Chapter 29
Scott's little eyes opened gradually to realize that he was still in the hospital. His eyes scanned the room and saw his mum beside him, sitting on a chair.
“Mum, good morning.” He greeted her, yawning.
“Son, you're awake? Hope you slept well?” His mum said with a smile, rubbing his little cheeks.
“I think I did.” He answered. “I don't see dad around, where is he? Did he go somewhere?” He asked her as he sat up with her help.
“Yes, he went to see the doctor.” She replied.
“Oh, okay.” He said as he nodded.
“How do you feel today? Do you feel okay? Do you feel any pain anywhere?” She asked him, concerned.
“Mum, I'm fine.” He replied with a slight smile but she immediately noticed that something wasn't right.
“Are you sure? You look like you have something on your mind.” She stated and he looked away from her.
“You do, don't you?” She asked him again.
She gently held his hand in hers as she spoke to him again, calmly, “You know you can tell us anything, right? If there's anything on your mind or if there's anything bothering you, you can always tell us. As your parents, we want the best for you and we'll do everything in our power to ensure you're fine and lacking nothing.”
While she was still speaking to him, the door opened and Scott's father, along with Alpha Marcus, walked in.
“Look who I found on my way back in.” Beta Richard announced with a smile as soon as he walked in. “I saw him in the hallway, he was coming to see us.”
Beta Lily immediately got up to greet him, “Good morning, Alpha.” She said with a bow.
“Good morning, Lily. How are you doing today?” He asked her.
“Very well, thank you so much, Alpha.” She replied with a smile.
“I can see that. You're full of smiles this morning, so you're truly fine.” He said jokingly and they all laughed.
“And what about you, young man?” He asked, turning to Scott. “How are you feeling today? I hope you feel better now?” He inquired, with a smile
“Yes, Alpha Marcus. I'm fine.” Scott answered him.
“What did the doctor say?” Beta Lily asked her husband.
“Oh, good news. He said Scott can leave in about half an hour from now. He said he'll come and check his vitals for the last time and he'll discharge him afterwards.” He said, with joy.
“Wow. That's good news, truly. I'm so happy.” She said with a broad smile. “Son, we're going home today.” She said as she hugged Scott, who didn't look too happy.
“Is it just me, or does he not look too happy?” Alpha Marcus asked his friend, Beta Richard.
“Is something bothering him?” Alpha Marcus asked Beta Lily next. “This is really unlike him.” He added.
The young Scott that he had always known was a very bubbly and bright child. He would always ask tons of questions whenever he didn't seem to understand certain things and the reason why they had to do certain things, and he never ran out of questions because he was so inquisitive. He wasn't one to remain in a foul mood, so he knew something was bothering him.
“You noticed too?” Beta Lily asked and Alpha Marcus and Beta Richard both nodded. “I have asked him about it but he has yet to tell me anything. In fact, that was what I was talking to him about when you both walked in. ” Beta Lily told them.
Beta Richard moved close to his son and sat beside him, “What is the matter, son?” He asked.
“Dad, you said you would help me find her.” He suddenly cried out.
“Find who? What is he talking about, Richard?” Alpha Marcus, who was confused, asked Scott's parents.
“He claimed a girl saved his life in the forest and he made a promise to help her out too but he couldn't keep his promise because he was found by the warriors. So, he thinks she is still in the forest all alone.” Beta Richard explained.
“Hmmm.” Alpha Marcus sighed. “But what makes you think she is still in the forest? I mean, the forest is extremely wide and has its deep parts. What if someone else has helped her?” Alpha Marcus asked him but he shook his head vigorously.
“You don't think someone could have helped her?” Alpha Marcus asked, surprised.
“Yes, I don't think so. It's too dangerous for any random person.” Scott answered him.
“That was exactly what I asked him too but he gave almost the same answer. He said it was impossible because no one ever went to that part of the forest.” Beta Richard told Alpha Marcus.
“So how did they get there?” He asked Beta Richard, who turned to Scott for an answer.
“I was hungry and so we went in search of something to eat and we walked far deep into the forest.” Scott answered. “I've told Dad about it and he said he has to get your permission first before the warriors can go in search of her.” He added, his eyes travelling from Alpha Marcus to his father and back to Alpha Marcus.
“Can you please give your permission?” Scott asked Alpha Marcus, who thought about it for a moment.
“Giving the permission is not the issue here, Scott, but where would they start searching from? They can't just go searching the whole forest for someone they do not even know by face. There has to be proper strategic plans put in place before they embark on another journey into the forest.” He explained to Scott, who now began to think of clues that could help the search.
“I think I faintly remember something.” He suddenly said after thinking for a while.
“What is it?” His dad and Alpha Marcus asked at the same time.
“So before I became unconscious, I remember seeing some blurry images and hearing some fading voices…” He suddenly snapped his fingers, “I think that would be the warriors’ voices when they found me.” He added eagerly.
“Hmmm! How sure are you?” Alpha Marcus asked him.
