THE STOLEN PIECE

CHAPTER 21- DEFEATED

GABRIEL

I was just tired, I did my best and still, it wasn’t enough at all. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw Simon looking at me.

    -If you are taking this attitude then you are right, you can’t be the Alpha King. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and your failures, the real Alpha King would accept the situation and try to help, not just pity himself.

“Gabe?” I know that what Simon was saying was true, but I was exhausted, not just physically but for the first time in my life mentally exhausted, I needed help. I wasn’t going to be able to keep doing these things on my own. “I am with you Gabe we can do it!” Zeus was trying to lift my spirit, even though I could feel his spirit and it was as low as mine or worse. The fact that Zeus was just as tired and he still felt the responsibility to cheer me up just made me feel worse. I hid my head between my knees and let some tears out. I hadn’t cried in a long time.

    -I need to go back to the pack and help them. They need to know the royal pack is with them in their loss and that we care and would help them out.

As he said that the hand on my shoulder was gone and just the sounds of the forest surrounding me. I need to be better, I need to improve, I can’t keep hiding from everyone until I can have peace I would have time for this, but I know I can’t be less than what they deserve. I stood up. I was still tired but I knew what I had to do. I connected with Zeus and the heat started to appear, with his ears and the increase of senses I could track Harvey. I followed his sent until I saw him sitting on a rock. I walked until I was just one step from him.

    -You did what you had to do, you were wrong, we are here to protect, and that protection comes with a high cost. I’m proud that you protected that female and her kid just as if they would have been Maria. You are one of the most novel warriors. In a battle, we can’t always control the outcome, but you are right in the sense that we need to protect everyone, our loved ones no matter the cost. I’m sure that if you had to fight until your death for this pack or any other you would and that is the most honorable act a wolf can achieve.

Harvey turned around and looked at me, his eyes were red because of the crying and they were starting to swell. He then stood up and hugged me.

    -I never wanted to kill him, Gabe... I should have controlled my strength better, but I didn’t know the wolf was that young and…

He kept venting his pain and I just hugged him back.

    -You did nothing wrong… You did nothing wrong. I’m proud of you. You have the kindest heart, Harvey. You did nothing wrong.

I kept saying those words at him while I hugged him. We stayed in that position until I felt Harvey was letting go and so did I. I looked at him and he looked a bit calmer.

    -We need to go back and help the pack, they also lost members and we must be there for them.

He nodded and we started walking back. As we arrived The bodies were on the ground covered in bed sheets, some had flower designs others were just patterns. I looked at Harvey and then I grabbed him by the arm, I didn’t want him to enter back in shock, so I pulled him with me and I kept walking. I saw the Alpha talking with Simon.

    -What can we do to help?

Simon smiled when he saw us and the Alpha also had a small smile.

    -Right now we need help digging the grabbed for the pack members.

    -We can do that.

Harvey said, making me surprised by his initiative.

    -We are also looking for some missing kids that ran when the safe house was penetrated.

    -Simon is one of the best trackers in the royal pack, he can lead the search. 

    -I would… The pack is thankful for your help.

Then the Alpha looked at Harvey, he walked to him and grabbed Harvey’s shoulder.

    -I’m personally in debt to you, the woman you protected is my wife’s sister. Thanks to you she is still alive.

Then the Alpha lowered his head at Harvey.

    -Please don’t bow to me, I just tried to help.

I smiled at Harvey’s red face, I hope that the Alpha’s words lighten his pain and sorrow. 

    -Well let’s go and help.

I started walking. I wasn’t sure where to go, but I was afraid that if I didn’t stay busy my mind would collapse again. I kept my mind and body focused on the labor, not thinking of anything else just trying to pass the time and help as much as I could. When the bodies started to arrive, I saw that Harvey was no longer around, I started to look for him and then I saw him carrying a body?

    -What are you doing Harvey?

    -I’m giving them the sepulture they deserve. 

I followed him and he kept walking until he was outside the pack territory and left the body near another body. Then he went back to the pack and started carrying another body. I helped him with the bodies. When the last ones were outside the pack he started digging on his wolf form. I helped him a bit and then I did help him get the bodies down. He made a hole for everybody and then he covered them and put a big rock over every grave. Then we walked back, The pack was covering the graves with flowers. I looked around and Simon was still not around, neither the Alpha. The Luna was the one guiding the pack right now. Some females were singing and others were comforting other pack members. The atmosphere was filled with love, but the sadness was still lingering. We stay there with the pack. I saw Harvey and he looked alright. I heard him chant a song that Artemis used to sing, she told us that song connected us to the Moon Goddess. I felt uncomfortable, something was off and I couldn’t stay still, I don’t know if it was that I wasn’t moving or that I had time to think about stuff or that awful song Harvey was singing. The time passed and it was getting dark, I saw Simon walking near the Alpha they were having a conversation. When the Alpha looked at the Luna he left Simon and walked to her. I used the chance and went with Simon.

    -What happened?

    -We followed the trace of the scent, but it disappeared on the road.

    -On the road?

    -Yes, it just banishes there. We kept looking but no more traces were there. Many kids are still lost, and Alpha's first son is one of them.

    -But the Alpha’s son can guide the other kids and protect them… wait wasn’t he just like 6 years old?

    -Yes, he can’t shift, and the Alpha is getting worried by the second. The Luna is pregnant and he is afraid the news of their kid missing could affect the pregnancy. We need to keep looking for the kids.

