Running With Wolves [On Hold]

Chapter 48, Orson

Eleanor's gone.

I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't stop myself or my wolf from following behind Eleanor and Chase as they traveled to the gateway, and even though I knew Chase knew I was following, and the shame of not escorting them myself, I pathetically hid and followed them until they left through the gate.

I regretted every word I said to her the last time we spoke, saying I would not wait for her, it was a cruel lie I said in hope that she would choose me, that she would stay with me and not go with him.

The words can't describe how much I miss her, every day since she's been gone has been torture on my very soul, my wolf and I are visibly more irritated by the slighted thing, I had no choice but to sleep in her bed with her scent still there just to calm myself down.

That scent is long gone now, just like my mate.

It's been a month, and the pain is still there, I still feel the painful loss of my mate, my Luna.

Since then a lot has happened, even though Eleanor wasn't here, I knew she was safe from getting word from Chase's men, telling me of how she is doing, that she is happy, and learning about her history.

It hurt, to know that she's happy without me and I am miserable, suffering the consequences of my actions concerning my past, also the inevitable crash that will eventually be happy with the King once he knows who Eleanor is to me, his war hero.

I could play this another way, avoid war but at what cost? The wolves suffer in this realm, pups starve on the streets of the capital, and innocent die daily because of the sick and twisted amusement of the royals, a dirty secret that is known throughout the kingdom.

Every day is a struggle to keep going, to keep fighting for my pack and those that depend on me and me alone to make a change, there is no other Alpha who will speak up unlike I have, and although they may follow me, they are still loyal to the King until I make a move.

Another war would be the worst thing for the realm and those in it, but I see no other way, the innocent will die and I can't do anything to stop it until I stop those responsible for the misery in this realm.

War is coming, and everyone waits to see who will ignite the fire first, me or the King, Croix Carmine.

"Orson, do you have a minute?" Adan calls out behind the door of my office.

Sighing, I look at the time, almost three in the morning, would could he want this early?

"Come in."

Adan enters my office and closes the door behind him, he's alone and carrying something in his hand in the shape of the photograph, but who on it, that I can't see.

"Orson, you really need to get some sleep." He says looking at me.

I glare at him warningly. "Do you have something for me?"

He nods his head and places the photo down on my desk, when I see who it is on the photograph, I stand up from my desk and grab the photo to look properly at it.

Eleanor.

Something is different about her though, her hair, like a fire that was long and soft, so soft I miss the feeling of it through my fingers, but it's no longer red, it's white, almost grey from the distance the photo was taken, but that's not all, theirs something that stands out more than her change of hair color.

The triple deity symbol, the symbol of her mother, is proudly inked on her chest, but there's something different about this symbol, although it's recognizable, it's almost as if it's glowing on her skin.

"When was this taken?" I ask, still looking at the photo of her.

Even though I have not seen her in a month, she's still as beautiful as I remember.

"Yesterday."

I snap my eyes to Adans and snarl out pissed off. "Why am I just hearing this now?"

"It took time for the wolves you placed to follow her to get back to us." He said, shifting his eyes from mine.

"What the fuck do you mean? Explain!" I snarl out.

Adan looks at the photo and cringes as he looks at me, a sense of fear lingers as he notices my obvious anger rising.

"She's in Edath."

"She's... what?" I bark out.

I turn around and grab my phone and dial a number, a number I haven't dialed in a long time, not since the war, but this is something I never would've thought would happen.

If Eleanor is in Edath, Chase Henlon will fucking die for putting her in this kind of danger, to simply have her in Edath is too dangerous, the Shadow Wolves and the wolves of Sovern have a long history of hatred and conflict.

If they find out she's my mate... 

The phone goes through and a voice speaks.

"Who is this?"

I rub my forehead, holding back the anger of my wolf.

"I want that favor." I say, my voice laced with dominance.

The line goes quiet, but then there is some rustling around and then the sound of a wood door closing and locking.

"Thrain, the beast of Sovern." He snarls out quietly. "So you finally need me, I wonder what would make the great beast ask for MY help..." He snorts out, a hint of disgust in his voice.

I laugh out lowly. "I'm not asking, I'm telling you to do as I say or I will not miss next time, Beon." I say threateningly.

He growls out, this time louder. "You want my help yet you threaten me?!" 

I laugh darkly, my voice hardening. "That was me asking nicely, if I have to ask again I wonder what your mate and small pups would say about their sire being a sniveling coward, who betrayed his own?"

"Perhaps I show up and ask them." I say seriously.

The line goes quiet, but then Beon sighs. 

"What do you want from me Orson Thrain?"

I grin into the phone and laugh out darkly, my whole body feeling as if I may shift any second. "I want that favor." 

"Do this one thing for me, and I leave you and your family alone."

"What about my... crimes?" He asks. "All is forgotten, I am free to enter Sovern once again?"

I clench my fist and bite my lip, disgusted by the change of tone in his voice, from wary to happy in a second, and for what? To think I would dismiss the war crimes he committed? Never!

The crimes he committed, no one would turn a blind eye to the horrors he caused, the only reason he is not dead or rotting in a cell is that there was no proof, but I knew, I knew he told our enemies where to find our camps in the middle of the night.

He caused his own kind to be slaughtered in the middle of the night, and for what? The pure thought of forgiving him makes me physically shake in anger, if he were next to me there is no saying what I would do to avenge the death of my fallen comrades.

Since winning the war, I make sure he knew never to return to Sovern, not unless he wanted to be hunted and killed by his own kind, if he ever did try to enter the border, I would know, and there is no way I would pass up the opportunity.

"How about I don't kill you?" I spit out in pure hatred.

"...." He clears his throat. "What do you want me to do?"