Chapter 39

Atlas View

It has been weeks now. I was doing my best to do my own job taking care of my own packs, but not having Kash around, not knowing where he was; made my life very difficult. Currently I was at my desk going over paperwork. Looking but not really reading, off in my own thoughts.

"Boss if you keep sighing you won't get anything done." Zion had been helping me in the office, while arranging Kash's search. "You have been looking at that same paper for thirty minutes now."

"Since I woke this morning, I could feel him again. I'm not sure what changed, but I know he is alive. It frustrates me that my instincts can't give me any direction yet. How is it being blocked?" I slammed my fist down, temper flaring over the long wait. "My uncle has been keeping in close contact as well. He had to have something to do with it, but I can't interrogate him."

"As you said, you know he is alive. Take that as good news for now. We are struggling to get permission to enter the other lands beside the rogues. The secrecy is stronger there than of our own protectors. The best we can do is a meeting next week. Since it happened at their border, they may have some inside information for us." Zion smiled. "Look boss, we have everything set up for when he comes home. It won't be much longer. I promise."

Zion had been struggling with the loss as well as other pack members. They could feel through the pack link my anger and frustration. "Thanks. I know you're doing your best. I trust you on this whole heartedly. I just...miss him. It feels like my whole world has gone dark."

Zion sighed and walked over. "Boss, I have never been in your shoes, and from what I have seen I would never wish it on anyone. You are doing a great job with how you're handling it. Maybe you should take a break? I am getting things settled to prepare for our trip, you should go for a walk."

"Kicked out of my own office." Chuckling, I stood up. "Fine. I will give you some space from my melancholy atmosphere. Let me know if you hear anything." There were no places I really wanted to go, so my feet led me to his room.

It smelled weakly of him still. My own room no longer had his scent and this space was my only comfort he was really here. My mind went back to our first meeting. He was so angry. Even as mad as he was, I thought he was gorgeous. I was now sitting on the floor leaning against the wall near his bed. "Kash. Please come home." Tears escaped that I had been holding back for sometime.

The week before the meeting flew by and before I knew it we had landed on the property of the Royals bordering our lands. "Zion, explain to me why we do not have a better relationship with these people?" Doing my research, I realized this pack was never even invited to our events with Royals. It was as though they never existed. "I get that around six hundred years ago there was a dispute, but that was years ago."

"Some packs hold onto things, boss. Maybe we can change it. They might have their reasons, and sitting down to listen is the first step." Zion then grabbed my arm. "Please hold yourself if they have Kash and are reluctant to hand him over. They might be suspicious of us and our intentions. We need to gain their trust."

"Why would they be keeping Kash though? Would Kash not want to come back?" Doubt plagued my mind. "Are we doing the right thing by looking for him? Maybe he does not want to be found."

 "Boss. Stop. We are about to meet new Royals. Act like one yourself. And yes Kash would want to be found. We do not know the situation either." Zion grinned. "Come on. Get your visiting face on. I frowned at his antics. "There we go. All better now."

This had me chuckle. "Okay, I get it. Listen and learn. Then we can bring him home. I feel like he is closer, so we are on the right track."

The area they brought us to meet was unconventional. Usually, we would be brought to their manor or a general meeting area like a conference room. We were brought to some huge facility. By the looks of it, it was a large medical building. We were brought up to the second floor by a guide and put into a small room to wait. On the wall was a TV and we currently sat on a small couch against the wall.

"This is unique." Zion smiled. "The research we have found was that the lands here have one of the best medical areas of research in the country. Of course, it covers for their main source which is a huge spy and undercover network used by many."

"I am glad to know you have done some research about us before visiting." The man standing at the door at first looked very angry. Soon a small smile crept across his lips. "It has been a long time for the Eclipse Royals to entertain us. Of course, there were some minor setbacks a few hundred years ago that would have caused that."

Getting up from my seat I smiled. "Thank you for allowing us to visit. It was the research that made us realize the fault of you never being invited to events and such. Though our history shows of a dispute, it does not explain what it was that brought it forth. Along with the reason for our visit I hope we can come to an agreement and strengthen a bond that should not have been lost."

"Well spoken. However, it may take more visits to gain our trust back. This I believe you can understand." The man then motioned for me to sit once more. "I will get right to business about your visit. Your beta explained it but I would like to hear it from your mouth. It is a very delicate situation." Though the man appeared elegant, his footsteps that could not be heard spoke deeper on who this man was. Every movement was a calculated one, even just to sit across from us. This man was well trained in some form of martial art, and he was not afraid to let us know.

Zion grabbed my arm and spoke up. "Just so you are aware, because of this issue of ours, my Alpha here is emotionally unstable. What you ask will bring those forward."

The man nodded. "We need to see the truth."

"We were visiting the pack in our territory that borders the rogue lands. Kash was walking with his two private guards while we were at the meeting. This pack is very secretive, and since Kash had not been initiated as Luna yet they requested he would not join the meeting. Whatever scuffled insured, I lost a guard. But most of all, Kash was taken from me. He is my mate." Feeling the anger building I closed my eyes. "He was so unsure about everything when we met. All I could do was be there for him. Allowing him to make the choice as he wanted. Holding off on claiming him this long has been the biggest trial that the Goddess has given me. The thing is, he's worth the wait. However, I feel our wolves have bonded already." Opening my eyes I looked right at the man before us. "He was last seen at the edge of your lands with rogues. When we got to the scene it was cleaned up and Kash was not there."

"He could have perished." The man spoke matter of factly. "You never mated, so you would not know."

A deep growl escaped. "He is here. I feel him."

