The Lone Wolf

Chapter 19

Hey guys sorry I haven't posted in forever, my laptop decided to break and I lost everything. Hope you enjoy this episode. 

Blake

The owner of the inn nudged his head toward the door at the end of the bar. I stood from my seat and made my way to the end of the bar, he followed on the other side.

"This way, Alpha." The man spoke, he opened the door and it revealed a staircase and another door.

I walked through and the man shut the door once he was on the other side. His son had disappeared off and began clearing tables after his Father scolded him.

"I haven't had the chance to ask your name," I mentioned as we began to walk up the wooden staircase.

"John my friend. My names John, my son is Junior." He smiled as we got to the top of the stairs and he opened another door. 

Inside the room was a small desk, a few filing cabinets, and some chairs. John went behind the desk and sat down, I sat in a tattered old chair in front of the desk.

"Pheonix you say?" He asks shuffling through some papers.

He put a pair of reading glasses on and read something.

"How was my niece before she went missing?" John asked.

"What?!" I almost shouted.

He smiled and looked up at me.

"Your Katerina's uncle?" I asked him confused, leaning forward in the chair.

"Aye, her father was my brother."

"I thought her pack was slaughtered."

John sighed deeply and took the glasses off his face, he looked as if he was reliving the memories.

"We were, my wife, died along with Katerina's parents, I and Junior were out hunting when the m******e began, when I got back, there was blood everywhere. Katerina was nowhere to be found and my wife was killed in our own home." John looked at me with sympathy.

"I see Kat made it out alive, I was sure they had taken her, I guess not." He smiled being proud of his niece.

"What made you come here?" I asked him looking around.

"This is the Royal pack... You know the servants of the Queen Mother..." 

So Xavier wasn't lying about the Queen Mother having servants. I looked at him unconvinced. He sighed and rolled his eyes, he stood up and pulled his shirt up revealing the mark of the royals. I nodded.

"Believe me now." He sits back down.

"She hasn't passed through here and I haven't heard of any new arrivals. I can give you a place to stay for the night then take you to see the Queen Mother in the morning." He explained.

I nod in agreement.

"Come on then." John was an old man and he sighed as he got up again.

We walked out of the inn and I waited for him to lock up.

"We are just around the corner. I looked around and noticed the other building that I didn't bother to look at when I first arrived. But I couldn't see a Palace, I rubbed my chin and looked around as we walked along the cobbled path.

"Where's the Palace?" I ask John.

"Hidden." He said that was all. 

I didn't bother to push further, I was far from tired and just wanted to sleep. We got to John house, it was a small brick house with little furniture, it was homey though, even if it was just to men living in the house. He showed me to the spare room and shut the door behind me. I took my shirt off but left my pants on. I got into the bed and laid on my back.

"I will find you," I whispered before drifting off into a deep slumber.

***

Katerina

I woke up and Demon was gone, I sniffed the air, he wasn't in the 'Penthouse.' I swung my legs off the bed and decided to give walking without the cane a go. To my surprise, nothing hurt. I walked to the bathroom with ease and opened the door. The bathroom was oversized but I wasn't surprised, it had a freestanding bath in the middle and a walk-in shower in the left-hand corner. white porcelain. Everything was sparkling white.

I looked inside the medicine cabinet above the double sink, I found a toothbrush still packaged and a box of toothpaste. I look at the sinks and there is a hand towel folded up and place beside each sink, one had a Golden 'D' sown into it, I walk over to the other one and it had a 'K'. I smile, I must have been here long enough for Demon to get me personalized things or he wanted me to feel at home when he got me back.

I brush my teeth and wash my face. I can have a shower tonight, hopefully, my back will be fully healed by then and the hot water won't sting. I get curious about my wound and pull my vest up to just under my breast and look at the large now sealed wound on my stomach. I trace my finger along the bottom of it.

I flash of a whip cutting my stomach pops up in my mind, I wince and the memory and quickly shake my head. I sigh and decide to get dressed, I look for Demon in my mindlink, I guess I haven't established one with him yet. I walk into the closet and pick a pair of black skinny jeans and a red vest the same as the one I am wearing, I pair it with some black boot with golden zips on the sides and a black leather cropped jacket. I smile at my selection. 

'Underwear? I need underwear.'

I begin looking at the draws, which one would I put them in, I question myself.

I pull one drawer open and bingo I made the right choice, socks, black pair. I finger through the pieces of underwear and find a red and black lace set, lace thong and a plunge bra. This will do I think to myself. I go into the bedroom and dress. No pain stopped me from dressing myself, another good sign. I sit down on the bed, a note? How didn't I notice that I pick the small piece of paper up and read. 

'Little wolf, I have a meeting at 7 am. I know early but what is it they say? The early bird catches the worm. Anyway, I'm getting off-topic, I should be back around 9 am. Please have breakfast and wait for me.

