Shadow of the Wolves

Chapter 17

The next day,Caspian and I walked to the training grounds. I wore my typical training clothes, black sports bra and exercise shorts both distracting to him. Caspian did in fact play the same card as he walked out shirtles

"Do you really want to do this, Thea?" Caspian asked as we got to the wrestling mats.

"I've never walked away from a fight," I said.

Castor ran up to us,"So it's true you're fighting each other?" He asked out of breath.

"She is very stubborn." Caspian said as he got some gloves.

"You're just afraid I'll beat you." I retorted.

"I'm afraid I'll hurt you." He said.

"Ready?" I asked as my boxing gloves were set.

He hesitated, but walked forward, arms held up in defense.

"Okay, I want a clean fight,"Castor began, "The first one to fall on the mat either by knockout or fall loses. Fight in your preferable style, just try not to ruin his face Thea, that's all the the guy got. Ready, GO!" Castor laughed .

I took a breath and put my hands down as he started to walk around me in circles. I watched his carefully, watching his muscles flex right as he threw a punch. I turned and stepped out of the way, then I sent a punch to his arm. He suddenly got a got of my arm and dragged it behind my back forming an arm lock . He let go of it, just to switch The lock over my neck.

"I'd say smart," he whispered against my ear,"But acting defenseless won't work now that I know you. "

"Exactly ."I said and I stopped standing,sliding my legs into a split and pulling the same move from last night. I flipped onto my feet and smiled as he chuckled.

"Gymnastics? "He asked.

I shrugged.

"This will go on for a while." He said.

I picked up my leg and said,"Or not." I started kicking, punching and doing all I could just to beat him, but he blocked it with ease.

"You're good,honey. "He praised effortlessly as he caught my left leg from kicking his head.

"Oh,thank you." I said sweetly and used his hold to flip backwards,kicking his chest.

He stepped forward and chuckled slightly, "You're very stubborn." He said and threw a combination of punches which I blocked easily.

"Oh really?" I asked sarcastically, "Isn't it the other way around?" I asked,"You could just let the women fight, they have been training with the men." I pointed out.

"True,but I don't want you fighting." He said with a left hook I blocked.

"I was caught off guard once and now you don't think I'm adequate for fighting."I said with a tornado kick followed by a punch of his.

He smirked, "Like I said,this will take a while-"

Just as he spoke,I swept my feet under his feet,making him fall on his butt,"I win." I said out of breath as the audience around us cheered.

He got up, "Come here." He said as he got up, but with just one step, he wrapped an arm around me and kissed me.

I was happy and surprised and there was one thing I knew I could do,"Come,I have an interrogation to finish." I told him.

He hesitated, "Are you sure?."

I nodded,"Let's go."

"So you're back to do more punching? "Embry asked just as I walked in his dark metal cell.

"Honestly, cut the crap Embry. Your pack is already at war with Shadow Moon so if we kill you already,there won't be any consequences that aren't already set." I said and leaned against the wall as he thought it through.

"Why are you here,anyways,Thea? I know that Shade is a strict Alpha, but I heard he killed his last mate, isn't it true?"

I shrugged, "Bad or not I don't care. I'm here as an exchange. "

"So he was wrong." He mumbled.

"Who?"I asked.

He shook his head, "No one, so let's talk. How have you been? What has happened,how's James?"

"How is Destanie, your mate?" I asked .

He whimpered, "She died giving birth, neither survived. "

"Oh."

"So you see, young Theadora, I have nothing to lose but my position, so I won't betray my own pack. "He said.

"I can see that, but I'm asking you to do so either way. You owe it to me like you would owe it to you mate, as a noble act. "I said.

He tried standing, but the cuffs tying him down prevented him,"You can't say what I owe to my wife! They had nothing to do with this!"He shouted.

"Why did the Knight Pack attack Shadow Moon!?!" I asked.

"I won't say s**t to you!"

"Tell me!" I growled.

"What makes you think I'll say?"

I expended me claws flied them against each other, "I'll find my ways. But then you'll realize betraying you pack isn't bad, after all, they aren't making a fuss over their captured Delta ."

His face flushed and his dark eyes widen,"I'll take a long, long story, girl,one that's ugly too."

"I have time."I said and slid down to the ground across from him.

"If I tell you, give me your word you won't kill me. I want immunity ."

I smirked, "Depends on the story you have tell me."I said,"Either way, what do you have to lose?"

He nodded as his eyes s watered slightly, then he began,"I found my mate a week before I attacked Silver Moon, but she was of high rank and I had to go through the Acceptance of the Alpha. He told me how he had dream to marry his mate,but how that dream was taken from him when she left him for another. He said she moved to another pack and that he wanted them dead ."

He chuckled, "Alpha Balthazar told me to kill them, so along with my band of rogues, we attacked Silver Moon and I got my mate." He said.

I scowled, "But how does that have to do with this attack."

He narrowed his eyes,"My Alpha is a lunatic. His mate died years before and he thought your mom, being an exact look alike, would fulfill the role of his Luna. Think Theadora,who now looks like his dead mate's doppelganger ? "

I scowled, "What?"

"You mother used to belong to the Knight Pack, but on the day of the Full Moon Ball she sneaked out and met her mate, it became an escape from Balthazar who was forcing her into a marriage. Ten years after she had you and Balthazar have had enough . Six years more and he finds a you fighting in an attack we conducted. But of course he gives your pack immunity since you were too young to mate. So he waits, But you, a girl almost identical to his original mate, found her mate . . . not only but to be Balthazar's sworn enemy. . . the great Shadow Wolf."

My breath hitched, "So this is about me?"

He nodded,"And he will stop at nothing to have his bride."

"T-T-That's crazy! There are laws ! The Royal Pack will stop him. "I said, "One can't take a mated wolf from their mate!"

"There is a loophole in every promise, Theadora. One can't take a mated wolf from their mate, there is nothing that stops him from killing Shadow and then taking you."

I began panicking, "Then we'll fight back."

"Against the pack that hasn't lost any wars in five hundred years?"

I flustered and got up,"We'll talk about your immunity later,I have too many things to deliberate with my mate."I said and walked out, rushing to my mate at the end of the hall.

He seemed as anxious as I was,"Come, we have to prepare. A war is coming and I'm not losing my mate. "

That night, all the Ranks went to the library to talk about the problem, me. Kyle and his mate Payton, Andy and Willow, Natalia, Castor, Jacklin and Caspian with me .

"The Knight Pack has around 870 fighting members. Without the females, our numbers are down by around 300 "Andy said .

"How many women are ready to fight? "Kyle asked.

"535, the rest chose not to fight."Castor said.

"That leaves us with an advantage of around 235 members," I said monotonously while I leaned on the wall, thinking about the secrets my parent's death withheld. The things that no one told me about, not even James parents told me.

Caspian moved from the table and walked towards me as the rest walked about new border patrol schedules.

"Are you okay?" He murmured.

I nodded,"Just worried."

He wrapped his arms around me,"Don't be, Nothing will happen to you I swear." He said and kissed the top of my head.

"What about you?"

"I can take care of myself." He said and grasped my shoulders, "And he won't take you away from me."

I smiled and pressed my lips to his, growing confident about this battle.

The next day was a busy day, Caspian had begun calling other packs for backup,Castor along with Kyle went to the borders and fixed up a new attack plan. Andy and I were left to train the pack, dividing the hundred of fighter into different groups, from the pack house guards to the battlefield troops.

I just hoped it was be enough for a battle against the Invictus pack.