“Yes, are you sure? Hope you're not making stories up?” His dad asked him.
“No, dad. I'm not making this up. I'm very sure because I heard them shout to each other that they have found me. It sounded like they had been searching for me. At first I thought I was being kidnapped but seeing as I'm here now, it has to be them who found me.” He explained.
“Okay, that's some clue, I think.” Alpha Marcus said and picked out his phone.
He dialled a number and as soon as it was picked, he said, “Come in here now.”
In just a few minutes, the leader of the warriors knocked and was told to come in.
“If they can find the exact place where they found me, the pit Vee is, is not too far from there.” Scott said to them and Alpha Marcus couldn't help but to stare at him, amazed by his smartness, despite the fact that he was so young.
“But hold on a second, what pit is he talking about?” Alpha Marcus asked his Beta, a bit confused, not sure of what Scott just talked about.
“Oh, yes. He said he fell into a pit and she went in to save him. He was able to get out with her help, but she got hurt and couldn't get out anymore which was why he ran to get help but fainted on the way and was found by the warriors.” His father explained to the Alpha.
“Whoa! That's a lot.” Alpha Marcus exclaimed.
He turned to the leader and, pointing at Scott, he asked the leader, “do you remember where you found him?”
He thought for a short while and answered, “Yes Alpha. I remember.”
“That’s perfect then! Get the other warriors, you need to find a missing person.” He instructed.
“Who are we searching for, Alpha?” He asked, not fully understanding
“Vee! Her name is Vee.” Scott immediately chipped in.
“You heard him. So, her name is Vee. Search the perimeters around where you found him, you should find a pit. He said you should find her in the pit.” Alpha Marcus instructed.
“Okay, Alpha. I'll get the warriors ready.” The leader replied.
“It shouldn't take too long since you already know where you are going. You can leave now.” He ordered and the leader of the warriors left immediately to do as he was told.
Seeing all that happened, Scott became a bit relieved, knowing that help was finally coming to Veronica's way.
At that moment, Beta Richard’s phone rang and he immediately picked up.
“Now? Okay, we'll be there.” He said to the caller.
“Alpha, your attention is needed. We need to go now.” He told Alpha Marcus who nodded.
“I guess I'll see you soon.” Alpha Marcus said to Scott and Beta Lily, who smiled in response.
“Thank you so much, Alpha.” She appreciated him.
Beta Richard then hugged Scott, “I'll see you later, buddy.” He then gave him a kiss on the forehead and said ‘bye’ to Scott and his mum before he left the room with Alpha Marcus.
“Hope you're happy now?” His mum asked, calling his attention.
“Ummm, I'm not sure.” He said quietly.
“What do you mean?” She asked him.
“I don't know, I'm kind of scared. What if she isn't found? Or something bad has happened to her?” He voiced his worries.
“Come on, son, don't say that. She'll be fine, they will find her, don't worry.” She said, trying to lift his spirit.
While she was speaking, the doctor came and after unplugging all the machines attached to him and checking his reaction, he announced, “He is fine, he is free to go now.”
‘Oh my! Thank you so much, doctor. I'm so glad.” She said, beaming with smiles.
“Right at the reception, you just need to sign some documents and that's all. Please, ensure that he eats well and gets enough rest too.” He told her and she nodded in understanding.
“Thank you so much, doctor.” She thanked him.
“You're welcome ma'am.” He replied. “Be good, kid, and stay safe.” He said to Scott and he nodded.
He then left the room and Beta Lily began to pack their stuff. In a few minutes, she was done and after signing every necessary document, they were out of the hospital and on their way home.
Chapter 30
“What the hell do you think you're doing? Why would you barge into my room like that and why did you scream like that? Do you want to call the attention of people to this place?” Steve yelled at Megan, who didn't even care about what he was saying.
He then turned to Veronica to see if the noise had woken her up but she was still lying motionless on the bed.
“I should be the one asking you what you think you're doing, bringing a female into your house.” Megan snapped at him.
“I don't think me bringing anybody into my house at any point in time is any of your business, Megan.” He replied harshly and she hissed.
“Who is she? She doesn't look familiar and I don't think I have seen her anywhere in this pack before now. So, who is she?” Megan asked again, not caring what he had just said, raising her voice this time.
“‘Shhhhhh! Can you stop yelling?” He moved close and tried to shush her, and looked over at Veronica once again.
“Don't tell me what to do or not to do! I asked you a simple question. Who the hell is she?” She asked him again but he refused to answer.
“It will be better for you if you start talking right now, else, I'm going to head to the Alpha's Palace to report this. I'm very sure you wouldn't want that.” She threatened him.
“You wouldn't dare!” He whispered coldly.
“Really? You think so?” She asked but he was indifferent about it, not paying her any mind.
Seeing that he was unperturbed about what she was saying, she said, “Just watch me as I go to report you to the Alpha.”
She then turned and began to head towards the door, but Steve caught her by the arm and said into her ear, “You'll do no such thing!”
