Chasing his Mate

Chapter Fifteen - Found

About mid-day Diego came looking for them to tell them it was time to leave. As planned, they set out in two groups to the pack the wolf they had captured told them about. Diego also had a wolf track him back to his pack to ensure that he wasn't lying, and everyone had appeared to be the truth.

Not long after they crossed into the other packs territory, she found herself watching out the car window and when she saw a flash of foreign color in the forests edge, she couldn't stop the growl of warning. Diego immediately understood.

"It's okay. It's normal to be stalked when entering another packs territory. Even less so when they know we are coming." Diego tried to sooth, but his voice also held tension and worry.

She knew all eyes were on them when they reached the pack house. It was like a mansion, and she snorted as she realized it was probably paid for from their various, very illegal business deals. After all, that was the only way to fund a pack without a large business or way to bring in income to supplement the pack.

"Stay close, both of you." Diego immediately ordered as soon as they got out of the car. Nearly ten other wolves had come with them, and they all fell in place behind them.

"I am the beta of this pack, state your intentions." A male said in a demanding voice as he came out of the house.

Like all male wolves seem to be, he was riddled with muscles, and he had a deep scar that ran along the left side of this face that was threatened to be covered by his long brown hair. His eyes were also darker, and Denali couldn't help but imagine their darkness as black. Black suited those who were evil, and this pack had done the unthinkable in her opinion.

"Don't feign innocence. We want Alpha Takota back and you to end your agreement with Xena and her father." Diego nearly growled at them, and she got the feeling Deigo was a beta by choice. He definitely had an air of power around him that her wolf recognized as power to their kind.

"You have some nerve to come here and accuse us without evidence." The other beta said, and she decided she was done with these stupid politics with an irritated growl.

She started forwards as Diego called her name in warning. She ignored him as the other betas attention turned towards her. She didn't care. She could smell her mate as well as her scent and that's all Denali cared about.

To her surprise, the beta let her past as he eyed her. Was she walking into a trap? Most likely. Why else would the rival beta let her pass without comment or action. She immediately felt the hair on her back stand on end at the realization.

"That's far enough. I have orders to let past any she-wolves pass, but not you." She heard the beta say seconds after she heard movement behind her. So, the other wolf had told them about her, so be it.

" Well in that case." She heard Rhetta say followed by Diego calling her name.

"What's the point of a plan if we don't follow it?" He called behind them as Denali shoved the door and went inside with Rhetta was hot on her heels.

It was an achievement for her grey and black pelted wolf to make an appearance and had they not be in this situation, she would have celebrated with Rhetta, but they both knew now was not the time. There would be celebrations later and a lot of praise of her figuring it out so fast, but that was a discussion and praise that would be dealt with later.

She to care about Takota and Denali would not tell her nol. Denali also knew that if there was a chance they could reason with this alpha and avoid a fight, they needed to take it. Even if there was a risk. This alpha was experienced while they were not and who knew what condition Takota would be in. Denali could also smell Xena below and she to, had a shifted form, making their numbers even worse.

She followed the scent of her mate cautiously, expecting a trap. Rhetta was also tense as she followed her. The lack of wolves inside the pack house also worried her. This was definitely a trap, for the house to be clear as well.

She followed his scent until she found a doorway that led down. She looked back at Rhetta who watched her expectantly before she started down as quiet as she could. She watched her steps and tried to space out her weight on the wood steps, worried that they would creak or groan and give up their location and existence.

"Get out of here Denali. It's not safe." A voice said after only a few steps and her heart rejoiced.

Takota was alive and soon he would be safe. Adrenaline and strength flooded her as soon as her wolf ears heard his voice. It gave her strength as she ignored his order. She had fought against other wild wolves, hunger and many other things to find him again, she wasn't going to stop now.

As soon as she could see around the stairs, she saw Takota sitting on the bottom of a jail cell and furry rose inside her when she saw Xena, the source of her anger grinning at her from beside the cage. Her back was facing Takota and the smug look on her face make Denali's anger reach a boiling point.

She wasn't so blinded by rage though, that she didn't see the other wolf. She dodged just before a human hand could grab her muzzle. Deigo had done that, and she wouldn't fall for it a second time. She knew if the other wolf had succeeded, he could have held her jaw closed and one of her main weapons would have been rendered useless.

"Nice reflexes." A deep, mature male voice said, and she realized he was likely the alpha of this pack, given his larger size and arrogant look.

Like his daughter, Alpha Delope had brown hair and brown eyes. His face was firmer though, showing little signs of kindness on his face. Scratches and scars lined both his face and arms. Denali knew that he likely wore those scars with pride and ran his pack with brute force for encouragement.

Rhetta took advantage of the angle as Alpha Delope eyed her closely. While he was distracted, Rhetta attacked the alpha before he even saw her coming slowly down the stairs. She immediately sank her teeth into his arm, making him yell at his grin faltered and Rhetta growled in satisfaction.

"Two?! You said there was only one." The alpha growled out; his anger directed towards Xena.

Denali immediately readied herself to jump on him to, but Rhetta was thrown off him seconds later and she yipped as she hit the wall. Her yip was followed by an angry snarl from above and she knew the fighting had begun.

She watched both Alpha Delope and Xena close as she checked Rhetta who stood up and shook, doing her best to shake off the blow, but Denali knew it had hurt her. There was a clear difference in strength between males and females, that much had been made brutally clear.

"Both of you go back up where you are safe. I can sense the others above." Takota ordered, but she again ignored him, much to his frustration.

Fueled by her wolf's strength and rage, she snarled at Alpha Delope and Xena. The alphas eyes immediately narrowed at her challenge while Xena stood back and watched. She always did have others do her dirty work and would never change.

In his rage, the alpha charged her, and she dodged as he hit the wall, earning her a snarl of anger. Her dad had always told her alphas tempers were the worst of their kinds and those tempers could be used. She couldn't spare the memory a second thought though as she turned her attention completely back to the fight at hand. This was not the time to get distracted.

As she watched, his anger made him buckle over and he began to shift as his wolf's anger took him. His shift was fast, faster then she expected, but she had hoped as much. She wanted to push him beyond reason so he would make mistakes.

Takota called her name in warning moments before she jumped up and over him. He was larger than her, even in wolf form, but she was smaller, faster. That was their only chance, that and keep moving, using their small size as a speed advantage against the male wolves. To do that though, she needed more space.

Denali let out an amused noise before she ran straight towards Xena and knocked her on her ass as she raced by, for the steps. Xena let out a few cuss words before she got up and she followed after her right, behind the alpha. Idiots forgot all about Rhetta in their rage. Denali just hoped Rhetta could find a way to get him out of there before her luck ran out and one of them caught her. If that happened, she knew that she would not be saved, no matter how fast or strong Takota was.