"Sir. Please." Zion tried to stop the conversation but the man held up his hand, cutting him off.. 

" I am Alpha Martin. We allowed your visit because your story matches with one of our top agents. The wolf in question has not been, well, I plan to show you." The man then looked right at me. "With the sensitivity of the situation we have here, I do hope you behave yourself. The struggle I saw while you spoke your side of things, concerns me that you are not stable enough. I am pleased you feel him. We may be on the correct track."

"Wait! You are speaking in riddles." The man made it sound like they had Kash but they were testing us first. "Zion."

ZIon sighed. "Boss, take a deep breath. Remember what I said."

Grumbling, I answered. "Listen first."

This had Alpha Martin chuckle. "Zion, you are most welcome to join us and keep him in check. You are a wonderful beta for this man."

Zion laughed and we soon were following the man through the facility. "We developed this area to help wolves who lost their mates. As you know it is a painful process that many do not live through. We have discovered that the few that make it, can get a second chance by the Moon Goddess. She really seems to bless those deemed worthy."

"I wish I knew of this place years ago." I could not help think of my own parents.

"I know what you are thinking. We have learned that fated pairs do not survive and do not get a second chance. When fated pairs bond it is truly a soul bond. They will meet again in their next life." The man seemed to know my thought process. "I have a question. You have felt him in this area for sometime, but why did it take so long to contact us?"

"I'm not sure how to explain it. But my instincts said he was alive, I couldn't feel him though. I believe he would have been drugged. It seems he has no communication with his wolf when that happens. That was discovered during the ball." I grumbled being reminded the first time I failed him. "Not getting too deep into the story, since we are still investigating ourselves, but rogues tried to take him then as well."

"It seems as though this pup has gotten the attention from the wrong crowd." The man stopped at an elevator, pushed the up button, then turned to us. "What you are about to see is for your eyes only. The fifth floor has been designed especially for wolves in stress. Many cases never change back from this state and become permanent clients. To be honest we have been hoping that our newest case would have his mate locate him. Possibly help him through it all." Now on the fifth floor, I thought we were in a different building. "The temperature here is a tad lower since most of our clients are in wolf form. Most of the rooms behind the doors ahead are more of a cage, since those clients have reverted to a feral state. The cub we have in question is just over here."

"Why do you keep saying cub?" ZIon asked the one question we both thought.

"He has one of the smallest wolves we have seen. Of course it might be typical of a male omega. We are not as familiar with them. However, teenagers tend to be much larger."

I was instantly excited. "Does one ear flop? Like it does not fully stand?"

The man smiled. "You shall see. He rarely gives us the time of day. My youngest sister was able to get him to shift once. However, it seems that he does not have the patience to talk around other alphas."

This had me laugh. "He never did." Then I stopped in my tracks. I could smell him. "Kash!"

Zion grabbed my arm. "Wait boss."

"Thank you once more beta. We have no idea how he will react with you. Let me be clear. The safety of my clients means more than our talks." Alpha Martin was no longer smiling. "We moved him from his safe space to a special room. You have only until I say to see him. If I feel there is any danger to my client you will be asked to leave the room. Am I clear?"

There was only one choice if I wanted to see him and I nodded. Zion surprised me. "i will stay outside. From the sound of it they need to bond, and having me there will not help. Besides, I would like to chat with you more."

"Very well. You may come with me to the other room to watch. When you are ready Alpha Atlas, he is inside."

Looking at the door in front of me I hesitated. It has been five weeks of looking. Time we lost, but he was possibly here and alive. I can sense him more, and smell him. But was it him behind this door, or another wolf?

"Boss, it will be okay. This is what you have been waiting for. Just be you, and it will work out." Zion patted my arm then followed Alpha Martin to the next room.

Taking a deep breath I opened the door, not even knowing what I would expect. 

It was about ten minutes of me just staring at him. It was my Kash, but he looked at me as though I was a stranger. He never shifted, staying in his wolf form. He was curled up in a corner, eyes on me. The whole time I had no clue what to say. Stuck in my spot.

Finally I stepped forward, only for him to growl a warning. "It's okay Kash. I won't come closer. I've missed you so much, and I'm sorry it took so long to find you. I never stopped looking." I released my scent hoping to get a positive reaction. 

What I got was a whine and him shifting. "I don't know who you are, but you are who I have been waiting for." I turned around as he changed his clothing. "You even know of my aversion to my nakedness. Who are you that you know me this well?"

He lost his memories? "You don't remember me?"

"My wolf is happy to smell you. My body is relaxed with your scent, but no, I have no idea." I couldn't help but notice he still stood wary of me. "I want to know where I am and how I got here. The people here just seem interested in answers I can't give them. Never giving me any answers."

"I am not sure how much to tell you. You are in a special facility to help other wolves in your situation. As for how you arrived, I know little. You were stolen by rogues while going for a walk." I was not sure how much to tell him. Would a reminder of the loss of his friend be too much? "I have been looking for you for five weeks now."

"And who are you to me that you can claim of me being stolen?" He took a few steps back and crossed his arms. "You might not notice this, but I am not a thing to be owned."

This I chuckled at which earned me his trademark scowl. "You're right of course. You did take your time, but you did finally agree to mate with me you know. The wait was worth it. Knowing I had you beyond the fate we were given."

"I remember none of this." He huffed at me. "How do I know what you say is true? We can't mind link so we are not even of the same pack."

This time I sat down leaning against the wall. "It is a long story. I will explain all." As soon as he sat down, I proceeded to tell him all I knew and felt from the minute I first smelled his scent.