“Let go!” She yelled as she began to struggle to escape but instead of letting her go, he tightened his grip on her arm so that she would be unable to leave.
He then dragged her to the living room.
“Listen to me carefully. Listen and listen well, you don't know her from anywhere, I also do not really know her too because she is not a member of this pack. I only found her in the forest, in dire need of help and I helped a stranger in need of help. That's all. No more, no less.” He said to her and she remained quiet.
After explaining and seeing her calmness, he finally eased his grip on her arm, letting her go.
As soon as he let her go, she began another round of bickering, “Why would you even bring a stranger to the pack when you know the rules, for crying out loud?” She asked him,.
“What was I supposed to do? Leave her to die there?” He snapped at her and she swallowed hard because she knew it would be insensitive of him to ignore someone who needed his help.
“But you know how risky this is, right? If anyone, especially your father, finds out about this, you know he will-” She tried to state an obvious fact but he wasn't ready to listen.
“You think I've not thought about that? I know what he is capable of doing, I don't need you to remind me, please.” He instantly interrupted her.
“Besides, how will he find out if no one tells him? Well, except if you would be the snitch.” He said again, and she glared at him.
“And if after all I have said, you still feel the need to go and report to the Alpha, then, you're free to go. But just a little reminder, that the moment you do that, the friendship tie between you and I is severed.” He said with a very serious look on his face, so Megan knew he wasn't joking with his words at all.
Hearing these words from Steve made Megan shocked beyond words, because prior to that, she had never seen him act like that, which was one of the reasons he didn't really have so many friends and she was one of his few friends.
“Are you threatening me now?” She asked, as she found her voice after her initial shock.
“If you see it as a threat, then that is on you and I don't know what else to say. But, I'm not threatening you, I'm just telling you the reality.” He replied and she sighed.
After a moment of complete silence, Megan broke the silence when she asked, “So, where and how did you find her?”
“I found her when I was out hunting, she was injured and crying for help.” He answered.
“But wait,” she suddenly paused, “Why is she not awake yet? I mean, with all the noise we've been making and she's right there. I feel like she should have woken up by now. Don't you think so?” She voiced out her concerns but Steve looked away.
She suddenly gasped in fear and shock, “Is she DEAD? You didn't kill her while hunting, did you?” She asked, covering her mouth with her hands.
“What?! No!” Steve exclaimed. “Why would you even say such a thing, Megan?”
“I don't know.” She shrugged. “You can't blame me, can you? Just look, she's just there, not moving, not saying anything and not opening her eyes. She looks dead, if you ask me.” She said.
“No one is asking you, Megan. And stop saying nonsense.” He replied, glaring at her.
“She is not dead, she is just not completely conscious at the moment. She passed out on the way here.” He said again, unsure of the right words to say.
“So, what do you plan to do with her?” She asked him but he couldn't give a response.
“Wait, don't tell me you brought her here without knowing what to do with her.” She said in shock. “You're really unbelievable.”
“Calm down. I have something on my mind.” He replied.
“Which is?” She asked, with raised eyebrows.
“I was hoping to keep her here till she gets better and I'll maybe speak to the Alpha if he will be able to accept her into this pack.” He answered.
“What? Are you crazy?” She said, screaming and Steve glared at her, after which they both peeped to see if Veronica was alerted by Megan's voice. “Do you think it's that easy?” She asked, whispering.
“I know it's not but I'm willing to try.” He answered.
“Where is her pack by the way? Why can't she go there? What was she doing in the forest? These are questions you should have asked before bringing her here.” Megan complained but Steve didn't answer her, so she sensed that he knew something.
“Steve? Why did you bring her here instead of taking her to her pack?” Shs questioned him.
“I don't know.” He answered, shrugging.
“Don't lie to me, Steve. Where is her pack and why did you bring her here?” She kept pressing for answers until he gave in.
“She was banished, Megan! Happy now?” He finally answered, with a very low voice, while Megan stood with her jaw dropped as she watched him as he walked away from her.
“Oh my, I didn't know.” She muttered, following Steve.
“Well, now you know. And please don't mention it to her or anyone else because it's like her little secret.” He told her and she nodded as she gestured a zipped lip with her hand.
“But she doesn't even look like any of us, Steve. Don't you think she'll be easily spotted if she goes out? Do you even know her name?” She asked and Steve sighed.
“Well, her name is Veronica, and she doesn't even have to go out. She can always stay indoors.” He replied, shrugging.
“Hmmmm! But until when? You can't keep her locked in all day, forever.” She stated.
“Whoa, calm down. It's just up until I'm able to find a way out.” He answered and she nodded and said ‘okay’.
After talking for a little while more, they both went back into the room to check on Veronica. Her temperature was now better than the previous night, but she wasn't waking up.
Steve kept staring at her and Megan knew he had something to say.
“Out with it.” She said, startling him.
“What?” He asked, a bit confused.
“I know you have something bothering you. So, out with it.” She said again.
