Their Switched Wolves

The Trip

We're in the car, on our way to my pack.

Lucas emerged from his room feeling depressed. His aura expanded to sizes I had never seen before. I´m thinking about it.

I'm annoyed. Not with him, not with Kayla, but with everything else. I should be overjoyed that I've found my fated mate, but I'm not.

Please, Moon Goddess, put a stop to that. My mind hears Thea's voice. She's agitated for some reason; I'm not sure what it is.

What happened? I ask her, perplexed.

Stop all of this whining. Please explain why you are grieving for someone you do not love. My body leans back slightly, and my eyes widen in surprise.

Lucas, he... Thea, won't let me finish what I'm about to say...

I'm not referring to him! I'm talking about you! What happened to the warrior I met on the first day? The one who escaped a horde of werewolves? Who was it who meticulously planned her escape? That's exactly who you are! The fighter! The praise between Thea's words lifts my spirits a little.

Why are you suffering when you don't have to? Her question astounds me. I can tell Thea is annoyed and, even more so, upset with me.

What exactly do you mean? I want to clarify, because I believe I got lost in her train of thought.

I know, Alice, I know you don't love him. Do you want him because you love him or because you know he is your mate? Why are you suffering in anticipation? Thea's words reverberate in my mind. Maybe I should admit that she is correct, but knowing is one thing and feeling is another.

Could you please tell me what I should do? Yes, I ask, because I am exhausted by this whirlwind of events and emotions. I need rest and inner peace.

Kayla is a she-wolf with principles in whom you must have faith. Lucas appears to be aware as well. And Melanie is willing to help us; you just need to be patient. Anyway, that's not the issue here; it's your desire to be loved. Thea's sigh causes goosebumps all over my body. Her power is so strong that even though she is in my mind, my body reacts to her actions.

I know you're right, you're a part of me now. I can't fool you. I rub my brow with my hand, attempting to think clearly. Yes, why am I pitying myself over and over? They have the same problem as I do. I'm such a moron.

You've been crying and whining since we arrived in the land of Middlemist's Red Pack and all for someone with whom you have no feelings right now, perhaps only attraction and admiration. Let fate, not expectations, decide whether you should be happy or sad. Thea advises me with a loud and hard voice, and I understand what she's saying.

Sorry! I mumble.

I don't need your apologies! I want you to be the warrior you are in life, not only on the battlefield. We have to like ourselves first. Protect yourself! If there's one thing no one can steal from you, it's the person you are, and that's your work to do, working on who you are. Thea's advice makes perfect sense. The question is whether I will be able to follow it.

I've spent my entire life attempting to please my father and make him proud of me. To be accepted, I always tried to be perfect in my actions. Losing my mother was extremely difficult; I had always assumed that if I was perfect in their eyes, my pack would never abandon me, and I would never be alone. With this, I believe I forgot that I am worth no matter what.

"That's it, girl!" Thea exclaimed proudly.

I stare out the window, taking in the scenery and reflecting on my conversation with Thea. If Lucas is predestined for me, then everything will work out sooner or later. If not, there must be something in store for me. That's what I want to believe!

After several hours, I finally recognized the landscape I saw through the window.

Alice, I can feel the mate bond with Leon! Thea beams with delight! He has to be around!

"Lucas, Thea is feeling Leon. He's somewhere near! He's still alive!" Lucas, who is in the front passenger seat, turns his head and stares at me. He has a blank face, I can't read his emotions, knowing Leon is alive.

"We are close to both the kingdom and your pack. He must be nearby. It makes complete sense. Because the distance is shorter, Thea felt him again!" Lucas ponders over the reasons. His expressionless face is the same.

"However, when we awoke, she didn't feel anything." I took it up again, remembering the day i woke up in Natalie's house.

"But your wolves were frail, and you claimed they weren't with you." Lucas rationalized the situation once more. "All the more reason for us to seek information from your pack. Later, we will try to find out where he is and what happened to him. Looking for him now is a huge risk for us." Lucas explains and, I have to nod, he is absolutely right.

The bond is growing stronger every minute. I'm feeling pain now as well; he's in a lot of pain, Alice. Thea is desperate, and I can feel her agitation and pain radiating to me.

In the last fifteen minutes, the pain had been increasing, and Thea was becoming more and more restless; she had already tried to shift, and I had to try to block her, without success.

"Ahhhhhh," I screamed in agony. It's impossible to calm Thea down in order to stop this burning sensation on my skin and my headache.

"You must block her!" Lucas screams in concern.

