Chapter 10

Connor

“HOW did you find out Tara was here?”

My gaze moved from where my cousin was standing beside me to the people in the training ground. The sound of yelling was loud as my pack members moved to watch a fight between the lead warrior and one of the healers in the pack. I frowned as the healer- I now recognized it as Ian- shifted into his wolf and lunged at Leo.

“I received a letter. We tried but we couldn’t track any smell,” Thomas replied.

“Obviously your trackers need help," I responded with a smirk.

Thomas laughed loudly, making some of the people in the training ground turn their heads in our direction. I smiled at this and shook my head.

“Touché, cousin, touché indeed.”

“What did the letter say?” I asked.

“It just said that someone from South Forest was here in your pack.”

“And you believed an anonymous tip?” I asked him, lifting my eyebrow at his answer.

Thomas was quiet for some time. I looked in his direction to see that his eyebrows were furrowed together. My eyes followed the movement when his left hand touched the flame tattoo on his right wrist. I sighed. The ink on his skin was a symbol for his brother, the supposedly Alpha of Old Oak. Thomas might have been the first-born son, but he conceded the position for his brother. Apollo showed more dominant Alpha traits than Thomas and even though it was not traditional for a younger son to take in the Alpha position, their father had been training Apollo to be next in line ever since they found out that Thomas did want that kind of power.

Their pack didn’t like that idea, but since their father wanted it that way, they can only nod yes to his command. Unfortunately, five years ago, Apollo went missing. He just disappeared without a trace. It was unusual weird because he was about to take the Alpha position in a couple of months. He had always wanted to be Alpha, but his sudden disappearance put an end to that.

Shortly after his disappearance, Alpha Vincent died. The whole pack was in shambles. Their Alpha just died and their supposedly new Alpha was gone. Thomas was thrown into a position he had never wanted. He was forced to take the title because he was the only one left to take it. His responsibility to the pack kicked in and the Alpha traits in him developed.

For two years now, Thomas had kept Old Oak a strong pack, but I knew he was still looking for his brother. He had used up most of his best wolves to go around the country looking for Apollo, but there was just no trail left to follow.

He was willing to pursue any lead, however impossible it might sound if it was related to his brother. I knew he had such big confidence in anonymous tips. He was a believer in almost anything and yet he can trick you to do things for him. I guess it was not a surprise that he believed the letter about the pack member of South Forest being here in Dark Mountains.

“Any new lead on Apollo?” I asked in a low voice.

“None,” he answered evenly.

“I don’t understand how anyone knew about Tara arriving here.”

“It seems like you and your mate are in a big crisis, Connor. And I just don’t mean the situation on South Forest’s existence. There’s tension between you two; there should only be adoration between mates.”

I scowled at his response. His relationship with Diana was smooth sailing compared to mine and my mate’s.

“You want advice from me?” he asked, facing me now.

I remained silent and waited for him to continue. He smirked at my non-reaction.

“You can only choke your mate in the bedroom,” he continued and laughed at his own answer.

I frowned and ignored his comment. He might look like a mountain man but he still thinks like a child sometimes.

“Let’s go back to your house, cousin. I already miss my mate,” he said and started walking in the other direction.

I followed him and thought about Tara. I’m sure she hates me right now. I just couldn’t stop my possessive tendencies when it comes to her. Earlier when she scoffed after I said that I was her Alpha, I was livid. I had already claimed her; her wolf should be submitting to her Alpha by now. It was customary for her wolf to yield to my command, but her human side seemed to be stronger. She was able to contain her wolf and show her dislike towards me.

Regret flooded me when I remember her saying I should act like her mate. Did I not do that? I was being protective of her. The only time I was not was when she was in prison and my guilt has been eating me the whole time.

My mate’s smell filled my senses. We were near my house and I could already sense her. Entering, me and Thomas went to the living room to find Diana and Tara sitting in there watching something on the television. Thomas immediately went to sit by his mate. I looked at Tara expecting her to look at me as well, but she didn’t spare me any glance; her eyes were glued to the screen. I can feel her anger through the mate bond. It was not as intense as earlier but she was still mad at me.

I walked towards her and placed my hand on her shoulder. She stiffened upon the contact.

“Let’s go talk,” I said to her.

“You can say whatever you want right here,” she answered, still not taking her eyes off the screen.

I growled at her response and was about to retaliate when Thomas spoke first.

“We’ll get out of your way,” he said and pulled his mate up.

Diana simply followed him. Why can’t my mate be like that? Submissive and willing?

I took the seat beside Tara on the couch, but she didn’t even move an inch. I sighed and took the remote to turn off the television. She let out a deep breath and faced me. I can feel that her wolf was letting her human side decide right now.

I took her hands into mine and was surprised that she didn’t protest. I tested my luck and lifted her off the seat into my lap. She gasped and her right hand landed on my chest from the sudden movement.

“You’re my mate,” I stated.

She frowned at that and tried to stand up, but I held her down. I moved my right hand from her waist to her thigh. I smirked when I felt her heart start beating quickly.

“Fine. You’ve proven that I’m your mate,” she said and removed my hand.

