Royal War: Sequel to Royal Secret

Chapter 4

"Trevor it's time for us to go. I'm tired of waiting and now that we haven't had any attacks in the past few days, this is our chance." Jules annoyance at me was growing each day we were away from Celina.  He still blames me for not letting him leave and go with Korin a month ago. Everyone in the room was quiet and waited to see if there was going to be a confrontation between us.  Jules had been snapping at me for the last couple of days but I just ignored him.

I stayed seated slowly scanning the room at old and new faces.  Our little close knit group had extended to include the rogue allies that were helping Celina recuperate from her injuries.  We were in the living room of our secluded cabin situated away from the pack house and warriors living quarters.  Our little group consisted of Raven and Jace, mates, sitting together silently grooming each other in a recliner, Niko sitting backwards on a dining room chair resting his chin against the back looking a little bored.  Jules, the drama king, was prowling back and forth like a caged animal. Andrew, one of the first rogues to tell us that Celina was alive was sitting on the couch next to Tim.  Tim was one of two rogues that showed up a couple of weeks ago to investigate why we hadn't come for Celina.  Unfortunately his friend didn't make it to us alive.  Unlike Andrew and Colin who were the first to arrive, they had a run in with the rogues that has been attacking the Halder Packs for weeks.  Tim barely made it to us alive.  The most interesting occurrence that happened in the past month was going on between the last two people on the loveseat, Colin and Sage.  It didn't take long for them to realize that they were mates.

"Jules is right, this is best opportunity for us to leave and get Celina.  That's why I already talked to Alpha Halder and told him that some of us will be leaving tonight." My statement stopped Jules dead in his tracks.

"Damn Trevor, why didn't you just say so instead of letting me stand up here trying to persuade all of you for the past fifteen minutes!"

"I tried but you demanded to be heard first. Besides it was a little entertaining." Everyone laughed and Niko threw something at Jules.

"Now sit down Jules and let Trevor speak."  Niko barked and Jules complied stomping over to a chair and plopping down like a five year old child.

"Listen up, I need some to stay just in case that are more attacks."

"Well I'm not staying!" Jules shouted.

"We know!" several shouted back simultaneously.

"Trevor of course me and Raven will stay." Jace being the second in command new I  needed him to be in charge while I was away.

"I'll stay." Niko stated.

"Andrew, Tim, and Colin? I know they are your family but I want you to know you also have a place here with us." I offered.  All three were a force to be reckon with smart and great fighters.  They had once been a part of a pack, but had learned to fight just as dirty and as hard as the rogues we were up against. 

"We need to get back." Andrew spoke for him and Tim. I looked over at Colin and Sage.

"I'm staying here with Sage."

"Ok then its settle, Jace, Niko, Raven, Colin and Sage are staying the rest need to pack lightly we will leave in an hour."

Everyone dispersed and I started for my room when a hand on my shoulder halted my exit.

"I need you to explain to Keagan why I decided to stay."

"Colin I'm sure he will understand.  You found your mate."

"It just we have been best friends for so long, I would like to tell him myself but.."

"Sage comes first now, I understand and I will make sure he does to.  I'm glad to have you on board with us."

"I will petition your alpha tomorrow to let me be a part of your pack and that way I will be official and connected to everyone." He turned heading towards the stairs to Sage's room.

"Hey Colin, just curious in your old pack what was your status?"

"Beta, i was suppose to be the beta of our pack." a sadness overtook his features while he thought back to his old pack.

"Thought so." I mumbled.

)))) o ((((((

Five mind numbing hours later, I was ready to kill Jules. He has been singing every happy song he could think of outloud and through our mindlink.  Correction trying to sing because he sounded awful. His voice begged me to rip out his vocal chords and shove it up his...

"Shut the fuck up!" Tim yelled at Jules.  Jules didn't care it just made him sing all that much louder.

We had just stopped for a break to refuel our bodies with the food we brought along.  We had left the Halder's territory two hours ago and was on rogue territory.

Jules started running around and hitting Tim, "Make me!" Damn here we go, Jules and Tim were like two little kids picking on each other every chance they get. Tim having the patience of a fly, took up his challenge and they began fake boxing.

"I sure as hell won't miss this. They are worse than two teenagers." Andrew watched the scene leaning his back on a tree next to mine.

"Once he sees that Celina is ok he will calm down.  Some of his antics are coming from his wolf.  They are worried about her."

"Why, Tim told us that she was up and getting around again by herself, hell she was training."

"It's not so much her but her wolf that we are all worried about.  Her wolf is gone."

"Do you think she will get her wolf back?"

"I don't know.  I have to see her." Celina's inability to connect with her wolf had me on edge. None of us in her high guard could connect with her through our mindlink, nor could we feel her presence like before.  We all felt the void that her absence was causing.   I had been pouring through all the mental files Thadius had literally downloaded into my brain, when I became the captain of Celina's high guard. For the past few weeks I have been going over similar cases that happened in the past, access the old rituals to see if there was something there.  But I was coming up empty.  I hated not knowing how I was going to fix her, if only Thadius was here.  He has been doing this a lot longer and there was so much information that it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

A sound in the distance put me on alert.  Damn, how could I be so careless, we were on hostile territory where rogues or even the King's assassins could be roaming. Of course Jules would have heard it to if he wasn't goofing off. Before I could warn him to shut up, someone jumped out of the tree above him grabbing him. Andrew shifted into his wolf and I got into a fighting stance with my sword in hand. The person stood behind Jules turning him to face us, one hand covered his mouth and the other held a sword at his throat. Then three words from the assailant's mouth caused our world to crash around us.

"You miss me?"