“What do I do about her shoulder and ankle?” He asked Megan.
“What is wrong with her shoulder?” She asked him.
“Dislocation, I think, but I'm not sure if I'm right though. She mentioned to me that her shoulder was not in the right state and it was hurting.” He told her.
“Oh, and her ankle? Is it dislocated too?” She inquired.
“I think so. She fell and it began to swell, making it hard for her to walk. I carried her all the way here.” He replied. “So, what do you think I can do?” He asked, but she shrugged in response.
“Come on! You're not helping matters here, Megan.” He complained.
“I can't take her to the hospital, that would be a disaster. I can't bring a doctor here either,” He said. “So you’re the only one who can help me. You need to help me, Megan.” He added and immediately, Megan's demeanour changed.
“Help you? How?” She asked him.
“I'm not sure, but…” He suddenly paused and snapped his fingers as he remembered something.
“Your friend, Celia. She is a nurse at the pack hospital, right?” He began and knowing what he was about to say, she began to shake her head in disagreement.
“No, Steve. I don't think I want to be a party to this. You know how dangerous this is, especially if the Alpha finds out.” She said to him. “If my dad finds it out too, I would get into so much trouble.” She added.
“They're not going to find out. Or do you plan to tell your dad about this?” Steve asked her.
“Of course not! He'll kill me.” She yelled at him.
“Can you just speak quietly and stop yelling!” He said, rolling his eyes at her.
“I think we can ask your friend for help.” He said to her. “She doesn't have to come here, all she needs to do is to tell us what to do.”
“And how do we do that?” She asked him.
“You can pretend to have a dislocated shoulder and ankle. I'll go with you to the hospital. We'll ask all necessary questions and get all that is needed so we will help her here.” He explained and after thinking about it, she nodded and agreed to help Steve, her friend.
While they were still deliberating on what to do next, Veronica suddenly sneezed loudly and both of them almost jumped out of their skins, startled.
Chapter 31
The warriors who were sent to search for Veronica finally arrived in the forest after walking a very long journey due to the distance. They soon got to the exact spot where they found Scott and stopped there.
“This was the exact point where we found the kid, right?” The leader asked them.
“Yes, Leader.” They chorused in response.
“He was coming from that direction,” one of the warriors, who was the first one to sight Scott from afar before he fell, pointed towards the direction where he was running from.
“Are you sure about this?” The leader asked him.
“Yes, Leader. I'm very sure. I'm positive.” He replied, confidently.
“Okay, in that case, we'll head in that direction too.” He told them and they waited for more information.
They had left the pack immediately without complete information on who or what they were searching for. It was only their leader, who they sometimes called ‘Cap’ or ‘Captain Jake’, who had the main details. He only summoned a few of them and they followed.
“Get ready, we're going back into the forest where we found Scott now.” He had announced to them and they didn't question him. They only strapped up and assembled and shortly after, they left the pack for the forest.
So, they still didn't know what they were searching for.
“We're searching for a female, a little older than Scott, but first, we must find a deep pit. So, you all need to be careful so that you don't unknowingly fall into it.” The leader said to them.
“A pit?” They asked with a puzzled look on their faces.
“Yes, from information gathered, I was told that the moment we find the pit, we'll find her because she fell into the pit.” He replied and they nodded in understanding.
“Our search starts now. Check for clues that can lead us to where she is as well.” He announced and they all were about to be on the move when he stopped them.
“One more thing,” he said, stopping them in their tracks. “Her name is Vee.” He said and they nodded and said ‘okay’.
They then began their search, and as they searched, they kept shouting Veronica's name as loud as they could, hoping that she would be able to answer if she heard her name, which would help narrow down their search.
“Be careful, there are traps here.” The lieutenant, who was the assistant and second in command to the leader, suddenly shouted, alerting the others of the danger ahead.
“Yes, take extra caution.” Leader warned, in agreement. “Move with wide eyes and your senses. I'm sure you know that as warriors, your eyes and senses should be sharper than any other person. One wrong move and you might end up in more trouble than you can ever imagine. Remember, this part of the forest is the most dangerous.” He warned and reminded them.
“I still wonder how they got here though.” He said to himself.
“Double up warriors, we don't have all day. We need to give Alpha Marcus an update as soon as possible.” He shouted at them and they intensified their search.
“I think I found something.” One of the warriors shouted and they all rushed to where he was.
“What is it?” Lieutenant asked him.
“There,” the warrior said, pointing towards a bunch of fruits scattered around the same area.
They hurriedly looked closely but didn't find anything that could pass as a clue. So, they kept searching.
They had only been searching for a few minutes when they heard a rustling sound in the bushes nearby.
They all heard it, and so they immediately paused their search to listen carefully so as to know their next line of action. The whole place became silent again except for the sound of the wind brushing against the trees.
“Get back to work, I don't think it is anything to be worried about.” Leader told them and they did as they were told.
