his mind right now; from settling to anothernd to ending his pathetic

    life.

    Can closely gripped his eyes for he was too ashamed to face the world. His unshed tears were

    burning his soul. As if his pain was not enough the skies cried, bawled the agony inside of the man;

    pouring drops of relief, washing his scars, washing his blood and washing away the putrid smell of the

    demeaning liquid.

    When the rain drops touched the wolfs fur, he regained hisposure. Einar finally had his control

    back but after seeing what he had done, he wished he disappeared forever. With a howl to the sky

    Einar changed into his human and slowly but hesitatingly stretched his hand out to reach for his mate

    and help him get up.

    The ground beneath was drenched in crimson red while the clouds bellowed as if they were in pain.

    Can just looked keenly at the hands of the man standing in front of him. How can a man be without

    any shame! After putting him through this misery, entering the match purposefully and squashing his

    dream, disparaging him in front of the entire society; how could Einar still stand tall and expect him to

    give his hand!

    Can turned his face to his right in disgust "I want Aurora." he said nonchntly.

    Einar shamefully nodded his head and agreed at once. He linked his men to call for the healer. The

    crowd in the meanwhile was overjoyed as they cheered and hailed their alpha in great respect. They

    believed it was a fitting reply to the non shifter of the pack to show him his ce.

    Momentster Aurora arrived at the scene. She kneeled besides her friend and carefully uplifted Can

    to her shoulders. She desperately hugged him and sobbed her heart out for Can''s pain. She looked

    to her side at the alpha and shook her head in anger, disagreement clear on her face. She knew that

    what Can went through was not justified. The entire pack had conspired against him, berated him,

    humiliated him.

    "Take me to the cottage." Can said at once.

    "But Cally the announcements are yet to be done."

    Can closed his eyes shut as the wounds on his heart were aching more than those on his body. "I

    don''t care anymore. Just take me away please. I beg you."

    Einar could see no more as he went ahead to take his seat with a bowed head and a broken heart.

    Can managed to stand on his feet, he whirled his eyes to the audience and looked at the two

    distraught figures who would have to share his burden of shame for their life- his parents. They were

    devastated, they were broken. Can mouthed a sorry to them and went ahead with Aurora amidst the

    booing and taunting of the people.

    ****

    The cold rock around Can was stationary, yet sometimes he felt that they were closing in on him. The

    air which breezed through the river refreshed his thoughts a bit until he was dragged to the shameful

    memories of the horrible day. He had been aloof from everyone since a week. He had been

    recuperating alone with only Aurora knowing about his whereabouts.

    Can was distant; reserved; detached from the world. He felt like a clump of dirty moss that could

    never go out in the sunlight. The events of the trials had maligned his honor. His entire life he was

    tormented, secluded and torchered through various ways. Yet he faced it all and came out as a

    stronger man. The only happiness he felt was with Vi but even that source was taken away from

    him.

    Since his birth he was fed with dreams to one day follow his fathers footsteps and be a leader in his

    own right. However his aspirations were brutally strangted when the top leader cheated his way to

    kill Cans dreams.

    Up until this point he wasn''t even surprised by the on and off behaviour of Einar, but to reach such a

    low so as to defeat a human by any means was not the quality of a good alpha.

    He was a bad leader. A bad man.

    Can''s ears perked when he heard the rustling of bushes behind the rock. He looked to his side and

    saw Aurora with a bowl and a spoon in her hand. She quietly kept the food in front of him and put her

    hand on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

    Can dejectedly shrugged.

    "You cant be here forever. Some day or the other you have toe out in public and face the real

    world."

    Can deeply sighed. "I have nowhere to go. The only purpose of my existence in the pack is now

    taken away from me. I really don''t care about the pack anymore."

    "How about your parents then." she looked intently at her friend "Mary has been worried sick about

    you. She has been constantly enquiring about your health. Your parents miss you Cally."

    Can stood up from his spot in a jiffy and pressed his palm to the nearest rock "You don''t think I know!

    I just don''t have the guts to face them. They have been embarrassed because of me in front of the

    entire pack. I always try to make things right but somehow my actions take them on a guilt trip. I wish I

    was never born."

    Aurora gasped in shock with her hand on her chest "Don''t say that Cally. You don''t know what you

    mean to us." she almost whispered thest part "Besides your parents love you no matter what. They

    have cared for you then and they care for you now. You will always have their heart my boy." She

    carefully held his hands in her own to pacify him "Enough of this. I have a special surprise for you in my

    cottage"

    "I am not in the mood."

    "Ohmon. You have been struck for over a week here. Juste with me, I promise you wont be

    disappointed."

    Can shrugged dejectedly while Aurora caught hold of his hand to make him follow her. She dragged

    him to her cottage and stood near the entrance of the door. She then requested a confused Can to

    walk inside alone.

    When Can opened the door, his legs halted and his lips quivered. He was shocked to see his smiling

    father standing right in front of him. Without wasting any of the time he quickly ran to embrace his kin

    and cried profusely; letting go the burden of his shame, the burden of his disappointment, the burden of

    his loneliness.

    After what seemed to be like hours Can finally found his voice as he apologetically looked at his

    father "I am really sorry father. I am sorry for you have to bear witness and be a part of the

    embarrassment."

    "You don''t have to apologise my son. I don''t me you for anything."

    Can swept away his tears and stood firmly "Why are you here father?"

    "To take you home." Justus narrowed his eyes when he roamed his eyes over the body of Can. His

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    once fatal injuries were almost healed while what remained now were the scars from the battlefield

    "Auroras care has done wonders on you. You don''t look that bad."

    Can just faltered for a second there. Mostly because Aurora had convinced him that his bracelet

    yed an important role in his recovery and so his return to health was faster than usual. To avoid

    getting caught Can just changed the subject "I don''t know father. I don''t really want to go with you."

    "Listen here Can." Justus ced both his arms on the shoulders of his son "I wont ask you to forget

    about everything cause it is not possible. But being here all alone will only haunt your memories.

    Instead be with people who care for you. They will aid in your healing process."

    "I have dishonoured the family name. The legacy our forefathers is destroyed. No more Ashton will be

    the head warrior now.''''

    "Yes. No Ashton will be a head warrior now." Justus chuckled.

    By the looks of it, Can could see that his father was not affected by the news at all. He presumed that

    maybe his father finally valued his son more than the pack. He brushed his thoughts aside and

    curiously asked his father. "You don''t seem upset by it.."

    "Because I am not. I am really happy."

    "I don''t understand." Can asked in bemusement.

    "The alpha promised to make some changes and he did! For the first time in our pack history the alpha

    chose people based on their skills or how they have performed and not the fact that they have won."

    A small ray of hope lit Can''s face "This means that I have been..."

    "No my child. Peter''s son Aldous has been chosen as the new head warrior."

    "Yeah. It is a good news indeed." Can chuckled sarcastically. "You seem really excited about Peter

    and his family."

    "I am more happy about you."

    "Why?" Can narrowed his eyes.

    "When you left the arena that day, Einar announced all the champions and allotted them their positions.

    Garrick was made the beta and Arthur the gamma. in addition to that the alpha created some more

    positions for handling the administration, border patrol, dungeons and so on. He gave chance to all the

    worthy members of thepetition."

    "Then did I get any of the above."

    "Unfortunately no. However when the announcements were done the alpha asked Luna Rosaline to

    demand a gift; a wish of any kind in front of the entire pack. Can you imagine what the Luna asked

    for?"

    Can was more baffled by the glint in his fathers eyes. What was making him so excited? "I have no

    idea."

    "The Luna expressed her wish to be granted a guard and do you know who she chose"

    Indeed who? Can saw the happiness, the joy in his father. He surprisingly looked at him and

    whispered "Me...!"

    "Yes! Both Mary and I have been so happy since then. I could never imagine your hard work been

    finally paid off this way."

    A Luna''s guard was never heard of. In the packs that he had encountered Can could not recall any

    such position as a Luna''s guard. More importantly why was this news making his father all glee "Why

    are you so happy? I mean how is this any different? Is there even such a thing as the Luna''s guard"

    "Yes my child. In the entire hierarchy the closest you can get to an alpha is by being the beta. However

    the Luna''s guard is a rank even higher than the beta. An alpha never trusts anyone when ites to

    his mate, not even his own kin. So to be able to serve the Luna is the greatest honor anyone can ever

    imagine. This means that the Alpha trusts you more than anyone in the pack."

    "But I never wanted to be a guard."

    "I know my son. It may seem tough for you because I never prepared you for anything else. A head

    warriors post was the least I was expecting of you. Yet you outranked yourself and made my

    forefathers even more proud."

    Can sighed and took a deep breath. This was too much to handle. He wanted to be the head warrior

    from the start. He had to fight tooth and nail to make his way to the trials. Even after making a mark in

    the fights, the alpha intervened just to make sure Can was defeated. If Einar wanted he could easily

    give him the rank of his choice. If he trusted Aldous he could have easily trusted Can for the job.

    Then why make him the Luna''s guard?

    Unless, it must have been Rosaline to force her mate to ept Can.

    He remembered the day when he was leaving the arena and saw the glossy eyes of the Luna amidst

    the happy faces all around. Rosaline was concerned for Can. Her good heart must have propelled

    her to do a good deed. This meant that Can''s new job was nothing but a charity, a pity for him. This

    was even more embarrassing than Einar peeing on him. Can wanted to live a dignified life and not

    the one handed over by some charity.

    With a firm resolve he looked to his father "Father I know you are excited and I know you are really

    looking forward to it. But the fact is, I just cant ept it."

    "Don''t say this Cally" Justus'' face fell "This is what we always wanted. A ce in the pack. People will

    finally respect you and recognize your worth my boy."

    The fact was that people would never ept him. Everyone follows the leader and when the alpha

    himself detested Can for no apparent reason, how could he expect the pack to behave differently. "I

    don''t care about respect anymore father. The pack can never give me happiness."

    "Its not true.."

    "This is the truth and you know it father." He rose his voice as he expressed his tears of helplessness

    "Even if I be the Luna''s guard I wont ever be respected. I am tired father. I am tired of my life. For

    once I want to be happy. For once I want to do what I want to do. Explore the world, find love, settle

    down and start a family."

    Can facepalmed as his sobbing intensified. He wanted to relieve himself of all the misery and

    misfortunes he had to suffer in this pack. He wanted to be free, to be happy. He wanted to be in a ce

    where people were not judgemental, where there could be eptance. He was tired of being told how

    to live and how to behave.

    Justus knew that his son was different.

    The constant pressure put on Can to fit in, mould himself into a wolf was not justified. He was a

    human and Justus had to ept that. The pack was making him miserable while his own greed was

    putting his son through so much of suffering. For once he decided to be a father and braved his heart.

    "If this is what you want... I promise that we wonte in your way my child. We will always support

    you in your decisions." Justus almost choked.

    With tears dripping profusely, Can slowly lifted his head and looked at his father. He could see the

    sincerity in his fathers eyes. He knew that whatever decision he makes his father would support him.

    He weakly smiled at Justus "I appreciate that father. After giving it much thought I have decided to

    settle somewhere else and leave this pack for good."

    ********

 Chapter 33: Jealousy Thy Name

    Chapter 33: Jealousy Thy Name

    It was a sunny day, perfect for a day at the fair. The entrance could be seen from a distance while long

    ques edged forward slowly. People were excited and impatient as they moved ahead. Faint music

    could be heard from beyond the gates while asional screams of joy were a norm. It was once in a

    year event and everyone was looking forward to it.

    Among the people standing in que were humans and different shifters from all around the vicinity. Einar

    stood awkwardly besides Rosaline for he was dragged to this event in the pretext of having fun. He

    initially had no ns to join Rosaline and Arthur but he was forced by his mind to pierce through this

    massive crowd to just have a nce at his beloved.

    It had been almost a week since thepetition and Can had gone missing. Hardly anybody cared

    about his whereabouts but the alpha was getting insecure and more restless as the days passed. He

    did try for anonymous reasons to connect with the head warriors son but all the reply he got was that

    the handsome man was recuperating alone and did not want any disturbance.

    As the wolves entered the gates, they were weed by a swarm of people spread in ces where

    the eyes could roam. A number of stalls of all varieties conducting different activities were lined up on

    both the sides. From a distance in the crowd Einar could see a beautiful tall human girl waving her

    hands in the direction of the wolves. Rosaline imitated the gesture and responded with a smile.

    Fayette came running towards the group and hugged thedy "I am really d you showed up."

    "Oh I had to. This ce is amazing!" Rosaline said in wonderment.

    Fayette looked at Arthur and bowed, weing him but when she saw Einar her face was sour and

    she diverted her attention to thedy wolf "Lets go quickly or it will start already."

    With a confused look from the guests, the humanpelled them to follow her within the depths of the

    fair. They stopped right besides a huge tent and Fayette urged them to enter the shelter.

    They were taken by surprise by what they saw.

    The aroma of berries and nuts wafted all around, tantalising their noses. People had gathered around a

    single candle was lit in the middle of the sweet food while people had surrounded a certain individual. It

    looked like they were celebrating. But what exactly?

    Just then Fayette cleared her way to reach the significant spot and hugged that individual. Einar was

    happy and relieved for the person in front of him was none other than his own mate.

    "Where have you been?" Can asked in surprise "People are waiting you know."

    "I am really sorry. I had to attend some guests.''''

    Archer gave a small yful tap to Fayette and cleared his throat in arge voice "Attention everyone."

    He gestured to Fayette "Since theter has finally arrived lets begin the celebrations." The people

    around cheered in unison.

    "Don''t just look, blow the candle stupid." Archer scolded a stunned Can as everyoneughed.

    Can looked happily at his friends before bowing his spine to puff the candle. As he did the motion

    people pped, cheered and congratted him.

    For the first time in his life, Einar could see his mate this happy. He now understood why Can was

    always so adamant to visit his friends in the vige for his birthday. He was acknowledged here. People

    loved him, cared for him and they actually celebrated his birthday!

    Can was all smiles. He asionally hugged his friends while offering them the piece of the savory.

    He was carefree and was himself. He slowly made his way to the extreme end until his legs halted and

    his smile faltered. The grim look on his face made Einar more shameful and apologetic. Thankfully

    Rosaline came to his rescue when she hugged the man and diverted his attention "Happy birthday my

    saviour. Why didn''t you tell me? I would havee prepared with a gift."

    "It is not such a big deal actually." Can said with an awkward smile.

    "It is your birthday. It is a big deal! it is the most happiest day in one''s life. if I had known earlier we

    would have celebrated happily." she looked gleefully at the alpha when she realised something. Her

    eyes widened in surprise when it finally urred to her that both Can and Einar shared their special

    day "On second thoughts, why don''t we celebrate with Einar today."

    This startled the men and both of them looked at each other ufortably "I don''t celebrate my

    birthday in the pack."

    "But why?"

    "There are some.... unavoidable reasons." An awkward silence followed as Rosaline got the hint.

    People disliked Can in the pack and hence he avoided them on his birthday "I hope you guys enjoy

    yourselves, I will just leave to attend to my other friends." Can rushed his way to meet his human

    friend.

    "Why did you invite them!?" he whispered usingly.

    "Rosaline said she never went to a carnival so I thought I should invite her. I never thought that the

    alpha would show up too. I was just being polite."

    Can hatefully sighed "Since you have created this mess; you will entertain them." and he left, leaving

    the girl bewildered and glued to the spot.

    It was already difficult for Can toe out of the trauma. Einar had killed his bird, crushed his dream

    and demeaned him in front of the entire pack! He did not had the heart to forgive him. On the contrary

    he did not want to share the same space as the alpha.

    Fayette did as she was told and she parted ways with Can to y the host for the wolves.

    "Take these." The human handed some t disc metals to every wolf "These are coins we need to

    trade at the booths. Every gold coin is worth fifty bronze coins. Use it when you feel like doing anything

    interesting. Eating, ying, chit chats, entertaining yourself; anything." She yed a good host and

    enthusiastically showed them the stalls which were in exhibition. Arthur and Rosaline were awed by

    what they were seeing. Though the humans were ranked low in species they were quite creative and

    fun loving. All this while Einar roamed his eyes uninterestingly everywhere and followed the Luna like a

    lost puppy. He cheered a bit when he saw his best friend approaching them from a distance.

    Garrick waved at them but he grinned from ear to ear when he saw his mate standing with his wolf

    buddies. He greeted everyone and bowed before Fayette with a smile.

    "Congrattions on being the beta. I heard it was quite a fight." Fayette said with a smile.

    Garrick''s chest swelled with pride for his mate had appreciated his valor "I wish you were there to

    witness the match." Fayette smiled awkwardly before shifting her body towards the luna. Garrick than

    acknowledged the wolves and linked his friend. You seem upset.

    You think.

    If it is bothering you so much maybe you should have stayed home and enjoyed the pampering.

    I tried but I couldn''t. He took a long deep breath How are the preparations going on?

    Everything is going as nned but we need to leave early for the feast.

    Einar nodded at Garrick and they moved in a group a bit further when suddenly Einar saw Can with a

    bunch of other females standing, enjoying some mass of fluffy pink substance near a stall. Can was

    cheerful while hisughs boomed the ears of the alpha. It was all he could hear; it was all he could see.

    "You should try this." Fayette startled Rosaline.

    "This looks strange. What is it?"

    "It is called a candy floss. It is an item of sweet food made of sugar. It tastes amazing! You should try

    it."

    Fayette handed over the savory to everyone. The food enriched their taste buds as all of them ate in

    delight. Rosaline was happy to consume it all when suddenly her eyes roamed around to see a bunch

    ofdies and a few men staring in their direction in a very odd way.

    "Why are all of them staring? Is something wrong with us?"

    "Don''t worry." Fayette chuckled "It happens every year. They are all staring at the ultimate prize." She

    browed her eyes to Can who was standing near the booth.

    Fayette exined that the people who were nearby Can were considered as people of importance

    because the man keeps little contact and hence the curiosity.

    ''''It must be overwhelming for him." Rosaline whispered in awe.

    "It was initially but now he is used to it."

    Though the conversation was between the twodies only, the strong ears was making it difficult for the

    wolves to not intrude. The admiration and lust for his mate was making Einar crazy from within. He was

    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    fuming but was desperately trying to maintain a stoic posture.

    Amazed by Can''s poprity Rosaline followed another booth just behind Can and Archer. All this

    while Einar sent death res to everyone who was staring at his mate.

    It was now a usual scene where females followed every booth alongside Can and giggled and

    cheered for him. Some were even calling his name to try and get his attention. Can was unaffected

    by all this but the alpha was getting agitated every now and then. He was thankful that for some reason

    his wolf was quite but at the same time he wanted his wolf to take charge and kill everyone. His

    thoughts were interrupted when he heard Arthur in his head.

    Garrick, my wolf isn''t responding.

    Don''t worry Arthur. It is just the defence mechanism of the humans. The ce is protected for any

    magic and against any shifters.

    Rx your mind or else you will struggle to contain yourself. Einar added

    As you say alpha.

    Can interrupted the mind sessions when he suddenly showed up before Fayette "I need more coins."

    Fayette checked her small bag and shrugged "I don''t have any left. Ask Archer.."

    "This idiot has used up all of his coins in food and is shamelessly asking for more." Annoyed by him

    Can hit Archer''s head with his palm.

    "Hey! I was hungry." He was eating a roasted fish when suddenly an idea popped up in his mind and

    he raised his brows in excitement "I have a solution to the problem."

    He held Can''s arm and made his way to a nearby tree. He carefully ced a few t boxes of wood

    one above the other and asked Can to stand on it. Rosaline was fascinated by the yful banter

    which Can shared with the werebear. She had never seen Can so childlike and yful with anyone

    in the pack. In fact she had seen him happy for only the number of times which she could count by her

    fingers.

    "Archer looks really close to Can."

    "Yes." An innocent smile stered on Fayette''s face "Both have been best friends for a very long time

    now. They are like shadows of each other; almost inseparable when together."

    "That I can see." Rosaline nodded with a smile.

    "Did you know that they celebrate their birthdays together every year."

    "Really!" the Luna eximed in surprise "That''s unusual."

    "Archer''s birthday was yesterday but he celebrates it with Can to make him happy. So that he doesn''t

    feel lonely." Fayette said with a happy glint in her eyes while Rosaline nodded in understanding.

    However it was the alpha whose soul was burdened with the heaps of shame. Einar had never

    acknowledged his mate in the entire pack. In his quest to distance himself from Can he failed to

    realise that he was leaving the poor man all alone, making him lonely and isted. And Can''s fault-

    cause he was the Alpha''s unwanted mate.

    Archer was making Can more presentable by brushing his hair and cleaning his face of any residual

    food. His actions perturbed Can "What are you doing?"

    "Just wait and watch." Archer whistled boomingly. Soon arge crowd gathered around the tree where

    Can stood. He cleared his throat and raised his voice "Ladies and gentlemen and all the beautiful

    females. It is a chance of a lifetime for you all." He gestured his hand to a confused looking Can "We

    have with us the most attractive; the most handsome; the man crafted by the deities themselves -

    CALLAN!" Archer pped as the audience mimicked his action and rooted for the handsome man

    while Can stood their awkwardly, smiling coyly.

    "We all know that many have tried to charm him, make their way to his heart and miserably failed. But

    worry not. We give you a chance to make it right today. Hold your breath people because we are going

    to auction the MAN HIMSELF."

    The crowd erupted in murmurs and cheers. Desire to have the handsomeness for themselves arised in

    many. Can''s breath got stuck and his eyes widened in shock. He pulled Archer with the hem of his

    shirt until his ears were at a proximity to Can''s mouth "Have you gone mad!? What are you saying!!"

    In response Archer justughed and blinked his eye "I would like to put a stop to the dirty thoughts in

    your minds cause we are going to auction a kiss from the very man." The excitement in the crowd was

    overwhelming. All the young girls were exhrated with the thought of having a kiss with Can. The

    females adjusted their breasts and shed their assets all to be a viable candidate and charm the

    handsome man. They giggled and screamed while some even counted the coins they had in their

    bags.

    "Bidding starts at one gold coin."

    Einar had now imagined the werebear''s head on a tter. He was hating him with all the blood in his

    body. He was fumingly mad at the so called friend. He was already finding it difficult to contain his

    emotions. The jealousy which flooded his mind was taking away his rationale thinking. He was already

    bothered by the ogling eyes of the crowd and now he had to suffer the pain of helplessly watching his

    mate as a piece of an exhibition getting sold to a stranger.

    The bidding had begun with several suitors raising their bids. "Two gold coins"

    "Three gold coins."

    "Five gold coins."

    The entire crowd was silenced when a youngdy with long curls on her forehead and a beautiful smile

    appeared from the crowd. Her apparel looked exotic while the way she carried herself showed that she

    was a person of importance.

    "Fifty gold coins." She said with her gaze holding the eyes of Can. The entire crowdy stunned at

    the amount of bid put forward by the female.

    "Who is she?" Fayette was startled when Arthur suddenly stood beside thedy. Though the question

    was asked by his gamma, Einar was thankful to Arthur for he himself was intrigued and highly curious

    to know who the woman was.

    "She is Julia. She was in a rtionship with Can a long time ago.."

    Einar was shocked; sad and heart broken. He could see the longing in the eyes of the couple. Their

    yearning and their unshed tears were proof enough that they had loved each other deeply. He could

    see the affection in Can''s eyes which Einar wanted to see for himself.

    Einar''s thought was interrupted when Arthur asked Fayette "What had happened?"

    Fayette sighed and took a pregnant pause "They both wanted to marry each other but his father did not

    allow the union fearing that Can would lose his ce in the pack. Therefore with a heavy heart they

    both parted ways and she married the young chief of the Grador vige."

    "That is sad to hear."

    Though it was sad to hear the fall out, Einar was proud of the former head warrior for he did save him

    in a way. He was relieved that Can would not pursue the woman in the near future.

    "Don''t be." Fayette smiled at Arthur "Everything in his life is going to get better from now on."

    "Why do you say that?"

    She gave a knowing smile to Arthur "He has finally decided to leave his miserable life and settle with

    us. I have also arranged a few meetings with some beautiful girls. Hopefully he gets lucky this time and

    finds love."

    Einar was firmly rooted in his spot when he heard that his mate was nning to leave the pack forever.

    In the depths of his minds he knew that there could be a possibility when Can would eventually leave

    him. However he could not believe that it would be so soon. He was not prepared; he was not ready!

    He cant keep him away from him but it cant be denied that Einar can never make his mate happy. The

    burden of his guilt had been increasing year after year. With every passing moment Einar cursed

    himself for the treatment he meted out to the handsome man.

    It was finally the time when they bid their goodbyes. But then why did it hurt so bad!? Why was Einar''s

    heart constricting in pain!? Why did it felt so dark and heavy? It was like the air in his body was

    betraying him and for the rarest of rare times his eyes shed the beads of his sorrow. He exhaled a long

    breath and choked when he linked Garrick.

    I''m leaving. I cant bear this anymore.

    ****

    Darkness had taken over. The stalls and booths ignited its own illumination to the likes of the bright full

    moon. Most people wandered from stall to stall to explore all the things that they might''ve missed

    during the day.

    Can wanted to spend some time alone and so he went outside of the vige in the far away distance.

    He was at the opening of the forest and sat under the shadow of a tree looking at the brightened moon.

    Can was tired from all that had happened in the entire day. It was eventful and he was certainly

    joyful. Tomorrow he would apply a formal request to Fayette''s father for eptance to his vige. Tulio

    had been thrilled when Can desired his wish to move ces. He even went further and offered

    Can his own house to stay.

    Can was happy, content that he would finally be living with people of his nature as the moon

    originally intended. He no longer had to pretend to be a wolf or follow their useless traditions. He would

    leave his pathetic life behind him and start afresh. The only regret he had was that he wont be able to

    visit his parents and Aurora as frequently as he wished.

    His thoughts were interrupted when the silence around him was killed by the rustling of some bushes.

    He slowly stood up and looked at source of the sound. In his peripheral vision he could see a dark

    silhouette from a distance approaching the man in slow measured steps.

    "Who is there?" Can took a defensive stance.

    The figure kept moving ahead in its own painfully slow strides. Can revealed his dagger from the

    chest pocket and aimed at the person "Show yourself or this wont end good."

    The silhouette carried its own pace which was making Can slightly nervous and conscious of an

    unidentified threat. "I had warned you." With that, he flew his dagger aiming the dark body.

    However, he was leftpletely astonished when the dark figure caught hold of the metal in mid air.

    Can could see the grin while his own face was drained of colour when he saw a man approaching

    him with a dark mist surrounding his body. There could be only one such person in the entire universe.

    It was Einar! Or more correctly; it was the demon in Einar!

    The spirit chuckled and threw the knife at a distance before levitating his body and flying all the way to

    his beloved. "I see your aim is good."

    Can gulped in fear "Wh.. Why are you here?"

    "Don''t you know why I am here?" He tilted his head as he touched one of the hair strands on Can''s

    forehead "It is your birthday today my love. How was I supposed to miss it! I told you before that I was

    saving myself for you!"

    This was more terrifying for the human. He suddenly remembered the conversation when Einar was

    poisoned. The spirit had promised to show itself on his birthday and he indeed was here. That meant

    he was certainly after Can''s soul and the man could be sacrificed anytime now. His heart drummed

    at a fastened rate while drops of precipitation formed on his forehead.

    "I..I am just a normal human...uh.. man." He gulped "I..I don''t possess anything useful. I..I can''t give

    you a-anything.."

    The spirit chuckled at Can''s innocence and closed the distance between them. Their torsos collided

    and Can''s frightened gaze met that of the admiring eyes of the spirit before he ced his lips on the

    lips of Can. The kiss was soft and tender. Flesh meeting flesh; soul meeting soul!

    They parted lips as Can''s mouthy hung open in extreme shock and before Can could even

    because YOU ARE MY MATE..!"

    ********

 Chapter 34: To Love Is Divine

    Chapter 34: To Love Is Divine

    A day before the carnival

    Can cautiously paced in his room to collect the things he required before meeting his best friend.

    With delicate footsteps and hushed movements he opened his drawer and retrieved the present he

    was going to give Archer. He pushed the drawer back and turned around. His sudden movement

    caused the bowl on the table to stumble down and make a nking sound.

    The girl on the bed woke up with the sudden noise. Her eyes took in every ray of light and she realised

    that she had slept for quite some time now. Her heart was pounding while she gulped in fear to asses

    her surroundings. She breathed in relief when she saw the apologetic face of Can.

    "I am really sorry... I never intended to wake you up."

    The girl nodded in understanding. Her eyes caught the visual of Can being dressed up. "Where are

    you going?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

    "I am going up to the mountains to meet my friend. I may not return home tonight. I had left a note for

    you." he shrugged and lowered his voice "But I guess there is no need for it now."

    "Thank you for giving me shelter." Her lips stretched in an innocent smile.

    "I really wanted to talk to you about that." Can sighed deeply before taking a seat on the bed besides

    the girl "My parents have been discharged from their duties so they will be in the house more so than

    often."

    The girl bowed her head while she looked at her fidgeting fingers "That would be a problem." she

    whispered to herself.

    "Yes. That would be a problem."

    She jerked her head to face the man with hopeful eyes "You cane up with an excuse right?"

    "Actually...." He puckered his lips in hesitation "You may not find me here the next time."

    "Why?"

    "I am leaving this pack forever."

    The moment the words left him, the girl was taken aback. She opened her lips but no word came out of

    her mouth. She looked at him and back to herself and after a pregnant pause she looked again at the

    man. "This is your home. Where would you go?" her lips trembled "What about me!? You cant just

    leave me here all alone." Fright was clear in her eyes.

    "Just hear me out please." Can put his palm on her hands in a gesture of sympathy. Small drops of

    transparent liquid were now freely flowing through the eyes of the girl. Can felt bad for the juvenile

    girl but he had no choice. He gathered his courage and breathed deeply "This cannot go on for very

    long. People will know sooner orter. You have to be open with your parents about it. I know your

    father, he will definitely help or at leaste up with a solution. You cannot hide forever."

    "He cannot do anything." She lowered her voice "The constraints surrounding us wont let him help me."

    The girl soon embraced the man in a desperate hug and clung to Can as if parting with him would

    cost the very life of her.

    "Please don''t cry." He caught her arms and leaned her back to face her. "Lets just talk about it next

    time." Can realised that the girl was being sensitive at this time and he had to make her understand

    his point of view. He decided to leave the matter unsolved and deal with itter when the girl was in her

    senses.

    "Breakfast is on the table and the decoction is in the blue bottle, make sure you apply it before you fall

    asleep. Take care." He kissed her forehead before leaving the house.

    ****

    The day of the carnival

    It was an emotional storm scattering Can''s feelings all over the ce. He was happy, he was excited,

    he was sad and he felt the longing within him. How many days had it been since he met her!? He never

    expected to see her after the day he broke her heart.

    Thedy in front of him was charming as ever. Her long curls were beautifully decorated on her

    forehead. Her gown was shining gold and standing out from the rest of the crowd. Even the

    adornments she wore added to the mystique of her beauty. She looked vibrant, she looked

    mesmerizing.

    Both of them looked at each other and their gazes locked.

    It was as if there was no one around them. The only thing they could see was one another. She smiled

    at him and a warmth soared his body. He smiled in response until he noticed that a treacherous bead

    had wet his cheek.

    Archer intervened in the moment when he saw his friends emotional turbulence "That''s all for today

    everyone. We have a clear winner. Thank you all for participating."

    The crowd dispersed at once muttering curses at thedy. Soon Archer, Fayette and the wolves also

    left the ce to gift the two of them some precious moments together. Both of them stared at each

    other for a long time. Each one of them having a lot to say, a lot to convey.

    It was awkward for both of them as they were finding it difficult to begin the conversation. A void of

    years could not be filled in with mere words. Finally after a long pause Julia broke the silence with a

    smile "Happy birthday Can."

    Can nodded and choked with glossy eyes and a cheerful grin "You haven''t changed a bit."

    "Usually people say ''Thank You'' in response." both of them chuckled. After a brief pause Julia said

    "You are more handsome than Ist saw you."

    The pure bliss to watch thedy in front of him brought back some good old memories. They were

    young and so in love. They cherished each other, praised their abilities and epted each others

    shorings. They were perfect for each other. The ideal couple.

    But Can''s fate had other ns.

    He still remembered the day he spoke to his parents about the girl and how he was shattered to know

    that he had no right to love any one. The most difficult part of it was to make Julia understand his

    predicament and break things with her amicably.

    He distanced himself from her, struggled to connect with his true self and when the day finally arrived

    he uttered the most dreadful words that broke him from the inside. He saw the struggle Julia had to

    face topose herself. Like she was forbidden to breathe. Like she was banned from existing. Like

    the most precious thing to her was taken away. She pleaded and even begged Can to ept her but

    he refused her advances and broke all the ties.

    Thest time he saw her, she was on her knees. A crying mess, sobbing her heart out, pushing the

    earth beneath with her hands in vulnerability; and here she was today. All elegant, charming anddy

    like. He resisted the urge to touch her and gulped his longing for her.

    "How are you?" He asked partly smiling, partly crying.

    "What do you think?" she winked her eyes.

    "Being a vige chief''s wife suits you. I hope you are happy." He whispered thest part.

    "Leonard loves me very much. He agreed to marry me even when he knew about us."

    "You seem to like him a lot." His breath got stuck and he paused for a moment before asking "Do you

    love him?"

    Can hesitated cause in reality he did not want to know the answer. A part of him wished that she

    loved him and no one else.

    "Not as much as I loved you.."

    She witnessed the dithering behaviour of the man and decided to lighten the mood by changing the

    subject "Let the past be in the past." She took a long breath of confidence "Tell me about yourself. I still

    see you hanging around with Archer. Don''t tell me you have fallen for him." she chuckled.

    He gawked at her in amusement before replying "I was in a few rtionships after we fell apart but they

    were nothingpared to you. None of them worked. I had hopes for me and a fellow packmate

    named Vi but it turned out that since I am not a wolf I am forbidden byw to pursue her. So I have

    given up my hope for love a long time ago."

    Julia put her hand on Can''s shoulder as a token of sympathy "Don''t say that. Destiny has its ways to

    bind people together."

    "It isnt that easy." He whispered in hopelessness.

    "Indeed It is not." She retrieved her hand and sighed "When you told me that you cannot marry me, I

    was devastated. I cried for days together, never left my room."

    "I am truly sorry." bumpy tear drops erupted from his eyes. He knew he was at fault. He had aspirations

    for their future. He colored her in his own vision, made her a part of his ns, showed her a fantasy

    world only to crush her dreams and leave her stranded all alone.

    He looked sideways to hide his shameful tears before making a courageous effort to look at her smiling

    face as she said "I had to aplish the duty to my father and so I agreed to marry someone else. I

    never lied to any of my suitors. I told them everything, even the fact that we slept together. I got

    rejected every time. When Leonard came to my house I was shocked."

    "Why?"

    "I never really liked him. He was a stalker, or that''s what i thought about him initially. He used to follow

    me everywhere since we were kids. It turned out he loved me for a long long time. He was

    apprehensive about himself, that he doesnt ''suit'' me because of his looks. He backed down when he

    saw that I was with you. So when he proposed a marriage I was taken aback." She chuckled a mild

    He said that having me in his life was a gift. As the days went on I cherished the moments between us,

    the efforts and dedication he put on to sustain this one sided marriage was remarkable. I realised that

    no one in the entire world could love me as he did and still does.."

    "I am really happy that you met Leonard." Can smiled as the burden of his repentance was now

    somewhat lighter. He was content that Julia was well taken care of. That she was being loved as she

    truly deserved.

    "Yes I am too. You know Can, I made him suffer so much! Never cooperated with him, threw

    tantrums and even made him cry. All of it just so that he could leave me alone, abandon me but he did

    not budge. He waited. He kept a firm resolve and did not expect anything in return. His patience and

    resilience was praiseworthy. He was so determined to win my love that I had to cave in eventually. I

    realised that you cannot fight your fate. So what I am trying to say here is that you should not be upset,

    just dont lose hope. I am sure there is someone made out there just for you."

    Theseforting words from someone important really filled Can''s mind with hope. Tomorrow he

    was going to leave his pack and live a life entirely new. A life which was meant for him. So why not give

    another chance to destiny and wait for his special someone. There was no harm in holding back a little.

    He stered an encouraging smile and ruffled Julia''s hair "Were you always this wise or is it the baby

    in you."

    "How did you know...?" she stared at him in shock as her biggest kept secret was revealed just like

    that. Most importantly what bothered her more was that it had been only a month and there were no

    clear signs to detect if she was pregnant. Then how did Can know?

    "I..I''m not sure." Can was surprised by his own revtion. He discerned the baby within her and not

    just that, he was even sure of the gender!

    But how? Was he hallucinating? Was something wrong with him?

    He looked at the glowing bracelet in his hand and panicked "I should leave."

    ****

    The same night at the opening of the forest

    Words had left him. Can stared at those dark, ck orbs with utter confusion and burning

    dubiousness. What had the demon done! No male wolf in his right mind would kiss another male. What

    had gotten into him? Einar had a mate for crying out loud! He wanted answers but he couldn''t will his

    lips to move. He was shell shocked.

    The demon on the other hand kept gawking at the entire self of his mate from afortably close

    distance. He lovingly looked at him with a smile "It is the first moment in this lifetime that we met as we

    were intended to." He propelled his body ahead and embraced Can in his aura. Hended his feet

    on the ground and went close to his ears "You look more beautiful than you used to be." He whispered

    in a husky tone.

    It was as if this moment had knocked every wisp of air from Can''s lungs. He did not know how to

    respond or what to say. He stood there struggling, unable to do anything. When his lips finally moved

    he could only think of uttering the question which was killing his brain "Wh.. Why d..did you k-kiss me."

    The demon smiled and he slowly leaned forward to kiss the cheeks of Can taking him by surprise

    "Because you are my mate." The demon stated as a matter of fact.

    "No! I am not!" Can retorted. Can''s mind froze at the statement made by the demon. How could

    the demon have the audacity to even think of touching someone else when he already had a mate! The

    wolf and the demon shared the same body and hence by nature it was written in stone that they were

    to have the same mate. In fact Einar had even announced Rosaline as his Luna to the entire pack.

    Then what was the demon bbering about? Could it be possible that the demon was tricking him so

    that he could ask for his soul and feed on it.

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    With a firm resolve and a tough stand Can moved his chin up "I cant be. What if Einar knows

    about....."

    "Ahh.. He wanted to kiss you for a long time now." Can''s mouthy hung open on the revtion "He

    has been dreaming about these lips every night. I just made his wishe true." The demon caressed

    the mans lips with his forefinger. Can subconsciously took a step back as the spirit chuckled at his

    innocence "The human thinks he can control me and restrict me from meeting you. How stupid can he

    be! I have told you before my love, no power in this world can separate you and me. I will destroy

    everything that stands between us!"

    At that very moment, lightening illuminated a brilliant pathway in the sky making a thunderous boom

    "You are doing it again." Can was confused by the demons words but soon the demon chuckled as

    he pointed skywards at the crazy zig-zags "Threatening me.."

    Can shifted his focus in a jiffy and looked at the glowing bracelet. He then observed the serene but

    knowing features of the demon as if the glowing of the locket was nothing unusual to him. Was it

    possible that the demon knew about the magical powers of the bracelet all along!? And if yes than why

    did he hid it from Einar, his true being.

    "I understand that you are in a dilemma between holding to your facts and epting the truth but the

    fact remains the same. YOU ARE MY MATE."

    "I don''t believe you." Can whisper shouted at the spirit.

    The demon smiled "You will.. Soon."

    Can squinted his eyes when he heard those words. He wanted to believe that the spirit was lying but

    some where deep down he had apprehensions about his own truth.

    To think of it, the demon had saved him on different life threatening situations. He could have easily fed

    on Can when he had the chance. Besides he never talked to anyone in the entire pack but him; not

    even with Rosaline!

    These thoughts were unsettling for Can. His mind was sinking in a pool of anxiousness. He was not

    confident to even face the demon eye to eye. His mind was filled with a chain of puzzles right now

    which he was unable to solve.

    "What do you want from me?" He gulped with evident fear.

    "Nothing.." he brushed some air to the dangling hair on Can''s forehead "Yet I want everything from

    you."

    He kept his gaze stoic as he looked into the deep mesmerizing green eyes of the handsome man.

    Can felt exposed and slightly awkward at the constant gawking of the other worldly being. The

    demon slightly tilted his head "The human was right.."

    Can squinted his brows at the demon as he hesitatingly asked "A-About what?"

    "The fact that you have the most alluring eyes in the entire world." As if instinctively, Can rapidly

    blinked his eyes and wet his dry lips. He tried to avert his gaze but somehow it was difficult for him to

    look away.

    The demon sighed "My existence in this world is solely for one purpose.. YOU."

    Can''s heart beats hammered at a new high. It felt like his rib cage would soon explode with the

    constant thoughts of what happening to him. The words of the demon were unnerving him. He had to

    settle this once and for all otherwise he was sure of his hearts failure to pump any more blood. Can

    opened his mouth to speak but held back when he saw the disoriented eyes of the demon. They were

    emitting some glowing mist of their own and werepletely unfocused.

    The demon came out of his trance and looked at Can with a stoic expression "We have guests.." he

    smirked devilishly "It will be fun."

    The demon held one of Can''s palm to kiss it "I have to handle some business my love. I have to

    ensure your safety. You have a lot on your mind right now and I promise to answer every of your

    questions when we meet next." He caressed the cheeks of the man "I wont let anyone jeopardize my

    love for you. Not the wolves; not the world; AND CERTAINLY NOT THE HUMAN." he hissed at thest

    words.

    The demon slowly floated in air and looked at Can with intense eyes "Wait for me on the next full

    moon my love. I hope that you think of me until then; cause you are going to be on my mind always."

    He lifted himself higher and elerated towards the depths of the jungle.

    Can saw the figure vanishing from afar and was glued to the spot in apprehension. What just

    transpired? He could not wrap around his head for what just happened moments ago. Tension grew in

    his face and his limbs, his mind reying the memory from before. His breathing became rapid and

    shallow. His primal surge was to flee the ce and secure himself in a safe haven.

    But no ce could give him respite at this moment. The torment was real and he wanted answers. He

    scanned his area and waited for a brief period before exhaling long breaths. Standing here would not

    solve his problems. With a firm resolve and determination he headed to the ce to meet the person

    who knew it all.

    ********

 Chapter 35: Welcoming The Guests

    Chapter 35: Weing The Guests

    As the allotted time drew near the once steady minds had suddenly became restless. The warriors

    were groomed and lined in their respective positions. In this anxious moment Garrick could barely

    formte a thought. Aldous and his men were waiting in anticipation for amand. They had

    discerned that a serious threat was looming over the pack and so they were being prepared.

    Aldous was trying tofort his men but even he was running out of patience. He ran his hand through

    his hair and looked at Garrick in frustration "How long do we have to wait? My men have been standing

    here for quite long now. You are just wasting their abilities."

    "You have to stand your ground Aldous. Its the alphas order."

    "But where is he? Einar has been gone throughout the day. I am supposed to be his protector but how

    would I save him from any danger if he does not let me know about his whereabouts?"

    "Do you really think he needs any saving." Garrick paused for a moment and sighed to calm himself

    "Look Aldous, I know the position is casting an undue pressure on you and I know you want to do the

    job the right way and not fail but believe me had Einar not seen the potential in you he would have

    never chosen you as the head warrior."

    "And what potential did he see in Ashton?" Aldous spitted in anger.

    "Are you questioning the alpha?" Garrick red.

    "You know I''m not. But I am curious as to why a non shifter weakling was put to the highest pedestal

    just like that. He has even surpassed you! Doesn''t it bother you?"

    "It does." Garrick whispered "The decision to chose Can as the guard was definitely taken by Einar

    however he was only fulfilling his mates wish. Luna Rosaline sympathises with Ashton and so she

    asked Einar to appoint him as her guard."

    "Still!" Aldous huffed in frustration "Many in the pack don''t approve this decision. He is cursed Garrick!

    Only luna knows what bad omen he would bring to the alphas mate. If luna Rosaline is harmed in any

    way can you imagine what kind of havoc the alpha would bring to the pack. I am not taking the

    chances. I''ll talk with Einar about this. I can ept any other wolf but him."

    "Its the hatred in you spitting those words. How do you know he is cursed? Who told you? Do you have

    proof against your im?" Garrick put his hand on the shoulder of the head warrior. He looked him in

    the eye and with softened expressions he spoke "I know you don''t like him. I don''t like him either but

    the decision has been made. We cant do anything about it."

    Aldous angrily removed Garrick''s hand "And what if he fails to do his job in protecting the Luna.."

    "Then I promise you Aldous. I would be the first in line to demand dismissing Ashton and punish him

    ordingly."

    When Garrick uttered those words the head warrior seemed to rx a bit. The anger in him slowly

    evaporating. It was obvious that the men of the pack were envious of Can for he not being a wolf was

    given probably the most important job in the pack. This meant that Can was higher in stature and

    profile amongst every other wolf in the pack including even Garrick. This was not going down too well

    with the wolves as many thought that Can''s cursed fate would bring doom to the alpha mates and

    destroy the pack.

    "Beta.. you need to see this." One of the pack warrior alerted Aldous and Garrick.

    Both the men followed the warrior to the edge of the cliff. From the cliff where they stood lied arge

    open area beneath. At a great distance from the field was the opening of the dense forest. The blue

    moon pack could sense some movements through the bushes as few figures started appearing from

    the dark palette of the woods. "Finally some action." Aldous was overjoyed and he instructed his men

    to take attacking positions.

    "Wait for the orders." Garrick halted their movement.

    "But they have reached the pack borders and we outnumber them by arge margin. We can easily

    wipe them out."

    The beta observed that only a few ferals had shown themselves in the light of the moon. However what

    grabbed his attention was their reluctance to step ahead, as if they were ordered to stay there. Garrick

    scowled for his instincts suggested that it was a trap. "Something doesn''t seem right to me."

    "Mind link the alpha, he must be present here at this moment."

    Garrick nodded at once and linked Einar about the situation. He gasped all of a sudden and pursed his

    lips. "Strange.." He whispered.

    "What happened?"

    "I just connected with Einar but it felt weird and a bit unusual."

    As the words left Garrick''s mouth amotion of multiple strides could be heard from a distance. The

    ferals had finally decided to show themselves. One after the other they prated the depths of the

    jungle to enter the open field. What staggered the beta and Aldous was the number of bodies that were

    moving on the ground beneath them. "What do we do now?" Uttered a soldier in trepidation.

    "We fight."

    "They must be in thousands and we are very fewpared to them. I think we have to call for backup."

    Garrick reasoned with the head warrior.

    "That wont be necessary beta." The entire group was stunned when they heard the cold gruff voice of

    the demon. They all looked back and were astonished to see their alpha flying above the ground with a

    fright rather than respect for the demon. "Send your warriors to guard the main vige."

    "But Einar... I- I mean alpha we have men there already and we.."

    "Do as I say beta" The stern look from the demon left no room for any argument.

    Garrick was staggered at the moment. What was the demon thinking? Was he contemting to fight

    this huge army on his own? Yes he was frightening and yes he was mysterious, but taking over these

    ferals on his own was sheer stupidity. Garrick thought about it for a moment and linked Aldous.

    Send some of your men to the main vige and let the best fighters stay back.

    Are you out of your mind? I don''t know what this demon is thinking but you have your sense attuned.

    We need help out here. The more the better.

    I know that Aldous but right now we are dealing with the spirit and not Einar. He hardly cares about the

    pack or anyone else other than his mate.

    Look Garrick I don''t know what you are thinking but the ferals are reaching the pack border as we

    speak. In no time they will prate our security and kill our people. We cant just sit here and do

    nothing.

    At that very moment the ferals were elerating their way through the thick dense forest andnding

    their feet on therge open field. It was like an ant colony, the bodies lining side by side and one after

    the other. The sea of wolves had covered the entirend while the thumping of paws had created a

    sand storm hiding them from the in sight.

    Aldous and Garrick were bing more restless, panic clear in their faces. They knew they had to do

    something or their packs safety would be in jeopardy as the wolves now were heading for the main

    vige. Garrick gathered his courage and with shaky legs went ahead to confront the demon, to make

    him see reason. However as he made his way to the spirit, the demon had already levitated his body to

    hover around the wolves. He created arge mist engulfing theplete area beneath him. The

    movements of the wolves were halted as their demenor weakened and they whined in agony.

    What happened next left Aldous and Garrick glued to the ground inplete horror.

    The demon in the next instant stretched his arms sideways and looked to the sky. His eyes glowed

    dark while the mist surrounding him was erging its circumference. The wolves had no time to

    respond as the mystical fog started entering them. The wolves whined as their eyes bulged andrge

    bumps appeared on their skin as their hair strands became erect, detaching itself from the body. The

    pain was such that they were forced to change into their human forms against their will. Every single

    one of them cried in agony as their veins were changing color and the nerves popped the ck fluid.

    The ground was filled with screams and moans of aching pangs. People kneeled and scratched the

    surface, digging their nails, trying to tear open the earth and escape this chastisement. The torment for

    them was humongous. One by one they bellowed their pain and copsed to the ground lying there

    motionless. Dead.

    The once bustling ground was left with a sea of departed bodies.

    Garrick, Aldous and his men were shocked at what they saw. It was an out of the world phenomenon.

    Something which terrified them from the core. It was something they would remember as long as they

    lived. The demon had single handedly killed the enourmous army of fatal wolves. Words had left them

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    as they saw the demon proceeding towards the main vige.

    ****

    The situation in the main vige was chaotic. The intruders and the defenders were getting head to

    head to kill each other. The vigers were advised to take a safe refuge while the men called in for

    some more help. Arthur was leading from the front and was sessful in keeping the ferals at bay but

    even he was running out of strength. He noticed that at a considerable distance a petite man with a

    smirk on his face was sitting on a chair and viewing the fight with admiration. He was surrounded by

    some other wolves while it looked like he was orchestrating the entire fallout.

    Lothar on the other hand was booming with excitement as the moment he was waiting for had finally

    arrived. He had gathered arge army and prepared for this attack for months. Initially he was

    disappointed that his worth of an effort to kill the alpha had failed. However he kept his head strong and

    deviously nned an altercation to his attack. He grinned for he knew he was on the brink of victory.

    At the moment of reckoning however the pack warriors retreated and stood back at a distance as the

    ferals they were fighting froze in their movements. They screamed in pain before attacking each other.

    Nuzzling their jaws, prating their canines onto the others flesh seemingly killing their own.

    Lothar in a panicked voicemanded the wolves to stop but it was in vain. He tried to asses the

    reason for this abrupt behaviour until he saw a mass of ck fog appearing from the sky andnding

    across him at a distance. He looked back at the brawl and saw the ferals lying stationary.

    Lothar was rmed cause this was thest thing he was expecting. He never contemted the demon

    to show up. He stood from his throne and marched ahead to the demon. His own men were cowering

    in fear. His excessive pride was clouding his rationale thinking. He was way too confident about

    himself. So much so that he even overlooked the fact that the demon was an out of the world creature.

    "I wasn''t expecting you. Though I am happy you have shown yourself. Now my victory over your pack

    will be more impactful."

    The demon just kept staring at the wolf with a stoic face as the alpha went on "I knew poisoning you

    would have repurcussions but I never expected you to survive that. Did you know how I felt when the

    news of your recuperation reached my ears. Angry!" Lothar gritted his teeth.

    With a smug look on his face Lothar oscited in his own ce "I knew you would react some day or

    the other. You are not among the alphas who sit back and take the matters to the council. I knew you

    would revert and hit hard. But you forgot who you were dealing with. I have the brains." he cliked his

    forehead with his index finger. "I decided to alter my n but keep the day unchanged. As you can see,

    I am in your house iming it and you could do nothing about it."

    The demon was unnecessarily quite as he stared at the alpha without blinking his eyes which by now

    irritated the alpha. "You have nothing to say it seems. Feel privileged cause your pack is seized by the

    hands of the mighty Lothar." heughed hysterically throughout the silent crowd as his voice boomed.

    He was foolish, he was brash and he was full of himself.

    "You talk too much." the cold voice said as the demon slowly stepped ahead towards Lothar.

    "Uh uh. Think before you act demon. Cause my life is worthlesspared to the precious innocents

    who are getting ughtered right now." Lotharughed in his ignorance as the demon stopped walking

    and stared intently at him. "Yes. You heard that right. My army has reached the pack borders and right

    now they are hungry for blood. Your men are nothingpared to the gigantic army I have. You wont

    survive this time."

    Lothar''s face changed color when the demon slowly marched forward with an expressionless face as if

    the attack on his pack did not bother him at all. This irked the alpha even more"Is this all a joke to you!?

    Do you not care about your people!?"

    The demon was unaffected by it all as he kept his constant pace and moved ahead "Maybe not. But I

    know someone who you really care about." A devilish smile stered on Lothar''s face "Your mate!"

    Hearing about his mate halted the demon in his tracks as he gave a murderous re to Lothar "Now

    you know my intelligence. When all else fails it would be your mate to my rescue." One of Lothar''s men

    quickly pushed forward Rosaline to their alpha. Lothar grabbed her by one hand while pointing a sharp

    knife to her neck "Now stand back or I''ll sh her throat."

    The demon was back to his stoic face when he saw who Lothar had captured. He again started walking

    towards the alpha and closing the gap between them.

    Lothar was furious. Mostly importantly panic had struck him. His one and only escape n, the luna

    proved to be useless in front of the demon. "Do you think im joking? You take one more step and I will

    kill her...!"

    The demon in no time stood right in front of Lothar and grabbed him by his neck, idently rescuing

    Rosaline in the process. He held the man with one hand as if his weight was lighter than pebbles. He

    stared in the eyes of Lothar which brought frightful shivers to the alpha "I believe you. I belive that you

    would kill her; but why do you think I would care!"

    Lothar''s eyes widened in scepticism andplete horror. What kind of an alpha doesn''t care about his

    own Luna? Was the demon really going to sacrifice his own mate? Lothar was more taken aback by

    the fact that the demon showed no remorse even when Rosaline was being hurt right in front of his

    eyes. Unless she wasn''t the alpha''s mate in the first ce! In that moment the alpha had the urge to

    run, escape and hide. Even the air he breathed felt strangted.

    The demon smelled fear in the alpha and smirked "Today I''m really happy. Overjoyed by the fact that

    the moment I was waiting for has finally arrived. I am so happy that I would''ve let you go unharmed but

    you made a grave mistake. You threatened my mate! And I cant tolerate someone harming even a

    single hair on his body." Lothar in a state of panic ordered his men to retaliate, to save their alpha.

    However his men were affixed to the spot, frightened by the divine entity in front of them. All of them

    took a sudden intake of breath and stumbled backwards when the demon red at them. With no

    options left Lothar tried to free himself by kicking his legs and slurring abusive words to make the

    demon angry. He was provoking the demon to kill him. To end this torture once and for all and escape

    his punishment.

    The demon tilted his head and tightened his grip over the neck of Lothar. After a few moments he let go

    of the petite man. Lothar fell on the ground and slid his body backwards so as to create a separation

    from the demon. In the next instant the demon raised one of his hands and all of Lothar''s men were

    raised above the ground. They scratched their neck, frequently ran their hands through it as they tried

    to scream but no voice left their mouth. As if their sounds were muffled by the constricting supply of air.

    They took harsh intakes of breath. Blood rushed through their faces and their eyes popped out before

    their trembling body became lifeless and unmoving. One by one all of Lothar''s men fell to the ground

    like the falling leaves of autumn.

    The demon now focused his attention on a horrified Lothar. "I wont kill you wolf. But you''d wish you

    were killed than receive my punishment."

    The alpha gulped in fear as his body was levitated from the ground. The demon emitted a strong thick

    fog from his hands which prated the veins of the alpha through his openings. Lothar opened his

    mouth as wide as he could and screamed from the top of his voice, emptying every amount of sound

    he would have in his body. His agony surmounted even more when his hands were stretched

    sideways. The clothes he wore were shredded to pieces and swayed in the wind. He gasped loudly

    and bellowed his voice when his hands were being pulled by an unknown force. The pull had such

    strength that the body fibres were slowing detaching itself from the main figure. Crimson red liquid

    oozed from the spot as blood sttered through the joints. The tinging sensation was such that his

    body felt the ache in abundance. He screamed one final time as his hands werepletely detached

    from his body.

    The amputated arms were swayed at a distance as the joints sshed gallons of blood. The alpha

    shivered in pain as if he was a fish out of water. The spectators around were left horrified. muffled

    screams and cries of fear was amon sight among the crowd. Many sympathized with the alpha

    cause a dignified death would have been way more better than living a cursed life. Lothar would now

    require someone or something to always support him. Even for ending his own life!

    The demon growled in authority as everyone around gasped in fear and kneeled before the higher

    being. The demon kept his foot on Lothar''s torso and raised his voice "Let this serve as a warning to

    the entire world. Whosoever even thinks of touching my love would be tarnished! Nobody harms my

    mate or you will all suffer worse than death!"

    ********

 Chapter 36: The Blessed And The Cursed

    Chapter 36: The Blessed And The Cursed

    Night hade around again too soon. Aurora rested her head to the wood of the front door. Her

    hands ferreted inside her pocket for the keys of the house. With two heavy bags in her hands and a

    sudden downpour had made her return bothersome. The water from the skies saturated her dress

    heavily which added to the weight she was already carrying. The exhaustion forced her to relieve all

    the load to the ground at one instant. She sighed deeply and clutched her stomach to take in more air

    and energize herself.

    When she turned around to put the things on its ces she gasped in horror and surprise.

    Sitting at a corner of the dark room was a man who was drenchedpletely. Water dripped from his

    fabric to the ground. His head was bowed while his knees were bent as he hugged them. For a

    moment all was silent, then the lightening boomed and the witch froze in her spot. shes of light

    sparkled the dark room on and off.

    Aurora looked at the glowing metal and assessed that her friend was in distress. She lit up the room

    with candles and quickly made her way to him. Keeping her hand on one of his knees she enquired

    "What''s wrong Can?"

    The lightening resonated a loud sound as the roof boomed with heavy water drops. "You tell me what''s

    wrong.." The voice was low and sounded upset.

    Can was not raising his head which made Aurora tensed "Are you sad about something? Your

    worrying me! Talk to me please..."

    What followed was a pregnant pause before the voice spoke again "I am feeling betrayed."

    "Betrayed by who?"

    "You." He whispered as he slowly raised his head. The droplets of water had wet his facepletely

    while beads of rain were shining on his already glowing skin.

    Aurora was staggered for a moment when he saw an expressionless Can staring at her intently "W-

    What d-do you mean m-me?"

    Can exhaled a steady breath before he spoke "My father told me years ago that I cant be loved. That

    I have to live my life alone forever. I believed every word he said. I expressed my loneliness, my sorrow

    with you. When everyone including me believed that I was not blessed with a mate, you thought

    otherwise. You were of the opinion that there was someone somewhere made just for me. The other

    half of my soul. Why..?" He whispered thest part as he kept his gaze affixed as if searching for

    answers.

    "Why what?"

    "Why were you so adamant Aurora? Why were you so against every of my rtionships? You were

    never happy with any of the girls I fell in love with cause you were assured that my mate would show

    up some day or the other. How were you so sure?"

    The confident stature of thedy was faltering as the questions asked were surprising her in an odd

    way "What has happened to you Cally? Why all these questions?"

    "A funny incident ured today." Can''s breath quivered as white fog appeared from his mouth due to

    the cold shivers "A she-wolf came to me and said that she was my mate.."

    "That cant be.." Aurora whispered in surprise.

    Can slightly tilted his head as his eyes narrowed "She said that she was waiting for me for years and

    that she has finally found me. I believe you were right Aurora. I have finally found the one.."

    "She''s lying!" Aurora was quick to retort.

    Can continued as if he never heard the healer "She says the signs are there and I believe her. She

    wants me to join her pack. I have decided to go with her and leave this pack forever. So I guess this is

    goodbye for now Aurora."

    Auroras emotions pped as consternation took over her. She visibly panicked as Can looked

    confident and sure about this mating. She knew how stubborn the male was. Without even thinking

    about anything she warned him "Listen Cally, Its a trap. The she wolf is definitely lying. How can she be

    your mate when Einar...."

    The voice in her throat got stuck as she realised what she just said. Her lips trembled and her

    demeanor changed as she was trying to figure out a believable excuse to get out of this mess. She

    looked at Can to open her mouth but what she saw made her unable to react out of fear.

    Fat tears were rolling down Can''s cheeks as his eyes looked in usation towards her only friend in

    the pack. He looked angry, he looked pissed and most importantly he looked hurt. He slowly stood on

    his feet and took two steps forward "How long have you known?"

    Aurora knew she was busted. She had envisaged the scenario in her head but she was not ready now.

    For once she looked scared of the man "Cally please listen to me." she pleaded.

    "HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN..?"

    Aurora took in a sharp intake of breath as she registered the anger radiating through Can. She

    breathed deeply to calm herself as she fumbled "Lo..Long e..e..enough."

    Can gritted his teeth and fisted his hand. His eyes were fuming with rage "You are the only friend I

    have in the entire pack. Why would you do that to me!? Do you know how many sleepless nights I have

    encountered? Did you know how I felt whenever there was a mating ceremony in the pack? I was even

    jealous of my own parents cause they had each other while I was deprived of any hope!"

    Can ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Tear drops flew continuously as he red at the

    witch in inculpation "I confided my feelings in you. I shared the deepest and the darkest truths about my

    life and what did you do in return? YOU HID THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF MY LIFE! The very

    essence of any wolfs being." He scrunched his nose and sniffled, unable to hold back his maim, unable

    to contain his dread. "To think of it; I hardly care what Einar did to me cause I''m more upset for what

    you put me through. Your betrayal hurts me more than Einar''s rejection! Einar means nothing to me but

    you were supposed to be my friend! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME..!?"

    As Can uttered those words the cauldron and metal sses on the table shivered. They danced in a

    uniform way until they moved their trajectory and fell down on the floor with a nk. Aurora was deeply

    terrified. She had to find a way to make her friend cid, more even-tempered "Please calm yourself

    and listen to me once Cally. I wanted to tell you everything but i had my reasons..."

    "I DON''T BELIEVE YOUR CRAP!" Can angrily interjected "You made me suffer for more than five

    years of my life." He menacingly stepped forward with each sentence. The candles flickered as the

    objects from the shelf were falling one by one to the ground.

    "Please calm yourself cally. Your metal is glowing.."

    "DO HELL WITH THIS METAL.." The voice boomed in the entire house as Aurora gasped and jumped

    in her ce with fear. "I TRUSTED YOU...! I BELIEVED YOU AND YOU BETRAYED ME..!" Can

    scowled as his eyes were red from all the crying and all the anger he held up within him.

    Can closed the distance between them and held Aurora''s shivering arms with his hands. "WHY....!"

    He screamed from the top of his voice to demand answers from thedy.

    In that moment the tables were jumping over the floor. Parts of ceiling were falling down in chunks. The

    candles stirred with a tremendous fiery glow as the inmmables nearby caught fire. The ground was

    moving as winds picked up speed and thunders extended its warning. The terrible rumble from the sky

    and the floor shook Aurora like anything. However Can was deadpan and unaltered as he stood his

    ground braving the fury of the storm.

    Aurora shielded both herself and the man with her magic as the once steady house was falling down in

    pieces. Natures fury had such strength that the house could not endure its wrath and fell down

    witnessed the destruction of Aurora''s house. A part of him was content that it happened in the first

    ce while he also felt apologetic for Aurora.

    The witch broke the shield and made a makeshift dais for Can to sit. She waited for the man to calm

    down. After series of anxious breaths she asked hesitatingly "Are you feeling better now?"

    Can nodded without looking at her as thedy continued "You have been a very good friend of mine

    since years. Your heart knows that I would never be disloyal to you. I have always looked after your

    well being and safety and If I hid things from you, there has to be a reason for it. Please think about it.."

    And Can did think about it. When he was serene and tranquil he recalled the moments when Aurora

    helped him the most. Shielding him from any harm while taking on people for him. She was there for

    him in his hardest of times. In a pack which always made him feel unwanted it was Aurora who

    weed him with open arms. If she hid something from him than there must be a reason for it and

    certainly she deserved a benefit of doubt.

    "Are you willing to give me a chance to exin myself." Thedy asked with hopeful eyes as she

    offered some water to her friend.

    Can raised his chin in affirmation.

    "Alright. Where should I start?" asked the witch.

    "Start from the beginning. I want to know everything.."

    Aurora sighed as she sat across Can "Justus was the first wolf of his generation to have found his

    mate. Mary and Justus were just perfect for each other. Mary was the best tracker in the entire pack

    while there was no one better than Justus when it came to a fight. Imagine how high expectations

    people had from them for their offspring would be a rarebination of talents."

    Can knew about his mother being a tracker as also he knew that his father had a legacy of warrior

    spirit in him, he was blessed with skills. He looked intently at Aurora as the witch continued "They tried

    to have a baby in the first few years of their mating. Though it was unfruitful they were not dejected for

    they thought the time was yet toe, that the moon was making them wait to gift them something

    special. But soon their patience was waning and their hopes were diminishing..." she paused with a

    sigh "Every other wolf in the pack was sessful in finding their mate. Not just that, many of them

    were blessed with a child in the first year of their mating. Even after years of hope and endurance;

    Mary was still barren."

    "My parents would have been so upset." Can said dejectedly.

    "Yes they were.. In the meantime Luna Zelda and the Alpha were devastated for Zelda was unable to

    carry a child till the long term. The entire pack needed an heir and time was running out for them. Other

    packs were vying for an opportunity to tap on the vulnerability of the pack. The pack needed a future

    leader without whom its integrity would have been in peril."

    Aurora stood from her ce as she faced the gleaming moon "Both Zelda and Mary were almost going

    through the same predicament. One was unable to keep a life breathing in her while the other was

    unable to bear a child altogether. A council was set up to discuss the matter."

    "What solution did they came up with?"

    "It was decided to get the help of an external entity to know the reason of the shorings. The beta

    female Catherine had a grandmother; a seer. A very powerful one might I tell you. Both the couple

    approached her to receive her blessings. The olddy looked into her magical orb and summoned the

    power of the ancient spirits. She professed that Luna Zelda would soon bear a child who would be the

    most powerful wolf in the entire world. That the child would be either a conqueror or destroyer of the

    world."

    When Can heard the words he wasn''t surprised. He had first-hand witnessed the annihtion

    capabilty of the beasts. Aurora turned her back to Can as she sighed "Pride swelled in both the alpha

    mates as they were happy that they would soon be parents to a powerful child but they missed the

    important part of the telling.. Einar could be the destroyer of the world! That if unchecked his powers

    would create havoc for every living being on the. They were so overjoyed that they forgot to ask

    the seer about the control to Einar''s power. A possible solution to keep him sane."

    Can could see Einar as the epitome of power. He was ruthless in his fights while he showed no

    mercy to anyone who stood before him, not even Can himself. However as far as he knew, Einar was

    never a troubled child. He was headstrong but he never rebelled against his father. "Did alpha Ragnar

    find out a way to keep Einar in check?" Can asked with curious eyes.

    Aurora shook her head as she turned again "He never looked into the matter seriously. He thought that

    he had everything under control." She chuckled "But his reality came crashing down when you were

    attacked by the dragon. A young boy aged thirteen was powerful enough to summon the mighty demon

    out of nowhere. That had never happened before! The alpha was afraid; afraid of his own son. He then

    remembered the words of the seer and went on to seek her advice but it was toote. The seer had

    already left for thend of the spirits."

    Back when they were thirteen, Einar did became the centre of unnecessary attention. He was the first

    in generations to summon his demon spirit before the coronation. However Can was more interested

    to know the seer''s verdict for him "What did the seer told my parents?"

    Aurora pursed her lips and spoke after some time "The olddy closed her eyes and called the

    powerful spirits once again. This time though her demeanour had changed, she visibly shivered and

    the orb parted with the wooden tform where it was kept. After a few anxious moments she screamed

    and the orb broke into pieces mid air. Everyone around was shocked, including your parents.

    Something like that had never happened before! It was thest prophecies she had made." she took a

    pregnant pause "This was were the rumours started."

    "What rumours?" He scowled.

    "That you were cursed!" Aurora almost whispered in pity "The olddy told your parents that their child

    would not be ordinary."

    "And..."

    "And nothing else.." Can narrowed his brows and jerked his neck back in surprise. How could

    anyone make anything out of ''Not Ordinary''.

    "Her cryptic words were believed to be a warning. That the barren Mary was going to bring a bad omen

    to life, an evil to the pack. The news spread like wildfire everywhere."

    "I cant believe this..." Can whispered in confoundment. He could not believe his ears. Just the two

    words from the seer decided the entire future for him. How insane was that! Moreover the interpretation

    could have gone either way but of course the people had to see him as a curse rather than something

    else.

    "After two years from that incident, Zelda was over the moon for she was pregnant again. After two

    months from Zelda''s pregnancy reveal it was known that Mary was bearing a child as well. While the

    news of the future alpha was celebrated all over the pack, a child bearing Mary was not taken well by

    the people. They wanted Mary to kill the life in her and save the pack from the abomination."

    Can''s eyes were wide as saucers. He was shocked to know that people wanted him dead even

    before he was born. However he was more concerned about his mother. One could not begin to

    was finally blessed. To ask her to kill her child was like to make her live a life without a soul.

    "What did my father say to that?" he asked as a tear escaped his eye while he choked.

    "Your father was burdened with his responsibilities just like the Alpha. For them, the people came first

    before their own families. The wolves believed that you were a bringer of bad omen to the pack and

    that you should be eliminated at the source when the time was right. When everyone stood against the

    poordy it was Luna Zelda who came for Mary''s rescue."

    Can''s mouthy hung open as he bowed his head in shame. Though unwillingly, his father was ready

    to sacrifice him! A pang of hatred and anger surged in the man. However the thoughts of his mother

    subsided his new emotions.

    Aurora asked Can if he wanted to stop. Although his heart was shed by the betrayal from his

    beloved people, he was adamant to go through with it. He sniffled and nodded sternly as Aurora

    continued "Zelda boldly held Mary''s hand and announced to the entire pack that if Mary''s child be

    sacrificed; she would kill herself..!"

    The respect for the former Luna grew manifolds for Can for what she did for him. To stand up against

    your own mate, against your own people required courage and strength. She saved his life, she saved

    his mother. She was a true Luna!

    "The crowd was humbled. They grudgingly bowed down to the demand of their Luna."

    Can took an audible breath "What happened next?"

    "To prevent your mother from any threats, Zelda decided to keep Mary by her side always. It wasn''t as

    if attempts were not made to harm Mary but she was always saved by the alpha family. At the time of

    birth though, the luna was the one who needed saving."

    "Why?"

    Aurora sat infront of Can and sighed "Everything was going well. The Luna was taken to the

    chambers and being prepared for the birth. All of a sudden her condition deteriorated. Her pulse was

    weakening and her breaths were slow. She cried for help as blood made its way between her legs. She

    nearly died when without a warning her body rose and hovered in the air as she screamed from her

    lungs. She was surrounded by a ck and red mist. She wasn''t responding to any medications while

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    her own body was aching with the screams. It was as if she was calling someone.."

    Aurora paused and looked at a stoic Can "When Mary heard the screams, she reached the

    chambers in no time and just like a miracle the Luna was calm, lying on her bed again. The birthing

    was sessful as she gave birth to a beautiful and healthy boy."

    "Einar." Can stated as a matter of fact.

    Aurora nodded "We were about to celebrate the news of a new arrival when Mary felt the pain. It

    seemed impossible to be but the signs were there. She was ready to give birth just after seven months

    of being pregnant! She was taken to another room where she gave birth to a sweet little boy but no one

    was happy."

    "Why?"

    "The infant was born blind! A cursed child."

    Can gasped in shock. If what Aurora said was true then it meant that he was born blind! But how was

    that even possible? There was no cure for such abnormalities. Then how the hell was he able to see?

    "But I can see..!" He strongly reasoned.

    "You were not able to see when you were born.." Aurora smiled as she raised a brow. "On the other

    hand, Zelda''s child refused to cry or even open his eyes. It waspletely strange. The once happy

    environment had now turned into an anxious and sorrowful backdrop."

    "Then when did he opened his eyes?"

    "When you were near.." Can knitted his brows. "The two new born were kept side by side to each

    other. Judging by your proximity the Alpha child smiled and turned sideways to open his eyes and look

    at you. The first person Einar ever saw in his life was you..!"

    The glint in Aurora''s eyes as she said thest part was disturbing Can. Sure the moment must have

    been heartfelt for her but he wasn''t interested to know the details about Einar. He wanted to know the

    truth about himself. "I still don''t get it why you are telling me all the irrelevant things."

    "Everything is connected Cally. You will get it when you know the rest of the story."

    All of a sudden Can became pensive. His thoughts drifted to the sufferings and exile his parents had

    to face just because they wanted to have a child. Was he really worth the trouble? His parents had to

    face abasement since he was born. They must''ve been heartbroken to know that there child was born

    with an abnormality. Their dreams of a perfect child must have been shattered..!

    "Were my parents happy to have me?" Can asked in a low hesitating voice. As if negation would

    broke him from within.

    Auroraforted Can by putting her hand on his shoulder "They didn''t care even if you were born

    with three legs and two heads." sheughed "They were happy that you were born, that you were the

    reason they could call themselves ''parents''. They even contemted to leave the pack had it not been

    for luna Zelda. However they were constantly worried about you. There was something very odd about

    you."

    "Odd as in..."

    "You never cried as a child. Not even when you were born! Neither did youughed. You didn''t speak a

    word until you were five. You intently stared at people for no reason and only responded when you

    were in the mood and not when others expected. There were times when you did not eat for days and

    had sleepless nights on a stretch."

    Can was dumbfounded by this new information, certainly he did not remember any of it. His curiosity

    piqued as he thought about Einar. If they were really connected than was it possible that Einar shared

    the same traits as him "And Einar? How was he as a child?"

    "He was the apple of his parents eyes. Everyone loved him. He was pampered from the get go. On his

    first birthday, invitations were thrown to every pack in the world; even the kings presence was

    requested. He was quick to learn things and had lots of friends from the beginning. Most importantly he

    exalted power from a very young age. Everyone wanted to be close to him."

    A pang of anger and jealousy hit Can as he heard this "Why was I treated differently?"

    "People were scared of you. The odd behaviour you showed only cemented the doubts of the pack that

    you were indeed cursed.. You never behaved like any child of your age or how kids usually behave.

    This was the reason no parents allowed their children to y with you. It was only Zelda who let Einar

    be friends with you."

    Can''s heart constricted. It was sheer stupidity to misconceive the statement made by the old hag.

    How was it that no one validated the sayings of the women. Why did no one had the courage toe

    forward and cross the notion? A sheer stupidity ransacked his happiness, his childhood, his entire

    future. As experienced by Can in the human vige, people with abnormalities werepletely

    harmless to others. They were dependent on other people for gods sake! Then how on earth could they

    even be a threat to anybody!? This all could have been avoided if someone had just used their brains!

    "Wasn''t there anyone who gave a thought that maybe there was a reason why I was the way I was? I

    mean I know many kids in the human vige who are different from their peers but still they are

    epted."

    "Indeed. Lady Odile was also of the same opinion. However she could not possiblye out with any

    usible exnation to you being different neither any solution to make you normal."

    Can huffed in frustration "Did you believed it too?"

    "Initially yes." She gave an apologetic look to her friend "However elder Odulf reasoned the viability of

    this assumption. He always used to say that there is a reason for something to happen. We

    coborated in secret and started studying your behaviour. Noticing every minute details of your day to

    day life."

    "You were spying a toddler! What possibly can you get out of observing me as a kid?"

    Aurora smirked "We discovered a lot about you." She blinked her eye at an astonished Can "Elder

    Odulf concluded that you were not cursed but rather the pack was blessed to have you. You were one

    of a kind. You did something that blew our mind...!"

    *********

 Chapter 37: The Supreme Being

    Chapter 37: The Supreme Being

    In the expanse of blue thaty before him, the toddler gripped his undivided attention to the sky which

    touched the earth. The surface of theke was guarded by the lush green hills while the chorus of the

    birds added to the bustling of the otherwise serene environment. Theke was brighter and a bit

    glossy. However what attracted the child more was the reflection of the big orange globe whose image

    was distorted in the unstable water body.

    The small kid was apanied by a pair of opposite gender adults. He seemed reluctant to

    acknowledge the presence of his parents as his sole regard was for the nature''s canvas which was

    spread before him. Thedy kept the conversation going as she introduced the kid to the various

    earthly beings both living and non living while the male made it a point that the child physically came in

    contact with things so as to make his understanding better.

    Blind from birth the kid was all about tastes, sounds and touch.

    Over the five years since he was born the parents desperately tried to make things better for their child

    but all was in vain. More than his blindness it was the unresponsive behaviour of the kid that was

    worrisome. He never reciprocated neither did he responded to anything said and done. His mute

    behaviour depressed the couple as with passing years the theory of him being unable to speak was

    cementing its way.

    After spending some family time in theke side the mother went to hunt some food for her family while

    the male was in charge of looking after his kid. The minor was glued to the spot besides his father

    where he sat and intently looked at the sun. Unknown to them from afortable distance to theke

    were two figures who were keeping a watch on the family from afar. They were keenly observing every

    move the child made.

    The father went into a slumber as he was assured that his kid was safe in the vicinity. Moreover he was

    certain that the young one was not capable of any disturbance. A few momentster the scorching heat

    irritated the male as he scrunched his nose and gripped his eyes even tighter. Whereas his features

    rxed when the clouds blocked the heat of the globe from reaching the ground. This intrigued the

    child like anything. He slowly swayed his tiny hands and the sun was visible yet again as the clouds

    moved. The heat made the man irked like before as he grunted his displeasure. The kid in his

    innocence again swayed his little hands to move the clouds forward and again the man''s feature was

    tranquil. This odd behaviour of the man continued for a few more times until the child smiled and

    eventually giggled.

    The kidughed, a sweet sound unblemished by the hurts of life. The melody of his voice reached the

    desperate ears of his mother as she dropped the hunt in a jiffy and went straight ahead to her baby. It

    was something new for thedy. She just stared at the child in awe as tears of long lost happiness

    drenched her cheeks. The child''s shoulders moved and his body bobbed a little as theughter was

    overwhelming him. He moved his attention to thedy "Mother look at fathers face.." The angelic voice

    brought the father out of his slumber. With his half closed eyes he could see a small kidughing his

    heart out while slurring words in his amusement. The remainder of his sleep vanished as he sat upright

    and hugged his child with love. Tears of joy were refusing to stop its flow. The parents rejoiced for they

    never felt more alive.

    ****

    "So you are saying that when I was five I moved clouds with my hands." Can gestured towards his

    hands and looked at Aurora as if she had grown two heads. He was trying to grasp what the witch was

    implying to say.

    "Yes."

    The affirmation baffled Can. He had been in close contacts with almost every mystical creature there

    was but never had he heard anyone do a thing like moving a cloud. It was nonsensical. "How is that

    even possible!? And how is anything of it rted to me being the unfortunate mate of that jerk?"

    "Everything is connected Cally." Aurora said with determination in her eyes "When we saw what you

    did at theke that day we werepletely shaken. You did something that no one could ever imagine

    and at that moment we realised that you were special."

    "How am I special?" Can furrowed his eyes.

    Aurora took a deep sigh as she leaned her body ahead. She uttered some verse and out of thin air

    some parchments of primordial times appeared out of nowhere. She handed them over to Can as he

    studied them. A slew of images were crafting itself on the material with random images of natures

    beauty. It ranged from the mountains to the seas, from the icends to the desserts, from lush green

    forests to the beautiful sky. What intrigued Can the most was that with every portrayal of the physical

    world there stood some men who had sharp, serene features while they wore a dazzling white gown.

    Furthermore they had a macule on their forehead with different radiating colors highlighting the spot.

    The same colors as that of his wristlet and the pots which he saw at Aurora''s.

