MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA
Chapter 96: Returning To The Pack

Chapter 96: Returning To The Pack

Reana, on the other hand, ran her fingers through his thick, soft, long hair, the silky strands slipping through her fingertips like water as she gently massaged his scalp, her touch sending shivers of relaxation down his spine, and calming the lingering remnants of his nightmare.

The two remained like that, no words said, wrapped in a comfortable silence, as the darkness of the room enveloped them, and the only sound was the cool breeze gently swaying into the room, enveloping them in a soft caress.

Meanwhile, the two weren’t the only ones having a sleepless night. But unlike Reana and Ryder who found solace in each other’s arms, Mirian and Zeta Detroit weren’t so lucky.

Mirian wasn’t punished, but she’d been kneeling outside Gamma Kira’s door since that afternoon. Nobody told her to, however, Reana forbade the Gamma from asking her to stand up.

As for Zeta Detroit, he had it worse. Brutally beaten out of his mind, was supposed to be resting to allow his battered body to heal, but instead, he was inside the deserted farms, toiling in the middle of the night, working his ass out, while the workers had gone to sleep.

That was his punishment from his Alpha and he dared not disobey.

He wasn’t punished for wooing Mirian, no. Instead, Ryder encouraged it. If Mirian was stuck in two love stories, she wouldn’t have time to police his own relationship with his Luna.

Zeta Detroit was being punished for hurting a woman, and making his Luna grow so angry, that it cost Ryder all his charms to make her calm down.

...

The next morning, Reana and her group set out on their journey back to the Black Moon Pack.

Orion and an entourage of warriors from the Dark Snow Pack saw them to the gates.

At the gate, Reana fell behind her group to speak with Orion about the coming winter. Her expression turned serious, and she began, "Orion, I wanted to warn you... this winter may be harsher than most. Ensure your village is prepared: stockpile triple everything you used to - food, supplies, and construct strong shelters to safeguard your people from avalanche strikes."

She paused, noting Orion’s rapt attention, before continuing, "I also observed that your fabrics are quite thin. You’ll need thicker, warmer textiles to protect your pack from the biting cold. Consider weaving or trading for heavier fabrics, like wool or fleece."

Orion turned to look at her as she added, "Also, prepare as much firewood as possible..." She glanced back at the walls of the gate, her gaze assessing their strength. The tall, sturdy barriers would provide a secure defense against monsters and rogue attacks.

"Thank you, Luna," Orion said, his voice low and sincere. "We’ll take your warnings to heart and prepare accordingly."

What he didn’t tell her was that their astronomers had already looked into the sky after Alpha Snow made mention of it, but they found nothing. The coming winter would be exactly as it had always been. But all the same, Alpha Snow told them to humor the Luna.

Although they had no much money for all that trouble, Orion had no choice in this matter. The Alpha had told him to waste his money, and that, he shall do. But he hoped that he wouldn’t suffer for his in the future.

Orion felt a mix of relief and gratitude. Her warning, though unsolicited, underscored the importance of his people to the Luna.

She had a choice not to tell them anything, but she did, and that had earned her a measure of respect and admiration in his eyes.

With a final nod, Reana’s heels struck her horse’s flanks, and the majestic creature surged forward, its mane flowing in the wind as it bore its rider away from the gates, leaving Orion waving them goodbye.

Meanwhile, Zeta Detroit stood on the walls, watching Mirian leave. She didn’t look back at him, nor said anything to him this morning, when he went up to her. Was she still angry at him?

The Zeta frowned, perhaps, he’d have to pay her a visit in her pack sooner.

...

While the Black Moon Pack was in an uproar, scouring the land for Xavier, Zeta Marcus, who was tasked with leading the search, lounged on a tree branch, deep in the woods. His six comrades from the Dark Snow Pack sat beneath the tree, their laughter and shouts filling the air as they engaged in a heated game of dice.

Marcus sighed, popping another nut into his mouth as he gazed out at the serene woods, his expression a picture of relaxation, utterly at odds with the urgency of their mission.

After the game ended, one of the warriors below shouted, "Gamma, we’ve been here since last night. Shouldn’t we return to the pack and tell them we couldn’t find Xavier? This is starting to feel like a wild goose chase."

"But we didn’t search for him. We’ve been—" one of them began, but Marcus cut him off mid-sentence.

"Come on, what do you think I’m doing up here? Eating and sleeping?" Marcus clicked his tongue, even though what he’s been doing since last night was exactly that.

The warriors chuckled, and another one chimed in, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "Aye, we scoured the entire forest, battled hordes of ferocious beasts... and, of course, failed to find Xavier." The group’s amusement grew, their laughter and teasing glances directed at Marcus, who shook his head, a wry smile spreading across his face.

The mistake Beta Thane made was tasking Marcus with this mission. Marcus was notorious for his laid-back attitude and lack of enthusiasm for tasks that required actual effort, especially ones that concerned someone he despised, like Xavier. It was a wonder he’d even shown up, let alone managed to lounge around in a tree for an entire night.

Flipping down from the branch, Marcus landed effortlessly on his legs and stretched, arching his back and extending his claws. A lazy grin spread across his face as he said, "Now, we return to the pack, and I’m sure you’ll entertain Beta Thane and the council with the epic tale of how we bravely scoured the forest, fought off ferocious beasts, and... came up empty-handed." He chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement.

The others laughed, but their merriment was short-lived. Just then, their keen ears picked up the faint crunch of dried leaves, the soft rustle echoing through the forest. The warriors’ laughter died on their lips as they all turned their attention to the direction.

Xavier staggered into view, his rugged frame battered and bruised, his eyes sunken with exhaustion. Twigs and dried leaves clung to his disheveled hair, and his clothes were torn and scratched, telling the tale of a brutal struggle.

The warriors’ eyes widened in surprise, and Marcus’s grin faltered as he took in the sight of the young warrior, who looked like he’d been through hell.

Upon seeing his pack members, Xavier’s eyes lit up like a beacon, and he increased his pace, stumbling towards them with a mix of relief and desperation. "Zeta, save me!" he exclaimed, his voice hoarse from exhaustion.

Marcus raised an eyebrow, a wry smile spreading across his face. "Well, well, look who we found, the protagonist of our search," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, as the other warriors chuckled and closed in around Xavier, concern etched on their faces.

"Bring him back." With that, Marcus shifted into his wolf, heading back to the pack with a fluid grace.

Xavier watched him leave, his gaze lingering on Marcus’s retreating form. Then, his eyes turned cold, a calculating glint sparking within them.

The masked man had devised a cunning plan, instructing Xavier to stage a dramatic escape, making it seem as though he’d fought fiercely against his captors and finally broken free.

The goal was to deceive his pack members into believing he was a victim, not a willing participant in the masked man’s scheme.