But as they got back to work, they heard a low snarling sound from somewhere close to them and they immediately came together in a circular formation, with their knives in their hands, with each one of them facing outward, while their backs were inward in the circle, that way, their eyes are on the target and they are still able to look out for their partners too.
This was one of their many trainings and they did this whenever they sensed danger or felt threatened by an unseen presence. They would remain in that position until the danger is passed and they feel safe again.
“Stay alert warriors, anything can happen from here on.” Their leader said to them in a low tone and they all nodded in understanding.
“We are not sure of what it is yet, but my guess is that it's a wolf.” Lieutenant whispered to the leader.
“Yes, and from its growling, I can guess that it might be a big one. We need to be alert, it can come from any angle.” Leader said to them all.
While he was still speaking, with a fierce growl, the grey wolf launched itself at the warriors, its blue eyes gleaming with predatory intent.
“Watch out!” one of the warriors shouted and they jumped out of the way, scattering their formation.
“Warriors! Resume formation!” the leader immediately roared as he noticed that their formation had been dismantled.
The wolf growled at them, its eyes shining as the rays of sunlight shone to it. He charged at them one more time and this time, the leader shouted, “Change formation!”
As the wolf moved close, they moved backwards as it bared its teeth at them.
“It won't be easy to kill this wolf because we are just five, so we have to bait it.” Leader whispered to his lieutenant.
“How do we do that? We have nothing to bait it with.” He replied, frustration creeping into his voice.
“Don't worry, I'll be the bait.” Leader said, his words shocking the other warriors.
“What? No way! You can't do that! Sir, it's too dangerous.” his assistant protested.
“Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Listen to me and be alert. As soon as I step forward, rearrange the formation and do not let your guards down.” He ordered.
“Yes sir!” They yelled in unison.
He then asked, “Anyone with a knife to spare? I need one more.”
He was immediately provided with another knife and he signalled to his assistant, who nodded as he got the message.
He stepped out of their formation and the others rearranged. He charged at the wolf who took the bait. Seeing that it was one person coming at it, the wolf jumped at him too and the pair ended up rolling on the forest ground.
For a minute, there was total silence. The warriors had their hearts in their mouths as they watched their leader lying on the ground, motionless, with the large wolf on top of him and blood trickling on the ground.
They weren't sure which was hurt, the wolf or their leader or both, because both the wolf and their leader weren't moving.
Suddenly, the leader growled as he pulled out the knives from the wolf and pushed it off him, while blood began to gush out from two different parts. He had perfectly aimed and stabbed the wolf in the neck and chest, two of the most fatal parts of its body. He had aimed perfectly and so it died instantly.
The warriors sighed in relief and hailed him.
“That was amazing, Cap. It was like an action scene in a movie. Truly, you're our leader and captain.” One of the warriors commended his efforts and he smiled as he got up.
Exactly! it was so perfect.” Another warrior said, beaming with smiles.
“Great work, Cap.” His assistant said too.
“Now that the distraction is gone, we need to pick up from where we left off.” He announced to them and they continued their search once again.
They had not searched for too long when one of the warriors shouted from a distance, “Here, I found it!”
They all rushed to where he was and finally, they found the pit.
“Phew! So here it is finally.” They all rejoiced but the joy didn't last too long.
One of the warriors peeped into the pit but strangely, no one was in it.
“Cap, there is no one in this pit except a dead animal.” He said
“What?!” They all exclaimed. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” The warrior replied, while the others rushed to the pit to see for themselves.
With disappointment in their faces, they turned to their leader, “it's true, cap. There's no one here except for the dead animal.”
“Damn! Did she escape?” Captain Jake asked, his voice filled with disappointment.
“I don't think she would have been able to escape on her own though. There's just one rope that goes down to the pit from that tree over there,” He said, pointing at the tree. “and it is cut in half inside the pit, the other half is lying in the ground deep down inside.” His assistant said to him as he observed the scene.
“So, it means, she got help from someone?” He asked.
“Or she was kidnapped by someone.” One of them said, leaving them all in shock at the possibility that she could have been kidnapped.
“Hmmmmm! So we don't know if she's alive, Cap?” Another warrior asked him.
“Yes, we're not sure. She might have been kidnapped, attacked or killed by rogue wolves. Those rogue wolves are so ruthless and they've been up to no good lately. They've caused a lot of havoc recently in the past few months.” Captain Jake replied.
“Damn! Honestly, this is just getting complicated!” Captain Jake complained, getting more frustrated.
“Maybe we should call her name and see if she'll respond if she's around here.” One of them suggested.
“But we've been doing that all the way here, yet, we've not heard anything.” Another warrior replied, stressed.
“We'll search around one more time and if we are unable to find her, we have to head back to the pack because it won't be a good scenario if those rogue wolves find us around here. They have been reported to be moving in large groups now. No matter how we fight, we won't be able to win because we are clearly outnumbered.” He explained and they began to search again.
After about an hour of intense searching and not finding anything, they decided to head back to the pack.