    Can looked at his friend in utter confusion. He shrugged in bewilderment for he did not knew what to

    make out of the sheets. Aurora kneeled before Can as she flipped the parchment towards her and

    pointed finger on it. "The legends talk about a sacred species of living beings. Powerful beings who

    could control the differentponents which make our universe; Fire, Water, Earth, Air and Sky. They

    were known as the Elementals..! The more powerful the Elemental, the moreponents he could

    control."

    "So you mean that.."

    "You are an Elemental!" Aurora said in awe. The revtion left Can staggered for a moment. If the

    witch was true than he was bestowed with some mystical powers. He always thought that the strange

    happenings around him were caused by the metal he wore for years but Aurora dismissed that theory

    as ording to her the metal had no part to y in the unusual events

    Aurora continued "They were believed to have been massacred and vanished from the face of the

    earth. Centuries ago however, a prophecy was made that the Elementals would be born again and

    reign supreme as they once did."

    Massacred!? Why would someone kill them? ughter to the point of extinction! And if they were in

    plural it meant that Can was not the only one. There were others like him out there somewhere.

    Could this be a possible link between him and Einar..

    "Is Einar also an Elemental?" Can asked with curiosity and some hope in his eyes.

    "No..." Can''s face fell when he heard the answer. This meant that he was truly alone in the entire

    pack.

    "Have you heard about the war of Jodatain?"

    "Yes.. It was my bedtime story for years."

    The war of Jodatain was a famous legend about the battle between the supernaturals. One side

    powered by the vampires while the other was lead by werewolves. The ensuing battle was a result of

    the want of supremacy by the vampires. The greed was such that they sacrificed their own and

    conspired against various ns to take them down one by one. When the other ns came to know

    about the devious ns of the blood suckers, they decided to step up and form an alliance. With a

    However their strategy backfired for they were in for a big surprise. The vampires were already

    awaiting the footfalls of their enemy on theirnd and were prepared.

    The battle went for months toe. The vampires were on the brink of victory as one by one the

    greats of the other side were falling down. The umbre of nscked leadership and coordination

    which endangered their integrity. The vulnerable situation of the ns prodded them to seek divine

    intervention. They were denied help everywhere they went. It was eventually the moon goddess Selene

    who drove her moon chariot from the heavens to the earth and blessed the ns. A suitor was chosen

    who was fuelled by rage, courage and determination. The goddess conferred the wolf with powers and

    made him into an indestructible beast. The creature took the vampires by surprise as he annihted the

    entire army of blood suckers and their allies. The carnage forced the vampires for a cease fire and they

    were reluctantly banished to the dark realms.

    Can came out of his thoughts and nodded at his friend to carry on "During the times of that war when

    every supernatural being was involved in ughtering each other it were the humans who stayed aloof

    from everything. Safe from the chaos of extermination they hid in small settlements. They were

    wanderers and never resided in one ce. Whenever the war reached their doorsteps they used to

    move ces to keep their families guarded."

    This didn''t surprise Can. Humans were the weakest link in the food chain. They were drowned in

    their own apathy by shorter life span,paratively weaker frames and life threatening diseases.

    Mother nature bnced this shorings by increasing their procreation capability. However it was a

    known fact that humans had no guarding system in ce and were left vulnerable in the times of war

    and otherwise.

    "One such settlement travelled a long distance in a no mansnd to enter into the forbidden forest. The

    forest was known to swallow everything that moved. Though they feared for their lives the humans

    decided to take refuge near the no dwellingnd as they had no other choice. That was the biggest

    mistake of their life..!"

    "Why?" Can''s interest piqued.

    "The forbidden forest was the ce were an out of the world entity resided. A demon by the name of

    Daragor." Aurora pursed her lips and leaned back with slight fear in her eyes "It was said that the

    demon drew its life source from the soul of any breathing animal. You can imagine what would have

    happened when the humans trespassed the ce!" Aurora faltered in her stance as her lips quivered

    "It was like a deer trapped in a lions den. Daragor wrecked havoc as he plundered the settlement and

    randomly picked his food. The humans were left unprotected and helpless as after every alternative

    day a life among them was forcefully seized by the demon. The humans of the settlement surmised

    that there was no way escaping it, that one by one all the members alive would be devoured by the

    spirit in his hunger. In that grim situation the brave of the n negotiated a deal with Daragor and it was

    finally decided that instead of the demon assaulting random humans, one person from the settlement

    would present himself as the willing sacrifice!"

    Can gasped at the horrific agreement. "The elderly were to go first.. One by one every grey hair

    was decided to send in the weak! Soon, even they were depleting in numbers. The men were worried

    for they wanted to protect their women and children. In a desperate resolution they considered

    requesting help of the Elemental head."

    "The head of the Elementals?" Can narrowed his eyes. When she told him about the Elementals she

    never mentioned any head or leader.

    "Zio; also known as the Master or the Supreme one. He decided to help the humans and tagged

    himself on the journey to the forbidden forest. The Elemental offered himself as the next sacrifice and

    went away with Daragor. That was thest time any offerings were made to the demon. The humans

    danced in jubtion for now they were free; they could breathe; they could live... They thought that the

    Elemental had humbled the spirit once and for all but they were wrong!"

    Suddenly Can felt bad about the individual. His heart wanted this man to be safe and healthy. His

    interest piqued and he asked in eagerness "What had happened to him?"

    "The Elemental never returned...Nobody knew why." Aurora whispered thest part in trepidation

    "Some said that the Elemental had caged the spirit and was guarding it while there were also rumours

    that the spirit was feeding off the soul of the Master."

    Feeding off someone''s soul must''ve been harrowing. The very essence of life being taken away bit by

    bit was painful punishment indeed. Can gulped in sympathy "Then how did they find out about him?"

    "The humans were unsessful in their trials to save the Master. On the other hand the wolves had

    sessfully defeated therge army of vampires and shunned them to the confines of the dark. Their

    leader was the most powerful and dominating wolf among all. His name was Orcus. He was blessed by

    the gods and created by the goddess herself.. When the war was over the humans of the forbidden

    forest went to the alpha andy down an appeal to save their saviour. The wolf agreed with some

    conditions and marched for the prohibitednd."

    "Did he save him?"

    "Yes.. And no" Can narrowed his eyes on that contradicting answer. Aurora exhaled as she went on

    "Orcus braved the consequences and marched ahead in search of the Elemental. The wolf was taken

    aback when he realised that the man in question was actually his mate. That his mate was drenched in

    enfeeblement, was weak with his powers drained. He saw all red as he med the only being present

    there at the scene; Daragor." This revtion was only puzzling Can even more as he looked intently

    at the healer "The wolf started a dangerous battle with the other worldly spirit which resulted in utter

    chaos and destruction. Both the beings were indestructible and equally powerful."

    All at once Can''s mind wandered at the day when he visited Aurora and identally touched the

    mystical book. Its pages had pped randomly and it settled for a sheet which portrayed moving

    images of two beings. A beast man and a ghost. It meant that the images he saw that day were

    actually Orcus and Daragor! Can took in more air to breathe as he absorbed the information. "The

    image I saw in the book that day..." He whispered in horror.

    "Yes." Aurora curtly nodded "It was the demon and the Alpha wolf. They fought for days toe,

    eliminating everything, tearing down anything that came their way. They both struggled to throttle each

    other. People all around were scared for their lives, they were tensed for what destruction these two

    powerful beings were bringing. As an answer to their disastrous feud some stupid men thought of

    getting rid of the root cause; Zai."

    Cans eyes expanded "But that was insane! It would only make both of them even more furious."

    "Your are right; that is exactly what happened.." Aurora gulped with a teary eye "The Elemental was

    killed on the pretext of saving the world. People thought that the titans would be humbled by the

    demise of the master, that the destroyers would be destroyed!

    But they made it even worse!

    When Daragor and Orcus came to know about it, their worlds came crashing down. The spirit and the

    alpha in the quintessence of vengeance, coalesced as one. Their bodies now joined and their powers

    multiplied in abundance. Thus started the brutal unrestrained killings of thousands and thousands of

    innocents. The being was deranged and had lost its sense of rationale thinking. They were devastated

    by their beloveds death and had sworn to destroy the very world which was responsible for their loss. A

    mammoth of destruction was created by them. Everything surrounding them was in peril, in absolute

    ruins! People had lost their lives, their homes and the will to live. The mayhem was such that eventually

    the gods had to intervene to stop the brutality."

    A sense of fright and worry caught Can''s mind at the magnitude of demolition the two beings must

    have caused. All because of a single person- the Elemental.

    "The spirit and the wolf demanded their love be brought back to life. However, bringing back someone

    from death was against the formidable rules of nature. So the gods offered a middle path. They called

    in for every deities of the world and foretold that the Elemental would be born in an afterlife; that he will

    be reincarnated. Not just that, the spirit and the wolf will choose a body as their vessels to be reborn

    again and reunite with their beloved."

    "Why did they do that?"

    "It was apromise. Daragor and Orcus did not wanted to live in a world where Zai did not

    existed."

    With a stoic face Can leaned back on the dais as his back was now supported by the tree trunk. His

    thoughts were pensive as he slowly scratched his chin with his unfocused eyes. The story was quite

    unbelievable, shocking really. His mind was sent reeling, unable toprehend the images of the

    scenario from the past.

    Can stood up from his seat and walked at a distance for some time leaving a tired Aurora behind. He

    admittedly was fatigued thinking about how his birthday had transpired. This day he would remember

    till he died. A lot had happened, he celebrated his birthday with his parents for the first time. His friends

    threw him a party, he met his former lover and by the end of the day he discovered that he was an

    Elemental who had the alpha as a mate. An alpha who had chosen someone else rather than his true

    bond!

    With these thoughts in mind he strode back to where Aurora was sitting. With uninterest and a pinch of

    disappointment he asked Aurora "When did you realise that Einar and I were mates?"

    "The dragon incident."

    It meant that Aurora had known the secret for almost a decade. This hurt Can as he dejectedly

    lowered his eyes. Aurora was apologetic as she spoke "It was just a spection on how he was

    reacting that day. He was confused and jealous. I could clearly see the admiration for you in his eyes.

    My doubts were put to rest when he sneaked into your room and licked all your wounds."

    "Wasn''t it your potions that made it all happen?" Can asked surprised.

    Aurora shook her head "It was you who assumed that I was somehow responsible for your miraculous

    recovery when in reality Einar has kept you alive time and again."

    Things were now beginning to make sense. Einar''s attitude towards Can had changed after the

    dragon incident. The constant growling and keeping a distance was all because he was afraid. Scared

    for his outburst of hidden feelings or more probably his wolf''s feelings. Can again looked at Aurora

    "You ran away from the feast on the birthday celebrations."

    Aurora pursed her lips looking at the circle of radiating energy in the dark sky. She sighed and after a

    pregnant pause she looked back at her friend with serenity "When I realised that Einar was your mate I

    was really happy. It just proved the fact that you were important to the pack. To have you as a pack

    mate was a privilege. Never before was any Elemental born in any wolf pack. You cannot imagine how

    joyful elder Odulf was. He knew that you and Einar were mates and at some point of time, nature will

    take its course and you would be recognised as the alpha mate. But I couldn''t control myself! There

    was an urgency within me; like I wanted to unite the both of you as soon as possible." Aurora lowered

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    her eyes in regret.

    "Einar was miffed by my presence that day." Can huffed.

    "He was just confused." Aurora replied in a jiffy as if defending the alpha "He could not get why you

    affected him so much. During the gift giving ceremony you touched him. Your touch ignited the raw

    mes of desire within Einar. His beasts wanted you, they needed you. They revolted inside of him and

    hence he was out of control."

    "So the power of the bracelet did nothing to calm him." Can snorted sarcastically.

    Aurora shook her head and shrugged "You wore an adornment since you were a child. Every piece of

    jewellery that we gave you was enchanted. You were na?ve and we knew nothing about your powers. It

    was an unchartered territory for us. We decided to curb you powers till youe of age and

    understand things better. When you moved clouds we thought that your Elementalponent was air,

    that you can control the winds. But as you grew up, you showed signs of controlling water, fire and

    earth as well. So I gave you the wristlet. The metal in your hand shined in different colors indicating the

    differentponents you were in control of. White for air, Blue for water, Brown for earth and Yellow for

    fire."

    "But the metal also glows in ck..." Can remembered that his bracelet shined in five different

    colors.

    "Yes I know.." she lowered her eyes as she whispered in fear "I was terrified when I realised that you

    were more than what we were assuming."

    "Why?"

    "You and Einar are no ordinary pair. The story I told you before has significance for you y the most

    important part in it. The wolf and the spirit in Einar are none other than Daragor and Orcus from the war

    of Jodatain. Both the titans have chosen the body of Einar as their vessel and you my boy are no

    ordinary Elemental. You are the person for whom the titans havee to life again. You are the

    Master.. You are the higher being..

    You are Zai; the Elemental Supreme..!"

    ********

 Chapter 38: A Firm Decision

    Chapter 38: A Firm Decision

    "You are the Master.. You are the higher being.. You are Zai; the Elemental Supreme..!"

    Aurora''s eyes desperately searched Can''s as if she was waiting for something.

    Can knew he had to say something.. anything. His lips moved but no words formed. His mind froze

    at that moment. He willed his mouth to utter any meaningful vocables but his heart thumped as his

    capability of thinking was shrinking.. Finally when he got hold of himself he exhaled briefly as his lips

    quivered and he shockingly whispered "It-It cant be..! H-How..!"

    Aurora again pointed to one of the parchments wherein a man was raising his arms towards the sky as

    if embracing the heavenly body. The clouds were angry and were painted dark as a hollow cylindrical

    air body, tapering towards the end was bubbling its anger to the ground whereas the dazzling white

    lightnings were cracking the airspace, adding to the horrors of the sky. The image was chilling,

    horrifying yet magnificent. The image was greatly impactful and in a way it showed the mightiness of

    the being. It captivated Can greatly..

    "What differentiated the Elemental supreme from the others was that he was the sole master of the sky.

    He was the only one who had control over the heavenly bodies."

    Can slowly nodded when he registered what was being said. The person in the picture was actually

    sky?"

    Aurora nodded in affirmation.

    The gesture silenced the man as he stood from his ce and gently oscited his foot near therge

    tree. His face was inscrutable while his thoughts were contemtive. He frequently exhaled long deep

    breaths and fisted his hands in and out.

    The stillness in the environment unnerved Aurora. It was to the point that she could hear her own heart

    beat. There was a slight tremor in her hands as she looked at the unreadable face of her friend. She

    was not ustomed to this side of Can. She desperately wanted to know the reaction of the man or

    perhaps know what he was thinking right now.

    Unable to control herself anymore, she stood from her ce in a jiffy and desperately pleaded "Say

    something please!"

    The words halted Can in his tracks and he scowled at the witch "What do you want me to say?" he

    almost whispered "My brain has stopped working altogether. This is all too much to handle. As if me

    being the unknown, unacknowledged mate wasn''t enough now you are saying that I am some sort of a

    magical being who was extinct or some Master who has been born again! This is making me crazy..!"

    Aurora cautiously stepped towards the man "I know it is a lot to handle but this is who you are and you

    cannot escape it."

    Can lowered and raised his head briefly before resuming his journey to the pensive world. Up until

    now his main concern was to find a ce of respect in the pack. That dream was long crushed. He

    never had high hopes from his mate. On the contrary he never even imagined how his mate was going

    to be. The only thing he was sure of was that the mate if any would be a female. Even that hope was

    squashed! And now when he realised that he was destined with the moons blessing he was clueless

    about everything... He never had any rtionship with a man. Hell he never even imagined his better

    half to be a man!

    Can''s cause of concerns were only mounting when he suddenly remembered that he was a part of

    the legend. A past life which he doesn''t recollects anything about. Moreover he has been bestowed by

    some mystical powers which were beyond his understanding. He did not know why he was given those

    powers or how to use them in the first ce. He mindlessly palmed his metal and revolved it around his

    wrist "What happens if I don''t wear this bracelet?"

    "You still don''t know how to use your powers or more importantly how to control them. A flicker of

    emotion can cause a disastrous natural cmity. The metal you are wearing is enchanted by ancient

    verses. It was made by the elementals themselves. Its main purpose is to keep your emotions at check.

    In a way it warns you by glowing."

    Can nodded as he sat on the wooden log again and looked at the moon with keen interest. A day

    had changed his life forever. He was not the man he thought he was. Moreover after knowing the truth

    about Einar he did not know how to react. The bond did not affect him any which way. This also meant

    that Can was free to choose if he wanted to be paired with the alpha or not.

    But did Einar leave him any choice?

    Einar had already chosen a female as his Luna. If he wanted Can in his life he would have

    acknowledged him way back. Furthermore Rosaline''s life would be jeopardised by any interference

    from Can''s side. If she had agreed to mate Einar it meant she knew what was at stake. She knew the

    dangers of a forced mating. Even then she took the risk and hailed Einar as her alpha, her mate.

    Can realised there was no point making things moreplicated than they already were. The

    damage was already done..

    "What are you going to do now?" The healer startled Can. He turned his back to look at a hopeful

    Aurora.

    Can stood face to face with the healer and with determination in his eyes he said "I am going to stick

    to my n Aurora. I will be leaving this pack forever. My resolve to escape this ce has be more

    stronger now."

    Aurora''s stance faltered as she gasped "What about Einar?"

    "What about him..?"

    "He is your mate Cally.."

    Can huffed "I bet he doesn''t think that. He has been living his perfect life for years while I was

    searching for my true love like a fool! I wouldn''t have a need to find sce in other arms had hee

    clean. I wandered aimlessly, deprived of any hope when the one who was made for me was right there

    in front of my eyes!"

    Aurora''s eyes became glossy as she begged "Give him a chance... please.."

    Though he felt bad for his friend Can was undeterred from his resolve "Why should I?" he scowled

    "He never gave me a chance! On the contrary, it was me who overlooked the miscreant for his deeds.

    Forgiving him every time for how he made me suffer. I tried to forget everything and start afresh but

    every time I did that, he crossed a line and made me hate him even more."

    "He is the one chosen for you Can. You cant disrespect the moon."

    "AND HE CAN..!" Can''s raised voice startled the witch as she whimpered "Why me Aurora!? Why

    should I pay heed to what the goddess wants? I don''t have any feelings for him whatsoever. I am not

    affected by the bond in the slightest; but him..." Can huffed in petty annoyance "He is the alpha! His

    body has two beings inside of him who must''ve been craving for their mate for all those years. Yet he is

    so adamant to fight his own self and chose someone else over me; his fated mate...!"

    Aurora''s lips went dry as her excuses to shield the alpha werepressing against the principle reality

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    in front of her "There must be a reason for his behaviour Can.."

    "What possible exnation do you think there is?" Can red at her. Aurora was speechless for a

    moment as she lowered her eyes in defeat. "Either he is afraid of the people for what they would say or

    he must be really disgusted to have me as a mate..! Whatever the reason may be Aurora, one thing is

    for sure that he doesn''t want me.." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration as he blew out the

    angry air in him "And what behaviour are you talking about!? He knew about me being his mate for a

    long time yet he was cold, cruel and unfeeling towards me since I can remember. He even humiliated

    me in front of the entire pack! In front of my parents..!"

    There was a pregnant pause which followed the outburst of Can''s anger. The witch was wordless

    again. She knew that every word uttered by the man was true indeed. But what choice did she had!

    Can and Einar were part of a prophecy which had to be fulfilled in order to save countless lives.

    With nothing but sadness in her eyes, Aurora''s posture slumped a little. She knew how stubborn the

    male could be but she had to try "I know he has hurt you. I know he has neglected you Cally but I''m still

    requesting you to forgive him. Give him another chance please..."

    "He doesn''t deserve any more chances Aurora and you know it..."

    "You are right.." she fervently nodded as she gulped, cleansing the tear drops which were dampening

    her cheeks "Einar may not love you but his beasts do! From what you have told me the demon has

    only been nice to you while the wolf has saved your life a number of times."

    Can was bemused by the resoluteness in the healer "Why are you firmly determined to pair me with

    that alpha?" He scowled as he shook his head "I want to be far away from him as soon as possible."

    "Don''t say that.." Aurora gasped in trepidation "It will kill us all..!"

    "What do you mean..?"

    "Didn''t you learn anything from the story I just told you! Daragor and Orcus were so shaken by your

    death that they formed an alliance and wiped out thousands and thousands of earthlings in vengeance.

    It was devastation galore! Carnage everywhere! Your separation had blinded their vision for right or

    wrong. There was no end to their ughtering... If you leave they wont held back... They will follow you

    wherever you go. Their sole purpose to chose Einar was you! They will destroy everything thates

    between you and them.."

    There was an aching hollowness inside of Can. His mind became numb when he heard about the

    probable actions of Einar''s beast. He could be the cause of peoples death. He was always kind and

    gentle to people yet all that was negated by him being different from the others. Though people never

    liked him he always tried to be on their good side. Whatever treatment they meted out to him, he was

    never vengeful. But now everything was at stake. If he refused to stay in the pack, the beasts may go

    insane and wipe out the entire pack. He was in a dubious mind, contemting his further course of

    action.

    Aurora kneeled besides the man and palmed her hands on his knees. The constant flow from her eyes

    had bulged them a little. She snivelled and pleaded again "Please just give it a thought Can. Now

    you know whats at stake. A wrong choice could expunge the entire pack."

    It broke Can''s heart to look at the wretched state of the healer. However he knew that his life was

    leading to healing with new ways onward. Archer and Fayette have been encouraging the man to do

    things which make him happy and not be a people pleaser. Thinking about others had always led him

    to misery and pain. For once he wanted to think about himself. He wanted to do what was right for him

    and not what was expected of him.

    Einar had already selected Rosaline as his Luna. There was no point barging in and creating chaos to

    the already settled life of the couple. Besides it was Einar''s choice and not his. Einar was the one who

    distanced himself from his mate, who dishonoured the moons blessing. Why should Einar''s doings be

    he decided. Can had a life of his own and his existence did not revolved around that of Einar''s.

    The only way for Can to be happy was to be free from the hassles of the pack and circumvent the

    obstacle once and for all.

    Can stood from his ce oozing bundle of confidence. He narrowed his eyes and intently looked at

    Aurora "I am sorry Aurora; but I have made my decision."

    ****

    Random sounds came sailing in the breeze. Birds in the sky flocked their feathers in a rhythmic motion.

    The sky had been bright while the atmosphere around was cheerful. The serene environment added

    joy to the already gleaming face of Can. He cheerfully hummed as he marched towards the Alpha

    house.

    Can''s happiness reflected in the way he walked, the way he looked as also the constant smile that

    colored his face. He knew that after today everything was going to be alright. His smile grew even

    brighter when he saw the newly designated gamma right in front of him. He bowed in acknowledgment.

    Arthur reciprocated the gesture with a smile "Hello there Can?"

    Can''s smile never left his face as he nodded "Is the alpha here?"

    "Yes. He is in his office doing some paperwork for the uing meeting with the pride."

    Though Can was in his own world he did not miss the sour look. Arthur''s face was dull while his

    shoulders drooped a little. The clothes he wore were unclean while the harsh strands on his chin area

    was making him look sick. From the dark area beneath his eyes one could discern that the man had

    spent sleepless nights on a stretch.

    "What has happened to you?" Can asked with concern.

    Arthur pursed his lips and exhaled a deep breath "I meant to talk to you about it for a long time but I

    just wasn''t able to get hold of you."

    Can mouthed an ''o'' and awkwardly smiled "I was busy clearing some things." he paused for a

    moment "I wanted some time alone."

    "I understand" Arthur greeted in understanding. He lowered his eyes to look at his shoes as if

    something interesting was lying beneath. "I think even I should take some time alone." he said in a low

    voice

    "Why is that?"

    Arthur slowly raised his head. He turned his skull all around and exhaled air to calm his emotions; to

    hide his tearful face from Can. He gathered his courage and cleared his throat to utter in a dreadful

    voice "I don''t know how to exin but since the death of your bird I have been restless. I haven''t slept

    a single day since the trials." He fisted his hands as his once upset features transformed into the one of

    rage and vexation. "There is a surge of anger and hatred whenever I see the alpha. I just want tosh

    out at him." He gritted his teeth. After taking a few long breaths he calmed himself and looked at Can

    in helplessness "There''s anxiety; there''s boredom and all of a sudden I am upset for no reason. Am I

    making sense to you?"

    Can agreed with everything that was said by the gamma. In fact he had suffered the same ordeal

    when he came out of the battle that day. The memories of his bird, of his friend had haunted his

    imagery for days toe. He cried in bereavement, he cried because he could not give an interment of

    honor to the bird. Even thinking about him would make his heart constricted. It was a mute, harmless

    animal after all. An animal who could have been saved but was mercilessly ughtered just to prove

    one''s authority.

    Can wiped the now formed tears through the back of his palm and smiled encouragingly at Arthur.

    "Cornell was dear to my heart as well. I cant forgive the alpha for what he did to my friend but ultimately

    it was a fight without rules. Holding someone responsible would not be in the best interest of your

    sanity. You have to make peace with yourself."

    Arthurs lips quivered as he could no more hold the storm of emotions within him. He embraced the man

    in the next instant and cried his heart out. All this while Can patted his back and tried to soothe the

    man of his distress.

    Arthur leaned back and snivelled every now and then. When he was himself again he looked at Can

    with regard "You are certainly not what people think about you. I really want to be friends with you." he

    extended his right hand.

    "I thought we were already friends Arthur." Can curved his lips and eventually giggled before shaking

    Artur''s hand and unexpectedly giving him a hug. "Whenever you feel like talking about Cornell, you can

    It was the creation of a new bond. The first wolf ever to be friends with Can! The happiness within

    him surged when he realised what he had achieved today. His resolve now became even more

    stronger as he looked at the entrance of the alpha house with determination.

    ****

    Can entered the gates of the alpha house with enthusiasm. He stormed his way to his destination to

    the ce where the alpha dwelled most of the time. He reached the office while jumping and bouncing

    all the way and stood besides the door. He looked inside and saw Einar standing near a shelf with a

    book in his hand. Einar looked so immersed in reading that he probably didn''t notice the arrival of his

    mate.

    Can knocked on the door to gain Einar''s attention.

    Einar dropped his gaze to the floor where the in surface beneath revealed an approaching shadow.

    He carefully raised his eyes to look at the man standing in front of him. The alpha was transfixed,

    standing before him was his mate who he longed to see for eternity. Can was looking magnificent

    today. His hair was perfectlybed. He wore a dark blue shirt with his sleeves rolled up a bit while his

    pants resembled the shiny ck color of his hair. However what made Can more captivating today

    was the joy in his face. He seemed happy, he seemed ted he seemed like the one without a care.

    The delighted feature of his mate carved a beatific smile on the face of the alpha.

    Einar was out of his trance at once when he heard the knocking of the door once again. Can eagerly

    awaited the response from within the room as the alpha was perplexed as if he was caught cheating.

    Einar slowly raised his chin and gestured the man to step in.

    Can was jaunty as he stepped in with a smile and screeched a chair across the main table. He sat

    therefortably and drummed a melody on the wooden counter with his fingers. He hummed, he

    looked every where around as if he was liking even the dust which submerged itself with the suns rays

    and entered through the window.

    Einar was bemused by the abrupt and never before seen attitude of Can. He kept a straight face and

    cleared his throat to gain his mate''s attention "Why are you here Ashton?" he asked nonchntly.

    Can smiled and leaned his body backwards "Why do you think I am here alpha?" he wascent

    in his reply.

    Einar frowned at Can as his new found behaviour was irritating the alpha. He mmed the book on

    the table with a thud and rested both of his arms on the counter, leaning his body forward as he red

    at Can with hurt and usation "You didn''t show up for twenty days! You left your Luna unprotected.

    Did you even know that the pack was under attack! That you put your Luna''s life in jeopardy! How

    much more reckless can you be! I am really d I did not chose you as the head warrior. How

    thoughtless can you be in performing your..."

    "But I never epted the post of the luna''s guard." Can interjected as he shrugged "I am still a

    normal member of the pack."

    Einar gulped for this wasn''t the answer he was expecting. On the contrary he was a bit more fearful

    than he liked. Einar stood next to the table with his back straight and slowly made his way to sit on his

    big chair. His heartbeats raised as he frantically looked everywhere other than his mate. Bad thoughts

    crept his mind as he wanted his assumptions to be facious.

    Einar sped his fingers and fidgeted his thumbs under the table. Though Can could not see the

    hands beneath the table he could easily deduce that the alpha was nervous and hiding something. A

    knowing smile formed on his face.

    "Well if that''s not the case than why are you here Ashton?" The look on Einar''s face amused Can. He

    chuckled a bit. He slowly retrieved a covering made of a t paper and pushed it towards the alpha.

    "What is this?" Einar palmed the envelope and slid it in his direction. However his actions were abruptly

    halted when the sweet voice of his mate shocked his ears.

    "It is a formal request from an ordinary member. I wish to disassociate myself from the pack and leave

    this ce as early as possible."

    ********

 Chapter 39: Where He Belongs

    Chapter 39: Where He Belongs

    The aroma of lcs tantalized Einar''s senses. His chest expanded as he slowly opened his eyes in a

    daze. He could feel the throbbing veins on his forehead while his body ached from head to toe. A

    moment of weakness caused his vision to be blurred as in the next instant he shed the sleep from his

    brain and willed his body to wake up. He pressed one hand on his forehead as his head exploded by

    the dull pain. He groaned and slowly sat up with his arched back rising from the bed.

    Einar was muddled by a vigorous embrace as a soft voice spoke in his ears "I was so worried for you!"

    Einar narrowed his gaze and intently looked all around. He was surprised to see that a number of

    people had joined him in his room. He looked at all the worried and relieved faces. Though at this

    moment he was puzzled about the situation, he gave them an assuring smile. He then got hold of

    Rosaline''s arm and leaned her back.

    Rosaline had been a crying mess. Her puffed eyes could not control her sad emotions as water flew

    continuously from them. Einar stared at the Luna in confusion while Rosaline lowered her gaze to hide

    her feelings. Einar sighed and held Rosaline''s chin with his fingers to make her look up "Why are you

    crying?"

    Rosaline pursed her lips as she could not utter any more words. Einar than looked around to station his

    gaze at his best friend who was standing not far away from the bed. Garrick weakly smiled at him and

    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    gestured through his eyes to address the people around. Einar briefly nodded before clearing his throat

    "I am really humbled by your concern but I believe I am fine now. Thank you all."

    The members of the pack bowed one final time and made a beeline out of the room. Einar focused his

    attention to Rosaline "I think you should take some rest too. You look stressed."

    "But you are..."

    "I will be fine." Einar interjected "Besides Garrick will be there with me for now. You should go."

    Rosaline nodded at once and gave Einar a quick hug before heading to the door.

    Garrick closed the doors and quickly turned around to sit near the alpha. "Tell me what had

    happened?" he asked with curiosity.

    "What do you mean?" The alpha looked surprised.

    Garrick squeezed his brows in realization as he whispered to Einar "You don''t remember anything.."

    Einar in that moment closed his eyes as the muscles in his jaws were tightened. His knitted brows

    rxed and tensed in a continuous manner as he spoke "I remember returning from the human vige

    and then instructing Aldous and the other warriors. I also remember talking to you."

    "After that.." Garrick asked with hopeful eyes.

    "My head started spinning and I felt dizzy." Einar opened his eyes and pursed his lips "I tried to connect

    with someone but nobody answered and then.. I don''t recall anything."

    Garrick took a deep breath and looked to his left behind his shoulders. He was formting a way to tell

    Einar what all had happened in his absence. On the other hand the alpha was being impatient. The

    pregnant pause was causing his veins to rush its flow. He was visibly scared of the unknown, about

    what possibly could have had happened "Your scaring me Garrick. Tell me!"

    Garrick rxed hisposure and tickled his index finger to one of his brows "The pack was under

    attack as we presumed." he gulped and exhaled "However Lothar was clever enough to barge in from

    multiple fronts and cripple our army, our men. His original n was to attack every vige separately so

    that we could not get any time to save our people. He wanted to seize the alpha house in the

    meantime."

    Einar was leftpletely astounded by the ount from his friend. He had anticipated the attack and

    had made full proof arrangements ordingly. He knew that the alpha would not back down from his

    initial disposition and head for the attack as nned. He was constantly in touch with Bryce as he kept

    Einar informed about his alpha''s every move.

    "But we had ample of men stationed at the boundaries. How was he able to infiltrate?"

    "He had an army of thousands ferals; may be more."

    A thousand ferals!

    Einar''s thoughts were dysfunctional for a moment as he was trying to soak in the information. A tiny

    pack like that of the Idris with a meagre poption and a weak alpha, had actually managed to gather

    an army of thousand ferals! It was amazing and yet at the same time it was rming. This confirmed

    Einar''s assumptions that Lothar was drawing some outside support. That he was being the puppet who

    was working on instructions from someone else.. A master mind.

    "I cant believe this... !" Einar''s eyes widened in shock but he retracted them quickly as he recalled that

    the battle was over and he was in his own ce "Wait.. We won right.. How?"

    "The shedim spirit unexpectedly showed itself on that night. When we were on the watch at the cliff it

    appeared out of nowhere and startled all of us. It killed the entire feral army of thousands at a time; all

    on its own..!"

    The heart in Einar''s rib cage fastened its pace. His eyelids were refusing to flip as the naked eye was

    staring into nothingness. His mouth was left ajar while his lips trembled, trying to touch each other but

    failed every time.

    The demon had killed a thousand beings all at once. How was this even possible!

    Even the most strongest of the wolves can''t eliminate more than ten ferals at a time. Einar was

    bbergasted and at the same time he was overwhelmed for now he knew that the spirit in him was not

    something to be messed around. He now knew why the people around the world were terrified of the

    demons dwelling inside the alphas of the blue moon pack.

    Einar took his own time toe out of the shock. He calmed his shivering while he took heavy breaths

    to rx himself. He looked at a perplexed Garrick and intently asked "How long was I out?"

    "Today is the fourth day.."

    Einar nodded. The spark of confidence he showed outside was nothingpared to the fear that

    rooted itself within him at the moment "Our casualties?"

    "No one is dead. Only injured."

    Einar visibly rxed for a moment before his heartbeat raced again. He remembered the unwilling

    penchant for a certain green eyed man. It unnerved Einar to even think of Can in danger. He wanted

    to be sure about his safety "What about Can?"

    Garrick was taken by surprise with the sudden question. He looked intently at his friend and pursed his

    lips. He took a deep breath before lowering his head.

    Einar was bing more and more restless as the time passed by "Just be out with it Garrick!" There

    was a hint of desperation and fear in his eyes.

    Garrick sighed "Nobody has seen him since the day of the attack."

    ****

    It had been twelve days since the attack. Einar had been scrutinising the discrepancies in their

    defences. He considered the victory over the ferals a fluke. Had it not been his demon, the entire pack

    would have been perished. He held meetings with the concerned people and reprimanded them for

    their shorings. As also, he made Aldous in charge to recruit more people as warriors. Einar''s

    instinct navigated his thoughts on a bigger conspiracy. He was framing his mindset for arger attack

    and this time he wanted to be ready.

    The other thing which bothered Einar greatly was the absence of his mate.

    Can had been missing from the pack for more than ten days now. He wasn''t seen by any of the

    wolves in the past several days. Thest he saw him was at the carnival in the human settlement. To

    avoid suspicion, Einar tried to examine the Ashtons and even the healer but none of them had any clue

    where the handsome man was. Einar tried to find out more about the man but remained clueless about

    his whereabouts. It was frustrating; it was heart breaking.

    Einar was missing Can.

    There was an ache that came and left; always returning in the quiet moments. Einar would suddenly

    wake up from his sleep and shift in his wolf only to wander from forest to forest, from vige to vige in

    search of the alluring aroma of the significant someone. He would howl his agony of bereavement. It

    was hurting too much..

    Meanwhile it was bing difficult to exin the pack members about this unusual ardour of their

    alpha. Garrick tried his best to deviate the matter by saying that these were the after affects of the

    medicine. That their alpha was relieving his pain. However he knew that the pack members could not

    be fooled for long. He had to find another way soon or the fa?ade would soon be broken..

    ****

    The big rectangr table was filled with papers and inks. Arge map of the pack vige and the

    adjoining boundaries wasid in the middle of the wooden counter whereas the table was surrounded

    by men of importance. Einar keenly listened to the various thought patterns which were put forward by

    his men. The myriad conversation contained topics from internal security to food conservation for the

    pack.

    When it was Marden''s turn to speak, Einar clutched his chest as a twinge of pain throbbed his veins.

    The meeting came to a sudden halt as everyone focused their attention to the hurt alpha. The worried

    expressions of hispanionspelled Einar to keep his pain aside and concentrate on the work in

    hand. He waved his hand indicating that he was fine and ordered the congregation to continue.

    Einar was trying to focus but his newly generated pain was proving to be an inconvenience for him.

    Though he was physically present in the room, his mental state directed its trajectory to the numbing

    pain which was gradually increasing. His thought process was interrupted when Garrick tried to

    connect with him.

    EINAR!

    The alpha scrunched his nose in irritation Not so loud Garrick! I can hear you.

    He is back!

    Einar did not had to be quick witted to discern who Garrick was referring to. His breaths quickened and

    his heart drummed at a faster pace as the one he was longing for all these days was finally here. He

    could care less about the people standing in front of him. His lips trembled while he smiled in between

    long breaths. The fluttering of emotions and the glee in his eyes was all too much to handle. Without

    thinking any further he turned to his right and smashed the window to jump from a considerable height,

    leaving behind puzzled faces.

    Feet kissing thend, Einar ran as fast as he could. His clothes and hair slick with perspiration, clung to

    his skin. His thunderous steps made the animals of the jungle wary of him. There was an urgency

    within him to reach the destination in a flick of a moment. In no mean time he reached the edge of the

    opening before halting his speed abruptly and stumbling to the ground. This sudden obstruction caused

    him to fall t on his face. With harsh breaths and a soaked body he got hold of himself as he

    There was an explosion of excitement when Einar saw Can standing in his balcony measuring some

    clothes. Einar had seen Can a number of times but every time it felt like he was moulded through the

    creation of the gods themselves. The breathtaking beauty of the man was making it hard for the alpha

    to divert his eyes or station himself for long. He wanted to jolt his way and jump to his balcony. He

    desperately wanted to embrace Can and contain him within his arms forever.

    But he knew better..

    Einar could watch Can from afar but could not cross the boundary of the forest. He had to kill his

    heart and let go of the thoughts of even approaching the man cause he had created this distance

    himself. He saw him some more before unwillingly retreating his steps to the alpha house.

    Unbeknownst to the alpha, Can was alert of the situation as he saw the fall of the pack leader

    coincidentally. He quickly made his way out to the balcony and pretended to line in some of the fabric,

    as if he was measuring it to prepare clothes for him. From the corner of his eye Can could see the

    desperation and happiness in the alpha who was unsessfully trying to hide himself behind a tree. A

    knowing smile formed on Can''s face.

    He stationed himself in the ce until the pretence was done for.

    ****

    In the Alpha office..

    The resolve in Einar was corrupting bit by bit. He stared at a smiling Can inplete shock. The

    temptation to cross the table and embrace his mate was overwhelming. It was to the point that Einar

    was actually thinking about binding Can with metal shackles so that he could never escape.

    Can leaving the ce was not a good news.

    He thought he would be alright with his mates departure but the days after the birthday when Einar

    spend his time searching, regretting and almost killing everyone around him were a burden to his soul.

    He had barely survived the tormenting tenure. He could notprehend the amount of strength it took

    to withhold his wolf to held back even after seeing his mate after such a long time; even after seeing

    the handsome man in front of him right now..

    No! Can could not leave..

    Einar squeezed his palm and the envelope in his hands was being crumbled. He crushed the paper

    with a force before tearing it to multiple pieces.

    Einar''s nostrils red. His eyes were full of fury "I reject your plea."

    Can kept a stoic face "Why..?"

    Einar stuttered for a moment than he opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He was trying

    hard to find a usible reason to fit into the situation and make an excuse believable enough for Can

    "Because.. because.. " He looked around for any visible support as he strained his brain. His eyes

    erged a bit when he finally found something to say "You haven''t given any prior intimation."

    Can crossed his arms to his chest and leaned back with a pout smile. Not evident enough to be

    noticed by the bewildered being in front of him "I''m asking you now.."

    Einar gasped in short breaths as he stole nces from his mate. He was running out of any more

    reasons to deny the valid request of his mate. He clearly panicked "Y-You h-have to take proper a-

    approval." he uttered the first thing that came out of his mouth.

    Can sighed and leaned forward "I cant do that." he mockingly scratched his chin and narrowed his

    eyes while his gaze bore into the alpha "There are people out there eagerly waiting for me. I promised

    to be with them."

    Einar felt the surge within him ready to explode at any time. It had been there for a while now; the

    anger buried deep down rising into mes when sparks of jealousy hit him. He wasn''t sharing Can

    with anyone. Not with the pack, not with his friends and not even with his parents.

    Just as he was about to blow up, his mind was distracted by the abrupt entrance by two females. The

    luna of the pack was joined by an enthralled Mrs Ashton.

    Can saw the distracted look on Einar''s face and looked behind. An innocent smile colored his face as

    he saw his mother approaching him. She embraced him with a short hug and took out a metallic

    triangr hollow bar. She carefully handed over the item to Can "You forgot your dream catcher."

    Can kissed her cheeks much to the chagrin of Einar''s wolf "Thank you so much mother. I don''t know

    what I would do without you.."

    Mary giggled as she caressed the cheeks of her beloved son "I wont be far Cally."

    "Yes but it wont be the same."

    The alpha was watching the scene unfold. It was evident that the mother was ready to part ways with

    her son. She wasn''t bothered that her only son was leaving them to stay at an unknown ce forever.

    He sped the wooden top with his hands but soon his strength was proving too much for the poor

    table. The wood cracked through the parts which Einar was holding and detached itself from the table.

    Einar stood from his ce in a jiffy and roared "HE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE! I wont let him leave

    the pack."

    The atmosphere became tensed all of a sudden. Mary bowed her head in fear while Rosaline was

    scared for the strange behaviour of the alpha. All this while Can had a smug look on his face. Like he

    was happy to see the reaction.

    There were a series of anxious breaths before Einar calmed himself. He bowed his head with a sigh

    and supported his body weight through the table. Rosaline took the charge "Rx Einar. Can is not

    leaving the pack. He has epted the offer to be the luna''s guard."

    With his mouth hung open Einar slowly lifted his head to look at the Luna. His eyes did not blink while

    he looked usingly at his mate "But he gave a formal request to... What was in it?"

    "What.. " Can looked at the alpha as if he was not understanding the question. He slowly put his

    attention on the torn pieces of paper and chuckled "Ohh..! That was my mothers grocery list for the

    month."

    Einar gritted his teeth when he looked at the handsome man fiercely "Do you think it is funny Ashton?"

    He hissed in annoyance.

    "It was funny to me." Can whispered to himself "I don''t understand why my leaving is baffling you.

    Don''t you want me to stay?"

    "No." Einar said with distaste.

    "Then do you want me to leave the.."

    "I never said that." Einar answered even before Can couldplete his sentence.

    "Enough already Cally. You promised to behave." Mary chided her son. Einar was thankful for Mary''s

    interjection as he was feeling out of ce. Like a few conversation more could expose him soon.

    Mary bowed to Einar "I really apologise alpha."

    Einar nodded awkwardly as he seemed visibly rxed. He was happy that Can was not leaving the

    ce. That he had decided to stay in the pack. In this way things would be back to normal, they could

    continue with their everyday routine as if nothing happened..

    However his assumptions went for a toss when Can all of sudden asked him "So where would I be

    staying?"

    The air in Einar was constricting his jugr. His eyes were wide as he was rendered speechless.

    Can was contemting to shift to the alpha house. This wasn''t how things would go back to normal!

    A brief presence of his mate caused havoc to Einar''s senses. What would happen when he stayed in

    the same house where the tantalising aroma would assault him every now and then? It wont be long

    before he loses his control.

    "There are plenty of rooms" Rosaline answered for a mute Einar.

    "How about the one next to yours?"

    "NO!" Einar said in a jiffy. He pursed his lips when he saw the shocked faces in front of them. He

    gulped and exhaled in a slow steady motion. His lips moved as he was trying to utter something

    meaningful. On the other hand the twodies were puzzled by Einar''s behaviour while Can was

    smirking all along.

    "The room has... s-some i-issues." Einar stuttered.

    Rosaline gave a questioning look to the alpha for as far as she knew the room next to them was ready

    to be upied. There were no issues whatsoever. She did not go against the wishes of the alpha and

    awkwardly smiled at Can who was waiting for an answer "How about you chose the room you want

    to stay in. Come, i''ll show the ce."

    Can nodded and turned his attention to Einar "I guess we will see each other around then." Can

    grinned from ear to ear before making an exit with the twodies.

    Einar was dumbstruck for what just transpired. Up until now he was assured of a den where there was

    no Can; where he could keep his sanity intact. Can staying in the alpha house would put

    everything on the line. The distance; the resistance; the resolve which Einar strengthened through the

    years would all be squashed with the mere presence of that handsome man.

    Einar felt his control slipping as the locket in his neck was intensifying its glow..

    ********

 Chapter 40: A Friendly Advice

    Chapter 40: A Friendly Advice

    A few days back

    Can��s ck shoes made a gentle pitter patter on the uneven ground filled with pebbles. The wind

    carried the broken leaves with itself to travel a long journey before piling up in front of the man. He

    curled his fingers to and fro to ease the tension which was now refusing to go away. The calm and

    serene environment around him was making him nervous.

    He watched the man in front of him osciting his steps in a fixed path.

    Archer was pensive throughout. He asionally groaned, scowled and even fisted his hands tightly.

    On other asions he knitted his brows and took deep heavy breaths to calm himself. Can sat there

    waiting, constructing scenarios in his head for how the immediate future would look like. More

    importantly he was concerned for the reaction of his best friend. His head raised in a jiffy when Archer

    halted his strides and stood in front of him.

    ��Are you sure Einar is your mate?��

    Can huffed in surprise ��Seriously!�� he looked at the man in front of him in bewilderment ��Of all the

    things I have told you the only thing which is bothering you is Einar being my mate!��

    ��Yes.�� Archer innocently nodded ��Cause that��s the only thing that surprises me.��

    Can narrowed his gaze in amazement ��Your not surprised by me being some mystical being..?��

    ��Not actually.�� he shrugged ��You may not see it for yourself but I have stayed with you for long. I always

    knew there was something wrong with you. Not in a bad way though.�� he paused for a moment ��To be

    quite honest, I have seen the disy of your powers first hand.��

    The revtion took Can by surprise ��Why didn��t you tell me?��

    ��I thought you wanted to keep it a secret. Maybe you would��ve told me when you were ready.��

    Can sighed and slowly shook his head ��You are equally dumb as you are witty. I have never spared

    any details from you however personal they may be. Among the few people I have in my life I trust you

    the most.��

    Archer smiled and rolled his eyes ��No need to be dramatic on this course.�� However in the very next

    instant his smile faltered and his stance was grim. He intently looked at his friend as his jaws tightened

    ��Now lets talk about this alpha of yours.��

    Can sighed ��I don��t want to talk about him?��

    ��We have to talk about him.�� Archer roared his voice ��How dare he hurt you! I never liked that man.�� He

    hissed through his teeth. He held one of Can��s hand and forced him to stand on his feet ��Lets go and

    tell the world what you really are to him..��

    Can forcefully swung his hand to release himself from the hold ��And what would it aplish?�� his

    eyes welled up with the sadness that was deeply rooted within him. There was anger in those eyes. He

    narrowed his gaze at Archer ��Don��t you understand..! He doesn��t want me!��

    Archer saw the emotional turbulence brewing in the head of his friend. Can was sad and he was

    definitely hurting. It felt like he had lost everything. The silence in his cries was eerie for his destiny had

    pitied him against this unwanted predicament. He was no more than a third wheel in the happy life of

    his fated mate. He felt expendable; he felt torn. Like he wasn��t allowed to wish for something or have

    expectations for himself.

    Can��s shoulder slumped and he slowly sat on the boulder wiping his quite tears. He sighed in his

    dejection and lowered his head.

    The state of his friend unnerved the bear. He sat besides the man and waited for Can��s sorrowful

    tears to die down. After about a few torturous moments when Can wasposed, Archer broke the

    deadly silence ��What do you want to do then..?��

    ��I am going to leave him Archer.�� Can slowly raised his head to look at his best friend. His eyes

    showed determination and somewhat hatred for his alpha ��Let him live his perfect life with his luna and

    his pack. I will find my own happiness.. away from him.��

    Archer anxiously wanted to say any soothing words to his friend. He wanted to firmly stand with

    Can��s decision but his mind was unwilling to follow the blind love for his friend. The infraction of his

    brain was sure to go on untrodden paths which could bring in more pain and grief to his beloved friend.

    He wanted to support the man but he also wanted him to think rationally.

    Can was hurt. He was betrayed by the very being who was made for him. In his tryst to leave Einar,

    he unknowingly was infringing the same pain to his tormentor. It was more of a retaliation than a

    thoughtful decision. Sure he could have a life of his own. He may find love somewhere else and have a

    family.

    But Archer knew his friend better.

    Can��s conscience would always curse him for the missed opportunity. The regret would swell up with

    the growing years and ultimately he would only find himself with more sorrow and a silent pain deep

    inside his heart.

    Archer slowly tilted his body to have a better look at his friend and exhaled deeply ��You should go back

    to him.��

    Those words aggravated Can��s sour mood ��You are unbelievable!�� He huffed in astonishment ��I

    thought you would understand me! How can you even suggest such a thing!?�� He stood from his ce

    and stared at his friend ��He has hurt me Archer and I am never forgiving him..�� He said with finality.

    Archer followed suit and levelled the man ��Please just listen to me once.�� he spoke in a low, calm voice

    ��It has always been a dream of mine to give that wolf a beatdown of his life but things have changed

    now. He is not just your alpha anymore. He is your mate..!��

    ��A mate who doesn��t care about me.�� Can derided.

    ��Are you sure he doesn��t care about you?��

    The question took Can by surprise ��What are you implying?��

    The werebear sighed ��As a shifter I can understand the thirst for the want of a mate. He has a wolf in

    him who must have been craving for yourpany. For Einar to deny him his feelings there must��ve

    been a reason.��

    ��The reason being that he hates me Archer..�� Can spoke lowly with sad eyes.

    ��He cannot hate you even if he wants to.�� Archer retorted ��The bond will always overpower his hate.

    Who knows he may even like you deep down..��

    ��As my best friend you should be advising me to leave that douche of an alpha..��

    ��As your best friend its my job to stop you from making bad decisions.�� He smiled ��I know you more

    than you do yourself. You may be denying it now but you have always wanted to be paired with

    someone. Remember those times when you were desperate to have a mate whoever the person

    might��ve been.�� He smiled after a pregnant pause ��This is your chance at life; at happiness. Einar is the

    one who was meant for you. He is the one who is supposed to make your lifeplete.��

    Can got thinking for what he heard. There cant be any recement of your soul. There cant be

    anyone who could love you more than your mate. But did this rule apply to Can as well? Since his

    birth he had always been an exception to everything. Maybe he would also be an exception to the

    blessing of the moon. Moreover Einar seemed happy with his life. He was the alpha. He had the pack

    to back him up. There were people who loved him; his friends, his parents.

    And then there was Rosaline..

    There was a pang of hatred towards the woman but Can knew that she didn��t deserve it. Rosaline

    was a good natured girl with a pure heart. She was good to him and had supported him throughout.

    She even went against the pack to appoint him as her guard. She had all the qualities to be the perfect

    Luna the pack deserves. She could be Einar��s everything..

    These thoughts broke Can��s heart as he sighed in his disappointment ��He already has someone to

    make his lifeplete. I don��t want to ruin what they have.��

    ��What they have is not genuine; its a sham!�� Archer rose his voice as he gritted his teeth to suppress

    his anger ��If you are worried about thatdy than let me tell you that she volunteered in this fake

    arrangement all by herself. She knew the risks involved and besides you have the right to be called as

    the alpha mate and not her.��

    Archer intently looked at his disturbed friend who was pensive yet again ��I know you have a lot to think

    about but this is your only chance! A chance bestowed by the goddess herself. Einar may not like you

    but I can guarantee this that the beasts inside him can bring the world to you if you so wish.��

    Can sighed as his chain of thoughts drifted to Einar��s beasts. He knew for a fact that the demon

    wanted him, he wasn��t sure about the wolf though. However, he had observed mate pairs since his

    childhood. He never heard about any wolf who did not want his mate. On the contrary every wolf

    craves thepany of its other half. It could give a certain leverage to the bonding between him and

    the beasts. Moreover the beast were not at fault for Einar��s doing. It would be morally wrong to punish

    them for Einar��s deeds.

    Can nodded firmly ��You are right Archer. I overlooked the other side of this situation. I need to find

    out what Einar feels about me. I need to make him understand that I am worthy of a mate; that I can be

    everything he wants.�� He paused with a perplexed look on his face ��But how? How do I even approach

    him? How do I know what he feels for me?��

    Archer looked at his friend and chuckled. He folded his hands to his chest and smiled in a conceited,

    smug way.

    ****

    The present

    Einar was always sessful in hiding his emotions. In the excruciatingly torturous years of his training

    he made himself tough on all fronts. He figured that his heart could cause his enfeeblement and his

    stature would always be questioned. So he worked day and night to bury his emotions and be the

    tough, domineering man the world knows him today.

    But this moment was different.

    From seeing Can after almost two weeks, to his stay in the alpha house as the luna��s guard; Einar��s

    heart fluttered in a good way. The excitement in him poured in like the rays of the morning sunshine.

    The smile that crackled his face made his heart fluffy. He was sure of something gooding his way.

    ��You seem ted.��

    Einar raised his head and looked at the hard lined face of his friend standing at the door ��What are you

    talking about?��

    Garrick gritted his teeth as he forcefully elongated his lips ��Can has finally agreed to stay with the

    pack.��

    Einar nodded as his unexpressed joy was finally released through his lips ��I don��t care if he lives here

    as long as he stays within my sight.��

    Garrick forcefully jammed the irritation and angst within him. At the moment he felt angry but he had to

    contain himself. He marched ahead and stationed himself in front of the alpha ��This is not right Einar.

    Can staying here is the opposite of good.��

    ��Why?�� Einar knitted his brows in confusion.

    ��Are you really asking me why?�� Garrick huffed ��Can living here would only create problems for you.

    The beasts would crave him more and you would eventually give in to your temptation.��

    ��I have full control over myself.��

    ��For now.�� Garrick retorted ��You may be blind to it but I can see it clearly.�� Garrick lowered his voice as

    he gazed at the alpha with intensity ��Your resolve is breaking Einar! The look on your face says it all.

    You seem content; you seem happy. You don��t look this way when you are with Rosaline..��

    Those few words from his best friend shattered the feel good emotions which were floating in Einar��s

    head. In a way Garrick was right. For the entire world Rosaline was his mate and he had to behave as

    one. It was no secret that him and Rosaline did not act as any mated couple would behave. They were

    in their primary years of bonding, still they touched each other barely. In fact Einar hardly even cared

    for what Rosaline did or what he was needed to do as her mate.

    On the other side, the mere presence of the green eyed man had his world upside down. The more

    worrying aspect of it being that Can would stay in the alpha house for a very long time now. Einar

    realised that the mate bond was hampering his motives, creating roadblocks for him. He had to create

    a separation from Can to strengthen himself. Be the cold, domineering man that Can hates. At the

    same time he had to strengthen his bond with his now mate Rosaline. But how was he supposed to do

    that..?

    ��What do you suggest I do?��

    ��Make Ashton leave the ce at once.�� Garrick replied with a grim face.

    Einar immediately shook his head ��You know I can��t do that.��

    ��Can staying here would increase the chances of you loosing your control. People have eyes Einar!

    They would get suspicious. Your demeanour would always change whenever you are around him. The

    jealousy, the love, the pull you have towards him; people will notice it all.��

    Einar got slightly offended by theck of trust his friend disyed ��I haven��t let my guard down over the

    years and nothing as such will happen in the future as well.�� he said in defiance.

    ��What about Can?��

    ��Huh..�� The name paused Einar��s brain process. For a moment he was stunned as he had not thought

    this through.

    ��Can you bepletely sure that he wont be dubious about your abrupt behaviour around him, that he

    wont observe the fondness, the affection in your eyes..��

    Indeed. What would happen when Can came to know the truth!? Einar��s palpitations increased as he

    sighed to calm himself ��He.. He wont know.�� He said with withering confidence, unsure of himself.

    ��The beasts could only hold themselves for as long as you are strong. What would happen if you falter?

    What would you do when Can knows the truth?��

    When Can was staying in the western boundaries it wasparatively easy for Einar to survive the

    day. However things had changed monumentally. Einar could no longer deny the charm, the fascination

    he has for his mate. The very first night of his stay Einar was almost close to rip open the door and slid

    in besides Can to sleep with him infort. He also had to go for a run every now and then to

    soothe his senses andpel his wolf to be hostile.

    But how long would this trickery work?

    Controlling himself was bing a strenuous task as the days passed by. The faint aroma which

    lingered in the vicinity was maddening enough. Einar had the urgency to nce at Can whenever he

    was around. Most importantly it was bing difficult for him to not develop feelings for the handsome

    man.

    Einar looked helplessly at his friend ��What should I do?��

    Garrick screeched the chair and sat across the table ��Spend more time with Rosaline. You have

    chosen her and not Can. Think about the reason you are doing this in the first ce. You have to get

    a hold of yourself Einar or all will be lost.��

    ****

    The once energetic group was tired throughout their bones. Never in their life had they travelled on

    their feet for such a long distance. Headed by their leader they walked for a distance which could have

    been easily covered in all their fours within a stipted span of time. They asionally grunted,

    groaned and huffed looking at the culprits behind responsible for their apathy.

    All this while Can looked ahead at the congregation in amusement, feeling slightly apologetic

    towards them. It was because of him that the wolves were forced to walk all the way to the prides den.

    Rosaline was a constantpanion for the trip to the pride. She was the only one who acknowledged

    Can��s presence. Even now she was bbering about some past funny event to gain Can��s

    attention. However the one whose attention Can wanted the most had neglected him throughout the

    day.

    Einar kept a static distance away from Can. He did not even nced at his mate for a moment.

    Can also noticed that Garrick was constantly thriving to be close to his best friend. Every now and

    then he used to whisper in his ears which turned the softened expressions of the alpha into the one of

    a tough, cold exterior.

    Can had had it enough for the day.

    He resolved to get Einar��s attention any which way. He halted his motions all of a sudden and warned

    the luna to keep silence. He slowly held her hand and detached both of them from the rest of the group.

    Can pierced through the bushes into a narrow pathway inside the dark green forest.

    All this while Rosaline was clueless and watched the man in amusement ��Where are we going?��

    ��Aren��t you tired?�� Can asked without looking at her.

    ��Yes I am but that doesn��t answer my question.�� she chuckled a bit.

    ��We are going to rx our bodies.��

    Rosaline wanted to interrogate further but decided against it and went with the flow. After walking for a

    few distance she could hear somemotion from afar. She could hear voicesughing, screaming

    and also hear the sshes of water.

    The narrow path soon started expanding its breadth. The once close knitted trees were distancing

    themselves as they reached ahead. On reaching the brink of the forest line Rosaline saw an area of

    still water. The water body was surrounded byrge boulders on one side. The arrangement was such

    that no water dripped out of its confines. However her eyes sparkled when she saw some members of

    the pack relishing their body and minds in the water. Sshing the colourless liquid on each other

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    merrily or jumping from the highest rock for thrill. People were enjoying themselves.

    ��This ce is amazing!�� The enthrallment in her eyes was not missed by Can.

    When the people nearby saw the Luna of the pack standing on the shore they halted their activities and

    bowed to her in respect. They felt honoured that the Luna of the pack had blessed them with her

    presence. The already delighted Rosaline became more happy when the people asked her to join

    them.

    Rosaline shed her clothes in the next instant and disced arge amount of water as she jumped in

    the liquid with all her might, unable to contain herself. She motioned her body like a fish and roamed

    the avable space. The very touch of water soothed her mind as she visibly rxed. She slowly raised

    her head above the water and saw Can stationing himself at the same ce as she had left him.

    ��What are you waiting for? Come on join us.��

    As the words left her mouth the once continuous murmur was silenced all of a sudden. All the people

    pointed their gazes at the man in front of them.

    The stares all around were making Can wary of jumping in ��I think I am fine here.�� he awkwardly

    smiled.

    ��No you are not. This is really fun! Besides you were the one who brought me here. Don��t you want

    your body to rx?�� Rosaline saw the hesitation in Can��s eyes. She looked around and saw that

    everyone was looking at the poor man with judgemental stares ��No one would dare say anything to

    you. Nowe in fast or I will pull you in.��

    Can just smiled at the statement. He slowly shed the square woven fabric from his shoulders and

    reached for his waist coat. Unknown to Can the people around were thoroughly engaged to watch

    the man undressing himself. Nudity was a norm in the werewolfmunity but Can was always an

    exception to it. Though he came near this water body a number of times he never enlisted in the

    merriment with the others. It wasn��t because he was shy but mostly because the wolves did not like his

    presence.

    As he got rid of the waist coat he slowly made his way to the entangledce of the top of his shirt. He

    ever so slowly untied every knot as the gaping width made way for his gleaming skin to peek out of the

    fabric. Everyone stared at him as if he was the only being around. Can sighed and slowly held the

    end of his shirt to roll it upwards before finally sliding it out of his body. The very next moment he

    unlocked the knot of his trouser and undressed himself of the material.

    Peopley stunned for the exquisite beauty they saw in front of them.

    It was like an angel had descended from heavens to the earth. The wless skin of the man stood out

    from the rest as it shined in the beauty of the night. The skilled lines of his abdomen, the decorated

    muscles of his arms and the perfectly sculpted legs were adding to his manly charms. However,

    everyone was sexually evoked when they saw the length the man was hiding all along.

    As he walked his way to the waters he saw eyes full of lust staring at him with desire. Unintentionally,

    Can was sexually attracting everyone towards him. Nobody was untouched by the pull, men or

    women. Even Rosaline was heaving long breaths to control her carnal desires.

    He slowly entered the water and like a moth to a me; everyone around followed the man in a daze.

    Trying to touch him, trying to be close to him, trying to fulfill their covet for the handsome man. It wasn��t

    their doing but they couldn��t control themselves any longer. They wanted to have a taste, just a taste of

    the divine beauty..

    A deep growl of rage shattered the ear drums as the voice bellowed throughout the sky. The people in

    panic looked at the danger which stood on the shore. It was their alpha! His canines elongated. His

    eyes were red with fury. He fisted his hands to withhold all the self control he possessed but it was not

    helping. The red mist surrounding him was making him terrifying even more.

    He looked at all the fearful faces and thundered his voice ��NO ONE DARE TOUCHES HIM OR I WILL

    KILL YOU ALL..!��

    ********

 Chapter 41: The Call

    Chapter 41: The Call

    Sun sank lower in the sky, giving way to the velvety dark of the night. Looking above one could see the

    first star of the night. The shadows of the trees were changing its intensity while the creatures of the

    night were buzzing their melody as they weed the darkness.

    The group of people followed a definite path as they headed for their destination home. Einar had

    shown great restrain up until now. He was adamant to stay away from Can throughout the day. He

    nevermunicated with neither did he nced at him at the slightest. He conveyed his messages

    through the beta or any other person.

    He was able to control his physical being but his mind was treacherous.

    Even though Einar was sitting in a room filled with people he still felt lonely. The voices he heard

    through his ears were not reaching his brain. He tried to focus on the meeting but his mind was

    wandering, thinking about the green eyed man who was standing at afortable distance with the

    luna.

    Einar watched Can with the corner of his eye but was reluctant to turn his facepletely. He was

    holding himself but barely.

    He was not in favour of tagging in Can not because he was a human but because he would

    unintentionally be the centre of attention of the entire group. It was something the handsome man had

    no control over. People gawked at him with lust for they desired him or either they stared at him with

    envy. In any case the wolf inside Einar would have only been agitated.

    Einar knew that ordering his men to walk all the way was not justified but he was helpless. He was

    worried for Can��s safety. Moreover the closeness of his luna and his true mate these days was

    unnerving him. Rosaline��s persistent nature to be with his mate was not going too well with Einar.

    Though he knew that the woman had no ill intentions but still the proximity was unweed.

    ��How are you holding up?�� Einar��s thought process was interrupted by Garrick who walked with him

    side by side.

    Einar hummed ��So far so good. I don��t think the beasts would create any problems.��

    Garrick looked behind his shoulders and pursed his lips. It is the full moon tomorrow. Have you taken

    your decoctions?

    Einar sighed as he slightly opened the pockets of his trousers. Garrick could see a lid and some part of

    the transparent bottle I carry it always.

    Is Rosaline suspicious about it?

    She doesn��t know.

    Garrick in the next moment closed his link and was pensive for some unknown reason. Einar could feel

    the tension surging within his best friend as he looked at a disturbed Garrick.

    What is it? Just tell me..

    Garrick again looked behind his shoulders to make sure no one was suspecting. The rumours have

    started Einar..

    What rumours?

    You haven��t marked Rosaline with your scent. I heard some men talking about it in the pride.

    Einar nodded absentmindedly. In retrospect he always knew that such a moment would arise in the

    future. For Rosaline to have the scent of the alpha, Einar had to have intercourse with woman.

    When would you consummate the rtionship Einar. It has been quite a while for your coronation.. It is

    not normal in our world.

    Though Rosaline being his mate was a fake arrangement, it was a no brainer that both of them had to

    go through all the rituals which their customs dictated. It meant that Rosaline had to be marked sooner

    orter. Physiologically and emotionally the pack was a close knitted affair. Before people could start

    their guessing game Einar had to jump in the action.

    But how would he convince his conscience?

    Like every other wolf in the world, Einar had saved himself for his fated mate. Can hadmitted

    adultery with every woman he had a rtionship with. All this while Einar had never even been kissed.

    He was pure as the rays of the sun. He hated this fact about his mate.

    Can could have waited. He should have waited! Waited for his special someone. Never giving up

    hope. But his eagerness to be loved forced him to find sce in other arms.

    They were supposed to have their firsts together. Their first hug; their first fight; their first kiss..

    But then again, destiny wasn��t with them. For Einar had himself closed all the doors for any future with

    the handsome man.

    When the thought of Can crossed his mind Einar realised something. He halted his steps and sniffed

    the air vigorously. His eyes widened in horror cause the air was free of the sweet aroma. Can was

    not with them!

    He turned back in a sh and frantically scanned the area through his eyes. His men were puzzled by

    the sudden behaviour as Einar��s nostrils red and an anxious growl left his lips ��WHERE ARE

    THEY..?��

    In just a matter of a few moments Einar��s demeanour had changedpletely. From being the

    uncaring, tough man he became the anxious, worried mate. Can��s sudden disappearance was

    making him mad.

    He ordered his men to follow the scent of their luna for he knew that the wolves would be unable to

    track Can.

    He backtracked his steps and followed the faint aroma that was slowly disappearing. It was the

    desperation in him that forced him to use his senses to their limits. While his men searched the other

    parts of the track, Einar was led to a cluster of stomped grass nearby. He could see the distinguished

    footsteps and without any dy he followed them religiously.

    Halfway through, he could smell Rosaline and a few other wolves. What surprised Einar though was

    that he could also sniff arousal in waves. Like an erotic festival was going on somewhere. He followed

    the scent against his will which took him near the small pool of water. The first thing he noticed was that

    every one of the wolves was entering the water in a slow steady motion. They were not blinking; it

    seemed like they were dazed. It was as if they were enchanted by some magic. On a closer look Einar

    could deduce that the people were following someone.

    He went a bit further and halted his strides. He could see the reason people were entranced. It was the

    beautiful man; his beautiful man..!

    Einar could see the look of lust; the hunger within the people. He could see the gushing carnal desires

    in their guts. They all wanted his mate.

    Einar��s anger was boiling up within him as his wolf wanted to suck every eyeball which was glued to his

    mate. He wanted to tear their bodies, sever their heads for even looking at Can inappropriately.

    His nails grew, his canines elongated while his eyes were bloody red. Unable to hold his anger

    anymore he roared in a deafening voice ��NO ONE DARE TOUCHES HIM OR I WILL KILL YOU ALL..��

    The life threatening growl from their alpha brought everyone out of their daze. They fumbled and

    wobbled in their feet. Everyone of them bowed to their leader and prayed to the goddess for their life.

    They came out of the water as fast as they could and kneeled in front of Einar begging him to pardon

    their lives. But Einar was not having it..

    His wolf would only be satiated when he ughtered every being in front of him.

    As if on cue, Garrick and the other warriors reached the scene and witnessed the frightened people

    beseeching him to not kill. The animalistic figure in front of them raised their heart beats and they were

    sure that this would be the end of the innocents kneeling in front of him.

    Garrick intervened to save his fellow packmates ��Einar please calm yourself. I know what you are

    thinking but you would regret yourself deeply.��

    The animal in Einar was unfazed. He kept an angry stature and growled in defiance to what Garrick

    said. The roar was such that even the beta was on his knees in the very next instant.

    Calm yourself Orcus.

    A sweet little voice reached Einar��s ears as he vigorously snarled and shook his head. He closed his

    eyes and exhaled long breaths. After a few anxious moments his eyes were the normal brown and his

    features were somewhat serene.

    Einar looked at the wolves and snarled. He ordered everyone to stand and without any filter he uttered

    in a stern voice ��I hope you know what you were doing. All of you leave at once before I change my

    mind.��

    He looked at a frightened Rosaline who was standing in one of the corner and biting her lips in

    anxiousness. ��You too Rosaline. We will have a talk in the alpha house.�� She fearfully nodded at once

    and clothed herself before running away from the scene.

    The swirls, the sshes of water was what caught Einar��s attention next. He marched ahead and saw

    his mate��s beautiful body submerged inside the colorless liquid. Einar��s mouth went dry. His mates

    curved bottom and the bare muscr back was making Einar crazy from within. However in the next

    instant he smelled faint arousal emitting from his warriors who were gawking at Can.

    Einar growled through his mind link Stand back and turn around. He ordered his men.

    Einar crossed his arms to his chest ��What are you doing Ashton?��

    Can stopped his strides and floated in a stationary position looking at his alpha. Einar was thankful

    that he was standing at such a distance that Can��s groin area was blurred by the distorted water.

    ��I am relieving my body of the stress it suffered from all the walking.�� He shrugged

    ��We have all been walking the same distance as you.�� Einar gritted his teeth ��Do you see any one of us

    entering the water to rx.��

    ��Well..�� he smirked ��I am not stopping anyone. You can join me if you want.��

    The words took the alpha by surprise. The offer was enticing. To be with his mate all alone was his

    dream all along. His heart waspelling him to delve in and embrace his mate at this moment. Two

    naked bodies inside a confined space embracing each other; feeling each others heart beats; sharing

    their carnal heat..

    The thought flustered Einar and he regained hisposure. He narrowed his gaze and cleared his

    throat ��Stop this nonsense Ashton and get out of the water.��

    Can grinned and bowed his head ��Yes alpha.��

    Can cautiouslynded his feet on the ground beneath the water and bounced a bit. He took a few

    steps ahead and pressed his palm backwards through his head to extract the water from his hair. Einar

    was staggered for a moment when he saw the naked torso appearing in its full glory. He quickly

    enquired ��Where are you clothes?��

    Can stopped again and pretended to look all around ��I suppose they were there.�� He pointed to the

    farthest tree from where Einar was standing. In reality though, when the alpha had made his

    appearance the handsome man cleverly used his powers and submerged his clothes to the darkest

    depths of the water.

    ��I don��t know why does that even matter. I can walk to the alpha house naked and maybe..��

    ��NO!�� Einar pushed forward his palms in a defensive position with his eyes wide while Can pursed

    his lips as he was trying hard to contain his snicker. Einar stood firmly and blinked his eyes rapidly to

    contain himself ��I-I mean no. I will call someone for your clothes.��

    Can nodded briskly and took a step ahead when Einar interrupted his walk again ��What are you

    doing?��

    Can narrowed his eyes ��Getting out of the water. I can��t wait here all night long, Can I?��

    ��Stay right there.�� The alpha undressed the long coat he was wearing and carefully kept the fabric at a

    distance from the shore, in front of the man. He kept his gaze low while he retreated his steps and

    turned his back to the beautiful man.

    ��Wear it.�� He ordered without looking at his mate.

    Can smirked mentally as he got out of the water and dressed himself. Though Einar and Can were

    of the same height, the alpha was slightly bulkier than the man. Can could feel the excess material

    surrounding his torso and hugging each other a bit more.

    With hushed movements of his bare feet, Can moved forward and crossed the alpha as he stood

    before him. He bowed his head ��Thank you for the coat.��

    All of a sudden Einar took arge intake of breath. He clutched his chest with vigor. It felt like someone

    was squeezing his heart from the inside. He fell to his knees as his veins popped up the red liquid in a

    force, trying to liberate itself from the skin. His face was changing color while his voice constricted.

    ��G-Garrick.�� He uttered through his stifled jugr.

    The beta was with his best friend the very next instant. He carefully held Einar by his arms and ordered

    his men to help him carry their alpha. Can was concerned for the sudden pain Einar was facing. He

    gave a lending hand but it was angrily jerked away by Garrick ��Just go home Ashton. You have already

    done enough!��

    Can had no choice but to nod in agreement. He watched the men carry the alpha to the main vige

    as he silently followed them with dejected eyes.

    ****

    Einar stood in front of his window gauging the amount of damage done yesterday. His fingers gently

    pressed into his upper arm as he waited for some news which could ease his mind. He kept his eyes

    on the rectangr opening but his ears were alert of any slight action which could ur at any

    moment. He was anxious, he was scared.

    The incident that took ce yesterday must have spread among the people of the pack by now. Einar

    had been angry. Most importantly his outburst was more or less because of his mate. At that moment

    he could not think straight. But now when he had his senses attuned he was restless for he knows not

    how to avert the disaster.

    People had noticed his strange behaviour, he reprimanded everyone then excluding his mate. He even

    went on to give Can his own piece of clothing to cover himself. This would be news. Questions would

    arise for why he didn��t even bother to look at the luna? Why he didn��t care that Rosaline was in the

    water with other men and still their alpha didn��t care? Why he didn��t want Can toe out of the

    water? Why he threatened to kill them if they touched the handsome man?

    The gentle movement of knocking on the door increased his heart rate for he knew the answers had

    arrived. He exhaled a breath and retreated his steps to take a seat on the chair near therge table.

    Garrick��s face was stoic has he entered the room and looked at his friend intently. He stationed himself

    across Einar ��It is not that bad.��

    ��I still want to know.�� He said nonchntly.

    Garrick pursed his lips as he hesitated ��I talked to everyone of them. They all said the same thing.��

    ��What?��

    ��They couldn��t control themselves.�� He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice ��There was something

    in Can that attracted them towards him. It was like a trance.��

    Einar rebuffed the thought for he knew the effect his mate had on others. Though his beasts were

    neverfortable with the aspect of Can being the centre of attention. The fact was that the

    handsome man had no control over it.

    ��Were they suspicious?��

    ��There were questions initially...�� Garrick stopped midway and sucked his lips. He hesitated a bit before

    uttering ��Cassandra hailed you as a great alpha.��

    The alpha caught hold of Garrick��s uneasiness to speak. He was sure that his friend was hiding

    something from him ��Your confusing me..��

    Garrick bowed down for a moment before rising his head as he took a breath of confidence ��The

    wolves could not understand your ardour. It wasn��t as if they hadn��t seen you furious before but

    yesterday your anger was directed at the pack members because they were near Can. They wanted

    to know what caused your ire and one thing led to another. They felt like you were siding in with

    Ashton. Thankfully before any of it could go any further Cassandra came up with a theory.��

    Einar squeezed his brows and nodded at his best friend to continue ��She said that the wolves were

    falling prey to the curse. That finally Ashton had awakened his devil and was taking in everyone to the

    doors of hell..��

    ��This is preposterous!�� He mmed his palm to the table angrily. He was about to say something more

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    but then he looked at the nonchnt face of the beta. Garrick was not able to hold his gaze. He pursed

    his lips more so than often.

    ��Don��t tell me you have the same views.�� Einar huffed at the stoic face of his beta ��Come on Garrick, he

    is not evil!��

    ��Aren��t you even a tiny bit suspicious..? Though unintentionally, Can was attracting everyone towards

    him. People were in a daze! They did not know what was going on around them. Everyone thirsted for

    him..��

    Einar growled in jealousy and annoyance.

    ��Don��t tell me it has something to do with his beauty. Because we were there and we were unaffected

    by it all. There is something not right with Ashton..��

    Einar ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He could not believe that his own best friend would be

    superstitious and have faith in the facious words of the old hag ��I don��t know what people are talking

    about but you are a sensible...��

    His words were left hanging when a faint voice mildly jounced the feeble muscles of his ear Come find

    me..

    Einar sat upright from his seat and squeezed his eyes. He frantically moved his head around to locate

    the voice. His mouth was ajar while his eyes showed the uncertainty about what was happening. He

    looked at a puzzled Garrick ��Did you hear that?��

    ��What?��

    ��The voice..�� He whispered in trepidation.

    Garrick mimicked his friends action but to his surprise he found nothing out of the ordinary. He raised

    his brows and shook his head ��There is no voice Einar. It is just you and me.�� he shrugged.

    I am waiting for you..

    ��It spoke again.�� Einar stood from his ce and screeched his chair in a jiffy. His heart beat raised and

    he looked at every nook and corner of the room. He roamed his eyes through the floor, through the

    walls, through the windows and even through the crevices.

    ��How can you not hear that?�� Einar asked, panic clear in his voice.

    The alpha was pensive for his thoughts were now captured by the mysterious voice which boomed in

    his ears.

    But where was iting from? Who��s voice was it?

    Einar could not recognize the sound which entered his ear but the fact that only he could hear it was

    more frightening yet fascinating for him. He quickly recalled the decoction which he consumed in the

    afternoon. However the strange fact was that the medication had not shown any ill effects up till now.

    He had been consuming it for a long period. But what if the medication was the reason behind his

    hallucination? Was it even a hallucination in the first ce?

    Einar��s mind was filled with confusion and unease. An unknown fear was creeping its way through his

    spine. He wanted to focus somewhere else but his mind kept repeating those whispers. He snarled in

    frustration as he looked at his best friend in desperation ��Go have a look outside Garrick. I just want to

    clear my doubt.��

    The beta agreed at once and rushed his footsteps out of the door. Einar in the next moment decided to

    confront the person who was responsible for his curative liquid. He took two steps forward when the

    voice spoke again.

    Daragor...

    All of a sudden Einar��s eyes were blurry. The whispers gave him palpitations as beads of sweat formed

    on his forehead. In the same moment the fire in themp posts flickered unevenly before dozing off

    were hammering his head. He could hear the shattering of a ss, guttural voices, the nking of

    chains, the hissing of winds.

    Einar clutched his head and gritted his teeth. The sounds in his head were making him crazy. He

    desperately tried to link someone, anyone to aid him but he failed. He opened his mouth to call for help

    but his trachea could not formte any voice. He desperately ran his hands through his neck but it was

    of no use; he becamepletely mute. Panic rushed through his blood as he breathed hoarsely. He

    susurration.

    Einar��s eyes widened and he retreated his steps in horror. His terrors mounted even more when the

    mist beneath his feet was making multiple shapeless figures. Those figures were dark; those figures

    had terrifying glow in their orbs. The uncontroble anxiety within him was surmounting as he felt the

    walls moving inwards and closing their distance with him.

    The darkness surrounding Einar was making him fear the confined space. He dragged his feet to the

    only source of light; the window. As he moved forward to the light, he stumbled and fell down. He

    breathed unevenly and moved his body sideways to face the window where he could see the moon

    radiating its glow. His skin was ashen before he arched his back and gasped loudly. He fell

    unconscious.

    In the light which bathed the room Einar lied in front of the window. He stayed still as a corpse, barely

    breathing at all.

    The mist engulfed himpletely as Einar opened his eyes. The once brown eyes had turned ck

    resembling the darkness of the night while his mouth stretched wide in an eternal scream..

