8 Muddled Thoughts (2)

' I've just found him. Keep an eye on the pack house and let me know as soon as possible if any trouble crops up. Alpha is still keeping the mind link closed.' Lorenzo explained.

' Yes, Beta. ' It was Alex who answered.

Lorenzo turned to KJ after he concluded the conversation. He had shifted back and was wearing his signature black ripped jeans and body hugging gray t-shirt. He stood there staring at a vantage point with no expression whatsoever on his face.

" What was that outburst for?" Lorenzo asked outright. They had known each other for a long time that the formalities were shed long ago.

" What do you think? My wolf was just being territorial." KJ replied in a plain tone.

'The wolf is you and you are the wolf. So stop uttering those silly arguments.' His inner voice said with a "duh" tone.

KJ growled to himself and shook his head.

" Well, alright then. But we don't have another option, do we?" Lorenzo said with resignation.

"Huh!? What are you talking about?" KJ looked at this Beta who was uttering nonsense.

Lorenzo sighed and explained, "I asked you whether I should let those two stay at my place and you shook your head, which normally indicates negation."

"Well, that might be a good idea. Good job, buddy. Let's go back." KJ sounded jubilant. He started to run back home, sporting a wide grin on his face.

'Territorial, huh!? As if I can't see through you.' Lorenzo shook his head with a resigned smile. 'There is something more to it and I hope you will share the burden before it becomes huge.'

"Hey, are you not shifting?" Lorenzo put on a burst of speed, trying to catch up with his bestfriend.

" Shifting mid-run is fun." KJ shouted back and shifted abruptly with the clothes being torn into tiny pieces. They fluttered down into the snow like the black version of snow flakes.

' Mama Luna is going to deliver her speech about the attitude towards clothes for the thousandth time. I should find a place to hide.' Lorenzo thought to himself with a shudder and reduced the pace enough to remove his clothes with swift movements. He stuffed them back to his bag and shifted into his wolf form.

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The sun was like a round baloon which was inflated with coloured water and then pricked with a needle. The different shades of red was left to flow onto the blue canvas and it was a sight to behold. Two beautiful creatures of wild seemed to be flying across the land covered with snow. The dark brown wolf with blond streaks peeking out in between followed behind the black majestic beast.

The black wolf with snow white paws jumped onto the balcony of the first floor and landed with a soft thud. The wolf disappeared the moment it entered into the room and transformed into a handsome young man. He squinted his eyes at his sparsely populated wardrobe and took a black shirt and jeans to cover his nudity. The cold never bothered him anyway.

His sensitive hearing enabled him to hear the voice of the young girls from the other suite of the pack house. He stood there like a statue, trying to decide the next course of action. His eyes looked longingly at the direction of those voices. He collected himself with difficulty and went back to the balcony. He leaped down and walked in with a lazy gait to his Beta's lair.

Suddenly KJ felt a sharp pain in his head. "Ahh...." He paused with an enraged expression.

" KJ." The brother duo were shocked.

KJ managed to suppress the pain and gave out orders. " It's a distress signal. There's been another attack. Let's go."

He rushed out with the brothers on his heels and the three young men shifted into the wolf forms together as if on a cue. It was a magnificent sight. The midnight black wolf with snow white paws in lead, followed by the two brown wolves; Lorenzo's wolf was dark brown all over with blond streaks peeking out in Between.They were soon joined by two wolves, a muted-red coloured one and a gray one.

" What tricks did those bastards use this time?"

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At the border:

The mountainous terrain seemed to have regained its tranquil air. The last displaced leaf flew down at a leisurely pace along with the snowflakes to be in the embrace of the earth. Even the steady shower of snow wasn't able to cover up the traces of the fierce battle that took place a few minutes ago. The place seemed to have a carpet of snow rolled upon it on which asymmetric patterns of red was being painted on.

The six huge wolves lay whimpering in agonized soft voices. Their fur was coated with dirt and blood. Only a single wound could be found on the torso of a wolf. The wound seemed to be a superficial one. But the blood kept flowing out without any sign of stopping.

Four men stood a few feet apart from the wolves. Their white coloured robes were fluttering softly in the breeze. They were all different in their appearance but yet same. Their eyes had the identical expressions of lunacy. Their lips were formed into a merciless snicker.

"Let's return. The work is done." The one with a white beard generously sprinkled with black said to his companions.

"Just like that? Can't we stay till they bleed out? Till they are nothing but a husk without the life pulsing in them?" The youngest among them asked in a whiny voice, he seemed to be unable to take his eyes from the red streams of warm blood gurgling out of the wolves' bodies at fixed intervals. When that happened, the wolves would give out an even louder whimper, unable to bear the brain-numbing pain. The boy looked to be about the age of 14. Even his eyes reflected the inexperience. His gaze lacked the mature brutality but had the excitement of seeing a living being in pain.

"No." The man with the beard bit out harshly. "Do you want to stay till the whole pack of wolves launch an attack on us? Stealth is the key."

"There are even more to kill? Why can't we do it now?" The boy asked impatiently. The others looked at him with unease and then glanced at the leader.

"Learn to obey the orders, you foolish child. Come now, follow us back." The bearded man flew up into the air and with a flick of his wrist, made the boy sit on the broom. They flew away, followed by four wolves with the snow-white fur.

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