**************
“We couldn't find her. She wasn't in the pit and she wasn't around the area either. We searched everywhere.” Captain Jake reported to the Alpha as soon as they got back.
Alpha Marcus and Beta Richard were together when the warriors got back and so when the message was passed, they were disappointed.
“We think she might have been taken away by someone but we don't know who took her, where she was taken to, or what has been done to her.” Captain Jake added.
“Now, this is serious.”
Chapter 32
“What can be done?” Alpha Marcus asked Captain Jake.
“I'm afraid nothing can be done in this case because no clue or trail was left behind. It was a perfect work.” Captain Jake replied. “For all we know, she could have been taken as a slave to another pack.”
“That's rather unfortunate.” He said, shaking his head in pity for Veronica.
“You can leave. Thank you for your efforts.” He said to Jake, who bowed and left.
“I'm really trying to understand what a young girl like her would be doing in that part of the forest. It's dangerous for a lone warrior, not to talk of a young female.” He said, worried for her.
“We can't be so sure about these things, what if she got lost just like Scott did?” Beta Richard asked, shrugging.
“Or what if she has finally found her way back to her pack? Is that option not on the table?” Alpha Marcus asked as he thought about the possibility of Veronica finding her way back to her pack.
“Hmmmmm, I highly doubt that though.” Beta Richard sighed. “We don't know what exactly went down and thinking about it is too stressful. Now I'm here wondering what to tell Scott and how to tell him that his friend was not found by the warriors.” He replied, leaning backwards into his chair.
“Yeah, there's that too. I doubt he is going to take the news well.” Alpha Marcus stated.
“You know him too well, man. He is going to be totally broken. He seems to have formed a kind of bond with her over the few days that he was missing in the forest. And coupled with the fact that she risked her life to save his, he definitely won't take the news well at all.” Beta Richard said, his voice filled with worry.
Scott, on the other hand, had grown impatient as he endlessly waited for news from his father about Veronica’s whereabouts but had gotten none. He began to feel unsettled and soon decided to visit the Alpha’s palace. Getting permission from his mum would be the most impossible task, considering the fact that he had just gotten discharged from the hospital, so he didn't bother.
He kept watching her and the moment he saw that she stepped out of the house with the maid to get some household items at the pack’s market, he fled to the Alpha's palace, ensuring that he avoided the route leading to the market as he went.
“Alpha, someone is here to see you.” The guard at the door announced to the Alpha.
“Who is it?” Alpha Marcus asked him.
“It's Scott, Beta Richard’s son.” The guard replied.
“Scott?” He turned to his Beta and asked, “Is he strong enough to be moving around now?”
“Of course not. I don't think so.” He answered.
“Didn't he just leave the hospital, like what? A minute ago? Why is he already up and about?” Alpha Marcus asked him again.
“I have no idea. I'm completely shocked.” Beta Richard replied, surprised.
“Let him in.” Alpha Marcus said to the guard, who immediately let Scott in.
“What are you doing here, young man?” His father asked him as soon as he got in.
“I came to see you.”
“And you couldn't wait until I got home? What is the matter with you? You just left the hospital, for crying out loud! Do you want to hurt yourself?” His father scolded him but was stopped by Alpha Marcus.
“Richard,” Alpha Marcus said, calmly. “Please, calm down and hear him out, maybe he has something important to tell you.”
“I highly doubt that! Where is your mother and why did she allow you to come here?” He asked him.
“She's at the market.” Scott replied quietly.
“Wait, let me guess, she didn't know you left the house, right?” He asked and Scott nodded.
“Can you see, just imagine.” Beta Richard complained to the Alpha.
“Scott, come here.” He called him and he moved close to the Alpha. “What you did is not right. I understand that you might want to see him urgently, but there are better ways to go about it. You could have called him on the phone.”
“I did, I called him countlessly but he wasn't picking up.” Scott replied, and Alpha Marcus turned to Beta Richard.
“What? I didn't see any call.” Beta Richard said, in his defense as he began to search his pockets for his phone, but it was nowhere to be found. “I can't find my phone, it's not here.” He said calmly.
At that moment, the guard at the door knocked.
“Yes? Come in.” Alpha Marcus instructed.
“A nurse at the pack's hospital just brought Beta Richard’s phone. She said it was found in the room. Beta Lily didn't notice it was still in the room while she was packing their stuff.” The guard explained and handed it over to Beta Richard.
“I guess you can now see why he has been unable to pick your calls.” Alpha Marcus told Scott, who then nodded in understanding.
“Don't take rash decisions, Scott. You'll be a leader someday and as a leader, you'd be tasked with different responsibilities. If you make as little as a tiny mistake, it can affect you and not just you, but the lives of other people connected to you in one way or the other, so you have to look well before you leap.” Alpha Marcus advised him and he nodded slowly.
“Also your dad loves and cares about you, that's why he reacted in that manner. You're still recuperating, you shouldn't be stressing yourself. Is that clear?” He said to him, and he nodded in response.
