Chương 169: THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

"Please, remain seated." I motioned for Alpha James to sit back down in his chair. I sat down on the adjacent seat.

"This is Ben, my beta," I introduced.

"Beta Lucas' son."

"This is Killion, your late Beta's son. He isn't a ghost. He was sold to the fight cages like your son. He is my beta now."

"And this is my mate, Rebel. He isn't really here though, only dream traveling. He is alive and well, although your Beta had been trying to kill him." Alpha James just sat there in shock. He looked like he had seen a ghost.

"How is mother?" Rebel asked.

"She... she is mourning you," Alpha James answered.

"But otherwise, she is well."

"You and Alpha Kingsley's daughter are mates?" Alpha James was still trying to wrap his mind around it.

"Yes," Rebel said.

"You can dream travel?" Alpha James asked again.

"No. This is my mate's power," Rebel answered. I kept waiting for the point where Alpha James might finally start yelling stuff like, "What the heck do you think you are doing? Get your butt back home now! Your mum's crying every day!" And then they could hug and cry. But I guess not every family was like mine. Alpha James only leaned back in his chair again and said, "I see." And then he looked at Killion.

"And are you really Ki?" Killion nodded.

"It's been a while, Alpha." Alpha James sighed.

"You look so much like your father now. But indulge this old man and show me proof." Killion nodded and began to glow. Alpha James released a small gasp of recognition. Beta Lucas released a large one. I realized Beta Lucas had never seen this happen before.

"I never thought I would see this power again," Alpha James continued.

"The goddess rescued me from the fight cages," Killion explained.

"I owe my life to her."

"Technically, she also rescued our Luna, but he, being the stubborn ass that he was, refused to come with," Killion added.

"I don't need rescuing," Rebel growled.

"Fine, then the next time your uncle sends rogues to kill you, we'll just sit back and watch you rescue yourself," Killion shot back.

"My uncle is dead. I bit him myself. He won't survive the warlock lands with a wound like that..." Rebel growled, and then he stopped in realization at the look on our faces.

"He survived, didn't he?" I nodded.

"F* and *****." Where most of the stars were in ancient Lycan. My mate was quite the scholar of the ancient language.

"Is that any way a Luna should speak?" Killion goaded. Rebel grabbed him by the scruff and slammed him against the door. The door broke off its hinges and fell open.

"Your Luna is so abusive, goddess!" Killion choked out.

"Were they always like that?" I asked Alpha James. He looked perplexed.

"Anyway, I need to talk to you about something important, Alpha James. The old woman that your beta shot, she was prophesying about something with a drawing of his doom, which had different colored wolves. Do you know where that drawing is?" I moved on.

"My brother shot Olivia?" Alpha James looked extremely confused now.

"How can that be?" Who? Rebel came back into the room, adjusting his clothes after the scuffle with Killion.

"Uncle had betrayed us, old man. He told me you were sending me abroad to study, but shipped me off to the fight cages. And then he sent assassins and rogues to finish me off several times."

"What?" I stood up. How many was "several," and why didn't I know about it?

"Don't worry, princess. Like I said, I won't die so easily," Rebel soothed, brushing the strand of hair that flew closest to him. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work. He continued to soothe my hair as he spoke, his voice like the deep rumbling of thunder. It was particularly soothing to my wolf.

"Now he has shot Aunt Olivia. I saw it with my own eyes. Would you trust him more than your late beta, or your late beta's son, or your own son?" He held up his hand so his father could not respond.

"It's fine. I don't care who you trust. When I come back, I will destroy that man myself." Rebel turned back to his father.

"Just make sure you keep mother well." This riled up his dad. Alpha James stood up, snarling.

"What are you saying? You take care of yourself and get back in one piece. I will take care of your mother and your uncle." And Rebel, being Rebel, was unable to just let it go at that.

"Please, Father. Face it. You couldn't even stop Uncle from looting the Lorent Pack hollow from right under your nose." Alpha James looked close to exploding with anger, but this was interrupted by a mindlink, and Alpha James paled instead. He looked at Rebel.

"Your mother... was taken."

"*********************" Rebel said. I didn't waste any time.

"Let's go. Call Harvey. Tell him to drive and bring clothes."

"Where..." Alpha James said.

"We're going to get back your Luna," I told him.

"Send your beta to give chase, just for show. Let him think his plan is working!" I pretty much ran out to the second-floor balcony, and shifting in midair, I sent my wolf down to a wide ledge and then onto the ground. I knew where they were. Or at least my Wolfie did. They were on our territory and headed to the warlock lands again. I also knew Killion and Rebel were right behind me. Even better, I heard three more wolves drop down from the low ledge. My wolf howled with glee. Come shift and join us soon, Ben!

