The next day, Floyd and Otto took their usual walk round the pack.
Since her fight with Hera the previous day, she'd been indoor, refusing to come out. She couldn't believe she had such physical strength to beat up Hera.
Having spent almost 24 hours indoor, she left the room to sit at the balcony.
While she was relishing the evening breeze, her mouth and eyes were suddenly covered, before she could react, she'd been hauled away.
Cold sweat hit her and dread twined in her spine. She tried to break free but her body was in a tight grip that she couldn't make any movement.
"I'm in danger Floyd!!" She made effort to mind-link Floyd who got her message immediately.
"Alora is in danger!!"
His breathing became heavy, he gave a quick nervous glance at Otto, turned and ran back to the royal house in great speed, Otto following behind him.
"Where are you?" He tried to communicate with her but couldn't get through.
He dashed to his chamber but she was no where in sight.
"Alora!"
He mind-linked her but rather than a response, her panic, fear and pains were all he got and felt.
He ran out of the royal house, ignoring the questioning gazes boring through him.
Using her emotions as a guide, he began to search for her.
"Call the warriors and sentinels!"
Otto who was keeping pace with him advised but he shook his head.
"No!"
Alora was pulled to the rear of the pack, the part close to the wild which was rarely treaded.
She was tied to a stake already prepared and she could feel the movement of her captors around her.
Fear chilled her heart and her fingers quivered violently.
"Floyd, help!!"
He heard her panicked voice again which sent all his anxieties tumbling back.
"Kill the child!! Kill her too!!"
The moment the masculine voice reached her ears, her pulse skyrocketed and great strength invaded her.
In that instant, her muscles expanded, the gag around her mouth was forcefully flung off, the cord around her body broke off and she released a loud scream which harboured an intense force that pushed her captors several meters away from her.
"Alora!!"
Floyd heard her scream and ran to the direction.
His eyes hardened and his muscles tensed when he saw her on blindfold and some men who he believed were her captors scrambling to get up.
"Alora!!"
He rushed to her but then the sound of bones cracking, clothes shredded and body twisting filled the air.
The ground quaked and in their presence, Sierra, the giant white wolf emerged and stood like a large hill before them.
Otto's head spun, his skin crawled and his muscles scream in horror. His legs lost stamina and he fell on his knees.
Floyd gazed at her in astonishment, smiles of admiration glittered on his face.
"Alora!!"
"Mate!!" Kylo jumped excitedly.
Sierra stood erect and beat the air, it threw a fierce gaze at its captors, strode to each of them and trampled them under its limbs.
Getting to the last one who had peed on himself, he knelt down before Sierra.
"Please spare me! It's the luna."
Floyd's eyes reddened in rage. Hera! Sierra gave the man a hard kick that sent him flying, then came landing heavily on the ground.
It howled fiercely and stomped on the man, killing him instantly.
It began to destroy things, pulling off roofing sheets of some abandoned houses and breaking walls.
"Let me out!" Kylo forced himself out and trotted to her.
The moment Sierra saw Kylo, its rage dispelled.
"Mate!" Kylo raised its eyes to look at her.
"It's alright mate! Don't hurt our child!" And Sierra lowered its head, gazed at its belly, then laid before Kylo.
Kylo nibbled her head, her ear and sniffed her repeatedly. "It's alright."
And she whimpered lowly.
Kylo turned to Otto. "Send some clothes."
And the panicked beta whose blood had gone cold, rose to his feet and hurried to do as instructed.
Soon, he returned with the clothes, hung them on the stake and hurried away in fear.
Once he was out, Kylo gave Floyd control. He grabbed one of the robes, wore it, shifted his gaze on Sierra and smiled broadly.
He walked over to it and placed his hand on its head.
"You're such a beauty to behold."
Kylo who had retreated was trotting around in exultation. "My mate."
"Kylo, she's our mate!"
"Can you hear me Lora?" He mind-linked her and she responded.
"Yes."
"Your in your wolf, are you aware?"
Alora glanced around and noticed she was naked and in an enclosed space.
"My wolf?"
"Yes Lora, can you see me?"
Alora peered her gaze around and saw Floyd standing before her.
"I can see you."
Floyd smiled. "What's the name of your wolf?"
Alora narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "Sierra."
"Beautiful name, just like yours." And she blushed deeply.
"Take control from your wolf Lora."
He remembered she had no impression of her wolf after the first time it emerged.
