Otto watched him leave, he didn't know whether to follow him or remain in the wild. His mind was filled with uncertainty.
If Floyd was cursed and returned to Broln pack, all of them would be cursed.
Should he pull him back? But he shouldn't have any physical contact with him.
In his dilemma, he followed behind him, maintaining a clear distance from him.
Floyd's mind was clouded with thousands of thoughts. Everything happened because of his mother!! No because of him!! Wrong!! Because of Selene!
Others were living peacefully and happily with their mates while his life had been full of turbulence.
"You can't return to the pack Floyd!!"
"Watch me return!!" He didn't take a look at him, he was fed up with everything.
Otto was helpless, things were going sour. "Consider your people!!"
Floyd chuckled. "My people? Since the goddess had turned us into chess pieces she plays with, let her keep playing or end the game!"
Then he stopped, turned around and faced his beta.
"Look at you Otto, you have no mate! Look at me, I have two mates, one wolf-less, with the strongest bond." He clenched his fists in frustration.
"I couldn't make her my luna because she has no wolf, I can't reject her because I was warned not to, then she went into heat and I alone smelt her. She's wolf-less but went into heat!! She's wolf-less, but I marked her! Is that even possible?"
Otto gaped in astonishment. He was carried away by the recent happenings that he forgot such vital details.
"She went into heat?"
"How then did I meet her, slept with her, marked her? I smelt her scent, it led me to her!"
He was whispering, but the veins visible on his forehead and his stern eyes showed how confused and frustrated he was.
Otto's forehead creased, he shook his head in bewilderment. How could one without a wolf go into heat?
"Strange." He muttered.
"Then I got a second mate who has a wolf. I happily made her my luna, then I couldn't mark her!! Kylo refused to comply, Kylo hates her wolf! I have no sexual interest in her but feels an intense pull to the wolf-less."
He took a step towards his beta, then halted.
"Shouldn't my luna bear my child after the first time? But she didn't, rather the wolf-less did!! Everything is strange Otto! I feel no different, I don't feel cursed, my wolf is leaping happily in me! All is strange!"
Otto was at loss for words. Everything was bizarre, if Floyd hadn't spoken up, he wouldn't have known the matter wasn't as simple as he assumed.
"I didn't know it was like this."
Otto turned and strode forward. "That's why I'll return to my pack, to my people, if Selene wants to finish us up, she should do it hastily!"
"Let me out! I'm so happy, mate is so beautiful!"
Kylo compelled him and in his frustration, conceded to his request and allowed the grey furred wolf out.
"So happy!! There's a child!" Floyd who'd shrunk inside smiled widely.
"Yeah, a child."
Otto froze to see Kylo out unchanged. Wasn't it supposed to be dwarf just like the cursed, wasn't it supposed to be weak? But it was hefty as always, strong and fierce.
"What's going on?" He muttered as he stood at a spot watching Kylo trot around happily, leaping over shrubs and short trees, plucking off their twigs.
"Strange!! All is strange!!" And he gave Aztec control and together they returned to the pack.
* * *
It's been two weeks since Floyd saw Alora for the first time after she ran away, two days since he saw her last, two weeks since he was expecting Selene's verdict, yet nothing changed.
Waylon had been smithed with an ailment which the salutory couldn't heal. His mate had deserted him after his sexual fling with Layana was revealed.
As for Layana, she dined and wined with shame. She'd lost her respect, ego and honour.
She was always indoors, ashamed to show her face outside, even her son swore to kill her if he ever set his eyes on her.
"My Alpha!" Hera bowed before him.
He hauled a loathing gaze at her. Since Alora left, he developed great disgust and hatred for Hera.
"I didn't send for you." He snarled at her.
"I'm sorry my alpha, your mother se...."
"Get out!!" He roared, interrupting her and she skedaddled away.
He wasn't interested in anything that related to his mother, not after she almost killed Alora and successfully sent her and their child into the cursed land.
"She's still your mother." Otto walked in. He was about coming in when he heard his furious roar.
"I order you not to speak further!" And Otto shut his mouth immediately.
But he was still unsettled. "Can you remember how much you hurt Alora, but she forgave you, why can't you forgive your mother?"
If anyone deserved to be locked up and seriously punished, it should be Floyd!
For all he did to Alora, he didn't deserve to be forgiven, but she forgave.
His words pierced through Floyd and hit the stony part of his heart, breaking it into pieces.