“That was not the point,” I answered and placed it back on her thigh.

She growled and I smiled at that. She has been getting more confident since the first time that I’ve met her.

“What do you want?” she asked me.

I was about to answer when I felt a huge wave of power pass through me. I frowned and looked at my mate. She had her hand on her chest; she must have felt it, too. I gently stood up bringing Tara with me.

“Can you smell that?” she asked, looking nervous.

I nodded. Someone powerful was close by. And judging from the surge of power I just felt, that someone was not to be trusted.

---

“THANK you for allowing us to enter your pack, Alpha Connor.”

I just nodded and looked at my mate beside me. She was biting her lower lip and couldn’t resist looking at her. Someone cleared their throat and my eyes immediately left my mate’s face.

We were in my office. I looked around to see familiar faces; none that I would have thought were part of the Pioneers. My mother reached out to all those that knew about the existence of South Forest. Apparently, a group of seemingly odd combinations of people made up the Pioneers.

Alpha Oscar of the High Thrones pack stood beside Violet Muller, the known leader of a group of rogue wolves. Alpha Dennis from the Flamed Rue pack was sitting on the couch and beside him was Alpha Nathaniel of the Gray Seas pack. I narrowed my eyes at Alpha Nathaniel; it was him whom I’ve felt earlier. He was the child of an Alpha wolf and a sea witch, although his mother was not the Luna of his pack. Some people thought it was wrong that the bastard son of the Alpha was granted the position. But no one questioned him once he was seated; everyone could feel that he had a different range of power within him.

All in all, there were five members of the Pioneer inside my office, including my mother. I knew Alpha Kane was also a member of the Pioneer, but he was the reason why they were all here.

“We’ve all seen what happened to Kane. We have a murderer in our hands,” Alpha Dennis said and stood up from the coach.

The room was very tense with all the raging power inside. It was a good thing my cousin already went home. He got a call because of an emergency just a few minutes after the Pioneers arrived in my territory. Four Alphas in a room were already hard enough to deal with; everyone wanted to hold the command.

I know Tara was very nervous right now; I could feel it in the bond. She was the only one here who did not have an official title. She is yet to be initiated as Luna of Dark Mountains. Alphas and powerful witches including my mother and Violet Muller in one room were too much to take in.

“The one who did this can only either be a pack member of South Forest or someone from outside who knew that South Forest existed,” Alpha Oscar said, his rough voice filling the whole room.

The High Thrones pack was known for their strong armory. Alpha Oscar is the only Alpha I know who got his position after challenging his former Alpha. You can only win a challenge after killing your opponent. He was not from Alpha blood and yet he was able to win over Alpha Trenton, High Thrones’ former Alpha.

“I don’t think it can be anyone from South Forest. Everyone there respected Kane very much,” my mother responded to Alpha Oscar’s statement.

I saw the five of them look around the room. They were gauging each other after all, they were the only people who knew about South Forest’s existence until now.

“Who has the most to gain on his death?” I interrupted the intense staredown among the people inside the room.

All eyes landed on me and I felt Tara shift closer to my side. I felt her anxiety double from the looks aimed in our direction.

“Maxim is now the Alpha of South Forest and he also knows about the Veil. He’s still having a hard time adjusting to his new position, but I don’t think anyone would dare challenge his title,” my mother answered, looking at me.

“Maxim would never hurt his father,” my mate responded.

I looked at her and she shied away feeling everyone’s eyes on her. Her hand clutched my arm and she shifted even closer to me. She then lowered her head and stared at the ground, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

“What made you say that, Luna?” Violet asked my mate in a soft voice.

“I just know,” she answered, meeting Violet’s eyes.

“Do you know Maxim personally?” Alpha Oscar asked.

I growled, not liking the tone he used. Was he implying my mate and this Maxim had a relationship aside from being packmates?

“Calm down, child. Oscar was only asking,” Alpha Dennis said.

Alpha Oscar just looked at me with a lifted eyebrow, as if daring me to challenge his question. I looked at my mate and saw that she was looking at me with a small frown on her face. I sighed and nodded at her.

“We grew up together. I just know it’s not in him to ever hurt Alpha Kane,” Tara said, lifting her gaze to Alpha Oscar.

“Alpha Kane banished you from South Forest, did he not?” Alpha Oscar pushed on.

“Yes, but it-”

“You were the only one who knew about South Forest’s existence and you proceeded to tell the ranked wolves here in Dark Mountains about it,” Alpha Oscar cut my mate’s answer.

My wolf did not like the way he was talking to our mate. I stepped in front of Tara when Alpha Oscar took a step towards us.

“What are you implying, Alpha Oscar?” I asked, rage filling every word I say.

“What I’m saying is that your mate might be providing information to some murderer and you’re just trying to hide this from us,” he answered, moving closer to me.

"Or, let me be clearer, Your Mate is the murderer of Alpha Kane."

"Say that again...and I promise I'll cut your fuckin' head right off!" My wolf and I both growled, no one could slander our Mate!

Meanwhile, the other Alphas stood right behind Alpha Oscar.

Alpha Oscar threatened, "Give us Tara or we'll crush your damn Pack. Today."