Eighteen

Mourgent felt Zazriel's presence and spun to see her devastated face. He knew she heard part of the conversation with Jasmine. But she only straightened her back and looked to him. "Who is it?"

He told her.

To any other person, she might have looked calm, but he saw the despair in her eyes. He saw her trying to control herself, to not let it show to the other male. But Jasmine must have seen through her mask too, because he stepped in and asked her, "Zazriel, I'm sorry."

She either didn't hear him or didn't care. She only looked to Mourgent and mouthed, "Help."

"Jasmine, thank you for telling me. Will you go and make sure the other high ranking wolves are aware?"

The male hesitated, but soon left. As soon as Mourgent closed the door, he rushed to Zazriel's side and picked her up. "Shh. It's okay. You're okay."

"He was my friend!" she gasped. "Gatrie…!"

Mourgent's heart broke at her sadness. He sat on the couch and held her. As he did, he linked with Carlotta and asked her to come over. She responded immediately with, "Be there soon."

He only had to wait five minutes before another knock announced her arrival. Zazriel jumped and tried to leave the general area, but Mourgent held her as he let the other female inside.

Carlotta caught sight of Zazriel's weakened state and instantly hurried over. "Z, what's wrong? Why are yo crying?"

Zazriel was stiff, but Mourgent kissed her. "Carlotta, can you help Z bathe if I carry her up?"

Carlotta nodded. "Of course!"

Through the link, he told her, "She's lost a friend. I thought you could help since you know how she feels."

Carlotta nods and Mourgent carried his mate to the bathroom and set her on the floor. He made her look at him. "If you need me, for anything, ask Carlotta to link to me. I want to go see the scene, see if I can evidence of who might have done this."

Her lip trembled, but she said, "His bones. If he's cut open, look at his bones."

"I will. Then, I'll make sure Gatrie's body safely returns so we can give him a proper burial."

"When will you be back?"

He kissed her brow. "Soon. If I'm not back by lunch, have Carlotta call me."

Zazriel threw her arms about his neck and hugged him with so much strength, he knew she was needing him to help her. She was too lost at the moment to do it by herself.

Zazriel let Carlotta wash her, dress her, then help her into her wheelchair so they could go back to the living room. Zazriel didn't really see or hear much, too lost in her thoughts to care about the world around her. Mourgent has already been gone for three hours and she was anxious. She had given Gatrie her complete and utter trust. He was the only one she went to when she needed advice about the pack.

Now, she noticed Carlotta was pacing the room, seeming on edge. This made herself go alert. Finally, she felt eyes on her.

Carlotta couldn't keep still. Ever since she had brought Zazriel into the living room, she didn't feel alone, didn't feel safe. She linked with Mourgent and Orion. "Where are you guys?"

"On the southern border," Orion replied.

"What is it?" Mourgent demanded.

Carlotta glanced at Zazriel, seeing she also seemed to be alert. "Something is wrong. Someone or something is close enough that I don't feel safe. Even Z has snapped out of her mourning to notice."

"Jasmine!" the alpha barked, making the female flinch.

"Alpha."

"Go to my house and help Carlotta protect Zazriel!"

Just as Jasmine promised he was on his way, Carlotta felt a body beside hers. She looked down and saw Zazriel in her wolf form, whining and growling. Carlotta knelt and made Zazriel focus on her. "Are you listening?"

A nod.

"If they attack and our help doesn't arrive in time, I don't care what is happening. I want you to run and find Alpha."

Zazriel whined louder.

Carlotta shook her head. "No argument, Zazriel. It is my job to keep you safe, even if that means keeping them busy while you escape. I need you to run so I am not distracted. I don't want to have to worry about you."

Zazriel seemed either overwhelmed or too shocked to do much but stare.

"Please, Z! You're my friend."

A crash from the back door made Zazriel jump, yelping.

Zazriel was torn: help Carlotta those who wanted her or run to safety? She didn't want to lose another friend, but she also didn't want to be dragged off and have Mourgent worry about her.

Another crash, this time from behind her. She looked to see Jasmine's large brown wolf snarling ferociously. Carlotta sighed in relief. Zazriel still felt unsure. She didn't know what to do.

In her pack, she wouldn't have dared to run. But here, now that she had accepted protection from Mourgent, she knew she had to accept his pack's help too. She knew it was their jobs, but she had grown to love the pack members.

"Zazriel, please run?" Carlotta whispered.

Zazriel had never felt so helpless in her life, never felt so defeated. She wanted Mourgent. She needed his presence to give her a sign of what to do, where to go.

Something made Mourgent pause in his examination of Gatrie's body, something that told him Zazriel needed him. He didn't know what it was, didn't know what was wrong with her, but told Orion to follow him back home.

He ran as fast as possible towards where he could see pack members gathering and running in the same direction. Fifteen minutes later he heard the fighting.

He burst inside and glanced around, giving a growl of warning. Immediately, the enemy wolves stilled, quaked in their furs, then retreated. He went to the living room and saw Carlotta kneeling in front of Zazriel's wolf form, whispering to her. Zazriel didn't seem to be listening, but as still as a statue.

Mourgent prowled forward and nudged Carlotta to the side. Then, he tackled Zazriel to the ground. His jaws around her throat, he growled.

She snapped out of it. Whining, she scrabbled to get him off. Mourgent relaxed his jaws and gave a lick to her snout. Zazriel didn't calm down, just continued whining, as if she saw another wolf, another face. He became human and cupped her face. "Zazriel, come back to me. Come back to me, Z. I'm here."

She continued to whine, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Zazriel, you're safe. You're with friends. With pack."

She still whined, but she seemed to blink and look around. He waited patiently, letting her understand her surroundings.

Her eyes flew back to his and stayed there. He let her see his worry, let her see that he was there, that she wasn't alone anymore. Finally, she slumped. Giving a long whine, she began to use her small forelegs to flap about. He caught one paw in his hand and held it. "Zazriel, I'm here. You're safe."

Tentatively, she hopped towards him, as if unsure if she was allowed. But he knew what she wanted now. Mourgent wrapped her arms around her and crushed her to him.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. I tried to-"

"It's fine, Carlotta. I wasn't expecting this either. Go help Orion and Jasmine clean up. I'll stay with her." Carlotta left, seeming guilty. He'd have to sooth her later, but right now, he needed to be with Zazriel.

Lifting her up, he carried her to his room and shut the door. Locking it, he then moved to the bed. Setting her down, he went to go to his closet when she began whimpering.

Mourgent turned and saw her trying to jump off the bed to follow him. He went back and took her face into his hands. "I'm not leaving, Zazriel. I'm not going anywhere. You aren't going anywhere. I'm here."

She whimpered, and Mourgent realized it didn't matter what he said. Right now, Zazriel could not be away from him. So, instead of trying to find clothes for them, he got onto the bed and leaned back against the headboard. Opening his arms, he let Zazriel climb into his lap and curl up against him. He wrapped one arm around her and used the other to hold her head to his chest. She relaxed in his hold, seeming to calm. Mourgent closed his eyes and let his own racing mind calm.

"Orion, once everything is cleaned up, let me know. I need to have a meeting with you and the rest of the higher ranks."

"Will do." There was a pause from the other male. "Is she okay?"

Mourgent sighed. "I don't know."