Love Demon.

xxx'

I look at the digital clock on Demons side of the bed 8:30 am. Half an hour, I suppose I could find something to eat. I put the note back on the bedside table and head to the kitchen, the kitchen was open plan, one side of the room had the dining area and then there was the kitchen with a breakfast bar. The whole set up was pastel grey with black appliances. Demon did love the color black. I find the double fridge and open it. The thing was packed with all kinds of foods and drinks. I get the orange juice and close the door. I find the glasses in a cupboard with a glass frame instead of a wooden door. I pour the juice and return the carton to its rightful place. I hear the elevator ding and the door opens.

"Little wolf!" A voice came from the other side of the penthouse, it was Demons.

"In here." I shout.

Demon walks into the kitchen, his eyes twinkling, glowing red. 

"Missed me?" He smirked.

I roll my eyes and laugh.

"Of course dear." I joke in a posh voice.

He hums. Today he was literally matching the clothes I wore. Black jeans, a red shirt, and a black biker jacket and boots. He had his ring on again.

"Demon?" I get his attention as I sip my juice.

"Hmmmm." He answers.

"What that on your ring?" I ask him, pointing at it.

He looks at his ring then at me. He brings his hand up to my view. It has a ruby stone and a little golden wolf staring at it.

"It's the pack's sigil." He explains pulling his hand away.

I make an 'oooh' sound and nod. There wasn't any more questions I could ask about it. I mean every pack had a sigil, only older packs used their's though, mine did but we didn't really need to the mark we bared was enough to tell someone about us.

"How is my little wolf?" Demon asks pulling me through. Snaking his arms around my waist and burying his head in the crook of my neck.

"I'm not hurting anymore, but the wounds haven't gone yet. Hopefully, by tonight they will have." I feel nothing from the hug, not even a little niggle. I read everywhere and was told over and over that every time mates would touch the would feel sparks or tingles. I pushed the thought aside maybe it was me being off from my injuries. 

"What happens tonight?" Demon asks sniffing my scent.

"A shower." I giggle.

He laughs with me and places a light kiss on my neck where my mark would be. I shudder at the feeling and sigh.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" He asks me pulling away.

I turn around wide-eyed.

"Really? Are you sure?" I asked him almost jumping up and down.

"You're well enough to walk aye? So why not?" He shrugs his shoulders.

'Aye' now where have I heard that before? I smile and hug him tightly.

"Thank you, I thought you weren't going to let me leave the penthouse until I was completely healed."

He smiles and kisses my forehead.

"I'll be with you, so you'll be fine. Come little wolf."

I was beginning to get used to his pet name for me and I kind of liked it. I never had a pet name before although I remember someone once called me 'Kitty'. I smiled as we went to the elevator. We walked in.

"Demon?" I scrunch my nose. I had been thinking since I woke up in the pack hospital what had happened to me. 

"Yes love." He answered as he pressed the ground floor button.

"Do you know who kidnapped me?" I asked looking over at him.

He seemed to have gone rigid as I asked the question that had been playing on my mind. It was weird all I could remember before waking up in the hospital was that I was supposed to be going to see the Queen Mother. He looked at me his eyes turning dull, he scrunched his face angrily. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly. Why was he reacting like this?

"I don't know much about it, all I know is you went missing and it wasn't hard to put two and two together. I found you almost two weeks later. You're lucky I got to you in time, you were fading fast. The doctor says your lucky." He grunted the words out.

I sighed.

"Anything else you want to ask?" He sighed

"No." Putting it bluntly, he didn't have any answers clearly, but he knew something he wasn't telling me. Or maybe he just got upset, I mean I am his mate, he probably went through hell worrying for me.

We made our way outside and into the small garden at the front of the house. I looked up at the bright blue sky and sighed as I let my skin soak in the rays from the sun.

Demon

I watched Katerina as she smiled at the sky. Frustration clouded my judgment as I watched her, she only asked who had kidnapped her, she couldn't have been on to something. I had erased her memory. Katerina took off her jacket and placed it on the wooden bench in the middle of the garden at the front of the house.

"It's nice here." She spoke softly as she looked at me with those big blue eyes.

They reminded me so much of the evening sky as it turned to night. I smiled at her and took off my jacket.

"Think you're well enough?" I asked her. 

"Well enough to do what?" She asked looking confused.

I lifted my hand up and began turning it into a paw and she looked at me in amazement before I turned it back to my hand.

"You mean..." She trailed off.

I nodded, the smile on her face spoke a million words as she nodded furiously. She walked over to me and hugged me tightly. I hugged back and sniffed the top of her head.

"You promise to stay close?" I asked her, pulling back and c*****g an eyebrow.

I needed her trust, but I couldn't have her overstepping any boundaries. Trust would make this all believable.

"I promise." She chimed.

"Follow me." I turned on my heel and began walking along the dirt path that led around the back of the packhouse. I could hear her close behind and could feel her excitement. We walked in silence as we came around the back of the house. Around the back was a large field that had the training facilities and a large forest. We walked to the tree line and I found a bush to strip in. I quickly shifted and walked out from behind the bush.