"Let's take a walk, today is beautiful."
Floyd nodded, rose from the royal chair and followed him out.
"What do you intend to do with Alora and your child?" Otto asked while they rambled.
"Phew!! I plan to visit the great seer of the provinces, only him can tell me what to do."
Since Waylon's evil deed, the goddess haven't approved another seer for Broln pack.
Otto wore a deep frown. "That's a long and risky journey."
"But the only way I can figure all these out."
Was he cursed? He couldn't tell. Was his pack cursed? No idea. Someone needed to tell him the truth and only the great seer had such ability.
RIVERVILLE PACK
Chlyde walked over and sat on the bed in Sebastene's chamber. "Annalise met me today."
"Boring topic." Sebastene focused his attention on the book in his hand which he was reading.
"We need a luna, dearest alpha."
"I won't change my mind about her faithful beta."
Even if he needed to take a luna, it wouldn't be one who was desperate and scheming.
"It's alr..." And his words were cut off by the loud alarm bell of the pack.
Sebastene jumped off the bed. "An attack!! Damnit!!" He glanced around, then made his way out of the room.
"Don't tell me you're going to fight."
Chlyde who was already out of the room and ahead of him stopped in his track when he realized, Sebastene was behind him.
Sebastene gave him a stern look, shoved him aside and walked forward.
"I'm the alpha of Riverville pack and I refuse to hide when my pack is under attack."
He stopped in front of the weapon store and fiddled with the lock.
"I should be at the battle front with my warriors." He stopped being a fidgeting alpha after Marco's death.
He opened his weapon store and took out some bows and arrows.
"Re-consider it alpha."
Losing his best friend and alpha to an attack wasn't on his list.
Sebastene fastened his weapons to his waist and shoulder.
"My name is Sebastene Miles, son of late Alpha Garette Miles, and the present alpha of this pack!!" His voice was imposing and his demeanor fierce.
"Keep Alora safe, see you there beta." Then he left the royal house in hurried steps.
Chlyde stared at the store momentarily, opened it and braced himself with weapons, then ran to Alora's room.
He opened the door and saw her in panic.
"Why's everyone running?"
Since she arrived the pack, it'd been peaceful until that day.
"Remain indoor please, all is well." Then he darted out while Alora shut the door and locked it.
She gripped her cloth as the panic screams of people made her muscles yell of horror unseen.
"Do not confront them directly. Take hide under concealed places and strike!!"
Sebastene gave series of orders to his warriors who were shocked to see him braced with weapons and ready to fight.
"Are the women and children safe?" He asked his gamma, who was beside him.
"Yes, they are."
Just as he instructed, they took covers and attacked the rogue wolves who thought it was business as usual.
All they saw were arrows flying from different angles and piercing their bodies.
The pack was quiet as no single soul was seen outside or the slightest sound heard aside the screams of rogues pierced by the poisoned arrows.
After an hour of intense battle, the rogues refused to retreat rather reinforced.
Sebastene looked around, his warriors were getting weak and their weapons almost exhausted.
Alora unlocked her door. Since the screams had ceased, she thought it was safe to come outside
She felt goose bumps all over her body when she stepped out and noticed everywhere was quiet and deserted.
She wrapped her arms around herself and took stealthy steps forward, hoping to see someone or hear a sound.
Each step she took made her skin crawled and her stomach flipped.Then she heard screams and hastened to the direction.
"Alora!!" Cecelia's panic voice flew into her ears, she turned and saw her running towards her.
"Get back, it's not safe!!" She was in her hideout when she saw Alora.
Fear gripped Alora and in reflex turned and ran towards the woman.But then, a rogue sighted them, and galloped in full speed towards them.
"Mother!!" Sebastene screamed when he saw the rogue wolf closing up on his mother who stood in panic unable to move.
"Alora knew they were rogues from their rugged appearance. Rogues were killers!!
She turned and saw Sebastene running towards them, but her jaw dropped when she saw six unkempt wolves loping behind him.
He was in his human form and his speed was nothing compared to the wolves behind him.
She stood in panic not knowing what to do. Before her eyes were the ones she cherished about to be killed.
One was the woman who became her mother many weeks ago, the other was her son who became a brother to her.
Panic gripped her as the wolf leaped to pounce on Cecelia.
She shut her eyes and released a heart-wrenching scream which shrieked through the air and locked the muscles of the rogue wolves.