“So, with that being said and understood, may I now ask, why are you here? What was so important that you couldn't wait till your dad got home tonight?” Alpha Marcus asked with a smile.
“I just wanted to know if the warriors had gotten back from the forest. I'm really worried about my friend.” Scott replied.
Alpha Marcus and Beta Richard exchanged glances and then sighed.
“Yes, they are back. They got back not too long ago.” Alpha Marcus answered.
“And Vee? Did they find her?” He asked, his eyes and voice were filled with great anticipation.
“Come here, son.” His dad called him and he quickly rushed to him.
“The warriors searched and found the pit but it was empty. Your friend wasn't in the pit.” His dad said carefully and seeing how Scott's face fell, he knew his heart was shattered.
“Dad, what does that mean? Is she…dead?” He stuttered. “Has she been kidnapped?” He began to cry as he asked his dad.
“We don't know for sure. We can't say what exactly happened to her but she wasn't found in the pit.” His father answered.
“Maybe her family members have found her.” His dad added, but Scott shook his head, not agreeing.
“She said she doesn't have any family.” He cried out.
“I promised her and I couldn't keep my promise. I'm a terrible person.” He wailed and his father pulled him into his embrace.
“No, it was not your fault, son. You were not in the best position to help her. There was no way you could have helped her when you also needed help.” His father said, trying to comfort his broken son.
“But I could have tried harder.” He cried louder, refusing to be comforted.
“You tried your best, son. At least, with your help, the warriors were able to find the pit. It was just unfortunate that she wasn't there anymore, else they would have found her.” Beta Richard said again as his son kept crying.
“Do you believe that she is dead?” He suddenly asked Scott who stopped crying for a moment before he answered.
“No, I don't think she is dead.” He answered, sniffling.
“Very good. If you believe she is still alive, I believe she will be found someday. The moon goddess will surely make it possible.” His father said to him and somehow those words did the magic as Scott wiped his tears, with great hope that he will find his dear friend soon.
Chapter 33
~STEVE’S HOUSE~
As Veronica slowly opened her eyes, she thought to herself , “where am I?”
The room seemed to spin around her for a moment, but she closed her eyes immediately and took a few slow, deep breaths. When she opened them again, the dizziness had passed, and the first thing that hit her was the complete silence that enveloped the room for like a split second. Aside from the voices she could hear far away in the distance, the room was extremely quiet.
Despite the fact that it was already morning, it was hard for her to tell because she didn't know what time it was, neither did she know how long she had been out for. Also, the room was dark because all the curtains were down. This, Steve did the previous night to prevent any prying eyes from seeing her.
She laid there for a moment, trying to remember how she got there. Although her memories were hazy, she could vaguely recall passing out the day before in the arms of a certain man. She remembered how he carried her gently. Then, she felt pain and tiredness at the same time.
She blinked a few times, trying to shake off the haze of sleep, and as her eyes scanned the room carefully, she noticed that the room had an unusual aura but it strangely felt familiar and odd at the same time. The walls were painted with a combination of cream and brown, adding a soothing sense of calmness and warmth to its ambiance. It also had floor-to-ceiling brown curtains which complemented the colour on the walls.
There was also an elegant artwork right in front of the bed, just a few inches close to the ceiling. She took a deep breath and the air was filled with the scent of coffee, making her frown because it reminded her of someone and how much the person loved coffee.
And at that moment, she heard a voice which snapped her out of her world of thoughts. It was a male voice.
“Vee?” The voice sounded familiar too and as he called her name, he turned on the switch, giving light to the room.
She immediately turned her gaze towards the direction of where the voice came from and it was then that she noticed that she hadn't been alone in the room. Right in the corner of the room was Steve and a girl, who should be about the same age as her.
“Are you okay?” He asked as he approached her gently.
She nodded in response as she tried to sit up, forgetting her shoulder injury. Hence, she screamed in pain as she put pressure.
Steve and Megan swiftly rushed to her side.
“Your shoulder! Did you forget?” Steve asked and she nodded as her eye had welled up in tears just because of the pain she felt.
Steve helped her to sit up and touched her forehead with the back of his palm and seeing as she had a normal temperature, he smiled to himself, proudly.
“My bad, this is my friend, Megan. Megan, this is Veronica.”
“His best friend, he forgot to add that.” She said with a big smile and Veronica couldn't help but notice how beautiful her dentition was. She was also very beautiful and from the way she was dressed, her family was definitely well to do.
“It's nice to meet you.” Veronica said shyly.
“It's nice to meet you too.” Megan replied with a smile.
Steve then offered her breakfast but she politely declined, saying, “I'm fine, I'm not hungry.”
“You can't be fine, Veronica. You really need to eat. You've been through a lot already and you're exhausted.” He reminded her.
“But I don't -” She was about to protest again when he shushed her gently.
“I don't care what you are about to say but I'm going to get you something to eat and you must eat.” He said. “How long do you plan to starve yourself for? It's not even good for your health.” He complained.