    -I will join the search, let the first unit rest and stay with the females, I will lead the second unit.

    -I will arrange that.

Simon left and talked with the Alpha, I went into the forest, took the clothes off, and shifted. “We must find those kids Zeus.” “Yes, Gabe!” We saw wolves arriving, we led the unit and started sniffing, the scent of the kids was still lingering around we followed them but just as Simon said the scent banished on the road. I tried to find the scent on the other side, but there was no trace.

    -” Everyone let’s spread and keep looking!”

I kept sniffing around and trying to find clues that we weren’t seeing but I did nothing. I searched in every part of the forest and nothing! The night came and a third unit started searching, but I didn’t stop searching. When the light of the sun started to appear I decided to go back to the packhouses. I walked to the point where I undress and shifted back, put the clothes on, and walked to the packhouses. As I approached a familiar scent filled my lungs. I looked through the crowd…

    -Mom?

    -GABRIEL!

She came running and hugged me. She instantly jumped and hugged me and I knew I was not dreaming because the sparks started to fly into my body. Her feet were not touching the ground and she had both arms wrapped around my neck. I inclined so her feet would touch the ground again. I tried to push her off me but she was not letting go. Then I looked at the crowd…

    -Dad?

My Dad looked at me and then continued talking with the Alpha. “What are our parents doing here?” I was so confused and Zeus asking the same question, again and again, wasn’t helping at all. Then I saw Sabrina hugging Harvey. “Onyx´s Mom is also here?” Zeus was just pointing the obvious and I was trying to find the logic in this situation. Finally, my Dad stopped talking to the alpha and approached me.

    -How are you, Gabe?

    -I’m okay Dad. What are you doing here?

He was about to talk but he made an uncomfortable face.

    -Queen please stop hugging him, you are dragging him down literally.

My Mom let go of my neck and I finally was able to stand straight. I grabbed my neck and massaged a bit.

    -We are here to control the situation.

“WHAT?” Zeus was mad. “WE WERE HANDLING THE SITUATION! WE DIDN’T NEEDED THE HELP! WE WERE TRYING! HE DOESN'T TRUST US!” Zeus was shouting, I tried to push him so that my head could be at least a bit quiet but his anger was just too much. I felt the heat on my head.

    -Gabe calm down we are only here to help.

My Dad’s words just make me even mad.

    -I was taking care of the situation Dad.

    -Gabe we just had an attack in the pack where the two sons of the King and the only son of the royal beta were staying. We need to take full responsibility. The Royal pack needs to…

    -I was helping! I was looking for the missing kids and…

    -I’m not saying you were doing a bad job, but this scenario just surpasses you. I need to take the lead and…

    -You don’t trust me! Were you just waiting the whole time for me to fail so you could interfere?

    -Gabe you know it’s not like that.

My Mom tried to touch me but I moved my arm from her.

    -No! I will prove myself and you will see that I am capable!

I ran into the forest and shifted back, the clothes ripped but I didn’t care. Zeus started running. “We need to find clues now Zeus!” “I’m on it!” We searched like crazy, we saw Royal trackers starting their search, and then we saw Simon’s wolf leading them. “That traitor! he must have informed our parents…” Zeus was beyond mad now. We tracked everything we could but nothing was out of the normal. “Zeus let’s go back to that place.” “Okay.” Zeus wasn´t convinced, but he still led us to the burned place. “There must be something we missed."  We walked to where the cream wolf was and saw huge claw marks on the rock, the scent was ashes? like if these marks could have been done by the fire. Also, there were no traces of the cream wolf. What is happening in this place… I saw the maps and there was no way the cream wolf could have banished like that. There was no place for him to run! Then I noticed that the spot where the cream wolf was standing still had dry leaves and some green plants. “I didn’t found anything helpful.” Zeus sounded exhausted, we haven’t slept or ate in a while. “Wait, Zeus! Maybe Sam found a clue!” and that’s when it hit me. Where the hell is Sam? Zeus let’s find Sam. We went to the last spot we saw him, his scent was still lingering in the air, and it was mixing with something that made my nose ache. Then the scent just disappeared. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PLACE?” I was getting nuts, how is that every scent just disappeared, it wasn’t normal. “I’m tired, Gabe.” Zeus' voice was exhausted and defeated. I felt the heat and we shifted back. I was also tired. I stayed in that place for a while, until I saw Harvey walking towards me.

    -You are going to need this.

He threw me some clothes.

    -And this.

Then he threw me an apple. I ate it in 2 bites, but that just made me hungrier.

    -I don’t get it, Harvey, what is going on here?

    -I don’t know and the Royal pack is also having trouble understanding… I guess you were right, I thought that they would come and everything would make sense but, they still don’t find an explanation.

    -They are not… 

My Mom appeared between the trees, she bent and grabbed some of the burnt of the ground.

    -What happened here?

Harvey just looked at me.

    -Gabriel?

    -I don’t know Mom, Zeus got a kick on the nose, and that disoriented us then we almost catch the Alpha of the attacking pack, but suddenly a wave of heat appeared and Finn tackled me and when I open my eyes this place was just like this, back then there were still some flames lingering around.

My mom started sniffing around and then she walked towards me, she grabbed her nose and started rubbing it.

    -What is that scent? It's hot and itchy?

    -Don’t know.

She then continued sniffing and then looked at me with worried eyes.

    -Where is Sam?

At that moment I knew I was right, I just not only failed this pack or myself. I failed my parents and worst I lost my brother.