    ********

 Chapter 42: Me For You

    Chapter 42: Me For You

    The light of the day had been reced by the unrelenting darkness of the night. Can took in a deep

    breath and sucked in the air which resembled the fresh aroma of the wood. He was standing near the

    foot of the high hill which was his one and only spot. The ce which was unknown to everyone.

    But not after tonight.

    Can was quite nervous as he tapped his foot asionally and marched his legs to and fro to calm

    his racing heart. The moon graced the sky and soon the entirend was bathed in its luminosity. He

    looked at the stars in curiosity and wondered what looked more beautiful. The sky draped in the

    twinkling or the white macule which glowed in serenity.

    The little smile which coloured his face soon vanished for he remembered the reason he was here

    tonight. He felt the soft panic rushing through his brain as he contemted to be in the ce. All the

    reasons to not do this crawled over his thoughts and he was dubious once again. He took a deep

    breath in and braved his heart.

    Can could not back down now.

    He looked at the rushing water from the edge of the cliff when another voice attracted his attention. He

    slowly turned his back to see a ck fog surrounding one muscr man who grinned like the happiest

    person in the world. He stood at a casual distance from the handsome man as he bowed his head in

    adoration.

    Can nodded in response and hummed in apprehension. He asionally bit his lips while at other

    times he moved them to utter some words but failed every time.

    The demon saw the quandary and sighed ��I see you are still notfortable in my presence.��

    Can absentmindedly nodded ��It will take some time..�� He exhaled a deep breath and gulped before

    saying ��You said you would answer my questions when we meet next.��

    ��I did.�� The demon smiled. He saw that Can was still nervous as he rubbed his thumb to the back of

    his other palm. The spirit realised that his beloved was in two minds and a bit ufortable at the

    moment ��How about we sit somewhere and talk. It would help you calm down.��

    Can nodded again. In the next instance he joined his little finger and thumb and swirled it in a big

    circle above his head. Arge boulder near the shore was disced from its ce as it levitated to

    move towards the demon. Can repeated the gesture again as another rock floated in the air tond

    where he was standing. He gestured the demon to sit as he took his ce on the rock in front of him.

    Though the demon was disappointed that Can chose to sit away from him, he understood where he

    came from. Daragor realised that he cannot rush things. Can had to be given his time and he should

    not be forced to ept the spirit, ept the bond..

    Can could not hold his gaze for more than a few moments as his inner turmoil restricted his actions

    and his resolve dithered. What followed was an awkward silence for a long time before the other

    worldly being taking charge ��You have finally known to use your powers.��

    And that did the trick.

    Can smiled a little as he looked at his hands in wonder and childishly pped them. He lifted his chin

    at the demon with gratifying eyes ��I have been practising in secret.��

    He took a breath of confidence to utter those words which were on his minds for a very long time ��I-I

    know that you have expectations from me. I was literally shocked when I came to know that I happen to

    have a mate. Not that I wasn��t happy.�� He paused for a brief moment ��Its just that I-I wasn��t

    expecting...��

    ��Me..�� Daragor interjected.

    ��A male as a mate..�� he bit his lips in hesitation ��And of course you.��

    ��I get it.�� The demon lowered his eyes in disappointment. He wavered in his tone as he asked ��Do you

    regret having me as your mate..? I have nothing to do with actions of the human.��

    Can saw the desperation and the guilt which was prominent on the face of the demon. He realised

    that the alpha had not only wronged his own fated mate but he had also wronged his beasts, his inner

    self.

    ��I agree that I am upset with Einar but I am not angry at you or the wolf.��

    The words gave Daragor reassurance of a sort as he smiled and looked intently at Can again.

    However the silence brought in a radical change in the handsome mans features as his smile faltered

    and he was pensive again.

    ��You are nervous..�� The demon stated.

    Can sucked in a lot of breath before exhaling slowly to gain some confidence ��I have been with

    women in the past. Usually I take the lead. I generally know what to do. How to approach, how to make

    my female happy, make her feel loved. This..�� He swung his finger between him and the demon ��This is

    all new to me. I know nothing about male mates. In fact I have never been in a rtionship with a man.��

    ��I have never been with anyone ever..��

    The words halted Can��s brain process. He looked at the demon in amusement and felt disgusted

    about himself. He was already shameful for being unfaithful to Orcus but his regret swelled when he

    realised that the demon was waiting for him too. In fact both the beasts had killed themselves in the

    past life just to be with him in this life.

    And how did Can reciprocate.... He betrayed them!

    He had slept with multiple women. He maligned himself when he chose others over his fated other half.

    Most importantly he had the privilege to fall in love again and again. But there was and there always

    will be only one person for the beasts- Can.

    What had he done!

    He was supposed to wait for his other half as all the wolves did. Though he was just a human, he was

    part of a pack. He should��ve followed the rules and stayed pure. The heaps of shame were burdening

    his soul as the past cannot be undone now. He felt as if he was the worst mate in the entire lycan

    history.

    He blinked his eyes rapidly as a treacherous bead wet his cheek. He shrugged and stretched his lips to

    appear happy in front of the demon. Before Daragor could get suspicious about his behavior Can

    changed the subject ��Tell me something about yourself.��

    Daragor saw what his love was trying to do. Can was avoiding his feelings. He needed distraction

    and the demon was ready to give anything his mate asked for. He genuinely smiled ��Ie from the

    dark realm of the spirits. Among the many ns we have the shedims are the most powerful in our

    world. My family was the ruler of the ns. I was fourth to the crown but I never showed the qualities of

    a prince. I was stubborn and selfish. Notorious for creating troubles. My father was deeply upset with

    my behaviour.��

    ��So you were a trouble maker?�� Can chuckled

    ��You could say that.�� The demon responded with a chuckle of his own ��I never abided by the rules. Our

    world is harsh.. Pain and suffering gives us pleasure.. I for one loved others misery tremendously. I

    relished their wretchedness, their agony. Their torment and trauma fuelled my delight as every next

    pain I inflicted was bigger than the previous one. At one such instance I went too far. In my rage to

    destroy it all I killed my younger brother��s love..��

    Can gasped as the information shocked him.

    ��She was trying to save someone and was killed by ident. I regret the day.�� he sighed ��My father

    had been overlooking my mistakes for quite a long time but he was furious with me and my behaviour,

    while the incident added to his woes. My little brother demanded that I be harshly punished. Though

    unwillingly, I had to ept that.��

    The demon stood from his ce and took a few strides towards the edge of the cliff. He stationed

    himself at a parallel view from Can but kept his gaze at the flowing water ��I was banished to this

    realm where a mystical dome was created just to confine me in a limited area. I absolutely hated this

    ce.�� he huffed.

    Can nodded for he now understood the reason for the demons presence in this world. From what he

    gathered he could definitely infer that the demon derived pleasure from others pain and so he was

    dangerous. Even the story which was told to him described the spirit as a deadly monster who sucked

    in the very life essence of people. The harrowing tale of the human settlement during the war of

    Jodatain brought chills to his spine.

    ��Why did you attack people?��

    ��I had to..�� he side nced at the handsome man ��As the days went by I was slowly loosing my shape.

    This realm was harming the human like figure I had.. It was slowly fading. After a few months I was

    nothing but a dark, shapeless floating object. To keep my external form intact I had to feed on the life

    sources avable.��

    ��Was it necessary?��

    ��No; It was not.. I would��ve survived easily without feeding. My powers remained intact, it was only my

    body which suffered.�� He exhaled audibly ��Initially when I was confined to that limited space of woods I

    was chagrined. The powers of the dome created to captivate me was too much to get rid of. I was

    seldom allowed to visit my realm. Whenever I was back home, I wasn��t permitted a long stay. My

    protests, myints were squashed every single time and before I could realise I used to be sent to

    this world again.��

    The demon slowly turned his torso to face the Elemental ��As I��ve already told you; I loathed this ce.

    In my anguish I killed all the animals breathing in the forest. The humans which trespassed on the

    those people were just unlucky to have been caught in the tornado of my fury.��

    The hard and stern features of the demon dramatically softened ��However, everything changed on that

    fateful day..��

    ��Which day?��

    ��The day that I met you..�� He gave as wide a smile as he could ��When you came to me as a sacrifice I

    wasn��t expecting you to be something more than a human. At first I felt pity for I had to devour on such

    a beauty but when I used my mist on you; nothing happened. You were untouched by every of my

    powers. It was frustrating me! I couldn��t understand it, I couldn��t understand you! All this while you kept

    your calm and your serene smile intact, never getting agitated neither being disgusted by me. This was

    something new to me. I tried to kill you a number of times in a number of ways but I failed every time..��

    Can nodded in understanding. It was obvious that the spirit was fearing the unknown and hence

    wanted to eliminate the source of his fright. However the fact that the loving and caring demon was

    once determined to kill him kept unwantedly reeling in his mind.

    The demon scowled a little ��I wasn��t letting it go. I wanted to show you that I was superior to you in

    every way. I was about to infiltrate the human settlement again but you caged me..��

    Can��s eyes widened. It was puzzling for him to know that the mighty powerful demon could be caged.

    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.

    But how was it possible! Even when he was confined by the powers of the locket he showed his

    dominance and override its powers for the past two full moons. Can realised that to subdue the

    strength of the spirit a more stronger force had toe to y. Was Can really that powerful? The

    realisation amazed him and yet he was fearful about himself. He looked at the man in front of him and

    lowered his voice a bit ��How was I able to cage you?��

    ��The lightnings..�� The demon bobbed a finger to the sky ��It does something to our spirit powers. It is the

    reason why my people are always afraid to visit this world. The lightening can kill us. Kill me..��

    In that moment Can recalled the incident from thest full moon when lightening showed up all of a

    sudden in the sky and the demon thought that Can was threatening him. Now he understood what it

    meant.. Who would��ve thought that the fearsome, out of the world being was not inevitable after all.

    ��I waspletely taken aback when I saw you mastering the thing. For the first time in my entire

    existence I was afraid; afraid for my life!��

    He looked at the man in endearment ��If you wished you could have easily killed me but you didn��t do

    that. In fact you spared my life and spent those prison days with me.�� he smiled with admiration in his

    eyes ��The days you and I spent together were the most amazing days of my existence. You wanted to

    know me, you showed interest in what I liked and what I hated.�� he chuckled ��You were being friendly..

    But your pinch of eptance sowed the seeds of affection in me. I don��t know how or when but I was

    deeply in love with you..!��

    The confession from Daragor brought in a bout of jitters in Can. The way the demon looked at him

    right now was making him anxious. It was as if he was the brightest star in the sky, like he was the

    rarest of rare creatures, like he could drink him in..

    Can avoided Daragor��s gaze as he cleared his throat ��Aurora told me that Zio..�� he pursed his lips

    ��I-I mean the previous me was drenched of his powers. You were feeding on them.��

    The spirit snickered at Can��s wit to divert the topic that unnerved him ��The witch isn��tpletely

    wrong. Your presence had brought in remarkable changes in me. I was calm, serene and stopped

    being a nuisance altogether. My parents came to know about this and they summoned me. I requested

    permission to bring in a guest. That was my biggest mistake!�� He lowered his eyes in dejection.

    ��Why? Did your parents harm Zio?��

    Daragor shook his head ��I was persistent on taking you to my realm. The selfish me wanted to keep all

    of you to myself. I pretended that I wanted to show you my home and you agreed toe with me. I

    took advantage of your gullibility.�� He exhaled a long breath.

    Can could see the guilt, the regret in Daragor��s eyes ��When in my realm I tried to coerce you to stay

    for days, citing some or the other reasons. Although you were not happy with it, you obliged. But I could

    see the change in you..�� his eyes became glossy ��My world was not meant for you because you were

    disconnected with your earthlyponents. You were bing weak, your life source was draining

    and it was all because of me..!��

    Daragor swiped away the tear that was wetting his cheek ��In the madness to secure you I overlooked

    the fact that your powers were waning. I even overlooked the fact that you lost weight at such an extent

    that your skin glued to your bones, the gleam in your eyes was gone. You were unable to remember

    things. But the stupid me..�� His lips trembled as he chuckled with teary eyes ��I was adamant to keep

    my stand. I kept telling myself that this is just a phase, that its the change of environment that was

    affecting you, that sooner orter you would be healthy and fine..�� He paused as he looked at a

    sympathetic Can.

    ��I was wrong..�� he whispered in trepidation.

    ��On one such day I was worried as you did not show up in the morning. I rushed to visit you and saw

    you lying in a state of deep unconsciousness. I tried to wake you up but it was of no use. The healers

    of my world were unaware of your physiology and so they couldn��t help. Our powers and medications

    were all unfruitful. You were lying there all alone, heaving slow deep breaths, dying.. Just because of

    me!��

    Can could see the change in Daragor. His eyes were different. They were more softer than he could

    remember. The demon kept gawking at him but in reality he wasn��t seeing him. He kept his mouth shut

    but in irony the unspoken words revealed a lot. Daragor was pensive for he was remembering the past.

    The incident reyed in his head as if it urred yesterday. His sorrow broke the water confines as it

    flowed continuously through his eyes.

    The wretched state of the demon saddened Can. He cleared his throat to bring back Daragor from

    his thoughts ��Then you brought me back to this world.��

    Daragor nodded as he sniffled ��I was scared; I did not want to lose you. Your survival was everything to

    me at that moment even if it meant that I would not be able to see you ever. I brought you to this world

    hoping that your condition improves but nothing changed. It had been two days yet you remained the

    same. Unmoving; motionless. I was desperate to find a solution to cure you. I decided to ask for help. I

    cradled you in my arms and was halfway through the path when he came..��

    ��Orcus.��

    Daragor nodded briskly ��I saw the change in his features. He was confused and all of a sudden he

    became angry when he saw you.��

    ��He must��ve realised I was his mate.��

    Daragor painfully smiled as he shrugged ��Without thinking straight he jumped on me. He changed his

    form and tried to snatch you away. That is how it all started..��

    Can let out an understated sigh. His eyes were steady as he hugged himself. Though his features

    showed indifference from the outside he was scared from within. Can knew what had happened next.

    What destruction these two beings brought upon the world. It was a battle to outshine their dominance.

    A battle to prove their supremacy. A war to im their love!

    Can briskly nodded at Daragor to continue ��It was all a misunderstanding. I lost my patience and he

    lost his brain. It was no holds barred. We fought for days over who has a right over you. Each one of us

    trying to get hold of the other. Trying to strangte the other. Attempting to kill each other. The irony

    being that we were equally matched..��

    Daragor stopped midway as he looked down to the ground, hiding his sorrowful face. Can saw the

    tear drops which fell on the earth as the demon gulped. Can felt pity for Daragor. A feeling of

    sympathy and care grew inside of him. He softly spoke ��Look at me.��

    The demon slowly raised his head as Can witnessed the crammed water beads in his eyes. He

    smiled a little at Daragor cheering him up in the process. The demon sighed and gritted his teeth to

    gather the courage to say the rest of the words ��We were in a fighting trance when the wolf all of a

    sudden was on his knees. He arched his back and stretched his neck to the sky. The mighty howl he

    bellowed was full of pain and sorrow. His body trembled while his tears and screams were

    unstoppable.��

    He looked at Can with a miserable heart and disconste eyes ��It was your pain the wolf was

    feeling..��

    Can��s shoulder slumped as his eyes cast down in a mournful gaze. There was sadness in his heart

    but it was not his. It was a reflection of the sorrow buried deep down inside of the spirit. To watch your

    loved one suffer and die must��ve been harrowing. Can now understood that the agony of the

    bereavement was what led to the carnage on the world.

    There was pain inside the demon but the love in his heart exceeded that pain. There was a strange

    surge of eptance, like the handsome man could trust Daragor. He felt content, he felt safe. It wasn��t

    like before when Can was almost fearful for his life for he thought that the demon wanted to devour

    him.

    ��I was so stupid.�� The handsome man chuckled ��All those days I thought that you wanted to kill me,

    feed on my soul but in reality you gave me the biggest surprise of my life.��

    The demon marched two steps ahead ��I am saddened by the fact that you think I can harm you.

    Because I can��t.�� he narrowed his eyes in determination ��I wont be able to face you if I became the

    reason of your suffering. The day I hurt you will be thest day you would ever see me. ..��

    ��You don��t have to be so harsh on yourself..�� Can said in a low and awkward voice.

    ��I want you to understand this; I cant stand your tears, your sorrow. I was stupid enough to always think

    about me and neglect your feelings and see what it led us to! I cant bear to see you hurt again. I vowed

    to always make you happy. It is you who matter more to me. More than anything else, more than even

    me..��

    An awkward silence followed as Can was left speechless. He did not know what to say or how to

    respond. Those confessions turned the emotions inside of him. From weird and awkward to that of

    anxiousness and regret.

    ��I feel bad.�� he pursed his lips as his heart raced a bit ��Had I known that you were waiting for me I

    would have never indulged with anyone. I am so sorry..��

    ��It does not bother me.��

    ��W-What?�� Can stammered as the statement stupefied him.

    Daragor closed the distance between Can and him ��It doesn��t matter if you don��t love me. It doesn��t

    matter if you have someone else in your heart. It doesn��t matter if you��ve done a million deeds wrong.

    Nothing you do would deter my resolve for you.�� He touched the strands from Can��s forehead and

    gently moved them behind his ears ��All that matters to me is the content I feel when I see you smile. I

    want to see you happy always.�� he palmed his hand on the cheek of the beautiful man. He caressed

    him, touched him lovingly and with gentle eyes he said ��I would always look after you. I don��t expect

    you to love me back but I would keep loving you till the end of it..!��

    Can leaned the weight of his face on the palm of the demon. He touched the back of the palm and

    stroked it tenderly. At this moment Can felt least proud about himself for he failed to be the mate

    Daragor deserved. The demon was ready to forgo his own happiness just to see him smile. He was

    ready to inflict punishment on himself if Can desired to part ways with him.

    How could someone love any person so much!

    Can was overwhelmed by the deep affection Daragor was pouring in right now. For the first time in

    his life he did not feel empty. It was like he had found the part of the missing puzzle of his life. The

    restrain in him copsed as he could not contain himself any more. He stood from his ce in a haste

    and embraced Daragor in a tight hug. He wept into the demon��s shoulder as he clutched the back of his

    shirt.

    Blinkingshes with heavy tears Can brought his mouth to the ear of Daragor and whispered ��I

    promise to make everything right..��

    ********

 Chapter 43: The Pit Of Death

    Chapter 43: The Pit Of Death

    It had been a pensive morning for Can. He took long strides but he was in no hurry. The distance to

    the alpha house was short but still the man took his own sweet time. The chirping of birds and their

    melodious singing was making Can content. However his heart was more joyful as he remembered

    the conversation from a couple of days back.

    He was happy that he cleared things up with Daragor. The night had made himfortable and he

    now was no longer afraid of the spirit neither was he dubious about him. He could now be unguarded

    when in close proximity of the demon.

    In a way Can felt apologetic for the spirit. He was always fed with facies that he wouldn��t have any

    mate. His friends on the other side encouraged him to not lose hope and find love on his own. He did

    exactly that but his endeavours never seeded.

    Moreover he was angry at Aurora. Though the witch had good intentions for the man still she should

    have trusted him. She could have at least hinted him about his mate. But she kept it all to herself and

    let blew the matter out of proportion. A lot of damage could have been averted had Aurora revealed

    everything.

    Can exhaled a breath of exasperation. He knew that the demon was on his side. He now had to take

    in the wolf and the human. But how was he supposed to do that? Einar was mighty stubborn while the

    wolf was another challenge altogether. The fragment of memories Can had of Orcus were all rted

    to his anger. He remembered his asional growling, his fit of rage and his murderous res. Never

    once had he seen him calm andposed.

    Can��s thoughts were interrupted when he heard distinct footsteps marching in his direction from the

    front. He could see arge group led by Garrick, Peter, Richard, Aldous, Marden, Tusker, Arthur and

    his father. Arthur and Justus seemed worried for some reason while the rest of the members were

    angry. Their eyes full of rage were directed at Can. But why?

    Soon the group reached the man in a rush as Richard fisted his hand and swung it with a force right at

    Can��s jaw. The handsome man faltered in his stance as his lips were cut and it oozed the rid liquid.

    He bent sideways with the power of the punch. Richard held Can��s shirt and brought him up to level

    him face to face. He again curled his fingers and hit Can��s jaw with his brute strength. This time

    though the impact was greater as Can fell down t on his back. In the next instant Richard sat on

    Can��s torso to hit his iron fist, blow after blow to the puzzled man.

    It took three men to detach a ferocious Richard from Can. He clutched the shirt of the handsome

    man with such a force that that the fabric ripped up from its cor while the other people were

    struggling to detach the two men.

    ��LEAVE ME. I WILL KILL HIM..!�� Richard��s voice trembled with outrage.

    Arthur helped Can stand up as in the next instant Richardnded another sneaky blow. He wasn��t

    stopping. His friends were trying to control him as his wolf was showing prominence.

    ��That is enough Richard.�� Garrick roared in his authoritative voice.

    ��HAND HIM OVER TO ME. LET ME KILL HIM.�� Richard reached for Can again as this time he

    managed to release himself from the clutch while he kneeded his leg right to the stomach of Can.

    ��I said STOP....��

    Richard��s action came to a rest abruptly. He huffed in annoyance and spit on the face of the puzzled

    man.

    ��Let the council decide the matter.�� Garrick ordered in his stern voice. He then turned his attention to a

    bloodied Can who was holding his abdomen in pain ��You always have a knack for trouble Ashton.��

    Garrick sighed derisively.

    He looked at a dejected Arthur and ordered him ��Bring him to the open ground.��

    Arthur reluctantly agreed and helped Can to stand on his feet andpose himself. On the other

    hand Can was left confused for he was unaware of the situation which was going on ��What is

    happening?�� he asked Arthur.

    ��I am not in the liberty to tell you anything..�� He lowered his eyes ��But it does not look good for you.��

    Can roamed his gaze around ��I need to see my father.��

    ��He is with Peter. They both are discussing the matter.��

    Can nodded and silenced himself after that. He released the square woven fabric from his shoulders

    and cleaned himself of the blood; of the spit; of the humiliation. He realised that Arthur wanted to reveal

    much more than his words but he was not in a position to say anything. He looked around to see a

    number of people eyeing him with disgust and animosity. However the one look which stood out from

    the rest was that of Richards. He was mighty furious! His nostrils red and he asionally snarled

    looking at a bewildered Can.

    The group of people travelled together to the open ground. As soon as they reached the ce Arthur

    came up with a chain with shackles and bound Can��s wrist. He apologetically looked at him before

    parting ways and leaving the man standing all alone in the entire crowd. Can swept his gaze where

    his eyes could see and saw that almost the entire main vige had joined him and people had the

    same look; anger.

    Can noticed the absence of Einar and Rosaline. He knew for a fact that the Alpha was reeling heavily

    from the resistance of Daragor to his locket. It had already been three days since the full moon and

    Einar was still unconscious. While Rosaline was nurturing him in his unhealthy state. But even if Einar

    was in his senses would hee to Can��s rescue? Would Einar��s presence make the situation any

    more better?

    Can huffed at his thoughts for theck of trust in his mate.

    He again roamed his eyes to the centre of the ground where he could see a wooden tform and a

    eyes widened as saucers when he looked right behind Peter. ncing from the side of his body were

    two eyes who looked sad, who looked apologetic and in that moment Can understood the entire

    situation.

    The murmur of the crowd was silenced at once when Garrick stood up from the chair and raised his

    voice ��Thank you for joining us. I assume that the matter has reached every wolf by now.�� He gestured

    his hand at Can ��The man in front of you is said to have broken a very sacredw. In the absence of

    alpha Einar the previous high ranks have given me responsibility to carry out the proceedings.��

    Garrick looked intently at the Elemental ��Can Justus Ashton do you agree to the allegations put on

    you by Richard Foreman? Do you agree to have broken thews and dishonoured the moon?��

    Can again side-nced at the person behind Peter and exhaled in defeat. He slowly raised his chin

    ��I agree.��

    Garrick gritted his teeth ��Then by the powers vested in me by the holy spirits of ournd I pronounce

    you guilty. Since you have wronged Richard, it is his right to choose the punishment deemed fit as per

    our traditions. You have no right to object or deny to any of the decisions made.��

    Garrick gestured Richard toe forward. He blew out the angry air in petty annoyance as he kept

    looking at Can intently with utter hatred ��For a heinous act as such the punishment should be of the

    same measure.. I want Can Justus Ashton to survive the pit of death.��

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    Simultaneous gasps echoed the arena while Can��s mouth was left ajar in shock.

    ****

    The sky above was more bluish than charcoal yet the road ahead still had the ck look of the night. In

    the freezing wee hours of the morning the people of the blue moon pack had assembled around arge

    hollow ground dug in the open space of the eastern borders. They were waiting for the excruciating

    ceremony which was destined to end the life of the human of their pack. For the first time in their

    existence the people of the pack had a pinch of sympathy for the man as he was about to face one of

    the most harrowing punishments there was in the werewolf world.

    Can on the other hand was apanied by a few warriors of the pack. His hands were tied by the

    tight metal rope around his wrists. He looked ahead and saw his destination. Therge hollow ground

    also known as the pit of death.

    The punishment was carried out through ancient times in the werewolf history. The culprit was

    forcefully thrashed into the dig. The pit was then encroached with various atrocities either designed by

    the wolves or normally found in nature. The prisoner had to survive the death hole from sunrise to

    sunset. If he was able to breathe till the end he used to be rescued. He was considered blessed for it

    was believed that the Luna had showered her mercy on him. In reality though, no one ever came alive

    from the dug hole. Therge hollow ground that was dug was meant only for one purpose; so that the

    prisoner had no way to escape.

    Death was inevitable for him.

    Can knew Richard was no friend of his besides he could never have good intentions for the man. So

    whatever surprises lied inside of the pit were sure to be horrendous. It definitely was not pleasing. He

    knew that he had to suffer in silence for indeed he disrespected the moon. In his heart he knew he was

    right and hence he wasn��t regretful but he also acknowledged the fact that he had wronged Richard.

    The beat of the drums matched the heartbeats of the poor man. He looked around to see a few faces

    which were worried for him while the others were nonchnt. He could also see people of power

    standing in a line with Garrick at the centre and the others surrounding him. He gave an encouraging

    smile to his father who slumped his shoulders with anxiousness, worry and dejection. He then moved

    his gaze to his mother who was standing near the healer portraying a brave front but failing miserably.

    He was pulled from his stationary position more closer to the pit. A wooden set of steps was adjoined

    from the hollow ground to the surface above. With chained hands the handsome man carefully carved

    his way to thend below through the steep and dangerous staircase.

    As soon as he stepped foot to the ground, he marched ahead and positioned himself in the middle. He

    could seerge containers made from interwoven strips of cane kept inverted in twelve different

    corners of the pit. Every upside down container was attached by a rope whose end was held by a

    member of the pack on the surface above. The light was yet to fall on the ground below therefore the

    contents of the baskety hidden from Can��s view.

    However Can could feel a surge of panic rushing through him.

    He knew for a fact that Richard would never keep it easy. The hatred in him would devour his rationale

    thinking and he would arrange the harshest punishment there could be. However his concern right now

    was more on the baskets which were kept all around him. He was bing quite tensed as something

    inside them was making eerie noises while the baskets were trembling a little. He kept pacing from side

    to side checking over his shoulder way too often.

    Soon the torturous moments were over as the sun started radiating its glow and reaching for the ce

    below the surface in a slow anxious way. Every wolf on the ground above thumped his foot heavily and

    arched his neck to howl in unison. The continuous doleful cry soared the anxiety in Can as the

    moment of reckoning was near. The wolves holding the end of the rope slowly edged backward while

    they pulled the baskets leisurely.

    Cany stunned as his eyes flew wide. He rotated around his feet and scanned the area around him.

    He gulped in fear.. It was as if a nightmare hade to life!

    The hooting and howling was silenced when another voice creeped through the veins of the people as

    they were injected with fear. The chatters and murmurs were reced by the unusual, deadly whispers.

    Multiple bodies each having a smooth column of armoured muscle moved with a twisted and oscited

    motion in the light of the dawn. Every figure was entangled into another body as they tried to release

    itself from the knot and roam independently from the once confined space of the basket. Pale bellies

    glided through the soil while they yawned and showed their ck mouths. They slithered and roamed

    the open ground. A hissing sound filled the sudden silence of the air. Every creature moved around one

    another before finding its liberation.

    Can witnessed the horror unfold. Slowly and tenaciously the snakes crawled on the ground to fill the

    empty space and cover it by ck and brown bodies. A dark tongue flitted into the air every now and

    then. Tasting the air; tasting the sweat; tasting the fear..!

    All of a sudden the reptiles lifted their heads in a universal direction; to the centre of the ground..!

    Can��s heart drummed at a faster pace as he looked at the frightening scene in front of him. Large

    snakes surrounded him wherever he looked. His sweat nds percted the beads of precipitation

    sessively. His body wanted to run fast to the upper ground or use his powers as his weaponry.

    Instead he stood there still, unable to formte a thought; unbale to go through any further course of

    action. His though process was interrupted when he saw the snakes crawling and slithering their way

    towards him.

    He was cornered... He was trapped... He had no way to escape... !

    Can was conscious of using his powers as a number of people had circled him to witness the

    harrowing tale. He was dubious to use hisst source of knowledge but he had no other option left. He

    slowly fondled the golden heads of the metal wrist as they glowed. In that moment of distraction a

    snake rose from the ground before him. From the floor to his head it stood at an equal height of the

    handsome man while twice of this length was shadowed behind him. The snake��s gaze was fixed at

    Can as it hissed and slowly opened its mouth to show its deadly fangs.

    By the looks of it Can could deduce that the snake was famished. Its t belly pumped air in and out

    while the tongue whiffed the aroma of its food. The snake looked ready to devour its meal, the hunger

    in his stomach was evident. The hissing intensified when multiple heads rose from all the sides where

    Can stood. Deep piercing pair of eyes ready to graze their venomous fangs into the skin of the

    elemental.

    They were ready to strike; they were ready to eat.

    Can had to act and he had to act fast. He gathered a deep breath of confidence and before the first

    strike of the snake, he rotated his wrist as a powerful gush of wind pped the body of the creatures

    and they faltered. The snakes fell back on their sides. However they were reced by the other heads

    who were waiting for their opportunity. Can circled his hand again and the wind pushed the spineless

    bodies backwards.

    His methods to subdue the snakes were not working as snake after snake stood up from their position

    and slithered their way to the centre of the ground, never quitting. He modified his strategy and used

    his earth element. His shackled wrist restricted his movement as he tried to rotate his fingers aiming at

    the ground. Thend beneath trembled a little. In the next instant, he created a mini whirlwind inside

    the pit while the sand raised itself and circled weakly.

    The crawling creatures were misdirected and they stationed their bodies heavily to the shivering

    ground. Can��s mental strain increased as the mini cmity he created had minimal affect on the

    snakes. Soon the shivering of the ground stopped and the reptiles wereposed yet again. They

    raised their heads and hissed in annoyance at the man. The hunger in them was making them furious.

    They wanted to devour the man at the earliest.

    With an aim to attack their prey the snakes bowed down and glued their inner bodies to the ground.

    They slowly and menacingly moved to the centre of thend.

    The spectacle left people speechless. It wasn��t anything they had seen before. They sympathised a

    little with the man for he was about to be killed in the most pitiful way. A death which people would

    never want to be reminded of yet would always be unforgettable.

    Can was about to be devoured as a meal..

    The snakes had gathered all around him as they marched their way from all the sides of the earth. The

    sea of snakes piling one over the other were racing their way to Can. The man frantically moved his

    feet to keep his distance from the reptiles but it was proving to be of little help. He kicked and jumped

    and even stomped over the creatures but the crawlers were too many for him.

    The snakes had now spiralled his legs and were slowly crawling their way through the torso to the skull.

    Slithering upwards, hissing venomously, dashing their muscr organ in and out while some even

    shing their fangs at him. The handsome man was soon dressed in ck and brown from foot to

    shoulders. They were restricting his movements and squeezing his body. Can��s throat was

    constricting the air supply as the handsome man was loosing his senses. His face was pale as he saw

    that one of the snakes was staring at him in the eye, pushing its tongue out and stretching its mouth

    wide open to take in the entire skull of the man at one go.

    Just as Can thought that he would be strangted to death, the movement of the snakes halted

    abruptly.

    A hoarse high pitched scream boomed the sky. Every wolf on the ground covered his ears while some

    trembled in their feet. Can looked to the sky and crackled a smile as help had arrived. The entire blue

    mass was covered with fleeting long width wings. With angry eyes and sharp features the sea of birds

    hovered above the pit as the crawling creatures beneath made a sharp sibnt sound in retaliation. The

    snakes withdrew their movements and strode backwards to find a hiding ce. They hissed and

    showed their fangs to create fear amongst the winged animals but the birds did not budge.

    It was a mixture of feathered animals ranging from grey to ck bodies. Each bird had a long tail. Their

    inconspicuous shoulders and shing rump made them unique. They were powerfully built birds of kill

    with heavy heads and strong beaks. Their feathers spread wide as if they wanted to cover the entire

    earth below and shadow it from the sunlight.

    With sharp angry eyes each bird descended its pointed ws and lowered their height with a target set

    in their minds. With a final piercing cry, the birds elongated their ws and pierced their powerful talons

    right through the skin of the snakes.

    The predators had be prey.

    One by one every heavenly creature dived in with determination and rose with their prey gripped firmly

    to their legs. They circled around the horrified people before releasing their ws above the wolves.

    The already fearful pack was left astonished to the surprising behaviour of the birds. People screamed

    in fear as they ran helter-skelter to save themselves from the raining snakes. In the moment of panic, a

    few snakesnded right onto the shoulders of Richard, Justus and Peter. The beta was desperately

    trying to bring the situation under control but it was too much for him to handle. The dire situation asked

    for stringent action and Garrick had no other choice but to order his people to retreat. Hemanded

    every wolf to fall back and hide in a safe shelter.

    Soon the entire ground was left wolf less. The snakes in the pit were either killed or thrown to the upper

    ground. The birds hovered to the sky a few more times as they surveyed the area for any potential

    threat. Every of the bird circled the man and humblynded themselves, stationing right in front of him.

    They bellowed their voice onest time before a white mist surrounded their bodies. Can was left

    speechless as the once predatory birds were slowly transforming into human figures. Each person

    stood on his same position with his head bowed down and hands crossed in the front.

    Can could see men, women and even some juveniles. Every single one of them had metal arm wrist

    and head band. They wore delicate woven fabric which gleamed like the stars of the night. However

    one of the men stood out from the rest as he approached Can. His arm and head band shined in

    pure gold.

    All of them kneeled in front of the Elemental as the supposed leader of the bird bowed before Can ��It

    is a privilege that you considered us worthy of your service Supreme Master.��

    Can was about to thank his saviours when his eyesnded on a particr someone standing aloof

    from the crowd as his eyes widened and he eximed ��How is this possible!��

    ********

 Chapter 44: To Lend A Helping Hand

    Chapter 44: To Lend A Helping Hand

    The previous night of the punishment

    Mary sobbed into Can��s chest unceasingly as she wrapped herself around her boy. Fat tears rolled

    down her cheeks in session. She was unable to control herself while Justus stood tall with his son

    and kept one hand on his shoulder to give himfort.

    ��Shh.. it will be alrite mother. Don��t lose hope yet.��

    Mary snivelled ��Are you even listening to yourself right now.�� She raised her head to look at her

    beloved son ��How do I keep my hopes alive when I know I may not be able to see my child any more..��

    Can smiled at his mothers innocence ��Nothing as such will happen.�� He carefully held Mary��s arms

    and retracted them from his body. He looked at her lovingly ��I have been in worse situations. I know

    how to keep myself alive.�� He gestured his eyes towards Justus ��Father taught me well. Have some

    trust in him.��

    Maryposed herself a little as she looked helplessly at her mate. Justus on the other hand felt

    ashamed and he lowered his eyes ��I wish I could do more for you.��

    ��You did everything right father.. I don��t me you.�� he sighed ��There were limitations to your

    interference and I know you must have tried hard. You have nothing to feel bad about father.�� The

    dejected look of his father broke his heart as in the next instant he gave aforting hug to reassure

    Justus ��I wont disappoint you father.��

    Can��s eyes roamed at the back of Mary��s shoulders where he could see a woman dressed in her

    favorite green gown visibly nervous while her eyes were sad. She carried a salver in one hand which

    contained some appetising food while her other hand was upied by the brightntern. She weakly

    smiled at the man and bowed her head.

    ��Mother; father.�� Can directed his gaze at his parents ��I need to talk to Aurora and you both need to

    rest. Please take care of yourselves for me.��

    Justus and Mary reluctantly agreed to the request. They kissed the man goodbye and made their way

    out of the cell. Aurora bowed her head in greeting before the Ashtons departed and she stepped inside.

    She kept the salver and thentern on the floor near the entrance of the cell and embraced the man

    ��How are you holding up?��

    ��I am fine.�� Can looked curiously at the witch ��Do you have any idea about tomorrow?��

    Aurora shook her head ��Everything is under wraps. Marden and Richard are personally taking care of

    the arrangements. By the looks of it..�� she paused as she gulped in fear ��It seems fatal..��

    Can gave an encouraging smile to the witch ��Don��t worry Aurora I will be fine.��

    Aurora smiled in response but her demeanour was only a fa?ade to hide her worried self from the

    Elemental. She looked all around the dark cell and her anxiety grew. The ce was a rotting hell.

    Strong putrid smell limatized to the environment while the only source of light was the window at the

    far back. However even if it hadn��t been the night, the window was hardly capable to lit up the room.

    Aurora could no longer control her emotions as she wept profusely on the shoulders of the man. Her

    heart broke when she observed the condition of the room and also at Can��s fate. The Elemental did

    not deserved the treatment which was meted out to him time and again. On the contrary he should

    have been bestowed the highest pedestal given his legacy.

    After a few anxious moments she calmed herself and looked at her friend with determination ��Don��t

    hold back on using your powers.��

    Can was taken aback ��And let the entire world know who I am.. No!�� he vigorously shook his head

    ��You know why I am keeping it a secret Aurora.��

    ��I know but your life is more important right now. I wont be able to help you.��

    Can sighed deeply ��I will figure a way out.�� He kissed her forehead and assured her of his safety

    ��Nothing bad will happen. You should leave before the guards show up.��

    Aurora tightly hugged the man for a few moments more before parting ways with the Elemental.

    Since admitting to his crime, Can was put into the dungeon cell to spend the night before his

    punishment. He wanted to badly console his parents and drive away their worry, their fear but he could

    not reveal about his big secret. The time wasn��t right yet.

    The prison cell had thick stone walls while a small window opened to the confined space in a far away

    corner. The window however was inefficient to throw even an ounce of light. Can illuminated the

    space by clicking his finger as a brittle fire lit in the empty mbeau just outside of his cell. In the

    illumination of the light though Can could see another prison cell right across his metal bars. His

    interest piqued when he saw a person lying on the ground probably in a sleeping position.

    Can moved his legs to take a closer look but his movements caused the food te to disce its

    position making a screeching sound. The sudden noise caught the other person off guard as he hastily

    sat upright in caution and bewilderment. He frantically looked around everywhere when his eyes

    widened at the irradiating body. He stared at the wooden stick in amusement as a little smile formed on

    his face.

    Can was bemused by the reaction but he kept to himself. Soon the other man lowered his gaze as

    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    his nostrils red and he searched the ground only to locate a food te which was kept away from

    him. His mouth went dry and he gulped. Can could deduce that the man was famished. His skinny

    bones and shrunken stomach indicated that he never had a proper meal in a long time. Can

    sympathised with the man as he kneeled down and picked up the bread loaf, meat and berries from his

    te. He slowly moved forward to the metal bars while the man in front kept staring at the food with

    intense eyes. He was indifferent by the presence of Can. Like the Elemental was invisible to him.

    On the other hand all Can could see was the scant flesh and the rugged silhouette appearance of the

    prisoner. Though he wanted to have a closer look, he felt dubious about invading someone��s privacy.

    The handsome man threw the food right across the cell ��Go ahead. Have it.��

    The other prisoner wet his lips but he intently looked at Can in guardedness. He cautiously moved

    ahead and stretched his hands out of the bar to grab his sustenance. When the poor man was unable

    to reach for the bread loaf, Can swayed his hand to use his powers and push it further towards the

    man.

    The prisoner happily took in all the food and went after it like someone would snatch it away if he even

    blinks. The joy in his eyes was reflected by the happy tears Can was shedding. After he was done

    eating, the prisoner finally took a moment to study his new neighbour. He vigntly gazed at the man

    for a few moments with his stern features. It was as if the man was scrutinising the person in front of

    him, reassuring himself that there was no danger. He took a deep breath and softened his eyes before

    saying ��Tap it twice and circle your fingers.��

    Can squeezed his brows ��What?��

    ��The bracelet.�� The man gestured to the metal Can was wearing on his wrist ��It will save you.��

    It took moments for Can to realise that the person in front had deduced his true identity. But how was

    he able to discern the truth so easily? Can��s use of power wasn��t obvious besides no one knew about

    the Elementals in the werewolf world. The faint illumination which spread through the opposite prison

    was not enough to shed light on the whole being. It wasn��t as if Can could not see him but the vision

    he had was blurred; incoherent. However he could take a wild guess from the voice and conclude that

    the person did not belong to the pack. But then again the blue moon pack was mighty big. The prisoner

    could be a resident of any one of the thirteen viges.

    The handsome man was in his own trance and looked at the person in front of him questionably. When

    Can didn��t utter a word for a very long time the prisoner cleared his throat ��My mate was an

    Elemental. I don��t know much about them but I recognized the eagle heads from the metal.��

    Subconsciously Can looked at his metal wristlet and then again at the prisoner ��Did she have it

    too..?��

    The prisoner nodded curtly ��Every Elemental has a metal as such I guess. I have only met a few but all

    of them had the same thing. Either it was a ne or a ring or a wristlet as you are wearing.��

    ��Where is she now?��

    The prisoner exhaled a long breath and sucked in his lower lip before being nonchnt ��Dead.��

    Can��s breath got stuck. It was as if a part of him had died. Moments ago he was happy that finally he

    would be able to meet someone like him. Someone who had the same traits, someone belonging to the

    same family, someone who could understand him..! But his hopes were crashed as his fate had yed

    its cruel game yet again. He apologetically looked at the man in front with dejection ��I am sorry.��

    ��Don��t be. It wasn��t your fault.�� he shrugged ��Besides it was a long time ago.��

    Can was left speechless after that. However his chain of thoughts again diverted to the man in front

    for he was unable to assert the character of the being. Though the prisoner was serving his term in the

    deepest part of the dungeons, he did not seemed like a person who could do anything wrong. Then

    again Can hardly knew about the man so making quick judgements was not advised. But how was

    he supposed to give relief to his wandering, curious mind? He sighed before asking ��Why are you

    here?��

    ��Because I loved someone dearly.��

    Can squeezed his eyes ��I don��t understand..��

    The prisoner chuckled as he shook his head yfully ��You don��t have to.�� he looked all around him and

    yawned instinctively ��I suggest you have a good sleep tonight for tomorrow will be a big day for you.�� In

    the next moment itself, the prisoner slowly closed his eyes. He made a low steady continuous sound

    before lowering his torso to kiss the ground and depart for thend of the sleep angels.

    ****

    After the horrifying day at the eastern borders Can was exhausted to say the least. He was thankful

    that he heeded the advice of the stranger for it definitely worked. However the downside of it all was

    that the people of the pack were suspicious. They found it difficult to understand why a feeble human

    like him was saved by an army of birds. Moreover the birds in a way attacked the pack members which

    was totally uncalled for. It had burdened his problems even more.

    Rumours were rife that Can was a demented soul. That he used his dark magic to bring people close

    to hell. The handsome man genuinely wanted to squash all the wrong sayings but the incident which

    took ce a couple of days back only cemented peoples beliefs. He could see the look of fright in their

    eyes whenever he crossed them. This was thest thing he wanted.

    Can��s silent thoughts were distracted when he saw Aldous standing at a distance from the main hall

    of the alpha house. Can slowly lifted himself off the couch and took measured steps towards the

    head warrior. Aldous was wary of the approaching steps of the handsome man as he purposely turned

    his back to avoid Can.

    ��Hello Aldous.�� Can stayed right behind the head warrior waiting for a reply. Aldous refused to

    address the handsome man as he slowly made his way to the opposite direction.

    ��We have to talk about it some day or the other.�� The words halted the head warrior ��You cannot

    escape..��

    Aldous turned his back to face the man ��I don��t know how it is any of your concern Ashton. It was

    already rough and now you meddling in the way has made it even moreplicated.��

    The handsome man stared at the head warrior in disbelief ��I had to intervene! I couldn��t just stand and

    watch!�� Can took a deep breath to calm his rising temperament ��Look Aldous, since everything is out

    in the open I am but of little help to that girl. If someone can make this right; it has to be you. Peter

    believes in the old traditions and he would never mend his ways.��

    ��And what makes you think I would go against my father.�� he retorted

    ��I know it is difficult for you to go against the wishes of your father, your pack and even your friend.��

    Can took a pregnant pause and softened his gaze ��But at least try..��

    The words from the Elemental took the man in his own unwanted journey of guilt. The stubborn exterior

    he portrayed was melting because he knew that his beloved was in danger. He knew he had to act, he

    knew he had to save the girl. But he was helpless.. He was bound by thews. He knew he was not

    doing the right thing because he had to work hard to justify his actions. His conscious kept reminding

    him what an awful person he was..

    In that weak moment, Aldous�� expression softened for he wanted to make amends. He wanted to ask

    for help even if it came from someone he hated. He opened his mouth to speak when his gaze locked

    at the person standing right behind Can. Aldous�� demeanour changed dramatically as his jaws

    tightened and he gulped. He narrowed his brows ��I think we are done here Ashton. I have to go.��

    Can sighed in defeat ��Just think about what I said.. Because you don��t want to lose someone dear to

    you.��

    Aldous nodded keeping his eyes low and swiftly made his way to the exit. Can on the other hand was

    aware of the person standing behind him. He sighed heavily and slowly turned his back.

    ��I need to talk to you.��

    ��I don��t have anything to say to you.�� Can uttered at once and shifted his steps sideways to

    circumvent the man. However the man in front stretched one his arms parallel to the chest of the

    Elemental, blocking his way.

    Can��s features changed as a pang of anger was surging within him ��Leave my way Garrick.��

    However the beta did not budge. Can slowly brought one of his hands upwards and with his strength

    he jerked the arm which was obstructing him. He crossed the man elbowing him in the way.

    Can��s walk was interrupted as Garrick clutched one of his arms and turned Can to face him

    forcefully ��You cannot disrespect me. I am your superior.�� he growled.

    Can looked him in the eye fiercely ��I only listen to the orders of the alpha..�� His nostrils red ��And

    you are not the alpha.��

    The sudden outburst from the Elemental took the beta by surprise as he slowly retracted his hand. He

    ran his fingers through his hair in frustration before taking long breaths to calm himself ��Listen here

    Ashton�� he lowered his voice ��I am not out here to create any trouble. I am here to remind you of your

    promise.��

    ��What promise?��

    Garrick stepped backwards and looked all around, making sure that no one was around. Can could

    discern that the beta was finding it difficult to put forward his stance. Like he wanted to say something

    but was embarrassed to talk about. Garrick gathered all his confidence and intently looked at Can

    ��You said you would help me get my mate.��

    Can nodded ��Yes I did.�� His tensed features rxed for he now understood what the fuss was all

    about ��But I am not sure if I should do that anymore.��

    Garrick was heaving short gasps as he could not believe the audacity of the man to betray him. A

    mixture of emotions soared through his body. He felt angry, he felt deceived, most importantly he felt

    worried because Can was the only one to help him reach his destination- Fayette.

    ��How can you go back on your word.. YOU PROMISED!�� He whisper shouted at the man.

    ��Yes.. But I see a drastic shift here.�� The beta narrowed his gaze in confusion ��You are not the Garrick I

    promised back in theke. Your sudden hostility to me is baffling.��

    Garrick huffed mockingly ��Who are you kidding Ashton. We were never close to begin with. I have

    always been the same with you.��

    The angry eyes and the change in Garrick��s behaviour did not go unnoticed by the Elemental. It wasn��t

    as if Can was not used to this side of the beta but the situation back then was different. At this point

    of time Garrick knew what Can meant to Einar, to the entire pack. Yet the man was more belligerent

    as the days passed

    Can whispered ��A lot has changed.��

    ��What are you talking about?��

    ��Nothing..�� Can gritted his teeth as he swallowed the anger, the angst within him ��I remember my

    promise..�� He crossed his hands to his chest ��But my words will only hold when you do your part.��

    ��What do I need to do?��

    With a stern demeanour and focused eyes Can said ��I need assurance for Fayette��s eptance.��

    ��I am ready to ept her whole heartedly and..��

    ��I am talking about the pack.�� Can interjected the beta ��I don��t want her to go through the same

    ordeals as I have faced in my entire lifetime. I don��t want her to be cornered; to be secluded. I don��t

    want her to feel different from the others.��

    Garrick lowered his gaze because the task was monumental. In his heart he knew that his mate would

    find it difficult to assimte herself with the pack. Moreover the strong headed human will not conform

    to the centuries old traditions of the wolves. There would beplications from both sides. Even if he

    manages to persuade his mate to bind by the rules, will the pack reciprocate the gesture and ept

    her true nature?

    Garrick faltered in his stance as he lowered his voice ��I cant have a control over what other people

    think...��

    ��Then find a way.�� Can nonchntly shrugged ��Convince the pack members about your human

    mate. If you are able to side in the pack with you then I will help you with Fayette.��

    Can raised his brow and waited for Garrick to respond but the reply never came. He left an anxious

    but stunned beta on the same ce as he dashed his way to the opposite side of the room.

    It was for a fact that Garrick knew about the secret. However even after being aware of the truth the

    beta was hostile and even pugnacious at times. Can racked his brain for days to understand what he

    did to earn the ire of the man. During the time in theke Can could see the man in love. There was

    a slight hope within him that Garrick would be more understanding, more friendly. That he would at

    least be considerate if nothing more. But Can was wrong..

    The only good thing of it all was that the wolf was ready to give his fate a chance. Garrick was ready to

    brave all odds to im his mate. He looked sure. He looked confident about himself; confident about

    the bond; confident about Fayette..

    But Can could not trust Garrick blindly.

    Fayette was more than a friend for Can. He valued her like his own sister. Can was sure that the

    beta would support her and stand by her even if it meant that he had to go against the pack. But then

    again he was friends with Einar. Destiny had bonded both of them with non wolves as their mates and

    they were not ready to forego the pack for their love. However Can was proud of the fact that at least

    Garrick had the courage to ept Fayette unlike the other egomaniac.

    But he couldn��t risk it. Before talking to Fayette about Garrick, Can wanted to be sure about the beta.

    He wanted to test his stand and his willingness to ept the bond wholeheartedly.

    Cans thoughts were interrupted when he looked at the healer exiting from one of the rooms. She

    grinned from ear to ear as she marched towards the Elemental and hugged the man.

    ��Aurora..�� he acknowledged the witch with a dry smile.

    ��You don��t seem to be in a good mood.�� she chuckled.

    ��Just had a friendly conversation with Garrick.��

    ��I could tell.�� she raised a brow ��How is your father coping?��

    ��He is unconscious but faring well. How about Richard?

    ��Seriously!�� she huffed ��The man literally nned your murder and you want to know about his well

    being.��

    Can nonchntly shrugged. Richard, Peter and Justus were one of the victims of the snake attack

    from a couple of days back. Though Richard was responsible for the setup, Can felt meworthy

    because the birds which rescued him had caused all the ruckus.

    ��Where are you going by the way?��

    ��To Einar��s room. He hasn��t woken up yet.��

    Can slowly nodded in understanding. It had been quite a few days since the full moon yet the alpha

    remained unconscious. His inert state was worrying the entire pack. The problem being that nobody

    knew what ailed Einar. It was also a matter of concern since his measure of affliction was unknown.

    Can was bing worried as the days passed by. He realised that Einar��s condition had something

    to do with Daragor. The days after the carnival, Einar was lying motionless for about four days while the

    previous full moon was still leaving a great impact on Einar��s health. Even after several days he just

    wasn��t waking up. The Elemental looked worriedly at Aurora ��Can��t you find a solution to his problem?��

    ��I can but he is denying my help.��

    ��What do you mean?�� Can was puzzled

    ��Though I am the head healer of the pack I assume that someone else is assisting Einar in his

    medications. Thest time he fell ill, he didn��t ask me for help. The potions and theriac which I made

    were never used by the alpha in the slightest.��

    It was something strange. As the head healer of the pack, Aurora had been assigned to treat and

    medicate the high ranks herself. This included the alpha and his family. But if Einar was denying help

    from Aurora then how was he able to recuperate to his own, normal state..?

    Can pursed his lips ��Who do you think is helping him?��

    ��I have no idea.��

    Their chat was interrupted by a thud and a sudden gigantic roar. Can and Aurora diverted their

    attention to look at the source of the sound. It came from Einar��s room. A quick panic alerted Can��s

    senses as he ran with his might with Aurora following suit.

    A number of people had gathered in and around the room. Can could see the fright and trepidation

    within the wolves. The beads of sweat and the asional gasps didn��t go unnoticed by him. He pierced

    his way through the thick wall of people to reach the front. As soon as he stood on the frontlines he was

    baffled and slightly perturbed by what he saw.

    Rosaline was a crying mess. She was pleading the unfazed man and pulling the muscr iron arms of

    the alpha; begging him to stop. The room was filled with muffled voices and growls. The floor beneath

    was covered in patches of crimson liquid. However Can was left horrified when a wicked smile

    colored Einar��s face as his ws were elongated. The alpha was slowly firming his grip around the

    neck of his best friend..!

    ********

 Chapter 45: Making A Move

    Chapter 45: Making A Move

    The jaw muscles of Einar twitched as with every passing moment the grip on Garrick��s neck was

    tightening. While on the other hand Rosaline was desperately trying to separate the alpha from the

    poor man but her aiding efforts were pointless. Garrick��s face had reddened and his eyes were bulged.

    The hold to his jugr was suppressing his supply of air.

    The people which gathered outside the room were stunned to witness the horror. It wasn��t as if they

    wanted to be mere spectators but getting involved with the head wolf would surely end their life and

    they knew that. Besides there was no person in the entire world who could stop the carnage once the

    alpha wolf was deranged. Nobody but one.

    Can��s anxiousness grew for he was clueless at the moment. He could not understand what was

    causing Einar��s ire to grow. However his cause of concern increased when he saw the red mist slowly

    appearing out of thin air and engulfing Einar. This meant that Orcus was making his presence felt.

    Can looked at Aurora in skepticism and a bit hope but the terrified face of the healer said it all. She

    had no answer to Einar��s madness.

    Soon Garrick��s eyelids gave up and he was drowsing in a deep sleep; his final sleep perhaps. Einar

    loosened his grip from the beta as Garrick fell to the ground unconscious and bleeding. Einar turned his

    back and focused his attention to a bewildered but scared for her life Luna. He grabbed a handful of

    her hair and raised her body above the ground. He growled ferociously before thrashing thedy to the

    nearest wall. Rosaline hurt her arm as she fell on the ground with a thud. The gasps and screams

    diverted Einar��s focus once again as he looked at the panicked people who bowed their head and

    trembled in their feet. All of them kneeled in front of the higher power but the alpha wasn��t having it.

    He caught hold of the nearest table and smashed it on the entrance hurting some people in the

    process. This was when things went erratic. The wolves stood up from their ces and stepped

    backwards to create some distance from the demented being. People scattered all around as they ran

    for their life. All of them except Can. He stood his ground and panicked a little when he saw the

    bloody red eyes of the alpha and the red mist which was surrounding him.

    Orcus had now taken over Einarpletely.

    The wolf smelled his environment when his eyes roamed all around but stationed at one particr spot;

    to his mate. His expressions softened a bit as he gazed at the one person he craved the most.

    However his features changed dramatically when he scowled and bared his teeth in aggression. He

    ferociously growled and ran on his feet with his might in the opposite direction leaving a baffled Can

    behind.

    Can was speechless for a moment. He was sure that his presence would create the much needed

    diversion and Orcus would stop in his ce. But nothing as such happened! He helplessly looked all

    around before stationing his gaze at a fearful Aurora who was standing a bit far from him.

    ��What has happened to him?��

    Aurora��s lips quivered ��I-I have no answer to that..��

    Can sighed in frustration and ran his hand through his hair ��We have to stop him.��

    ��How? Orcus seems to have taken control over Einar��s body. I thought when he would look at you his

    rage would be doused off.��

    Can became pensive at the words. In general cases a mates presence was enough to calm the

    senses of a wolf. In matters where the wolf had be barbaric or out of control the elders would

    push forward the wolfs mate. This way the wolf in question would be serene and his wild nature

    was back in control.

    Today however Can was worried because this theory was futile and was proven wrong. The glint of

    hope when Einar was transfixed for a moment made Can hopeful but his change of expressions in

    the next instant made him clueless and a bit panicked. He intently looked at Aurora ��There is

    something wrong with the wolf.�� He whispered his words ��Cant you do something..�� He almost pleaded.

    The healer took a deep breath ��I think I can. I need to go to my cottage.�� she took a pregnant pause

    ��Do you think you can handle him in the meantime?��

    That was the thing. He wasn��t sure anymore.

    He wasn��t sure if he would be able to make the wolf tranquil. He wasn��t sure if he would be able to stop

    his carnage. He wasn��t sure if he did understand the wolf in the first ce.

    With a dismal attitude he said ��I-I will try..��

    Aurora nodded in affirmation and marched her way out of the alpha house. Meanwhile Can followed

    the screams which led him to the backyard. On his way though he could see the pack warriors

    assembling around their leader. However Can��s speedy legs were slowed down when he saw the

    scene in front of him. A number of people were lying on the ground motionless. Torn clothes and

    bruised bodies was amon sight. The most disturbing part though was the severed figures which

    were disassembled from the owner. The ground was soaking in the blood which dripped though the

    lying bodies. There was chaos everywhere.

    Warrior after warrior raced his way to the opening of the thick woods. Can was out of his trance at

    once and he followed their lead to locate Einar. On his way though he was stopped on his tracks when

    a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

    ��Go find a safe ce Ashton. I don��t want any more blood spilled today.��

    ��But I can help..�� He hopefully looked at Aldous.

    ��And how exactly would you do that..?��

    Can was tongue tied on the question. If in the entire world Einar would listen to someone it would be

    him and no one lese. He knew the obvious but was in a dilemma to reveal his secret to the head

    warrior. The lives of the people were in jeopardy and nothing else mattered right now. Can knew he

    had to act otherwise Einar would wipe out the entire pack from existence.

    Can sternly gazed at head warrior ��I would stille with you.��

    The adamant nature of the handsome man was making it difficult for Aldous to make him see reason.

    He sighed in defeat and spoke lowly ��Stay close and don��t create problems for us.��

    Can briefly nodded as they entered the thick woods. The wolves were tracing their alpha while Can

    kept a close watch nearby. His legs were halted suddenly when he heard a loud piercing scream. All of

    the men ran towards the source of the sound. Can was left dumbfounded when he saw the horror

    which unfolded before him. Einar had been on a killing spree. He was killing the wolves barbarically.

    Men, women he differentiated no one. He even forgot his basic principle as the alpha to save his pack

    wolves; his own people!

    Aldous and his men wasted no time as they ran towards the demented being and held his hands tightly.

    Two men on each sides grabbed Einar��s arms and two men each were holding his legs tightly. While

    one warrior was hitting the back of his knee so as to propel him to kneel. All this while Aldous was

    ordering his other men to take people to safety as he himself was trying to get hold of Einar. Even after

    using all of their strengths the men were finding it difficult to hold their alpha in position. Einar was

    overpowering them all. Their groaning and grunting were all put to waste when Einar nged his arms

    and kicked his legs to detach the men at both the sides. He threw an angry punch right at Aldous jaw

    and gritted his teeth in anger.

    Einar arched his neck as he looked to the sky and howled a mighty scream. Soon bones cracked and a

    big ck wolf reced the muscr man. Every warrior on the ground was terrified. Can��s

    anxiousness grew because he knew the after effects wont be favorable. He had to intervene to make

    the wolf humble and keep him in his senses. However even before he could move a leg the wolf

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    jumped over the nearest warrior and pierced his deep canines through his neck. He pressed his jaws

    firmly until the trembling body was weakening and finally unmoving.

    Fear evident in his eyes, Aldous ordered his men to stand back. He slowly moved ahead and

    undressed his shirt. Can saw what the head warrior was trying to do. He was sacrificing himself to

    save his men. But was it worth it? Even after killing the man Einar was surely not going to stop. If

    anyone had the power to subdue him it was Can and no one else. Aldous in the next instant turned

    into his own wolf andunched himself over the alpha. The battle that ensued left everyone around

    speechless. Aldous was irking the big wolf with his speed and agility as he attacked on every chance

    while he dodged Einar��s advances. In the meantime the warriors helped carry the injured people out of

    harms way, away from the alpha.

    Einar was aggravated by Aldous�� manoeuvres as he roared deafeningly and shed his stomach with

    the powerful ws. Can gasped in horror. He could see the menacing look of the alpha. Aldous was

    badly injured as he slowly but painfully transformed into his human. With haggard breaths he kept one

    hand on the side of his stomach while the other hand was trying to lift him up. His eyes were focused

    solely on the approaching beast.

    Einar wasn��t stopping.

    Just as he was about to puncture his canines through the flesh of the man, Can pulled an injured

    Aldous out of harms way. He cautiously stood in front of the man shielding him from the wolfs view. The

    sight of Can in front of him made the wolf some what serene. He vigorously shook his head to gain

    control but his efforts were futile. On the other hand Aldous was stunned by the audacity or the

    valiance of the human of the pack to put his own life in danger to save him.

    ��What are you doing?�� Aldous asked between his breaths.

    Can looked behind his shoulders ��Saving you..��

    ��You have no idea what you are dealing with. You can get killed..!��

    Can looked ahead as a knowing smile formed on his face ��I will be safe and I wont let him kill you

    either.��

    The words confused Aldous as he held Can��s arm to move him aside. However when he touched the

    handsome man he was faced with a roaring growl of annoyance from an irate ck wolf. The red eyes

    were focusedpletely on the shoulders of Can and the hand whichid on it. He furrowed his

    brows and snarled baring his long canines. With a clear aim to kill Aldous he marched ahead. Can

    half expected this reaction from Einar and so was ready. He quickly twisted his fingers as the fine

    gravels from thend uplifted themselves and engulfed the wolf. They swirled all around taking the wolf

    out of focus while some particles even distorted his vision.

    ��You need to leave.�� Can said at once.

    Aldous looked at the struggling beast ahead of him. He was sure that the diminutive storm would not

    deter his resolve and soon Einar would be back to his killing form. Moreover the human of the pack

    was in no way capable to match the powers of the mighty wolf. He was sure to be killed ��Are you out of

    your mind! He will kill you!��

    ��Why do you even care?�� Can huffed. Of all the times Can wished Aldous to be sensible this

    wasn��t the perfect moment.

    ��My being alive or dead never concerned you.��

    Aldous moved his lips but no concrete words came out of his mouth. He only managed to utter ��I cant

    let you do this. I am not leaving without you.��

    Their small talk was interrupted by the loud grunting of the wolf. Can looked at Einar one more time

    and deduced that the sand storm would die down soon. With a look of concern he gazed at the head

    warrior ��There is no much time to argue. Please leave.��

    Aldous looked between the determined eyes of the human and the raging features of the animal. He

    sighed in defeat and punched the ground in frustration. He understood that there was not much he

    could do. He was draining his power and felt useless at the moment. He hesitatingly lifted himself and

    made his way out of the premise with a little pang of regret.

    The sand storm slowly died as the wolf vigorously snarled and looked all around to locate his prey.

    Can on the side was standing on his feet at a distance from wolf with his palms facing the animal in

    an act of defence. The ck wolf however had kept his constant face of fury. He was mad for Can��s

    eptance of some other man over him.

    ��Orcus..��

    Can spoke in a cool andposed manner. He slowly lowered his hand and wet his lips in

    anticipation.

    The wolf halted in his track as his expressions softened and he bowed his head a little. He was content

    that finally his human mate had acknowledged him; the true him. He was happy that his long torture

    was bearing fruit. He was relieved that he was in some positive trajectory; that his mate did not show

    any hate or remorse. He slowly stepped forward to stand in front of the man. His red eyes were affixed

    to the beautiful man in front of him. Can hesitatingly raised his hand and touched the lower part of his

    jaw. Can smiled a little as he fondled the fur on Orcus�� jaw. The sheer pleasure the wolf felt for the

    first touch of his mate was unimaginable. He purred and howled in his happiness. Can could see the

    curiosity and the angst within the wolf in his eyes. His face conveyed a lot of emotions.

    The distance; the pain; the longing!

    It was as if the wolf was finally content. Can giggled and moved closer to Orcus but he was shocked

    to see the gleamy beads on the surface of thend. Can slowly raised his head when another water

    beadnded on the ground. His deep green eyes were met with the pained crimson eyes of the wolf.

    His heart constricted on witnessing the helplessness and suffering Orcus was feeling now. The wolfs

    eyes could not contain the brim of water which transformed into big tear drops before flowing through

    his cheeks and touching the ground.

    Can was heart broken. His heart and soul was aching with all the suffering and he wanted to soothe

    the animal. Do anything to stop him from crying. Orcus made a low, guttural sound as if the water

    through his eyes was healing him from within. A surge of repressed angst was finally subdued and his

    true emotions for his beloved were being released.

    Can caressed his hands to the nuzzle of the wolf and smiled with a teary eye.

    However the moment of bliss was short lived as a strong enchanted mist covered the wolf from above.

    He lost his bnce and also his semnce as he screamed and revolted against the outward force

    which pressurised him to change into the human and be away from his mate. He tried hard to resist but

    his physical strength was giving up. Soon he failed to withstand the effect of the mist and gave away

    his control. The ck shiny fur was forcibly reced by the muscr figure of the alpha.

    A number of people had gathered around the wolf. Arthur and a few men approached their leader and

    helped him get up. Einar was in a state of drowsiness. He was finding it difficult to keep his eyes open.

    Aurora on the other hand stood besides a guilty faced Can who was standing aloof from the

    proceedings.

    ��Are you alrite?�� the healer asked with concern.

    ��I am.�� Can sniffled and blinked rapidly to clear his eyes of the tears.

    ��You don��t look good.��

    Can took a deep sigh and sniffled again. His eyes were stationed at the movement of people who

    were helping Einar. He kept a closer look on the departing figures as the wolves were distancing

    themselves and soon were out of sight. He paused for a long time before saying ��It was the first time

    that I felt his pain Aurora.��

    ��The wolf?��

    Can nodded shakily ��What has Einar done..!�� His voice trembled. He turned to his friend and buried

    his face in her shoulders. He clutched the back of her gown as he snivelled and whimpered in grief ��He

    needs me Aurora! I could see it in his eyes..��

    Aurora ran her hand though the back of the handsome man to pacify him and tranquilize his inner

    storm ��Everything will be good at the end.�� She surveyed her eyes around ��Lets not talk about it here

    Can.�� She pulled her friend back and looked him in his eyes ��I think we need to investigate the

    sudden outburst of Einar.��

    ****

    Can and Aurora were in thetter''s cottage and searching through the bundle of primordial

    parchments to know something, anything about the big wolf. They wanted to know the reason for

    Orcus�� distress. Though Can knew that he was a part of the problem, it was abnormal to behave in

    such an unruly manner for any wolf.

    ��Here.. Look at this.��

    Aurora cleared some parchments from the floor to make way to Can. Sheid down the big sheet on

    the floor and spread it to the maximum. Can could see some writings and symbols and below all of

    them was drawn a big wolf.

    ��What is this?��

    ��This is the answer to our questions.��

    Can was puzzled ��What do you mean?��

    Aurora pointed to some of the symbols on the sheet ��In the times of Orcus�� reign or even before that,

    the rules to im a mate were different. It says that in the ancient times a mate was chosen by the

    dominant wolf and not pre determined as is now..��

    ��You mean a chosen.��

    ��Yes..��

    Can nodded briefly. It was strange for him to know that the moon goddess had no role to y in the

    mating of pairs back then.

    ��It says that a dominant wolf had to earn the right to mate a particr wolf of his choosing. He had to

    disy his abilities and his strength constantly to the entire world. It was done to prove that the

    dominant was able to guard and take care of his chosen.��

    Can blew out some air as he entangled his hand and ticked his forefingers to his lips. The life in the

    primeval times was barbaric. It was those times when the humans were pre dominantly governed by

    their animal instincts and civilization was premature and non-existent to say the least. Orcus was an

    ancient wolf and so his barbaric nature was justified. However his cause of concern was mostly on why

    Einar��s wolf behaved the way he did.

    ��It doesn��t exin the mayhem Orcus did today.��

    Aurora sighed as she sat on her knees and pursed her lips ��The other reason the dominant had to be

    vignt was because the mates were used to be stolen..��

    Can��s eyes widened at the statement ��This is horrible..!��

    ��It was a normal thing to do back then.�� she shrugged ��The mate of a dominant had no choice but to

    adhere to the wishes of his new master. Therefore the mates back then were guarded and kept a

    closer look on. However the more powerful wolves used other means to safeguard their mates..��

    Can leaned forward with curiosity to hear what the healer had to say next. Aurora on the other hand

    was finding it difficult to put forward her words ��They used to eliminate thepetition..��

    Can scowled ��By eliminating you mean..��

    ��Kill them so that it sends a message to the world. A warning.��

    Can gasped ��I cant believe this..!��

    ��I think the probable reason Orcus was out of control today, was to kill all of the pack for he thinks that

    they are the reason to keep you away from him.��

    Can was shocked to the core. To know that he was the reason the big wolf was out of control was

    half expected by the handsome man. However he could neverprehend the level to which the wolf

    would go to reach out to him.

    Orcus was the head. The prime wolf of the pack. This meant that his duty was to keep his pack close

    knit and safeguard their interest. Keep them secured and alive. Many a times the head wolf had to

    sacrifice his own happiness to keep his pack intact. In this instance though Orcus did not show any of

    the qualities of being the alpha. He was deranged and out for kill only to annihte the people of the

    pack. His own people who he vowed to keep safe forever!

    Can��s thoughts were interrupted when Aurora spoke again ��The other exnation I cane up with

    is that since the ceremonial proceedings as the alpha, Orcus was constantly denied a cohabitation with

    you. Therefore it was the pent up aggression which he could no longer control and whiche out in

    the open today.��

    Can raised his brows as he realised something ��Einar has been suppressing his shift..��

    Aurora nodded. She searched her pockets and held a transparent bottle of green liquid in her hands

    ��This was the bottle that I recovered from Einar��s room some time ago.��

    ��What is it?�� Can held the bottle in his hand and looked at it with curiosity.

    ��It is made from strong ancient herbs and weeds. There is also a mixture of a powerful but rare poison

    in it which makes it dangerous.��

    Words failed toe out of his mouth. He kept staring at the healer inplete shock ��Why would he

    even drink that!��

    ��To keep the wolf in control. This medication is helping him to suppress his forceful transformation.��

    It meant that Einar was drinking this powerful medication only to conquer his wolf and force him into

    hiding. But why? Wasn��t he aware about the dangers of consuming the liquid? What could have been

    the reason to drink the thing in the first ce? Can could think of only one answer ��He must be

    consuming it before the full moon.��

    The full moon was the time when the wolves were at their prime. This meant that there was a possibility

    that Orcus would overpower the restrain of the locket and transform in his true nature. Einar knew it

    and so was scared of the oue.

    ��My guess exactly. This is the reason he is unable to wake up after Daragor makes his presence.��

    How powerful could the dose of the medication be to subdue the mighty wolf in Einar! If it was potent to

    keep Orcus unconscious for days it had to be dangerous and even life threatening shall any other wolf

    consume it by mistake. Wasn��t Einar aware of this? Was he a fool to put his own life in danger? Go to

    such an extent so as to harm the animal within him?

    ��Einar has to stop this. He is killing himself slowly and for what? Just because he has to keep hidden a

    damn secret! He is really insane!��

    ��He is under tremendous pressure Can. You have to understand that as an alpha he has to think

    about his people first. It his legacy.�� she whispered thest part ��He has to be on the forefront for his

    pack; for his people.��

    ��I understand all of it Aurora but he has a responsibility towards his inner beast and most importantly

    towards me. He cant ignore us, not any more..��

    Can was thoughtful yet again. He never imagined the level to which Einar could stoop. The way in

    which he was harming his wolf was outright cruelty. Can could give Einar a benefit of doubt for being

    conflicted towards his feelings for him and his responsibilities as an alpha but what he was doing to

    himself and his wolf was not justified at all. Orcus deserved every right over his mate. So what if Einar

    doesn��t care about him. It doesn��t mean that his beasts should be deprived of their love; of their

    beloved; of their rightful mate. Einar could be insensitive towards the feelings of his beasts but Can

    cannot overlook them anymore.

    The quiet nature of the handsome man unnerved Aurora as she asked with curiosity ��What are you

    thinking?��

    Can had a smug look on his face as he smirked ��Einar wont let me meet Orcus. He thinks he can

    outsmart me.�� He huffed as he slowly stood up on his feet. He looked at Aurora with determination in

    his eyes ��From now on I will make efforts to reach out to Orcus. I will be the one to make a move.��

    ********

 Chapter 46: The Mysterious Girl

    Chapter 46: The Mysterious Girl

    Einar��s eyes were robbed of their usual warmth. He wanted to rekindle the heat within him but his

    insides were too damp with all the unshed tears. He looked at the rising sun from the window and

    wished that the morning never came. His eyes were a bit puffed and the area beneath had darkened

    due to theck of sleep.

    How could he sleep?

    The split images he saw a week ago when he toured the pack, harrowed him to the core. He couldn��t

    believe that the carnage which urred was all because of him; that he was responsible for the chaos

    and the killings of his own people. Deep within he felt remorse and was a bit ashamed but it was too

    the nearby packs and possibly to the kings court.

    How did this all happen? He was sure that he was in control for a long time. The full moon had

    rendered him weak and inactive but it was the price he had to pay to keep his lovesick wolf under

    check. Most importantly he could not remember anything from when the wolf in him took charge.

    The screeching of the door grabbed Einar��s attention as he looked at the figure carrying a tray and the

    hot beverage on it. He took a deep sigh as the drink was all he needed to rejuvenate his mind. He

    straightened his back and leaned backwards to the wall. However his movement was abruptly halted

    when he saw the person bringing in the refreshments.

    It was his mate.

    Over the past one week the onlypanion though unwanted, was the beautiful man. Even after

    Einar��sints and his distancing behaviour the handsome man had been adamant to keep him

    wounds. There were days when both of them spoke nothing at all but kept gawking at each other for

    their own reasons.

    In a way Can��s presence was making the beasts in him happy while Einar felt disgusted with himself.

    After what went through with the pack he should feel dreadful and have courage to go outside to

    assure his people. As a leader he was supposed to helm the pack to its glory and integrate everyone

    under his protection.

    Instead, he stayed in his room like a coward and shamefully enjoyed thepany of his mate. Can''s

    presence was making the days pass by easily. However Einar was slightly angry at his mate for

    indirectly he was the reason for the chaos that happened.

    Can smiled as he walked in and slowly kept the tray on the table besides the bed. He gently handed

    over the ss with hot beverage to the alpha.

    ��Where are the servants?�� Einar asked dryly as he took the first sip.

    ��They are outside.��

    Einar looked at the window and then at the door ��Where are the other people?��

    ��They are where they should be.�� Can said in a low, meek voice.

    In the hindsight Einar knew why the people he was used to working with did not show up. They were

    scared. And why wouldn��t they be? Einar��s presence was no more secure. The temperamental

    behaviour of the alpha could put any life in jeopardy just like that. It was understandable for why the

    pack wanted to distance themselves with him. Apart from one exception; the beautiful man standing in

    front of him.

    ��Why have youe here Ashton?�� Einar asked in his defeat.

    ��To take care of you.��

    ��I don��t want you near me.�� The alpha coldly said.

    Can smiled and almost whispered ��You don��t want me.. but you need me.��

    The cryptic words took Einar by surprise as he looked at Can in confusion and scowled. ��I will be fine

    by my own.��

    ��I cant leave you untreated.��

    ��Where is the healer?�� Einar asked angrily as he gritted his teeth ��Its her job not yours.��

    ��She is busy with others.�� Can took a pregnant pause ��Rosaline, Garrick and Aldous wont be here for

    quite a while and Arthur is handling the pack business in your absence.��

    The mere utterance of the names made Einar��s heart heavy. He hurt the people he loved. One of the

    reasons the pack wolves were afraid of him was the fact that he hurt the luna of the pack. He hurt his

    own mate!

    Who does that!

    When he proposed a fake alliance to Rosaline he had sworn in to protect her and give her a life she

    deserves but on the contrary he failed in his promises. It was already tough on the poordy to deceive

    an entire pack for her good soul repulsed her actions. Einar brought her to the mess and made her

    suffer for somethingpletely irrelevant to her.

    Einar had buried the deep secret sorrows within him which could not be known to the world. The

    burden was eating him from the insides. His thoughts upset him and he lowered his head to speak

    meekly ��I want to be alone Ashton. Leave the room at once.��

    Can wasn��t untouched by the mental state of the pack alpha. He discerned the mood of Einar way

    before any of the pack members. He knew Einar was remorseful and pained at the events which

    unfolded these past days. However he was also relieved that he got to spend more time with his mate.

    He wanted to soothe Einar somehow but was finding it difficult to do his task without revealing much.

    ��I wont do anything that displeases you. I will just do my work and leave when I am finished. Until then

    you can pretend as if I am not here.��

    Einar sighed in defeat ��There is a reason I hate the fact that you don��t have a wolf. Your reluctance to

    adhere to mymands gets on my nerves sometimes.��

    The handsome man smirked ��If my nature bothers you so much why didn��t you punish me?��

    Because the beasts wouldn��t allow me. Because hurting you would hurt me.

    Einar cleared his throat ��Stop with the nonsense Ashton and do what you came to do.��

    Can shrugged and sat on the empty space besides Einar��s torso. The close bodies brought shivers

    to the alpha, however Einar��s eyes expanded when Can leaned forward to touch him. The sudden

    action startled Einar as he choked on the beverage. A mischievous smile made its way to Can��s face

    as the alpha coughed rapidly to clear his throat.

    ��What are you doing?�� He asked in a surprised voice.

    ��Undressing you..��

    The air in his throat got stuck as Einar��s lips moved but could not utter a word. He waspletely

    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    stupefied by the sudden bold behaviour of his mate.

    ��W-What?!��

    ��You heard me. I want to undress you of your clothes.��

    Einar stared at the beautiful man in horror. At this moment Can was powerful beyond measure

    because he didn��t know what catastrophe shall transpire if he ignited the mes of desire in Einar. He

    wouldn��t be able to control himself. His best hidden secret will be out in the open.

    Einar was unable to find a way through his fear; through this predicament.

    ��You look afraid.�� Can smirked a little.

    ��I..�� Einar gulped ��Am not.��

    ��Rx.�� Can held a bottle from the tray and lifted in the air in front of the alpha ��It is the lotion that I

    brought with me. I have to rub it on your chest and your back. It will cool your senses and help get you

    rid of the excess heat. Aurora says that it helps in calming your nerves.��

    Einar��s thoughts were numb. This wasn��t the way to deal with the things he was going through. The

    simple touch from his mate would do everything other than making him calm.

    ��Shall I?��

    Einar was dumbstruck again. He couldn��t formte a thought or a believable reason to deny his mate.

    Einar had received massages in the past but they had all been through his servants. As also nudity

    was never a problem with him. But here the man in front was his own mate and showing him his bare

    body was proving to be unnecessarily ufortable. Einar was shy and flustered at the thought of

    Can touching him.

    With nowhere left to go Einar reluctantly nodded.