“You should really listen to him, he doesn't take no for an answer when it comes to food.” Megan said jokingly and they all smiled.
“Do you like coffee?” Steve asked her as he got up and made his way to the kitchen.
“No, not anymore.” She answered quickly.
“Hmmm! Okay. I'll get you something else then.” He said and after a while, he came back with breakfast for her.
Although she said she wasn't hungry at first, as soon as she saw how tasty the food looked, she devoured the whole thing.
She tried to clear the plates but as soon as she pushed the duvet aside, Megan saw her swollen ankle, she was so shocked that she shouted.
“Can you stop yelling, Megan! Can't you do without shouting?” He said, irritated by her incessant yells.
He dragged her away from the room and took her to the living room
“What exactly is the matter with you? Do you think people won't begin to suspect me when they hear a female shouting and screaming in my house? What do you think they'll think of me? A pervert?” He said with a serious look.
“Of course not, we're both adults and anything can happen between adults. In fact I think that we should st-”
“In your dreams, Megan. In your dreams.” He interrupted her imagination.
“But seriously, have you ever thought about what it would be like when you become the Alpha and I become your-” He didn't allow her to finish talking when he rushed to cover her mouth with his hands and looked back to see if Veronica heard anything.
“I have not thought about that but can you just keep quiet? Please!!!” He said, fighting the urge to scream into her ears.
“Why are you acting like she doesn't know who you are?” She asked him, surprised by his reaction.
“Well, she doesn't, because I didn't tell her and I want it to remain that way.” He said in a very low tone. “And if you will please focus and stop spewing nonsense, maybe we can move forward and find a solution to the problem at hand.” He said sternly, and she rolled her eyes at him.
“Now back to the initial plan, when are you going to see Celia?” He asked her.
“As you can see, the pain is getting worse everyday and her ankle keeps swelling, I don't know what to do.” He added, trying to hasten her up to meet her friend for help.
“Well, you should have thought about that before bringing her here then.” She whispered, rolling her eyes at him as she folded her hands against her chest.
“Look, Megan, I'm trying to think here. This is not the time to act silly. If you have nothing helpful to say, please leave me the hell alone. And if you won't help me, let me know so that I can go and find help elsewhere.” He replied, getting annoyed by the way she was reacting.
“So?” He asked, waiting expectantly for her response.
“I'll have to call her first but my phone is not here. I left it at home. Once I've called her to confirm if she is in the hospital, I'll go there to meet her and get back to you on whatever she says.”
“Okay. You remember that no one must know that she is here, right?” He asked her, to be sure she still remembered
“Yes sir, I remember.” She said, in an unserious manner.
“I'm being serious here, Megan. I'm not joking.” He said with a very serious look on his face.
“I'm not joking too. At least, I have told you what I'm going to do.” She responded.
“Okay, so when do you want to leave?” He asked impatiently.
“Whoa! Can you calm down? Why do I feel like you're in a hurry to throw me out of your house?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Come on, Megan. Don't be dramatic. I'm only in a hurry because a life is at stake here.” He explained. “And if anything goes wrong, I'll be held responsible and just so you know, whether you like it or not, you are already an accomplice.” He added, making her glare at him in shock.
“You can't make me an accomplice, you wouldn't want to do that.” She said, confidently.
“I don't have to make you an accomplice because you are already. All you have to do is to get help and we're both safe.” He said, scaring her.
“You're so unbelievable!” She snapped at him and walked out even as he jokingly said, ‘thank you, I know I can trust you’ as she left.
As she left and he locked the door, he heaved a sigh of relief and leaned backwards on the door as he felt a bit of ease.
He was still in that position when he heard a loud thud, like a body dropping to the ground in the room and he immediately ran into the room to find Veronica on the floor.
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Table of Contents
×1
Chapter 1
2_3
Chapter 2–3
4_8
Chapter 4–8
9_13
Chapter 9–13
14_18
Chapter 14–18
19_23
Chapter 19–23
24_28
Chapter 24–28
29_33
Chapter 29–33
34_38
Chapter 34–38
39_43
Chapter 39–43
44_48
Chapter 44–48
49_53
Chapter 49–53
54_58
Chapter 54–58
59_63
Chapter 59–63
64_68
Chapter 64–68
69_73
Chapter 69–73
74_78
Chapter 74–78
79_83
Chapter 79–83
84_88
Chapter 84–88
89_93
Chapter 89–93
94_98
Chapter 94–98
99_103
Chapter 99–103
104_108
Chapter 104–108
109_113
Chapter 109–113
114_118
Chapter 114–118
119_123
Chapter 119–123
124_128
Chapter 124–128
129_133
Chapter 129–133
134_138
Chapter 134–138
139_143
Chapter 139–143
144_148
Chapter 144–148
149_153
Chapter 149–153
154_158
Chapter 154–158
159_163
Chapter 159–163
164_168
Chapter 164–168
169_173
Chapter 169–173
174_177
Chapter 174–177
178_182
Chapter 178–182
183_186
Chapter 183–186