"Nooooooo!!"
And she stood rigidly, her eyes widened and her mouth opened. Her eyes gazed blankly in the sky and in a spark took a deep blue colour.
She felt a sharp pain all round her body, screamed out in pain, fell on the ground wriggling and twisting her knees.
Her bone-piercing incessant scream dispelled a strong force that glued both the chased and chasers to the ground.
They watched in horror as her face contorted and shone brightly.
The sound of cracking of bones filled the air and her finger nails extended into sharp claws which she used to shred her dress.
Her muscles enlarged and she stood on all fours as her body magnified into an enormous height. Her limbs appeared, her head snapped and her canines protruded.
"Holy goddess!!" Sebastene watched in numb horror as her entire body became covered with snow white furs, and an earth-shaking howl left her lips.
"It's her!!" He muttered under his breath. His heart pounded, his head spun as he gazed at the giant wolf, more than ten feet high stand erect on its hind limbs and beating the air with its fore limbs.
Fear gripped the rogues, their bones softened and their dirty furs stood erect.
"We're sorry!!" They laid on their backs exposing their bellies in submission.
Her resounding howl sent shivers down the spines of those who were in the safe house and other hideouts that they didn't dare to come out.
Cecelia was trembling greatly. "Alora!" She mumbled.
Sebastene was bewildered. It was her! The wolf in the forest!The only difference was its blue eyes.
The giant wolf trotted to the rogues scattered around, baring their bellies as they couldn't move or run, since their muscles had been locked.
Each step it took quaked the ground. It stepped its limbs on them, crushing them instantaneously, leaving none to escape.
It howled thunderously, glanced around and spotted Sebastene. It stared fixedly at him and cold sweat hit him.
Dread curled up in his spine as he watched the scary wolf take slow steps towards him. He wanted to run but thick cords of dread knotted his legs.
The giant wolf which stood like a hill looming over all lowered its head and nibbled his forehead, then trotted away.
It arrived the boundary river, bent over, took a sip then returned to the pack and with a loud howl, transformed into its human. With a scream, Alora fell on ground, her body curled into a ball and her eyes shut. She'd fallen into a deep sleep.
Cecelia quickly ran to her, carried her up and hastened inside. She placed her on the bed, covered her up and sat beside her.
So strange how she fell into a deep sleep after shifting, but more strange was that she met her wolf during the day rather than in the night and under the moonlight.
Cecelia felt a flutter of panic. Wouldn't Alora be hunted if other packs got the news of her wolf? Fortunately, no rogue wolf escaped to tell the story.
When Alora woke up, she saw familiar faces around her. Cecelia, Sebastene and Chylde. They stared at her strangely and her brows furrowed.
She recalled the rogues who attacked them, how one was about to pounce on Cecelia, then many after Sebastene.
"You're alive! Thank goddess." Her eyes flared with happiness. She sat up, stifled a yawn and stretched her body tiredly.
"Great alpha! Did you kill them all?"
The three looked at themselves and their faces twisted.
She peered at them, then drew her brows."I mean the rogues that attacked today. I almost died when they were after you two."
Sebastene shook his head. "The rogues, you....."
Cecelia cleared her throat interrupting him. Obviously Alora had no impression of what happened.
"Child, the wolves were crushed by a mighty, giant wolf."
Alora gasped in shock. "Mighty, giant wolf? Does such wolf exist?" Then she paused, thought for a while and let out a belly laughter.
"You're so humorous mother! Alpha, I didn't know your wolf is mighty. Can I climb on it some day?"
They could feel the sincerity of her words. Obviously, she had no impression of what happened ere while.
Sebastene and Chlyde looked at themselves in tactic understanding.
"You should be hungry, mother will get your food."
Sebastene beckoned on his beta and they left the room.
"She had no impression?" Chlyde peered his gaze behind, his brows crinkled.
"That's what it is." Sebastene muttered.
"And why did her wolf emerge for the first time during the day? Why's her wolf exactly like the one I saw in the forest? Why is her wolf bizarre and scary? Who exactly is she?"
Chlyde shook his head on disbelief. "I'm beginning to believe you actually saw that wolf."
Before his eyes Alora transformed into an ancient wolf which his alpha claimed to see in the forest of death.
Strangely, she had no idea she shifted.
"Why do I feel, brighter days are coming?"
Sebastene gazed into the sky. "Thank you Selene." He mumbled.