    Can nodded in response and leaned forward to touch the first buttons of Einar��s shirt. All this while

    Einar had curled his fingers tightly while his lips were closed firmly. He looked everywhere except in the

    front and tried to recollect unpleasant thoughts to divert his attention from his handsome man.

    When Can was done undressing Einar, he held a handful of the thick liquid on his palms and circled

    it twice with his two fingers before rubbing it on Einar��s chest.

    As soon as the cold fingers touched Einar��s body he opened his mouth and sucked in a lot of breath in

    a jiffy. Pleasant shivers trembled his body. His pulsating veins were increasing its flow to his member.

    All the irrational thoughts in his head evaporated while he fixated his gaze at the mystique of a beauty

    in front of him.

    An unexpected silence followed as both of them locked their gazes in a staring contest. Can couldn��t

    control himself as he chuckled looking at the state of Einar��s face. ��Your cheeks are red��

    Einar couldn��t hold his gaze and he cleared his throat in a mock anger ��They are always this way. It is

    your hands that are cold as ice.��

    Can looked at his hands in amusement and shrugged before breathing out the warm air to even the

    temperature of his hands. The simple gesture brought a smile on Einar��s face. However his lips

    returned to a hard line as in the next moment Can resumed to do what he came for.

    Can moved his finger in a circr motion around both the sides of his chest. He mentally smirked

    when he noticed the hardened nipples of Einar along with the small bumps which were appearing on

    his skin. His chest hair were slowly aiming for the sky.

    The tender contact dried out all the air in Einar. The touch felt intimate, it felt sensual. His curved

    fingers spiraled even more as he fisted his hands to remain in control. He opened his mouth a little to

    take deep voiceless sighs for his heart drummed at a faster rate.

    Though Einar took precautions and was using every of his tactics, his body was not listening to him.

    The more Einar felt Can��s hand the more he craved him. The tension had reached such a point that

    heaving deep sighs was not enough. It was turning embarrassing for Einar for the arousal in his pants

    was bing more and more evident.

    To save himself of the awkwardness he all of a sudden turned and lied on his t torso. He looked on

    the other side of the man and said ��Can you do my back first.��

    Can was mute as heughed. He found the situationical. It wasn��t as if he hadn��t noticed the

    throbbing member wishing to liberate itself from Einar��s pants. It was the sheer childlike behaviour

    which Einar disyed that made himugh in amusement.

    Can controlled hisughter and said ��As you wish.��

    The handsome man massaged the alpha gently by circling his bare back. But as it had to happen, the

    motion caused Einar to regret his decision. He could not believe how something could feel better than

    the first time. With every upward and downward stroke, the breathing movements of Einar were

    bing abrupt. His now hardened member was grinding with the mattress below him. It was pure

    torture. The beads on his forehead and his little shivers showed how agonizing it was for the alpha. His

    tensions increased when the initial shade of the thick white liquid leaked through his member. If

    Can��s hand did note to a halt, Einar was sure that he would take his mate then and there.

    Einar inhaled arge breath ��Stop.. ��

    Can retrieved his hand ��What happened?��

    His manhood was making it ufortable to maintain a stable position. Einar squeezed his hands

    before uttering ��I need to sleep. I am feeling drowsy.��

    Can noticed the unbearable quandary of his mate and held back hisughter. He inhaled sharply to

    control himself and tease the alpha a bit more ��It would be morefortable for you if you sleep on

    your back.��

    ��COULD YOU PLEASE LEAVE THE ROOM AT ONCE ASHTON.�� Einar exhaled air through his mouth

    to slow his heart beat ��For once in your life do as you are told.��

    Can stood up abruptly and held the back of his forefinger between his teeth as heughed

    uncontrobly, without making a sound. His chest was vibrating while his face muscles grew tight. He

    bit his lip quite too often and expelled air in between as hisughter was refusing to die down. On the

    other side Einar was waiting impatiently for a response most probably for his mate to exit as soon as

    possible so that he could save himself of this embarrassing situation.

    Finally Einar was relieved when Can cleared his throat ��If you need anything let me know.��

    Can left the room in a jiffy as he was sure to burst outughing while all Einar thought was that he

    had hurt his mate once again and forced him to leave insultingly.

    ****

    The group of five were drinking in the radiant heat of the afternoon. All of them sat around a mini pond

    whose water was flowing magically onto the feet of the people to subdue the warmth. The boulders on

    which they sat moved to its right toplete the circle and station itself back to its ce. Can saw

    the look of amazement on the faces of his friends and he pulled his hands back. They talked about the

    events from the past days when suddenly Fayette spoke

    ��You did what!?�� Fayette asked in surprise.

    ��I rubbed his back and his chest.��

    ��And he let you do that?��

    Can nodded ��It was hrious!�� he giggled ��He was hesitant at first but I bet he was enjoying himself..��

    ��He is one stubborn male.�� Can��s attention diverted to a stoic Aurora ��Even after your touch he didn��t

    react.��

    ��What do you expect? That he jumps over Cally and starts smooching him all over.�� All of a sudden

    Archer��s facial expression changed and a look of distaste reced his features ��Oh god! I just

    imagined that in my head and it is grossing me out.��

    ��The thing that grosses me out is the fact that the moron is your mate.�� Fayette sighed ��How twisted

    that can be!��

    Can smiled and resumed his talks with Archer and Aurora. Fayette deflected her attention to the

    beautiful girl sitting besides her. The girl��s face glowed like the spring flower when it opens. Her gaze

    was affixed at the tree which stood at a long distance. She carefully watched the winged animals flying

    above, aiming for the sky and returning to the tree. The canvas of nature and the chirping of the birds

    made her heart content and she smiled constantly.

    The extension of her lips caused Fayette to mimic her actions ��You seem happy.��

    ��I feel liberated. It is a good feeling.�� The straight hairs on her forehead dangled with the motion of the

    breeze.

    ��It is good to have you as apany.��

    The mystery girl nodded with a smile. Fayette reciprocated with a smile of her own, however her lips

    returned to its normal form as she arched her eyebrows a little ��Has anyone been suspicious?��

    The girl looked at Fayette in confusion and in the next instant she wandered her gaze around the other

    three people sitting in the circle ��Not that I know of.��

    ��You have to be careful.��

    The girl nodded.

    After chatting for some more time the group left the ce to leave for their respective homes. Can

    and Aurora would be the first to say their goodbyes as the blue moon pack was the closest to the

    meadow.

    Their joyous prattle came to an end when Aurora asked a question which made Can ufortable

    ��What are your ns on the wolf situation?��

    Can and Archer did not have to be genius to discern which wolf the healer was talking about. Can

    looked sternly ahead and sighed ��I am waiting for the full moon day.��

    A yful smile was stered on Archer��s face ��I wonder what��s going on in that devious mind of yours.��

    ��Its not what you are thinking.�� Can huffed

    ��And what am I thinking?�� Archer raised a brow and chuckled.

    ��Stop teasing me.��

    Can��s flushed cheeksplimented his eyes. His innocent smile added to the shyness of his blush.

    When Archer noticed the rosy face of his friend he was delighted ��It has been a long time since I have

    seen you this happy. Though I don��t like the man in the slightest but I think Einar is the answer to your

    hearts content.��

    ��I don��t have any feelings for him Archer.��

    The werebear pursed his lips and nodded in mock acknowledgment ��Keep telling yourself the things

    which make you happy.�� he ruffled Can��s hair yfully ��You cant fool me my friend.��

    The joy in Aurora was priceless ��Is what Archer implying true?��

    ��Don��t get your hopes up.�� Can rolled his eyes ��It is just that I don��t hate Einar anymore.�� he paused

    for a moment ��But I still don��t love him.��

    ��It wont take much time.��

    ��What?�� Can asked in surprise.

    ��To reach the blue moon pack I meant.�� Archer pursed his lips and shrugged.

    Can was aware of the meaning of the cryptic words the were bear was trying to imply. It had been

    quite a few days since the handsome man was greeted with raillery from his friends. At first the teasing

    bothered him. It made him angry a little. However, the scenario had changed today drastically. He no

    longer felt chagrined. He felt embarrassed and shy in a good way.

    As soon as the five people reached the pack borders, their footsteps came to a halt when they

    witnessed a long procession. Can could see a chariot being pulled by four horses while a number of

    guards followed and preceded the chariot. The golden palm tree embedded on each of their jackets

    was a symbol that the procession belonged to the royal court.

    ��Who are they?�� asked a bewildered Fayette.

    ��They are the people from the royal court.��

    ��What business do they have here?��

    ��I think it is something to do with the chaos which urred that day.�� Aurora answered

    The neighing of the horses diverted the attention of all the five people. They looked ahead and saw that

    the trajectory of the procession had been changed and now the horses were heading their way.

    ��Why are they approaching us?�� The mystery girl asked

    Can shrugged and shook his head ��I am as clueless as you are.��

    The horses neighed once more as they stopped at a distance from Can and his friends. Can��s

    stoic face dramatically changed when he saw the person thatnded his feet on the ground. The

    unwanted approaching steps increased Can��s heartbeat while bile formed in his throat as a vexatious

    memory resurfaced in his mind.

    Can was left speechless as he scowled with distaste when the person stood in front of him and

    smirked ��Hello my dear.��

    ********

 Chapter 47: Uncrown

    Chapter 47: Uncrown

    ��Hello my dear..��

    A sense of calm masqueraded Can��s face when in reality his insides burned with the mes of

    hatred. His definitive thoughts were ill perceiving the scenarios in which he could hurt the woman in

    front of him. His self restrain had a limit to it.

    ��Is this the way to treat your princess?�� Thedy smirked with a smug face.

    Can looked at the confused faces of the two woman on his left while his own emotions were identical

    to that of his best friend. A frightened Aurora looked at the number of men apanying thedy. All

    of them were taller than Can and more bulkier than she had ever seen. As also the men exalted a

    power of their own. She quickly recognised them as Enforcers.

    The woman stationed herself parallel to the handsome man. A part of hair was drawn back and coiled

    at the back of the head while the rest of the shiny strands waved through the sides of her forehead. Her

    elegant pink gown had perfectly woven red roses around her neckline, waist line and the bottom of the

    gown. Her simple yet shy adornments stood out from the rest. However it was the mystique of a

    beauty thatplemented her essories. With the help of her shiny high heel shoes she stood at a

    her eyes matched the dark green eyes of the Elemental himself.

    The woman narrowed her gaze at Can and gave him a seductive smile. She undressed her gloves

    teasingly from her hand and pushed it forward.

    With gritted teeth and curled fingers the handsome man reluctantly bowed and kneeled on one leg. He

    held thedy��s hand and with a light touch of his lips he kissed the back of her palm. Bile formed in his

    throat but he restrained himself and looked at thedy in disgust.

    ��That��s better.�� Thedy smiledcently. She diverted her attention to the healer who was

    kneeling besides the handsome man. The princess uninterestingly waved her hand to gesture the

    healer to take her ce. However when she looked at Archer, she was alert. She hesitatingly smiled.

    ��I see the bear hasn��t left your side even now. He has left a mark in your heart it seems.��

    Archer narrowed his gaze and with a stern look he said ��I only leave marks on people i don��t like.�� he

    mockingly snorted and pointed his finger to the side of the neck of the princess ��But you already know

    that.��

    All the color drained her face as the princess was slightly upset and majorly agitated by thement of

    the were bear. The enforcers around her growled in retaliation but the princess held them back. She

    calmed her features ��You still have a spine left bear, good for you.�� she smiled devilishly at Archer ��By

    the way... How is your father? I wonder if he can handle anymore abasement.��

    Archer��s smiling face was red when he heard what the princess said. He growled and fisted his hand

    tightly to control his aggression and notsh out at thedy. Fayette was deeply upset by the rude

    behaviour of the princess. She shielded Archer ��Royalty or not, you cannot talk to my friend like that.��

    The woman scowled and pursed her lips at the audacity of Fayette. However she soonposed

    herself ��Oh! New girl.�� The princess giggled ��Is she another of your flings my dear?�� She looked at

    Can for an answer.

    ��I AM NOT YOUR DEAR.��

    The sudden outburst from the man reflected in the winds which were gaining speed. However even

    before Can could realise it, he was thrashed to the ground by tworge hands ��You pathetic human.

    How dare you disrespect the princess!��

    Archer growled at the bodyguard and went to his friend to pick him up. On the other side the princess

    kept her hand on the shoulder of the guard ��Rx Halvor.�� She side stepped to make her way in front

    of Can ��He is the only person in the world who has a right to say anything to me.. Anything.�� she

    whispered thest part.

    Can did not miss the way in which thedy kept gawking at him. It was the look he was familiar with

    yet it was something that was making him ufortable and disgusted when it came from thedy in

    the front. Her abnormal gaze was stationed on the man apanied with a knowing smile. The look of

    lust was so apparent that Can was sure that the woman hadmitted adultery in her heart a

    number of times.

    Her deepest desires were the cause of his deadliest hate.

    ��I don��t like you.�� Can spitted venomously

    The princess snickered ��Does it matter?�� She mockingly ticked her chin and eventually shrugged ��I

    think not.��

    Her sinister smile and her adamant nature was making Can and his friends ufortable. It was

    eventually Fayette who could take it no more as she bravely stepped up in front of the princess ��Back

    offdy! You are forcefully imposing yourself.��

    ��I forgot about you. I am really sorry if I��d upset you in any way. We haven��t met.�� She extended one

    hand to greet the human ��My name is Beatrice.��

    Fayette looked at Archer who shook his head in negation. She fidgeted her thumb before hesitatingly

    nodding to thedy in acknowledgement. With her good heart she pushed forward her own hand with

    an awkward smile of appreciation. It was a gesture of etiquettes which she had been taught from her

    childhood. Beatrice took the hand in her own with a smile. However momentster the smile on her

    face vanished as she slowly firmed her grip on the delicate hands of the human. Fayette in the next

    instance closed her eyes and sucked in a lot of air as she moaned in pain. The bones in her palm were

    being fragmented.

    Can could see no more as he forcefully removed Beatrice��s hand from his friends palm. He carefully

    pulled her hands towards him and checked for the damage done. Being a human it was apparent that

    her level of pain exceeded that of the shifters. This was clearly reflected in her wet cheeks and her

    snivelling.

    The side of Beatrice lips curved with pride as she looked at Fayette with disgust ��I don��t like when

    someone interrupts me. I hope this serves you as a reminder.��

    Can gestured Aurora to examine Fayette as he boldly stood forward in front of Beatrice. His eyes

    were red with hatred and he grinded his teeth in anger. His jaw muscles trembled when he spoke ��You

    are more pathetic than I thought.��

    ��And you are more handsome than Ist saw you.�� she outlined Can��s lips with her finger ��I would

    love to have a taste of you.�� she whispered seductively.

    Can faltered for a moment when he saw a faint mystical aura surrounding the princess. He blinked

    his eye rapidly and gained hisposure to look at the evil princess in the eye ��You will never know.��

    The princess giggled ��I love a challenge. There are thousands out there dying to pursue me, be the

    prince and ascend the throne besides me.��

    ��Then chose someone among them.��

    ��Where is the fun in that? Besides..�� With touch as light as feathers, thedy roamed her fingers

    through Can��s neck all the way to his abdomen ��You are the ultimate prize that i want. You are one of

    a kind and i want no one else.��

    Can scowled and held Beatrice��s hand when she attempted to go further down the abdomen. He

    gave a sudden jerk to her hand which left her surprised and angry.

    ��You will never seed.�� He whisper shouted at Beatrice.

    The smug look and the determination in Can made the princess aggravate. Her lips trembled as she

    smiled sinisterly when she scowled her eyebrows. Soon the men from the royal army marched ahead

    and held every single one of Can��s friend forcefully. Archer, Fayette and Aurora were forced to kneel

    with their heads bowed down. Archer was being thrashed frequently as he tried to resist the guards

    while Aurora and Fayette were pulled by the hair to cause affliction.

    Can gasped in short breaths when he looked at the wretched state of his friends. His panicked face

    brought smiles to the princess. Can helplessly looked at Beatrice ��What are you doing! Leave them

    at this instance.��

    ��I will.�� The princess smiled ��But what would i get in return?��

    ��What do you want?��

    The smile on Beatrice��s face widened as she spoke lowly ��Be a gentleman and give thedy a kiss.��

    She lounged on her ce, leaning her upper body forward and pouting a little. She gestured Can to

    kiss her as she ticked her lips again and again.

    Can looked at the agonised faces of his friends and then he looked at the evil of a person standing in

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    front of him. He fisted his hands in anger as he had had it enough. He pulled himself back a number of

    times from using his powers due to the fear of exposing himself. But here the woman had a crossed a

    line and made his patience diminutive. If using his powers meant that he would be left vulnerable, so be

    it. He could not afford to let the woman��s self-conceit be detrimental to the well being of his friends.

    Can focused on the hem of her dress and swirled his thumb and his third finger. The big flowers

    which were embedded on the bottom of her gown were slowly darkening in color. Small dancing

    embers collectively circled the woman as the men behind her looked in utter despair. Just as they

    thought they could intervene, the small res erged its surface before leaping and twirling in a fiery

    dance andtching itself on the fabric.

    The flickering soon enhanced as the heat soared its warmth to the entire body of the woman. The

    princess at once realised what was happening to her however she was left incapable to render a

    responsive action. She danced and jumped and bellowed her voice. She moaned in pain and

    screamed at the top of her voice. The men all around were trying to douse the fire but it was too much

    for them to handle. The mes soon engulfed the entire circumference as it ascended to the top of her

    waist. Unable to handle the shock anymore the princess was left vulnerable and she fainted. The men

    desperately tore the fabric while some showered the fine dust of thend to quench the thirst of the

    bright heat.

    The men were sessful in their endeavours but werepletely shaken by the incident which

    urred. They were responsible for the safety of the woman and knew they would be reprimanded to a

    great measure. Without caring for Can and his friends the Enforcers escorted the princess to the

    royal cart and went along the procession.

    Archer patted Can��s back while Fayette shook her head in disagreement. Can yfully shrugged

    and blinked an eye. His attention was diverted to the injured palm of his friend which he held in his own

    hands ��This needs to be looked upon.�� He roamed his eyes around and asked ��Where is Isadora?��

    ��I sent her away.�� Aurora replied. ��How do you both know the princess?�� the healer asked in curiosity.

    ��The correct question is how does the princess knows the both of them.�� Fayette scowled

    Archer and Can looked at each other with grim faces before Can answered ��I better not talk about

    her right now.��

    ��She is the most evil and inhumane person I have ever known.�� Archer added.

    ��I hope I don''t have to see her after today.�� Can pursed his lips.

    ****

    The big windows which were open were breezing in the pure air of nature. What caught Einar��s eye

    though were the men who were trying to fix in the hinge which supported the weight of the giant metal

    frame. And then he bowed his head in disappoint when he recalled why the window frames were being

    redone. The room had ample of space yet he felt suffocated and strangted. Memories of the past

    were haunting his dreams more than ever.

    Einar was constantly gawking at every other direction except to the main table where a middle aged

    man with features as same as him sat with his hands crossed to his chest. Ragnar kept a scowled face

    throughout and looked at the alpha with indifference. Standing besides him was his mate who was

    squeezing the shoulders of the former alpha probably trying to ease her own anxiety.

    Einar knew that the trauma of the unusual behaviour was not inherited as his father never lost his self

    control when in power. When he braved himself to look at Ragnar he discerned that his father��s brain

    would soon relinquish its custody of empathy and logic, and rece itself with the primitive leader of

    the pack.

    Einar deeply sighed keeping his head low ��I am ashamed.��

    ��You should be.�� Ragnar replied with mediocrity.

    The subtle nature of his father was not going too well with Einar. It was as if he had remembered his

    childhood when for every of his mistakes his father was chafed and reprimanded him ording to the

    gravity of the fault done. Here however Ragnar seemed to be calm about everything which in

    retrospect was not the behaviour Einar was familiar with. The alpha waited long for his father to rebuke

    him, he waited for any admonition from his side but none came. Finally with a long sigh of confidence

    Einar spoke lowly ��I promise to be careful and not make a mistake the next time.��

    ��DONT MAKE PROMISES YOU CANNOT KEEP.�� Ragnar raised his voice as he stood up from his

    ce and screeched his chair in vexation.

    The sudden outburst from the man startled Einar and Zelda. The men who were working on the window

    bowed in submission and requested permission to depart. Ragnar had been keeping all of his

    aggression bottled up. He was waiting for his son toe clean which never happened.

    Einar was meworthy for what was done. Despite the fact that he was the leader of the wolves he hid

    inside the alpha house like a coward. Never showing up, never taking responsibility for his actions.

    Ragnar was miffed with his son. The blue moon pack stood strong and resilient due to the years of

    toiling and hard work. On the contrary Einar was reaping benefits from the works of his forefathers. Yet

    he had no approbation for it.

    The mother in Zelda was worried for her son. She pursed her lips every now and then to gather

    courage to speak. She held the hem of her mate��s shirt ��Don��t be so harsh Ragnar.��

    With his eyes full of fury Ragnar did not bother to turn back ��No more leverage today. Act as a luna and

    not a mother.�� he looked behind his shoulders ��If you cant than leave this room right now.��

    Though the matter was between the mates, Einar could not help but feel a little protective about his

    mother. He felt irritated for how Ragnar spoke to her ��Don��t talk to mother this way. Its not her fault.��

    The former alpha shook his head in an unpleasant surprise ��Your hurt because i disrespected your

    mother.�� Ragnar huffed. He gestured Zelda to sit on the nearby couch while he moved from his position

    marching towards the door. He looked at a distance and ordered a guard ��Bring her in.��

    All this time Einar was oblivious to what his father wanted to do. He kept his stoic face but his mind was

    full of anxiety.

    The sound of the ��click-click�� of the shoes diverted Einar��s attention and he turned his back. He

    witnessed ady entering in with two guards following her alongside the former alpha. Her silky hair

    had shades of grey as they were cascading down her shoulders. Her otherwise smooth face was

    marred by wrinkles around her eyes and cheeks. She kept her gaze low while her thumbs fidgeted

    probably due to anxiousness.

    Ragnar stood at a distance from his son and looked at him sternly ��Do you know her?��

    ��Yes.�� Einar scowled and nodded in surprise as his father had asked him an obvious question ��She is

    Alma.��

    Being the alpha of the pack, Einar was connected to every wolf soul in the blue moon pack. However

    thedy in front was special in a way owing to her lineage. She had lost her mate and was living all by

    herself to cater to her four kids. Einar admired her for her valorous efforts to raise a family without a

    man.

    Ragnar nodded at his son��s response ��Her father, brother and her mate hold importance to the pack.

    They all have been great warriors in the past. Her mate died while saving your mother. Did you know

    that?�� Einar was amazed by the information and admired thedy even more. He smiled at her a little

    and bowed his head in respect.

    ��She holds the pack in great esteem but yesterday she came to me with a request.�� Ragnar raised a

    brow ��Would you like to know what that is?��

    Einar nodded hesitatingly. The irony being that he did not want to know the reason. He was afraid that

    this request had something to do with him.

    Ragnar gestured thedy to step forward and vocalise her plea. Thedy however looked more

    frightened as she stole nces at the alpha and gulped in fear. Ragnar realised her predicament and

    patted her back ��Don��t be afraid. I assure you of your safety.��

    Alma hesitatingly smiled at the former alpha and diverted her focus to Einar ��I would like to leave the

    pack and relocate to Fh pack where my mate��s brother lives.��

    Einar was shocked to hear this. Never in his lifetime did he thought that someday a situation as such

    would arrive where his own people would have no choice but to abandon him. ��But why?��

    ��I want to do it for my kids.��

    ��I don��t understand.��

    Thedy sniffled as she withdrew a cloth from her purse. A long light blue fabric woven in a square

    shape whose borders were designed intricately. However the fact which disturbed Einar was that the

    scarf was decorated in patches with some crimson liquid.

    It was blood.

    Thedy pushed forward her hand towards the alpha to hand him over the scarf. Einar was reluctant in

    his approach but he took the cloth in his hands. He examined the scarf carefully but failed to recognize

    it. He gave a confused look to his father while he was apologetic when he looked at Alma.

    ��It belonged to my eldest son.�� Alma sighed deeply as fat tear drops ran through her cheeks. She

    snivelled and slowly took the scarf in her own hands ��From the very childhood he had aspirations to

    one day be a warrior and serve the alpha; just like his father.�� she whispered thest part intently

    looking at the scarf ��He worked hard day and night to do what was needed. You cannot imagine the joy

    when he was finally handpicked by the head warrior to be on his team. It was his first day at the job..��

    her lips quivered ��And unfortunately thest.��

    The words left Einar heartbroken. It was poison to his ears and probably to his heart. But what thedy

    spoke next left the alpha devastated.

    ��His own saviour killed him.��

    It was as if a knife had been pierced right through his heart. He connected the dots and realised that

    the warrior son she was talking about had been killed on that fateful day. That his saviour was none

    other than his leader, his alpha. The person responsible for his death was Einar himself!

    Einar bitterly regretted for what was done. He was steeped in guilt. His heart pained when he looked at

    thedy. Alma was unable to control herself as her emotions were let loose. The constant bobbing of

    her shoulders and the shivering of her hands were apanied by the uncontrolled snivels. Her eyes

    were refusing to deny the flow of her sorrow.

    ��I..�� Einar mumbled guiltily. He gulped as his mouth quivered in a straight line. He wasn��t sure what to

    say to the bereaveddy. He had killed her beloved and any measure of repentance wasn��t going to

    bring her dead son back. His lips trembled, his brain froze but he looked at his mother who was tearful

    herself. Zelda nodded at her son to give him the encouragement he needed.

    Einar took two steps ahead and palmed his hands on the hands of thedy as he bowed his head in

    shame ��My apology will hold no meaning, for your loss will always be greater than my guilt. But still if it

    makes you feel better even a tiny bit I want you to know that i deeply regret what was done.��

    Alma raised her head slowly and weakly smiled ��I ept your apology.�� she nodded and sighed deeply

    to calm herself ��But I wont change my mind alpha.��

    ��Please don��t do this..�� Einar whispered feebly.

    ��I have three other kids. I will be really proud as a mother if they are martyrs for theirnd, for their

    alpha. But i am not at peace knowing that our saviour has turned against us.�� Alma looked at the alpha

    with determination ��I want my children to be safe that��s it.��

    Einar had no answer to that. He slowly withdrew his hands and stepped back. He air fisted his hands in

    frustration and grunted. Looking at his sons troubled state, Ragnar ordered Alma to leave the ce at

    once ��You can go Alma, we will talkter.��

    Einar sat on a nearby chair and palmed his face. Zelda was next to him at the very instance and moved

    her hands on his back to soothe him. Einar��s emotional state was in turmoil. He was deeply saddened

    by his deeds and felt miserable. He slowly leaned his body on theforts of his mothers shoulders.

    The distraught site of his son melted all the anger within Ragnar. Yet he had to act as the stern leader

    to protect his people. He exhaled sharply and stood in front of Einar ��You see what you did?��

    Einar��s voice was meek. His hands trembled and he kept his head low ��I didn��t realise this would have

    such an impact on the pack.��

    ��There are many people like her. Do you think i came because of you?�� Ragnar pointed a finger at his

    son ��No!�� he strolled back to therge table and picked up an envelope to hand it over to the alpha

    ��There had been a number of letters to my ce back in Rupert��s pack urging me toe back and

    save them. Eventually even Justus and Peter had to pay a visit to force me to return to the blue moon

    pack and make things right.��

    Ragnar��s absence was a challenge in itself and Einar knew it. Though he had all the training in the

    world hecked the most important aspect to run a pack; the wisdom and experience of Ragnar.

    However the older alpha was confident enough about his son. He was sure that under Einar��s reign the

    blue moon pack would prosper and flourish ten folds. His expectations were thrashed when he heard

    about the unfortunate incident. Ragnar was angry that his own son had hurt his people and he was

    scared that his son had to pay a higher price for his deed.

    ��People feel a certain way about you.�� Ragnar took a pregnant pause ��They feel threatened; they feel

    unsafe!��

    ��I don��t want them to feel this way.��

    ��I know.�� he nodded ��Every alpha has difficulty in controlling their wolf but with patience and endurance

    he is able to get hold of his animalistic side. ��

    Ragnar looked at his son and was dubious to say words which he might not like. He wet his lips and

    exhaled ��Your wolf however has shown unrealistic characteristics. He attacked his own people. You

    can imagine the severity of the situation when the wolf attacked Rosaline! Your fated mate! There is

    something seriously wrong with your beast.��

    Einar slowly raised his head to look at his father. Surprisingly his beasts were serene and not showing

    their prominence. The fact being that both his demons were indifferent to the demeaning of his wolf.

    And why wouldn��t they be?

    Einar had the knowledge about the oue of the decoction and yet he consumed it. He had been

    warned time and again but to have control over his wolf he had to take the drastic step. The wolf wasn��t

    at fault to begin with. It had always been the alpha. Einar failed to control his wolf when it craved for his

    mate. The wolf ironically never cared about power and position but when it came to matters involving

    the green eyed man it lost its cool every time.

    Einar hated this fact about himself that he was so reliant on his wolf. It was as if the actions of the wolf

    mattered more than his perseverance, understanding and intent to bind his people.

    Einar looked at his father and his demeaner faltered. Ragnar looked sure, determined like he had

    something nned in his head. He knew his father, Ragnar must have came prepared with an action

    n. Whatever that may be Einar was adamant that he deserved another chance. The actions of the

    wolf had implications on his good reputation but the human in him was still the man; the alpha the pack

    deserved.

    Einar hopelessly pleaded ��I can fix it. I can bring the wolf under control.��

    ��It is toote for that my son.�� Ragnar shook his head in disagreement.

    ��What do you mean?��

    ��The matter has reached the royal court and soon representatives of the king will march towards the

    pack and prove you unfit as the leader.��

    Tears welled up in his eyes as his heart constricted. Einar��s mind was jammed. The fear in him was

    making him unable to think. The royal court was not a good news to begin with. Stanis was always

    on the forefront to pinpoint any irregrity or shoring from the blue moon pack. When he must��ve

    heard this news, his merriment would��ve been sky high. Like a treasurended on his doorstep. He

    wont let go this golden opportunity and strike at the earliest to demean the pack and confiscate it.

    With quivering lips and glossy eyes Einar looked to his father in desperation ��What do we do?��

    ��There is only one way.��

    The alpha stood up from his ce with hope in his eyes ��What?��

    Ragnar looked at Zelda who nodded in affirmation cleaning her cheeks of the tears. She courageously

    stood up and stationed herself besides her mate holding his hand, giving him the encouragement he

    needed to do the difficult task. Einar became suspicious of this behaviour and looked at his parents

    questioningly.

    Ragnar kissed the forehead of his mate and looked at his son with stern eyes. He took a deep sigh and

    cleared his throat ��You have to relinquish your position as the alpha of the blue moon pack.��

    ********

 Chapter 48: A Task For My Friend

    Chapter 48: A Task For My Friend

    The unpleasant days that followed made Einar into a rotten mess. His dishevelled hair and his puffy

    eyes contrasted to the soothing atmosphere which he silently watched through the window of his room.

    He was contempt with the fact that the only heart beating in the entire ce was his own. He could see

    no bodies moving around in the space of his vicinity and he was happy for that. He did not want any

    The lush greennd and the tall trees that bordered the open ground was a scene to withhold. Einar

    kept his gaze static when he looked outside the open window. The chirping and murmurs had

    surprisingly died following the days of his wrath. It seemed as if the birds had also deprived him

    was making him empty.

    His heart wanted joy but his conscience wanted to suffer more.

    He took two steps ahead when his desperate ears heard a sound of approaching footsteps. However

    even before he could make it to the door he was halted abruptly. He grimaced in pain when his eyes

    wrists which were facing the agonising brunt.

    The knock on the door alerted him at once as Einar was eager to see who the visitor was. Just as he

    thought he could have some relief his face became sour as he witnessed his mate standing by the

    door, waving his hand in acknowledgement. Einar uninterestingly gestured him to go away. The

    stubborn Elemental huffed in derision and made his way inside. Can stationed himself on a chair

    which was parallel to the bed. He narrowed his eyes and kept his gaze stoic at the man in front.

    Einar huffed in defeat and shook his head. With piercing pain in his hands and legsden with the

    heavy metal, he took measured steps towards the bed. He sat on the bed and without looking at Can

    he uttered ��You wont leave me even when I am bind by silver.��

    Can smirked and shook his head ��You have been in seclusion for quite some time now. I just came to

    see you.�� he squeezed his brows ��Is it so bad?��

    ��Yes it is.�� Einar stretched his legs on the bed and rested his back on the adjoining wall ��The matter has

    already escted beyond my control. I have been stripped of my title and my pack is in a state of

    vulnerability. There is a lot in my te Ashton and you showing up every now and then is not helping. I

    don''t want you to burden me anymore.�� Einar closed his eyes and leaned his head backwards to the

    wall.

    Can sat where he was. Thinking; contemting on what to say. The burningpassion in him was

    corroding his heart for the former alpha. The strong urge to understand and share Einar��s feeling was

    making his heart heavy.

    It was the pity, the empathy he felt for the man.

    Can had experienced first hand what it was like to be secluded, what it meant to lose something for

    which you strive hard. Yet in his difficult of times he had his loved ones with him. They supported him,

    guided him, brought him out of his misery. A privilege which was bereaved from the former alpha. Einar

    was looked down upon by the entire pack. He wasn��t the hero anymore. Even his own parents were

    keeping their distance, thinking that he deserved what was happening to him.

    However Can was one of the few people who knew it wasn��t entirely Einar��s fault. If he had had it his

    way the entire chaos would have never urred.

    Can softened his gaze as he whispered ��I wont do anything. I promise.��

    ��You don''t have to do anything to create trouble.��

    A pinch of sadness and pain made its way to Can��s features. He anticipated the resentful reply but

    still it hurt. He could understand that Einar was bitter because he was in pain. However had it not been

    this situation Einar would��ve still reacted the same way. Can even knew for a fact that somehow

    Einar was ming him for his troubles.

    It was no secret that Orcus was furious at the entire pack due to the stubborn nature of Einar. To make

    matters worse Can had not reached out to the wolf since the time he knew about the truth. In reality it

    was both Einar and Can who were at fault in their own proportions and the repercussions had to be

    endured by the both of them.

    Even if Einar denied it, the truth would never change that both their lives were tied for eternity.

    Can sighed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration ��Why are we this way?��

    ��Hmm..?��

    ��Us; you and me.�� he stood from his ce in anxiousness ��Always fighting. Cant see each other eye to

    eye sort of thing.�� Can in his own trance chose to sit on the bed near the muscr man. ��Doesn��t it

    bother you?��

    The closeness of the Elemental was affecting Einar as his body had started reacting to him. However

    he kept his face hard and looked intently at his mate ��It does not. No one likes you in the pack Ashton. I

    am no exception.��

    Einar��s cold and bitter attitude was making it difficult for Can to help him. He knew that the muscr

    man was saying things only to provoke him; make him angry. His obstinate nature would not let him to

    budge from his stand. However Can realised that this was no time to ridicule him or make him

    meworthy. Rather the troubled state of Einar required a consoling shoulder or support of any kind.

    Einar was in pain and he needed help.

    Can put aside his anger and sighed a deep breath to rx himself. He smiled ��But you want to like

    me.��

    Einar��s expressions changed as he fumbled with his response ��W-What!��

    Can in the very next instant realised what he spoke. He pursed his lip and mentally smacked himself

    for his uttered words. He reorganised his thoughts and looked at Einar ��I-I am a very likeable person.��

    Can blinked ��Trust me.��

    Can��s contrivances was his way of approaching the man; to reach out to him. However unlike the

    other times, Einar was finding it difficult to put up with Can. The agonising days of the past had made

    his mind heavy. His feeble brain muscles needed rest. ��Just go away Ashton.��

    Einar was hurting and Can was distressed by looking at the sight of Einar. ��I promised Rosaline to

    keep youpany and not let you feel alone.��

    ��Is this the only reason you are here?�� Einar hopefully gazed at his mate

    Can was aware of the answer which Einar was expecting but this wasn��t the right time to be perfectly

    honest ��Was there something else for which I should be here?�� he raised a brow

    Einar parted his lips to speak but no concrete words came out from him ��No..��

    Both the men looked at each other for the longest of the times before Can sighed in exasperation

    and looked sideways. The handsome man knew that Einar was ready to walk towards him yet he

    stayed away. His stubborn self was conflicting his mind in dubiousness while his strong and nonchnt

    portrayal was making Can more and more anxious as the days passed by.

    It was frustrating.

    Can scowled and usingly asked Einar ��Why cant we be friends?��

    ��I don��t want to be friends with you.��

    ��Why not?��

    ��I don''t owe you an exnation for that. I am your superior.��

    ��You are not the alpha anymore.�� In the heat of the moment Can failed to realise how his words could

    cause the confidence and self worth of the alpha to crumble in pieces. Einar lowered his dejected eyes

    and sighed while on the other side Can bit his lips in embarrassment and shame. He apologetically

    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    looked at Einar ��I am really sorry. It just slipped.��

    Einar huffed ��Its the truth, isn''t it? Why apologise.��

    Einar��s eyes shifted to the side as his puffy eyes looked smaller. He stayed there as if he was a statue.

    The only proof of his existing was the air he exhaled. Can was horrified when he saw the condition of

    his mate. His heart sank and he felt the loss of warmth from the former alpha. To his own surprise a fat

    tear escaped through his eye and rolled down his cheeks. He swept the bead with the back of his

    forefinger and looked at it with curiosity. He was astonished by the fact for how Einar��s pain was

    affecting him.

    Can sighed and cleared his throat ��It is my job to be near Rosaline always.�� Einar growled in

    annoyance however the handsome man continued without noticing the jealous growl and lowered his

    voice ��That means I will be close to you as well.�� Einar��s eyes softened ��It will be best in our interest if

    we start afresh and build a new rtionship.��

    The proposal to be close to Can was tempting but Einar knew better. The undue advancement had

    already caused troubles from him in the past. He was sure that the handsome man was capable

    enough to bring the other side of him to the fore which he had hidden for years sessfully. The side

    which dreamed of a life together with him.

    Einar slowly shook his head when he deduced the reality of his thoughts. The handsome man was not

    supposed to be his mate. Neither his pack nor themunity would approve of their bond. Moreover

    Can was just a human who had limitations. He could be hurt and traumatised as his physiology was

    feeble and his physical resilience had a limit to it. The human would only prove to be a burden for him.

    Even after considering all the downside of it there was still a part of him who was apprehensive to let

    him go..

    Einar rubbished his thoughts as she shook his head vigorously and looked at the man with stern eyes ��I

    don��t want to be your friend Ashton.��

    ��But why?��

    Because my perfidious heart wants to be more than your friend.

    Einar took deep steady breaths. His heart beats were raised while his mouth went dry. His eyes

    focused solely on the deep green, alluring eyes of his mate. He wanted to divert his gaze but was

    failing miserably. His lips moved but was holding his thoughts to pour out.

    What was Can doing to him?

    Einar hated the fact that he had no control over his feelings. His logic stated to be aware of the

    situation and get rid off the man in front however his mind suggested him to embrace the man and

    never let him go. He felt drawn in and wanted to pull back, restrain himself from anything that could

    destroy him forever. He was trapped between his opposite needs.

    Einar��s pensive mind was distracted when Can asked all of a sudden ��You haven��t answered my

    question.��

    The former alpha looked at the man withpassion and adoration. Maybe this was the time to let go

    of all the restrains, of all the tortures and ept his true fate. Let him wee his destined being with

    open arms and think about the consequences as theye. Maybe it was finally time to hold Can

    tightly in his arms. Love him for all the eternity and dere to the entire world that he belonged to no

    one else but him.

    Einar was transformed in a trance of his own where his rationale mind was devoured of any logical

    thinking. His hidden feelings had taken over his brain. He slowly raised his body to level his mate and

    pushed himself towards him. Can was surprised by the sudden gesture because Einar looked happy

    and certain. The determination in his eyes was making Can giddy in a good way.

    Einar was slowly leaning forward as his shackles were binding him but his mind was bing free.

    His determined self wanted to be ountable for every deed he did hereafter. His eyes lowered to the

    beautiful lips of the man and then to his mesmerizing eyes. Without thinking for the consequences he

    closed a considerable gap between them.

    Can was all he could think of. Can was all he needed.

    The two bodies lied close to each other. Their faces mapped in sequence as both of them could see

    the other and no one else. The distance was thinning with the passing of time as Can slowly closed

    his eyes to ept what wasing his way in utter delight. Their close faces entangled their breaths

    while their nerves were rushing the blood heavily to their hearts. Both of them could no longer control

    the elerated rate of their heart beat.

    It was finally the time to ept the bond and coalesce the souls as one.

    Just as Einar was about to feel his mates lips on his, he retracted himself abruptly. The sudden

    approaching footsteps from the door caught him unaware and he for once realised what he was doing.

    Can opened his eyes as he felt the movement outside and was alert at once. He noticed the uncanny

    behaviour of Einar and was surprised. The muscr man on the other side was anxious and looked

    every where around but the man in front.

    The knocking on the door caught Can��s attention and he looked back. He was greeted by an angry

    face Garrick who kept osciting his gaze between the human and his best friend.

    Can at once understood that his moment of bliss was interrupted by none other than the beta of the

    pack. He sighed in frustration but smiled artificially at him ��Hello Garrick.�� The beta gave a nod and

    folded his hands to his chest. It was a clear indication that the man wanted to talk with his friend while

    the human was uninvited.

    Can looked at his mate for onest time and said ��I think I should leave you both. It was nice meeting

    you.�� With a hesitant bow of acknowledgement the handsome left the room.

    Garrick was always curious about Can��s visit to Einar��s room. The handsome man showed up almost

    every day in what could be termed as a friendly gesture ofpassion. However Garrick was slowly

    getting suspicious about Can��s real motives. Since hecked a wolf spirit in him there was no chance

    to read his mind. Ultimately trusting him was out of question. However Garrick��s main concern was that

    his best friend was unable to get past through Can��s devious mind. It felt like he was intentionally

    falling in the trap.

    Garrick raised a brow What was he doing here?

    Einar pursed his lips and looked to his side Killing me slowly.

    I��m confused

    Don��t be. Einar sighed. He was hesitant to keep the talk going and so he chose to change the topic and

    divert Garrick How is your throat?

    The beta instinctively caressed his throat in a slow fashion It is recuperating. I have tried to voice a few

    syble and hopefully my throat will be healed tonight .

    Einar was unable to express his feelings. His friend was through a lot of pain for the whole week or two

    and it was all because of the fateful day. Though Garrick was a strong wolf the impact of Einar��s attack

    was powerful enough to force him to mutism. Looking at Garrick��s state of being umunicative hurt

    Einar for he felt he had betrayed his friend in a way. However tonight he would get his strength back

    and he would be healed by the moon.

    Just as he thought about the moon, Einar��s eyes widened in shock. Panic struck his face as he realised

    something which was making him uneasy What day is it?

    It��s the full moon day. Garrick replied nonchntly. His expressions changed into curiosity and

    dubiousness when he noticed the worried face of his friend Why are you afraid? Have you taken your

    decoction?

    Einar shook his head and face palmed I am not worried about that.

    Then?

    Einar paused before raising his head and looking at his friend in fear The demon.

    What about him?

    He will take over me tonight.

    You mean he would try to escape this heavily guarded cage.

    Einar nodded reluctantly I am sure of it.

    Your body is engulfed with heavy silver while their are guards outside to stop you. Garrick huffed as a

    smug look stered his face I don��t think the demon has any chance tonight.

    You are talking like an idiot Garrick. Einar shouted in anger Do you really underestimate the spirit in

    me?

    Garrick mouthed an ��o�� when reality hit him. The demon was an out of the world being. The only thing

    that kept him under control up till now was the locket, which was failing miserably to do its job when the

    moon was in its full glory. You mean to say you would vanish like every full moon and we would find

    you unconscious, lying somewhere.

    Einar shrugged. Of the few things he was fearful, he had certainlye to hate the full moons. It

    wasn��t the mere fact that the demon was taking control of his body, he was apprehensive of what

    preceded before the spirit showed up. The nightmares which followed the days when he was still

    unconscious added to his woes. Up until now Einar was sure that the spirit had something to do with

    messing up with his mind and there was only so much he could do. The constant bad dreams had kept

    him awake for nights. In his initial days Einar was even scared to go to sleep for he knew his mind

    would be plundered and some horrified imagery would run deep into his subconscious.

    Einar was confused for why the demon was doing what he was doing. However the more concerning

    problem was his absence during the full moon. Nobody knew where the spirit roamed in the darkness

    of the night. It was puzzling, it was worrisome.

    I want you to do something Garrick.

    The beta scowled and looked at his friend in confusion and eagerness What?

    Einar slowly stood up from his ce and went closer to the open window. He looked at the big orange

    globe whose light was fading with the passing time. Soon it would disappear from the heavenly sky

    while another body would rece its position. Just thinking about the inevitable made his heart race a

    bit faster. He gulped and sighed When the moon ascends tonight, keep the gates open.

    I can��t do that. Garrick lookedpletely taken aback by the request I have been ordered to..

    Listen to me please! Einar interjected and looked helplessly at his friend if you deny the spirit his

    escape than he would kill anyone who dares stop him! He marched his steps towards Garrick and kept

    one of his hands on his shoulders I want you to let him be free.

    Garrick was skeptical once again, more importantly he was unable to understand what was going on in

    Einar��s mind. What purpose would it serve?

    Einar sighed and crossed his hands across his chest. The demon shows itself every full moon. Are you

    not curious for where it wanders?

    Do you think he follows Can?

    Einar paused for a long time before looking at Garrick who was waiting in anticipation I have my

    doubts.

    Garrick��s heart hit his chest hard as if it would tear open the skin anytime soon. He pressed his fingers

    to his forearm and looked at Einar in horror and disbelief. It was the nervous veins in him which were

    making it difficult for him to think. This is making me sweat. You were absent for the past two full

    moons. What if the demon has already met Can and revealed everything!

    I don��t think that has happened.

    Are you sure?

    Positive. Einar nodded with confidence Can has been waiting for his mate for a very long time. If and

    when he knows about me being his mate he would create a mighty ruckus. Probably take the matter to

    his father and my father.

    And if that happens it wont be hard to prove that indeed you are Ashton��s mate. We are doomed!

    Garrick huffed in exasperation. In all of their time in the past two months it had astonished them for how

    the demon was overturning the power of the locket. But the concerning aspect of the escape still

    remained about the spirits whereabouts. Einar and Garrick had never thought about the spirits motive

    to run away.

    Einar was sure that the spirit had been mum about him being the fateful mate of the handsome man.

    Had it been otherwise Can would have taken the entire pack in a storm about them being mates.

    Einar knew that like everyone else in the pack Can was fearful of the demon hence he would think

    twice before holding anymunication with him. Moreover the spirit was the sorted one between the

    wolf and him, hence he would do no such thing so as to scare Can or hurt him in any which way.

    Not yet. The spirit hasn��t had a conversation with Can for sure but still we need to know his purpose

    to overpower me.

    What do you suggest?

    Though the demon had been quiet about the entire scenario Einar was doubtful for how long the

    demon could hold himself. In his mind he was of the opinion that the spirit was definitely following

    Can. The urge to be with the handsome man would overpower him sooner orter and before any of

    it happens Einar had to find a way to restrain him.

    Without anyone knowing, follow the spirit. Let me know where he goes..

    What if he meets Ashton?

    Einar took a deep breath. He made his way back to the open window and grimaced slightly looking at

    his chains. I just hope it doesn��te to that..

    He closed his eyes firmly while his jaw muscles were stretched. He took his time to open his eyes as

    he breathed in the pure air which brought in a new zeal within him Because I don��t want to use myst

    resort.

    He narrowed his gaze looking nowhere in particr. Garrick could see the look of determination, like

    something devious was going on inside the head of the former alpha. Einar slowly turned his head

    towards the beta and spoke through his gritted teeth ��But if the spirit leaves me no choice then he will

    have to suffer the consequences. He will not enjoy what I will do to him!��

    ********

 Chapter 49: A Ray Of Hope

    Chapter 49: A Ray Of Hope

    The flow of the tip of the feather smoothly carved writings in a definitive manner. Parchments one after

    the other were cleared from the table in a hurried way. Alpha Ragnar immersed himself with heaps of

    paper and looked at the pending work in dismay. The days since his return, he was burdened both

    emotionally and mentally to persuade his people to not leave him. He rest his case and even pleaded

    when necessary to assure the pack wolves about their safety. On the other side he was slowly starting

    to lose faith in his own flesh and blood.

    Einar was one of the strongest beings in the entire world. Moreover the knowledge and wisdom he

    possessed to administer the pack excelled even the veteran leaders from around the world. However

    Ragnar was left stranded when his only son led to the downfall of the pack. He was clueless for Einar��s

    behaviour. He was worried for he did not know the road ahead.

    He needed help.

    Just as the feather tip was dipped in the ck adhesive, Ragnar turned his attention to the main door.

    He smelled a familiar aroma and slowly rested the feather to its ce.

    After a few anxious breaths Justus arrived on the main door and knocked ��May I step in alpha

    Ragnar?��

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ��Pleasee in.��

    Justus bowed in acknowledgment and marched his footsteps towards therge table. Ragnar gestured

    the man to sit and Justus obliged willingly ��What can I do for you?��

    ��Wait a moment.�� Ragnar stood from his ce and reached for the main door. He looked outside on

    both the fronts to assure himself of being solitarily cloistered. He carefully closed the door and sat on

    the couch which was parallel to the chair on which Justus sat. The alpha took measured breaths before

    looking at a puzzled Justus. ��Einar��s female Rosaline has a lineage of witchcraft blood.��

    ��That is unusual.��

    ��In fact it is. I have been monitoring the Idris pack��s movements and history since the day Einar told us

    about his mate.��

    This information was not new to Justus. In fact he himself had helped his alpha to chase details about

    some members of the Idris pack.

    The man looked at the alpha sternly ��To be on the safer side.�� He nodded in understanding ��I get it.��

    ��Precisely. One of the very crucial information which I collected was that the ancestors of the beta in

    Justus furrowed his brows ��So that means Rosaline is a descendant of the witch. Does she know?��

    ��I am sure she knows nothing about it.��

    Justus�� feature reflected that of the alpha because he knew if the information holds any truth, the future

    of the pack would be jeopardised. ��Are you worried that the girl will show the signs of awakening?��

    ��I have no answer to that.��

    Being a descendent of the witch implied that there were chances, though miniscule that Rosaline may

    inherit the powers. If that happens than byw the mate pairing will be held invalid and Einar would

    have to sever his ties with his luna to save the honour of the pack.

    However when Justus carefully looked at his alpha he discerned something else ��This is not the thing

    you are worried about..��

    Ragnar smiled weakly ��You know me well Justus.�� He slowly stood from his ce and sighed a long

    breath before osciting his steps in a fixed path ��After the coronation ceremony I entrusted the pack to

    Einar with a heavy heart. I looked into his eyes and I knew he was afraid of something. Though he has

    all the knowledge in the world the thirst inside of him has died.��

    ��He has not challenged you yet.��

    ��Exactly.�� Ragnar nodded ��Had it been any other alpha wolf, he would have retaliated aggressively and

    sprung to the challenge to save his position but Einar didn��t do that.��

    ��It seems the wolf has no affinity to be the leader.��

    ��Yes but why?�� Ragnar shrugged in confusion and surprise. The worry lines on his face were bing

    more prominent.

    ��The question seems to baffle me as well. If Einar��s wolf is not after the alpha position than what does

    he wants?��

    Ragnar halted his strides at once and stood in front of the former head warrior ��We need answers

    Justus and we need to get them the right way.��

    Justus pursed his lips in confusion. Though he was happy that his alpha considered him worthy to

    share all his worries as also appraised him a task but he was still not sure why he was needed at the

    moment. He had resigned from his duties and someone equally capable had been chosen as his

    recement. This meant that alpha Ragnar should��ve asked the current people in power to help him

    out ��Pardon me alpha but how am I involved in any of these? I mean how could I be of any help?��

    Ragnar ran his hands through his hair in frustration and sat on the couch looking underconfident. He

    gathered his strength with a sigh ��Some unprecedented recent events have sparked rumours about

    Can which have unfortunately caught my attention.��

    Justus�� chest was heavy. He knew exactly what his alpha meant. It was already heartbreaking that

    Can was treated unfairly in the pack. He had been deprived of his rights from the start and now he

    was being used of being the bringer of some bad omen. It was just too much to take in for the

    father..

    ��He is not evil alpha Ragnar.�� Justus almost choked while his glossy eyes disyed his pain for his

    child.

    ��I know my friend. How can a noble soul like Can have any evil in him? However to this day I refuse

    to believe that he is just a human.��

    ��What do you suggest we do?��

    ��I have found someone who could help us.�� Alpha Ragnar leaned back and crossed his arms to his

    chest ��I have something nned for our families. Be ready to go on an expedition.��

    ****

    Beneath the noble starry ck night, Can sat on a long marvelously carved stone to admire the

    beauty of the moon. The array of stars were singing in infinite patterns while Can hummed in rhythm

    to match their song. It was the simple gesture from his mate which was causing the sheer pleasure

    jouncing inside of the dark figure who calmly observed the scene in front of him.

    The faint aura surrounding Daragor mystified itself and the demon in the next instant was transported

    to where his mate was. He carefully arranged himself besides the handsome man and kept gawking at

    him as if he was the most precious thing in the world.

    The frequent smiles and giggles kept Can inattentive to the presence of someone else for a long

    time. However when he saw the dark fog engulfing his space he was alert at once. He cleared his

    throat in embarrassment and kept a straight face looking at his guest.

    ��You arete.�� Can said raising a brow.

    ��I had some.. interruptions on my way here.��

    Can straightened his back and to Daragors surprise closed the distance between them by a little

    ��What was it?��

    ��The wolves; especially the beta.��

    When Can heard about Garrick his eyes flew wide ��What was he doing there? Did he caught you?��

    ��He was following me I suppose..��

    Can at once realised that the real reason Garrick was following the demon was because he wanted

    to know about his whereabouts. It was also a certainty that Einar knew about this. However Can��s

    face be tensed when he realised something ��Did you harm him?��

    ��I had a strong urge to do so but I did not want to make you sad.��

    The handsome man nodded ��Where is he now?��

    ��He is following me.��

    Can opened his mouth to speak but then ate his words as the demon was making no sense in his

    talk ��I don��t get it.��

    Daragor smirked and sighed a little in mischief ��He is following a dark fog. It would be a long time

    before he realises that his efforts are in vain.��

    Can rolled his eyes to the sky and half bit his lips before he could contain hisughter no more. The

    jaw muscles of his mouth extended to its finest as the manughed through his heart. ��Poor Garrick..��

    When Daragor looked at the blissful mirth of his mate he was ted from within. The handsome man

    was trying hard to contain hisughter as his lips pursed and frequent giggles left him.

    ��You look happy.��

    Theughter soon turned into a widened smirk as Can��s smug look amused the demon ��Yes. I am��

    ��May I know the reason for it?��

    Can nodded and childishly turned his upper torso towards the demon ��I went to Auroras today and

    while I was practicing on using my powers the magical book came alive.��

    ��Hmm?��

    ��It is a special book she has. It tells you things.�� Can uninterestingly gave the description as he was

    finding it difficult to be calm. The excitement in him was refusing to die down. Daragor smiled again and

    gestured Can to continue.

    ��So as I was saying, when I was at that ce the book prevised a possible oue.�� Can smiled

    with his sparkling eyes and happily spoke ��I saw the future! It is like the foreshadow of what is toe

    in the days ahead.��

    ��If you say so.��

    Can kept his smiling face intact for a long time hoping that the demon would be eager to enquire

    about his secret but soon his patience waned ��Won��t you ask why I am happy.��

    The enthusiastic features of the beautiful man amused the demon. On one hand he wanted to tease

    him a bit more while on the other he wanted his mate to have his moment ��I will. Though I don��t like the

    question�� The demon chuckled ��But why are you happy my love?��

    The handsome man soon turned his entire self to his right and crossed his legs across the stone to get

    a clearer view of the demon ��I saw me and Einar holding hands. We were happy and together.�� The

    smile that cracked his face was brighter than the shining stars. The hope and delight within him were

    erupting like volcanoes ��Do you know what this means..!�� Can spoke with excitement ��This means

    that I am going in the right direction. Soon Einar will give up his tenacity and ept me with open

    arms.��

    The jovial nature of his mate was an encouraging sign for the things toe. Daragor smiled at Can

    lovingly before turning his head to the front and silently watching the waterfall. Can waited for a

    positive response from the demon but he was disappointed. He waited for a long time before breaking

    the silence ��What are you thinking?��

    ��Nothing as such. I am happy to see you happy.�� The demon exhaled a long breath ��Though a part of

    me still believes that the human cannot be trusted.��

    Can��s smile faded and he nodded in agreement ��Hmm I know. He does things to hurt me but it is only

    because he is afraid to ept what he is. I am sure that once he ovees his own fear than we

    would be the happiest couple in the entire pack.��

    Daragor smiled at that statement but soon his smile turned into a grimace as he clutched his chest

    painfully. He grunted annoyingly and breathed heavily to calm himself. Can however was worried for

    Daragor��s state. It was like the pain suffered by his mate was mouring through his heart.

    ��What is it? Tell me please.�� Can desperately pleaded.

    ��It is Orcus.�� Daragor took two anxious breaths ��He wants to meet you.�� He closed his eyes as the faint

    mist around him grew stronger and suddenly vanished. He slowly opened his eyes and turned to Can

    ��Somehow his persistence to rise has vanquished the somnolent behaviour from the past two full

    moons.��

    Can pursed his lips ��Ohh! That is me actually.�� He giggled a bit when he saw the confused face of

    the demon ��I have been secretly giving Einar the fake decoction. It tastes the same but it is utterly

    useless for its purpose.��

    ��Intelligent I must say.�� Daragor smirked ��However are you sure about Orcus?��

    And that was the question. Was Can ready to face the wolf? In the hindsight the handsome man

    knew he was obligated to face the wolf at some point or the other while a big part of him was worried

    for the oue when it finally happens.

    To begin things, Can wasn��t pure as the custom of the wolves dictated besides in a way he neglected

    the wolf for so long even when he knew about being mates. However the more worrying factor which

    haunted Can was the aggressive nature of Orcus. Since he was an ancient wolf Orcus would surely

    try to dominate the man in every way possible. Even after facing adversities his entire life Can had

    neverpromised with his dignity and he wouldn��t begin the trend with Orcus either.

    However the more pressing matter right now was the mental state of the wolf. One cannot imagine the

    amount of pain he had to go through just because he had Can as his mate. Einar had no solution for

    his demon and so Daragor was resilient enough to make his way to his beloved but the poor wolf had

    been trapped inside the human and was tortured time and again just so that he could not overpower

    Einar. The mighty wolf had to face the brunt of ignorance and hate.

    It wasn��t fair to Orcus.

    Can empathised with the wolf and decided to go with the flow. He was sure that he would calm the

    beast in theing days and fill his heart with love andpassion. As of right now it was necessary

    to face the situation head on without thinking about oneself ��I just want to know more about Orcus. I

    met him the other day and was moved by his pain.��

    ��Orcus is unique to his species. Its a shame that the human is forbidding to connect with him.��

    Can understood the reason for Einar��s unassertiveness. Orcus was violent and belligerent. He hadn��t

    seen the wolf in good terms with any other wolf in the pack. He was aggressively defiant and always

    ready to fight.

    ��Einar fears that Orcus would unleash his animalistic behaviour and go on a rampage.�� Can tried to

    reason.

    Daragor snorted ��Does he thinks so low of the wolf.�� he narrowed his gaze as his jaw muscles

    tightened. Can was speechless for a moment but he slowly palmed his hand on the hands of the

    demon. Daragor��s anger melted right away and he looked at Can in assurance ��Has it ever urred

    to you that a mighty wolf like him took charge of the losing side in the war of Jodatain? When he

    became the leader he made sure that his side had minimal casualties. He was bold enough to march

    with his army to the enemies doorstep.��

    The demon turned to his sidepletely and looked at the handsome man with adoration. He cupped

    his hands to Can��s face and slowly rubbed his thumbs to the upper chin of the handsome man ��He is

    not deranged.�� he lowered his voice ��All he needs is you.. Just like me..��

    In the next instant Daragor leaned ahead and kissed the forehead of Can with a light touch. It was

    the touch of affection; the touch of love! Never had any of his former partners kissed him on his

    forehead. The simple act felt special; it felt divine.

    Can��s heartbeat raised while his cheeks flushed ��Now how do I make Einar understand this.��

    Daragor smiled at the clever behaviour of his mate. Can once again dodged the subject when he felt

    shy or embarrassed. The demon slowly retracted his hands ��The human is quite stubborn. Probably he

    has mastered his inner strength.��

    ��Why do you say that?��

    The demon sighed ��On every full moon day I give him a little surprise. Which I am sure he remembers

    in his nightmares for the following days. Surprisingly my tactics doesn��t seem to weaken him like I

    thought.��

    The calm feature of the handsome man turned into a pensive one. He could not understand what

    possibly the demon might have been doing to harm Einar. However soon he gasped in shock as his

    brain registered the horror Einar goes through every full moon. Can knew about this power of

    Daragor but he never imagined that he would use it to torture his own mortal self. ��Why would you do

    such a thing?��

    ��To make him suffer.�� Daragor kept his gaze static ��Orcus is very possessive of you. If he has his way,

    he would probably kill every person who even looks at you. Me on the other side, I am protective of

    you. I cannot bear anyone hurting you in the slightest. Even someone thinking of it makes me furious

    beyond measure.�� He gritted his teeth in anger ��The human has aggravated us time and again. He

    knew what you meant to us for a very long time and still he had the audacity to keep you apart from us.

    Moreover he let you get hurt over the years while he did nothing but simply watch. He needs to be

    taught a lesson.��

    Can was at a loss of words. It was a dangerous thing to do. The constant nightmares could render

    Einar��s brain ineffective in the long run. This could also mean that Einar may soon lose control over his

    sagacity. Had it been a few months back Can would��ve been alright to let Einar suffer but today he

    was skeptical. He wanted Einar toe to his senses but not in in the way which would harm him

    physically.

    Can breathed a long sigh and kept his focus ahead. He could not understand how the demon could

    go on this destructive path. Einar��s loss could never be Daragors gain. They shared the same body

    after all. ��Can you feel what Einar is feeling?��

    ��Are we connected?��

    Can nodded briskly waiting for an answer.

    ��Not exactly. On the coronation day when our powers were summoned it was a choice if we would like

    to coalesce with humans body.��

    ��I missed the coronation.�� Can huffed derisively.

    ��Orcus and I agreed as it was expected of us but the human never kept his end of the deal.�� The

    handsome man furrowed his brows in confusion ��He did not ept us. It is like we are forcefullyden

    on his body. Like if he had a choice he would get rid of us at the earliest.��

    Can pursed his lips while his fingers jumped rhythmically. He gave a weak smile to the demon but

    deep inside he was upset by the behaviour of his mate. Can was aware that Einar rejected his

    beasts only because he wanted to distance himself from his fate. However the fact still remained that

    Einar knowingly or unknowingly had caused great pain to himself and his beats ��I don��t know what to

    say. It is making me sad.�� Can raised his head with a little hope in his dejected eyes ��But you have to

    understand Einar as well. Centuries have passed and a lot has changed in this world. Things are

    different and Einar has obligations to his pack and to his family.��

    ��What about his mate?�� Daragor retorted quickly.

    The hurt in his eyes was clear but Can kept a brave front knowing that he had to bring the demon

    closer to his human. He had to act strong, else Daragor would continue to punish Einar as he deemed

    fit. The handsome man looked sideways as his lips quivered ��He has obligations to his mate too.�� He

    almost whispered. He braved a fake smile and gazed at the pained eyes of the spirit ��Though he is

    prejudiced as of now I am sure he wille to terms with me being his mate.��

    The features of the demon changed drastically. He knew that the beautiful man was trying hard to

    contain his emotions. Einar was threatening their hopes and aspirations to be together. Unlike his mate

    the demon could not turn down his emotions. He held Can��s hand and kissed the back of the palm.

    His face softened while his lips stretched out of love for the Elemental ��I dont want him to ept you

    just because he was forced to. I need him to understand how lucky he is to have you in his life.��

    Those sweet words from the demon made the handsome man speechless. His heart fluttered and a

    genuine smile overshadowed the painful glitters of his eyes. He gasped in short wavering breaths,

    smiling and crying all at once ��You always say things as such for which I have no response.��

    ��Then don��t respond.�� The demon wiped the tears from Can��s eyes and closed the gap between

    them. He slowly pulled Can in his arms and let the head of the handsome many on his shoulder.

    As if instinctively Can snaked his arms around the spirit and pressed his body firmly against the

    muscr torso. His elerated heart beat dwindled with a few calming breaths. Daragor on the other

    side stroked his mates back to soothe him of his pain.

    However, the mes of requital ignited his gut and his heart was stern with determination. ��As far as the

    human is concerned; his resistance wont work for long.��

    ��Why do you say that?�� Can spoke lowly without bothering to look up.

    The demon was unforgiving. It was as if Einar had torched his insides. Witnessing Can crying in front

    of his eyes was making him callous; deranged. The thought of hurting Einar appealed to his twisted

    and dark nature. For days up until now he held himself back for the sake of his beautiful man but now

    he was at the brink of losing his patience. He narrowed his gaze while his jaws hardened ��If he doesn��t

    mend his ways; I will take over his body FOREVER.��

    ********

 Chapter 50: Amendments

    Chapter 50: Amendments

    When Can heard the words of the demon he stayed there for a moment. His heartbeats raised as his

    brain stopped functioning. He slowly raised his head and looked at the spirit. Fear travelled through his

    veins but it never made its way to his facial features. He let out an understated sigh and nonchntly

    asked ��What would happen to Einar?��

    Though Can was clever enough to mask his feelings the demon was quite aware of the dilemma

    going through the mind of the handsome man. Can was expressionless to say the least but the

    demon quickly judged him by his raised heartbeat that his mate was lying ��You seem worried about

    him.��

    Can sighed in defeat and lowered his eyes. ��I suppose I am.�� he spoke meekly.

    Daragor smiled for he was happy the way things were shaping up. Though Can didn��t realise it, the

    demon was convinced that the handsome man has developed feelings for Einar. This also meant that

    Can was close to forgiving the past mistakes done by his tormentor. A part of him was happy to see

    the concern in Can��s eyes.

    The demon held the chin of the handsome man with his fingers and lifted his head slowly. ��Einar will

    stay.�� An untold joy sparked Can��s face. He looked at the demon with hopeful eyes as the spirit

    continued ��He will be there in the hidden confines of the subconscious; inert in the depths of the mind.��

    Can nodded in understanding ��But I am just worried about.. ��

    Just as he was about to finish his sentence he saw the demon clutching his chest tightly. The spirit

    grimaced with all his might as the pain in him forced him to take refuge on the ground. Daragor kneeled

    and rested one of his hands on the ground while he breathed abnormally to calm himself.

    ��What happened to you?�� Can kneeled besides his mate and stroked the back of the demon slowly

    to ease him of his pain ��I am worried!��

    ��It is Orcus. He is trying to dominate.�� The touch from his mate did wonders as the once out of control

    situation was back to normal. However as soon as Daragor gained hisposure he took his stance

    and gave a look of concern to his mate ��I must leave.��

    ��No! Please don��t go..��

    ��You don��t understand.�� Daragor caressed the cheeks of the handsome man ��If I stay any longer the

    wolf would grab all the control and soon overtake this body.��

    Can bit his lips and lowered his gaze to think, however after a few anxious breaths he sighed in

    confidence and said ��Let him out. I am ready to face him.��

    Daragor was aware of the mental state of the man in front of him. He carefully pulled the man towards

    him and embraced him in a much needed hug. As Can rested his chin on the shoulder of the demon

    his anxiety subsided a little.

    ��You don��t know what you are saying.��

    The hurricane of thoughts which swarmed his mind was osciting his views from the positive to the

    negative and back again. However thinking of it too much was pointless at this time. Can had to

    manage to get rid of his cynical behaviour.

    ��I don��t want to dy it any further.��

    ��Orcus is an ancient wolf, and a possessive one to make things worse. The moment he gains control

    his only motive would be to mark you.��

    Can��s breath stuck in his throat and he clutched the back of Daragor��s shirt tightly. Meeting and

    getting to know a person was different but binding yourself to him for eternity was a tough choice.

    Though eventually Can would ept the bond and harvest the love which follows the mating, he

    didn��t want to devote his entire life in a loveless bond.

    At this point of time he really appreciated the efforts put in by Daragor. He wasn��t dominating neither

    was he imposing himself in any way. On the contrary the demon made sure that his mate was well

    taken care of, that he was safe and happy. Can was unsure of his advances when they first met but

    today he feltfortable in his embrace. He wouldn��t categorise it as love yet but still there was

    something special between the two of them.

    The wolf however was incongruous on the matters of love it seemed. It was as if he wanted to im an

    object as his. Moreover the transcripts which were handed to him by Aurora had revealed a lot about

    the mating rituals in the ancient times. The treatment meted out by the dominant wolf to its submissive

    was at times unfair and cruel. Can didn��t want any of it. His lips quivered as he spoke with hesitation

    ��I am not ready.��

    ��He won��t care. To establish the fact to the world that you belong to no one else but him, he has to do

    it.�� Daragor took a pregnant pause ��Even if he has to force himself upon you he will.��

    ��Now I am a bit scared.�� the handsome man gulped ��What do you suggest I do?��

    ��Try and talk to him. Persuade him to change his ways. He is just scared that he will lose you. Make

    him understand that you will always be there for him. If you have doubts than I can leave this ce at

    will. It is your choice.��

    Can thought for moment and nodded, heaving a sigh of confidence ��I can do that.��

    ��Are you absolutely sure?��

    Can was hesitating to answer. Deep down he was afraid for what the wolf had in store for him.

    However at this moment he had made up his mind ��I-I can handle it.��

    ��If you say so my love.�� Daragor untangled Can��s hands from his torso and held both of his palms.

    He gave a soft kiss to his palms before admiring his mate ��I wish the days pass by quickly so I can

    meet you again.��

    Can��s cheeks flushed by the constant ring of the demon. He couldn��t help the little smile which

    stered his face. Daragor kissed Can��s blushing red cheeks from both the sides and sighed in

    disappointment. He slowly retracted his hands and marched backwards until there was enough space

    between the two of them. ��Hope to see you soon my love.��

    With a final stretch of his lips the demon looked above and opened his mouth wide. His eyes changed

    intopletely dark orbs while the faint mist which constantly apanied him glowed fiercely. His

    body trembled and he levitated above the ground. Soon the dark mist was absorbed by his body while

    the shivering was diminishing in strength.

    Einarnded on his knees.

    He felt cumbersome to open his eyes however he managed to lift his head where he could see a

    blurred figure standing at some distance. He squeezed his eyes and tried to focus carefully but was

    taken aback by the sudden pain in his bones. His haggard breaths and fastened heart beat made it

    difficult topose himself. He arched his back and yelled in pain. The more he tried to resist the more

    agony he suffered.

    Can kept his stance stoic but he was dubious about his n. He watched the transformation with

    alert eyes and was waiting for the wolf to show up.

    Soon the elongated bones changed into a mass of fur while Einar��s face elongated into a figure of big

    eyes and tapering sharp canines. Even before Can could get out of it, there stood a big ck wolf

    with thick glossy fur surrounding him everywhere.

    Hey positioned in the same ce with his head hung low. His haggard breaths were lowering its

    pace as he was trying to find his rhythm. The wolf huffed and a strong blow of air left his lungs. He

    huffed again, and again, and again. Each of his exhales were stronger than the previous ones. He

    raised his head above to witness a frightened man standing in front him at a distance.

    Orcus snarled.

    The wolf elongated its teeth and his jaws vibrated with the amount of aggression he showed. He kept

    his red eyes focused on the handsome man while Can was left clueless on the future course of

    action. Hey stunned. Can was startled and he jumped in his ce when the wolf all of sudden

    stretched his neck to the sky and bellowed a mighty howl. He lowered his head again and without

    wasting any more time he pounced ahead.

    The red mist and the aura which surrounded Orcus left the handsome glued to his ce in utter

    disbelief. However his dread increased when he could not anticipate the sudden attack of the wolf.

    Orcus in the very next moment took a mighty leap and jumped over his mate,nding both of his front

    paws on the shoulders of the beautiful man.

    Canid t on his back while his eyes met the furious red ones of the wolf ��May be this wasn��t such

    a good idea after all.�� he whispered to himself.

    Can closed his eyes instinctively as the wolf growled. He gulped and with a calm tone he uttered ��I

    know what you want but you have to give me some time to exin.��

    However even before the handsome man could utter his apology the wolf took charge and bit one of

    the arms of his mate. Can grimaced in pain and tried to push the wolf away from him but in vain.

    Orcus retracted his canines and bared his teeth to his mate.

    ��I bet it is in your nature to discipline your mate.�� Can said between his painful sighs.

    Can realised that the smooth talk wont work on Orcus. His personality traits wont allow him to

    change his ways. The handsome man circled his fingers as arge stream of water gushed out of

    nowhere to disce the wolf from its position and take him away from the Elemental. Can took

    advantage of the situation and glided his body to reach a high point leveling a tree. The wolfposed

    himself and looked all around in panic. His nostrils red and his attention diverted to the sky. He

    growled in annoyance.

    ��No I wonte down.�� Can replied nonchntly.

    The wolf lumbered towards his mate with a low guttural sound. His nostrils red threateningly before

    he took a high leap aiming at his mate. Can was surprised to say the least. He did not expect the

    wolf to jump at such an extraordinary height. Though he was falling short in distance the beast wasn��t

    giving up.

    When Orcus realised that his attempts were not bearing any fruit he stopped for a moment. He bowed

    his head to the ground and cried in an earth shattering voice. Can was petrified when he saw the

    size of the wolf erging. His entire body was much bigger than what Can was ustomed to. Even

    before he coulde out of his shock the wolf jumped a greater height, barely fingertips away from

    Can��s shoes.

    Can perceived that he had to up his ante otherwise the wolf will have his way. ��We both can y this

    game.�� With that the handsome man levitated his body towards a non fixed path and prated in the

    depths of the jungle. Orcus saw this as a challenge and chased Can.

    Can glided in a zig zag pattern confusing the wolf. He stashed the tip of the trees on his way which

    somehow regenerated its growth from the breaking point. Orcus was determined to catch his mate. It

    was the fierce obsession in him which was not letting him quit. The handsome man reached the end of

    the in and was hovering above the river. Orcus halted his stance near the end of the cliff and looked

    at his mate in frustration. He jogged in exasperation from side to side never letting his gaze divert from

    the target in front of him.

    ��Just stay where you are and listen to me.�� Can spoke softly. The wolf stationed firmly on his position

    and bared his teeth in warning.

    ��I know I am at fault but trust me I never knew I had a mate or was supposed to have one.�� Orcus

    huffed in response while Can sighed before continuing ��I always thought that I would end up being

    alone. It was the most scariest thought.�� He whispered thest part. ��I was desperate and impulsive

    and I agree that I should have waited. The feeling of being left out was overwhelming.��

    Can moved ahead towards the wolf ��Now that I have you I will not think of any one else.��

    Orcus bared his teeth and growled at his mate again and again. He impatiently strode back and forth,

    contemting to jump over the cliff andy his hands on the handsome man. However this behaviour

    from the wolf was making Can furious. He shook his head and pursed his lips in anger ��Lets

    establish one thing clearly. I know it is your nature to be the dominant and im me. I have no

    objection to that. I just don��t abide by the rules for how its done.��

    Orcus thumped his paw and growled again ��You can be the dominant all you want but I will not submit

    to you. Never!��

    Pure vexation marked Orcus�� face when he heard the words from his mate. He let an earth shattering

    growl and howled a long hoot. He brought his eyes to face the man and scowled with determination ��If

    you think of it as a challenge so be it.�� Can grinded his teeth ��But remember your true purpose. I

    disapprove the thought of me being used as a toy. I am my own self and I wont be owned by anyone.��

    Both the beings stared at each other in defiance before Can spoke menacingly ��You have to ept

    me as I am otherwise... This All. Ends. Now!��

    Orcus was stunned to hear those words from his mate. Never did he feltpletely losing to someone

    so powerfully. He growled and circled himself. This wasn��t easy for him. His nature demanded him to

    be the upper hand, the better half, the dominant part of the bond. This required the handsome man to

    submit before him, however the most important aspect of the bond was the blessing bestowed upon by

    the moon goddess herself. He cared for his mate and wanted him in his life at any cost even if that

    meant that he had to go against his nature, he was willing to sacrifice his pride.

    He stood there for some moments before folding his back legs and wiggling his tail. His figure shrank to

    his original size. He kept his determined look intact and the thought of seizing the handsome man was

    long gone ��This wasn��t so hard now, was it?��

    Can slowly moved forward until his feetnded on the edge of the cliff. He took two measured steps

    towards the wolf before stretching his right hand forward. He carefully snuggled his palm to the mane of

    Orcus as the wolf purred in content ��I like you too.��

    Can moved forward and caressed the wolf with both of his hands ��Is it weird that I can understand

    you? I mean I understood Cornell as well..��

    Hearing his mate talking about some other being in front of him brought the jealous side to the fore and

    the wolf growled. Can retracted his hands and looked Orcus with a pinch of annoyance ��He was my

    friend.��

    The loss of contact frustrated the wolf. The warmth he felt was gone all of a sudden. With dejected

    eyes he lowered his head and cried a bit. His tail was t on the ground while his ears were stretched

    backwards. Can feltpassionate when he saw the depressed wolf and he sighed ��Alright! Alright!

    I promise to always be with you.��

    Can rubbed his fingers gently on the thick mass of fur as the wolf whimpered in pleasure. The wolf

    leaned on the hands of the handsome man and bobbed his head in rhythm with Can��s movement.

    Can in his own trance moved ahead and rubbed his face against the nuzzle of the wolf. His smell felt

    unique and quite distinguished. Other than the wolves of his parents, Can had never felt this cozy

    andfortable with any other wolf. He closed his eyes and dreamily smiled at this new feeling

    Can was alert at once when the wolf stood on all his fours and pulled his tongue out. The organ

    contacted Can��s flesh and the beautiful man was wet in the face ��What are you doing?��

    Without answering the man the wolf raised his fluffy tail and moved around his mate. He sniffed him

    vigorously from head to toe. Can felt shy and embarrassed when the wolf stuck his nose between the

    legs of the handsome man. However the Elemental was shocked when all of a sudden the wolf raised

    one of his back legs ��No! No! No more pissing.�� Can shook his head with vigour and retraced his

    steps. He looked fiercely at the wolf ��You did do it once in front of the pack and that was enough.��

    Orcus lowered his gaze again and hummed a soulful cry. Can��s anger evaporated in an instant and

    he pursed his lips ��Now how do I make you understand that I have no one in my life. Trust me!��

    Can approached the wolf and snuggled an arm around hisrge body. He gently brushed his fingers

    through the fur of his mane. ��Lets just talk about ourselves.��

    ****

    The small open area still had the ck look of the night but the sky was soon turning its colour into

    blue. The sun was still resolutely behind the horizon however the wolfs fur gleamed even without the

    rays of the orange globe. Can sat with his knees folded while the wolf flopped down in a rxing

    position. Can at times was caressing the wolf or rubbing his hands over the body of Orcus but he

    never lost contact.

    He had finally made peace with the wolf.

    He wasn��t sure for how far he was sessful in controlling the aggression of the wolf but he was

    certain that the wolf wont go berserk anytime soon. The entire night was blissful to say the least. Can

    was able tomunicate and establish a strong connection with Orcus.

    Can and Orcusy there aloof from the tiring world. Happy besides each other. They were all smiles

    and without care.

    The environment soon changed when Orcus stood up abruptly and growled.