Katerina

I followed Demon into the tree line and he disappeared behind a bush, it didn't take long to realize what he was doing when the sound of bones cracking and popping began to fill the air. I looked around to see if there was anyone and there wasn't. When I looked back there was a giant of a wolf stood in front of me. I couldn't stop the gasp that escaped my lips. There stood a dark golden wolf with pure red eyes. His wolf had a large scar running across his back and it was the first time I had picked up his scent, pine cones, and mint. Such a strange combination but it smelt so nice. He whined and tilted his head at me.

"My turn?" I asked and he nodded his large wolf head.

I walked behind the same bush Demon went into and stripped. I breathed deeply before turning, the breaks didn't hurt much, I whined as my hands were replaced by paws. As my front paws hit the ground the pain subsided. I walked out from the bush and Demon was sniffing the air with his eyes closed. I decided that it was time to tether a link between the two of us.

'Demon?' I called out to him.

Demons wolf opened his eyes and looked down at me, his tail started wagging.

'Yes, my love?' He spoke softly.

I yipped and turned around, he walked beside me.

'Now you take it easy. That's an order.' Demon demanded through the mindlink with a concerned voice.

'I will, I promise.' I spoke back.

Before I knew it we were running through the forest at a slow and calm speed. I barked happily and Demon responded with a short howl. We ran around for a good thirty minutes before Demon abruptly stopped.

'Time to go back, that's enough for today.' His voice sounded harsh but soft.

I stopped and looked at him with the best puppy dog eyes I could muster. HE shook his large head.

'It's not happening little wolf, I won't have you pushing yourself too hard and hurting yourself.' He growled slightly and his eyes flashed. I whined and dropped my head. I began slowly walking back to the bush we had left our clothes in. Demon told me to go first while he sat and guarded. I quickly turned and dressed. Demon went behind the bush as I sat down on a patch of grass just at the tree line of the forest. I sighed, listening to bones crack and break again. Then the rustling of clothes being put back on. 

Blake

I had woken up the next morning with a knock on the door.

"Alpha Blake. It's time to get up, we have an hour before our meeting with the Queen Mother!" John shouted from behind the door.

"I'll be out in a minute," I shouted back and soon heard him depart.

I got up from the spare bed and put my shirt back on, I sighed.

'I hope this woman has some answers.' I thought to myself as I left the room and made my way to the downstairs of the house and into the kitchen. John had shown me around the night before and it wasn't hard to navigate in this place with it being so small.  John and his son were sat at the breakfast bar, eating.

"Morning." John greeted with a smile, his son said nothing, just continued eating his breakfast.

I smiled and sat down.

"Sleep well?" John asked as he got up from his seat and headed over to the stove. 

"As good as sleep gets when your mate is missing I guess..." I confessed.

I hadn't been sleeping well since Katerina had gone and now knowing that she hadn't passed through here made the feeling of dread worse. 

"Here, eat," John responded as he placed a plate of pancakes and bacon in front of me. I happily ate as I hadn't since I arrived here early yesterday afternoon.

***

The hour passed by rather quickly and we were on our way to the Palace. We were driving towards what looked like a park reserve with a huge mountain smack bang in the middle.

"Where is the Palace again?" I asked for the second time since I had arrived.

"I told you, hidden..." John explained but didn't at the same time.

I sighed and leaned back in the seat of the car. We entered the park reserve and went off-road, we got closer and closer to the mountain until a small hut came into view. A man walked out of the door of the hut as we pulled up.

"John, how are you?" The man dressed in a black suit with dark glasses covering his face asked.

"I'm good Jones, I'm need access to the castle, a Royal has been reported missing." John quickly said, he didn't want to waste anymore time than he already had I could say the same.

Jones only nodded and moved his hand to tell us to continue.

John beeped his horn as a thank you and continued on the drive.

"Where is the castle?" I asked confused.

"All in good time son, all in good time." Was all John responded with.

His son chuckled under his breath and looked out of the side window, I ignored him and kept my eyes on the road ahead.

We got closer and closer to the mountain, the road we were on finally straightened out and in disappeared at the foot of the humongous mountain.

"John?" I questioned as we drove straight for rocks and boulders.

John only increased his speed of the car. I closed my eyes tight bracing for impact but nothing. I opened one eye cautiously and then the other.

"Where the..." I trailed off.

John chuckled.

"We are in the Royal Realm." He answered

"Inside the mountain." John's son looked at me and explained.

My jaw dropped, in all my years of being a werewolf I had never heard of such nonsense. 

"How?" I asked. 

I finally looked out the window and it was as if I was looking at the night sky, but all around was glowing moss? I furrowed my brows, I heard howls and wolves running through the trees. There were trees inside the mountain.

"We are on a completely different plane to earth. Put it this way, the Royals are clearly higher ranking than an Alpha, so they live higher above us. But not as high as the Moon Goddess. Understand?" John asked.

"Kinda." I didn't have a clue what he was talking about.

"Why is everyone turned?" I asked watching a white wolf chase what looked like a much younger wolf with the same marking, maybe siblings or parent and child.

"It's just the way it is here son." Was all John said.

Finally the castle came into view, it was over the top? Gorgeous, amazing, it easily had like a gazillion levels, 5 large flags moved in the air with the huge royal mark in gold on a off-white background, I gasped. This was it, time to meet the Queen.

****