We ran through the woods to my favorite rogue-hunting grounds, my lucky sense of direction never failing me. As we got closer, Rebel recognized the place and started taking charge. He led us behind some trees, and we started stalking toward the road. I guess it was his mum we were saving. I was about to follow his lead when I saw another line of trees on the other side. {With me, Ki,} I mindlinked. I dropped out of the line and slunk into the shadows. Ki, a white large spot of fluffiness, wagged his tail.

{You called me Ki,} he mindlinked happily. My Wolfie didn't respond... {Rogues are near} I crouched low. Ki was quick to catch my cue. He laid low. I could see across the road, whites from Rebel and Alpha James... I couldn't see my dad or Beta Lucas at all. Another point for dark-colored wolves. The sound of cars, and a trail of old white Mercedes-Benz appeared in the distance. How many of these did they have? The cars stopped just where we were.

Lorent warriors, this time in uniform and armed with assault rifles, came out of the car. I hated guns. It didn't look like we would even have a chance to get near. Beta Lucas mindlinked Ki and me. {Alpha James requests for you to stand down. He wants to deal with his pack matters himself.} Ki replied, {Can I join him, just for old times' sake?} {You mean for revenge,} I said. {You know me, goddess,} Killion's wolf smiled. {Ki, you have the go ahead,} Beta Lucas informed us.

{Sam, your Luna would like to remind you to please stand down.} {Tell my Luna to stop treating me like a kid,} I shot back. Killion's wolf looked highly amused. Nothing happened for the longest time. I almost thought we caught the wrong guys. But Alpha James' wolf was still crouched and alert. He must have sensed his mate was there. {Which car?} I mindlinked the other side of the road. {Stay down, Sam,} Dad reminded me. {Just curious,} I said. {Alpha James says the third car from the front,} Beta Lucas said.

{Have they heard about the ghost of Ki? Can Killion glow and scare the c*** out of them first?} I asked. {That might be a good distraction,} Dad considered. Heh heh heh. {Alpha James requests for us to stand down. He will deal with it,} Beta Lucas said. My Wolfie found a comfortable space to lie down. Boring! {Understood,} Killion answered for me, observing my wolf in amusement. {Sam is going to stay down, right?} Beta Lucas tried to confirm with Ki. Ki looked at my wolf again. {I think her wolf is going to nap.} {Don't let her fall asleep,} Dad said sharply. {Last thing we need is for her to dream travel.} {But it's past my bedtime and I'm bored,} I linked back sleepily. {Alpha James says he'll get you something nice if you be a good girl and stay there…} Beta Lucas relayed. {Rogues approach} My Wolfie's ears perked up. They're here! I wished they'd hurry. A small group of rogues slipped into our territory and made their way to the cars. I watched as the car doors opened and Beta Lorent came out with Luna Edith.

She was bound, and had tape over her mouth. Grrr... He was going to hand her over to the rogues. {Easy, goddess... remember the nice present Alpha James will buy you,} Killion mindlinked. His wolf stood ready in position, partly to join the attack, partly to protect me from any stray bullets. Then Alpha James walked out into the open, his hackles raised, his wolf snarling, baring large canines... You know how I said white wolves had no fear factor? I was wrong.

Alpha James' wolf was huge and all teeth and claws and scary as hell.

"Brother!" Beta Lorent was so surprised, he spoke it out loud. And then he shouted, "Shoot him!" But of course the warriors didn't shoot. They couldn't even move under their Alpha's intense aura of dominance. I stayed down too. Beta Lorent took out a gun and shot at Alpha James. It hit the thick fur and went through; there was blood, but then it stopped. It healed almost instantaneously. All Beta Lorent did was tick his brother off more. He was so dead.

He must have known, because in his desperation, he pointed the gun at the Luna. How can a wolf point a gun at his own Luna? Then again, binding up and gagging your own Luna with duct tape to hand over to rogues was sick to begin with. There was a lot of growling. Rebel came out, and then Killion. The warriors pointed their guns at Beta Lorent. I guess they figured out which side to take. Either that, or they instinctively reacted to protect their own Luna. You can't fight instinct.

Still, I was beginning to get the feeling that the Lorent Pack fought a little slower than I was used to. It was like watching one of those serious action movies where everyone freezes and only moves in very slow motion and dialogues for an extended period of time, exploring their inner psyche. In comparison, I was more used to fighting like an episodic family action comedy. The kind that goes wham, boom, bam, and wraps everything up in a happy bow by the end of the episode. I watched for a very long time.

I was wrong—this wasn't a serious action drama film... it was an entire marathon of Wong Kar-wai films back to back. It wasn't even his action films. We were watching his art films. Omo. Oh, the horrors! Have you even watched a Wong Kar-wai film? I had... the beginning of the films anyway. I had never lasted the full film. So naturally, I fell asleep.