    ��What is it?�� Can looked concerned

    Orcus turned his face to meet the eyes of his mate ��This is bad. Einar must not know our secret.��

    The wolf pressed his body firmly with that of the handsome man and licked his face. Can giggled with

    the sensitive touch and cupped the face of the wolf ��Listen here Orcus. I can understand your feelings

    and I promise that I will see you soon.��

    Orcus nuzzled his mane to the face and shoulder of the man ��Yes I know but I am certain that Einar will

    mend his ways. Moreover he took years to built this wall around himself. It would take some time.��

    The wolf growled and looked away ��I don��t know Orcus. I think Einar should be given a chance.��

    The wolf hummed his disappointment while Can smiled at his childish behaviour ��I promise to hold

    on to you this time.��

    However soon Orcus turned his face to look into the sky. He bared his teeth in frustration and howled

    his agony. Can stroked the back of Orcus ��Can you hold him for a few more moments. Let me vanish

    from this spot and then you can relinquish your control.��

    Can carefully stood in front of his mate. He snaked his arms around the wolf and buried his face in its

    coat. The wolf reciprocated by leaning on the man and breathing deeply; inhaling the intoxicating smell

    onest time ��It is good bye for now.��

    Can stepped back and hovered above the ground with a disheartened look on his face while the

    parting broke Orcus�� heart as his eyes welled up with the tears of longevity and sadness.

    Can could take it no more, he elerated his speed and moved away from the wolf. Orcus on the

    other side watched the back of his mate diminishing and he lowered his head in dejection. He howled

    onest time before giving up his control to the human. Bones cracked and the fluffy mass was

    reced by the human flesh.

    Can watched the scene unfold from a distance and waited for help to arrive. He used his powers to

    change the direction of the wind so as to reach the pack mates who must��ve been searching for Einar.

    Soon a few men arrived at the scene and surrounded the naked, unconscious man.

    ��Einar.. Einar!�� Garrick lightly pped his best friend fervently in order to wake him up. He heaved a

    sigh of relief when the unconscious man painfully opened his eyes and moaned.

    ��My brain will explode Garrick.�� Einar groaned and clutched his head. He slowly turned his skull all

    around in bewilderment ��Where am I?��

    ��In the depths of the forest. We had to use the help of Tusker to track you down.��

    Einar nodded a thanks to the man standing besides the beta and shifted his gaze back to his best

    friend ��Does father know about any of this?��

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    ��Unfortunately yes.��

    Einar mentally pped himself and shook his head ��How many days has it been?��

    ��It was just yesterday.��

    This caught Einar��s attention and he raised his head in a jiffy. In the past few encounters the muscr

    man had to suffer the brunt of the agonising shifting of his demon. However the decoction he

    consumed rendered him ineffective from fighting back or showing any resistance. The days that

    followed were suffered by the implications of the man��s self destructive measure.

    But if what Garrick spoke was true then the former alpha had survived the wrath of the demon and

    woke up the very next day. Einar could feel his wolf inside him but he wasn��t restless or a trouble maker

    for the first time in months. What could have brought in this change? Was the demon forgiving or was

    the wolf powerful enough to ovee the affects of the liquid and finally help him? More importantly

    why did he feel calm and serene?

    This questions baffled Einar from within and he looked at Garrick questioningly ��How?��

    Garrick shrugged ��I am surprised as well.��

    Garrick��s attention was diverted when Tusker tapped on his shoulders and tilted his head to the right

    indicating him to leave the ce at once. Einar found this behaviour odd ��What is wrong?��

    ��Something bad happened back in the pack.��

    Einar didn��t question any further for the matter seemed grim. He could see the fallen faces of his

    warriors and deduced that an unfortunate event might��ve urred.

    Can was afar at a distance watching the men carrying the limping and powerless body of Einar. The

    adventurous ofst night had surely drained him off. He saw the men diminishing from his sight and

    decided to head back to the alpha house before any one got suspicious. He looked all around him and

    climbed a tree. He took long strides and jumped from the branch of one tree to another.

    His movements were halted when he saw the men from earlier. What surprised him though was the

    diversion of path where the men were walking. This road was certainly not taking them to the alpha

    house.

    Can was curious.

    Against the better judgement of his mind he decided to follow his pack mates. The painfully slow steps

    of the wolves was making Can more and more anxious as the time passed by. He followed them to

    the end of the forest and stepped foot on the ground cautiously with alert eyes.

    His mind was suggesting him to give up but he changed his decision when he heard amotion. He

    looked all around and realised that he had travelled a long way not to the centre vige where the

    alpha house was located but in fact he was in the western borders. More importantly the men were

    heading for his house. Soon the voices grew louder while Can kept afortable distance eager to

    know the reason for so many people gathering outside his house.

    With trepidation in his heart he braved himself to move ahead. The mass of people were all of a

    sudden silenced by the presence of the man. They kept gawking at him with an unknown expression.

    Can��s mouth was slightly open while his lips trembled in horror. He could see the people surrounding

    something or someone. The doors of his house were open while there was no sign of his parents. With

    fastened heartbeat and heavy footsteps he moved ahead only to witness a person lying in front of his

    door.

    That persony on the ground t on her back; unmoving; motionless! The only moving parts of her

    lifeless body were the dangling hair strands which danced through her forehead. Her pale body was

    stiff. The warmth on her face long gone. Her lips turned blue and her eyes were wide open staring into

    nothing. The fear on her face was evident while the sides of her eyes had dried out all the tears caused

    by the pain.

    Fat water beads rolled through Can��s eyes and his breath got stuck. His lips moved but couldn��t form

    a word. He gasped loudly with a crushed heart ��NO!��

    ********

 Chapter 51: A Failed Promise

    Chapter 51: A Failed Promise

    A few months back

    ��Why do you want to go to that ce?��

    The hirsute man closed the door behind him and looked at the man in front of him in bewilderment. He

    leisurely sat on the chair besides the window and crossed his arms across his chest probably waiting

    for a reply.

    The handsome man however, kept a stoic expression of nonchnce and shrugged ��It is not up to me

    Archer. My father expects me to heed in to the wishes of the alpha.��

    ��You mean your tormentor.��

    ��Alpha Ragnar is not at fault Archer. Even if I may not recognise Einar as my leader, it is written in

    stone that the man will be the alpha of the pack.��

    ��And you have to work for him?��

    ��Do I have a say?�� The beautiful man huffed in derision

    Archer lowered his eyes for he had no answer to that question. Indeed Can was bound by his duties.

    One day the handsome man would follow the footsteps of his father and serve the pack and indirectly

    its going to be alpha- Einar.

    The history between both the men had always been on the downside. Archer for one knew that Einar

    had caused a lot of misery in the life of his best friend. Moreover being the head of the pack meant that

    his actions could never be questioned while Can would be put to test every now and then. As also

    Can��s fate had always mocked him in his face.

    Archer was worried for his friend.

    The road ahead seemed difficult. Can was surrounded with enemies on all sides. His pack mates

    never cared for him. Even if he became the head warrior, the respect which he truly deserved would

    not be bestowed upon him. Nobody cared for him. In the hindsight there were people who wanted to

    harm him and there were the ones who lusted for him.

    Archer tapped his foot nervously and stopped suddenly. He looked at his friend with concern ��Let me

    ��Why?��

    The were-bear deeply sighed ��That evil of a princess will be there. As soon as she learns of your arrival

    I am sure that she would clutch you in her disgusting snake arms.�� Archer hissed in revulsion.

    ��I have been to the pce for years now and I know how to take care of myself. Besides I would be

    spending my time with my grandparents entirely.��

    Archer still looked unconvinced. The memory from years ago resurfaced through his brain as the

    muscr man recalled the unfortunate event of their meeting with the evil princess. Though they were

    in their early teens, the incident had left a bitter impression of a lifetime. However Archer was more

    concerned for his best friend. Not only was he just a human but his beautiful features were cause of

    many of his problems.

    Archer knew for a fact that the princess lusted for the man. Given the opportune moment she would

    strike her game and win Can forcefully. im him as hers without taking any consideration for the

    wishes of the handsome man!

    ��I know but I am still worried for you. Its the princess that makes my blood boil. You know what a bitch

    thatdy has been over the years. I want you to be safe.��

    ��I will be..��

    Their conversation was halted when they heard a distinct thuding from the floor beneath them ��Did

    you hear that?�� Can asked an alert Archer.

    ��Yes.�� Archer sniffed the air vigorously ��It is a she wolf.��

    ��What is a she wolf doing in my house? Is it Vi?��

    ��No. It is a different smell.��

    Without wasting any more time both the men slowly made their way out of the room through the door

    which led them to the stairs. Midway though, Can could see the door of a room slightly opened.

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    Can��s heart beat spiked. The room belonged to his parents who were both absent at the moment. He

    was aware of the fact that his parents would not show up in an abrupt manner and certainly not like

    this.

    The person could be anyone. A thief or a feral.

    He gestured Archer towards the room and alerted him to be cautious. With slow steady steps both the

    men reached the hinge of the door. Without giving a warning Archer mmed the door hard with thud.

    The force was such that the door unhinged from its connection.

    Can gave a look of annoyance to his friend and entered right behind him. He carefully surveyed the

    area when his attention was diverted by Archer��s finger poking. The hirsute man directed his finger at

    the opaque figure hiding behind the curtains of the window.

    Both the men looked at each other in confusion. Archer bravely stepped ahead and stripped the cloth

    from the she wolf in a jiffy. He was about to attack the person when he heard a meek voice.

    ��Please don��t harm me!�� The trembling hands had covered the face. By the looks of it the she-wolf

    looked barely of age. In fact she looked like she was on the threshold of her youth.

    ��Don��t touch me.�� she pleaded between her fearful snivels.

    Arthur puzzlingly looked at his friend while Can imitated the same look for his own reasons. He took

    a sigh of relief as his heart beat slowly became normal. He pulled Archer back and instructed him to

    stand back while he tried to calm the girl ��Shh.. Rx. No ones going to harm you. He is Archer my

    friend.��

    The girl barely looked up but tremblingly nodded at the were-bear in acknowledgment. Archer replied

    with an awkward smile of his own and went closer to Can��s ears ��Who is she?��

    ��She is Madeline. Aldous�� little sister.��

    ��This means that she is the daughter of the beta. What is she doing here?��

    Even before Can could utter anything the girl interjected in trepidation ��He will find me! Please help

    me!��

    The little girl clutched her torso firmly to the torso of the man and cried helplessly. Can tried to soothe

    the girl while Archer quickly ran to the kitchen to fetch some water. Can suspected that the man she

    was talking about was probably Richard.

    But why?

    Just a day ago the alpha held a ceremony to announce Madeline and Richard as mates. Though she

    didn��t smile, it looked like everything was fine between them. Then what changed all of a sudden?

    Can decided to wait a bit to receive his answers.

    It was a long time before the girl was finally in a position to talk. Archer was reprimanded for the

    damage he did and so he was downstairs fixing the door while Madeline and Can were at thetter��s

    room. Can was trying to persuade the girl with his happy thoughts and irrelevant things which were

    distracting her from her problems. Ultimately it was the humorous events rted to Archer and Can

    on which both of themughed at stretch.

    On witnessing the calming behaviour of the girl Can braved himself to ask the tough questions

    ��Shouldn��t you be with your family? Why are you running from Richard?��

    The smile on the face of the girl vanished and she pursed her lips. She paused for a long time probably

    contemting whether or not to trust the man in front of her. Eventually she gave in to her instincts ��He

    wants to mark me. He says that I will indulge with other wolves of the pack and betray him.��

    ��He is an idiot.�� Can whispered to himself ��Don��t worry. Try to exin things to him, I am sure he will

    understand you.��

    ��I tried. He thinks that I will reject his advances and his wolf wants to im me before it happens.��

    ��What kind of a mate is he!��

    Can felt disgusted at the moment. Though Madeline and Richard were mates but there was a

    considerable difference between their ages. Richard had crossed his teens while the little girl had just

    stepped in. By the looks of it she barely looked twelve or thirteen. The age when your wolf governs

    your mating instincts or recognise your other half was eighteen and in some cases it was sixteen.

    In this case however Madeline was below the specified age to recognise her mate. This wasn��t

    something new in the werewolf world. However the older mate was responsible to take care of his other

    half and respect the wishes of his beloved. Patience was all that was needed. Even if Madeline may

    not like Richard as of now but ultimately she would fall head over heels when her wolf recognizes her

    mate after a few years.

    Why wasn��t Richard understanding such a simple fact?

    The most concerning thing right now was that Madeline was too young to fall prey to the devious lust of

    Richard. Her body was still premature while her mind could barely promulgate the fact that she had a

    mate. A person who was forcing her to do things without her consent.

    ��I am not ready! I am not ready!�� Madeline whispered in terror. The brim of tears were ready to explode

    any time. Can could see the impact on the innocent heart of the little girl. She was scared for her life.

    She was scared of her own mate ��I am not ready! I cannot go back to him.��

    ��Calm down.. Have you talked to anyone about it? Peter, Aldous or your mother?��

    ��They say that Richard has a right over me. I should abide by thews of nature and give myself to

    him.��

    Can was pensive again. What the girl implied was entirely true. The traditions of the wolves were

    rigid and they dictated that no one could interfere between the mating of the two wolves. Peter valued

    his lineage and his position more than the well being of his child. Whereas Aldous didn��t seem too

    close to his sister. On the contrary Can was sure that Aldous would side in with his friend rather than

    the child.

    The frightened look on the face of the girl propelled the man to take a drastic step. He knew the

    consequences would be horrendous but his heart was filled with sympathy for the girl. He had to help

    her. ��Hmm.. How about this. You can visit my ce every full moon and stay here as long as you feel

    safe.��

    ��You do know that I cannot hide forever.��

    ��Its just the full moons. Richard will have problems to control his urges when the moon ascends. On

    other asions just try to be in his sight so that his wolf is pleased.��

    ��But he will find me.�� The girl spoke in surety. Her indecisiveness to Can��s proposal was obvious. It

    was a dangerous arrangement.

    ��Trust me. My house will be thest ce he would ever think ofing; although..�� The handsome

    man bent down and carefully retracted a small box from beneath his bed. He opened the box to pull out

    a small vessel. He forwarded the container to the girl ��In case if such an incidence urs use this.��

    Madeline scrunched her nose for the awful smell that emanated from the thick dark semi-solid

    substance ��What is it?��

    ��It is a powerful lotion that hides one��s smellpletely. It is strong enough to mask the scent of a

    female bear so be rest assured.��

    The little heart of the girl constricted as a fury of alien emotions flooded through her brain ��Why are you

    helping me?��

    The handsome man chuckled ��It is in my nature I guess. Consider my help as a gift to you.��

    ��If we get caught then we both will receive punishments; grave punishments! Don��t put your life in

    danger for me.��

    ��Don��t worry about me. However shall the asion arise if and when you are caught you should

    promise me that I alone shall face the brunt. I want you to refrain from revealing the truth. Let me

    handle the matter.�� Can spoke with seriousness in his voice.

    The girl looked at Can as if he had lost his senses ��They will kill you!��

    ��I will find a way. I know you are afraid and under a lot of pressure. Outside this house we will be

    forever from the wolves and we are not denying Richard his mate but only dying the inevitable.

    When youe of age you are free to do whatever you want. Don��t worry about Richard.. I have

    observed wolf mates closely and he cannot resist you or be upset with you for long.��

    Can palmed his hand on the hands of the little girl and looked at her with adoration. Madeline on the

    other side couldn��t deduce the state of her mind. Though her tear works were refusing to die down the

    smile on her face was intact. The n though risky if executed properly could save her from the vicious

    and lustful motives of her mate.

    Behind the fric turn of events and the shouting bond being forcefullyden on her was a quietness

    that whispered that all is not over. For the first time in days the little girl was relieved. Her heart was

    content for she now had someone who she could trustpletely. Whatever the people would say

    about the man the girl would readily refute it because for Madeline the handsome man was a saviour.

    ��I would always be grateful to you.��

    Madeline in the next instant closed the gap between the two as she embraced her saviour taking

    Can by surprise. The handsome man patted her back lightly and assured the girl ��As long as I am

    there by your side I promise to keep you safe always.��

    ****

    The Present

    The small open arena was filled with screams. The mother, the father and all the siblings were

    inconsble. The people surrounding the body and the ones who were present there, allowed their

    tears to drip down their faces. Unexpectedly Peter bent down and hugged his little girl. He stroked her

    hair and caressed her cheeks lovingly.

    The gesture overpowered Can who was standing at the far end watching the procession from a

    distance.

    Soon the entire crowd sobbed uncontrobly. The situation was a big blow to the entire wolf pack.

    Death during childbirth wasmon but a mated she-wolf ending her own life was gruesomely nerve

    chilling. The fact that she was found on the entrance of the human of the pack cemented the belief of

    the people that Can was the doer of evil. His presence fuelled the myth of him being the bringer of

    bad omen. After the recent event he was now considered the eater of life as well.

    But Can hardly cared for what people thought about him.

    He was extremely heartbroken by witnessing the one scenario he never imagined to see. Madeline was

    a sweet little girl. The few interactions they had over the past months had built a strong bond of

    friendship and sibling love between them. Even when they were caught of viting the sacredw,

    Can had assured the girl of help the way he could.

    But he failed in his promise to keep her safe.

    When he saw the girl on his doorsteps he was extremely shocked. Whatever theories the people put

    forward he was aware of the truth. The girl wanted help from Can and he wasn��t there to provide it.

    The poison she consumed was extremely potent. Can had assumed the fact that the girl must��ve

    escaped the clutches of her tormentor somehow and visited the house to seek sce in her wretched

    state. She must��ve called for help but when no one answered her pleas the only thing that came to her

    feeble mind was to escape this suffering once and for all.

    How pained she must��ve been!

    Can��s attention directed slowly to the crying man standing next to his father. He thought that the head

    warrior would melt his exterior ande out of his tough stance just once. He thought that Aldous��

    conscience was battering him to follow his heart. Can was sure that the man cared for his little sister

    and would protect her in the days that followed.

    He was wrong.

    The handsome man cleaned his wet cheeks and braved his heart to take slow, steady steps. He could

    not believe how his fate had been so cruel. Every single person from the pack who he cared for were

    snatched away from him mercilessly. He was beginning to doubt himself. It was as if his proximity

    brought people close to the doors of death.

    Just as he took a few steps ahead the entire crowd stopped at what they were doing. Justus and Mary

    were torn to watch the wretched state of their beloved son while the alpha mates sympathised with the

    man. Rosaline was standing next to the witch, their dejected eyes glued to the slow motion walk of the

    man. Einar on the other hand wanted tofort Can of his grief but he felt helpless at the moment.

    The hateful res the man received did not deter his resolve and he moved ahead. However even

    before he could reach the premise of the open coffin a strong iron blow had connected with his cheeks.

    The man faltered in his stance and fell on his nates.

    A muffled growl left Einar��s lips which he had no control of. Garrick held his best friends arm to restrict

    him from intervening. However the only thoughts roaming in Einar��s head were to chop off the arms

    which hurt his mate. Garrick was thankful that at this point Einar��s growl was muffled with the angry

    growls directed at the suspected culprit- Can.

    Two pairs of strong hands had constricted the movement of Richard. His eyes were red with rage and

    his body was close to shifting in his wolf ��You! It was all your fault!�� He gritted his teeth while trying to

    release himself ��How can you steep so low!�� He sucked in a lot of breath before propelling arge

    amount of spit right at the man��s face ��You did this!��

    Can had had enough.

    Up until now the only reason he was mum was because he had the welfare of the girl in mind. However

    today his own fury was ready to burst at any time. He remembered the shabby and assaulted condition

    of the poor girl. How pained she must have been when the bastard of a man had forcefully imposed

    himself on her.

    The pain in her eyes was unforgettable. The w marks on her body and the dried blood flushed

    entirely through her legs was a sight of horror. Can had seen her torn clothes, he had witnessed how

    the man had ravaged the sensitive parts of the poor girl. It was absolutely cruel and barbaric!

    The trepidation and humiliation she must have gone through must��ve been unimaginable. How cruelly

    was her virtue; her self esteem; her self respect were killed! She was shattered to the point that the

    only way to her salvation was bidding farewell to this pathetic world.

    What aggravated the man more was the fact that the wolves considered it as a consensual sexual act

    and not an assault. That Richard was not to be med since he did it to his own mate! The girl was

    roaming around with the man on her own free will which meant that the girl had her will when it came to

    consummating the bond.

    How sick this could be!

    A bile formed in Can��s throat when he recalled the pathetic state of the charming girl. He hatefully

    looked at the man in front of him. The one who called himself her mate.

    Can had witnessed the love and affection the bond inmates show to each other. More importantly the

    respect they have for each other wasmendable. He observed how lost one partner was without the

    other. The smallest of the small injury of your mate would attract a significant amount of anxiousness

    for the wolf.

    Then why wasn��t Richard able to hold himself? Why couldn��t he control his lust? Why was he being so

    obsessed and insecure about her? Why couldn��t he understand the fact that the girl was not ready?

    Why was he not able to see that his mate was just a thirteen year old child!

    Can blew the angry air in him and wiped the spit from his face. The atmosphere around had

    suddenly became tensed. The once serene and calm sky roared its anger when ck clouds took over

    the entire mass. The thunders boomed the sky and the wolves were fearful all of a sudden. Can

    however was unfazed by the glowing of his bracelet. He stood on his legs and with a surprise to all the

    wolves present, hended a hard blow right across the jaws of Richard.

    The wolf stood his ground inplete astonishment as he never expected the man to retaliate. Just

    when he came to his senses he growled in annoyance and leapt for Can��s throat. However he was

    stopped midway by his fellow pack mates as he struggled hard to reach him.

    Richard growled in anger ��You are the reason for my bereavement and I promise you Ashton you

    would pay with your life!��

    Can huffed derisively ��You never cared.�� His lips trembled and fat tears rolled through his cheeks. He

    pursed his lips before sighing deeply ��She didn��t want to be forced and you did exactly that. If there is

    someone who should be ashamed then it is you!��

    The never before seen attitude of the human was shocking to all. Every wolf including the alpha and his

    mate were speechless. They were glued to their feet. Einar had a sense of pride for his mate but he

    was astonished nheless.

    Can wandered his hard gaze around every wolf menacingly before booming his voice ��ALL OF YOU

    ARE RESPONSIBLE.��

    He stationed his heart felt gaze onest time at the little girl. He sniffled and returned Richards hateful

    look with his own before turning his back to walk away from the entire crowd.

    The thunders from the sky bellowed deafeningly as the crowd was helpless to watch the diminutive

    figure of the man vanishing from a distance.

    ********

 Chapter 52: In Heat

    Chapter 52: In Heat

    ****

    Rosaline sat on the chair with her hands folded to her chest and her gaze waspletely stationed on

    the sac which was swelling as the time passed by. She asionally bit her lips and tapped her feet.

    She was distracted by a deep voice ��You seem nervous.��

    Rosaline looked at a concerned Can and nodded ��When the alpha knew about my ancestors I

    thought he would reprimand me. He didn��t say anything!��

    ��The alpha is not unkind. He understands your predicament and would surelye up with a solution.��

    He turned his back and picked up a random shirt to fill in his sac ��So..�� He turned again to look at the

    ��A few times. When my pack was plundered I turned to him for help. He was ready to give me shelter

    only if I practiced witchery.��

    ��That seems unfair.��

    Rosaline smiled ��They live in a cult where no outsiders are allowed. It is a prerequisite that needs to be

    adhered to if you want shelter.��

    Can nodded in understanding and looked at Rosaline apologetically. How alone and afraid the poor

    woman might��ve been when her pack was brutally attacked and she was left with no choice but to

    wander from ce to ce for her survival. Can felt lucky that though the pack didn��t like him he had

    a ce to live which could provide him protection.

    ��Will you be alright on your own?��

    ��I can manage myself. Moreover it is just a matter of a few days.��

    ��Why aren��t youing with us?��

    ��I wasn��t called.��

    Can scowled ��I didn��t get you.��

    Rosaline stood from her ce and helped Can pack his things ��Everyone seeks knowledge for their

    own benefit but the seers chose who they disseminate that knowledge to. You have to write a letter

    addressing them and burn it in fire. If the same letter returns to you in any which way than you are

    lucky.��

    Can looked puzzled at the information ��How did the alpha receive the invitation?��

    ��The letters which were bombarded to the alpha after Einar��s attack on the pack had one of them

    written by the seer.��

    ��This is strange.��

    ��It addressed the Knight family and surprisingly the Ashton family with each individual names.��

    ��This also means that you should be with us, after all.. �� Can pursed his lips ��You are a knight as

    well.�� He spoke lowly with a withering smile.

    ��My name wasn��t on the list. Perhaps I seek no knowledge from them.��

    ��It goes the same for me as well. I don��t want to know anything.��

    ��This surprises me too. I can understand alpha Ragnar��s concern but what is your father worried

    about?��

    Can was curious too. He wasn��t sure why his parents were dragged to this expedition. Besides what

    did they want to know and about whom? The previous encounter with a seer didn��t bear any fruit for

    that was the time since the rumours about him started. His parents�� secretive nature was getting on his

    nerves while his frustration was growing.

    He sighed deeply as he knotted the opening of his sac ��I wish I knew.��

    ****

    Can watched his feet take steps across the patchy uneven surface. Though he bnced his stance

    perfectly to move ahead he was vignt throughout. On asions he swiped his neck all around to

    look if anyone was following him. He was walking in a hurry with no clear destination in his mind.

    Soon he came across an open surface somewhere between the wide gap trees of the dense forest of

    the mountains. He circled his fingers and the dried leaves covering the in ground danced in the wind

    before eloping to the sky. Can again looked all around him and slowly retracted a crushed paper from

    his pocket. He opened another pocket to retract an envelope and spread the fine dust over the in

    ground only to form a human face. One particr face.

    The figure thus formed slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Can ��I was desperately waiting for any

    message. Now I feel relieved.��

    ��I am happy to see you too Aurora.��

    ��How is it going on with you?��

    Can sighed in a mock frustration and with uninterest he said ��We have been travelling for the past

    four days and are yet to reach the destination. I am not sure whether the alpha knows where we are

    heading.��

    Aurora looked concerned. ��Thend of the seers is a hidden ce whose whereabouts are known to

    no one. The map your father has will constantly change its position and show only the path which is

    necessary to reach till the sunlight diminishes.�� She took a pregnant pause before asking ��How are you

    coping up with Einar?��

    ��He has been distant throughout the whole journey. He only talks when he wants to know something.��

    The distinct sound of the rustling of bushes caught Can��s attention and he moved his head in a jiffy.

    He gestured the sand face to stay calm while he bravely marched ahead to the source of the sound. He

    carefully looked all around but found nothing.

    ��What is it?�� The grimes on Auroras concerned face were constantly rearranging themselves.

    ��I felt as if someone was watching me..�� Can scowled and looked all over again. He was sure that he

    heard a certain noise and that his mind was not ying tricks with him. However he rebuffed the

    thought of an intrusion and believed that the wind or an animal must have waved the long thick bushes

    ��Anyways.. I wanted to talk to you about something important.��

    ��Are you alright?��

    ��Not exactly.�� Can sighed deeply and wet his lips ��Since the day I have started this journey my body

    feels heated.��

    ��Heated as in?��

    ��I cant really exin but I am warm all of a sudden as if I am having a fever and then its nothing.��

    ��Its strange. Let me see what information I cane up with and during..��

    Their talk was interrupted once again when Can heard another sounding from the tree leaves

    above. It was strange but the handsome man was alert at once. He knew that this wasn��t his

    imagination besides he was far away from his peers. He cleared his throat and almost whispered ��I

    think I am being watched. I need to leave.��

    Aurora agreed with her friend ��Take care of yourself.��

    Can nodded once again as the sand figure closed her eyes and slowly dispersed, scattering its fine

    grimes all over thend while the handsome man looked all around in suspicion and walked away as

    fast as he could.

    ****

    A bignd mass of thick wild grass, cold under the chilly winds of the mountainsy ahead as Can

    walked out of the dense forest. This ce seemed strange to him. There was radiating heat on one

    side while deadly chilly winds breezed a major portion of the mountain. However the nts of the

    habitat were grooming themselves with the environment despite the harsh weather.

    The handsome man walked further to the open ground. He saw twodies sitting besides a big log of

    wood while two men were standing at a distance from them busy in their own conversation. However

    their attention was diverted when luna Zelda all of a sudden spoke ��Where have you been? We thought

    you were lost.��

    ��Just wandering around, looking for any way out of here.�� Can spoke uninterestingly. Frustration was

    clear on his face. Justus and Ragnar soon appeared right besides him.

    ��Cally we have talked about this.��

    ��I don��t understand mother.�� The handsome man raised his angry voice ��Why have I been dragged to

    this and who are we even meeting?��

    Justus was upset by the way Can spoke to his mother ��I know you are frustrated from the strenuous

    journey Can but this is not the tone in which you talk to your mother.��

    Can knew that his father was right on this matter. Besides it wasn��t the journey but the changes

    within him which were making him temperamental. Whatever may be the reason Can knew that

    pouring out his anger on his loved ones was wrong. He lowered his dejected eyes and apologised to

    his mother ��I am sorry.��

    ��Don��t be son.�� Zelda put her loving hand on the back of the man and caressed him while Mary smiled

    at him and nodded her head ��We all are impatient and not knowing anything is not helping at all.�� Zelda

    looked at all the three men ��Come, have something to eat.��

    Can agreed and joined the other men. They all followed thedies and took their ces besides the

    wooden log. Can was bemused for a second when he saw what was to consume for lunch. His face

    twisted in revulsion but he kept his mum and sat besides the alpha. When Mary started serving the

    meat she looked at her son apologetically. Being a human was certainly not easy. The wolves had a

    strong system which could macerate the raw flesh within them easily but for Can he had to rely on a

    heated cooking so that his body could adjust to the meat and assimte properly.

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    A nicely cooked meal looked impossible at this time for the chilly winds were making it difficult for the

    wood to hold anyrge fire. Can thought about using his powers but felt uneasy about it. Moreover

    the sudden congration could garner unnecessary attention and alpha Ragnar could get suspicious.

    Can smiled at his mother and happily took the te. He looked at the oozing blood from the cuts of

    the meat loaf. It seemed as if the bison was hunted right in his te. He picked up the part hesitatingly

    and brought it near his mouth when he heard some approaching footsteps. Can saw his mate

    running towards them with a sac in his hands.

    Einar stood besides his mother and smiled at her worried face. Zelda asked with concern ��Where were

    you?��

    ��I.. uhm.. I-I went for a walk. I-I mean to hunt.�� he stole nces at the handsome man and to his father

    sitting right besides him ��I couldn��t find anything so I brought these.��

    The muscr man emptied the sac right in front of his mother. As soon as he inverted the bag some

    fleshy products of varying colors rolled their way to the avable ces. Mary picked one of the fruits

    and a relieved, happy smile formed on her face ��Cally look! These are all your favourite fruits.��

    ��It was just a coincidence Mary. I picked up all the fruits which were avable on my way.��

    A bright smile formed on Can��s face. He had surveyed the area before hand and so he knew that

    these fruits were not avable here. Hence he concluded that Einar must have travelled a long way to

    get them. However Can was happy to know that Einar knew what pleased his mate. He brought the

    exact same fruits which were Can��s favourite. He looked at the standing man in amusement and said

    with a low voice ��Yes. What a coincidence!��

    ****

    The minimal afternoon heat was slowly being reced by the strong chilly winds blowing haphazard.

    Ragnar decided that their convoy should take a break as moving ahead could prove risky. Besides he

    was worried for Can as his human form would not be able to withstand the harsh punishment of the

    nature.

    Ragnar ordered Justus and Mary to arrange for food while Zelda was in charge of creating light if at all

    possible. Can on the other hand kept gawking at Einar who was busy handling therge fabrics.

    Can watched as the muscr arms of Einar swiftly gripped therge iron rods and prated the

    earth below. He affixed therge fabric firmly across the four rods.

    He gave a quick look of bewilderment for he knew Can was watching him. Einar hurriedly made his

    way to his father and gave a swift nod ��I am done.��

    ��Are the sleeping arrangements ready.?

    ��Yes father.�� He gestured his hands towards the three tents on one side and one lone shelter fitted

    between the tworge trees stationed at some distance from the other shelters ��I have set up tent for

    the Ashtons as well.��

    Can wasn��t afar and he could hear what the wolves were talking about. He was content for the work

    done by Einar but he wasn��t happy with the arrangements. He was well aware of the fact that the lone

    standing shelter was meant for him. Though seclusion was not what Einar wanted for his mate, it was

    the idea of a strongly built tent surrounded by a cover so as to keep Can warmer and safer

    On the other hand Can watched the three tents lying besides each other in close proximity . The

    middle one being smaller than the one at the ends. It was obvious that the middle tent was for a single

    person; Einar.

    Can smiled devilishly when a mischievous idea stormed his mind. He curled the fingers of both of his

    hands and rotated his right wrist while the left one was affixed aiming at the tent of his choice. The

    once steady environment be tensed for strong winds blew out of nowhere. Einar and his father

    looked at each other skeptically and even before they could discern the strange behaviour of nature,

    the winds caught speed and thrashed the middle tent. The fixed knots could not face the brunt of the

    strong breeze and the fabric left the iron rod.

    Ragnar looked in horror ��How is this possible! Your shelter is being blown by the strong winds son.��

    Einar looked worried as well. He decided to save his little house and was about to make a dash when

    his father held his hands firmly ��You cannot win the forces of nature.��

    ��But I don��t have any more cloth left.�� Just as he said those words the once built tent was swiped far

    away to the sky by the strong winds. Einar and the alpha were amazed for the tent was built in such a

    way that the cloth would be able to survive the rough beating of the winds but it failed in its purpose.

    However the most astonishing fact was that the tents on both the sides were intact and stood the

    ground firmly affixed.

    Einar was diverted from his thoughts when he smelled a faint sweet aroma. His heart beat spiked when

    he saw the handsome man standing right besides him with a happy face ��You can share space with

    me. My tent is big enough for the two of us and besides I am sleeping alone.��

    ��No!�� Einar shouted. His flustered face confused the alpha while Can pursed his lips in an

    unavoidable smirk ��I-I mean no. I don��t want to bother anyone. I will manage somehow.��

    ��Don��t be stubborn son. Trying to make another tent would consume your precious time and effort.

    Weather will be extreme from here on. Our bodies wont be able to survive the strong chilly winds for

    long.��

    Can stood right in front of Einar ��We can share the tent. I don��t bite.��

    ��Shut up Ashton!�� Einar muttered through his teeth. He was about to refuse the offer once more when

    his father spoke all of a sudden.

    ��It is decided Einar. You will share the space with Can.��

    ��But..��

    ��No more arguments! You should appreciate Can��s gesture and his willingness to help.�� Ragnar

    smiled at the handsome man in appreciation ��Thank you son.��

    ��Oh! Its nothing alpha. I am d I could help Einar.��

    The alpha smiled at Can one more time while he looked sternly at his son, warning him to not defy

    his orders. Einar shook his head in defeat and watched his father leave thepany of the two men.

    Can on the other hand felt victorious. He grinned from ear to ear and took two steps ahead towards

    the man ��So are youing?��

    ��Do I have a choice.�� Einar huffed.

    Can negated in reply and smirked again. Einar on the other side feltpromised. His tactics to

    create a distance from Can were failing while he felt helpless to design any more ideas to stay away

    from his mate. Most importantly he was worried about what the night could bring for the two of them.

    He wasn��t sure if he could control himself in the closed space besides Can.

    His palpitations increased and he gulped before uttering ��I have to go for a run.��

    ****

    A silver beam of moonlight entered through the open spaces between the upper leaves of the tree. The

    stars above glittered in abundance while the icy chills were beginning to catch momentum.

    Einary on the end of forest watching the tent from far way. It was his ultimate destination. A ce he

    could no longer avoid. Yet he wanted to take his own sweet time to be prepared. The environment

    outside was punishing the stealth body of the muscr man and he for once knew that he could not

    stay outside any longer.

    Einar braved his heart and took heavy steps one after the other towards the shelter. Each of his steps

    was burdening his resolve to turn back and leave. However the moment he entered the tent, he was

    weed by the beautiful and serene face of his mate. Einar��s fa?ade dissipated at that moment when

    he watched the shiny ck hair covering his mate��s forehead and the glow of his skin perhaps

    brightening the entire room.

    Can��s entire body was covered by a thick nket while his head rested on his left hand which he

    used as a pillow. He looked more peaceful in his sleep. His steady heart beat and his steady breaths

    brought in the confidence in Einar to move ahead.

    ��Are you awake?�� Einar spoke lowly. When he didn��t get any response he slowly sat besides the

    sleeping body of Can ��I guess you are not.��

    Einar couldn��t help but feel pulled towards his mate. Can oozed an effortless charm. Even when he

    was sleeping he was making Einar all nervous. ��Do you know how far I had to run just to keep my

    senses calm for when I see you? It was frustrating!�� he huffed.

    ��I have watched you sleep a number of times, in fact I used to slip in through your windows just to have

    a nce at your beautiful face.�� Einar felt nostalgic as he remembered his younger days before his

    training when he used to slip in through Can��s windows just to have a nce at him.

    ��I was mad back then.�� he mentally smacked himself andughed a little ��Whatever difficulties and

    struggles I face throughout the day are all evaporated when I see you smile.��

    He snickered and sighed a long breath ��How ironic isn��t it. I want to see you happy but all I do is hurt

    you time and again.��

    His heart pained at what he said and a treacherous bead left his eye ��And I know you have hateful

    feelings for me as well but I guess I deserve what ising my way. I see the hate; the disrespect and

    the struggle you face to stand me and honestly it hurts to watch you do it. It really does!��

    He snivelled ��But it is necessary.��

    The wild winds from outside rumbled the fabric a little but the muscr man remained unfazed. He

    lovingly gawked at the sleeping beauty and admired his handsomeness. ��For some sick twisted fate

    and a reason only known to the luna we have been paired as the alpha mates. We belong to each

    other! Can you believe that!�� heughed in sarcasm.

    ��You have all the qualities to be the perfect luna and maybe more. You are selfless, caring and have

    abundant love in your heart. You know how to bind people together and spread positivity. You have the

    ability to protect yourself and your loved ones. You don��t make abrupt decisions like I do. You are not

    impulsive as I am. When other people think from their brains you think from your heart. There is sense

    of pride in me when you walk with your head held high even after suffering through so much!��

    Einar��s dreamy smile faded ��But there is just one problem. You are a male.�� He scowled and bit his lips

    trying to control the onught of his emotions.

    ��A sickeningly beautiful male. A non shifter to make matters worse. Had it been otherwise I would have

    screamed through the top of my lungs that you are mine. We would have held hands and walked

    around the pack with pride. I would��ve unted you to the entire world, tell everyone what a beautiful

    mate I have been blessed with.��

    He cleaned his wet cheeks ��I guess I have to bury these desires deep within the depths of my heart for

    we cannot be together. Not in this lifetime.��

    Einar tilted his head a little and unknowingly yed with the strands on the forehead of Can. It was

    as if he was in a trance, in a world of his own.

    ��I am trying. I really am trying.. but you are making it hard for me. Your constant presence is putting my

    motives in jeopardy and at the same time I cant bear to keep you out of my sight. It takes the life out of

    me. I be mad when your sweet smile is not directed at me. I want to kill all the bastards who

    fantasize about you. I maybe one of the strongest wolf but when I see you in pain I feel as if I am going

    to die!��

    Can��s even breaths brought a sense of calm in Einar. He considered himself lucky that he was

    conversing with his mate the way he wanted and not adhering to the constant deceptive outward

    appearance he used to keep to force Can to hate him. ��If not today I am sure you are going to make

    me crazy one day.��

    Einar kept gazing at Can for the longest of the time. He was happy but he was scared too. There was

    so much joy and pain in his heart at the same time. His mate was unique not because of his physical

    features but because Einar��s eyes would look for no one else if it wasn��t Can. He existed to be the

    alpha but he lived for his mate. His every heart beat was celebrated by the grace of the handsome

    man. The moment he was with Can, he felt like rejoicing his life.

    Einar tried to defile his mind, tried to defile his body so that his urges for the beautiful man would

    subside but he couldn��t will his conscience. His heart beat spiked and an unknown anxiety fluttered

    through his stomach. It was as if he had decided something in the spur of the moment ��I know you are

    sleeping and I know my confession would mean nothing for you wont remember anything when you

    wake up tomorrow..��

    He looked at the sleeping man with determination ��But I want you to know something.��

    He slowly leaned forward and brushed aside the silky hair which covered Can��s forehead. He

    caressed his cheeks with his thumb and genuinely smiled with teary eyes ��I may lie to the entire world

    but I cannot lie to myself. I have fallen deeply in love with you! My heart has no control over it. I wish to

    wrap you in my arms and never let go. I want kiss your beautiful lips.��

    Einar moved his thumb from Can��s cheeks lightly to his beautiful lips. A myriad of emotions were

    running through the brain of the stronger man. At this point of time his resolve had been broken

    beautiful man. It felt nice; it felt light.

    A blow from the wind moved the shelter a little while the groggy dust changed its position making a light

    sweeping sound. Einar deeply sighed as he retracted his thumb from Can��s lips. He cleaned his

    cheeks and looked all around him trying to gather himself. He cleared his throat lightly and spoke lowly

    ��I guess some wishes can nevere true.�� His voice vibrated while his eyes were refusing to hold

    any more water.

    The dejection in his eyes was evident. It was a never ending suffering for him. The man he loved was

    right in front of him. He was destined to be his and yet he couldn��t be with him. Einar had made a

    difficult choice for his pack and for his family. A choice which had to be made to keep his mate safe. He

    wasn��t proud of himself but he was relieved that Can would be protected throughout his life. He

    would make sure of it.

    ��Sometimes I wish for a life where we could be together. Without any rules, without any conditions.

    Without a care about the world. Just you and me. We grow old together and start a family of our own..��

    Heughed at his thoughts while his lips shivered with his fluctuating emotions. He gathered his

    strength when he realised that all his desires were futile. He painfully willed his mind and body to move

    away for he knew he wont be able to control himself shall he stay any longer with his mate.

    Einar slowly leaned ahead and kissed Can��s forehead ��Sleep well my heart.�� he looked at Can

    lovingly for onest time before forcing his body up and making his way out of the shelter.

    Just when the shutters of the shelter were closed, big fat water drops flew through the constricted

    eyelids of the beautiful man. Can��s eyes were wet but his smile was wide and his heart was full of

    happiness.

    ********

 Chapter 53: Taken

    Chapter 53: Taken

    Can loved the fresh air that came from the ever onward road. The swarm of birds, the passing trees

    and the uneven path was all of a sudden mesmerizing him. He was delighted to say the least. He kept

    gawking at the man who rode the horse just in front of him and dreamily smiled at him without being

    detected.

    Ragnar on the other hand was feeling frustrated. The map he held in his hands was inverting its

    position every now and then. He deeply sighed and concluded that the map is of no use from hereon.

    Hemunicated the same with Justus and it was decided that the wolves would travel along the path.

    However just after crossing some of thend, the horses neighed and stopped abruptly. Ragnar and

    the wolves were blindsided by the ample of white matter in front of them.

    ��The map ends here.�� Justus looked worriedly at his alpha.

    ��But there is nowhere to go. Is this a trap?�� Mary questioned

    ��No. There has to be a way. If only the clouds could move a little.��

    Can was right behind all of them and was sure that the fog was created to provide a distraction for

    visitors. He looked at the distressed faces of his parents and slowly moved his palm backwards. As if

    on cue the clouds dissipated on its own and arge metal door appeared out of nowhere.

    The wolves were left astonished and all of them eximed in surprise. The door stood lonely, midway

    in their path. The metal door was the size of a small mountain while its exterior was wrapped all around

    by strong vines and creepers.

    ��It is as if the gods heard our plea.�� Zelda whispered in shock.

    The metal doors made a screeching sound and slowly pped its tes to open up. The wolves were

    taken aback when they saw apletely different world inside of the door from the one which was

    apparent in front of them.

    ��Are you sure we should step in?�� Justus asked a pensive alpha.

    ��We havee a long way; there is no turning back now.��

    Ragnar gestured his convoy to follow him while he led the charge. As soon as they entered the gates,

    they were invited by mildly warm breeze and a pleasant atmosphere all around. The bushes which

    were spread on the ground chirped along the beautiful butterflies in joy. The trees were abnormally

    made of bamboo which camouged its appearance to blend in with the atmosphere. They were

    sparsely scattered and poorly built.

    When the wolves announced their entrance, every member of the hut was out of his home to receive

    them with an unknown expression. Some gawked in sympathy while others bored their eyes in

    annoyance. The wolves felt a bit ufortable when they scanned the area.

    The people of the small vige were all dressed alike. It was the same brown colored fabric wrapped

    around their waist and extending to their ankles. It was the only piece of cloth they were wearing. The

    most unnerving fact about them was theck of hair on their body. Zelda and Mary gave a detestable

    look when they noticed the absence of any single strand of hair in the bodies of the vigers.

    Can was aware that he was being watched. In fact the people of this vige only noticed two people;

    him and his mate. He could see the look of pity and hate among them. As if their arrival was unwanted.

    ��Why are all of them staring at us?�� Though the question was directed to the alpha, Can was as

    curious as his luna. Ragnar shrugged and continued for some more distance. He stopped when he saw

    a man with three other people in line looking intently at the alpha.

    Ragnar ordered the wolves to station their horses and he stepped down. He stood in front of the

    mysterious man and smiled in acknowledgement.

    ��I bet it was you who replied to my letters.��

    The young man nodded ��Wee to our world. I am Rosaline��s cousin Kilijah as you know me.��

    ��I am Ragnar alpha of the..��

    ��Blue moon pack and she is your mate Zelda.�� The young man smiled at the bewildered faces of the

    alpha mates and turned his attention to Einar ��And of course you should be Einar.��

    ��Our future alpha and Rosaline��s mate.�� Zelda added

    ��Is he now.�� the young man smirked.

    Einar��s face was tensed all of a sudden. He weakly smiled at the man and bowed his head.

    ��These are the..��

    ��Ashtons. I know them son of Gregor.�� The young man��s attention was piqued entirely to the mystique

    of a beauty standing right behind his father. Kilijah cleared his throat ��You all must have been tired from

    the long journey. Have some rest. Shida has set up your living arrangements. We shall meet at

    sunrise.��

    Shida stepped forward and gestured the wolves to follow him. When Can was about to step behind

    his father Kilijah interrupted him ��Your shelter is this way.�� He pointed to a hut in the opposite direction

    from that of the wolves

    ��But I cannot leave my parents.�� Can looked helplessly at Justus and Mary. While Einar was agitated

    by the sudden distance. He breathed deeply to calm his emotions and turned his face to avoid

    interrupting or worse killing the man named Kilijah. Ragnar on the other hand ordered Can to do

    what he was told. With no choice left, the handsome man turned his back dejectedly and walked to his

    destination.

    ****

    The morning came a little early for the handsome man. He was desperately waiting for the arrival of his

    fellowpanions. Especially the son of the alpha. The night when Einar unknowingly confessed his

    feelings shattered all the resolves which Can had in mind to get his man. He was desperately waiting

    for the opportune moment when they were together and alone so that he could confess his feelings as

    well.

    Can was all smiles when the muscr man appeared from a distance. He lovingly looked at him

    while his heart fluttered with happiness. He couldn��t control his feet and marched ahead to meet his

    man. Midway though Can was interrupted yet again by Kilijah. He looked suspiciously at him and

    backed down. Kilijah was starting to get on Can��s nerves. It was as if he was trying to separate Einar

    from him.

    Kilijah smiled and stationed himself before the wolves while two other men guarded Can from both

    sides. The closeness of the two men towards his mate was making Einar��s locket glow. He was on the

    threshold of losing his control. He palmed his locket and squeezed it with full force.

    Kilijah addressed the wolves ��I hope you all had a wonderful stay here. Before I proceed with the

    sessions let me put forward some of the rules.��

    He sternly gazed at the handsome man and gritted his teeth. He swept his face to the left and smiled

    back at the wolves ��In no way is any of you allowed to carry any sharp weapon. You have to leave all

    your belongings outside of the hut. It is advised that you ask questions rted to you and only you. The

    powers of the Calistor works only till the time you stay in its proximity. Which means that once you

    leave the hut there wont be any second chance. Use your time well. Lastly, we the seers have the

    liberty to chose which question needs to be answered. Inside the hut your wolves would feel powerless

    for some time but worry not, for it is a safeguard magic designed by our ancestors.��

    The rulesid before them looked fairly simple. Yet Einar was nervous as his instincts dictated

    something questionable. He was worried for Can throughout the night. The environment around

    though serene was highly suspicious. Moreover he was annoyed by the constant res his mate

    received. Apart from the people here in the vige Einar felt as if something else was following them.

    He kept his mum for long but he was sure that it wasn��t his imagination. He knew that Can attracted

    trouble and so was worried for him.

    Einar��s pensive thoughts were distracted when Kilijah requested the wolves to follow them. He took all

    the wolves to a nearby pool where the entire mass was covered by beautiful, glossy oval stones. Each

    stone differed from the other in size and color. These stones were transparent while their unique colors

    shined to overpower the other stones. Zelda, Ragnar, Justus and Mary were pleasantly surprised by

    what they saw. It was mesmerizing. On the other side Einar and Can were skeptic for their senses

    were warning them of an unknown danger.

    ��Put your hand in the water and desire for the stone which you like.��

    The wolves did as they were told. One by one every senior wolf stepped in, entered their hand in the

    water and wished for a stone. The liquid in the pool gushed and bounced and an eye catching stone

    appeared right into their palms. Each of the wolves were blessed with a beautiful stone which radiated

    its glow in the fullest. Kilijah looked nervously at Einar and requested the muscr man to step in.

    When it was Einar��s turn to enter the water the small stones rumbled against each other. The action

    caused fear among the seers while his parents looked at each other with anxiousness. The first step in

    the water caused a mini storm whirling in the center of the pool. The stones moved apart and away

    from the direction wherever Einar was stepping foot. They piled up one above the other and circled the

    avable space. It seemed like the gems were petrified of the man.

    Einar tried to retrieve one of the ovals but he failed each time. Whenever he tried to catch a stone, the

    gem would change its direction and move abruptly away from him. Einar was getting frustrated and he

    stopped moving. He was about to leave the pool, when his eyes gathered attention on one particr

    gem which was stationary and shining in all its might. It was unique and bigger than the rest of its

    peers. However unlike the vibrant, bright and striking ovals, this stone waspletely dark and

    opaque. It was heavier and bigger in size.

    As soon as Einar touched the stone a mystical fog emitted through the oval and spread all around the

    man. Even before anyone could register anything, a loud screeching noise emanated through the stone

    and everyone except Can was on his knees covering his ears. An unknown fear crippled through

    their veins and their heart beat spiked.

    The locket in Einar��s neck floated in air for some time and all of sudden the mystical fog was absorbed

    by it. The noises stopped and Einar turned to look at the fearful faces staring at him in skepticism. He

    stepped out of the water without bothering about the stares and rested his feet away from the piercing

    eyes. Can was amused when he saw the look on the faces of the seers.

    He giggled quietly but all his smile left his face when he noted that it was his turn indeed.

    Kilijah looked nervous and contemted whether or not he should proceed further with the Elemental.

    He was aware of the oue but he couldn��t deny the man a chance. He slowly nodded at Can and

    requested him to step forward. The handsome man hesitatingly stepped foot in the water. However

    even before hended his feet, the water gushed and stormed in an unruly manner. Every particle of

    the liquid was shy of Can. The more he stepped forward the more the water was leaving the ground

    and moving away from the man. Can pursed his lips and hid his glowing bracelet with the palm of his

    other hand.

    Just when it looked like it couldn��t get any more abnormal, the ovals of the water raised itself from the

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    water. They gathered momentum and started revolving around the man with full force. Can was

    unaware of the happenings while he feared something uncanny would harm him. Fear was evident in

    each and every one of the onlookers. It looked as if Can was trapped in a mystical cage of gems.

    The ovals were declining to alleviate its ferocity.

    Einar looked at Can helplessly and a sense of anxiety seeped in to his heart. He wasn��t having it and

    he decided to intervene. He growled fiercely and charged towards the pool when all of a sudden the

    ovals stopped its motion and rotated in speed.

    Even before Einar could take action the ovals charged at the muscr man. It was like a meteor

    shower from above the sky. Every gem looked angry and ready to strike. They thrashed every avable

    part of the wolf with ferocity. The force was such that the man had tond on his knees. Blood dripped

    from the wounds while Einar moaned in agony.

    Can was pained at the sight of Einar getting hurt and he started flickering his thumb and his

    forefinger. One by one every gem surrounding the alpha��s son burst in mid air providing some relief to

    the ailing man.

    The alpha mates were quickly by the side of their son while Can��s parents stood by him. Kilijah

    looked petrified and he heaved heavily. He quickly regained hisposure and cleared his throat ��I-I

    think we should waste no more time. Alpha mates and warrior mates of the blue moon pack follow

    Otinshi. She will show you the way to your destined seer.�� He focused on a bruised Einar and asked if

    he was fine. Einar nodded and looked worriedly in the direction of Can

    ��Son of Ragnar you have to follow Shida. He will take you to your destination.��

    ��What about my son?�� Justus asked with a concerned look.

    Kilijah and the other seers exchanged looks with an unknown expression. They kept quit for a very long

    time before a drop of water finally escaped through Kilijah��s eyes. His voice broke as he spoke ��The

    man will be attended by our lord.��

    All eyes were stationed at Can as he was the first one to leave. The other wolves were taken to a

    different hut while Einar was led to a shelter which was secluded from the rest and at a distance from

    the others. He frequently looked at the back of his mate till the time he was out of his sight.

    The juvenile led Einar into the lone hut. When Einar entered through the door, the room brightened with

    every step he took. Artifacts were decorated intricately all around the walls. There were articles and

    containers of various shapes and sizes made up from y. The roof was decorated with bright colored

    curtains forming an umbre right at the center. The curtains stretched its wings right till the ground and

    floated in air after every interval. Beneath the circr canopy was arge circr table up to the length

    of Einar��s ankle where random things unknown to the man were kept in an unorganized way.

    Einar sighed in annoyance and folded his hands to his chest. His attention was diverted when he heard

    a distinct voice from the shadows of one of the curtain

    ��You seem too excited to visit this ce.�� The voice snorted in sarcasm.

    A small, slender figure appeared out of the shadows and looked intently at Einar. Her eyes were

    focused on the man as she sat on her knees besides the table. Einar felt ufortable looking at the

    He diverted his eyes and exhaled loudly ��I am not sure why I am here.��

    Thedy smiled and rolled her palm subconsciously in mid air ��There is a strong turbulence of

    emotions inside of you. You are caught in the middle of a fiery storm and you know no way out. am I

    right?

    ��Maybe.��

    ��Have a seat son of Ragnar.�� thedy gestured Einar to take the ce opposite of her. Einar looked at

    her with suspicion for quite a few moments before reluctantly shifting his body weight to his knees.

    ��I am Dohdig��

    Einar snickered and shook his head with a smirk ��Another weird name.�� he whispered to himself.

    ��I suppose you don��t like our names.�� Thedy smirked in response ��Tell me son of Ragnar, what brings

    you here?��

    ��I don��t know.�� He sighed ��I was told that I would find the solution to my problems here..��

    ��But you already have the solution to your problems.��

    Einar squeezed his brows ��What solution?��

    ��ept the handsome man as your mate.��

    Einar was taken by surprise and his mouth was left ajar ��H-How do you know!��

    ��We are cursed by the thirst of knowledge. We love to unearth secrets. A sea of curiosity always flows

    within us. So tell me son of Ragnar... What would you like to know?��

    Einar looked at thedy with doubt. He wasn��t sure if should even go through with this. Thedy

    deduced Einar��s dilemma and she leaned forward to whisper ��You can ask me anything.��

    The muscr man thought for a moment and decided to go with the flow. He had been suffering for

    years with the burden of hiding such a big secret from the entire pack. Moreover the situation with

    Can wasn��t improving as the days went by. He needed guidance or at least someone who could

    understand him. He took a deep sigh and uttered the question which haunted his mind for years ��Why

    am I paired with a male?��

    ��I don��t have the liberty to answer this question. It is something rted to your beasts.��

    ��Can you tell me about the demon?��

    Thedy nodded ��The demon in you is not an ordinary spirit. Yes hees from the outside realm but

    he exuded power even in his own world. Make no mistake son of Ragnar; the demon is not to be toyed

    with. You are testing his limits and he wont allow you to manhandle him like the wolf.��

    ��Why is the wolf not able to recover from the spirits onught? He can fight it right?��

    ��The wolf in you is yet to reach its full potential but he is slowly getting there.�� Thedy narrowed her

    gaze at Einar and looked at him sternly ��You want the wolf to step up to your demon! Do you even

    know what would happen shall the wolf and the spirit go against each other?�� she leaned ahead and

    whispered menacingly ��You have no idea!��

    ��The wolf..��

    ��Is more powerful than you can ever imagine. Every alpha wolf is possessive and wants to dominate

    the other wolves around him. Prove his worth to be the strongest of all of them. Your wolf doesn��t do

    that, does it?��

    The words got Einar thinking and he lowered his voice in negation ��No it doesn��t.��

    ��He has no need. He has ovee his lust fornd and supremacy. He doesn��t need that.�� Thedy

    paused for a moment and gave a smug look to the man ��And what he does need is something that you

    aren��t willing to provide him.��

    Einar realized what thedy was implying. He smirked and slowly shook his head ��It will never happen.��

    ��It is your choice of course.�� Thedy leaned back and kept her eyes fixed at the man before her. Her

    gaze pierced through the soul of the man trying to decimate the real him. Einar looked ufortably at

    her while his heart beat spiked with nervousness. Thedy snorted ��Shall we proceed.��

    Einar nodded in a jiffy.

    ��Put your palm on the table.��

    Einar did as he was told. The table shivered and one by one all of its contents jumped and danced until

    it fell to the ground. Among the various containers that were kept a brownish-red y pot and grimes

    matching the container levitated in the air and slowly settled in front of Einar.

    ��Touch the pot.��

    The light contact from Einar ignited the grimes in a vertical fashion and suddenly the pot was being

    dragged by an unknown force towards thedy sitting at the other side. She closed her eyes tightly and

    gasped in a lot of breath. Her cheeks were inted while the nerves on her neck popped out to liberate

    itself. She kept her fist tightly gripped but her eyes could not bear the brunt of the onught. The

    process was too much for her. Though she constricted her eyes as tightly as she could, she was

    unable to hold the blood which dripped through her eyes..

    ��Are you fine?�� Einar asked with concern. He was a bit afraid at the moment.

    Thedy slowly opened her eyes and shakily nodded her head. Red liquid flew down the smooth skin

    of her face through her eyes. She took deep breaths in between and looked at the man with

    determination ��Go ahead son of Ragnar, ask me anything.��

    The muscr man waited for the longest of the time to ascertain what he really wanted to ask. He

    looked all around and decided to delve in the matter which troubled him the most ��What would happen

    to me and Can in the future? How long could I hold the truth for him?��

    ��You may try to avoid it, dy it and even run from it for now son of Ragnar but you cannot escape it.

    The beautiful man has a powerful charm which will captivate you in his binds. You wont be able to hold

    for long.��

    ��These are just predictions right?��

    Thedy smirked and shook her head ��What I saw is the future son of Ragnar. A future which is

    inevitable. One that cannot be changed. You and the head warriors son are meant to be together. No

    power in the world can keep you apart; not even you.��

    The words stung Einar��s brain and his thinking process halted for a moment. This was the only thing

    which he had been trying to avoid all his life and now the seer bluntly dered that the handsome man

    will be his in the end. This was not what was supposed to happen. Einar had put in a lot of efforts, had

    sacrificed a lot just for the sake of Can and his pack. It was better this way. Can and him staying

    apart was the only way to make things right.

    ��I havee way too far. I have set a new life for me. Everything is arranged. I cannot undo what has

    been done and Can being my mate is not right. What would happen to the pack? What is Rosaline��s

    fault in all of this. I cannot betray her!��

    ��You wont son of Ragnar. Her own fate will bitterly sting her.��

    The words puzzled Einar. Thedy seemed to know something about Rosaline but wasn��t revealing the

    secret. Einar was worried for his friend ��What are you trying to say. I don��t want Rosaline to be harmed

    in any way.��

    ��You should worry about yourself and the handsome man at the moment.��

    ��I don��t have the right to imagine my future with Can. It will onlyplicate things. I cannot harbor my

    happiness at the stake of my people.��

    ��There isn��t any other way son of Ragnar. You and the handsome man will be together. Your bond is

    stronger than I thought.��

    Einar mmed his fists hard onto the table and gritted his teeth in anger ��It is all because of my stupid

    beasts. I want to get rid of them.��

    ��Careful for what you say!�� thedy put her hand to her thumping chest while her eyes erged from

    what she heard from the man. When Einar tried to say something thedy interrupted him and

    instructed him to stay silent ��The beasts inside you are not too pleased by your ardor. If they so desire

    your body will perish like the fine sand of ournd.��

    Einar was unfazed by the threat. He was fighting a losing battle ��I cannot let this happen. I will make

    sure that the beasts will never get what they wish for.��

    Thedy giggled ��From what I see, you may be a littlete for that.��

    The words confusticated the man again. However at this point of time he felt more helpless than

    puzzled. Thedy in front looked certain about her witchery. The words she spoke came from the

    inevitable future. Can and Einar together would create chaos in the werewolf world. Can��s life

    would be put on the line just because he was mates with Einar. Moreover shall anything bad transpire

    with the handsome man his beasts would go on a rampage and kill everyone in their path.

    No! This should not happen!

    Einar knew what the demon did to the army of the ferals and he didn��t forget thest time when his wolf

    was out of control. He was not capable to handle them. He wasn��t sure for how long he could have a

    control over them. It was already difficult to keep them separated with their beloved. He didn��t want to

    imagine the future when his beasts were let loose.

    ��Do something.�� Einar whispered and almost pleaded ��Me and Can being together will put his life in

    danger. The king and the entire werewolf n will torment us. You don��t know how strong headed that

    human is. The moment he realizes that he indeed has a mate he will move heavens to im me. The

    people on the other hand will despise him. I can fight for him till myst breath but I know it will be

    futile. He is a non shifter. He may assert that he is strong enough to protect himself but he is not. He

    will be the target for no fault of his. Their will be attempts to harm him or worse even kill him! I cannot

    bear that!��

    Thedy smiled as she picked up a few of the burning grimes with her hands andid them in front of

    the man ��You see son of Ragnar.. There are consequences to every action. What we do today decides

    our future. Putting your mates life in danger was your doing. I will still suggest you to brace yourself and

    spend together all the time you have with him..��

    ��Why do you say that? Will something happen to me?��

    ��Yes.�� She whispered in trepidation ��Something will happen to you.�� she held the container in her hands

    and the grimes inside of it inted its fire and bounced one by one out of the pot ��The Caloti has

    spoken son of Ragnar. Your future with the handsome man is certain but your time is constrained.

    Though you don��t wish for it but you would have no choice left.�� The brim of water in her eyes broke its

    resilience and she wept silently. Her gaze was stationed at the pot till thest of the grime jumped out

    of it. She gasped in short breaths before slowly lifting her eyshes to the perturbed man waiting for an

    answer ��You cannot escape fate son of Ragnar for it is predestined that you would destroy your own

    happiness. You will kill the man you love!��

    A slight difort seeped in to the heart of the muscr man. His eyes erged while he forgot to

    breathe for a moment. His brain couldn��t understand the passage of time. What had thedy spoken!

    He couldn��t imagine Can in pain and now it was written in stone that he would kill him!

    ��No..�� his voice shook and his lips trembled ��No... �� his face was flushed with the onught of the

    dreadful emotions ��No...�� His eyes freely flowed his sorrow. ��NO!�� he screamed in agony and pulled his

    hair. He sniveled and gasped in short breaths. ��I cannot do this.�� he whispered to himself ��I cant even

    think of hurting him in the slightest. This cant be true.�� he lifted his head to look at thedy with hope

    and desperation ��Please tell me its not true.��

    Thedy gestured her fingers at the fiery grimes which vomited the strong mes and rotated on the

    table ��The pebbles don��t lie son of Ragnar. Your actions will be ounted for in the future. Spend your

    time wisely with the handsome man.��

    ��Isn��t there a way out of this.��

    ��The future is certain.. However..�� thedy took a pregnant pause ��You can buy some time for the both

    of you.��

    ��How?��

    ��Let him be free! Release him from the binds of your love. You are not his destiny son of Ragnar. He

    can never be a part of who you are. You are only fooling yourself if you think that you can be his world.

    He may never love you the same way as you do. His objective in life wasn��t to be someone��s mate. He

    will give you pain and nothing else..��

    The air he breathed felt as if it was strangting him. Einar wanted to die at that moment. Breaking the

    bond with Can was eventually worse than death. No wolf desires a life away from his mate. An

    unknown force was pulling him down. His heart was being shattered into a million pieces. What a cruel

    game his fate yed with him!

    Einar cried his heart out for the longest. He couldn��t control himself. It was as if he had lost everything.

    His sacrifices; his years of pain and his fa?ade were all meaningless. Even if he was able to save

    Can from the entire world how was he supposed to save the handsome man from himself. He would

    be the killer of his own mate!

    Einar breathed heavily andposed himself. He looked all around him and pursed his lips. He

    lowered his head to level thedy and whispered in a withering confidence ��If.. If I break the bond can

    you guarantee that the future will change its course..��

    Thedy was filled withpassion looking at the dreadful state of the wolf. The pain in Einar was

    deeply affecting her. She dejectedly lowered her eyes and shook her head.

    Einar nodded absentmindedly because for the first time in his life he didn��t knew what to say. He wasn��t

    sure how to react. He wanted to scream, to yell his pain out but he couldn��t. He wanted to abduct the

    man and take him to a lonely ce away from everyone so that they could spend the time they had left

    together; embracing each other; loving each other..

    Einar��s pensive thoughts were interrupted when the curtains of the hut threw immense light of the

    radiating sun. The muscr man scowled and wiped his face when he saw his mother running towards

    the man. Her hands were shaking while her forehead was upied by the beads of terror.

    Einar quickly stood from his ce and held the arms of Zelda in concern ��Mother! What��s wrong?��

    ��I-Its Can.��

    Einar��s sad eyes dramatically turned into the ones of anxiousness and fear ��What about him?��

    Zelda��s shaky hands slowly pointed to the shutter as her voice broke ��H-He..�� She gulped in fear ��He

    has been taken!��

    ********

 Chapter 54: Deal With The Devil

    Chapter 54: Deal With The Devil

    The knock on her door caught Auroras attention and she was near the entrance at once. She opened

    the door to witness two buff men standing outside the door waiting to be weed inside. Aurora

    acknowledged both the men with a smile and gestured them to step in.

    ��I guess there is an emergency for you two to show up.�� Aurora spoke as she followed the men inside

    her cottage.

    Arthur and Garrick sat besides each other and exchanged worried looks before Garrick spoke ��I don��t

    know what else to do?��

    ��We cannot handle the situation any longer.�� Arthur added

    ��I know there are problems right now but we have to wait for the alpha to arrive.��

    ��But where is he? And why didn��t he tell anyone where he was going?��

    ��This question I cannot answer Arthur.��

    ��But at least you could tell us if they are safe and when they��ll return.��

    ��I tried to connect with Can but he is not responding.��

    All of a sudden Garrick was tensed. He looked bewildered and a bit angry ��Why is Ashton with them?��

    ��He was called.��

    ��You know it isn��t a good idea.�� He looked usingly at the women in front of him. Aurora understood

    what the man was trying to imply but she kept her mum for this wasn��t the right time for arguments.

    However Garrick wasn��t stopping his word bashing ��The man is good for nothing. He is a burden to the

    entire convoy. He will put himself in trouble and disrupt the alpha and his mission. Had I known he was

    going to be involved in the mission I would have..��

    ��You would��ve what beta of the blue moon pack.��

    Garrick was left astounded by the sudden interjection as he looked at the source of the sound behind

    the witch. Two beautifuldies appeared from the inner room and stood besides Aurora. Garrick was

    pleased to see the face he missed over the past so many days. However Fayette on the other side

    looked pissed at the man in front of her. The bowl which she held in her hands was constricted by the

    pressure she put through her palms. She was angry beyond measure.

    ��Listen here you...�� Aurora held Fayette��s arm and gestured her to not say anything right now. Fayette

    sighed and swallowed her anger. She focused her eyes on Arthur and bowed her head in

    acknowledgement. However the gamma lookedpletely captivated by thedy who stood besides

    Fayette.

    The human giggled and waved her arm in front of Arthur ��Staring is impolite.��

    Arthur��s brain froze for a moment before he realized what he was doing. He quickly shut his mouth and

    embarrassingly looked at the roof. Aurora and the twodies giggled at Arthur��s behavior.

    Garrick looked apologetically at his mate for he realized he had hurt her ��I never knew you were here.��

    ��What would have changed beta? You would have still hated my friend.��

    Garrick was trying his best to keep his anger under check but when it came to his beloved his agitation

    soared. Garrick was always wary of the closeness the human had with his mate and he didn��t like it.

    More importantly his mate was trusting another instead of her destined. This wasn��t going too well with

    him

    ��What is it to you.�� he scrunched his nose in frustration ��Why do you care about him so much?��

    The usatory tone of the wolf made the environment tensed all of a sudden. Fayette��s expression

    mirrored the same that of Garrick��s and she was out of her patience. She couldn��t understand the

    intense dislike which Garrick harbored within him but she couldn��t bear to stand still when it came to

    Can.

    She opened her mouth to show the man his ce but the mysterious girl beat her to that. ��She doesn��t

    owe an exnation to you. The only thing you understand is hate. You will never know what the man

    means to us.��

    ��And who are you?�� Garrick gritted his teeth in anger. He looked at the unknown face for quite some

    time, trying to decipher her identity. However it was Fayette who diverted the beats attention.

    ��She is my cousin Isadora.��

    ��I haven��t heard of her before.�� Arthur whispered. As if in a daze he kept gawking at the long beautiful

    hair which were unbraided and shined through her shoulders. He looked at Fayette ��You haven��t told

    me about her.�� he knotted his eyebrows ��I think I know her from somewhere..��

    The three women exchanged looks of worry before Fayetteughed nervously at the gamma ��For gods

    sake Arthur! Think about your mate.�� She awkwardly pointed a finger to the women ��Isadora hase

    to live with us for a few days. She gets the same reaction wherever she goes.�� Thedies giggled with

    a withering confidence.

    ��We should go.�� Isadora spoke in a jiffy ��The men were here to discuss something important with the

    Fayette to leave the ce at once and said her final goodbyes to the witch.

    As soon as the twodies took a step ahead towards the door Garrick shouted ��NO!�� he stood in front

    of Fayette ��Please stay. I need to talk to you about something important.��

    ��We have nothing to talk about beta.�� she gritted her teeth ��If it had been my way I would have never

    crossed paths with a person like you.��

    The words were like a dagger through his heart. A still darkness seeped within him and Garrick lost all

    the happy memories he had in that instant. A small tear escaped through his eye ��Don��t say this.�� He

    pleaded ��Give me a chance!��

    Right at that moment the bowl held by Isadora slipped through her palms and its contents spilled all

    over the ground. Thedy however kept looking straight at the door with nothingness. Her eyes

    darkened a little and she gasped in horror.

    Aurora was on her side the next instant ��Are you alright?��

    Isadora shook her head in despair ��Master!�� she looked at Fayette ��He is in danger! I need to leave.��

    Thedies nodded at once. Isadora ran in a hurry towards the door leaving the wolfs puzzled and the

    leave?��

    ��Something important came up.��

    ��I hope she reaches there on time.�� Fayette whispered to the witch.

    ��I hope so too.��

    ****

    The entrance of the hut mesmerized Can. He was invited by the small gravels intricately decorated

    on the four sides of the opening. The small pebbles were colored in contrast to the still darkness which

    loomed inside of the hut. When he stepped foot inside, the pebbles glowed and threw light to its

    surroundings. The room was lit in an instant as the pebbles whichy stationary on the door detached

    itself and floated in mid air to disperse all around the room.

    Can was intrigued by the number of items which overfilled the shelfs and the tables. The things were

    in a disorderly fashion but everywhere he roamed his eyes the artifacts looked expensive. It was the

    kind of things which you see with people in power, especially the royalty. He looked all around and

    stepped forward but as soon as his foot touched the mug lying on the floor, it levitated in the air. Can

    gasped for one by one every single thing in the room uplifted itself from the ground and floated in mid

    air.

    ��You seem overly curious Elemental supreme.��

    Can was taken by surprise and he looked at the source of the sound. A man almost of the same age

    and height as him, was standing on the entrance looking strangely at the handsome man. Can found

    hisposure and bowed in acknowledgment ��You must be Arkin, the lord.. I am Can.��

    ��I know.��

    ��Of course.�� Can raised a brow ��I need to know why I was called here.��

    The seer went past the man and slowly sat on the empty space on the cushion near a table. He

    gestured Can to take the ce across him but the handsome man denied ��Are you not here to know

    about your future Elemental?��

    ��I am.�� Can snickered ��But I doubt if you could be of any help with that.��

    The seer sighed a long breath ��I see you had ess to some of the knowledge but what about the

    things you don��t know. I can help you with that.��

    ��Like your people who helped me and my mate out there.��

    The seer��s lips moved but he couldn��t form a word. His wisdom failed to measure the insight and

    intelligence the handsome man possessed.

    The seer whispered angrily ��He is not right for you!��

    ��I will decide that.�� He knitted his brows and looked sternly at the seer ��However I am highly agitated by

    the fact that you wanted to kill Einar.. I am so angry right now that I feel like burning this ce to ashes.

    Maybe I should do that.��

    ��You can do that but you shouldn��t.�� The seer took a pregnant pause as a bead of precipitation flew

    freely though his forehead ��There are innocents out there. The wolves wont be spared by your wrath

    either.��

    ��Maybe I should kill you instead.�� Can circled his thumb and instantly the chunk ofnd which seated

    the seer was sundered from the rest of the ground. The seer looked in trepidation all around and

    gulped in fear. He hovered in mid air while there looked no ce to escape.

    ��Killing me wont help you Elemental.��

    ��I will decide for that. Shall we begin.�� the seer hesitatingly bowed his head once ��No more hiding

    things from me Arkin.��

    ��Its a deal.��

    ��Why do you want the both of us to be killed?��

    ��Its a necessity.��

    Can looked puzzled ��We haven��t done anything to you.��

    ��Not as of now.�� he paused ��But who knows what the future holds when the two of you join forces.��

    ��I don��t understand.��

    ��There are people who are aspetent as you are. Every species has a powerful being of their own.

    The lions, the bears, the dragons, the warlords even we the seers.. Then there is Einar!�� The seer

    twisted his face ��Who possesses a shifter spirit which is stronger than you can imagine and an ancient

    wolf who stands tall with the demon. Both your forcesbined would only create a recipe for

    destruction.��

    Can looked disturbed by the knowledge ��You want to punish us for something that we haven��t done!

    How is it fair? What if we don��t turn destructive?��

    ��Then you would have the desire to rule everyone.��

    Can snorted ��These are only your assumptions. I cant believe that you attacked us on the pretext of

    what we could do. This is insane!��

    ��You may not understand the gravity of the matter Elemental but both of you whenbined will have

    limitless powers. Though the Elementals have a pure heart but who knows what you could do in the

    influence of the bond.��

    Can shook his head ��The bond doesn��t affect me.�� he gritted his teeth and moved his thumb a little.

    The action caused the chunk ofnd to tremble and the seer feared for his life ��Do you think I��m a fool!

    You may know Can very well but you are unaware of the Elemental in me.��

    The seer all of a sudden inhaled a lot of air while his eyes rolled to the back of his head ��What��s

    wrong?�� Can asked in confusion.

    ��Digdoh. She saw something.�� the seer looked into the eyes of the Elemental ��A dark future.�� he

    snickered ��Perhaps if we wait for sometime we will get what we are hoping for.��

    ��To kill the both of us?��

    ��It doesn��t have to be the wolf..��

    ��Me..�� Can whispered in shock.

    One end of the seer��s lips curved into a sinister smile ��Your death will eventually lead to the wolf��s self

    destruction.��

    ��I wont let that happen.��

    ��You may bete for that.��

    Can fisted his left palm and was about to crush the chunk ofnd where the seer was seated when

    all of a sudden his breaths came in short gasps. His hand froze and the thumb which was holding the

    ��What is happening?�� Can��s vision was blurred in intervals while his face was contorted due to the

    unimaginable pain he felt in his gut. He could feel the surge of fire within him. It was as if with every of

    his breath the fire in him was being fueled.

    The seer stood on his feet and dusted the small amount of dirt from his clothes. He closed the distance

    with the man and gripped his throat by his hands ��Not so powerful now are you!�� He smirked ��It is true

    that Elementals are untouched by every supernatural contrivances or artifacts but if we keep your

    powers aside you are still a human. A pathetic. Weak. Human..��

    His smile widened ��You don��t have the physical strength of a shifter neither the resistance to fight even

    amon disease. You are nothing without your powers.��

    The seer thrashed the man hard on the ground ��I knew that killing you wont be easy. So I had to n

    your death systematically. I realized that you haven��tpleted the procedure for your awakening and

    so I found my opening. Signing you up for the sessions was a part of the deal. The moment you

    touched the letter a small but effective enchantment leached on you.��

    Can was trying hard to use his powers but all he could feel was the heat bulging through his entire

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    system. He was trying to resist but he couldn��t will his muscles to move. It was too much for him.

    ��Yes..�� The seer stomped his leg to the face of the man ��Yes Elemental.�� The seer nodded with a

    wicked smile ��The heat you are feeling inside of you is nothing but the fire which you so resisted up

    until now. You have trouble using it cause you don��t know how and now this fire will be your doom.��

    Can��s vision was not keeping up with him. However the rumbling of the roof was what caught his

    urgent attention. The few spaces between the bamboo arrangement which made visible the colorful sky

    was taken over by the small butterflies. The insects had covered the entire roof and were entering

    through every open space avable.

    ��They smell it.�� the seer giggled with pride and lifted his leg from Can��s head ��They smell your

    unused Element; your weakness. They feed on power and you have ample of it.��

    Few of the butterflies surrounded the seer and the man looked lovingly at the insects while kissing

    them lightly ��Meet my lovely children; my creation.�� He said with a smug look on his face ��These are

    the reason which keeps us guarded Elemental.��

    Can was struggling to breathe while the seerughed at his vulnerability ��s! It wasn��t that hard to

    get rid of the Elemental it seems.. Your death will be followed by the death of your beloved mate. I will

    tap on the vulnerability of that wolf and kill him in the opportune moment and then the world will bow to

    me.�� he raised his voice andughed maniacally.

    Can tried to speak but his mouth wasn��t moving. It was as if every part of his body was incapable and

    helpless. Soon the ocean of small butterflies filled the room and hovered above the man. The thin

    appendages on the heads of the insects elongated and pierced through the body of the man. Can��s

    body was uplifted from the ground and he hovered with the swarm of butterflies

    ��Sleep well Elemental, for this will be your final rest..�� the seerughed hysterically. He pushed forward

    his hand through the thick wall of insects and grabbed the handsome man��s chin with force. ��They say

    what we see is bound to happen. I hope you are an exception to even this rule. I want to color my

    hands with your blood. I should be the one responsible for your death.��

    He tilted his head and lowered his voice ��I am being merciful here Elemental for the death I am giving

    you is more worth than the future Digdoh saw. Just do me a favor and don��te back alive.��

    He retreated his hand and pped them in disgust ��I guess this is where I return to the normal world.

    After all I have to spread the news of you being in danger only then will that idiot of a wolf will follow

    you.�� the man snickered in intervals and waved his hand at Can ��Have a nice afterlife.��

    The seer rushed out of the hut with a dramatic change of his expressions while the roof of the hut was

    exploded all of a sudden. The handsome man was being taken by the swarm of insects covering all of

    his body. The antennae was sucking the life from him. The insects floated through the air for some

    more time before arriving at a distance away from thend of the seers. Can was rested to the

    ground while more of the insects gathered from all directions hovering in the sky, sensing the immense

    power which radiated through the body of the Elemental.