It would be more ideal if she knew her wolf and how to shift into the two different entities.
"How?" She asked in confusion.
"Push yourself out."
After hesitating for a moment, she dived forward and found herself standing before Floyd completely bare.
She quickly bent down and wrapped her arm round her chest.
He smiled, took the second robe and draped it over her. "Dress up."
Her face flushed as she wore the robe properly, then he hugged her tightly.
"Your wolf is beautiful, can you see it?"
She glance around and shook her head. "I can't."
"Peer into your head, you will see it."
And she narrowed her eyes momentarily then gasped.
"Is that it? It's huge!!" Her eyes widened in astonishment.
"Yes, it is." He leaned over and kissed her lips gently.
While savouring her soft lips, he remembered Hera. The man said they were sent by Hera!
His face burnt as he recalled and anger stirred within him.
"Let's return to the royal house."
Hand in hand, they returned to the royal house.
"Lie down and rest."
And she obediently did as instructed, while he sat beside her stroking her hair. Not quite long, she drifted into sleep.
Once he heard her steady breathing, he quietly left the room to the court.
"Send Hera over!" The guard hurried out and soon returned with her.
"My alpha." She walked in, her expression calm and innocent.
He sneered inwardly. If not that the man mentioned her name, he wouldn't believe she could harm Alora after his warning the previous day.
"Have a seat." His voice was void of any negative emotion.
Hera stared momentarily at him then proceeded to seat on her designated royal chair.
"No! Sit there." He pointed at the sofa and she fired him a questioning stare.
"Why?"
Frown flickered across her face as it was the first time he asked her to seat on the sofa in the court.
Floyd stared intently at her, the words of Norman replaying in his head.
"Just sit there." Though his veins had been flooded with rage and about to explode, he suppressed the urge to roar at her.
Giving him a momentarily steady stare, she proceeded to the sofa and sat down.
Floyd cleared his throat and pierced his gaze on her.
"Who's your accomplice?"
And Hera gawked at him. "What....."
"I don't have time to waste, I'll ask you one more time and if you don't speak the truth, I'll dissemble your body parts and send then to your senseless father!!"
His once calm voice thundered and vibrated through the court, pushing Hera to the depth of dread.
"Who are you working with? Who sent you to hurt my mate and child?"
So, it was because of Alora!!
"I don't know..."
Floyd rose nimbly, his entire body simmered in anger. "Guard!"
Her palm became sweaty and her stomach flipped repeatedly. Would Floyd really kill her? The man in the court with her was capable of ending her life.
"I'm sorry alpha, I...no...one, I....ehm...it's..it's my father!"
His nostrils flared and his jaw tightened. Donovan! He slowly turned, gave her a spine chilling stare that forced goose bumps out of her body.
"Your father? And you consented!! You're despicable!! Same as your father! heartless and scheming!!"
"Otto!!"
His beta who was at the entrance hurried in.
"Lock her up immediately!"
And she fell on her knees, her body trembled as her tears fell. "I'm sorry alpha."
Otto wasn't surprised, he knew Floyd would never forgive her for attempting to hurt Alora.
Not taking another look at her, Floyd stormed out, while Otto called in the guards to take her away.
FEW DAYS LATER
"I'm confused Floyd." Otto's hand was on his chin as he rolled in deep thought.
"It's Alora's wolf. Her howl quakes the ground, yet heard by few."
After she shifted in their presence, he expected the news to make round the pack but to his utmost surprise, the pack was quiet like nothing happened.
The first time she shifted in Riverville, the quaky howl would have traveled afar but no one heard it.
She had shifted twice but only few people saw her, the rest didn't live to tell the story.
Floyd sighed deeply, his forehead creased.
"I'm confused too. That's why I suggested the bodies of those people be secretly thrown in the wild because I don't know how to explain this."
There was a brief silence as the two men made effort to quench the smoke steaming from their foreheads.
"Buddy." Otto called out in a low voice and Floyd shifted his gaze on him.
"What will you do about Donovan?"
Floyd shrugged. "It's not my battle to fight."
Otto stared at him in befuddlement. "Not your battle? He almost killed your mate."
Floyd chuckled. "Do you remember this statement? Sebastene Miles, alpha of South pack, take what belongs to you in a moon."
And Otto's mouth hung opened as Floyd recounted Muwal's words while they were in Riverville pack.
"How did I forget?"