    When Einar arrived at the scene his eyes were wide with trepidation. He felt the anger within him rising

    and he thundered his roar. The butterflies in the sky diverted their trajectory and moved in the direction

    of the muscr man.

    Einar held the locket in his neck firmly and let his beasts take control of his body. Soon a mysterious

    fog engulfed the man and he was surrounded all over by ck clouds. However even before the

    demon could fully take over the body, the insects attacked him. They pierced their antennae through

    the skin of the man and Daragor faltered in his stance. It was something he had never felt before. He

    realized that at this moment he wasn��t of any help and soon gave up his control to the wolf so that he

    could rescue their mate.

    The ck clouds were suddenly reced by the red mist surrounding the man. Einar growled as his

    ws elongated and his canines were taking shape. His efforts to transform were put to waste when

    the swarm of butterflies were attracted to the red mist around Einar. The man growled and fought all he

    could but he couldn��t surpass the dogged determination of the insects.

    The butterflies were too much for him to handle.

    He looked painfully at Can and moved his legs heavily to be near him. However his energy gave up

    mid way and he copsed to the ground unconscious.

    Every winged insect was taking turns to feed on the men and devouring them. They were extracting the

    very life source from them till there was none left.

    The insects were alert all of a sudden when a sickly caw burned their ears. The ink stained wings

    floated all around and cawed at the insects, warning them to leave the man in peace. With a swift

    movement of its feathers itnded on the ground just near the Elemental and cawed again. The insects

    were devoured by the lust to feed on their prey and ignored the warning signs by the Raven.

    The Raven bobbed its head up and down and spread its wings to the maximum of its length. It pped

    its wings with ferocity and soon the environment changed. With every movement of the wings the bird

    duplicated itself and another Raven stood right besides it. It pped its wing again and again until a

    unanimously. They hovered above the ground and attacked the butterflies to feed on them. The insects

    were wary of the attacks but were still stubborn to leave the men. The fluttering wings made a loud

    noise as the birds made a quick job of their prey and went for the next one.

    The swarm of dark feathers soon cleaned the area of the colorful winged creatures and stood besides

    the handsome man. One bird among them walked ahead and bounced on the chest of Can. It

    nudged its beak to the handsome man trying to wake him up. Can sensed the slight irritation in his

    chest and felt ufortable all of a sudden. His heavily closed eyes were forcing itself to open while

    his head hurt the most. He lifted his body up and looked all around him. He was amazed to see the

    number of ck birds surrounding him and looking at him intently. He smiled at them and bowed in

    gratitude.

    The birds cawed again and fled to the sky before disappearing mid air. The one bird which stayed

    behind, pped its wings to cry in a strange voice. It raised itself above the ground and moved towards

    the sleeping man.

    ��Einar!��

    The handsome man was near his mate in the next instant and carefully held his head. He checked him

    all over and cradled him to hisp.

    ��Einar! Einar! Please wake up..��

    Can��s attention was diverted by the sickly caw and he looked at the bird at once ��You need to go.

    Make sure no one sees you.�� The bird bobbed its head once again and levitated high in the sky. Can

    was disturbed by the pathetic state in which Einar was.

    The muscr man looked tormented while his face was pale. The dried tears colored his face while his

    eyes though constricted looked as if they were in pain.

    ��Einar!��

    The muscr man groaned and flipped his eyelids. He carefully opened his eyes and the distorted

    image of the man holding him was bing clearer and clearer. The brim of water couldn��t hold itself

    and Einar cried out of happiness when he saw the smiling face of his mate.

    ��I-I thought I lost you.�� he whispered in amazement and a slight disbelief in his voice. He lifted his hand

    and lovingly caressed the cheeks of the man with his palm. His mind was buzzed and he couldn��t think

    straight. He slowly lifted his body and sat face to face with the beautiful man. He sniveled while his lips

    trembled at the sight of Can. The flurry of emotions were storming inside of his head.

    ��I thought so too.�� Can smiled while his eyes cried at the relief and happiness his heart felt. He

    quickly closed the distance between them and embraced the man in a tight hug. it wasn��t just any hug,

    it was the embrace of a promise to hold onto to the man for a lifetime. It was an embrace to enlighten

    the fact that both the men were each others protective cocoon. Their body, brain and soul shielded all

    the rationale thoughts which could have flooded their minds right now.

    Can slowly retracted his arms and looked at the distraught state of Einar. He looked at the loving

    face of his man and the sudden rise in his heart beat. It wasn��t the worry in his face but the agony

    which was now suddenly reced by the longing Einar felt for him.

    Einar on the other side wasn��t thinking straight. There wasn��t anyone around who could see him, who

    could judge him, who could stop him. He didn��t care about the world. All he saw was his beautiful man.

    The dark disheveled hair, his mesmerizing green eyes and the fluffy crimson lips. His eyes riveted on

    Can��s mouth.

    When Einar��s eyesnded on the lips of Can his gaze stationed itself to it. His lips were pure, his lips

    were inviting.

    There was something in Can which was attracting Einar towards him.

    Without giving a care, without thinking about the consequences; the muscr man smashed his lips

    onto the lips of the handsome man!

    Can was shocked initially but he gave in to his senses and let his mate devour his mouth. He couldn��t

    think or breathe. He wrapped his arms to the body of his mate to clutch him in his binds whereas Einar

    plundered the mouth of the handsome man in a more rapturous way. Their lips moved in a rhythm

    while their souls were reeling from the effect of the bond.

    The kiss was out of the world.

    It was as if their lips were sealing their fate as one. The sun on the horizon shied away from the

    intimate moment while the moon on the other side glowed fiercely, weing the love between the

    men. Can and Einar didn��t care about the world as both the men melted into each others arm and

    kissed for eternity.

    ********

 Chapter 55: Objections

    Chapter 55: Objections

    The rays of the morning sun were done evading the darkness of the night. The light heat was

    prating the ground and filling it with its warmth. Einar gradually moved his head a little and

    forcefully opened his eyes to look at the big orange globe rising itself. He parted his lips and smiled.

    Last night had the been the best night he had ever experienced in his entire existence. He slept without

    a worry, only happy thoughts swarming his mind. He slowly rubbed his eyes but stopped in his

    movements when his elbows came into contact with something.

    His body electrified and an unknown spark flew through him. He looked bewildered and his mind was

    awake all of a sudden. The first thing he noticed was theck of clothes on his body however the more

    shocking fact was that he was lying besides another naked body.

    Einar was resting in the arms of his mate!

    The muscr man gasped in a jiffy and caught hold of himself. He stood upright and looked at the

    situation in absolute surprise. Even before he could answer the hows and whys his mind was distracted

    by the perfect well built body lying on the ground.

    It was the creation of gods themselves. Every muscle fiber of the man was sculpted with dexterity.

    Einar roamed his eyes mindlessly through the head towards the abdomen before stationing his gaze at

    the length of the man. An unknown giddiness swarmed his stomach. His mouth went dry and he wet

    his lips. As if that wasn��t enough his own manhood craved the flesh and he gasped loudly in his lust.

    Can slowly opened his eyes with the satisfying sound and looked at the muscr man in delight

    ��Good morning.�� he stretched his arms and legs and get rid of the morningziness.

    Einar was out of his daze in that instant and he realized what he was doing. He bit his lips hard and

    closed his eyes. His hands were shaking while he breathed heavily. Can was disturbed to look at the

    painful sight and he stood besides the muscr man in worry ��What��s wrong?��

    Can kept his hands on the shoulders of Einar when thetter shrugged it and retreated his steps in

    anger ��What are you doing Ashton?��

    Can smacked his palm to his forehead and rolled his eyes with a sigh ��Ohh.. Not this again!�� he

    whispered to himself.

    ��Why are we not wearing any clothes..?�� Can kept gawking at the man with an unknown expression

    ��ANSWER ME DAMMIT!��

    Can scoffed and bit his lips ��Just a moment ago you were sleeping like an angel in my arms and now

    you have a problem with us being naked. It didn��t seem to bother youst night.��

    ��Stop this nonsense! I am asking you something.��

    ��Alright.�� He raised his hands in mock surrender ��I��ll stop.��

    Can slowly stepped forward without withdrawing his gaze from the man in front while the muscr

    man fumbled and stepped back ��W-What are you doing?�� he asked in trepidation.

    ��What do you thing I��m doing.�� Can smirked. He slowly raised his arm and lightly touched the bare

    skin of Einar. The dark thick eyebrows, the hard lines of his jaw, his muscr arms; Can was feeling

    them all. On the other side Einar couldn��t stop himself from relishing the touch of his mate. The contact

    brought shivers to his body and he heaved dry breaths.

    Can smiled at the man ��This is the first time I am watching you in the shining rays of the early sun. I

    am sorry but I cant help touching your perfect skin.��

    ��Stop it.�� Einar spoke with a withering confidence. His body was not agreeing with the words he spoke.

    Can closed the gap between them and whispered in his ears ��Make me.��

    ��This is wrong.��

    ��Not a single drop of blood in your body believes you.��

    Einar gulped loudly and pushed Callen away ��I have a mate.��

    ��I know�� Can smirked and folded his hands to his chest with a smug look on his face ��He is standing

    right in front of you.��

    Einar stay put in his ce like a statue. His mind froze and every wisp of his breath was knocked out.

    The only moving part of his body were his eyelids which gradually grew perhaps in horror. Einar��s heart

    beat spiked and he was rendered defenseless all of a sudden. He couldn��t formte a future course of

    action. The smiling face of the handsome man said it all. Einar was busted. He knew a day as such

    could arrive but he wasn��t prepared. Moreover the situation was shaking him to the core.

    Can waited and waited for any response but when none came he shook his head in amusement

    ��Come on say something!�� he snickered ��I assumed that you would at least resist me at first.�� he

    shrugged. Einar stood glued to his ce. He even forgot to blink his eyes for he knew not what was

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    happening. He was clueless.

    ��Fine! let me speak your words.�� Can cleared his throat loudly and stood with a stance so as to

    reflect and act as Einar ��You would say things like ��Stop talking nonsense Ashton. You cannot be my

    mate. I don��t want you.. Think about your parents; think about my family; what would the pack say! h

    h h..�� and then you would curse me some more and say things to break my heart.�� Heughed a

    little ��See.. I simplified things for us.��

    Einar gazed at the man for the longest before uttering in surprise ��How long have you known?��

    ��Since our birthdays.. All my life I was waiting for that one special person but now I have three.��

    Einar growled in jealousy while Can giggled at his reaction. ��Rx I was talking about the demon

    and your wolf.��

    The muscr man bowed his head in shame and embarrassment. The very moment of truth was

    shaking his insides. He barely kept his resolve intact for it seemed that Can was enjoying himself. He

    felt humiliated and a bit angry ��I was a fool.��

    ��That you are.��

    ��You yed me.�� Einar gritted his teeth ��You had the audacity to hide such an important thing from me

    for so long. How dare you!��

    ��Uh uh. We shouldn��t go there.�� Can raised a brow and shook his head ��As far as I remember you hid

    being my mate for almost eight years! Compared to that I have been lenient with you. I am even ready

    to let you go with an apology. So go ahead, say sorry.��

    Can took two steps ahead with a childish pout and mischief in his eyes. Whereas Einar was not in his

    own ��You think this is a joke. I wont apologize for anything.��

    ��Ever so stubborn. Now since the big secret is revealed. There is no need for your fake cover.��

    Einar brushed aside his fears and cleared his throat ��I stand by my decision Ashton.�� he looked at

    Can with determination ��I don��t want you. I reject you as my mate!��

    The words stung Einar but he had no choice left. Can was hellbent on a destructive path. A path

    which had no future but only obstacles to their union. The glimmer of hope which he saw in Can��s

    eyes needed to be squashed for it was for his own good.

    Can saw the hesitation and anxiousness behind the hard lined face of Einar. Owing to the proximity

    for the past several weeks Can had learned to discern the features of his mate. He knew Einar was

    hurting himself and he also knew that he wont budge from his stand. However this time Can wasn��t

    going to back down either ��I wish it was that easy. Your determined to push me away and I��m certain to

    get you one day.��

    Einar huffed and looked to the other side which made Can slightly infuriated. Can knitted his brow

    and looked fiercely towards the man in front of him ��Listen here Einar Ragnar Knight�� The tone in his

    voice was stern ��I don��t know what stupid excuses you would create in the future or what ns you

    make to get rid of me. Put one thing in your thick hard skull. You are mine! We belong with each other.

    You will surrender and I will embrace you in my arms. There is no other way.��

    Einar forgot to breathe. This was the only thing which he feared all through his life. He had seen the will

    and determination of the man in the past and he knew that Can wasn��t among the warriors to bow

    down. Once he set his eyes onto something he would garner all his energy until he gets that and Einar

    was witnessing the same madness in Can��s eyes

    ��You��ve lost your mind�� Einar whispered ��You don��t know what you are talking. Don��t you understand? I

    WANT YOU OUT OF MY LIFE!��

    " I am not going anywhere.��

    ��Know your ce Ashton.��

    ��My ce is with you.��

    Einar was speechless. There was simply no winning with the stubborn nature of the man. He deduced

    that the conversation right now was pointless for Can was in no state of mind to see reason. Einar

    pushed past Can to look for his clothes and dressed himself as fast as he could. Without looking

    back he marched his steps in long strides to create arge distance from the man.

    ��Fine.�� Can raised his voice ��You don��t ept me as your mate then let the council decide.��

    The words halted Einar in his tracks ��No!�� he turned his back to look at his mate in horror ��Don��t do

    that.��

    However even before he could speak anything else his strong ears could hear the pained voices of

    Justus and Mary apanied by the mirrored voices of his parents. The wolves were nearing ��Cover

    yourself..�� Einar said in a jiffy.

    Can battled Einar with his eye butter did as he was told. He wasn��t happy by the way Einar was

    treating him. At this point of time though it was his parents who diverted his mind. He could see a

    concerned Mary running like her life depended on it only to thrash her body straight to the body of her

    son. She embraced him in a tight hug and cried a river.

    Ragnar was close to his son next and looked at him with worry ��Where were you? We were so

    worried!�� Einar was perplexed for he hadn��t seen his father in this state before. The seer sessions

    must��ve done done something to him he thought. Zelda rubbed the palm of her son to soothe him when

    she herself was in the need to rx her motherly senses.

    ��Are you alright my son?�� Ragnar inquired again. Einar smiled and nodded his head to his parents. The

    alpha acknowledged his son and looked at the Ashtons ��Come lets go.��

    ****

    Einar��s mind was in two minds for the entire journey back home. On one side he was delighted that the

    human of the pack was eptive of him while on the other hand he was worried for Can��s madness

    would cost them dearly. He kept his cool and strong headed fa?ade a bit more but he wanted his best

    friend by his side now. That was the first thing he wanted to do after reaching the pack.

    As soon as the Knights stepped inside the alpha house they were taken aback by the horror they

    witnessed inside the house. It looked like a storm of high intensity had passed by and wrecked every

    single piece of furniture. Therge mahogany tables, the doors, the decors, the chandeliers were all

    dismantled from their ces. Charred dust of sses and broken pieces of wood decorated the entire

    floor.

    Ragnar was worried by the sight in front of him but he was perplexed by his servants who stood in a

    line bowing their head in shame or fear he could not understand. He wanted to discern the truth from

    the omegas but even before he could do that he heard footsteps from above the stairs. Zelda and

    Ragnar bowed their head in respect while Einar looked at the figure with anger.

    ��Ah! Wee! Wee alpha family.�� Beatrice said as she slowly stepped her foot down the first stair

    ��I was waiting for you.��

    Beatrice was followed by her guards who looked as fierce as the son of the alpha himself. She stood in

    front of the family while one by one the alpha and his mate bent on one knee to kiss the back of her

    palm. Beatrice focused her attention to Einar who was knitting his brows in anger ��Where are your

    manners sweetie?��

    She raised her palm mid air and gestured Einar to do the deed. Einar on the other side swallowed his

    anger and reluctantly bent on his knee to kiss the palm of thedy with disgust. He stood in front of her

    and both of them stared at each other with animosity. The aura they projected waspelling the

    entire ce to submit or run away. Ragnar took control of the situation and cleared his throat.

    ��What a pleasant surprise princess. I hope you have made yourselffortable.��

    ��That I have but I would��ve loved if the alpha was here to receive me.�� she smirked ��I hope you know

    the purpose of my visit Ragnar.��

    Addressing an alpha by his name was a tant disrespect and Ragnar��s wolf was not having it.

    However the royals were a strong force to reckon with. They were someone who shouldn��t be messed

    with. Ragnar was aware of the fact and hence kept his pride at bay ��I know.�� He slowly said.

    ��Lets get started then.��

    ��But princess..��

    ��What.�� she said indifferently. She closed the distance between her and Ragnar and whispered

    challengingly ��Do you have something to say alpha?�� Ragnar gritted his teeth but took deep breaths

    before bowing his head in negation.

    ��Follow me.��

    The alpha did as he was told and followed the princess to his office.

    Einar caught hold of Garrick who was waiting impatiently for a single nce from his best friend.

    You were supposed to be here a few days back.

    Something came up. We need to talk.

    Garrick noticed the desperation in Einar��s tone What��s with you?

    Einar swept his gaze all around Where is Rosaline?

    At Mabel��s. Lets meet in the woods.

    ****

    ��You didn��t do anything! How is that possible!�� Archer looked at Can in disbelief.

    ��Of course we kissed.�� Can sighed an an unknown smile stered his face ��We embraced, touched

    each other but right after we undressed ourselves he passed out.��

    ��What a bummer!��

    Can agreed with a nod ��I think the butterflies had drained him of his energy and so he passed out.

    Besides he doesn��t remember anything.��

    ��Or he does not want to remember anything.��

    ��Maybe.�� Can shrugged ��It doesn��t matter anymore. I have made my intentions clear and there wont

    be any more hiding.��

    Can was pensive again when he remembered the wonderful night he spent with his mate. It was the

    first time since knowing Einar that the handsome man was able to be this close to his mate. It was as if

    the night was meant to be. Can colored himself within the embrace of Einar��s affection. The muscr

    man was true to his feelings and it felt absolutely amazing to be in the arms of the man who loved you

    the most in the world. That night cemented the belief in Can��s mind that he was meant to be Einar��s

    mate.

    ��You are blushing.�� Archer pointed to the flushed skin of Can��s cheeks ��I can see the depth of your

    feelings for him.��

    ��I couldn��tprehend when the sting of love bit me.�� The handsome man said in a low, shy voice

    ��I don��t think you should pressurize Einar. Give him some time so that he cane to his senses.��

    Can shook his head ��He had ample of it. Besides I cant wait my entire life waiting for his first move.��

    ��What are you nning to do?��

    ��What else.�� he shrugged ��I would express my feelings to him again and again till the time he caves in.��

    Archer raised a brow in understanding ��That��s another way to do it.��

    ��Yes but first I need to convince Daragor to give Einar another chance.��

    ��And how would you do that?��

    ��Its simple. I would say the words that evaded my mouth time and again. There wont be any escaping

    now. I would reach his arms, engulf him in my embrace and finally say the words he has been waiting

    for.��

    Archer was happy to see the sate of mind that ruled his best friend these days. He was content that

    finally Can was getting what he deserved. Happiness.

    He leaned forward and teasingly blinked his eyes ��And what words are those?��

    Can pursed his lips but snorted at Archers yful tease. He sighed deeply before gathering his

    courage toe out of his sweet embarrassment ��That I love him.��

    ****

    When the beta and Einar prated the woods they discussed all that happened in their absence and

    talked at a stretch. However it was the news from Einar that shocked Garrick the most. He sweat with

    fear while his heart beats raised in nervousness ��This cant be good.��

    ��Indeed it is not. I don��t know what I am supposed to do.��

    ��Did you ept him?��

    ��What do think Garrick?�� Einar retorted in anger.

    ��Ah. Yes. Right.�� he nervously nodded ��That would��ve been foolish.��

    ��We need to make Can hate me. Do something for which he could never forgive me.��

    Garrick understood the pain his best friend was going through right now. After all Can was his mate.

    Even though Einar may not love him, Garrick never wanted any wolf to go through this predicament.

    ��Do you even understand what you are saying?��

    ��I am quite sure Garrick; besides this is the only way.��

    Garrick paused for a moment and went pensive. After a few moments though his eyes sparkled and he

    hesitatingly looked at Einar. ��I have something in my mind. However I need to know if you really want to

    go through with it because there wont be any turning back.��

    Einar looked at the options in front if him. Should he ept Can as his mate the entire world will be

    after the handsome man. He would make enemies from every parts. The royals would have the

    leverage to finally dere the pack as absolute. More importantly the world will know that the man has

    a weakness. His enemies will take advantage of the fact that Can was after all just a human;

    Incapable to defend himself in the times of need. The constant fear about his well being and safety

    would divert Einar��s mind forever and he wont be able to fulfill his other duty.

    Shall he deny Can his right there was always a possibility that Can would put forward his plea in

    front of the council. It wouldn��t be hard to find out that indeed the man was true and Einar has a male

    mate. Even if the council was not involved the man would leave no stone unturned to get what he

    wants. The determination and focus which he saw in Can that night was baffling Einar more and

    more. Can��s eyes reflected a madness of its own kind. He had been waiting for his mate for years

    and when he finally found the one he wasn��t going to back down from iming him.

    This meant that Einar had only one option left. Make Can realize that Einar was not the right person

    for him. That he would never find happiness with him. That mating him would lead to nothing but pain

    and agony. Only then would hee to his senses and relinquish the thought of being together with

    him.

    Einar was pained at his decision but he had to do the needful. He cleared his throat to say the heavy

    words which were killing him from the inside.

    ��I am sure. I want Can to hate me forever.��

    ********

 Chapter 56: Unforgiven

    Chapter 56: Unforgiven

    The scorching heat was unrelenting in its wrath. The wolves stood in apprehension taking shelter under

    every shade avable. They were forced to endure the brutality of the radiating heat. It wasn��t a choice.

    Today marked the day when the former alpha would repent for his deeds.

    Tworge metal strings were attached to the arms of the muscr man. At the end of the metal were

    two giant boulders firmly fixed with the rope. Einar looked at the sky above and slowly wiped off the

    sweat which formed on his forehead. He nced at every face which either looked at him with worry or

    either in pity.

    Everybody but one.

    Beatrice sat on her royal throne whose back sprung arge umbre upwards while four enforcers

    guarded her throne from every corner. She asionally smirked and huffed at the pitiful state of Einar.

    She felt proud for she was responsible for everything that would ur from a few moments onward.

    Einar looked at his loved ones in shame and sorrow. He couldn��t bear the agony, the pain his mother

    was suffering right now. His father though with a tough exterior, was on the brink of losing his constraint

    of emotions. Garrick looked equally worried while Rosaline fidgeted her fingers with nervousness.

    Everyone was scared of the oue.

    Einar than slowly swiped his gaze to the one face he wished he hadn��t looked at. Standing afar from

    everyone else was his mate in all his handsomeness, looking slightly worried but his smile remained

    intact and glued to Einar. He smiled through his eyes and nodded in assurance for this was his way to

    encourage the man he loved.

    Einar lost his eye contact when Beatrice spoke all of a sudden. ��Well then, I don��t think we should wait

    any longer. The sun is at its peak which means that you are ready to go.�� She leaned ahead and

    devilishly smirked at Einar ��Pay for your sins.��

    Einar growled lightly in anger but he kept his mum for he was ready to suffer what Beatrice had to offer.

    The day when he attacked his pack members rendered him an obsolete alpha. A man who was seen

    as a destroyer rather than a protector. He knew that the royal council would use his vulnerability as an

    opportune moment to prove that the pack was in doldrums. Though his father��s timely intervention had

    saved the pack to an extent but the damage was done.

    Beatrice smiled at everyone present and ordered the gong to be belled thrice. Everyone looked in

    anticipation as Einar had to seek forgiveness for his deeds. He had to pull therge boulders with his

    brute strength to the other side of the pack where his forefathersid in peace. He then had to carve

    the name of his grandfather and put the stone right besides the grave. But all this was to be done

    before the sun was up the next day.

    For even a muscr man like Einar the stones were heavy to pull. Besides the length he had to travel

    seemed impossible to cover in a span of one day.

    The first step of Einar looked impossible. He gritted his teeth vigorously while all his veins popped up to

    rush the flow of blood, to provide him the energy to pull. He moaned in frustration and slowly inched

    forward slightly discing the boulders.

    Can looked worried from afar and though his conscience was against it, he decided to intervene. He

    joined his thumbs and ovepped them face to face. As if on cue the weight which was being carried

    was lighter and easier to pull. Einar was astonished at his strength for the stones were moving fast and

    he could cover more distance.

    The people around were amazed by the strength the man possessed while the alpha mates were

    partially relieved that Einar was able to circumvent this obstacle. Can was trying his best to keep his

    identity hidden and use his powers without being detected. However his efforts were draining him. The

    more time this went on the more he was deprived of his energy.

    Beatrice on the other hand found this predicament disturbing. She wasn��t expecting the previous alpha

    to be this strong. It wasn��t going too well with her. She stood from her ce and whispered something

    to her guards. She marched forward and halted Einar��s strides.

    ��Stop right there.��

    Her stern eyes were indifferent to the pained expressions of the man. She took two steps ahead and

    gestured to the people.

    ��Perhaps I underestimated the strength of this man. It is but obvious that the procedure is being carried

    out for repentance and look at him! He slid these stones with no effort at all. How will he prove to our

    ancestors that indeed he his sorry!�� She huffed derisively and took a pregnant pause ��I don��t think that

    only pulling this stone is enough to gain forgiveness.��

    Soon the enforces arrived with huge sacs and took their respective positions. Beatrice turned to look at

    Einar with a devilish smirk and turned again. ��He deserves to feel the pain he forced those innocents to

    go through.�� She held the helm of the sac and retrieved an empty ss bottle. She gestured her

    guards and all of them pulled out ss articles one by one. Without any warning she mmed the

    ss bottle with a force right in front of Einar��s legs!

    The people in the crowd were shocked when they realized what was happening. The entire path

    through which Einar was supposed to lead his way to the grave was being covered by smashed pieces

    of ss. Can was left speechless when he saw what was being done. The anger in him was growing

    and he felt like strangting the princess right at this very moment.

    Einar closed his eyes and heaved a long sigh before his determined eyes looked ahead. He wasn��t

    going to back down. He took a strong step forward and as soon as his feet touched the ground the

    sharp brittle substance stung to his skin. The irritation was evident but the pain had just began.

    Step by step Einar moved forward while the charred ss prated his bare feet. He grimaced with

    every touch of the substance but held his groans. His stifled moans of pain were noticed by the man

    who was equally pained at the moment; Can.

    Einar��s feet were now leaving behind a shadow of red dust. The blood which oozed through his leg

    covered his tracks.

    A collective gasp echoed throughout when Einar stepped on a thick pointed ss. The brittle

    substance had pierced the skin right through the bones of the man such that ss had made a hole in

    his leg to make its way up.

    Pain soared throughout his entire body and Einar could no longer contain his agony. He moaned the

    loudest while his eyes released some water to ease the pain.

    Can��s heart beat elerated as he watched the man he loved in utter despair. His intention to help

    had somehow caused the muscr man to suffer even more. Can looked at the women with hatred

    and resolved to show her her ce when the timees. However his sole attention was now focused

    on the man who was hissing in burning pain.

    Beatrice felt proud of herself as she smiled at the weakened state of Einar. She was sure that he wont

    be able to reach the grave in time. She looked at the people with a dramatic change of expressions ��I

    think we should leave the man alone. Let himplete his act of remorse in solitude. We being here

    will only discourage him.��

    She diverted her attention to Einar and stepped towards him. she leaned ahead and whispered in his

    ears ��I hope you die soon.�� She smiled at him while Einar groaned in retaliation.

    Beatrice huffed and ordered the pack to retreat. With glossy eyes and worried faces the people were

    Einar looked at him with confusion while Can looked at Einar as if his life dependent on the man in

    front of him.

    As soon as everyone was out of his sight Can ran as quickly as possible and embraced the man in a

    tight hug. The gesture took Einar by surprised and he leaned his body a little to ease his pain.

    Can slowly pushed him back and bent on one knee. He lightly but carefully uplifted Einar��s injured

    feet and kept it on his own knee. The very sight of the wound was disturbing to say the least. The hard

    ss had passed inside-out of the leg piercing all the way up. Can was deeply pained for the

    suffering Einar had to face and for the agony which he was in right now.

    He mindfully caught the lower end of the ss and without any warning pulled it downwards. The

    action made Einar groan loudly. He hissed in pain and when he couldn��t hold any longer he growled.

    Can slowly stood up and embraced Einar in a sweet hug. He kissed his cheeks softly and wiped the

    tears of his pain ��Everything will be fine. I wont let anything happen to you.��

    The spoken words soothed the muscr man of his pain in an instant. His fa?ade was broken and he

    mirrored the adoring look of the handsome man. Both of them gazed at each other for the longest.

    Just as he came to his senses Einar��s smile vanished and he sternly looked at Can ��Don��t be stupid

    Ashton. Go back home.��

    ��I wont go without you.��

    ��You are making it difficult for me. Leave at once Ashton I beg you.��

    ��I wont go. I told you I am not leaving you now and never.��

    ��You cante with me.��

    ��And who will stop me.��

    Einar gritted his teeth in anger and growled. However he took long breaths and calmed himself ��Alright

    but stay out of the path.��

    Can smiled and nodded his head. He quickly made his way to one of the boulders and jumped on it

    to sit ��I hope I wont be a burden on you.��

    An innocent smile stered Einar��s face as he whispered to himself ��You will never be a burden for

    me.��

    ��I heard that..��

    Einar cleared his throat and sternly rebuked him ��Just keep your mouth shut.��

    Can smirked at that and decided to be quite. Not because he wanted to chafe Einar but he wanted to

    focus on what he was about to do.

    Einar limped with his left foot and was heaving deep breaths to soothe his pain. He was aware that his

    difort would be noticed by the quick witted human and hence he had to endure all the pain in

    silence. Can on the other hand was ready to share the punishment of his beloved.

    When Einar took one step forward, Can swiped his left thumb and all of a sudden the winds changed

    their direction. The winds circled and stationed right in front of Can. The handsome man twisted his

    palm. The very next instant the strong breeze crossed both the men and swiped away all the charred

    ss pieces along with them.

    Einar was astonished and he stood glued right at his ce ��Did you see that!��

    ��What?��

    ��The winds.�� Einar��s mouthy open in shock.

    ��What winds?��

    ��The winds that cleared the path just now.��

    ��That��s strange indeed.�� Can smirked ��its an indication that your forefathers have already forgiven

    you.��

    Einar was aware that Can wasn��t taking this seriously. He marched ahead because he had no time to

    stop and think what miracle had transpired.

    ��We should proceed.��

    Can smiled at a bewildered Einar and used his powers to lighten the weight of the stones. On the

    other hand the easy going boulders was making Einar wonder if he had gained some extra strength all

    of a sudden. Soon the men reached the graves of the former alphas. It was a ce where all of Einar��s

    forefathers rested in peace. Einar quickly searched for the appropriate grave and marched his steps

    ahead.

    Can however was sweating while his hands trembled to keep the stones in ce. The excessive use

    of his powers was draining his energy. Can sighed and breathed more air for he wanted to help Einar

    hammering the stones to carve the name of his grandfather. Einar had to break the stones in a suitable

    size to fit in the length of the resting ce.

    Can knew that Einar would have to exert a lot to do this strenuous act. His love andpassion

    propelled him to use his energy to help Einar. His breaths came in shallow pace but he gathered all of

    his energy onest time for when Einar hit the hammer, the big boulder was broken and a square

    shape stone was born.

    Einary stunned for what he witnessed. The task required hours of hard work but was done rmingly

    soon. He turned back to look at Can to reassure himself of the miracle when he saw the handsome

    man lying on the ground unconscious.

    ****

    The feeling of tender hands on his cheeks brought Can out of his sleepy daze. He opened his eyes

    to witness a relieved Aurora sitting on the bedside besides him. She smiled at her friend and enquired

    ��How are you feeling?��

    Can nodded in assurance that he was fine ��Who brought me here?��

    ��It was Garrick.�� Can scowled for he remembered that Garrick was nowhere in the picture. He

    realized that Einar must��ve been worried for him but at the same time he was in the midst of something

    equally important. However there was hurtful pang in his heart because Einar preferred Garrick to take

    him home rather than he himself.

    He sighed and looked at Aurora in anxiousness ��What happened?��

    ��I guess you exhausted yourself too much. You shouldplete your awakening, in this way your body

    wont tire itself. You will be able to use your powers for long.��

    Can shook his head the moment those words were out of Aurora��s mouth ��You know the time is not

    right.��

    ��Will you tell Einar?��

    ��Yes but only when I trust him.��

    Aurora looked surprised ��But I thought..��

    ��I love him. Trust is another issue.�� Aurora nodded in understanding and decided to not delve in the

    matter any longer. Can on the other side scanned his eyes throughout the room and came to the

    conclusion that he was in a familiar ce ��Why am I in my home and not in the alpha house?��

    ��They thought it would be better if you were treated in seclusion.��

    ��Beatrice?��

    Aurora hummed. Can was aware of the princess and her tricks. Had she known about Can��s

    condition she would have investigated the matter to the core. On one side she would have tried to be

    unnecessarily closer to him while on the other side Einar would have been reprimanded because of

    Can��s presence in the vicinity.

    ��Where are my parents?�� Can asked all of a sudden

    ��They are downstairs. Do you want to meet them?��

    Can smiled and nodded his head. He was aware of how worried his mother would be right now, she

    must��ve have cried a river and caught everyone in her storm of concern. He mentally smiled at his

    mother��s behavior and propelled himself up. Aurora was right behind him when both of them heard

    ranging voices from the floor beneath.

    Can sped his steps ahead and saw his parents face to face with Garrick and Einar. The muscr

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    man for some reason looked angry. usation was clear in his eyes. Can reached the ground below

    and stood besides his father ��What is going on?��

    Einar��s expressions softened for a moment before he gathered himself and looked sternly at the

    Ashtons ��It is time for confessions. Your father hid something important when he was the head warrior.��

    ��I beg you Einar.�� Justus spoke helplessly in a low voice ��It has been years.��

    ��You broke my fathers trust.��

    ��I had to do it for my child.��

    Einar huffed ��Putting your Childs life in danger was necessary!��

    Can intervened the heated conversation ��Will anyone tell me what��s going on!��

    ��You stay away from it.�� Garrick pulled Can away from the both of them much to the chagrin of the

    Elemental.

    Einar kept his eyes focused on the man as if the presence of his mate did not bother him. ��You knew

    the consequences.��

    ��I knew.��

    The air in Einar was stuck in his throat while his locket glowed. He vigorously shook his head and took

    deep breaths ��This means that you knowingly risked his life.��

    Justus was calm for the longest. He exchanged looks with a crying Mary and diverted his gaze at

    Can apologetically. The handsome man deduced the features of his father and his eyes widened in

    shock. He soon realized what the matter was all about and pleaded his father to keep his silence.

    However Justus bravely smiled at his son and turned his head to look at an angry Einar ��I did.��

    The words got Einar rallied again. His locket was vibrating while it levitated mid air. His eyes flickered

    from the original brown to aplete ck. He gritted his teeth to control his beast and threateningly

    whispered ��You also knew that he could��ve got killed.��

    Justus was ashamed for his deeds and he bowed his head ��There was a possibility.��

    That was the trigger point for Einar. The locket in his neck was beyond his control. His eyes erged

    and a dark mistpletely took over him. Before anyone could even realize it the demon had stretched

    his hand to the jugr of Justus. The angry veins in him popped up to flow the dark liquid and Daragor

    hissed his displeasure at Justus.

    Can��s mind froze and he stood on his ce with a nk expression. He never imagined a scenario

    as such would ever ur in his entire lifetime.

    Garrick, Mary and Aurora ran quickly to intervene Einar��s actions. They all tried to stop him but their

    efforts were in vain. One by one Einar was waving his hands and thrashing the wolves out of his way.

    Can was astounded to see the vexation in Daragor. It was certain that Daragor would stop only when

    Justus was killed. He looked at his father whose flow of blood was being constricted. The air in his

    body was leaving him and he was slowly falling in a deep sleep. Without wasting any more time the

    handsome man ran to his mate and held his hands with all the force he could

    ��Stop it... Stop it... Daragor NO!��

    However the demon was in a different world. The only thing in his mind was to end the man who could

    have gotten his mate killed even before they met. He was angry beyond measure. He was so much in

    his daze that he even did not realize the hands which were stopping him from doing the deed. Even

    before he could stop it, the demon flicked his hand with his brute strength and Can was thrashed to

    the nearest wall.

    The agonizing sound of Can��s painful moan was what brought the demon out of his daze. He slowly

    brought his hands down and looked at Can with an empty expression.

    Remorse. It was the only thing which he could feel right now. What had he done! He had hurt the only

    person in the world who he ever cared about. His subconscious mind was demanding reparations for

    his actions. He wished he could un-do what he just did. He didn��t feel like he deserved the love of his

    mate any more. The guilt was a stain on him, an ugly scar.

    The handsome man looked at the distraught face of the demon and he was scared. Can recalled the

    words of Daragor that he could never see him in pain and now he was the one responsible for it.

    Can stumbled in his stance but stood on his feet. He smiled at the demon assuring him that

    everything was fine; that he was perfectly all right. However the moment he took two steps ahead

    Daragor��s feet retreated backwards. He squeezed his eyes and tears of contrition flew through his

    cheeks. He apologetically looked at Can and uttered his regret

    ��Please forgive me.��

    Just as Can was about to touch his mate, Einar inhaled arge breath and a globe of dark mist

    circled the man. It forcefully revolved around Einar beforepletely vanishing. Einar was on his

    knees with his eyes shut tightly. He heaved long breaths while his body trembled.

    Can sat besides Einar as quickly as possible and cupped the face of his mate. He instinctively jerked

    his face in order to make him open his eyes ��Daragor! Daragor! Please open your eyes..��

    The muscr man slowly opened his eyes. However his eyes were the usual brown instead of the dark

    orbs of the demon. The brown eyes were sad. Can��s fear of losing his beloved became true when

    Einar uttered in a sorrowful voice ��He is gone.. Forever!��

    ********

 Chapter 57: Expulsion

    Chapter 57: Expulsion

    The alpha office resembled a ce of quietus. Zelda, Aurora and Rosaline were finding it difficult to

    control Mary who was inconsble. On the other hand Can stood strongly with his father whose

    head was bowed down in guilt. He couldn��t bear to look into the eyes of his alpha.

    Ragnar felt betrayed. He had been friends with Justus for centuries and was always close to him

    besides Umberto. It was hard for him to believe that his good friend had broken his trust.

    ��Why did you do it?�� Ragnar asked usingly.

    The entire hall was silenced at once and all eyes were glued to Justus; waiting for an exnation.

    Justus took a long breath and slowly raised his head ��I thought that it was the best for my child. At that

    time I was heavily induced by my passion to make Can a warrior.��

    He pursed his lips and lowered his voice ��I wasn��t thinking straight.��

    ��There is a reason why every single person of the blue moon pack is barred from entering queen

    Katana��s territory. You of all people know the reason why!��

    Justus looked ashamed. He closed his eyelids and nodded. In fact he knew what the alpha was trying

    to imply. Queen Katana��s ind was a ce where disorder prevailed. Apart from the queen, there was

    no other authority in ce. Moreover the queen��s mirthful activities was a cause of ire for many. She

    enved members of every species on the pretext of giving them a new lease of life. On the hindsight,

    her only motive was to gain control over everyone. She was to the further side of disposition and

    structure.

    The ugly part of it all was that the queen enjoyed people��s misery. Her way of entertainment was at the

    cost of someone��s life. She arranged life threatening feuds for rogues in order to give them a chance to

    live a dignified life. However the loser was either killed or was tagged a ve till hisst breath. These

    actions of the queenpelled themunities around the world to seclude her from their co-

    operation. She was left all alone to rule her own kingdom without any outside help.

    The blue moon pack like every other pack had banned its members from having any association with

    the queen. However, Justus thought that Can��s mettle would only sparkle when he faced the real

    test. Justus�� passion to see his child��s bright future blinded him from realizing that Can was indeed a

    child. Making him enter the feud was a risk of a lifetime.

    ��I realize what you are trying to say my alpha. As I said earlier, I wanted to make Can ready for every

    possibility.��

    ��By risking the life of your only child!�� princess Beatrice bellowed her voice and overtook Ragnar to

    stand face to face with Justus. She poked her finger to his chest and venomously spoke ��You pathetic

    wolf.. Do you even realize that you were sending him on death missions for several years? A human

    child!�� She turned her face to look at Mary in irritation ��Oh! Woman will you please stop that noise! Its

    aching my ears now.��

    Mary sniveled as her crying voice was lowered all of a sudden. She kept her head low while all her well

    wishers were eyeing Beatrice with distaste.

    Ragnar cleared his throat ��I think the matter concerns my people princess.��

    The princess turned back and huffed at the alpha. Ragnar on the other hand kept his cool ��I will look

    into it if you may.��

    ��Oh please!�� she snickered derisively ��What have you done so far? You were blind for so many years.

    You couldn��t save your beta, you couldn��t stop your own son from being a carnage, you didn��t realize

    how your own good friend was stabbing your back for so many years.�� She huffed.

    She stretched the side of her lips ��You are a pathetic excuse for an alpha I must say.��

    Ragnar��s temper was rising with every passing moment. However his hands were tied for there was

    truth in what she said. Ragnar fisted his hands and hurtfully looked at Justus.

    The tant disrespect of his father made Einar angry. He wanted to squash thedy��s head to the

    nearest wall at this moment. He decided to handle the matter in a civilized manner to keep his sanity

    intact. He put forward his step and stood strong in front of the princess.

    ��With all due respect princess Beatrice, this isn��t your jurisdiction to look into. My father is capable

    enough to handle the matter.��

    Beatrice raised a brow andughed all of a sudden ��I can see that.�� She swiped her gaze all around

    ��Your not a pack of wolves; your a pack of fools.��

    The vilification of their pack had caused the wolves to see the princess in a different light. They were

    angry at her. Einar could sense the emotions of his fellow pack members and he wanted to react but

    his father sensed the delicate moment and he intervened.

    Ragnar cleared his throat and gestured his son to step back. He realized that indeed there was no

    escape from this. He unwillingly toughened his stance and asked Justus in a stern voice ��Do you agree

    to every im that are made against you?��

    Justus took a pregnant pause and heaved a long sigh ��I do.��

    ��Oh yes you do!�� the princess mocked the man ��You and this horribledy wont be able to see the next

    rising sun. My enforcers would make sure of it.��

    ��No one dare touches my father!�� Can raised his voice and guarded Justus. His face was red with

    anger while the bracelet in his wrist glowed. The atmosphere outside had suddenly be dark as the

    once shining sun was hidden behind the thick dark clouds. Winds started gaining speed while the trees

    made a whoosh sound of resistance.

    Aurora was afraid for what Can��s anger might turn this ce into. She quickly made her way towards

    the man and pulled him back a little. The handsome man eyed the witch with anger but soon his

    temper died down when he noticed his glowing bracelet.

    ��Oh my darling these are the rules of the wolves.�� Beatrice dramatically softened her expressions and

    went near Can. ��I know you are blood rted but they wronged our culture. They disobeyed a direct

    ��I don��t care.�� Can gritted his teeth ��I will burn everything down if even a single strand of hair of my

    father is harmed.��

    ��Back down Can.�� Justus held his sons hand ��We would be the one to pay for our sins.��

    Can looked at his father in hopelessness ��If I��m the one who has been wronged then I forgive you. I

    don��t want any justice.��

    ��Its not that easy boy.�� All eyes were directed to the booming voice of the alpha ��Your father broke the

    rules when he was in position. He breached our trust.�� the alpha looked at Justus ��You know what��s

    Justus nodded curtly ��I��m ready.��

    Ragnar looked at all the concerned faces around and swiped a treacherous bead of hurt and

    a long breath and with a heavy voice he spoke ��By the powers vested in me by the holy spirits of our

    forefathers.. I Ragnar Gregor Knight condemn the acts of our former head warrior and hereby dere

    that he shall no longer be a part of us. He along with his mate shall be debarred from the blue moon

    pack till theirst breath.��

    The uttered words shocked the alpha himself. He cried from the sorrow and painfully looked at his

    dearest friend. Justus exchanged the same look and weakly nodded at the alpha assuring him that

    indeed he did the right thing. The once silent room was filled with murmurs and whispers. The echoing

    gasps of the sudden upset resembled the shock which the people all around felt.

    Rosaline kissed Mary��s cheeks while Zelda refused to leave thedy alone. Arthur and Aldous were

    quiet all along but they knew the situation was dire. Though Can had been his arch nemesis Aldous

    felt bad for Justus; his former teacher and predecessor. Garrick and Einar looked at each other with a

    bit of fear and an unknown expression.

    Einar was terrified to look at Can for he knew the reaction of the handsome man. The look of Can

    said it all.

    He was a disaster.

    His lips moved and his eyes welled up a stream of water. A strong sentiment of his resentment.

    ��No!�� Can shook his head vigorously ��No! No!�� He whispered in trepidation ��I cant let this happen.��

    The handsome man clutched the hands of his mother and father tightly and brought them to his chest.

    With angry eyes he looked at everyone around as if he was warning them to be away from his parents.

    Like a precious toy of a kid was being snatched away from him. Indeed his behavior was childish but

    he didn��t care. He couldn��t think about his conduct right now.

    ��Stop it Can.��

    A concerned Mary grabbed Can��s attention as she cupped her child��s face ��Your father and I knew

    that we would have to face the justice of the goddess one day.�� She bravely smiled through her teary

    eyes ��We don��t regret being your parents. I hope you don��t regret being our son.��

    Can looked at his mother with a burnt heart and sorrowful gaze. His insides were shaking. The

    emotional turbulence he felt right now was beyondprehension. He gulped his agony and looked at

    his mother ��What kind of a justice is this? I am not leaving you alone.�� He almost pleaded ��I��ll join you.

    Please..!��

    ��This is your ce now.�� Mary shook her head lightly while Justus overtook his mate ��Serve the alpha

    and be a good boy.��

    Justus held Can��s hand and kissed the back of his palm, tapping it profusely in a gesture of promise

    and assurance ��Everything will be fine.��

    Justus�� red eyes were swollen with the amount of self restrain he was showing. It wasn��t easy for him.

    He had served the alpha house for centuries and now he had to leave everything behind. The alpha

    house was like a family to him. Deep down he knew what he did was right for his family. Yet there were

    consequences to his sacrifices and he was willing to pay for it. He closed his eyes and took long

    breaths before focusing on the mother-son conversation again.

    ��I don��t care about the pack anymore.�� Can sniveled ��All I want is you mother. Why should I live

    without you and father? This isn��t fair to me..��

    ��I know my child.�� Mary kissed Can��s cheeks ��But you are strong and have a good heart. You will

    survive this.��

    His mothers words splintered inside Can causing him pain. The murmurs and voices around him

    were inaudible. His vision refused to hold anyone else other than his parents. When he couldn��t hold

    back anymore he hugged his mother tightly and cried his heart out. His mother responded by

    embracing Can strongly in her arms.

    The emotional moment between a mother and her son made everyone speechless.

    Mary lovingly ran her hands on the back of Can, trying to soothe him of his pain while the handsome

    man sniveled at every interval. Justus on the other hand raised his chin and nted a deep kiss to his

    son��s forehead. His constricted eyelids flew the tears of his sorrow.

    It was the message of farewell.

    Both of his parents backed away a little and looked at their son for onest time. Can wished for the

    moment to freeze. His breaths came in short gasps while his uttered words were broken because of his

    crying. He subconsciously stretched his arm forward to gesture his mother to hold his hand and not let

    go.

    Mary could no longer look at the vulnerable state of her loving child and she hid herself behind her

    mate. Her muffled voice of pain was not cloaked from anyone. With teary eyes she looked above and

    asked the goddess for her son��s safety and happiness. Justus held Mary��s hand to give her the

    strength she needed. He swiped his gaze all around, smiling at all of his formerpanions before

    briefly nodding at his son.

    The couple retreated their steps and soon left the alpha��s office. Can stood there with his gaze

    stationed at the door. He couldn��t contemte the situation before him. He felt like a helpless loser. His

    parents were the most precious thing to him. They were his pack, his only family and now they were

    taken away from him. Aurora held Can by his hunched arms and turned him to leave for his room.

    As soon as Can moved his footsteps he saw the beta and his guilt ridden best friend. Can

    gestured Aurora to leave him while he marched at Einar with usation and anger in his eyes. He

    closed the distance between them and red at Einar with utter hatred ��This is what you wanted right?

    I hope you are happy now.��

    Einar couldn��t look into the eyes of Can and he bowed his head in shame. The handsome man

    hatefully gazed at Einar and Garrick before storming his way out of the alpha house.

    ****

    The courage it took for the muscr man to reach the familiar door was humongous. His mute steps

    were apanied by an anxious heart. His resolve was firm and his intentions were clear. However

    the minimal steps towards the exit looked like a monumental task to achieve.

    ��Where are you going?��

    Einar stopped midway just as he reached for the handle of the main door. He didn��t look at Garrick and

    uttered with brevity ��To Can.��

    He quickly opened the door and tookrge steps towards the open field. Garrick was shocked by

    Einar��s behavior and he followed the man in a jiffy.

    ��Are you insane! What makes you think going to Ashton would solve anything?��

    ��I cant see him this way.�� Einar was impatient. His feet were light, barely touching the ground ��His hurt

    face has not left my mind. It will be a permanent scar to my memories and to my soul.��

    Garrick ran after Einar to catch up with him. He overtook the muscr man and held his arm tightly

    ��We did this for a reason.�� He looked sternly at Einar ��You wanted to make him angry and he is. End of

    story!��

    ��I don��t feel good about it.�� Einar lowered his eyes with hurt and shame. He took the longest pause

    possible before uttering ��I should make things right with him.��

    ��And how would you do that?�� Garrick raised a brow ��Besides.. Why should you do that? He is not in

    your life for a reason.��

    Einar fisted his hands and pursed his lips. He grunted his displeasure at what Garrick said. However at

    this moment he was angry with himself. It had became a ritual. Einar would hurt Can and then feel

    bad about it. Every time his conscience wanted to apologize, his logical mind intervened.

    ��Look I know its the bond which is confusing you.�� Garrick lowered his voice and calmly looked at his

    frustrated friend ��Making you think that you care about him. You don��t.�� He said with conformity ��You

    cannot like a man! You cannot ept a man as your mate. Your role as a leader will never permit you

    to be with Ashton. Rosaline is your mate for all purposes and it is high time that you take her as your

    fated one.��

    And those were the words which shattered Einar��s resolvepletely. His fisted hand was raised in the

    air and he punched the thick tree trunk nearby which caused a slight hollow to the tree by the pressure

    of his hand. He turned around and leaned his back to the same trunk and took deep breaths to control

    his anger.

    His hunched form exuded defeat. He was tired of it all. His heart wasn��t allowing him to hurt the

    handsome man anymore.

    He was afraid. Afraid of himself.

    He wasn��t allowing his true feelings to be out in the open. He was so scared that he hid the fact about

    being in love with Can even from his own best friend. He wasn��t ready for the handsome man but at

    the same time he was sure that he could not live without him.

    A strong breeze of air flew from the opposite direction and Einar��s body hair stood in attention. His ears

    perked and he narrowed his gaze when the whisper bombarded his ears.

    Orcus..

    He abruptly stood from his ce and looked all around him in trepidation. He walked a few steps ahead

    to scan the area with his eyes. His heart beat raised and he shockingly whispered to Garrick ��It has

    started again.��

    ��What?�� Garrick asked confusingly.

    Orcus..

    Einar mmed his palms to his head and spoke in a broken sound ��T-The voices.��

    He closed his eyes tightly and tried to take deep breaths but all was in vain. His body was convulsing

    while he shifted his weight to his knees. He grunted and grumbled hoarse voices of pain. His eyelids

    expanded while his canines were descending.

    ��Are you alright?�� Garrick asked with uncertainty and a glint of fear in his eyes.

    ��No.�� Einar growled at nothing ��Just leave before its toote.��

    Against his wishes Garrick had to flee to save his life. He was well aware of the oue hereafter.

    Einar on the other hand was trying to resist his unwanted shift but the wolf was dominating his body at

    the best.

    Einar had never experienced the prominence of his animal at such a level before. His methods were

    failing and he finally gave up. Soon bones cracked and a giant ck wolf with shiny fur stood all on his

    fours. He stretched his mane to the sky and howled at the loudest. Without thinking about anything else

    he ran at a super speed. The destination to his ce was mapped inside his head. Just as when he

    reached the edge of a mountain his pace decelerated and he fixed his gaze at the figure from the

    distance.

    The wolf ran in circles around the handsome man and slowly folded his knees, scooting near his mate.

    Can smiled weakly and put his palm below the neck of the wolf.

    ��You are the only one left for me Orcus.�� Can said in a meek voice.

    The words full of sorrow was making the wolf sad. He wasn��t liking the current state of his mate. He

    abruptly stood from his ce and bark-growled with his eyes full of anger.

    ��No!�� Can shouted with a dramatic change of his expression ��Killing is not the solution to every

    problem.��

    The wolf contemted his n of action but at this moment his presence was much needed besides

    the handsome man. He red his nostrils and shook his head vigorously. The wolf then went ahead

    and licked the man��s bare skin. Sweet giggles left Can��s mouth as the sensation of the animal��s

    tongue was sensitive to his skin.

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    Can drew his attention to the drowning sun. The scenario changed his mind again. He recalled the

    events from today and suddenly his mind drifted to his past, reconnecting all the memories which he

    wished he could erase.

    ��Is it me Orcus?��

    The wolf sat near the man again and cooed in a desperate voice. The tear drops from Can��s eyes

    was making the wolf worried for his mate ��Why does everyone whom I love is taken away from me?

    Am I so bad?�� he looked at Orcus as if expecting a reply from him.

    ��Why doesn��t the luna want me to have a happy life?��

    In an attempt to cheer his mate the wolf leaned his head to theps of the handsome man. He nestled

    closer while his silky smooth fur was spreading its warmth to Can.

    The handsome man smirked and ran his hands lovingly above the head of the wolf. His touch was

    making Orcus happy and he enjoyed the moment while Can was pensive again. He saw the rise of

    the moon, draped in the darkness of the night.

    ��I fear for you Orcus.�� Can said all of a sudden ��I fear that one day even you would leave me.��

    The wolf made a soft murmuring sound and with sad eyes he looked at the handsome man ��Don��t

    make promises. Daragor did the same and he left.��

    The words forced Orcus to sit upright as he gawked at the handsome man with determination ��Yes you

    are right I guess.��

    Although in the next instant itself the wolf was on his fours and he looked at the moon with intensity. His

    red eyes challenged the white macule above. He stretched his neck upwards and howled a mighty

    voice of authority. The red mist which surrounded him was bing more and more prominent.

    Just as the wolf was about to close his eyes, Can stood from his ce in a jiffy and positioned

    himself in front of Orcus ��No! Don��t hurt him.��

    With fearful eyes he looked at the wolf and without wasting any more time he embraced the animal in a

    tight hug ��Though what he did was wrong I don��t have the courage to see him in pain.��

    The narrowed gaze of the wolf softened. He snuggled close to his mate. This had been the best night

    for him in his entire life. Today he wasn��t sharing the handsome man with anyone. Neither the demon

    nor the human coulde between them. He slowly stationed himself on his hind legs and wiggled his

    tail in pure joy.

    Can was calm again and he sat beside the wolf looking at the stars from a distance.

    It had been quite some time since the two beings were together in each others presence. Can was

    on the same spot watching the wolf intriguingly while Orcus was busy scaring away the creatures of the

    wind who were intervening their private moment.

    The wolf growled and bellowed his voice to scare the birds away but the winged animals returned to

    their usual spot when the wolf was at ease with his mate. Orcus was irritated with the chirping voices

    and scratched his back vigorously to one of therge trees. He tried to use his strength to shake the

    tree a little so as to make the birds go away.

    Can found the gesture endearing. The wolf was trying hard to have the man all to himself. Can

    thought that the possessive nature of the wolf at this time was adorable. He smiled through his eyes

    and realized something.

    Orcus was loyal and loving in an all out vulnerable way.

    It was the wolf which was keeping Can sane in this challenging time. Orcus was his anchor to love

    and hope. Though his nature was barbaric, he was a pure soul.

    An unknown joy spread inside of Can when he saw the wolfing his way and he was one his legs

    instinctively. Orcus sat beside the man with modesty. His mood was swinging from being the happy

    animal to being the angry beast.

    Soon the birds returned and so returned Orcus�� anger. He bared his canines and was up again.

    However this time Can blocked his way by keeping his hand on the back of his body ��Stay with me. I

    don��t want anyone else but you.��

    The words melted Orcus heart as he huffed at the birds teasingly and cuddled his mate. He leaned his

    body and rubbed his snoot to the cheeks of Can. The handsome man giggled and fell down on his

    buttocks trying to control hisughter.

    The wolf slowly backed away and whimpered his pleasure. Can��s smile faded a little ��I guess your

    presence would give me the strength to fight when the sun rises tomorrow.��

    The handsome manid on his back while the wolf scooted close to his mate lying t on his sides.

    Can turned to his side to face the wolf and smiled ��Good night Orcus.��

    He snaked his arm to the body of the wolf and both of them drifted away to thend of dreams. The

    moon in the sky shined at its brightest. The glow emanating from it was falling directly on the lovely duo

    as if it was being witness to the moment of bliss.

    ********

 Chapter 58: No More Escape

    Chapter 58: No More Escape

    "How could he! This man is getting on my nerves now. I mean he could have done something else but

    targeting your parents was a real low for him." An angry Archer spoke through his gritted teeth and

    kicked the stone which was lying on his way. He looked at the distraught face of his best friend and the

    anger inside him grew.

    Can kept his gaze low and looked at the ground beneath. The grimes were circting and mixing up

    with other grimes to form random shapes. He circled his palm in a uniform direction again and again.

    His face was stoic but his mind was not at peace "He had nned it all along."

    "But how did he know about your excursions to queen Katana''s ind?"

    "He used to follow us."

    "You didn''t realize back then?"

    Can shook his head still looking at the ground "It was Orcus who told me about it."

    When Can was silent again, Archer found it hard to go with his next assumption. He paused at his

    words, letting his eyes roam all around before gathering his courage to speak "Do you think that the

    demon..."

    "No!" Can jerked his head up in a sudden reaction "He is there somewhere but he doesn''t want to

    show himself."

    Archer pursed his lips and paused his thoughts for a moment. He looked apologetically at Can and

    asked for forgiveness. The desperate look of hope in Can''s face was making him worried about his

    best friend. He smiled at him awkwardly and said "That''s messed up."

    "Tell me about it." Can scoffed "He thinks he hurt me and so without considering my feelings he

    distanced himself from me. He is guilty."

    "The real shameless person here is that son of the alpha."

    A small bead of water ran through the cheek of the handsome man as he lowly spoke "He didn''t know."

    Archer gazed at Can in surprise "What?"

    "He never thought his n would take such a drastic turn. I could see it in his eyes. He wasn''t

    expecting Daragor to show up and leave so suddenly."

    Archer''s mouthy hung open. It was hard for him to believe that even after all the pain Can went

    through he was still defending the person who tormented him greatly. "How can you still defend him!"

    Archer raised his hands up in air in an act of disbelief and exhaled short breaths of anger.

    "It wasn''t his fault."

    "THEN WHOSE FAULT WAS IT?"

    "I don''t know." Can spoke in a meek voice.

    "Oh you do.." Archer ran his hands through his hair in frustration and waited for his anger to cool down.

    He kneeled besides his best friend and looked at him withpassion.

    "Please don''t do this to yourself." The were-bear almost begged "Your constantly overlooking his

    mistakes time and again. All he ever does is force you into unfavorable predicaments. He is hurting

    you, do you even realize that?"

    "He loves me and I love him."

    "This is madness..! " Archer rose from his seat and raised his voice in anger "You are clearly obsessed.

    There is a difference between right and wrong which you don''t want to see right now. Your prejudiced

    against Einar which makes you believe that he has to have a reason to cause you pain. If he is so

    much of a man where is he now? Did he even bother to apologize? Does he even care for what state

    you are in? Are the rules for his love different?"

    Can softly shook his head and looked at Archer with a teary eyed smile. "Sooner orter he will

    The endless hope in Can''s eyes was burning his life slowly and Archer knew it. However it was

    bing difficult for him to make his friend realize that Einar''spany was more of a disaster for

    him. All he wanted was to see Can happy and clearly the happiness wasn''t with Einar. "It is difficult to

    make you see reason when you''ve blindfolded yourself. When people are in love they don''t hurt each

    other. Whatever the case maybe, attacking your parents wasn''t the right thing to do. He has thrashed

    your fathers image and destroyed his identity. Most importantly he has separated you from your

    parents. What justification would you give for that?"

    "I can still meet my parents. I''m not part of the pack remember?"

    The bear sighed in defeat "Why are you making this difficult?"

    Archer swung his right leg and kicked the stone on his way. He frequented his leg movements at

    random paths for he wasn''t sure how to deal with the situation anymore. His mind was at unease.

    Archer could clearly see the path of self destruction which Can was readily epting to forego. The

    feeling of helplessness was too much for him at this moment.

    Can saw the frustration in Archers face and he decided to give the man his own space. After a long

    time Can mustered the courage to look at his best friend in the eye "When are you leaving?"

    "Tomorrow." Archer turned towards the handsome man. The anger inside of him had subsided a little

    however he wasn''t done with the subject. He realized that Can''s state of mind was vulnerable right

    now and so his sense of judgment was somewhat impaired. Anything said would only fall on deaf ears

    and so Archer decided to drop the subject for now. He took calm breaths and pursed his lips "I may be

    gone for long. My brother needs help with relocating."

    Can weakly smiled at Archer and stood up from his ce to embrace the were bear in a tight hug "I

    will miss you."

    Alphonse and his mate were with their fourth child now. The addition of the new member to the family

    was making the cave a bit too crowded. Henceforth Lancelot and M decided to shift ces so that

    they can be together with their children in arger cave. However this decision impacted Archer greatly.

    He wasn''t ready to move out since he spent his entire life in the mountains. More importantly moving

    ces would mean that he had to leave Can and Fayette behind. The bear was in a dilemma to

    chose between his family and Can who was more of a brother to him.

    When the Elemental heard about this predicament he assured Archer that moving ces was a right

    decision for his family and he should join in. This meant that both of them wont be able to meet as

    frequently as they used to meet up until now. Can was saddened by the distance but Archer''s family

    needed him. He couldn''t be selfish to hold back his best friend.

    With heavy hearts both the friends embraced each other in a hug while Archer patted Can''s back to

    The handsome man giggled at Archers persistence and swiped a bead from his cheek "I will take care

    of myself."

    ****

    The clouds outside were gaining momentum as the once white foggy substance was reced by the

    dark color of thunder. Stanis looked at the environment in awe when his ears perked on the arrival of

    a familiar person "It looks like it will rain."

    "I think so too father."

    Stanis turned and hugged his daughter with delight. He pecked her forehead and retreated himself

    to resume looking at the sky with indifference "I hope your trip to the blue moon pack was a sess."

    "Yes father." Beatrice smirked "You should have seen the face of that pathetic alpha, how I was..."

    "I am not interested to know about Ragnar or his son." The king growled.

    "I''m sorry father." Beatrice cowered before her father and bowed her head in submission.

    "Did you find the answers?"

    "Yes father."

    "And.."

    "The human is definitely an Elemental father. Fire, Air and perhaps the Earth are his Elements."

    A loud thunder boomed throughout the sky. The crazy zig zags were closing in on the the surrounding

    area. It looked as if the lightnings were about to descend and struck.

    The king gulped and bit his lips upon hearing the news. "Are you sure?"

    "Yes father."

    The king closed his eyes for his assumptions were true. His greatest fears were about toe to life.

    He had been keeping a close eye on the human for he wanted to be sure about something. He turned

    his face to look at his daughter and asked in a stern voice "Did you see him controlling the thunders?"

    "Hmm.." The princess tried to recollect all her memories of Can "No father. Not that I recall of."

    "Think Carefully.."

    "Yes father I am sure about it."

    Stanis was pensive and he sighed a deep breath "Tell no one. Neither the queen nor your brothers."

    The skies rumbled once again and thunders preluded therge water drops which were soaking the

    pce grounds. Stanis face was stricken with horror. He realized that his days as a king were

    outnumbered if he didn''t do something about it. The rise of the Elementals meant that the supreme one

    was born again and if that was true than it meant that the beast hade to life without a doubt. He

    swiped the precipitation beads of his fear and held his head high "We need to know all that we can. If

    the human is what I think he is then we all are doomed!"

    "But why?"

    "His soul may be attached to someone who has the power to snatch my kingdom." The skies rumbled

    and the lightening roared its presence. It was as if the zig zags were warning the king. Like a few of the

    thunders would struck down on the pce and crumble it into pieces

    "If the human has the ability to control thunders than it means that he hase to life again.."

    "I''m confused. Who hase to life?"

    The king kept gawking at the ck clouds which were gaining momentum once again. He wet his lips

    and paused before saying "A powerful being from the past. Legend has it that the beast could wipe out

    an entiremunity when he reaches his full power."

    "Killing an entiremunity! Who could be that powerful?"

    Stanis turned towards his daughter to look at the horrified state of Beatrice. He smiled at her in

    encouragement and spoke "don''t stress yourself my sweet little daughter. Just find out a way to keep a

    close eye on that human."

    Beatrice nodded her head and smirked "I know a way father."

    ****

    One Month Later

    Surrounded by the air of mncholy, Can felt dested with a pensive sadness of his own. He

    covered himself with a thick nket and sat on the edge of the window witnessing the fluffy white

    substance forming a thickyer on the ground. The raining snow reminded him of his diminishing

    liveliness. The greenery of his hope and happiness was now being covered by the snow of woe and

    distress.

    It had been almost a month since the handsome man had locked himself. Away from the normal world

    Can found sce in the arms of loneliness. He couldn''t will himself to move away from his spot or

    rekindle his emotions and be happy once again. He longed for thepany of Archer but he knew he

    couldn''t be here at this time. Aurora and Fayette used to visit him frequently but it wasn''t the same.

    Even after whatever happened that fateful day, Can missed Einar.

    He tried to force his mind to give up on Einar but he couldn''t do it. Every memory that resurfaced in his

    mind would resoundingly divert its trajectory to either the wolf, the demon or the son of the alpha. He

    tried his best to hate him or even intensely dislike him but he couldn''t. The fa?ade would notst for

    long and he would again dream about the cherished moments he spent together with Einar and his

    beasts.

    Can was so immersed in himself that he didn''t realize that someone was at the door. His attention

    was diverted when the man cleared his throat and Can instinctively looked at his direction.

    Shock.. Surprise.. Happiness.. Sadness.. Anger..

    These were the chronological emotions which featured on Can''s face. He wasn''t expecting anyone at

    Aurora''s ce. Certainly not the person who was standing at the door right now. He narrowed his eyes

    in anger and spat with venom

    "Why are you here? Did you force Aurora."

    Einar pursed his lips and took two steps ahead. His eyes were full of tears and the pain he suffered

    throughout the days clearly showed in his weak self. His muscles were thin while his eyes puffed out. It

    seemed as if he hadn''t been sleeping for a long time. It took efforts for him to even stretch his lips to

    form a smile.

    Can was deeply saddened by the state Einar was in. The time apart had been disastrous for the wolf.

    He could see Einar''s withered state. The dark circles around his eyes, the mass leaving his body and

    the loss of warmth from his face were all a proof that the muscr man had suffered much. It was

    heartbreaking for Can to watch his love in such apathy.

    The handsome recalled his resolve and his once serene andpassionate face turned into the stoic,

    indifferent one. The sudden change in Can''s expressions brought Einar back to reality. His smile was

    gone and he realized what he came here for in the first ce. He marched ahead, however his

    movement was halted when Can intervened "Stay right there."

    Can gulped his longing for he wasn''t ready to face his lover. His weak heart wanted to hug the man

    in a tight embrace and kiss him dearly. He could see the same burning hunger inside of Einar but the

    invisible wall between them was too much of a barrier. Both the men gazed at each other without

    saying anything. Many unspoken words were conveyed through those locked eyes.

    Einar was the first to speak "I need to talk."This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    "Just go. I don''t want you here." Can gritted his teeth and turned his back to Einar.

    The words spoken brought an ache to his heart but it wasn''t as if Einar was not expecting this reaction.

    He was ready for it. He had practiced it many a times in his head and yet when the words were finally

    spoken it still hurt a lot.

    Einar''s body ached for the need of Can''s body to cuddle, to feel safe, to have the warmth of a lover.

    His body, his brain and his tired soul were in a desperate need for Can''s presence. The days without

    him had extracted a huge amount of self morale, joy and a will to live. His actions were detrimental to

    both the men. At that moment he thought what he was doing was right. He knew Can would be upset

    and would hate him but Einar was taken by surprise when the handsome man hadpletely

    withdrawn himself from the outside world. It was unexpected.

    It took days of courage for Einar to finally request Aurora to let him meet his mate. It took another few

    days for him to convince the witch that he indeed had no ill intentions, that he only wanted to have a

    glimpse of the man. Eventually it was the pathetic state of the son of the alpha which sympathized with

    Aurora and she led him to Can.

    "I am really sorry for what I did." Einar cleared his tears though the back of his palm.

    "I know you are but what would it change."

    "I didn''t know the demon would show up. I wasn''t betting on him."

    "I know that too."

    The vague responses from Can was making Einar frustrated. It was as if Can had made up his

    mind and Einar was fighting a losing battle. In a desperate attempt he braved himself and held Can''s

    hand. He turned him around and looked at him with pleading eyes "You have to give me a chance.."

    "So that you could hurt me again." Can stared at Einar with defiance and the muscr man bowed

    his head in shame "Maybe this time the pain would be even bigger than thest one."

    "Don''t say that." Einar responded quickly. "I cant even think of hurting you."

    "And yet you do it every time." Can pushed Einar to create some distance between them "You know

    what is the saddest part of it all?" Can narrowed his eyes as the streams of his pain flew through his

    eyes "That I cant will myself to punish you, to hate you. I cant. I just cant. I cant stop thinking about

    you. Even when we are in this situation I cannot force myself to pull away from you. I should be

    punching you in your face but all I''m worrying about is your weak self. Its you I think about all day, its

    you who I talk about, its you who I dream about."

    Can closed the distance and poked a finger right at the chest of the muscr man "You''ve made me

    into a mess."

    A long silence followed as both the men stared at each other. Can with the burning rage inside him

    and Einar with a sincere apology. Can''s eyes flickered from Einar''s face to his lips and then back

    again to his eyes. His resolve was bing weaker and weaker the more the time he spent with the

    muscr man. He sniveled and heaved deep breaths to calm his anger. He went a step closer to Einar

    and looked him in the eye "I know you cant have me as your mate but I''m sorry. Its me you''ve got and

    you will ept that one day or the other. You cannot..."

    "I ept you."

    "What!" Can''s mouthy hung open and his brain froze for a second. The sudden reaction form Einar

    was unexpected and mind boggling to say the least. Did he hear the words correctly? Did Einar Ragnar

    Knight say that he epted him? What did that even mean?

    The questions were straining Can''s brain and he was surely finding it difficult to understand anything.

    He moved his lips but could not utter any words. He gestured through his hands while his face still

    showed shock.

    Einar weakly giggled at the confusing state of his mate and without giving him any warning he grabbed

    him by his waste and pulled him closer. "I should have done this way earlier."

    Just as the handsome man was about to respond he was taken by surprise when the muscr mans

    mouth was on his. The movement of Einar''s lips coaxed Can and he felt himself calming down. The

    kiss was hungry and yet it was gentle. The kiss wasn''t the same like anything Can had ever

    experienced. The kiss was steeped into a passion that ignites. It was a promise of realness, a promise

    to hold on forever. And with it Einar gestured that he was there, his soul connected with that of the

    handsome man. Both the men were in each others protective cocoon. They felt the longing, the desire

    the burn within them and finally after all the torturous years their mind was at peace.

    Both the men parted their lips when they were short of breath. Can''s cheek flushed and a small tear

    of happiness flew through his eye. Einar held both the cheeks of the handsome man with his palm. He

    lovingly kissed the forehead of Can and said the words which the handsome man eagerly awaited for

    "Can Justus Ashton... I love you from all my heart."

    ********

 Chapter 59: Vengeance With A Pride

    Chapter 59: Vengeance With A Pride

    A few days back

    The motion of the chiming bells was the only sound that could be heard in the otherwise serene room.

    Einar kept staring at his locket which had all of a sudden lost all its glow. His demon had never showed

    after that fateful day. What surprised him though was that his wolf was eerily calm as well. Like the

    absence of a peculiar someone did not affect the animal at all. How was it possible?

    He took a deep sigh and dejectedly lowered his locket from his hand "Is it necessary?"

    "Yes it is."

    "I am not ready.." Einar slowly turned his head to the left "How can I betray Can."

    Garrick scoffed and sighed in defeat. It had been the same conversation for the past several days.

    Garrick was sick and tired to argue with his best friend to make him understand that the pack came

    first. He tried his best to help him forget the green eyed man but he failed every time. It was as if Einar

    waspletely intoxicated by the charms of Can. It was frustrating for Garrick.

    The beta stood from his ce and looked at the muscr man with concern. "You have done that

    already. It is high time Einar."

    "My conscience is refusing to do this."

    "You have to make things right before going to the kings pce."

    A long silence followed and Einar slowly raised his head with hope in his eyes "Will he be there?"

    "No he wont." Garrick shook his head in disbelief "Stop talking about him already."

    "It has been a month. I haven''t seen him." A small water drop rolled through Einar''s cheek as he

    pleaded Garrick "I want to see him. Just a glimpse that''s all."

    "We have talked about this Einar. We did this for a cause. The probable reason he is not showing

    himself is because maybe he doesn''t want anything to do with you anymore. Maybe its time that both

    of you moved on with your respective lives."

    The words broke the man once again and he returned to his indifferent, vulnerable state. "I feel so

    empty.."

    Garrick felt sympathetic towards the pathetic state of the muscr man. "What have you done to

    yourself!"

    Einar''s once sculpted body had lost its sheen. The warmth of his face was long gone while it was as if

    he had forgotten to even smile. Einar was a real mess.

    "Everyone in the pack is worried for your health. You have already lost a lot of weight. I am done lying

    to the entire pack! What more reason should I give for you to not step out of your room?"

    "I don''t want to go. That''s final."

    Even before Garrick could argue any further, his nostrils were attacked by a familiar scent. He

    narrowed his eye brows to recall the person and upon realizing who the man was, a small smile formed

    on his face. A swift knock on the door diverted the friends attention to the door as Garrick stood on his

    feet and met the stranger with a tight hug.

    Both the men exchanged pleasantries and the stranger looked at Einar with delight and an equal

    surprise. The stranger had strawberry blonde hair while an inferno spewing axe was tattooed on his

    muscr neck on both the sides. He went ahead and greeted Einar with an embrace.

    "Hello Fenwick." Einar said with a weak smile "It has been a long time."

    "Hello Einar. You have changed a lot. I almost could not recognize you. Alpha Ragnar told me that you

    were sick so I came to check on you."

    "I am fine." He gestured a hand towards his body "My family just has a habit of making a fuss about

    nothing."

    Fenwick raised a brow "As you say."

    An ufortable silence followed and finally it was Garrick who took charge "So are you ready for the

    annual meeting of the alphas."

    "It is my first year as the alpha." Fenwick smiled the brightest "I am ready."

    "Is that why you are so excited?"

    "Not exactly." He turned his shoulder to the left as the conversation was now being held between

    Garrick and him "I have found my mate. Her name is Debrina and she works in the royal pce."

    "I think I''ve heard this name somewhere."

    The man nodded "You must have. She is one of the four personal maids of the princess."

    "Beatrice?"

    Fenwick smiled with distaste and again nodded "I met her on thest day of our training and that was

    the day I found Debrina following the princess with a tray of fruits."

    "Why haven''t you imed her up until now? What took you so long?

    "You know how Beatrice is. She loves to possess things. If her eyes feast onto something than she has

    to have it."

    "I don''t understand."

    "Debrina has been her obedient maid since a long time. Beatrice doesn''t want to give up on her prized

    possession. She has to have her at any cost. She wont easily let her go."

    "That is really unfortunate. So what are you going to do now?"

    "I have had talks with my father and some other alphas. The woman cannot keep my mate away from

    me for long."

    "This is really insane." A glint of hate and disbelief marked Garrick''s face "I pray for every soul who

    mean she is the princess after all."

    "Sheldon, xton, Carnelia they all have been victims. All trapped by the princess for their qualities.

    However there has only been one exception."

    "Who is it?" Garrick asked with curiosity.

    "I don''t recall his name but the princess calls him her ultimate prize. He has been the only one to refrain

    himself from falling in the trap."

    "He definitely must have a stronger alpha wolf to deny the princess."

    "That''s the point." Fenwick giggled "He isn''t a wolf. He is just a human."

    "That''s impossible!" Garrick''s eyes widened "Why does a royal blood is so engrossed with a human?"

    "Sheldon says that he is like no other. His beauty exceeds the entire male poption of the royal

    pce. He says that he hasn''t seen a handsome man as such before."

    "It is strange. When did Beatrice met the human? She never visited the human settlement as far as I

    know."

    "Debrina told me that the princess met him by ident on the Stoweke. He was ying with his

    were-bear friend back then."

    The mention of the were bear caught Einar off guard. "What did you say!"

    He had been a passive listener to the entire conversation. However his interest now piqued since he

    was suspicious and in a way sure of the person who Fenwick was referring to. A slow but raging anger

    was building up inside of him. Fenwick was feeling tensed by the dominating aura of Einar which was

    growing all of a sudden.

    Calm down Einar. This may not be what you think.

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    Garrick''s request diverted Einar and he took long breaths to calm himself "Please continue."

    Fenwick looked strangely at Einar and then at Garrick but he deduced the reason for Einar''s mood

    swings was because of his health. He slightly shrugged and smiled "The boys were around sixteen I

    guess. The princess and her crew stopped by theke for some rest when she heard theughter. This

    intrigued her and she went closer to look at source behind the melodicugh. Debrina says that

    Beatrice behaved as if some spirit had taken over her body. She stepped inside the water and even

    before anyone could realize it sheunched herself on the boy.."

    Einar gritted his teeth "When you sayunched herself.."

    "She tried to force herself on him.."

    It had been there; the burning rage in his gut. The light mes of his anger were slowly gaining

    momentum. And when he hard thest sentence Einar''s mind was ready to be blown. The anger in him

    bubbled and he growled with his might. He stood up from his ce and smashed the window with the

    power of his fist.

    Garrick was at his side the next moment as he tried to calm down his best friend. Fenwick on the other

    hand was confused by the abrupt behavior of Einar "Rx. Why your being so angry?"

    "I am sorry." Einar kept his eyes stern "I felt bad for the boy." Though it was hard for him to hear any

    further Einar willed his mouth to speak "What happened next?"

    "The princess wasn''t letting it go. She clung to the boy like a ma. His body was decorated with

    w marks and canine bites. She was ready to devour him then and there. Ultimately it was the were

    bear friend who finally seeded in separating the both. He shed open the neck of the princess and

    saved his friend''s life."

    Einar''s eyes were turning its color from the normal brown to the devilish red. He wanted blood. He

    wanted to sever the head of the princess from her body. Garrick didn''t knew what he was supposed to

    do. He cleared his throat in hesitation and diverted Fenwick''s attention to himself "Did she try

    something of this sort again?"

    "Not that I know of. King Stanis knew about the incident and he was pissed. Ashamed at the fact

    that his own daughter would stoop so low. He punished her as he deemed fit. However we all know the

    princess. Beatrice made it her mission to have the boy all for herself one day."

    "She still wants him?"

    Fenwick nodded "She does."

    "Do you happen to know the name of the boy?"

    "Debrina did tell me his name." Fenwick squeezed his eyes as he strained his brain to recall the name

    of the boy "Let me think.. uhh.. It was Coulter.. uhh no uhm.. Clinton.. uhmm no no Carren.."

    "Can." Einar said with an unknown expression.

    "Yes exactly." Fenwick grinned childishly as if he had solved the puzzled "His name was Can."

    The side of Einar''s lips curved and he sternly looked at his best friend with determination. "Garrick lets

    pay a visit to the king. We have to attend the annual meeting of the alphas after all."

    ****

    Aftering out of the changing room Beatrice stationed herself in front of therge mirror. She sat on

    her seat and frequently dabbed her face with the silk napkin. She carefully essed her blouse to fit in

    the artificial cups so as to make herself lookrge. Just as she was about to apply the beauty lotion on

    her face her hands slipped and she gasped in horror. She turned around in a jiffy and asked in surprise

    "What in the world. How did you.. Why are you here?"

    Einar folded his hands behind his head and rested his body on the bed of the princess. He smirked a

    little at the frightened state of thedy "That''s certainly not a good way to wee your guest."

    "What do you want Einar?"

    Beatrice looked all around in trepidation and rolled her eyes a bit. Her movement was interrupted by

    the suddenugh of the muscr man "Stop linking your guards. They wont reach you. They just cant."

    "What have you done?"

    "You don''t need to know."

    "Why are you here Einar?"

    The muscr mannded his feet on the ground and looked at the princess fiercely "I need answers."

    "I am not obligated to answer anything to you or your pathetic father. Leave my room at once." Beatrice

    went closer to the door and tried to open it. She used all her strength but the nking knob was

    refusing to release from its knot. She shouted in frustration "Debrina.. Dorothy.. Howard.. Are you all

    dead!"

    "No one would hear you." Einar giggled with a devilish look on his face "All of them are busy with the

    annual celebrations. Besides you live in the farthest corner of the pce."

    The princess gulped. Fear was evident on her face, moreover the look on Einar''s face exuded evil like

    he had a hidden motive to be here. Beatrice took short gasps of air and with a withering confidence she

    said "Your threats don''t intimidate me Knight."

    "We''ll see."

    "What do you want to know?"

    Einar stood from his ce and held a small metal container in his hand. He looked at it with an

    unknown interest however his mind was wondering somewhere else. He kept his face stoic and with

    indifference he asked "What is your rtionship with Can?"

    "What are.."

    "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION."

    Einar angrily threw the metal ss right behind the shoulder of the princess as she shuddered in

    disbelief. Her terror gasps werepletely ignored by the angry man as he kept gawking at the woman

    with anger. Beatrice on the other side was somewhat relieved. The actions of Einar would certainly

    garner attention of someone passing by and it wouldn''t be long before help arrived, she thought.

    Beatrice took a deep breath and with a dramatic change of her expressions she smiled at Einar. "Well

    there is something special between us. I just recently discovered that he is my mate." She smirked.

    "He is what?!" Einar looked at her with disbelief in his eyes. Beatrice was lying. He carefully examined

    her and realized that her intentions towards Can were not good.

    "My mate." Beatrice giggled at the astonished open mouth of Einar "I was shocked as you are. Can

    was shocked too but he knows what an honor it is to be the other half of the royal blood. He is thrilled."

    "I bet he is." Einar gritted his teeth "Is he ready to settle down with you?"

    "Yes he is. He loves me deeply; he cares for me. He epted the bond with open arms the moment he

    knew about it."

    "And do you love him?"

    "Of course I do." Einar narrowed his eyes even further. His patience was hanging by a thread as he

    kept fisting and un-fisting his hands "I can be anything he wants me to. The moment Iid my eyes on

    him I knew I had to have him. And look at the coincidence! I was paired with him as his mate. He will

    mine after today."

    "You are bluffing.." Einar scoffed.

    "My father will be officially announcing about our unionter in the ceremony."

    Einar looked behind his shoulders as he tried hard to restrain himself. His mind was trying to force him

    to choke thedy to death. However he breathed a few calm breaths and looked at Beatrice with

    determination "What can you do for him?"

    "I can do anything for him. Kill someone if theye between us."

    Einar huffed and giggled "I think the same."

    Beatrice kept looking at Einar with suspicion. It was just a matter of time before the royal guards would

    enter the chamber to confirm the safe status of the princess. Beatrice smiled for she had to entertain

    the muscr man for a few more moments "You still haven''t told me your reason to intrude my privacy."

    "Do you want to hear a story?"

    Beatrice''s smile faded and she looked at Einar with confusion "No I don''t have.."

    "I always knew that I was different from my peers." Einar intervened "Strong; dominant; ruthless;

    powerful. Owing to my demon and my wolf, people around were fearful. I liked that in a way. Then

    came the day of the dragon incident. I am sure you must have heard of it."

    "Yes I have."

    "Not only did I realize how powerful I was but my life was turned upside down for I met my fated one.

    He was standing right there. His hurt face was making my heart weak. I couldn''t bear it. I couldn''t

    understand it; I couldn''t deduce those new emotions for him. For the next two years I pretended that he

    didn''t exist but the irony being that my days were iplete without seeing him."

    "Why are you telling me all this?"

    Einar pretended as if he hadn''t heard the woman and sat on a chair "Then the attack happened and I

    was out of control for the first time. I realized that his presence was the trigger to my violence. So I

    decided to be away from him and I was. Calm and quiet in a different territory. He was away but I

    wasn''t happy. There was silence all around but my mind was in a storm."

    "You are making no sense."

    Einar slowly raised himself and turned his back to the princess "Thews of our nature dictate that a

    wolf would go berserk in jealously and revenge. It was way harder for me. I couldn''t bear to see anyone

    who looked at him with love, lust or evenpassion. The slightest gesture of affection would be the

    cause of my ire and why wouldn''t it be? Why should someone stare at him? I don''t give permission for

    that. HE IS MINE."

    At that very moment realization struck her face. Up until now the story which Einar told had a mention

    of a male as his mate. The fact bothered Beatrice too much as her brain stopped functioning for a

    moment "Your referring to your mate as a ''he''; does that mean Rosaline is.."

    "She is not my mate. She never was."

    Beatrice''s eyes widened. A storm of anger grew within her "You have made a mockery of ourws!

    Wait until my father hears this."

    Einarughed "Do you think you will be able to tell him."

    "What do you mean?"

    A faint red mist had slowly started appearing out of nowhere. The fog engulfed Einarpletely and

    with passing time it was bing more prominent and more darker. Einar turned again as his once

    brown eyes werepletely red. He devilishly smirked at the frighteneddy "I have been quiet;

    patient for a long time. I endured everything for the sake of my mate for I wanted him to be safe. I

    realized when people knew about him he would be the easy target and so I was denying him up until

    now. But my assumptions were wrong. People are lurking for him, they are desirous of him and I don''t

    approve of it. I have realized my mistake. I will rather spend the rest of my days with him than letting

    him get hurt by people like you."

    "What.." she gulped in fear "What does any of it have do to with me?"

    "You are the reason why I am here in the first ce." The red mist was making the appearance of Einar

    more intimidating and deadly. He didn''t leave the eye contact with thedy as if he was hunting his

    prey. With every one step Einar took towards thedy, Beatrice would retreat two steps back.

    Einar growled in anger and Beatrice stopped in her movements "Your gazing at something where your

    eyes don''t belong. I feel sick and suffocated to share the same space with you."

    "I-I haven''t done anything to you." she heaved deep sighs and lowered her head in submission. In a

    way her wolf was asking for a truce as the radiant domination was too much for her to handle.

    "You have." Einar growled with authority and grabbed the coiled hair from the back of her head. He

    firmed his grip and raised thedy from the ground. He gritted his teeth and spoke venomously "You

    are after my mate and my wolf doesn''t like it a bit."

    At this point of time Beatrice was scared for her life. Her body was floating mid air, her eyes were wide

    while the pain which Einar was causing was too much to bear for her. However she realized the truth

    and the biggest mistake of her life as she spoke in a broken voice "You.. You..Mean.."

    Einar grabbed the trachea of thedy with another hand and tighten his grasp "With every ounce of

    energy I always try to remain calm, try to breathe serene so as to not make my wolf angry. I wont do

    that today. I will let you feel the extent of his wrath."

    ****

    The hall was decorated in a manner fit for the royal celebrations. People mingled all around while some

    danced to the melodic tunes of the orchestra. The wolves were in apetition to outshine each other

    as it was a show of their power and supremacy over the other.

    Ragnar on the other hand looked concerned since he was unable to locate his beloved son. Since the

    time they had entered the arena Einar somehow mysteriously vanished out of sight. Neither Rosaline

    nor Zelda knew about his whereabouts. He entrusted the task to look for Einar to the beta of the pack.

    However his main concern right now was the devil of a man who was approaching him. Ragnar wiped

    the tension lines from his face and bowed his head "My king."

    "Hello Ragnar." Stanis acknowledged the alpha and thedies of the pack and asked them to stand

    at ease.

    "It is wonderful to see the representatives of the blue moon pack today." He roamed his eyes "Where is

    your son?"

    Ragnar smiled weakly "He went out with the beta since he wasn''t feeling well."

    "I did hear that he was having health issues. Maybe all the pressure is too much for him. Who knew

    that a strong alpha like you would have a weak a son like Einar."

    Ragnar along with Zelda and Rosaline bowed their heads in shame. Though the words were hurtful but

    it was a fact that Einar was going through some issues which indirectly cemented the belief that he was

    incapable to handle the pack since he was incapable to handle himself.

    Stanis smiled with a smug look on his face. He knew he had the upper hand here "Your pack will be

    our close allies from now on I hope."

    "We are at your service my king."

    "That you are." Stanis scoffed "I heard that you went to the seers."

    Silence followed after the sentence. Ragnar could not believe how the sensitive information had

    reached the ears of the king. He looked at his mate in surprise who mirrored his expressions while

    Rosaline looked equally baffled as well. Ragnar looked at the king and nodded "Yes my king."

    "Did it serve the purpose?"

    "Yes my king."

    "Well don''t worry Ragnar." the king chuckled "The curse of your pack will be my liability from now

    onwards."

    Ragnar squeezed his brows "I don''t understand."

    "Can Justus Ashton will be staying with us hereafter. He is the mate of my darling Beatrice."

    The news shocked Ragnar and his fellowpanions. He couldn''t believe his ears. it was huge news

    owing to the lineage of the royal blood and of course the mystery surrounding Can''s future. Stanis

    words if real were the exact opposite of what the seers had told the alpha of the blue moon pack. But

    how was it possible? Did Can really have a mate? Was the humans future tied to the royal pce?

    What did it mean for the blue moon pack going forward?

    All these questions troubled Ragnar. However even before he could react to the news, he heard a loud

    thud and the umbre of chandeliers came crashing down from the roof. The entire hall was filled with

    screams and horrified gasps. The room was painted in red as blood spluttered and decorated the floor.

    People were shocked to their core. Most importantly it was the king who seemed affected the most.

    Stanis growled in agony and ran hastily to the middle of the charred ss. He kneeled besides the

    unmoving body. He cradled the head of the figure and mourned in pain. He cried and called for his

    daughter but she was not responding. The body was stationary. Beatrice was dead.

    In the midst of all the confusion and chaos it was Ragnar who stood horrified in his ce as he saw his

    son standing at a distance, aloof from every eye . The bloody red face of Einar was smirking a devilish

    smile while the red fog which engulfed him was now growing darker and darker with a dominant aura.

    ********

 Chapter 60: Closer To The Truth

    Chapter 60: Closer To The Truth

    The chilling breeze before of the dawn was adamant to shackle the handsome mans obstinateness.

    The Elemental today was unaffected by it all. It was the soothing joy and a pinch of hope in his heart

    that was making him stay on his course. His determined self refused to find a shelter in this harsh

    weather.

    Can tapped his feet and eagerly awaited the arrival of his special someone. His face lit up like the

    stars of the night when he saw the muscr man approaching from afar. He couldn''t control his feet

    and ran as fast as he could to embrace the man in a tight hug. What followed was a sweet kiss of

    longing; of love.

    Both the men parted their lips and lovingly looked at each other. Einar raised his hand towards the

    beautiful man and smiled "This for you."

    Can held the object covered in a small satin cloth in his hand and surprisingly asked "What is it?"

    "I thought that since this is our first day together we should celebrate it with a present."

    "But I didn''t get you anything."

    "It doesn''t matter. I have you by my side which means more than anything for me."

    Einar''s words flustered Can. He bowed his head as his focus waspletely directed at the small

    satin cloth. He carefully unveiled the fabric to reveal a wolf carved out of pure mahogany wood. The

    wolf looked determined while he was sitting on his hind legs. His furry tail was stretched up to his front

    legs. "It is beautiful!"

    "I broke a simr toy when we were young. Do you remember?"

    "Not exactly." Can chuckled "My memories are not that strong."

    "We yed together as kids." Einar smirked "I loved your presence by my side but I was jealous of

    your toy wolf and so I broke it."

    Can amusinglyughed at Einar "Ohh. That''s more like you."

    The melodicugh of his mate automatically forced Einar''s lips to curl "I shouldn''t have done that."

    The men talked for few more moments before finding afortable ce to sit. It was like any other

    day yet this day was special. Both of them had been together before but they were seeing each other in

    a different light; as lovers. Can kissed Einar''s cheeks and stretched his legs toy down on his back.

    He cradled his head on theps of the muscr man and both the men stared at each other in silence.

    "This will always be special to me." Can said looking at the toy.

    "Why?"

    "This is the first ever gift that you''ve give me. I will treasure it."

    It had been years since Einar''s soul found this inner peace. His inner turmoil and the constant pain he

    felt when he was away from Can was all gone. It was a nice feeling. Being this close to the man he

    loved, he couldn''t ask for anything anymore. He could bring the entire world to his feet if Can just

    said so.

    However soon Einar''s face tensed for he realized that he could not do everything for Can. In fact he

    could do nothing for Can. He was bind by his roles and responsibilities. He was forced to hide his

    rtionship with the man for people would never ept it. Moreover his father will never allow for this

    union.

    "You know my situation with the pack and my parents." Einar dejectedly lowered his eyes

    Can was saddened by the look on Einar''s face. He sat upright and rubbed Einar''s arm to soothe him

    "I do and Ipletely understand."

    "You do?" Einar asked surprisingly

    "Look I am not against the customs and rituals of the wolves. I just don''t feel like I am a part of the

    pack. To be honest if it hadn''t been for you I would''ve left the pack a long time ago." The words caused

    Einar more pain thanfort. Imagining Can to be apart for even a moment was difficult to bear.

    The handsome man bit his lip when he realized the awkward words uttered through his mouth "What I

    am trying to say is that I don''t want the position of the alpha mate. The pack needs a Luna and I cant

    be one. I need you that''s it. That is the only thing I care about right."

    "It wont be easy. At times you may feel insecure or disappointed for you cant share the same space as

    me. Thews dictate that the alpha''s mate apany him to the throne. For me it is you."

    "The pack wont ept us. You have a duty towards your people which you cannot neglect."

    Einar turned his face away. He was not brave enough to face the reality. He couldn''t promise Can

    anything because he was not sure if he could even fulfill them. He wanted his mate to be happy at all

    the cost but nothing was helping him at this moment. Odds were against them and he knew it.

    "My mind ispletely nk right now." Einar deeply sighed and almost choked "I don''t know what to

    say."

    "Don''t feel pressurized." Can could see the desperation in Einar. The desire in his eyes for a better

    future was making Einar sad for he knew that the dream was a distant one. Einar could not leave his

    pack and Can could not join him. The handsome man held Einar''s cheek and turned it towards him.

    He kissed Einar''s forehead and lovingly smiled at him "I don''t want the pack, the throne or the power

    thates with it. I just want you."

    "But I feel helpless."

    "I know you want to give me the world but I am happy where we are. Lets just enjoy every moment that

    we spent together. We will deal with the problems when we have one."

    The muscr man was at ease at once. He felt lucky to have apanion as such. All those years

    when he was worried that Can would reveal all or would demand an equal position as him were futile

    thoughts. The handsome man was beyond all of those desires. He only cared about his mate; his love.

    Einar closed his eyes to breathe in the mesmerizing scent. He leaned his head ahead and rested it on

    the shoulders of the handsome man. Can ruffled the hair of his mate and both of them were relishing

    each otherspany till they were allowed to.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    ****

    Fayette''s hasty steps were not helping her cause. She took long strides to cover arge distance but

    she knew she waste. It was almost sunset and she was nowhere near her home. She was worried

    for her father would reprimand her.

    Her speedy steps were halted all of a sudden when a strange figure with broad shoulders stood in front

    of her abruptly.

    "I need to talk to you."

    Fayette scowled and looked at Garrick with uninterest. She diverted her body to the right and marched

    ahead "I don''t want anything from you beta of the blue moon pack."

    "Please just listen." Garrick sighed and followed the beautiful human "I have been trying to have a

    conversation with you for so long. I really need to talk to you." All his words fell on deaf ears as Fayette

    was reluctant to stop. With no other choice left, Garrick overtook her and blocked her way "Please hear

    me out just once."

    "Fine." Fayette sighed "What do you want to say?"

    Garrick looked all around to make sure that they were truly alone. The meadow looked abandoned

    while the only presence of the myriad birds was no hindrance to his objective. He took long breaths to

    gather all his courage and looked at thedy with confidence "You may not know this but destiny has

    paired us together. You are my mate."

    "I know that." She replied nonchntly

    Garrick''s mind froze. He wasn''t expecting the answer. He stared at thedy in disbelief "You know!

    How..? Did Ashton tell you." he stuttered.

    "Yes."

    Garrick was visibly angry because Can had taken his right to share the biggest revtion to his

    mate. He gritted his teeth but calmed himself for Fayette''s sake "So now you understand how important

    you are for me."

    "I know and I really don''t care." Fayette didn''t bother to look at the distraught face of the wolf as she

    retreated two steps to divert her direction and march again.

    Garrick was moved by the words said by the human. It was devastating for him. He shed a bead of his

    sorrow and spoke in a meek voice "Don''t say this. You are breaking my heart." He overtook Fayette yet

    again and pleaded her "Please.."

    Fayette sighed. Though she did not like the wolf, it was her pure heart which demanded her to soothe

    the person in front of her. She bit her lips to choose her words more carefully "You are not the person

    who is fit to be my husband."

    "I can be everything you want. Just ask."

    "You are just not right for me. I am sorry." Fayette gave an apologetic look to the wolf. She looked at

    him with calm features hoping that the wolf would understand her decision.

    It was hard for Garrick. He very much wanted the bond to work but he realized that Fayette was

    beyond his reach. After years of yearning he finally had a chance to love; to be loved. His life had

    always been dull after the death of his parents. He was lonely, he was dejected. All those years of

    suffering were about to change by the presence of his mate; the beautifuldy in front him. But destiny

    couldn''t gift him the chance of happiness.

    Garrick sighed deeply and raised his head "It was Ashton right?

    "What?"

    "That filthy bag of lies has poisoned your mind right?" he scowled

    "No!"

    "Yes it is!" Garrick raised his voice "He didn''t like me from the start. I bet he was the one who

    brainwashed you against me. How low can he stoop!" he scoffed "I was the one who blindly put my

    faith in him. My guts indicated me to not seek help from him. I was right. He is the one who loves to

    spoil other pairs because he himself can never get his love. The cursed son of a bitch."

    Fayette fisted her hands in anger "That''s enough. I have heard enough."

    "You are blinded by his fa?ade of a good nature. You don''t see the real him as I do. He is dangerous. It

    is a fact that death follows him like a shadow. Every pack member he befriended was dead. He is

    cursed. He will harm you."

    "I said that''s enough!"

    "You cant see things clearly because you think he has virtue, he has heart but he has none. For all I

    care I pray to the Luna that this man should rot in hell."

    Even before Garrick could register anything a hard p stung his face and he was out of his anger at

    once. He was shocked. He couldn''t believe the fact his own mate was defending the pride of some

    another man. She was choosing Can over him.

    Fayette on the other hand gritted her teeth continuously as she looked at Garrick with pure hatred. It

    was as if she could kill the wolf and not care one bit "Don''t you ever dare say a word against Can in

    front of me."

    Garrick was stupefied. A spark of jealousy raged in him "Why do you care about him so much? Do you

    love him?

    Fayette snorted in derision. "Yes I do but not the way your filthy mind is thinking about it." She held the

    betas hand firmly "Come with me. I will tell you what he means to me."

    ****

    The big spacious room was all a mess. It looked as if a hurricane had just passed through. All the

    warriors were lined up, frightened for their life. While the elites were standing at a close distance to the

    angry figure.

    Stanis eyes were red because of his crying and partly because of the building rage in him. He

    wanted blood.

    "Have you found any clue?" he asked indifferently.

    A man with long beard and red curly hair stepped ahead in trepidation "Its difficult to say my king."

    "You worthless people." the king roared "Someone from the royal family gets brutally killed inside the

    pce and no one has any idea how it all happened!"

    The room was silenced yet again. The dominant aura of the king was forcing the wolves to submit

    before him. Stanis diverted his attention to the door when three young men stepped inside. All the

    men looked almost identical to each other. With dark brown hair and persona fit to be a king, they all

    matched the dominant aura of Stanis.

    "Father." All the three men bowed in respect.

    "Wace, Bernard, Frederick. Please tell me you have some news."

    "The guards outside Beatrice room were all killed." Wace replied "It seemed as if they were resisting

    the intrusion of the killer."

    "Where were the maids?"

    "I interrogated all of them." Frederick gestured to the woman who was visibly shaking in the back

    "Debrina here has some information for us."

    The king eyed her with dominance "What did you see?"

    The aura of the king was such that thedy could not resist his dominance and she uttered all what she

    knew "T-The princess was getting herself ready and I was waiting for her in the room when arge

    ck wolf entered. He was a big wolf. His power was something else. I-I was frightened to the core. He

    gestured me to leave the ce and so I-I did without giving much thought."

    "Do you know who it was?"

    "I don''t recognize him."

    "Was it someone from the pce?"

    "I don''t know."

    "Why didn''t you call any one us?" Bernard asked thedy.

    "I-I was scared."

    "You were scared! You had one simple job." The anger in Wace was boiling up "All you had to do

    was warn us."

    Debrina was shaken by the powerful voices of all the prince. It was as if she was the culprit who was

    responsible for the murder of the princess. She fidgeted her thumbs and gasped in short breaths for

    she was scared of the oue.

    Stanis'' patience hanged by the thread. It had been almost one week after the incidence and no

    concrete clue came to light. He couldn''t understand the reason or the motive behind this cold blooded

    murder. What pained him more was that his loving daughter was brutally killed by a maniac and he was

    not there to save her. He couldn''t let this slide easily. He had to find the wrongdoer and punish him for

    his offence.

    Stanis red his nose as he took menacing steps towards a scared Debrina "The reason you

    couldn''t speak was because you were scared. A call or a scream would have saved my daughters life.

    It seems you were scared to use your mouth. I guess we don''t have any use of your tongue then."

    Stanis closed the distance between them as Debrina instinctively crossed her hands on her chest in

    an act of defense "Please please.."

    The king was not having it. He had to make an example of someone. Give a message to the

    perpetrator to know who he had challenged. He held the cheeks of thedy with his strong hand and

    forced Debrina to open her mouth wide. He pulled out the fleshy organ from the mouth with his other

    hand and shed her tongue with his ws to sever it from her body.

    Simultaneous gasps of horror echoed throughout the room. Debrina cried out loud in pain as she

    gagged in blood. The pain was insurmountable.

    "Take her away from my sight." Stanis ordered his men. He gestured the elites and the other

    warriors to leave the room at once so he could discuss the matter with his sons in private.

    Bernard sighed and put one of his hands on the shoulders of his father. Stanis took steady breaths

    because he wanted this puzzle to be solved. His features were serene once again as he march ahead

    and took his ce on therge metal chair.

    Wace cleared his throat "We need to find the wolf father. What I am worried about though, is why the

    wolf attacked Beatrice in the first ce?"

    "May be it was a statement for the king. A threat perhaps." Frederick replied

    "Or maybe Beatrice had done something to ire the wolf." It was Bernard''s turn to speak.

    "Who in their right mind would be so bold to kill a royal blood inside the pce. The wolf had the

    audacity to step in enemy''snd and do the deed under our nose. That''s ridiculous!"

    "But why Beatrice? He could''ve attacked anyone else why her?"

    "Easy target maybe."

    "Or it had to do something with Beatrice. Whatever the reason maybe we have to do something."

    Stanis observed as his sons debated over the future course of action and perhaps the probable

    reason why Beatrice was killed. In fact the thought had plundered his mind for days. Why Beatrice?

    What had she done to earn the ire of a maniac wolf? Up until herst day she was cheery and bubbly

    about her mating with the human. Then what happened all of a sudden?

    As these thoughts crossed Stanis mind he realized something. Beatrice was about to be mated to

    the human; the Elemental. It was a fact that Can had not found his mate and of all the Elementals he

    had gathered information about, the human looked mysterious. Perhaps his greatest fears were true

    after all. The one who he had been looking for so long was none other than the human of the blue

    moon pack.

    Stanis gasped slowly as his lips trembled "You cant do anything.." he almost whispered looking at

    nothing

    The sudden change in his expressions concerned Stanis'' sons. Wace looked at his brothers with

    confusion and stepped ahead towards his father "What are you saying father? We will avenge the

    death of our beloved sister. You don''t have to worry."

    "You don''t understand." the king raised his head in trepidation "Its him. The Elemental."

    "Who?"

    "The human of the blue moon pack. He has to be it." Stanis gulped "He is connected to the beast.

    Every other alpha wolf has the tendency to submit before the royal blood; except one. The ancient wolf.

    "

    "That''s a myth" Frederickughed derisively

    "It is not." Stanis whispered in trepidation "He has reborn again."

    "How can you say that?" Bernard looked confused.

    "This exins everything." Wace scowled "Beatrice was about to be mated to that human. The wolf

    somehow must''ve known about it and hence he murdered her because he thought that she was a

    "This means that the human is a powerful Elemental." Wace and Frederick agreed to what Bernard

    said "What do we do?"

    The question silenced the four men for quite some. It was ultimately the king who took charge "We

    need to find out who his mate is."

    "But how? We cannot frisk every male from themunity.."

    "His mate is definitely a powerful alpha."

    "What!" the prince were surprised all at once. This was a rare scenario. Up until now they had

    encountered male bond pairs of omegas, warriors and in some cases even gamma and beta blood. To

    discover that there is a male bond pair of an alpha wolf was horrifying indeed. It had never happened

    before. Every alpha wolf needed an heir and so it was obvious that he was paired with a strong female

    wolf. Hence this was unusual.

    Wace, Bernard and Frederick looked at their father with worry. The king was in his own daze. Like he

    was thinking something; like his thoughts were scaring him.

    Frederick was the one who stepped ahead to gain attention of his father "We will find out who the

    human is paired with."

    "How do we do that?" Bernard asked

    "We have to bring him out of his hiding." the king replied in a meek voice as if he was talking more to

    himself.

    He stood from his chair and positioned his hands to the back of his body. He walked a bit further to

    reach therge window where his gaze was stationed at the clear sky. He looked at the moving clouds

    where he could see the sun hiding behind the dense fog. The king snickered all of a sudden. He turned

    around and looked at his eldest son with determination and an evil smirk.

    "Wace tell Donovan that its time to pay a visit to the blue moon pack."

    ********

 Chapter 61: It Will Always Be You

    Chapter 61: It Will Always Be You

    "I was thirteen and na?ve when it came to stepping out of the vige. I wanted to see different ces,

    roam around unchartered territories. I still like that." Fayette kept gawking at the open field with Garrick

    tagging himself to apany her under the shade of the big tree.

    "Can was a friend of Bradyn, my brother. He did became ustomed to the life of the humans. Both

    Archer and Can frequently visited the vige and we got to know each other better."

    The girl''s smile vanished which worried the wolf "What happened?"

    "I had an argument. My parents were not allowing me to leave the house and y with the boys. I

    couldn''t understand why. To be honest I did not want to understand. My rebellious nature was proving

    too much for them to handle. They locked me in my room." She scoffed

    "I didn''t know humans could be strict with their children."

    "I managed to free myself from the shambles and release myself from the confinement. It liberated me.

    My first break out. My fragile mind had only one thought at that time.. I wanted to do what the boys

    would usually do. I stepped out of my vige and that was the biggest mistake of my life."

    "Why?"

    "On my way to reach Bradyn I never realized that I was being followed. I stopped my strides to pick up

    an unusually decorated red stone when I heard the earth shattering growl. It brought chills to my spine.

    I turned around and there it was. A big ferocious lion."

    Garrick''s eyes flew wide. It was a dangerous world they lived in. More so it was never easy for the

    humans who belonged to the lower grade of the food chain. "Was he a shifter?"

    Fayette nodded "He looked hungry and his predatory eyes were robbing me of my confidence. It was

    like I was seeing death face to face. He ran towards me and I stood there still; frozen due to the

    immense fear. Unable toprehend what I should do. I was scared for my life"

    "You survived."

    A small bead of water escaped through Fayette''s eyes "It was Can. I don''t know how or when but he

    stood between me and the lion. He halted the animals strides with a small dagger. He was scared too

    but I was more scared than him. Without thinking about himself Can jumped on the big animal. It was

    all defense. I took my opportunity and hid behind a rock. I was watching how the boy was trying to

    dodge the lions attacks." Fayette sniveled. Her nostalgic mind was rewinding the scenario in front of

    her as if it had happened just yesterday.

    "I realized one thing at the moment" She turned to look at the beta "In a zest to save my life Can had

    taken my ce! He was tired and out of breath. His body was oozing blood and soon he was about to

    pass out but he looked at a frightened me and he stood up again. He didn''t give up. Before the matter

    got out of hand, my father came in with reinforcements. The lion was killed eventually."

    Garrick scowled in confusion "So you owe the human your life?"

    "You still don''t understand, do you?" Fayette snorted derisively "Everything changed between the both

    of us from that day. It was an unestablished bond. He was my savior. His act was selfless. He didn''t

    mean anything to me back then yet he saved me by putting his own life in danger. Have you ever

    imagined that if it hadn''t been for that human than you would''ve never had a mate in the first ce? I

    would''ve been dead long ago."

    "Don''t say that."

    Fayette could see the worry in Garrick''s eyes. His features were calm but his heart was broken and

    Fayette could sense it. She awkwardly smiled at him and changed the subject "I know you me

    Can for your parents death. That''s wrong."

    Garrick exhaled a long breath and turned away his face "He was responsible."

    "Had your father died saving the mother of Einar, would you have said the same thing?"

    "That''s different. It would have been an honor to die while trying to save the Luna."

    "Then your father died with honor. He saved your future alpha''s mate."

    Garrick gritted his teeth "They don''t belong together."

    "And we do?"

    Garrick was speechless for a moment. Theparison seemed unfair to him. Moreover he was unable

    to understand why thedy could notprehend a simple fact that the men were going against the

    "Because we belong to different genders and we can reproduce. That''s what you want to say?"

    The growing anger in Fayette was making Garrick anxious but he had to try and make her see reason

    "It is moreplicated than that. Einar is the alpha. He needs an heir to carry on his blood line.

    Whereas Ashton is a male, a non shifter. No one would be eptive of them. They will make the pack

    unhappy."

    "And what about their happiness?"

    "Einar is an alpha first."

    "What about Can?"

    "What about him?"

    "Doesn''t he deserve a chance to be with Einar; with his mate"

    Garrick shook his head firmly "He doesn''t."

    "Why is that?"

    He abruptly stood from his ce in anger "Because he is cursed!"

    Fayette giggled at Garrick''s foolishness "He is more than that."

    "Your are blinded and so you would never see the truth."

    "And what truth is that?"

    Garrick''s temperament was refusing to hold the barrier. He tried hard to be normal but seeing his mate

    defending Can was making him angry. "Why are we even talking about him? Its between you and

    me. Why cant you give me a chance?"

    Fayette slowly stood from her ce and faced the wolf with defiance "For the past several years you

    have knowingly unknowingly tortured my friend. You have hurt him time and again with your words;

    with your actions. He didn''t say anything because he felt responsible for your parents death which he

    was not. Even after so much you''ve put him through, he still thinks good about you."

    "No he doesn''t."

    Fayette scowled her eyes a bit more as she shook her head in disagreement "I have never liked you for

    how you treated him. Yet he is the one, who stilles up to me to tell me how good of a person you

    are. How you would love me through eternity. He wants me to be paired with you because he thinks I

    cannot get a better husband than you."

    "That cant be true." Garrick shook his head in disbelief.

    "He has high regards for you. Time and again you are breaking the connection of love between Einar

    and Can. Your not just hurting my friend but you are hurting your friend as well. You cant bear to see

    the rejection in my eyes. Have you ever imagined what it must be like for those two! Your meddling in

    the way of your goddess. You cant see them together because you don''t have a good heart."

    It was a big blow. It was clear that Fayette did not see him in a good light and that was breaking his

    heart. Garrick kneeled in front of the woman and pleaded with his crying eyes. "Please don''t say that. I

    promise to love you forever. I will give you all the happiness in the world. I can fight anyone for you.

    Just please don''t leave me."

    Garrick held Fayette''s hand in his and looked at her with hope. At this moment he was vulnerable. He

    didn''t care if he was seen as weak or selfish. It was happiness he desired whose roots led to the

    person in front of him.

    Fayette pulled her hand back in a jiffy "You are pathetic!" she scoffed "You are trying to woo me when

    you are separating two loving souls! How can I be happy knowing that Can is not happy? How can I

    ept the man who is hurting my friend?"

    Garrick''s lips moved but he couldn''t utter a word. His lips shivered while he bit them topose

    himself. The answer was evident. Garrick was a wolf first, he was forced to see the best of his pack.

    For him Can was a person who could bring the downfall of the pack. He couldn''t force himself to like

    him. The defiant human would always protect her friend as he would protect Einar.

    Garrick sighed in defeat and slowly raised his body. He sniveled and looked at thedy with silent

    weeping.

    "I am d we talked." Fayette took a pregnant pause as she braved herself "This will be thest time

    we ever do that. I can never ept you. However if you still have some shame left in you, please don''t

    Thedy picked her bag and gave the wolf an apologetic look before retrieving her steps to march

    towards her destination. All this while Garrick stood there stunned; lost in his own thoughts. Watching

    the only hope in his life diminishing away at a distance.

    ****

    The muscr man seemed puzzled. He looked at the man he loved in disbelief and a bit surprise. After

    a few more gasps, Einar''s smile turned into an astonishedugh "I don''t think that''s a good idea."

    "It doesn''t hurt to try." Can shrugged with a smug look on his face "Moreover it will establish the fact

    once and for all that I am stronger."

    "I never said you were weak."

    "But you said I have limitations."

    "That waspletely another context."

    "Stop bbering and get on my back."

    Can squatted his legs and gestured Einar to get on his back. Though it was a simple task to do the

    muscr man wasn''t in favor of doing it. "Are you sure? I am heavy."

    "And I am strong."

    Einar sighed in defeat at the stubborn nature of his mate "I did warn you."

    The muscr man exhaled a long breath before positioning himself behind Can''s back. The

    Elemental on the other hand smiled at his lover and was ready in his position. He grabbed the hands of

    Einar forcefully and pushed him forward. The sudden jerk caused the former alpha to lean and his

    chest was now glued to the back of Canpletely.

    Without a warning, Can stood on his feet and took off. He walked as fast as he could carrying the

    heavier man on his back. The initial reluctance and resistance from Einar turned into a ride full of joy.

    Every step they took brought chills to the man in a good way. Einar''s worried face soon turned into a

    experience with his mate.

    The child in them was thrilled. They bounced and jumped andughed and giggled. It was a bliss.

    A tired Can stopped abruptly and leaned his body backwards. Both the men fell on Einar''s back as

    theyughed through their heart. Can breathed heavily and rolled sideways looking at the bright blue

    sky. He giggled between his breaths while Einar''s attention waspletely taken away by the

    mesmerizing beauty thatid besides him. He turned his body and looked adorably at Can.

    "What are you looking at?"

    Einar removed the strands from Can''s forehead slowly "You are so beautiful."

    Can''s cheek flushed "You always say that when you want me."

    Einar tilted his body the very next moment as he kissed the man with passion. Their lips collided in an

    agony of longing and thirst of desire. Can grabbed a handful of hair from Einar''s skull as his hungry

    mouth tried to dominate. The initial moments of tender love soon be intense as Einar grabbed the

    pulsating member of Can and released it from the tight bounds of the handsome man''s pant. Einar

    teasingly and seductively undressed himself and Can and slowly reached for the handsome mans

    groin area.

    Einar leaned his body backwards as he kept looking at the man with passion and desire. On the other

    hand Can was heaving deep breaths to control his urges and not seem greedy. However he was

    losing the battle in a bad way. He held Einar''s hand and pulled him towards himself to give him another

    kiss. Their tongues battled fiercely before Einar sucked the ear lobes of the man.

    Can moaned in ecstasy.

    All of a sudden the muscr rolled sideways and screamed in pain. He held his stomach tightly and

    gritted his teeth to avoid his pain. The suffering caused his eyes to shed some tears of relief.

    A worried Can turned quickly on Einar''s side "What''s wrong?"

    "I guess its the demon. He is blocking me."

    Can closed his eyes and bit his lips. "He is holding you back again."

    "I don''t think we should indulge in these activities. Every time I try to make love to you the demon

    intervenes."

    "He is not bad. Daragor is just angry at you." Can smiled awkwardly at Einar as he looked sideways.

    Guilt flushed Einar''s face. Though he was jealous at the moment, he could see the sad eyes of his

    love. He held Can''s chin and turned it towards him "You miss him, don''t you?"

    "Look at you." Can giggled in a low tone "Jealous of your own self."

    "He is not me."

    "Don''t say that." He retorted "Both Daragor and Orcus are a part of you."

    Einar looked at the man with amusement "I don''t understand the point of giving them a name. They are

    just beasts."

    Can shrugged "They already had names."

    Einar sighed "As you say."

    "That''s not the point right now. I think its time that you ept who you really are."

    "I don''t understand."

    "The reason you are so conflicted is because on the day of you coronation as the alpha, you didn''t

    ept your beasts. They acted on their own because you didn''t allow them to show up. The synergy

    between you and your beasts is to the minimum. You have to trust them first. Give yourself to them and

    see what happens."

    "Wow!" Einar''s eyes widened in astonishment "You seem to know a lot about me than I know myself."

    Canughed at the shocked feature of Einar and ruffled his hair yfully. Both the men went ahead

    to look for their clothes before dressing themselves.

    "When are you leaving?" Can asked all of a sudden.

    "In two days perhaps."

    "Is it really necessary to go?"

    "Don''t do this." Einar sighed in disappointment looking at the saddened face of his mate "I hate to leave

    you but Bryce has invited me to his coronation. It would be good to have an alliance with the Idris

    pack."

    Can held the hem of Einar''s shirt and whispered with hope in his eyes "Let Garrick go alone."

    "I have to be there Can. I cant avoid it."

    "I will miss you."

    Einar cupped Can''s cheek "I would miss you like crazy. I don''t intend to stay for long though. Only

    Luna knows what havoc my wolf would bring if it doesn''t see you." He mockingly huffed and resumed

    the search for his head scarf.

    At that very moment an idea sparked in Can''s mind. He stood in front of Einar eagerly "Do you want

    to try something?"

    "What?"

    "Close your eyes." Can put his palm in front of Einar''s eyes. He kissed the man and held one of his

    hands. His gesture rxed Einarpletely.

    Can breathed an air of confidence and spoke "Find the center of your darkness and try to align

    yourself with it."

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Einar did as he was told. A ckness came and erased all the thoughts Einar was having right now.

    His mind was numb and soon he was panicking. However, he rxed a little when a shape of thin opal

    light came into focus at a distance. He could see the light bing more intense as it grew wide and

    Einar was horrified. His mouth went dry as he gulped in fear. It was the wolf. His inner beast in its full

    glory. As if on instinct, he tried to close the bright opening inside of his mind. He wanted to push the

    wolf back inside his dome but it was too much for him. With no option left he tried to open his eyes but

    Can didn''t allow him. "Don''t quit. It is just a matter of time."

    Einar gritted his teeth and growled "He.. is too.. powerful."

    "Don''t resist. Let him takeover." Can raised Einar''s hand to touch his own heart. The visible touch

    somewhat made Einar serene "Withdraw all the boundaries. Be eptive of him; be a part of him."

    Einar was not sure. He did not trust the wolf but he wanted to trust his mate and hence he let go of his

    inhibitions. As soon as Einar surrendered his control, the thin line of light transformed into a globe of

    brightness. The wolf stepped in and raised his head in glory. He roared and howled for he was finally

    free. As a sign of respect to his human, Orcus bowed to Einar.

    The muscr man was enraptured by it all. He didn''t understand it but the feeling was giving him an

    unknown joy. A sudden surge of power that he never felt before. It was like he could take over this

    world at this instant.

    Can slowly retreated his palm as Einar opened his eyes. He could see the glee in Can''s face as he

    embraced him in sweet hug. "I feel different. This feels amazing!"

    "Now you are one with the wolf." he giggled and leaned his head backwards to get a clear view of

    Einar''s face "You may not know this but you are stronger than you think."

    "I don''t know about that.." Einar smiled "But I feel like the luckiest man in the world."

    "Why?"

    "Because I have you." Einar held the back of Can''s palm and kissed him in admiration "After all that I

    have done to you, all the pain I have caused you. I am really fortunate that you are still here with me."

    "I will always be there for you." Can kissed Einar''s forehead lovingly "Because I am deeply and

    madly in love with you."

    Those words were so simple yet it made Einar''s heart heavy. He no longer seeked a path, a destination

    or even an ambition for that matter. His heart was content with where he was right now. He wanted this

    love forever. It was as if he had been locked inside a dark room and the key to it lied with Can. He

    had been alone for long and it was unsettling. Not anymore.

    What Einar was feeling was real. He was shining brighter not because he felt stronger but because he

    had Can. His heart was filled with uncharted emotions, once which he could not recognize. Surreal

    but satisfying.

    Einar wrapped his arms around Can as he let Can''s head rest on the shoulders of the muscr

    man. He squeezed the Elemental a little as if he was checking that Can was real, that he wasn''t

    dreaming. He breathed unevenly as his eyes were filled with emotions.

    Einar kissed Can''s hair and almost choked when he said "There cant be anyone else in this world

    who loves you more than I do. Thank you for epting me."

    ********

 Chapter 62: A Place To Call Home

    Chapter 62: A ce To Call ''Home''

    Morning had came too early. The brightened rays of the sun, deeply prated through the transparent

    curtains. It entered the windows and lightened the room to its fullest. The melodious chirping of birds

    indicated that it was time to bid goodbye to the soulful night.

    Arthur stretched his arms to shed away the indolence in him. He pped his eyelids a few times before

    removing the nket from his naked body. He sniffed the air around him and a strange surge of

    happiness flooded his mind. In the very next instant he tilted his body a little to witness a beautiful

    woman with long ck hair, lying besides him and staring lovingly right at him.

    Arthur was ve to his urges and hence it was proving difficult for him to focus somewhere else. He

    asionally flickered his eyes from the woman''s lips to her long hair, to her fabulous skin. As if on

    instinct, the woman leaned ahead and kissed the man passionately. Both of them cocooned each other

    in their arms as their lips danced to the tunes of their desires.

    They parted lips after a few moments to energize themselves from the wonderfully tiring activity. Arthur

    smiled at her and spoke the words which were on his mind for long "I want to introduce you to my

    parents."

    Isadora''s smile faltered and she scowled at Arthur; trying to decide the right words through which the

    wolf''s feeling are not hurt. "It is not the right time."

    Isadora could see a dramatic change of expressions in Arthur''s face. He looked angry, he looked

    disappointed. He sat upright and leaned his back to the headboard. "You have been saying that for the

    past several days. Will I ever get to tell my parents about us?"

    "I have already told you the conditions of our mating." the woman sat upright and folded her hands to

    her chest "I did tell you that we are different from other pairs. You agreed back then. Why is it so hard

    for you now?" she tried to convince Arthur in a low voice

    "It pains me to imagine that you are at the beck and call of some person." Arthur gritted his teeth "Like

    he is in control of your life. I hate it.. Cant you escape this very?"

    Isadora huffed in anger "Don''t call it that!" she raised herself from the bed and started wearing her

    clothes in a haste "It is a service. You don''t know how fortunate I am."

    Arthur mentally smacked himself when he realized that he upset the woman he loved. He followed

    Isadora and embraced her from behind "I am sorry. I didn''t mean to hurt you." He kissed the shoulders

    of thedy to ease her anger and waited patiently before saying "This master of yours... Cant he free

    you?"

    "It is not in his hands." Isadora sighed "My tribe is destined to serve his kind. It is our duty to protect

    him and hismunity."

    "From whom?"

    "The entire world." The woman untangled herself from the hands of Arthur and went ahead to fetch her

    arm bracelet "My master is special and hence everyone wants him for some or the other reason."

    "What makes him so special?"

    "I cant tell you that."

    Arthur exhaled a long breath "Does he know about us?"

    "Yes. I never lie to him.." she curved the side of her lips "By the way.. He is really fond of you. He was

    the one who encouraged me to live my life with the person destined for me."

    "Wow!" Arthur eximed in surprise "This makes me even more curious to know about the man."

    "I wish I could tell you more."

    Isadora turned around as she closed her eyes. Her hair, eyebrows and her nails darkened. Her hair

    strands grew even further while it shined like the sparkling diamonds. When she turned again to look at

    Arthur she could see the lust in his eyes.

    The wolf was stunned. The beautifuldy mesmerized Arthur. She smiled at him and bowed her head

    before she headed for the window. However her footsteps were halted when Arthur held her hand

    firmly "Come stay with me please. I agree to every of your conditions but it only seems fair if you are

    here with me. It will keep me satisfied."

    "Satisfied.. or satiated?"

    Arthur was slightly embarrassed by the question. His cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat "I just

    want you to be around. Is that too much to ask?"

    "I have to seek permission."

    The wolf huffed in disbelief and raised his voice "Is there anything you could do by yourself!" he took

    even breaths to cool his anger while the woman stood there watching the helplessness and angst of

    the man.

    "Ever since I have discovered you, I crave your attention and probably your time but I hardly get any."

    "I am on a mission. "

    "So you have time to roam with your master but not with your mate."

    "I fly alone. My master doesn''t like it when I shadow him"

    Arthur looked confused "If you are not with him then who is protecting this person of yours."

    Isadora chuckled and kissed the cheeks of the man "He has found someone."

    ****

    The chirping birds of the morning sang along the melodious humming of the beautiful man. All this

    while Einar kept gawking at the Elemental with love and adoration. He was wrapped up in a cocoon of

    arms to Can''s chest. Every few moments he would look up and blushingly smile at the beautiful man.

    "It feels like a dream." Einar whispered.

    The words caught Can''s attention and he looked down at the happy face of Einar in confusion

    "What?"

    "You... Here with me." Einar pursed his lips as his cheeks became red "I am in your arms... ying with

    those tiny hairs of your chest."

    Can smirked "What a weird coincidence! The tiny hair of my chest had the same dreamst night."

    Einar sat upright as he smacked Can''s arm yfully for mocking him. The two of themughed out

    their heart before the sudden silence. It was like a staringpetition. Both of them looked at each

    other with joy and admiration.

    Can leaned ahead to kiss Einar on his lips. He surprised the muscr man with his question "When

    do you think you fell in love with me?"

    "What is with that question?'''' Einar furrowed his brows

    "Come on! Tell me."

    Einar cleared his throat and looked at the sky. He racked his brain to think the right words and exin

    Can his feelings for him "I always thought that you were perfect. Your hair; your skin; your peculiar

    forest green eyes. It was hard for me to not gaze at you. That brightened smile of yours would raise my

    heart beat and make my hands mmy. The first person I loved to see in the morning was you.."

    "When did this all start?"

    "Since I was little."

    Can mouthed an ''O'' in shock and surprise "I never knew that."

    "After the dragon incident my emotions went erratic. There was confusion all around. I was angry and

    pained and suddenly I would be jealous of the little things which concerned you. It was the hardest time

    for me."

    "You couldn''t tell anyone about yourself."

    The handsome man sympathized with the wolf in a way. For Can, he was always around his friends

    who he could rely upon. Whatever the matter may be, he wasn''t the one to hide anything from his

    friends. He always weed some constructive feedback from them and tried to improve himself.

    But Einar''s situation was different.

    Although he was surrounded by people he was always alone. As a teenager his emotions were

    overwhelming him and he was terrified. With no advisor, he was forced to develop a defense

    mechanism against the feelings he had for Can.

    "Imagine my situation." Einar chuckled in sarcasm "Hiding my feelings, creating a fa?ade to please

    everyone. My bottled up emotions were ready to st on my sixteenth birthday. It was all because of

    you."

    Can looked at Einar usingly "What did I do?"

    "You touched me."

    "So you went out of control just because of a touch? That is unbelievable!"

    "The wolf craved you and wanted yourpany. I tried my best to avoid you but the beast was too

    powerful. He created a scene that day, didn''t he?" Both the men gave a soft chuckle "I was ashamed at

    myself for how I behaved. Uncle Umberto was dead and it added to my guilt. I decided it was best for

    me to leave. I thought the space between us would make my mind clear of your thoughts."

    "Did it help?"

    "Initially yes. I did think about you but it wasn''t the powerful urge to be around you constantly. I was

    able to control myself to an extent."

    Can apologetically smiled at Einar.

    He knew the strong desire a wolf had, to be around their mate. He had seen mate pairs all around who

    would go crazy without the sight of their other half. Can could not imagine the torture Einar had to go

    through. Can was fortunate to receive guidance and encouragement to love himself and be happy.

    On the contrary all Einar had to do was live under the influence of the pack and please his people. The

    constant pressure to prove himself worthy, to fit in a certain role had robbed him of his very existence.

    Can rubbed Einar''s arm tofort him "It must be hard for you."

    "You cannot imagine! I knew that till the time you are not in my peripheral vision, everything would be

    fine. However my assumptions went for a toss when you came to see me on the kingsnd. You

    rendered me speechless. I waspletely mesmerized by you. I wanted to kiss you so bad that day."

    "Why didn''t you?" Can winked an eye yfully

    "You know what i thought at that time." Einar chuckled and rolled his eyes "All was perfect until you

    showed up to ruin everything. All those emotions, those feelings that were caged inside my heart

    wanted liberation. I wasn''t able to control myself anymore. The more I tried to be away from you the

    more I was falling in the trap of love."

    "You were stubborn."

    "Speak for yourself. You were hell bent on maiming my ego."

    Can yfully pinched Einar''s nose and whispered "It worked."

    "Yes it did."

    Can''s attention was diverted to the ck bird hovering at a distance. He was thankful that Einar was

    unaware of its presence. However he felt a little apologetic about hiding some important facts about

    him from his mate. He hugged Einar and gestured the bird through his eyes to leave them in peace.

    At that very moment Can realized that it isn''t just him.. Einar had been hiding things from him as well.

    Though the muscr man was trying to be honest for the most of the times, Can felt that Einar was

    keeping things from him.

    Can pursed his lips and hesitatingly asked "You never told me what made you open up your heart to

    me."

    Einar opened his mouth to speak as he lowered his eyes "The month apart from you, I was aplete

    mess. I couldn''t sleep, I couldn''t eat. I was just existing. I realized that I would soon die at this rate. I

    just thought to myself that I would rather die in your arms than to spend any more day in solitude."

    Can was apprehensive about the reason Einar gave. He knew that Einar was hiding something. He

    could feel it in his guts but he didn''t want to force Einar.

    The muscr man on the other hand washed away his apologetic face and transformed his feature into

    a bright and charming one "Now its your turn."

    Can gasped in surprise and blushed a little before answering "Initially I was mad at you for how you

    behaved. When everything came out in the open it was the sheer rage inside of me. I wanted to kick

    you so bad."

    "I am sorry. If you want you can kick me now.."

    Both the menughed. An ufortable silence followed when theughter died down. Einar looked

    worried while Can was unsure if he even should go ahead. He breathed in a lot of air and smiled

    unconvincingly at Einar "It was Daragor."

    "Hmm?"

    "Your demon." Einar''s eyes were a little wide as he nodded his head in understanding "The extent to

    which he loved me made me think... All he wanted was a chance! For him to have that chance I had to

    deal with you because Daragor''s existence depended on you. I was fine by that."

    "This means that you wanted the demon alone?"

    "Quite frankly yes. Because you are insecure and the wolf in you is a barbaric maniac. Daragor is the

    most sensible of all the three of you."

    "I can be sensible too." Einar said with a pout on his face.

    "Yes you can be..." Can chuckled at the disappointed look on Einar''s face. He ruffled Einar''s hair and

    kissed his cheek "The day when the wolf attacked the pack, I interacted with him."

    Einar''s eyes widened "Really?"

    Can nodded. The muscr man was taken by surprise by the revaluation. The incident had been

    mapped in his head for eternity. Though he was remorseful about the events from the day and wanted

    to forget it all, he was always curious as to who was responsible for dousing the fire of rage of his

    beast.

    "He thought that the pack was separating the two of us" Can continued "Hence he wanted to

    demolish the root cause. The wolf was suffering because you were keeping him away from me. I then

    realized that he loved me too."

    Einar gritted his teeth as a sense of jealously masqueraded his smiling face. Although he knew that it

    was his mistakergely and wholly, he couldn''t get over the fact that the wolf and the demon seemingly

    had established a strong bond with his mate. Perhaps he waste to make some space in Can''s

    heart. Perhaps he was third in line when it came to love for Can.

    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

    Einar grinded his teeth again and awkwardly smiled all at the same time. He was feeling a little lost for

    he thought that his love was now divided. It didn''t cross his mind that he was actuallypeting with

    himself. He was a little mad, a little jealous and a little unhappy that Can favored someone else

    rather than him.

    "So it was the demon and the wolf." He huffed with difficulty trying to keep his face straight "You weren''t

    sure about me?"

    "Actually I was." Can retorted. His answer brought a sweet smile across Einar''s face as he lit up like

    the stars of the night. Can was aware that Einar was doubting their love. He wanted to make sure

    that there was nothing for which Einar had to worry about. He scowled his eyes and bit his lips for a

    moment before grasping Einar''s hand firmly "Come with me."

    "Where are we going?" Einar asked surprisingly

    "Don''t ask questions. Just keep your eyes closed."

    Can pulled out the scarf he was wearing on his neck and blindfolded Einar. He held his hands and

    made him follow.

    After crossing a number of hurdles on the uneven path, Einar was getting restless "Have we reached

    yet? I am not liking it at all!" He could deduce that they were around a waterbody. He could hear the

    gushing of water, the chirping of birds and the swooshing of trees. He concluded in his mind that they

    were perhaps somewhere deep in the forest.

    "We are here. You can open your eyes."

    Can redirected his steps sideways and looked at Einar with excitement. The anxiety in Einar forced

    his hands to work faster as he took out the blindfold in a jiffy. The moment he took in the bright light of

    the sun, Einar narrowed his eyes on instinct.

    Although his eyes were normal but his mouth was left ajar by what he saw.

    The first thing Einar could notice was that he was in the forbidden part of the forest. Most intriguingly,

    he was standing in front of a newly constructed house, adjusting perfectly to the calm of the nature.

    With tress all around and a waterfall right behind the house, it looked like heaven had descended on

    earth.

    The entrance of the house was symmetrical with therge arched windows to its sides. The porch was

    decorated with seasonal lilies while a beautiful swing was attached right besides the door. A small

    garden with infant ntsy on the area behind the gate. The foundation of the house looked strong to

    stand generations. The house was modelled as such so that it could raise anyone''s spirit.

    "Whose house is this?" Einar asked in surprise

    "Ours!"

    Einar hastily turned to look at a cheerful Can. His lips moved but he couldn''t utter the words in his

    mind. All he could say was "I don''t get it."

    Can closed the distance between the two of them and held Einar''s hands in his. "You remember the

    time when we went to meet the seers?" Einar nodded briskly "I heard everything you said that night in

    the tent when we were camping."

    The enormity of Einar''s shock was unmeasurable. He blinked his eyes a bit too much while his heart

    beats were raised. He willed his lips to move but no concrete words came out of his mouth. Can had

    heard the confession that night! This was really huge!

    Can deduced the state of mind of his mate as he cupped Einar''s cheeks "I may not provide kids for

    you but we can surely have a ce we can all home. This will be our escapade. No judgmental wolves,

    no pack. Just you and me."

    "This is incredible! When did you built this?" Einar almost whispered in surprise.

    "When we retuned from the seers." Can smiled "You wanted to grow old with me and I thought why

    cant we make that happen. We love each other and so we deserve a ce to call a home."

    Einar was rendered speechless with the huge gesture of love by his mate. His face was tensed and it

    looked like he would cry at any moment.

    Can decided to cheer up Einar "You don''t have to worry about anything. I can cook for you, I can can

    do the cleaning and other household stuff. When you arrive from a busy day at work I can offer you a

    hot beverage." He pecked Einar''s lips and bewitched him "See.. I am the best mate you can get."

    "You surely are." Einar whispered in delight.

    "I have made some more rooms, in case if ever our parents or friends decide to show up. The house

    needs some final touches but I will ready it as soon as I can."

    "You don''t have to.."

    "Of course I do! You presented me the wolf and that was really precious to me and so I questioned

    myself, what would match that gift..? And here we are! Consider it my present to you. Do you like it?"

    Can was taken by surprise when Einar''s mouth was on his in the very next instant. The kiss was

    gentle and full of passion. Can held Einar''s hair while the muscr man rubbed the back of Can

    gently. Both the men parted their lips while Einar kissed the neck of the handsome man. He was

    overwhelmed by the happiness that flooded his mind. He could never imagine that someone would go

    to such a length to make him happy.

    He giggled but at the same time, tiny tear drops rolled down through his cheeks. He gasped and

    chuckled and cried all at the same time. He pecked the lips of the handsome man once more and with

    a broken voice he said "It is perfect! You are perfect!"

    Can was happy to see the smiling face of Einar. He narrowed his eyes when Einar held his hand and

    walked towards the gate.

    "Where are we going?"

    Can''s question baffled Einar as he stopped midway "To see the house."

    Can released his palm and folded his hands across his chest "In some cultures when the mates first

    enter their new home they do so by carrying the other in their arms." he pursed his lips and stretched it

    wide while blinking his eyes rapidly.

    Einar raised a brow "You just made that up."

    "Don''t doubt my intelligence." the handsome man winked at his mate "Now just hop on so I can get you

    in."

    "I thought you said that the mate carries their other half in his arms."

    "You are heavy."

    Can squatted his legs and waited for his mate to get on his back while Einar was amazed by the wit

    and stubbornness of his mate.

    With eagerness to consume this joy, Einar quickly made his way to the back of the handsome man. He

    giggled andughed and cheered the man as both of them crossed the entrance gate to unravel their

    world of dreams.

    ********

    Hey my lovely readers..

    If you are enjoying the story so far, don''t forget to give it a star. I would also love to hear from you about

    the chapter. Don''t forget toment your views.

    Happy reading...!

 Chapter 63: The Stone Of Majalvik

    Chapter 63: The Stone Of Majalvik

    "You have done a wonderful job." Einar said with a happy smile when he looked at the sacs which he

    was supposed to carry to the pack of Idris.

    Rosaline bowed in acknowledgement "I guess I did."

    Einar scowled for he noticed something unusual. Rosaline was blushing and was hardly making it to

    have a straight face. Her smiles just slipped through her resilience.

    "You look different." Einar mimicked the smile of the Luna "Happy for some reason."

    He resumed his work thereon and started collecting all the essentials he was supposed to carry. On the

    other hand Rosaline was fidgeting her fingers in nervousness. Her raised heart beat did not go

    unnoticed by the man as he strangely looked at her "Is something wrong?"

    Rosaline awkwardly smiled and shook her head. Her puzzled brain was incapable to form words or

    speak her mind. Einar folded his hands to his chest and looked at Rosaline with patience "You know

    you can tell me anything."

    The woman briefly nodded and gathered her courage. With a deep sigh she asked "Can Ie with

    you?"

    Einar was bewildered on her request "Why do you want to visit that pack? Your memories will pain you

    even more."

    "I just want to have a change of atmosphere."

    "Are you not liking the pack?"

    "Its is not that... I feel like I stay too much at home. Going out sometimes can be good you know."

    "Why don''t you ask your guard to do the job? You like hispany and he likes to wander."

    Einar huffed and smiled at the thought of his mate however the gesture he portrayed was

    misunderstood by the woman. She thought that Einar was mocking her friend "I don''t like you talking

    this way about Can. He is a nice person." Her voice was low while she looked serene "His heart is

    pure gold. He is really lovable."

    That was the triggering point for Einar''s anger. He wasn''t taking it well when Rosaline was all praises

    for the man he loved. Though she had no ill intention towards the handsome man, Einar''s beast saw

    her as apetition and he growled in warning. Rosaline was startled for a moment "Why are you

    growling..?" she scowled her eyes to understand Einar better "Is it because I was speaking about

    Can?"

    "You need to keep your distance from him." Einar gritted his teeth in anger "He is your guard and

    nothing more. I don''t like you mingling with him."

    Rosaline was happy to see the reaction Einar had on his face. She could deduce that the man was

    jealous. What she failed to understand was that the reaction was not ''because'' of her but ''for'' her. She

    pursed her lips and controlled her urge to smile "I will keep that in mind."

    An awkward silence followed while Einar was trying to pace himself. He breathed deep sighs to gain

    control and smile again "If you want, you cane with me."

    "It is fine. I will wait for you to return. There are matters we need to discuss."

    "You are right." Einar nodded. He was ashamed about the fact that Rosaline had been dragged into

    this chaos for no apparent reason. Since Einar was clear on his stand about Can. He found it

    pointless to dy the inevitable. He wanted to discuss matters with his fake mate. He wanted Rosaline

    to be liberated from the burden of a lifetime.

    Einar stared at the woman in front and nodded his head subconsciously. His thoughts were clear. He

    was going to reveal everything about Can to Rosaline. He closed the distance and held Rosaline''s

    hand tofort her "You have been a dear friend of mine and it only seems fair that you know what is

    going on with my life. There are things that I need to tell you. Things that could break.."

    A rigorous knock on the door grabbed Einar''s attention and he looked at the person annoyingly. Garrick

    was waiting impatiently with a sac behind his shoulders and he hastily tapped his feet.

    "Aren''t you ready yet? It iste already."

    Einar huffed at the impatient of a friend and mentally smacked himself. He turned to look at a

    concerned Rosaline and cupped her cheeks in assurance "We will discuss this when I am back home."

    ****

    Three dayster..

    It was slightly painful at first but Can managed to ovee his fears and focus entirely on the bale of

    hay. He moved his thumb with his forefinger and yet the water soaked substance was still damp. His

    problems grew even more when the witch out of nowhere threw a bucket full of water on the substance

    again. It earned an angry re from Can but Aurora huffed and took two steps back.

    "You are not helping."

    "Believe me I am."

    "If it hadn''t been for you I would have med that thing way back."

    "You have becamecent. Don''t me me for your failure."

    Can gasped in mock disbelief "That was a bit harsh."

    "Not everyone you meet will be nice to you. Just wait until they know we have a supreme power among

    us."

    Aurora shrugged while the the handsome man gritted his teeth once more. It had been hours since the

    sunrise that the two of them were practicing in the open ground. Can was finding it difficult to

    concentrate on the bale of hay while his power surge seemed to be dripping. There were beads of

    precipitation for all the efforts he was putting in and yet he could not do the said job.

    He gritted his teeth and circled his finger with full intensity. His nerves popped up with the pressure

    while the wet substance was moving a little but not lighting up as it should be. He screamed for onest

    time before copsing to the ground and heaving deep breaths.

    "Are you alright?" Aurora was on his side with concern marking her face clearly.

    "It is just not my day."

    "I think we should end this here."

    "Great thought." Can snickered between his panting breaths.

    The look on the healer''s face was not what Can was expecting. Aurora seemed indifferent to the

    handsome mansment. She pulled her hair in frustration and let out a long breath of anger. She

    palmed her face for a few moments before rxing herself. She stretched her arm towards the

    Elemental and helped him get up.

    Both the friends looked at each other and started walking towards the broader part of the forest. It was

    silence for a long time before Aurora cleared her throat.

    "How is it going with you and Einar?

    Aurora''s question took Can by surprise. He looked ahead and smiled a little "It is absolutely

    wonderful!" He said dreamily "I cant describe it in words. It has been just a few days but it seems as if

    we have known each other forever."

    "Which is not true of course." Auroramented sarcastically.

    Can could sense a bit of a hostility and anger within Aurora. Though he wasn''t sure of the reason he

    was confident that Aurora had something going on in her mind. "What''s wrong?"

    Thedy clicked her tongue and sped her feet to reach therge pine tree standing next to her house.

    Can followed her like a lost child. He was confused at the strange behavior of Aurora but he didn''t

    push her. On the other hand Aurora took deep breaths and massaged her temples to keep her cool

    "When will you tell him about yourself?"

    "I will." Can scowled "I just don''t want him to think differently of me or worry about me. He has a lot

    on his te right now. I cannot burden him with my problems."

    "He has a right to know."

    "I will tell him when the time is right."

    Aurora bit her lip and lowered her voice "You may not have much time left."

    Can half smiled at thedy and took her in his arms tofort her. He could see the stress she was

    going through right now. He was moved by the worried state of her mind, it proved how much she

    cared for him. Can softly ran his hands on her back and made her sit on therge wooden log. "How

    many years are we talking about?

    "Months or worse.. days." Aurora sighed a long breath and shrugged in defeat "The alignment of the

    stars keep changing and so to predict the exact day is difficult. Once the alignmentpletes itself you

    wont have any chance. The power in you is slowly depleting. It woulde to a point that you may

    have none."

    "I understand."

    "No you don''t!" The witch shouted "You haven''tpleted your awakening procedure. It has been

    days. If this consternation is missed then you will remain as you are till the next blue moon of

    awakening. Which is a hundred years from now!"

    Can raised a brow "And you are worried because?"

    "Cant you feel it?" The healer questioned him "Your powers have not assimted through your body as

    it should have been."

    Can avoided Aurora''s eyes while he turned his back "I feel fine."

    Aurora huffed "Till the time you are human, you will be susceptible to various threats."

    "Magic doesn''t work on me neither does any of those enchanted potions. How am I at a threat?"

    The witch stood from her ce and held Can''s arm to turn him around. Can could see her stern

    eyes and the warning in them "There are a number of ways to kill a person. One doesn''t has to use his

    supernatural ability to do that."

    "Even after the awakening, people would still want me dead." Can tried to reason "They will find a

    way."

    "It wont be that easy." She walked to her house and opened the doors "After you be the Supreme

    Master, your life would be eternal.. well almost."

    "I don''t get it." Can followed thedy and sat on a nearby chair "Zio died in the past life so I guess

    I am not truly immortal."

    Aurora nodded "You have a point."

    She murmured some verses in thenguage of the ancients and held the big book in her hands. She

    requested Can to open the book and flip the pages. Can did as he was told but the book seemed

    to have a mind of its own. After covering arger section of pages the book would eventually turn back

    the sheets to a certain page. The handsome man tried over and over again but the results were the

    same. The page the book was adamant to hold onto, was empty. There was nothing in there. No

    writing, no pictures; no inscriptions; nothing.

    Can was confused. He looked at the witch for answers but he found none.

    "What does it mean?"

    "It is a mystery for me as well. Although the book answers to all the questions in the world, it looks like

    it does not want to reveal the contents even to the Supreme Master."

    "What do you think is written on that page."

    "I can only assume." Aurora paused for a moment "Don''t take it in the wrong way but I was curious

    about your weakness or probably a way where you could be humbled. I tried to find answers through

    the book and it has been behaving strange ever since."

    "The page contains the mystery of my death." Can whispered to himself "This means that I am not

    too powerful after all." Can mockingly chuckled at Aurora.

    The witch however was in a deep thought. She was aware about the gravity of the situation and she

    wished for the benefit for her friend that he was aware too. She closed her eyes and whispered some

    words again. Out of nowhere some parchments of the primordial times appeared before her and

    glowed.

    "The big stone of Majalvik." The witch held one of the parchments to the Elemental and pointed to a

    human but the Supreme Master was supposedly different. He was blessed with longevity and almost a

    life without death."

    "Then how did he die?"

    "It is encrypted on the stone. It has to be.." she looked unsure. She attracted Can''s attention to the

    book of the ancients and pointed a finger to it "The book says that the seekers of the stone of Majalvik

    can only be the bearers of nature''s life forces. Do you know what this means?"

    Can shook his head "I don''t understand."

    "You have to find others like you! Only they can help you look for the stone."

    Can shrugged and sighed in defeat "I have been sending Isadora to look everywhere but she cant

    find them."

    "It is not her job!" Aurora scolded the man "Only you can force your fellow Elementals toe out of

    the hiding and appear before you."

    "I tried your way remember." Can waived his hands in the air and raised a brow "It didn''t work."

    "They didn''t respond to your call because they didn''t recognize you. It is high time Can, you have to

    understand the seriousness of it. Acknowledge your powers and go looking for them."

    That got Can thinking. He wasn''t sure if was doing the right thing but he never wanted this power in

    the first ce. He felt as if the responsibilities that came with the powers was somehowden on him

    forcefully. He was enjoying this phase of life where he finally had a shot at true love. He was living his

    dream with the man he loved.

    On the other hand, he was supposedly a leader of amunity he never knew even existed. He was

    unaware of their whereabouts and certainly was not interested to interfere in their lives. Not as of now.

    He knew he was being selfish but for him, the most important person right now was the man of his life.

    "What about Einar? How can I leave him alone?"

    "Take him with you. I am sure he wont mind."

    "He will ask a lot of questions. Besides I would have to tell him who I am."

    "We are back to square one." Aurora sighed in defeat "You can be really annoying sometimes Cally."

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    Can had the smug look on his face as he smiled at thedy in victory. The sickly caw caught his

    attention and he looked at the window right behind Aurora. The bird pped its wing and and stationed

    itself on an empty spot before transforming itself into a beautiful woman with long ck hair.

    "What''s the news Isadora?"

    "Master." thedy bowed "Arthur is on his way to the witches cottage."

    "Is that why you are tensed?" Can teased the woman "Your flushed cheeks tell me that you are

    worried for your own reasons."

    Isadora awkwardly smiled as she shied her eyes from the ufortable question. Aurora and Can

    Isadora bowed again and made her way out through the windows.

    It was just a matter of time when both of them could hear distinguishing footsteps near the door. All of a

    sudden the door was mmed hard and a nervous looking Arthur came to the scene. He surveyed the

    area thoroughly and sighed when his eyesnded on the one person for whom he was sent here

    "Where the hell have you been? I have been searching all over."

    "Rx! I was just spending time with Aurora."

    Though Can was avoiding it, Aurora could deduce the strange behavior of the gamma. The nervous

    lines on his foreheads, the precipitation beads of his worry were making the healer anxious. It was as if

    he was here with a warning. Like something bad was about to happen. "You look tensed Arthur. Is

    everything fine in the pack?"

    Arthur was quiet for a moment but then he turned his head to Can and looked at him apologetically

    "No it isn''t." he whispered in trepidation.

    Arthur was overwhelmed by his emotions as he could not help himself. The brim of water in his eyes

    could no longer hold itself and he hugged the man with a force. The embrace was a tight one, like he

    did not want to let go of Can.

    At that moment Can''s joyous ardor was transformed into the one with anxiousness and scare. The

    hug was making him jittery in bad way "I am getting a little nervous here."

    Arthur retracted himself when he realized that his emotions had taken over. He sighed for a few

    moments to gain the courage to say the dreadful words "The alpha has ordered me to keep my mouth

    shut but I.." he gulped and pursed his lips "I don''t have the guts to see you.." he bit his lips as no other

    words were making its way through his mouth.

    "It will be fine." Can''spassionate mind was feeling extremely bad for the man he cared. He

    embraced Arthur once again and patted his back. "Don''t pressure yourself." He whispered to his ears.

    Can let go of Arthur as he stood firmly in front him. He encouragingly smiled at him and said "I will be

    alright. Now lets go."

    "I wille with you."

    Can nodded at Aurora. Both the men lead the way with the witch following them to the main vige.

    Can was wrong when he thought that the anxiousness in him would be short lived. His resilient mind

    was drafting scenarios in his head for all the wrong that could happen in the main vige. Though he

    was nervous about the catastrophes that waited for him in the vige he was relieved that Einar was

    not present in the pack at the moment. Only the heavenly could determine what havoc the beast of a

    man could bring upon the wolves shall he knew his mate was in danger.

    Can side nced Arthur frequently to see his sad, disappointed face. He could deduce that the

    gamma was not only feeling apologetic but he was cursing himself for being helpless. Aurora''s words

    of wisdom were the only thing which gave the menfort at this time but she was afraid herself. She

    was aware of the hatred the pack had for Can and hence the magnitude they would go to admonish

    him for his deeds was unthinkable. She looked to the sky and prayed to the gods for Can''s safety.

    s! The moment of reckoning was finally here.

    The moment Can stepped foot in therge arena, he was stunned. He had never seen a gathering

    as such in his entire existence. The chiefs of every vige were present with their own warriors. The

    entire main vige crowded the avable space of the arena. The murmurs and whispers grew even

    more as the man took his steps towards the tform.

    Can was bewildered when he heard screams and growls aiming at him. He gazed at the source of

    the sound and saw unfamiliar faces looking at him with anger and disgust. He scowled and looked at

    the dais for he wasn''t sure what was happening. As it was, Rosaline and luna Zelda looked sorry for

    him while Ragnar and Peter were indifferent. Can was d that his parents were not here to witness

    anymore abasement.

    A loud growl silenced the entire arena and Can''s attention was diverted once again. His once

    overwhelmed mind was frozen when he saw the hulk of a man appearing in front of him out of

    nowhere. He was more than a foot taller than Can and was much bulkier than any wolf Can had

    ever seen. He flexed his muscles as a show of dominance and punched his right palm as a ready

    gesture to fight.

    Can did not miss the angry re, the huffs full of rage, the ring of the nose. The man menacingly

    took two steps ahead and growled with his might at the frightened Elemental.

    Can gasped while his lips trembled. The reason for him being summoned had been clear now. How

    wrong was he when he thought that Einar''s absence was a blessing! On the contrary, Can wished to

    see him for thest time, until he could hold onto the precious final moments of his life.

    Destiny had yed a cruel game yet again.

    Just moments ago Can was discussing with Aurora the ways in which he could die. Perhaps the

    probability of his passing was certain as death itself was standing right in front of him.

    ********

 Chapter 64: The Past That haunts

    Chapter 64: The Past That haunts

    A chain of delicacies was spread on the table with the head of the pack chairing it. The asional

    a bright smile across their face. Everyone except the muscr man.

    Einar seemed unaffected by it all. He congratted Bryce for the ceremony and was almost aloof from

    every one in the party. He acknowledged people only on asions while he talked to them when it was

    necessary.

    He sighed with a painful heart when he witnessed people unting their other halves. Their disy of

    affection was making Einar dejected and jealous to say the least. He picked a te full of meat loaf and

    decided to eat away his apathy, alone from the sickeningly happy people.

    "Hello alpha Einar."

    The voice sent shivers down the spine of Einar. He rested the te aside and gritted his teeth. "I am

    not the alpha anymore."

    "For me you are." The stranger chuckled "And a powerful one of course."

    Einar sighed in defeat for he knew there was no way to avoid the man anymore. He could see a

    worried Garrick at a distance who was waiting for a call of help from Einar so that he could jump in the

    situation and save his best friend. Einar half smiled at Garrick and shook his head much to his

    displeasure.

    He turned his body to witness a smug look on the face of middle aged man. The wrinkles on his face

    were the only proof that the man was at the end of his prime. His shiny ck hair and the scarf on the

    top of his headplimented his slender but healthy body. He wore robes of uniquely blended red and

    grey color, which seemed appallingly disturbing to the normal eyes.

    He was the priest Einar wished to never see again.

    The man gazed at Einar with conviction as if he knew him from the inside out.

    Einar stared with a frown "I never expected to see you here."

    "I was here to give blessings to alpha Bryce and his sweet little son." He moved his eyes all over

    Einar''s body and smirked "Perhaps my potions are working wonders on you."

    "I have stopped taking them." Einar retorted and marched to the deserted ce near the end of the

    forest away from the ceremony. He was wary of the prying eyes and was certainly not interested to be

    the center of attention. He sighed in frustration when he felt the thuds of the unwanted footsteps

    following him.

    "You are still calm." The priest looked at him with intrigue "Maybe you havee to peace with who

    you are."

    "I have epted my destiny and I am happy. I don''t think I will ever need that potion of yours

    anymore."

    "But I think you do."

    "Hmm?" Einar was confused.

    "In the centuries that I have lived, I can proudly say that I have witnessed a number of powerful beings

    on earth... but there was none like you! The doses I gave you were strong enough to kill ten alphas. Yet

    it hardly had any effect on you."

    "You have no idea what hell I went through." Einar spoke in a low threatening voice.

    "You are underestimating yourself." The man gazed Einar as a prized possession. The greed in his

    eyes was now evident "Have you ever wondered what will happen if you just relieve your constraints

    for a moment? Let the animal in you fulfill his primal desires. Let him satiate his thirst for blood." he bit

    his lips as his eyes dazzled "Come with me.. I can help you."

    Einar did not miss the intense and selfish desire of the priest. He could clearly see through him. He

    wanted Einar as his puppet. He wanted to own him.

    "You are pathetic." Einar spoke through his gritted teeth "If ever my wolf went rogue, just pray to luna

    that you are at the farthest corner of the earth."

    Einar wanted to say more but his attention was diverted to the heavy feeling inside of him. Sweat

    trickled through his forehead while his palms were sping his chest. He filled his mouth with air but

    when he couldn''t control himself, he kneeled. His stomach started heaving its contents on the ground.

    "The food wasn''t nice, I get it." The priest gave a disgusted look to the muscr man "But you cant just

    throw up and disrespect the alpha. I expect more from you."

    "Get out of my sight!" Einar roared in anger.

    The man shrugged nonchntly "Let me know if you want any of my potions." he smirked "Now maybe

    a good time to have it." He retreated his steps when he saw the beta of the blue moon pack hurriedly

    making his way to his best friend.

    "Einar!" he pped his back lightly in a repeated motion "Are you alright?

    "I am not feeling good."

    "Are you sick?"

    A sudden itching followed the retching of his stomach. Einar heaved deep sighs but he was not able to

    control his raging emotions. His palms tickled and he wanted to grab someone and puncture his wind

    pipe. The murderous me inside of him was growing for some reason. "It is my wolf. He is bothering

    me."

    The prominent red eyes of Einar were making Garrick wary of touching him. He bit his lips and

    proposed Einar to head back home "You are right. Lets go back to the pack. Maybe when you are near

    Can you would feel fine."

    The urrence of Can''s name sparked something in Einar and his eyes widened in fear. The feeling

    of insecurity was cutting his soul deeply. The reason for his overwhelming frustration and panic inside

    of him was clear now. It wasn''t for him; it was for his mate!

    "No!" Einar whispered in trepidation "No...!" He roared with his might as the veins in his body were

    popping the red liquid in full force.

    "What is wrong?" Garrick asked in confusion.

    "We need to hurry.. Something is wrong with Can "

    ****

    The beating of therge drums was boosting the morale of the crowd. Every wolf present was either

    growling or grunting, looking at the pathetic state of the handsome man with interest.

    Can was restrained by a heavy metal cored through his neck. His wrists were entangled in a chain

    and rested on his back. His fragile human body was finding it difficult to consume the torture of the

    steel. However it was his overwhelmed mind which had now be numb to any thoughts.

    A sudden silence alerted the handsome man as he raised his eyeshes. He closed his eyes the very

    next instant because it was something he wasn''t ready to see.

    It was the hulk of the man standing right in front of him.

    "Didn''t I tell you." He snickered "I would wait for the opportune moment." Heughed hysterically. With

    a dramatic change of his expressions he turned his back and faced the dais. "I request alpha Ragnar to

    hand over the bastard to our pack."