He thumped his forehead gently as he recalled every word of Muwal, but at the same time, his brows crinkled.
"How can Sebastene do it? Their wolves are weak and he's cursed."
Floyd gave him a deep stare, then smiled.
"When a purifier is added to an unclean substance, what happens?"
Otto's nose wrinkled and he tilted his head quizzically. "The unclean becomes clean."
"That's it! Riverville pack is unclean, Muwal is a purifier, you should know the rest."
"Oh my goddess!! You're so right Floyd!"
There was possibility that the curse had been lifted, if not how would they all step into the pack and remained the same?
Three days later, Norman returned as he promised and the entire pack gathered to welcome him.
As for Alora, she remained in Floyd chamber as he wouldn't allow her step out for fear of being hurt.
Her meals were prepared by trusted servants with constant monitoring and only few who had been proven to be loyal served her.
As days passed, her stomach got bigger and the news of her pregnancy spread across the pack.
Some thought she got pregnant while in the cursed pack while others thought she must have been ravaged.
But strange was how the great seer of the provinces and Norman allowed her into the pack after she ran into the cursed pack.
Since she didn't repulse the servants of Selene, why should they worry?
RIVERVILLE PACK
TWO WEEKS LATER
"Alpha!! Beta!! You need to see this!!"
A pack members who had a beaming smile dancing on his face bowed before Sebastene.
"You look happy, Lyle."
"Happy is an understatement alpha! Come quickly and see!!"
Quickly, he hurried out with Chlyde and Lyle
Outside, he saw a good number of wolves trotting around in exuberance and a deep frown contorted his face.
They weren't from his pack as the wolves were normal with strong limbs, but the pack bond swirled around them which meant they were from his pack.
He turned to Chlyde who was befuddled then at Lyle, who was elated.
"Who are they?"
Lyle smiled broadly. "We came out to hunt in the day as usual, shifted to our wolves only to realize we aren't dwarfs anymore!!"
"How?"
Sebastene looked around quickly and noticed more people shifting into normal wolves.
"Goddess!!" He stared in incredulity and gripped Chlyde's hand who was staring at the wolves in exhilaration.
"Beta, we're free, the goddess showed mercy!!" Tears of joy trickled down his face.
"Another thing Alpha, Selene has mated us. Some have been pulled out of the pack in search of their mates." Lyle squealed in joy.
Chlyde suddenly turned. "Seba!! No more death at fifty!! No more rogues!!"
Sebastene crouched and allowed his tears fall. Finally, the goddess remembered them, finally she had mercy.
"Thank you Selene." Then he rose to his feet, ran to the royal house to call Cecelia.
"Mother!!"
Cecelia dashed out in panic when she heard the loud call
"Mother we're free, no more curse, no more dwarf wolves, no more death at fifty." He hugged her tightly, then pulled her along.
Cecelia was confused and couldn't comprehend what he was saying, yet allowed herself to be pulled along by him.
Outside, his words began to make sense to her when she saw the normal wolves loping around.
She knelt and raised her hands to the sky. "Mother Selene, thank you."
No more death at fifty, she would no longer die in two years. Tears streamed down her face as she recalled their past, her loved ones who the curse took.
How she wished her mate, the former alpha was alive to witness this.
"Buddy!!Release Seiko!!" Sebastene called out to his beta who hadn't spoken a word.
And in excitement, Sebastene released his wolf control which had become bigger, faster and with stronger limbs.
It loped off and Seiko followed, keeping pace with it.
BROLN PACK
The door of the cell creaked opened and Hera jolted.
She gazed at the door and fear crawled over her body when she saw Floyd step into the cell.
She butt slid to the end of the wall, and wrapped her arms round her body as she felt chilly fingers running on her body.
Since she was locked up, suffering had been her companion. She was given little food and sometimes none.
Her glittering skin had turned rough and her once silky hair looked unkempt and disheveled.
Each day, she hoped to regain her freedom and perhaps return to Herith but wasn't sure such a day would come.
She couldn't reject Floyd as a mate since the truth was sitting deep in her heart.
Floyd fierce gaze blasted through her and she turned pink with despair.
"Tell me the truth Hera, is our mate bond real?"
She lowered her eyes and her lips quivered.
Floyd rubbed his face in frustration as he waited but got no response from her.
"Are you willing to tell the truth or do you want to be forced?"
Forced? She shook her head in panic. "No! I'll tell the truth."
"Speak!!"