    "Donovan." Ragnar said in a stern voice "You know the rules."

    "I know the rules but I don''t think you do." He huffed in anger "The perpetrator needs to be punished by

    the one who he wronged. In this case... It is me!"

    "You are right indeed." Ragnar agreed much to his displeasure "But you have to give him a chance to

    exin himself."

    "I knew you woulde up with those pathetic excuses to get your little human away." He marched

    towards the tform with eyes full of rage "My wolf wants to fight him. Show him his ce; kill him right

    now so that the world knows who he messed with."

    "Can is a part of my pack and hence he is under my protection like any other wolf. I wont let you

    harm him."

    The alpha wolf growled in defiance. He stood there in an attacking position as if he wanted to cut open

    the throat of the host alpha. His misdemeanor was supported by the wolves of his pack who on the

    very next instant stood right behind their alpha. On the other side the challenge was not taken well by

    the warriors of blue moon pack. Aldous ordered his men to take position and be ready to defend their

    honor.

    What followed was a series of grunts and growls from both the sides. It was as an exhibition of

    dominance and strength. Donovan soon changed his stance and sighed a long breath. His mind was

    pensive. He looked at the human and then at the alpha "Fine." He smirked "As the alpha of the Tarakan

    pack, I invoke my right to demand a council.."

    Ragnar closed his eyes shut because this was the one thing which he was afraid of. It was a privilege

    shared by the big packs all around the world that they could have a council of their ownprising of

    their elders. They never had to rely on the kings council for matters rted to the pack issues. The

    downside of it all was that the elders were not supposed to be biased or loyal towards their pack. To be

    just, they had to always keep thews above everyone else.

    Donovan invoking his right was a big blow to Can''s safety. Ragnar knew that the members of the

    council would not let the matter slide. He wanted to deny the request but he had no choice. He

    reluctantly agreed to Donovan''s wishes and ordered the thirteen elders from every vige to be present

    before them.

    The anxious and nervous breaths of the people were rxed when they saw thirteen people with long

    gowns making their way to the dais. Soon they were seated in their respective positions and the

    discussions began. The crowd was silenced as the men took an oath of faithfulness to the Luna.

    After a few moments, the man from the center stood up and ordered the proceedings to begin. Drums

    were hit with full swing as the approaching footsteps of a familiardy made Can''s heart swell. She

    was the woman Can knew very well. He could see the unwillingness of her mind, her unsteady

    stance. He could deduce that the woman was forced to be present here against her wishes.

    As she crossed the Elemental, she stopped for a moment and looked at him with sympathy. Guilt

    colored her face entirely. She mouthed a sorry to him and went ahead towards the tform. She

    bowed her head in acknowledgement while her nod was reciprocated by the elders.

    "Vi Preston, do you recognize the man in front of you?" the man asked

    Thedy fidgeted her fingers for a long time. Her dubious mind was trying to formte a way to help

    the man in shackles but she had no choice. Her mate was getting impatient and his growl startled her.

    She jumped on her feet in fear and nodded the very next moment.

    "A verbal consent is necessary Luna of the Tarakan pack."

    Vi sniveled and spoke in a broken voice "Yes... I-I do."

    "What kind of rtion did you two have?"

    A long silence followed before Vi bowed her head and said in a low voice "We were lovers."

    As soon as the words left Vi''s mouth, Can was greeted by a stream of expletive''s from the

    onlookers. It wasn''t a secret that the man was in love with the she-wolf. In fact every pack member

    knew that Can was adamant to have the unmated she-wolf all to himself. They were aware of the

    fact that Can''s action would bring grave consequences to the pack as he did wrong the luna.

    "Did he touch you physically?"

    Vi''s lips moved but she didn''t utter a word. An affirmative answer would render Can helpless and

    hence she took the course which she felt right at that time. "The act was mutual." She said with her

    head held high "I didn''t do anything against my wishes. I am very much responsible.."

    "Did he touch you or not?" the elder roared

    She closed her eyes in defeat and whispered. "Yes."

    The elder sat in his ce and indulged in a deep conversation with his fellowpanions. Can

    bowed his head in shame not because his past was thrown at his face but because the woman he

    loved once was being humiliated for their deeds. The entire crowd started whispering again, cursing the

    Elemental for breaking one of the most sacredws of the wolves. He had indulged in adultery, he

    wanted to have what was not his. He was hell bent on defying the luna.

    The crowd was silenced when the elder stood from his ce "It is settled then." he pointed his arm

    towards Can "We can conclude that the man here has interfered with ourws and destroyed the

    virtue of this youngdy. He has made her impure for her mate. It is a grave act to bring the downfall of

    any pack! Vi is now the Luna of a pack and hence the gravity of the matter cannot be overlooked

    anymore. We the council, pronounce this man guilty."

    The decision was followed by cheers and hoots from all around. The only sad faces among the crowd

    were the threedies who had sympathy with the man; Aurora, Rosaline and Zelda.

    Donovan smirked and walked ahead towards the dais "I am truly thankful to the esteemed members of

    the council. It will only be wise if the man is handed over to me so that I can kill him myself."

    The Tarakan pack cheered in unison. This was their victory. The death of the man would cement the

    legacy of the wolves and the supremacy of their pack. Simultaneous chants for want of Can''s blood

    made their way through the people while curses were being showered from the other half of the arena.

    "If I may interject." Ragnar''s words caught everyone''s attention "Can should be treated as an

    exception. Though he is a part of the pack, he is just a human. Ourws are meant to be for wolves

    and hence legally and morally we don''t have the right to treat him at par with us."

    "A good point you made there Ragnar." Donovan smirked with a smug look on his face "Always trying

    to protect that filthy bastard." he bowed his head to the elders to present his case "I would like to bring

    notice to the fact that though the man is just a human, he is a part of the pack. He was never

    considered different from the wolves around here. Moreover he even did participate in the trials to try

    and qualify for the head warrior''s position. Why should he be treated any differently?"

    The murmurs and whispers erupted once again. It was again left to the elders to decide the next course

    of action. Ragnar was apprehensive of the oue for he knew his plea wasn''t going to save the

    human. He tried his best but that wasn''t enough. On the other hand Donovan side nced the man

    and menacingly curved his lips. He was portraying different scenarios in his head where he could kill

    the Elemental.

    The elder raised his hand to announce the decision "Although what alpha Ragnar suggested is true up

    to some extent, we cannot deny the facts presented by the alpha of Tarakan. Can did wrong him and

    so he needs to be punished. However, since this case is a littleplicated we have to consider the

    pleas of both the parties. Hence the council has decided that the possibility to punish Can by death

    shall be ruled out. Alpha Donovan shall decide the measure of such punishment which should not lead

    to death."

    An angry crowd detested the decision. They wanted the man to be killed for his deeds. They wanted to

    cleanse the pack of Can''s evil. The murmurs soon turned into roars and the people seemed to loose

    their control. Donovan was calm for the entire moment. Aldous could sense the immoral thoughts

    lurking inside the brain of the man. He was sure that Donovan had some ulterior motive behind all of

    this but he kept his suspicion to his self for he had no proof against the alpha.

    "I don''t agree with the council''s opinions.." Donovan raised his voice "But I am going to respect the

    decision. I havee to an agreement."

    "Tell us what you want alpha of the Tarakan pack."

    "I wont kill the man. In fact I wont even touch him but he won''t go scot free either."

    "The authority to punish him still remains by your side. The council would agree on any such measures

    which does not lead to the death of the human."

    "I understand."

    The crowd was taken by surprise by the sudden change of heart in the wolf. He made his way to the

    head warrior of the blue moon pack and whispered in his ears. Aldous was stunned for a moment and

    looked at the alpha in disbelief. He reluctantly nodded his head and turned his back to vanish from the

    ce.

    Donovan then made his way to the Elemental and rattled the chains cored through Can''s neck. "I

    will make sure that I hit you so bad that you would wish death was better." he leaned ahead and

    whispered in Can''s ears "You would cry and beg to kill you but I wont do that."

    He retreated his steps backwards as he witnessed the appearance of Aldous from the far vision. In the

    very next moment Can was being dragged to arge triangr formation of thick wood. Aldous

    marched ahead and tied Can''s hands to a chain dangling from the vertex of the formation. He looked

    apologetically at the Elemental when he forcefully ripped open the shirt of the man.

    The chilling silence all around was frightening.

    Aldous then unwillingly handed over the fleshy leather whip to Donovan and gritted his teeth in defeat.

    Donovan on the other hand crackled the leather to a thunderous sound before feeling the thing in his

    hands. He looked at a scared Can and smiled with pleasure. The cheering of the crowd resumed

    once again as with every step the alpha took, the voices grew louder.

    The alpha roared in rage and hit the first strike. He bared his teeth andughed when the sharp crack

    of the whip burned the pure flesh of the handsome man. Can took short gasps of breaths to endure

    all the pain he could. He fisted his hands and curled his toes to suffer the pain patiently but his eyes

    could no longer deny his state of distress as they freely flew.

    The stiff defiance by the handsome man was making Donovan irritated and he started hitting the man

    with more vigor. He hit the bare flesh of the man rigorously. Can could feel the sting of the leather

    through his skin and when the first moan escaped his lips, Donovan smiled with victory.

    He crackled the whip once more before circling the handsome man and battering his torso mercilessly.

    Can''s pained whimpers disappeared amidst the cheering of the crowd. The leather soon prated

    the firstyer of skin and the burning red liquid made its way, dripping down through Can''s hips.

    The vulnerable state of the handsome man was making Ragnar feel extremely helpless. Tears

    streamed down through Zelda, Rosaline and Aurora''s eyes while Aldous and Arthur suffered in silence.

    Can''s stature was slowly loosing its form. His legs were wobbly while be barely had the strength to

    keep his eyes open. All this while, Donovan assailed Can''s body the way he could, the way he

    wanted to. It came to a point where the leather would stick to the body firmly and tear open the skin on

    retreating from Can''s body. At times the whip would entangle itself hardly with his torso and

    prated even further than the hit before.

    The session of the strikes had deprived Can of his strength. His eyes were shutting close while

    his head leaned back due to his drained energy. His breaths were slow and his body was now hanging

    with the support of the chains. The puddle of blood on the ground was soon growing in its

    circumference.

    The men of the Tarakan pack sang songs of dominance and valor of their alpha while the blue moon

    pack watched the wretched state of the man with indifference.

    The once beautiful body of the handsome man was covered with horrendous scars of evil. His skin was

    protruded on the outside in an inhuman way. Every wound that was made on his body, oozed blood

    continuously. The glowing skin of the man that would make any person jealous had changed its

    Can was ruined.

    Donovan raised his hands skywards and growled with authority. The sting of the whips finally stopped

    but it left Can like never before. Half dead, half alive.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    The alpha of the Tarakan pack seemed satisfied with his heroics as he stepped onto the blood and

    closed the distance with the handsome man. He turned the side of the whip and poked the peak of the

    hard wooden end to the exposed skin of the man. The sensation brought downright shivers and

    extreme pain to the handsome man as he moaned desperately for relief.

    "I want you to feel this pain." he poked the wooden end even further and spit on the face of the

    handsome man "Your pathetic." He snarled "Death wonte easy to you and I will make sure of that."

    He retreated his steps back and ordered his men to take positions for his job was done here. He

    cracked the whip once again at the wooden structure and it came crashing down on the weakened

    body of the handsome man.

    Aldous, Arthur and Aurora rushed to the scene as quickly as they could. Aldous and Arthur were trying

    to remove the heavy structure while Aurora was near Can, trying to wake him up.

    Donovan rolled the leather whip around its wooden support and threw the thing at Can

    disrespectfully. "Sleep well human for I will be back when you are alive and healthy." Heughed

    hysterically and made his way to the dais to greet the elders.

    The vicissitude of fortunes had raised its ugly head.

    Can''s broken figure wasid on the ground. The slight flow of breeze forced his body to shiver and

    his lips to tremble. A sudden darkness clouded his eyes as his breaths were sickly and low. He gasped

    in arge breath before his lips parted for air and his body transferred into a state of eternal

    unconsciousness.

    ********

 Chapter 65: No Matter What

    Chapter 65: No Matter What

    The trees surpassed the wolves in a blink of an eye. Their feet barely touched the ground as they

    with his full might.

    After covering arge distance from the Idris pack, both the wolves turned into their respective human

    bodies.

    The environment was calm but there was no relief in Einar''s features. He walked at a speed which was

    bing difficult for Garrick to catch up.

    "Cant you just slow down a bit?" It was more of a request as Garrick was barely keeping up with the

    mightier wolf.

    "I need to be there." Einar said in a worried tone, hardly caring for the fact that he was not alone.

    "We ran through all our journey. I am tired and I am sure you are too."

    "It doesn''t matter. I need to see Can."

    "But why?"

    Einar halted for a moment and turned around to look at his best friend "Because my wolf feels he is in

    trouble." he calmly said.

    "This.. This is impossible!" Garrick''s mouthy hung open in astonishment "Can he do that?"

    Einar nodded a little. Wolves were known to sense trouble or other powerful emotions of their loved

    one when they were in a strong bond. The prerequisite to the rule being that the mate pairs must be in

    the same pack at that time and should havepleted the bond at the earliest. This case however did

    not apply to the inter species mate pairs or for two male bond inmates whatsoever.

    "When we were thirteen he sensed that something was wrong and led me to the forest. Can was

    fighting that dragon if you remember." he raised a brow "On my sixteenth birthday he could feel the

    troubled heart of Can again."

    "It was the day when the ferals attacked." Garrick realized the connection.

    Einar briefly nodded and returned to his speedy steps marching ahead "When Rosaline arrived in the

    pack I could only think of Can because I was worried for his safety. It was mainly because my wolf

    was worried about him and he was right."

    "Is it the same today?"

    "It is a lot worse Garrick." Einar heaved a deep sigh of sorrow "I felt as if my life was slipping away.

    Almost as if I was going to die. It is hard to describe but I think he is in immense pain at this moment."

    Garrick could sense the emotional turbulence brewing inside the head of the former alpha and he kept

    his mum. He couldn''t say anything because his words were not enough to give any reassurance or

    soothe his best friend''s mind. Einar was in pain which made Garrick sad from within.

    Both the men continued the journey in silence for a very long time before Garrick spoke out of curiosity

    when Einar made a drastic turn.

    "Our pack is this way." he pointed to a direction in the west.

    "The wolf is forcing me to turn."

    Garrick could speak no more for the asional grunts and growls was making him scared. The

    mightier wolf was angry as hell and Garrick surely did not want to experience his wrath. He followed the

    muscr man for some more. They crossed a river and a magnificent hill only tond at the entrance

    of a settlement.

    "This is Donovan''s pack." Garrick said in confusion.

    Einar hardly paid any attention to his best friend as his blood boiled at the sight of people jouncing and

    rejoicing. Their merriment was making him furious for some reason.

    Garrick stood by Einar''s side as they marched ahead through the sea of people. The smell of alcohol

    and meat wafted thick in the air.

    Garrick looked all around and spoke in Einar''s ears "It looks like they are celebrating a victory."

    "You look new."

    Garrick was startled by an unfamiliar presence of a Tarakan pack member. He awkwardly smiled and

    gathered his posture. "We.. uhm..We were here for some official purpose to meet the pack alpha."

    "Oh I see." The petite man reciprocated with a smile of his own. He looked at the muscr man

    standing besides Garrick and was a bit disappointed when Einar did not acknowledge him.

    "He doesn''t speak a lot." Garrick defended his friend while Einar kept gawking in the front with his

    angry, scowled eyes.

    After exchanging a few more words Garrick finally made his move and asked the question he was

    curious about "So what are they celebrating?"

    "It is a big day for the pack. The alpha has regained his glory and the respect of his people."

    Garrick''s line of attention went straight ahead to the center of the small dais where a hulk of a man was

    standing with some warriors and a few elders of his pack. Donovan on the other hand held arge mug

    and chugged all of its content in one go. He raised the ss in the air and the crowd erupted in cheers

    and praising chants.

    "My fellow pack mates.." Donovan spoke with a booming voice "Rejoice for your alpha has proved that

    he will always be true to his words. Right here besides the holy fire I swore vengeance on the filthy

    bastard that ruined my life. I promised to give him a life worse than death."

    "Who is he talking about?" Garrick asked in hushed tone.

    "It was someone from the previous pack of the Luna. He maligned her in the past and broke the sacred

    "That is unfortunate!"

    "What was more infuriating was the fact that the bastard was here to ask for forgiveness."

    "Was he a fool?"

    "It seems he is. The alpha was furious. The truculent behavior of our alpha forced him to challenge the

    man and when the alpha was about to kill him, the fight was broken by our luna. She demanded that

    the man be released. She invoked her right to ask for a gift of her choice. The alpha was beyond mad.

    He had no choice but to concede to her wish. However since the Luna never asked to spare his life

    forever, the alpha had his chance. He raided the pack unannounced and annihted the very soul of

    the man without any mercy."

    "Which pack was it?"

    "The blue moon pack."

    Einar closed his eyes in defeat as a small bead of water escaped through it. He un-fisted his hands

    while his lips trembled in trepidation. The pain in his heart was swelling for now he knew the reason for

    him being here. Can was hurt and Einar was not there to protect him.

    He could see theughter, the cheers and the happy people rejoicing all around him. All at the cost of

    his mate.

    In a sh of a moment, the sorrowful face of the muscr man transformed into the one of a furious

    rage. He fisted his palms and growled at the top of his voice. A voice which seeped an unknown fear

    inside of everyone who was present there. They stopped doing their activity and searched for the

    source of the sound in alertness.

    Donovan was amazed by the authority which the voice exuded and his attention was diverted to the

    angry figure in front of him "What brings you here Einar?"

    The muscr man kept his quiet as his face was bing red. His brown eyes were flickering back

    and forth in blood. He was trying his best to contain his anger to a limit but his wolf wanted to ughter

    every smiling face.

    The non responsive behavior of Einar was seen as a disrespect by the Tarakan pack. Donavon gritted

    his teeth and smiled through his fa?ade "Well it doesn''t matter. I was really upset when they told me

    that you left for the Idris pack. I wish you were there. You missed all the fun."

    The words forced Einar to growl again. His entire aura was dominating the arena while the red mist

    around him was slowly bing more visible. Garrick knew what was supposed to follow and he

    hesitatingly spoke in a low voice "Take it easy Einar. There has to be a way." he pleaded.

    "Garrick..." the man gritted his teeth "Run." He looked behind his shoulders "Whatever happens don''t

    look back." Garrick was in two minds but he flinched when the muscr man ordered him in a strong

    voice "NOW.."

    Without wasting any more time, Garrick turned his back and sped away to reach the gates of the pack.

    Donovan seemed puzzled "What is this all about?"

    Einar was unfazed by the strong personality of the giant of an alpha. His nostrils red and his mind

    crafted scenarios as to how he should end this all. He was about to take a step ahead when his eyes

    head in shame. Einar huffed "I knew I should have killed you that night."

    The warning growls from all around echoed in the arena "Mind your words Einar." Donovan roared in

    warning "You are disrespecting the luna of our pack."

    Einar''s raging face contorted into disgust "You tried to kill my heart all because of this whore!" He took

    two steps ahead and spoke in low threatening voice "You will see her die with your own eyes."

    These words set the entire joyful environment into the one of strong resentment and anger. The

    warriors of the pack soon covered the luna while some other strong men stood in front of the muscr

    man waiting for a chance to attack him.

    "It looks like your waging a war." Donovan smiled with a smug look on his face "All on your own! Where

    is your army?" heughed. The entire arena joined their alpha as they mocked the single man.

    Theirughter however was short lived as they witnessed something they were not prepared for. The

    eyes of the alpha suddenly changed into the fearsome crimson red. His canines descended while his

    ws were long and sharper than a knife. What terrified the people more was that the muscr was

    now surrounded by a strange red mist all around him.

    Einar exalted power beyond imagination.

    He sinisterly smiled at the alpha and with a low threatening voice he spoke "I don''t need an army."

    Einar was quick on his feet as he did not give any chance to the alpha to react. With a blink of an eye

    he positioned himself in front of the luna to the astonishment of everyone. He shed the throats of the

    warriors who were protecting Vi and grabbed thedy by her hair.

    "No!" Donovan pleaded. "Save your luna." he ordered his men in desperation.

    Einar angrily looked into the eye of the frighteneddy and grabbed her throat. Vi was finding it

    difficult to breathe. Einar on the other side strangled his hold more firmly as he fixated his eyes to the

    helpless state of Donovan.

    The men of the pack rushed to aid their luna. They tried to release Vi by any means they could.

    They kicked and hit and even bit the muscr man but he did not budge. The determination in his eyes

    was evident. He looked at the pack alpha for onest time before gripping the jugr of thedy

    harshly. The entire pack was stunned when the neck of thedy was twisted in an unusual manner with

    her fearful eyes wide open. Blood sttered all around as a dozen of men were still trying to release

    the firm hand from their luna.

    Donovan was devastated. Witnessing the lifeless body of Vi moved him to tears. He gasped for air

    as he looked at Einar with disbelief. He gritted his teeth the very next moment and growled mightily.

    "KILL HIM."

    Every single warrior of the pack was up on his toes. They marched ahead and attacked Einar. They

    swung their legs and their fists but all their efforts were in vain. None of the strikes seemed to have any

    affect on the muscr man as he stood rigid in his ce, unmoving; undeterred. The men then tried to

    restrain him by metal but the mighty power of the wolf proved too much for the Tarakan pack.

    With the frustration mounting up due to the constant failures, Donovan ordered his men to transform

    into their wilds. The howl from the pack leader was reciprocated by the members of the pack and more

    than a hundred wolves filled the arena all of a sudden. They grunted and growled in warning trying to

    overpower the dominance projected by Einar.

    Einar red his nostrils and waited for the first attack. All of the wolves marched ahead and jumped

    over Einar at the same time, trying to suppress him. Donovan''s relived face vanished soon when the

    pile of wolves were thwarted away by just a flick of an arm. Such was the power of the muscr man.

    He wasted no more time as he red to the sky above and the red mist around him grew darker, wider.

    An unknown fear was instilled in the wolves as they bowed their head in submission and strode

    backwards. They tried to resist but the dominant aura of Einar was too much for them to ovee.

    Thepletely red orbs of Einar were devastatingly dangerous.

    He grabbed a wolf by his neck and trashed him to the nearest tree. Wolf after wolf that he encountered

    suffered the same fate. Some were thrown at a faraway distance while others were killed by the fatal

    blow of his fists.

    Donovan was pained by the carnage he saw. His men were lying on the floor lifeless. The earth below

    was colored in patches of red. Blood seeped through the ground wherever his eyes roamed. The horror

    in peoples eyes was shaking Donovan to the core. There was chaos everywhere. People were running

    helter-skelter to save their lives. On the other hand, Einar was not ready to stop.

    Donovan was shocked by the being in front of him. Nobody was a match for Einar.

    Donovan at once ordered his men to take cover. He wanted to distract Einar so that the women and the

    weak could take shelter and be safe. He along with two of his best men, stood in front of Einar and

    channelized all their strength to strike Einar the hardest. They threw punches to the torso and to the

    face but Einar stood there as solid as a rock. He was unaffected to the very surprise of the three men.

    When the men tried to attack Einar again, he inserted his ws deep into the rib cage of one the

    warrior while he mercilessly shed the jugr of the other one. Donovan gulped and stepped back in

    With no way to escape, the hulk of a man transformed into arge grey wolf and stood firmly in front of

    him. He bared his teeth and howled in an attempt to challenge Einar.

    Up until now the wolf in Einar hadpletely taken over him. He was synchronous with the mind and

    body of its human and had full control over it.

    Donovan circled the man to assess his weakness. He eyed him constantly and without taking any more

    time he leaped ahead aiming for the leg of the man. He reached Einar in no time and pierced the

    canines to his flesh.

    The muscr man however did not flinch. His face showed no grimace. He grabbed therge wolf by

    its mane and picked it up with his left hand like it weighed nothing.

    "You hurt mate. You die." the voice had a surreal mix of Einar and an unknown entity. It was bizarre.

    The entire pack stood in disbelief as the hulk of the man was easily being dominated by a wolf in his

    human form. He was toyed like a child. This was unreal!

    Just as they thought that nothing could shock them anymore, the arena was filled with screams and

    loud gasps.

    Einar held the lower incisor of the wolf with his right hand and he inserted his left hand to grab the

    upper teeth of grey wolf. He growled in anger as he stretched his hands to dismantle the jaws of the

    wolf topletely detach it from its body. Blood spilled all over as two severed, disfigured body parts

    ****

    The head warrior of the packid some unique leaves and flowers on the table "I couldn''t find more of

    it." he spoke dejectedly.

    "That would be enough Aldous." Aurora weakly smiled at him.

    Aldous reciprocated the gesture but his smile soon faded when he noticed the severely abraded skin of

    the handsome man. Can was trying to keep his calm but the pain in his eyes was evident by

    everyone. He opened his mouth to breathe in more air which could soothe his burns. The disfigured

    scars of his flesh rendered him incapable to lie down or even rest without any support. All this time he

    was ufortably sitting in a uniform position with a teary eyed Aurora tending to his injuries.

    Aurora could see the difort on Aldous'' face "You need to leave."

    Aldous nodded after thinking for a while "If you need anything please don''t hesitate to ask." he bowed

    to her and turned his back to leave.

    The healer dipped a wet cloth in the thick orange fluid and slowly applied the medication on Can''s

    wounds. The slight touch of the cloth would make the handsome man flinch as tears rolled down

    through his cheeks. His moans of pain were causing great sorrow to thedy but she kept her mum to

    be brave in front of the man

    "Where is Isadora?" Can asked all of a sudden. His voice was low as he was barely able to speak.

    "I sent her to Arthur. Your choice of being punished had repercussions on the poordy as well."

    "I didn''t realize." he whispered to himself.

    "She could''ve helped! She was born to protect you and here you are being stubborn and not letting her

    do her job."

    "We have talked about this."

    Auroras attention was diverted by the haggard breaths Can was heaving. He was in immense

    torment at the moment and he needed to rest. She realized her mistake and looked apologetically at

    Can.

    "Yes of course." she nodded briefly "You should talk less. You''ve lost a lot of blood." she wiped her

    tears "It took me great efforts to bring you alive."

    "Thank you."

    "I wish I could be of more help to you." she pursed her lips to contain her emotions "No magic would

    work on you. I feel so helpless." she bowed her head in shame and diverted her gaze.

    "Maybe Einar could help?"

    "I wish he could." she sighed "No supernatural power will be effective on you anymore. Those human

    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    medications are the onlyfort."

    The wet stripes on Can''s skin were making him quite ufortable more so because the cloth was

    forcefully attaching itself to the inneryer of his skin. His injuries were forcing in all the negative

    thoughts in his head. Crafting scenarios as to how this pain could end with just a weak but decisive

    moment. He felt vulnerable and was contemting the worst that could happen to him.

    "Will I be.." Can couldn''t continue what he intended to speak.

    Aurora palmed her hand to Can''s arm "Your awakening will heal everything." She smiled in

    encouragement "You may not get into shape as fast as other shifters but you would be certainly more

    advanced than the humans."

    Can nodded. His eyes were drained of all the water yet the pain he suffered was refusing to alleviate.

    He focused his energy to contain all his emotions when something came up in his mind and he was

    afraid all of a sudden "Has anyone told Einar?

    "I don''t know."

    Can sighed deeply "I just wish he heads straightaway to the cottage and no ce else."

    "He wille to you."

    "You don''t understand." The handsome man was nervous "I have liberated the shackles of Einar''s mind

    for Orcus."

    "So?"

    "Daragor once told me that Orcus'' powers were limitless and unmatched. Imagine what he would do

    when he realizes the state I am in! I fear his reaction."

    "Don''t stress yourself." Aurora weakly smiled.

    She started collecting all the medicated fabric from Can''s skin one by one. The very movement of the

    cloth made Can flinch and he winced in pain. The moments were torturous but the handsome man

    was relieved that is was all over.

    "I will be back soon." Aurora said as she picked her tray and went outside of the door.

    Can tried to rx. The exposed wounds were testing his limits of endurance. A slight wave of a

    breeze would cause unwanted shivers to his body which in return would cause him major difort.

    He winced every now and then but the exposed skin was ring his agony. Just as he was about to

    close his eyes and take some rest, he heard heavy footsteps from the door. The shadow that came in

    soon becamerger and the person was seen in his full form.

    Einar stood there inplete disbelief; stunned.

    He forgot to breathe for a moment when he saw the disfigured state of his mate. The haphazard lines

    of his exposed wounds caused shivers of pain to Einar. His eyes could no longer hold his tears while

    his lips parted.

    The once beautiful and shiny skin of the handsome man was now corroded from below the neck. The

    flesh had protruded on the outside and strange linings appeared all over. Can was drained of energy

    and his charming feature was maimed by the violence he suffered. His weak eyes and puffy lips

    seemed happy for some reason but Einar felt disgusted from within. He felt disgusted at himself for he

    could not be there to save his mate.

    "Wont youe near me?" Can asked in a meek voice.

    Einar sniveled. He opened his mouth to utter some words but he could not speak. His hands trembled

    while his mind was shocked by the atrocities that Can had gone through.

    Soon he scowled in anger and snarled menacingly. He was angry beyond measure.

    He was angry that his people could not save the man he loved. His wolf was angry because his pack

    could not honor his mate. He was angry that a thought of hurting his mate had crossed mind of that

    alpha.

    How could someone be so ruthless to harm someone so pure?

    Orcus wanted to set an example to the world to let everyone know who they messed with. He wanted

    to kill anyone who passed his eye. This would teach a lesson to his enemies that they should keep a

    distance from his beautiful man.

    Einar growled and angrily turned his back to leave.

    "Are you ashamed of me?" Can''s words stopped Einar midway and he exhaled in surprise.

    His shoulders were slumped as he looked at Can with slight disappointment "How can you say that!

    How can I ever be ashamed of you! On the contrary I am the one who is ashamed of himself. I don''t

    deserve to be your mate. Those people out there hurt you and they deserve to be treated much worse."

    Einar growled in anger and he tried to leave once again. Can sighed for his tactics were failing to

    hold back the muscr man. Einar''s anger was detrimental to everyone around him and so he was

    needed to be stopped. Without contemting about the repercussions he uttered the words which he

    thought were right at the moment "I think we should part ways."

    This caught Einar off guard and he froze in his ce. His body trembled. His leg''s made a turn of its

    own as he looked at Can with helplessness "Why?" he questioned in disbelief.

    "Look at me." Can snickered in sarcasm "I am not the handsome man you fell in love with. Every part

    of my body is damaged... Even my mind. I am just a human and so my chances to heal are next to

    none."

    "Don''t say that. You will heal."

    "Do you really believe that?" Can huffed. "My skin is beyond repair. It has been hours since I am

    sitting in the same position while all the medications Aurora could use are not able to stop the oozing of

    my blood. Besides" he gestured his finger to his torso "It may take years to cure my fragile body. My

    own self disgusts me and I know you are revulsed too.. We may not be able to make love ever! You will

    lose interest in me. You would find it hard to bear me and I would be nothing more but a burden to you."

    Can sighed deeply "Before any of this could happen I want us to go our separate ways."

    Einar rushed as soon as he could and nted a tender kiss of promise to Can''s lips. The handsome

    man was taken by surprise at first but he reciprocated nevertheless. Both the men parted their lips and

    Einar looked lovingly at his mate "I am sorry that I could not be there to save you but mark my words..

    No one would ever dare harm you again." He cupped Can''s cheeks "There is no power in this world

    that could make me hate you. These wounds on your body can never be a deterrence to my love. You

    will always be beautiful to me. It doesn''t matter if we don''t make love, it doesn''t make any difference as

    long as you are next to me.. How can you ever be a burden to me when I always keep thinking about a

    life with you! Just you! I can never stop loving you even if my heart stops beating. I love you."

    Can smiled bravely through his teary eyes, through his wounds and rested his head carefully in the

    shoulder of the muscr man. Einar kissed the hair of his mate and thanked the goddess for against

    his unwanted thoughts, Can was alive and safe.

    ********

 Chapter 66: A Step Closer

    Chapter 66: A Step Closer

    "The entire pack!"

    The king was stunned and so was the entire hall. The soldiers that reported back from the Tarakan

    pack silently nodded their head.

    "Yes my lord." One of the soldiers said "No one was spared. The warriors and the weak were all

    mercilessly ughtered."

    "How can a single man be able to do that!" Wace could not believe what he heard. In fact no one

    could believe that the carnage that followed after the beasts arrival in Tarakan pack was even possible.

    "We have lost one great ally in Donovan." Frederick mourned the death of his good friend. Thus a long

    slew of conversation erupted about the events that took ce a few days back. The entire hall was

    discussing the mayhem and the setback the king had suffered. The hulk of a man was unbeatable up

    till now. He was the most treasured warrior for Stanis. Perhaps his death was a great mishap for the

    kingdom.

    "This confirms our assumptions." Stanis said all of a sudden "Indeed he is back." his eyes were wide

    in fear.

    The entire hall stood in silence as they waited for their supreme leader to respond. In contrast Stanis

    was at a loss of words. His worst fear hade to life. He for once knew that the beast would soon

    enough glorify his dominance by dethroning him.

    After a long wait it was Bernard who garnered courage to stand in front of the king "What are we up

    against father? I cannot digest the fact that a wolf could be this powerful! Who is he?"

    "Someone who will kill us all my dear." Stanis smiled with a dejected but fearful face "He wont stop

    until he gets my throne."

    "How do we kill him?" Wace asked.

    "You cannot."

    The random unheard voice caught everyone''s attention and the entire hall looked at the door at once.

    Standing near therge wooden entrance was a man with a strange crimson and grey robe. His attire

    caught attention of the entire hall. Moreover his peculiar appearance raised curiosity among the

    onlookers.

    "And who are you?" Frederick asked in caution.

    "He is Nevart." Stanis replied and gestured Nevart to step forward "He has been an old friend." The

    king then diverted his attention to the man "Speak freely. What do you suggest?"

    Nevart nodded and cautiously stepped forward "Killing the beast is out of question but what we need to

    do is find his weak moment. Render him helpless so that he mourns in his own apathy."

    "And how do we do that?"

    "It is easy." he smiled menacingly "Everything rted to his mate will make him weak. From your

    conversations we have understood the fact that Can is perhaps the mate we are looking for."

    "This is insane!" Frederick retorted in fear "Hurting his mate has caused annihtion of an entire pack! I

    don''t really want to imagine our fate when we kill that human."

    "We wont kill him. Just separate the two."

    "How?" the king intervened with curiosity "We don''t even know who this wolf could be."

    "Is it so hard to know my dear Stanis...?" The man chuckled "Don''t you think that the wolf would''ve

    taken the human away from every prying eyes up until now if he were from any other pack." Nevart

    clicked his tongue "He did not.. which means that the wolf is from the blue moon pack itself. Now I

    wonder who could be that strong?" he tapped his chin "Only two names I could think of. Ragnar and

    Einar." Everyone around was puzzled by the words of the stranger.

    "Of course Ragnar could not be the man cause he is older and already has a mate."

    "Einar has a mate as well."

    "That''s the fun part." he smirked "Of all the times you have nned an attack the human survived.

    Don''t you find this strange?"

    The question seemed to baffle Stanis as he got thinking for what Nevart was trying to imply. On the

    contrary the smug look of the man said it all. It was clear that he had figured it all out. He had solved

    the mystery "The human survived because Einar was always there to save him. His true beloved!"

    The entire hall erupted in murmurs. Shock was written all over the faces of the elites. However it was

    the king and his sons who were the most affected by this information. Stanis did had suspicion over

    Einar but he kept his silence for Einar had introduced Rosaline to the world. What he failed to

    understand was the fact that this was only a gimmick to hide his real mate from his enemies.

    Stanis started connecting all the dots in his head. He felt ashamed of his stupidity and at the same

    time he was furious to the core. He thumped his fist to the arm of the chair and roared mightily "He

    fooled us all! Distracted us to save that puny human! That rascal."

    He hurriedly stood from his position and ordered his army to take position. His steps however were

    halted when Nevart spoke all of a sudden.

    "Don''t agonize yourself Stanis. Just listen to what I to say." he smiled devilishly.

    ****

    "How are you feeling?"

    "That''s a good question." Can chuckled ufortably as he leaned his body weight to the arms of

    Einar for support "Better than yesterday I guess."

    "Is there anything I can do for you."

    Can could see the dejected eyes of his mate. The muscr man seemed desperate for Can''s

    recovery and at the same time he felt apologetic for his absence in the crucial time of need "Don''t

    drown yourself in guilt. It wasn''t your fault."

    Einar half heartedly smiled at him and they both were silent for a long time, looking at the festive cheer

    in front of them.

    The stage had been set. People from the vige were all dressed up and wore a bright smile to express

    their joy. Long woven gands of white lilies were beautifully decorated on the short path while a

    wooden arch was ced at the center, filled with red roses.

    Can and Einar sat on the farther side of the stage, aloof from every prying eyes. Can was resting

    his body on the shoulders of the muscr man while Einar snaked his arms around his beloved. Since

    the incident a few days back, Einar had been more protective of his mate. He would apany him

    everywhere and look after every of his needs. He devoted his entire time to Can to such an extent

    that he had delinked his connection to the entire pack.

    "What are we doing here when you should be recuperating?"

    Can leaned back and looked at theining face of Einar. "This is a big day for Bradyn. He had

    lost all his hope when his wife died a few years ago. To find love again is really fortunate."

    Einar silently nodded. He resumed his gawking at the center stage when his gaze diverted to a child

    who was by the side of the vige chief. "Who is the small kid ?"

    "His child from the previous marriage."

    "Marriage?"

    "Their union is called a marriage."

    Einar again nodded in understanding. Soon the entire vige looked in a certain direction. Standing at a

    distance were two men holding hands and looking at each other with love. They slowly made their way

    to the center of the stage where each step of theirs was cheered in unison by the entire crowd.

    Can''s smile was the brightest when he looked at the joy at Bradyn''s face. It was a big day for his

    childhood friend. He prayed to the heavens above for Bradyn''s happiness and health and wished for a

    blissful union of the two loving souls.

    His stretched lips however were again back to normal when he noticed the expressions of his mate.

    Einar seemed surprised and perhaps a little scared at the moment.

    "Are you alright?" Can asked out of concern.

    "He is with a man.. " Einar whispered in shock.

    Can bit his lips as he forgot the part to mention about the same gender wedding to his mate. Of

    course it never had been ufortable for Can for he was used to visiting settlements of other

    species. However for Einar it waspletely new. Born and brought up in a traditional wolf pack he

    was taught rules that he believed in deep rooted. Rules that governed their life and their way of thinking

    and which were followed religiously through generations.

    Can sighed and pressed Einar''s hand with his palm "Marred with uncertainty and less probability of

    life than other species, humans have the most simplified rules of them all. They value life for they know

    that they may not have much time to survive. They don''t differentiate when ites to union of two

    souls. Because for them to find love is a blessing and they cheer every union in their settlement."

    Einar hummed and both of them diverted their eyes to the men at the center stage. Bradyn held his

    partners hand and nted a sweet kiss to his cheeks. It was followed by an oath of togetherness as

    they bowed before their deity. The priest then officially announced the union of the men and the entire

    Can looked at them with glee but his smile faded slowly when a random thought came to his mind "I

    feel happy for them but I am sad a little." Can said in a trance.

    Einar was alert at once when he heard the depressed voice of his mate "Why are you sad?"

    "This is something that we may never have in our lives." Can whispered "eptance."

    The words were few but it spoke volumes. It wasn''t something big that Can wished for yet it was

    something too hard for Einar to gift him. Over the years he was always afraid of peoples reaction for

    they would never ept the men together. Moreover he was nervous about letting his parents know for

    he knew that it would be a shame to their pride and honor.

    Einar''s father always taught him that the pack was an extended family. While his personal matters were

    atrge the pack matters always came first. The deep rooted fear in peoples mind was not easy to

    eradicate at once.

    But what was Can''s fault in all of this?

    Can had been nothing but a sacrificing sheep all along. He lost thepany of his parents, his

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    rightful position as the head warrior and even his childhood in this pack. All this while when he should

    have been treated as the king he was treated like a criminal. All he received was hatred and negligence

    from the people. Yet against all odds the human of the pack survived the treatment and held his head

    high.

    Einar was a more or less the main cause for all of Can''s troubles. Had Einar epted the man from

    the start the whole pack would have looked at him differently. Though the wolves would have resented

    the union but they would''ve never dared to mistreat the handsome man for he was the alpha mate.

    Even after years of torture and pain the handsome man still was baring his heart to the one who

    caused all of his misery.

    Einar felt pathetic and disgusted from within.

    He lowered his eyes and sighed for a moment. Gritting his teeth he raised his head above and stared

    into nothingness.

    NO! This shouldn''t be their fate he thought. Can deserved better. He deserved the entire world and

    eptance was a part of it.

    Einar had made up his mind. He was going to confess everything to his parents today. He wasn''t

    bothered about the consequences. He was ready to sacrifice the pack if the need be. This time he

    wasn''t going to let Can down.

    "I am d that you both could make it." Einar''s pensive mind was out of its thoughts when he heard the

    feminine voice of Fayette "How are you feeling?"

    Can smiled and nodded his head. Even before he could utter any more words Einar abruptly stood

    up and took two steps ahead.

    "What is wrong?" Can asked with concern.

    "I have to leave." He turned to the confused lookingdy "I entrust him to you. Please take care of him."

    Without delving any further Einar sped up his feet and transformed into his wolf midway.

    Einar was sure that this was the day when everything would be set in ce. Either he would be

    weed by the pack or he would face the brunt of his people. In either way he wasn''t ready to hide

    his true mate any longer. He wished for Can to be happy and for that he had to be brave.

    He raced ahead of the wind and cleared his thoughts. It had been several days since hest visited his

    home. Since the mayhem that urred a few days back he chose to spend his days well where he

    was needed the most- with Can.

    He opened his mind link when he stepped foot in the pack and soon he was assaulted by the multiple

    voices that were bombarding inside of his head. However he narrowed on a particrly familiar voice

    who seemed tensed.

    Where were you? I have been searching for you for the whole week..

    The worried voice of his best friend rmed Einar. He was sure that something bad had happened in

    his absence. Calm down. I am heading home.

    I told them that you were spending time with the Idris pack. Your parents are at the healers.

    These words halted Einar''s stride What is wrong?

    You should see for yourself.

    With that the beta of the pack was gone from his head. Einar was perturbed. The thoughts of some

    uncertain bad events was making his mind unsettled. He braved his foot ahead and opened the gates

    of his big house. The gardens and the big veranda looked deserted. He hurried his steps further and

    pushed wide open his door. His heart beat now elerating at a higher rate.

    The halls and the kitchen were empty. There was no sign of any wolf. He could sense neither his

    mother nor his father. However a sense of relief flushed his mind when he smelled the familiar scent of

    Rosaline. He rushed ahead skipping a step or two to reach his room in a hurry.

    He was taken by surprise when the room was filled with all of his female servants and somedy

    members from the pack. They smiled and giggled and blushed. All to the annoyance of the muscr

    man. Einar couldn''t understand why thedies were joyous at a moment when his mind was worried

    sick.

    He growled in anger and the entire room went silent "Leave."

    Themand was obeyed at once and a beeline followed, making their way through the door.

    Rosaline looked a little pale and a bit worried. Einar noticed her features and asked cautiously "Are you

    sick?"

    Rosaline moved her lips to speak but couldn''t will herself to utter any word. She tried over and over

    again but her speeding heart was holding her back. Einar was irritated by the long silence and he

    shouted at thedy "Say something!"

    Rosaline pursed her lips and sighed deeply. Einar''s entire world turned upside down when he heard

    Rosaline say "I''m pregnant."

    ********

 Chapter 67: The Bleeding Heart

    Chapter 67: The Bleeding Heart

    The sunny rays of the morning sun were shining bright at the house of the Ashtons. The gardens were

    are all green while alternate shades of red and yellow beautified the lilies which were thriving in its

    glow.

    At this point of time however it was the mother in Mary who was the happiest. Her only son was sitting

    besides her and enjoying her homemade food.

    "Everything is amazing mother. I really missed this."

    "Eat my son." Mary affectionately patted Can''s back as her heart was filled with joy "I will pack your

    favorites for you to eat at home."

    "I will have them when I visit next." Can bluntly said as he kept stashing the piece of meat in his

    mouth.

    Mary ufortably looked at her mate who reciprocated her with a dejected look of his own. It was

    hard for them to say the words but they had to respect the decision of the pack "Don''t do this son."

    Justus said in a low voice "You are breaking the rules. You will get yourself in trouble again."

    "I have never cared and I never will."

    "Don''t be stubborn Can. Thank the alpha for allowing you to visit us."

    Can was quiet for a moment. He looked at his parents and then slowly looked outside the window.

    He could see the middle aged man standing near one of the rose ntations and appreciating its

    beauty.

    It was strange.

    Can had been visiting his parents for a long time without the knowledge of the pack or anyone else.

    He never cared for the oue as his parents were more important to him than anyone else in the

    world. Today was no exception. He stepped out of his house to visit his parents home. He was taken by

    surprise when he saw the alphafortably sitting at the dining table, having a chat with his long time

    He saw Can and was quiet for a moment. He wasn''t shocked. Like he was expecting him to make an

    appearance. Ragnar excused himself to take a walk beside the beautiful ntations and let Can

    have his family time which he needed the most at this time.

    When it was finally time to leave the house, Can bid goodbye to his emotional parents. He kept

    reassuring them that he would visit soon while Justus was trying hard to make his son realize that he

    was asking for trouble. Just as Can was out of the main gate he saw the alpha standing right in front

    of him as if waiting for him. They both agreed to walk to the alpha house together so that no one was

    suspicious about Can''s visit to his parents.

    "I am really thankful for what you have done for me today." Can spoke all of a sudden to break the

    ufortable silence.

    "I haven''t done anything out of the ordinary. Besides this isn''t the first time that you have visited your

    parents." Ragnar raised one of his eye brow to which Can smiled at awkwardly "You have a knack to

    go against us."

    "I broke the rule I am sorry."

    "That''s the thing." The alpha snickered "You are not."

    Can was at a loss of words after that. Indeed he was not sorry for visiting the people he loved the

    most in the world. The rules of the werewolf world never bothered him for he was never a part of it.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    However at this moment he realized that the alpha knew about his hidden excursions to his parents

    house which would have repercussionster on.

    But why did the alpha keep that a secret from the pack?

    Can concluded that it must be the good heart of the alpha whichpelled him to change his mind.

    "Have you congratted Einar yet?"

    Can faltered in his stance by the sudden urrence of his mates name. He kept his gaze low and

    exhaled a long breath of sorrow "We haven''t met for a long time."

    It had been weeks since Einarst came to see the the man he loved. When the news of Rosaline''s

    pregnancy reached him, he was sad and at the same time he was happy for Einar that finally he could

    have his own lineage; an heir.

    He could have congratted him and assured him that nothing had changed between them but Einar

    as always decided for the both of them. He kept himself aloof from Can for the longest while Can

    recuperated alone in the midst of his longing.

    The alpha decided to sit on the t rock which was besides therge mulberry tree. He offered Can

    to sit with him and the handsome man obliged out of respect.

    "I heard that he visited the human settlement with you."

    "He was apanying me because of my pain."

    "Both of you seem to have a goodpanionship for the past few weeks."

    Can nodded awkwardly. The silence that followed was more of a necessity for Can. The constant

    mention of Einar was making his heart heavy. He tried to walk away but he had topose himself so

    as to not disrespect the alpha. He wished the time to pass by soon.

    "I have seen my son rise through all of the challenges." Ragnar uttered all of a sudden. "He has proven

    to be the best wolf, the best warrior, the best son any parent could have. Yet even after all of his

    aplishments I couldn''t see him in peace. Barring the past few days, he has always been

    tormented by something I couldn''t figure out."

    The context of the conversation was not something the alpha would discuss with Can as often. The

    handsome man was confused for why the alpha was talking about his son. He presumed that maybe

    Ragnar was trying to take an outside view or have a random chat until they reach the alpha house.

    "Maybe he found what he was looking for." Can said nonchntly.

    "Maybe..." he shrugged "Since his return from the kings pce I could see the change in him. He looks

    at ease. He looks.. happy!"

    Can agreed with Ragnar. In fact it was something that bothered the handsome man too. The sudden

    hostility and resistance of the son of the alpha was all gone since his return from the kings manor.

    Whatever happened there had made Einar change his stance about Can and eventually it brought

    them closer.

    "He smiles more often, doesn''t argue or retaliate on everything." The environment was tense all of a

    sudden and the stretched lips of Ragnar came back to their original shape "But the reason for his

    happiness is not Rosaline."

    Can''s heart beat raced at a higher rate. This conversation was bing more than awkward for

    him. It was the unknown fear of revtion which was making him uneasy "I think we should leave. It is

    alreadyte."

    The handsome man stood up in a jiffy and moved ahead "Sit down Can." The alpha ordered in a

    stern voice "We have a lot to discuss."

    The handsome man had no choice but to adhere to themand of the alpha of the pack. He

    reluctantly sat on the bench and fidgeted his fingers in nervousness. Ragnar''s change in his features

    was unweed and certainly not a good news for the Elemental.

    "You are a special child." Ragnar spoke to break the silence "Although I couldn''t prove it, I always knew

    there was something different about you. When you were this tiny, Lady Odile came up to me with he

    news that you were born blind. A cursed child. Your parents were devastated for they knew what was

    needed to be done."

    Can acknowledged the information as it wasn''t much of a surprise for him. He knew the fate of every

    cursed child that was ever born in the pack.

    "As you grew up, the abnormalities you showed were baffling me to the core. I ordered elder Odulf to

    follow you, know more about you."

    The handsome man furrowed his brows "It was just a measure to be safe. When the olddy warned

    us about you we knew that you were special. Good or bad that was undecided. Zelda was mesmerized

    by your beauty and she forced me to keep the baby protected from all the evil."

    "But you think I am the evil." Can said in conformity. He could deduce from the look of Ragnar that

    the alpha was untrusting towards him.

    "I don''t mean to but circumstances prove otherwise. Trouble always finds you. How is that possible? I

    asked myself for years.."

    Can sighed for he had no exnation.

    "Elder Odulf came to me one day and said that he wont help me anymore. He knew something that I

    didn''t. I wanted the safety of my pack and so I asked him just one question. Is the child fatal to my

    people?"

    Can''s breath hitched "What did he say?"

    "He didn''t say anything." the alpha shrugged "Neither agreed neither denied."

    Can could see the determination in the eyes of the Alpha like he already knew him "You don''t trust

    me alpha. I can see it in your eyes."

    Ragnar bit his lips and slowly nodded his head "There were things that were very unusual since your

    birth. While their were catastrophes all around, ourrge pack was always out of harms way;

    untouched by those cmities. No floods, no thunderstorms, no earthquakes. It all stopped since your

    birth. It was as if mother nature nature was shielding us." He exhaled a long breath "On the other side

    Einar''s mind was always upied by your thoughts. His mean side was to the fore only when it

    concerned you."

    Can understood what the alpha was trying to imply. However he thought that the reason for Ragnar''s

    interpretation of the conclusion was his self believe that Can indeed was evil.

    The birds chirped and the whooshing sound of the wind forced the trees to dance in motion. These

    were the only two sounds that could be heard for the longest. Can was sure that Ragnar had

    something in his mind but he was trying to resist himself. He wanted to give him time so that he was

    himself again.

    "My son is powerful, he is dominant, intelligent, wise. You know what else he is good at?"

    "No."

    Ragnar turned his face to Can in the eye "Hiding things."

    Though he was talking about his son Can could feel the usations in Ragnar''s tone "I was

    suspicious about his connection with you from the start. The stares, the hisses, the growls, Einar''s

    abrupt behavior out of nowhere. It was all a matter of concern for me. However I discerned that his

    mood changes were apparent only when you were near him. At first I thought that you were

    unknowingly messing up with his minds."

    "I am not evil."

    "That is debatable. My heart wants to trust you but my instincts somehow warn me to stay away from

    you."

    "I wont harm you or anyone else, I cannot even think about it!"

    "Though unwillingly but you harmed my son." Ragnar narrowed his eyes "I was really proud when he

    built a wall to keep his emotions at bay. This is a good character for a leader. But I failed to understand

    that he was never interested to be the alpha. All he was doing was to build a barrier around himself to

    avoid the inevitable."

    And all of a sudden it clicked. Everything that Ragnar said, every of his cryptic talk just made sense.

    Ragnar wasn''t just using Can of being evil he was implying much more. He had deduced

    everything. He knew about the bond.

    "You.. how?" Can whispered in a shocked tone.

    "The day we went to the seers was when I confirmed that my suspicions were indeed true. I have never

    seen love or affection for Rosaline in Einar. He respects her but he doesn''t treat her as a mate. He is

    not jealous when other people try to mingle with her nor does he wants to spend his time when he has

    the chance."Ragnar said nonchntly

    "But when ites to you everything changes." He whispered

    "I am not blind Can. I can see the way my son looks at you. I tried to fool myself for a long time for I

    was afraid to ept the reality. I thought his mood swings were because he hated you but it was much

    more than that." He sighed.

    "I could see his urge, his resilience and at the same time his want for you. Like he would tear apart the

    world so that no one stands between the two of you. I have seen what he can do for you. He has held

    himself back." He snorted "But only Luna knows until when. He has hidden his true feelings from

    everyone around and I really appreciate that. It must be really hard for him."

    Can gathered his courage and said "We have not caused a problem for the pack."

    "Not now." Ragnar exhaled a long breath "But are you sure that it would be the same in the future?

    Einar wont be able to resist the urges of his beasts. His proximity to you will be the cause of the doom

    for my pack."

    "What possible threat do you reckon?" Can gritted his teeth in anger. This was beyond his capability

    to absorb and endure. Since Can and Einar had been been together he was the happiest in his entire

    existence. It was like his life had a meaning to it, like Einar was the missing part to make him whole.

    Ragnar or the entire wolf pack would never understand what Einar meant for Can.

    "We haven''t seen each other for days and yet everything is at its ce." he snapped "I have told Einar

    and now I am telling you the same. I don''t want the pack, the throne or even acknowledgment from the

    wolves; but I cannot leave Einar. I am ready to forgo it all for the sake of my bond."

    His words of determination did not go unnoticed by the alpha of the pack. However Ragnar stood firm

    on his stand. He was taken aback when Can said "If you so wish we would always remain hidden

    from the world but please don''t make us fall apart. I cannot stand it. I cannot breathe without him. I love

    him!"

    "Stop this nonsense Can! He has a mate and is soon going to be a father himself. Rosaline is

    carrying the future of the pack. Where do you think you fit in any of it? "

    "I wonte in their way. I am truly happy for Einar. He always wanted a child and I know he will be a

    great father. He deserves to have his own lineage and my rtionship with him wont take that away. I

    will always be in the shadow and adhere to every rule that the pack so demands. Please let me have

    my life. I wont be able to live without him. Please..!"

    Ragnar could see the truth in the handsome man. He could see the promise in his eyes. Can had

    always been the stubborn one. A man who would go to any lengths if he so decides. Ragnar''s face was

    more stressed now for he remembered Einar. It wasn''t Can that he was worried about. It was his own

    son.

    Einar was a wolf after all. It was only a matter of time that he broke all of his walls and go against the

    pack to be with his lover. Einar could never withstand the pressure, the urge, the strength of the bond

    which his wolf would bring to the fore just to be with Can

    Ragnar looked to the sky as a silent tear rolled down through the sides of his eyes. He tightly closed his

    eyes and sighed deeply "A great father; a great alpha; a mighty wolf.. It all seems good. Just one

    hindrance to the n." he slowly turned his face to look at a confused Can "You."

    "I am not.."

    "Your parents didn''t believe it neither did Zelda but I could see the truth in the seers eyes. She told us

    the future. Your future."

    "What future?"

    "You are not meant for the pack. Your presence will cause infinite misery to Einar and Rosaline''s life.

    You would influence Einar and his powers and finally... you would be the reason for the death for his

    child."

    Can''s breath stuck in his throat. He was speechless for the longest of time. He couldn''t imagine a

    scenario where he was to hurt an innocent person let alone an unborn child. He remembered the days

    when his parents and Einar''s parents behaved strange when they returned from the seers. Now he

    knew the reason why.

    Though the seers were not to be trusted they were obligated to serve the people thate to them.

    Their foretelling had a twisted truth to it. What if the seers words were true? What if Can was really

    the reason for the death of Einar''s child?

    "This is impossible." Can choked

    The atmosphere around had been eerily silent. "I know you mean well Can. You have been a son to

    me but I don''t have a choice."

    The words confused Can at first but when he saw the sharp ws descending from the alpha he was

    taken aback. The handsome man raised in eyes in pure horror. This was not going down down well for

    him.

    "Please don''t do this." he begged the alpha.

    "To safeguard the interest of my people" Ragnar sniveled "And to make Einar the rightful alpha of the

    pack, I have to make him forget you."

    "Please just listen to me. Einar is not what you think. He will create havoc if he witnesses my death. He

    will stop at nothing!"

    The warning seemed to follow on deaf ears as the alpha just overlooked Can "It happens to every

    wolf." He was firm on his decision "He would be angry, upset and ultimately filled with sorrow." he

    sighed "But time will heal all his wounds and he would learn to live a life without you."

    "You are mistaking in recognizing your own son! What you are saying will never happen. Please try to

    understand Einar is not like other wolves."

    "I am sorry Can." Ragnar took a deep breath and apologetically looked at the handsome man "I will

    make it less painful for you."

    Soon enough the muscr strength of the wolf held the human neck of the Elemental and gripped it

    firmly. Can resisted with all his strength but the power of the alpha was too much from him to endure.

    He screamed and begged Ragnar but the alpha did not budge.

    Can understood that he had little time left to act. So on instinct and the limited amount of power he

    had left in him, he circled his thumbs and a solid tapering body of stones stood right above Ragnar''s

    head in no mean time.

    The alpha was confused at first but he was shocked when he realized what he saw. His eyes were

    wide open as he looked at Can with anger and disbelief.

    Can had powers!

    Indeed the people of the pack were right. Can was mysterious and dangerous. The fact cemented

    even more that Can was not right for his son, that he had to leave the pack, leave this world for good.

    However even before he could react, the storm of stones barged the aura of the stronger man. One

    after the other, the stones relentlessly attacked the man until he gave up on Can. The handsome

    man on the other hand took advantage of this situation and ran with his might. He wanted to escape to

    a ce where he could gather himself and take the next course of action.

    His ns hanged in the bnce when a growl stopped his footsteps. This wasn''t good. He knew what

    was supposed to be followed and hence he tookrge strides with a panting breath and never looked

    back. He could feel the approaching footsteps, he could feel the presence behind him but he had to be

    calm.

    His efforts were in vain when the wolf pounced on him on all his fours rendering the handsome man

    defenseless. Can fell t on his chest while the heavier body was crushing his fragile figure.

    "Please don''t do this." He begged "You don''t realize the aftermath of it. Please just listen to me once."

    The wolf bared his teeth and raised his paw. He thumped his paw again and opened his mouth wide to

    insert his canines to Can''s neck.

    An earth shattering growl halted the alpha in his actions. Standing at a distance was his own son and

    around him was the red aura. Ragnar was astonished. The wolf had taken over Einar in his human

    form. This had never happened before!

    He growled andmanded his son to stay back and not meddle in between but all Einar could see

    was the helpless state of his mate and the person who was behind it.

    Einar was defiant to everymand of his father. He paced his way ahead and without giving any

    more thought he thrashed the wolf to a nearest tree and stood defensively in front of Can.

    The handsome man was relived that he had been saved but the situation had taken an ugly turn.

    Einar''s body was taken over by Orcus who was barbaric when it came to his mate. At this moment he

    was seeing Ragnar as the enemy.

    "There has to be a way." Can tried to pacify Orcus "Just listen to my voice. You don''t have to do this."

    but the man was still keeping an eye on the faltering wolf.

    "Orcus!" Can cried.

    Einar looked at his mate and his anger was dwindling. He moved closer to his beloved. His mind was

    bing calm and he was about to embrace Can when suddenly the Elemental was being dragged

    by the alpha wolf.

    The sharp canines on his feet had punctured Cans flesh and blood oozed from the legs of the

    handsome man.

    Einar saw all red.

    He quickly made his way to the wolf and threw him back at a distance. The pain his beloved suffered

    was only fueling the rage in Einar. Without thinking about the consequences he looked at the sky and

    howled.

    The alpha wolf stood on his fours. He scowled at Einar and retaliated with a howl of his own. The stage

    had been set. Einar had challenged Ragnar for a fight.

    Both of them circled each other for a while, baring their teeth, trying to intimidate the other. Ragnar was

    forcing his alpha powers to make Einar submit but his efforts were fruitless. The aura he projected was

    overshadowed by the one being presented by his own son. It was too much for Ragnar to handle.

    Both of them increased their pace and ran at each other. Thus a fearsome battle ensued.

    The wolf was biting and scratching Einar all over but the muscr man wasn''t really affected by it. He

    constantly tried to create a distance between the two so that he could he have a leverage on the wolf.

    The wolf was pissed. It was the sheer stubbornness of the muscr man which was blinding him and

    the wolf was finding it difficult to surpass him. Einar at this moment was exuding such a power that he

    was forcing the wolf to submit.

    The aura which Einar projected was soon beginning to affect the alpha. He tried to resist but his knees

    were wobbly and he was forced to kneel partially. At this moment he could clearly see his defeat, his

    submission would eventually mean the end of the pack. Ragnar had to fight for his people and protect

    them from the mysterious evil hiding behind Einar.

    Just as he was about to bow down, he bared his teeth and snarled. With all the energy left in him, he

    stood on his fours and mightily growled for onest time. He shook his head vigorously and ran

    towards Einar. However just as he reached the muscr man he changed his trajectory and focused

    on the injured human. He went ahead and aimed for Can''s throat. The handsome man saw this

    Can was writhing in agonizing pain. His screams of difort was agitating the muscr man and

    he could take it no more. There was no mercy now.

    Einar was besides his mate in the very next moment and held the wolf by his mane. He tried to release

    his grip from Can but he was finding it difficult.

    With no other choice left Einar snaked his arms around the neck of the wolf and squeezed his elbow.

    The alpha was forced to separate from the handsome man. The wolf tired to escape the grip but the

    more he struggled the more firm Einar''s grip was on him.

    Can could see the desperate attempts of the alpha to be out of the clutches of his own son. He

    gulped in fear for his mate wasn''t ready to stop "Please just let him go." he begged Einar.

    The plea fell on deaf ears as every drop of blood in his body was boiling in rage. He did not look at

    Can neither did he loosened his grip over the wolf. Just as the Elemental was about to intervene,

    Einar flexed his muscles tightly breaking the jugr of the wolf.

    The wolf could not blink his eyes for the life in him was snatched away whereas the Elemental could

    not blink for he witnessed the horror with his own naked eyes. He could utter no words as he saw the

    lifeless body of the alpha lying on the floor while his own mate was snarling and howling mightily.

    The rage had not left him yet. He protectively stood in front of Can as if to challenge someone to

    darey a finger on his beloved. Can on the other hand could notprehend this madness, he

    could not believe that to save the life of his mate Einar killed the man he loved.

    ********

 Chapter 68: Framed

    Chapter 68: Framed

    The scattered rays of the sun were not enough to illuminate the darkened depths of the dungeon.

    Though Can had lit the mboyantmp on the outside, his weak self was not capable to hold onto it

    much longer. He kept staring at the fragile figure behind the steel bars who was indifferent to his visitor

    and kept munching the food eagerly. Can was satisfied when he looked at the man feeding himself

    but his thoughts were unstable.

    "It doesn''t make sense."

    "Why..? Because he killed someone for saving his own mate." The middle aged man snorted and

    stashed another chunk of meat to his mouth.

    "He killed his own father! The man who he loved so dearly."

    The prisnory aside the empty tray and took two steps towards the man "You are filled with sorrow."

    he looked at the sad eyes of the handsome man.

    Can sighed "Somehow the me lies on me. I was responsible for his death."

    The man shook his head in disagreement "It was all Einar."

    "He had to take such an extreme step because of me. If it hadn''t been for my life Einar would''ve never

    killed his father."

    The man rolled his eyes "As if the wolf has not gone to the extremes before."

    "What do you mean?" Can asked in confusion.

    "Forget it." The man gritted his teeth and looked sideways to avoid the gaze of the Elemental "Where is

    your guard?" He asked abruptly to divert the topic.

    Can shrugged "Flying somewhere perhaps."

    "She should be with you. Leaving you unprotected as such is dangerous."

    "I will be fine by my own. Besides someone has to do the job."

    "That someone is you!" The man chided. It was bing unbearable for him to control his angst for

    the poor behavior of the Elemental.

    As a supreme leader Can had some responsibilities to shoulder. His line of work was way different

    than what he did in the pack. He wasn''t meant for the pack and yet he never gave up the wolves.

    Though the man was irritated with Can he knew the reason for Can''s unwillingness.

    "I cant leave Einar." The handsome man spoke softly.

    "He needs you but you don''t need him."

    "I need him too."

    "You want him. There is a difference." the man lowered his voice as his anger had been on the rise and

    he didn''t want to further upset the Elemental. "The full moon will be here soon and before that you have

    to prepare yourself for your destiny."

    Can scowled "I don''t want any of this."

    "It is not your choice. Everything you have gone through so far was all part of a n. Destiny was trying

    to make you walk on your fated path. The more you try to change it the more you will suffer."

    "Einar is my destiny." Can stated as a matter of fact.

    "He is a part of it." the man nodded briefly "People are waiting for you. It is not Isadora''s job to do what

    was meant for you. Sooner orter your destiny will take its course even if you don''t wish for it."

    Can wanted to say much more; so much more to the prisnor but he was out of time. More importantly

    whatever the prisoner said did make sense but his love torn heart wasn''t ready to ept the fact that

    he had to leave Einar. He side nced at the entry way when he heard some footsteps. The guard

    outside was gesturing him to leave at once.

    "I need to go." He smiled "I will visit again soon."

    "Don''t. You should stoping here Elemental." The prisnor looked at him sternly "I don''t want you to

    be near me. Feeding me has already turned you into a criminal. I don''t want you to suffer because of

    me."

    "And who will stop me?" Can snickered "The alpha knows me well." he winked.

    Can took his steps back and turned his body towards the exit. The retreating figure of the Elemental

    saddened the prisnor for his own reasons "I wish you knew the true face of your alpha as well.." he

    sighed.

    ****

    The death of Ragnar had shocked the entire pack. The news spread like wildfire in the entire werewolf

    world. The loss was felt by every single wolf in the pack. More so it was the shock of their life when

    they heard what had transpired.

    No one could believe that Einar had killed his own father.

    The fight for authority and supremacy was not new in the werewolf world. Every now and then the old

    alpha was reced by his younger substitute by means they deemed fit. Either through deception or

    through a challenge. In this case however what surprised everyone was the sheer fact that Einar had

    never challenged his father traditionally to im the title.

    People knew that he was not interested to be the alpha after what he did to his own people. Yet the fact

    that he killed his own father became a new mystery, a dark secret whose aplice were two men;

    Einar and Can.

    The death of Ragnar had created a void for the position of the alpha. Einar had to reluctantly step in to

    shoulder the responsibilities of his father. He was not interested to helm the mantle for he knew that the

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    people never epted him. He could see fear and distrust among the wolves, like they were unhappy

    to even look at Einar.

    But the muscr man felt indebted to his father. He concluded that it was his duty to carry on the

    legacy of his forefathers.

    In all of these events he constantly maintained a distance between himself and the handsome man. For

    some reasons he was avoiding every possible connection which could bring them together. Surprisingly

    he was even controlling his wolf so that his inner beast would adhere to his demands and not go

    against his wishes to meet his mate.

    Can on the other hand was devastated.

    Einar was doing it again. Can knew that Einar had his own reasons for keeping himself aloof from the

    handsome man but it was hurting him.

    However like the early birds who waited patiently for the first rays of the morning sun to spread its

    wings in joy, Can too was calm. He knew that Einar would eventuallye back to him. He just

    needed some time and Can wasn''t going to force him.

    He carried out his regr activities throughout the day as was his job. Rosaline was in a critical stage

    of her pregnancy and hence she needed extra care and attention. Zelda was supposed to look after

    Rosaline but the demise of Ragnar had left herpletely shattered. She had locked herself in her

    room refusing to meet anyone, suffering in her own grief.

    Can had taken the responsibility of Rosaline and her unborn. He did everything that was possible for

    an expecting mother and her child. Rosaline too was beholden by Can''s selfless act and she thanked

    the goddess above for hispany.

    "How is the luna?" Can asked as he kept the ss of juice on the table besides Rosaline''s bed.

    "The same." Rosaline forced her smile as she leaned sideways "Doesn''t talk or respond to anything.

    She lives a soulless existence."

    "Maybe Einar should talk to her." Can pursed his lips.

    Rosaline sipped the liquid and shook her head "He doesn''t have the power to face his mother. He

    hasn''t talked to her since that fateful day." Her face fell as a tiny drop rolled down through the sides of

    her cheek.

    Can felt apologetic towards thedy as she was caught in the middle of a storm. She had a family for

    namesake as neither Einar nor luna Zelda were present for her in this crucial period.

    "Everything will be fine." Can consoled thedy "We should talk about something else."

    Rosaline sniveled "Yes we should."

    "How is the baby?"

    "It has been six months already. Aurora says that the baby is healthy and now I should do things more

    carefully." she exhaled "Bing a mother is challenging but Einar helps a lot." she tried her best to

    force her smile but Can knew the truth.

    "Sure he does."

    "The child is the only thing that makes him smile these days. The constant pressure to be the head of

    the pack and be the alpha what people deserve has made him into a mess really."

    Perhaps his deeds had led him to his tragedy Can thought. However he was happy that even

    through these stressful times Einar had not forgotten about the little life growing inside of Rosaline.

    "You should spend more time with him."

    "I try to be with him as much as possible."

    Rosaline bit her lips and Can understood the hidden meaning behind her unspoken words. Einar had

    been distancing himself from Rosaline for quite a while. It was a gradual shift up until the time they

    were separated. He was even about to reveal his rtionship with Can but his mouth was shut with

    the news of Rosaline''s pregnancy.

    Can encouragingly smiled at thedy "Everything will be fine." He felt sorry for thedy for in a way

    she was being dragged to a loveless mating by Einar. He did not want to imagine the day when

    Rosaline was aware of the truth. It would be devastating.

    "Don''t stress yourself too much. It is not good for the child."

    "Sometimes I feel like the child is the only thing which is keeping Einar sane."

    Indeed it was true. Can was aware of the fact the only binding factor in Einar and Rosaline''s

    rtionship was the child. Something that Can could never provide the man. This made him sad but

    he was happy for Einar for at least he would have the chance to call himself a father.

    "You should focus on the road ahead. Einar will be a good parent. The child will help him change."

    Can palmed Rosaline''s hands. The gesture was palliative to the sorrow she was experiencing right

    now. She genuinely smiled at the man "I really appreciate you being here Can. Your words somehow

    sooth my disturbed mind. You are really a gem of a person."

    "We are friends after all."

    "You have been with me throughout." she nodded with eyes full of emotion "Even though it was Einar

    who should''ve been responsible, you have taken the responsibility and have been on the forefront. I

    could never thank you enough."

    "The child means something to me as well.."

    Can''s words were left hanging mid sentence when he saw the contorted face of the Luna. It looked

    as if she was in pain. "What''s wrong..?" Can asked out of great concern.

    Rosaline put both of her hands to her stomach and clutched it tightly. A loud moan of pain escaped her

    lips "It hurts..." she breathed heavily "It hurts." As if this wasn''t enough, a piercing scream shrilled

    through the room as Rosaline''s back arched and she opened her mouth wide.

    "Rosaline..!" Can immediately rushed to thedy "Rosaline." He hurriedly went towards the door and

    boomed his voice "Is anybody out there? Somebody help!"

    ****

    Patience was something that was too difficult to hold onto at the moment. The n of elites were all

    arranged outside of the room were Rosaline was being treated. The signs of worry on every other face

    were visible. Most importantly it was Einar who couldn''t station his feet on a single spot. He moved in

    oscitions looking at the door for any news regarding the development of his unborn child and the luna

    of the pack.

    "Don''t worry Einar they will be fine." Garrick sympathized with his friend and looked at him with utter

    concern.

    On the other side of the room it was Can who was the most disturbed person. He couldn''t fathom the

    reason behind Rosaline''s situation or why she was unconscious all of a sudden. All he knew that he

    was talking to her merrily and at the next moment itself she felt this sudden immense pain.

    He looked at Einar with the corner of his eyes for he was worried about him. He couldn''t imagine the

    flurry of emotions the man might''ve been going through right now. He just wanted to reach him and

    hold his hands to assure him that everything was going to be alright; but he couldn''t do it. He sighed

    and looked at the door, waiting for Aurora toe with a positive note.

    The anxious moments soon died when the wolves heard the sound of thetch being opened from the

    inside. Every one of them stood on their feet while Einar and Garrick rushed to the door hurriedly.

    Aurora came out with measured steps and took a survey of the people waiting impatiently for her

    verdict. Her eyes caught the attention of Can and she shook her head dejectedly. Can grew more

    and more despondent from the look Aurora gave him.

    The silent conversation between the healer and the beautiful man agitated Einar and he growled "How

    are they?"

    Aurora was startled for a moment as she looked at the angry face of the alpha. She willed her lips to

    move but she couldn''t think of a way to deliver her words in a subtle manner.

    "Say it." Einar looked stern "That''s an order."

    Aurora gulped and took a deep breath of confidence "Rosaline is fine but the baby.." she sighed as a

    drop of water rolled down her eye "The baby could not survive the trauma"

    The room was filled with simultaneous gasps and moans of shock. Can was hurt the most as he bit

    his lips while his eyes washed away his happiness, his calm.

    "What do you mean?" Einar asked in disbelief. It was just a whisper of a sound that he could utter.

    "It was a deliberate attempt to hurt the both of them." The witch paused "She was poisoned."

    The room was again buzzed with shock and grief but it was mostly a surprise as to how a heavily

    guarded alpha house was infiltrated. The murmurs were mocking Einar in the face. He couldn''t protect

    his luna, he couldn''t protect his child. He let the shock absorb him and he mind linked every wolf to

    stand in silence.

    "Garrick arrange a meeting in the hall." he broadened his shoulders while his face was hard to read "I

    want every servant and wolf of every rank who is working at the alpha house present here." he sighed

    and diverted his gaze to Aurora. The witch silently nodded and both of them went ahead to discuss the

    current situation of the luna.

    In a matter of a few moments the main room in the alpha house was filled with people. The wolves

    were standing ording to their ranks and waiting for their alpha to arrive. Can as usual took his

    position aloof from the rest of them. He was shattered to say the least. His heartfelt condolence was

    surely not enough to imagine the pain his mate might''ve been going through right now. Against all odds

    he decided that it was high time he intervened. He had made up his mind to go and talk to Einar, to be

    with him in his apathy.

    The chattering soon came to a halt as the alpha arrived at the scene with Garrick and Arthur.

    Einar stood firm on his position as he watched his fellow wolves standing in respect of the alpha with

    their heads bowed down "My child is dead." Einar said at once "That''s not the part I am here to discuss

    with you all. I am agitated and this anger needs release. Someone among you is the traitor behind this

    conspiracy. I am giving you one final chance to confess otherwise I will show no leniency when I kill

    you."

    Every wolf looked at each other for they were worriedly clueless of the aftermath that would be caused

    by an irked alpha.

    Einar waited for a few more moments but when no response came he snarled "So no ones speaking."

    he red his nose "Fine then... You are forcing me to bring my wolf to the fore."

    Simultaneous gasps echoed the main hall. Einar''s wolf was a death sentence in itself.

    "Pardon me alpha." Arthur courageously spoke his mind "There should be a fair trial for the killer should

    not be the reason to annihte your trusted men."

    "He has a point." Garrick added "Your wolf will have no mercy on any of us. His barbaric nature is

    beyond right and wrong."

    "Fine." Einar exhaled in defeat "What do you suggest?"

    Garrick furrowed his brows as he got thinking "The healer says that Rosaline was poisoned. It must

    have been something that she consumed."

    "Bettany was responsible for her food but she says that the luna hasn''t eaten anything this morning."

    Arthur said nonchntly

    "Perhaps it must have been something she drank." Einar concluded in a whisper. He slowly swept his

    gaze to his best friend "Who was with her this morning?"

    The wolf gulped at the question and looked sideways to avoid Einar''s gaze. Einar growled "I ASKED

    YOU A QUESTION GARRICK."

    The hall was silenced once again. Garrick closed his eyes and gritted his teeth before uttering the

    words he dreaded "It was Can."

    It was just a whisper. However the sound was enough to cause shock waves across the hall. Every eye

    looked at the confused human with suspicion. Can on the other hand was taken by surprise by the

    allegation. Though it was true that he was with Rosaline when the incident urred but calling him the

    perpetrator was utterly absurd. He tried to reason and raise his voice but someone broke the silence.

    "The lunas guard." Marden''s eye sparkled "Of course we should have seen thising." he smirked

    "We let our guards down and look what this filthy human has brought upon us."

    Can''s lips moved randomly to speak but he could not gather his thoughts. The shock was too much

    for him.

    "I could not.." He looked at everyone around. Though it was expected, he felt betrayed by being

    cornered. He looked at Einar when the same emotions reflected in him "How could you even think

    that!" Can pleaded as he stared at Marden in defense.

    Marden''s words fueled the outrage among the other wolves present. They readily agreed to what

    Marden was trying to imply. The resentment was such that they had presumed the man guilty of the

    crime just like that. The murmurs rose in scale as people were not holding back whileshing at the

    Elemental.

    "We always knew that you would be the doom to our pack and you''ve proved that yourself."

    "You are truly wicked!"

    "This appearance of yours was always a fa?ade."

    "Luna will have no mercy on you. You will rot in hell!"

    The closed fists and irked snarls were increasing more and more. The cursed slurs were jumbled into

    each other as every wolf spoke his mind. They were hellishly angry at the man. The environment

    around was tense soon enough. The wolves now demanded that the human be beheaded for his horrid

    crime. They wanted justice for the unborn.

    The only silent members present at the moment were the head warrior, beta and the gamma. Arthur

    and Aldous looked at the man with sympathy while Garrick looked at him with helplessness in his eyes.

    "Silence!" the alpha roared at once and every wolf present bowed his head.

    The tears that flowed through Can''s eyes were overlooked by everyone. The handsome man was

    stunned for a moment but he realized that his mum would be misinterpreted as his eptance of

    crime.

    He bravely steadied his quivered breaths and calmly spoke "I have been with the luna for more than

    any one in the pack. I have cared for her, nurtured her and the baby for weeks in their times of need.

    The unborn child had became a part of my life. An unsolicited bond has developed between us. I have

    always loved him as my own. Rosaline is like my sister and I cannot imagine to hurt her in anyway.

    Then why would I try to kill someone who is dear to me? I would never..."

    His words were cut short when the alpha roared. "YOU KILLED MY CHILD!"

    The pain that exploded within Can had left him numb. The beads that erupted through his eyes were

    not proportionate with the immense pain his heart felt right now. How on earth did Einar even think of it!

    Why didn''t his tongue shiver before uttering those words? Rosaline was dear to him. Even if it wasn''t

    her, Can had neverid his hands on women or children. Then why was Einar convinced that Can

    was at fault? It was like he didn''t know him at all!

    The treacherous tears that rolled down though his cheeks were more of the betrayal he faced at the

    moment. Had it been anyone in the pack saying those words, Can would have rebutted them but

    when it came to his own loved one, the man he trusted so much.. his heart just sank!

    He fluttered his eyes as he gasped asionally in shock "Do you.. Do you even realize what you are

    saying!" he spoke in a hushed voice.

    Einar on the contrary kept his position firm and gritted his teeth. He was barely holding the brim of

    water waiting to liberate from him. He swiftly moved his eyes to Marden and ordered him. "Put him to

    the deepest arc of the dungeons."

    ********

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