"Stop the car, Anthony!" He commands his Gamma, who immediately obeys.

I step out of the car, hands on my head. The pain is torturous. Thea's energy is driving me insane and causing me excruciating agony. My vision has become blurry, and my ears are ringing. I'm unable to block or communicate with Thea.

"I have a small wolfsbane pill here, which we usually give when elements become feral and uncontrollable. "Anthony informs Lucas, raising his brow and waiting for his Alpha's instructions.

Even though I can't see well, I can tell Lucas is staring at me and debating whether he should give it to me.

"Please Lucas, please!" I almost begged. The ache is unbearable. I want a pill to help me before I collapse.

"Okay. Anthony, give her the pill and get a bottle of water from the car." Lucas yells, approaching me.

My knees are on the ground right now, my breathing is labored, and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to maintain control.

Anthony handed over the pill and the bottle to me. I take a sip and swallow it. I don't have the energy to get up. Lucas approaches, picks me up, and places me in the car's back seat. He takes a seat beside me, leaving the door open. I feel relieved as the breeze blows in. I'm starting to feel better little by little. I drink the rest of the remaining water.

"We can go now, Lucas. Thank you very much!" I closed my eyes because I needed to sleep. This experience has depleted all of my energy.

"Alice! Alice!" I am awakened by Lucas' voice and the small shakes he is giving me. "We've made it to the border. Because you don't have a mindlink with the pack, I need you to tell us where we can contact someone." Lucas inquires, concerned. Fortunately, I'm feeling better and regaining control of my body.

"Here. They usually appear every five minutes. They must be on their way!" I gave him a light smile, opened the car door, and stepped out, inhaling the lavender scent in the air. How I long for this scent! Lavender fields surround my pack. The landscape is purple at this point, and the fragrance is strong.

I saw two warriors from my pack coming towards us.

"Mika!" I ran towards my friend, tears streaming down my cheeks. Mika is the son of Lancaster, my father's Beta. Mika is a beta wolf, with a large and muscular body. He has thick black hair and brown eyes. He is coveted by almost all of the mateless she-wolves in and around the pack, not only because of his beta wolf, but because he is truly handsome. He is my best friend, the one I cherish like a brother.

"Alice!" When he realizes it's me, he screams. He also began to run towards me. He cradles me in his lap and spins my body around in an act of pure joy.

"You're still alive! Alice!" Finally, he places me down, and his gaze is drawn to mine. I noticed his moist eyes. He wipes my tears away with his hand and ruffles my hair, just like he used to. I hug him again; it feels so good to be hugged by someone close to you.

I'm not sure how long we've been in this position, but I hear someone clearing his throat. Simon has a grin on his face as he looks at us.

"I thought my turn would never come, Alice! How dare you?" He says this while laughing and hugging me. Simon, Gammas' son, is another of my friends and Mika's male best friend.

"Why don't you introduce your new acquaintances?" Simon, who is now suspicious of Lucas, Anthony, and the Warriors who were following us in their car, inquires.

"Sure!" This is something I say while smiling and making introductions. Until now, Lucas and the others had remained silent and expressionless. During the presentations, they were polite, but I could tell Lucas was too quiet.

"Your father is waiting for you in the pack house, Alice. My mother is overcome with joy and invites you to visit her later." Mika alerted me. He must have communicated with my father and his family, whom I consider to be mine, via mindlink.

Mika joined us as we returned to the cars. Simon was forced to continue the rounds.

"I'm unable to communicate with your wolf!" Mika's perplexity is understandable, and he whisper-yelled at me.

"Her wolf is recovering," Lucas says before I can respond.

"She's blocked until she can fully recover." Lucas's voice tells him and I am extremely grateful because I didn't know what to say and Mika might suspect me. This is preferable, and I wasn't the one to lie.

When we arrive at our destination, Anthony and Lucas' warriors leave their vehicles parked. I took a deep breath and exited the car. Lancaster was standing next to my father. They are old but still charming. I can´t stop admiring them. My father seems older than before.

Lancaster ran towards me as soon as he saw me and pressed me against his chest. My tears are now wetting his shirt.

He murmured to my clutch: "Welcome back, little pumpkin." Being treated in this manner in front of a group of adults made me blush.

"Please don't call me that! I've asked for it numerous times!" Lancaster pulls me away from his chest and smiles broadly.

"You will always be my pumpkin!" He exclaimed, tenderly looking down at me because he is quite tall. I also offered him my finest and most honest grin.

My father didn´t move an inch. He is gazing at me intently, he has some kind of fear in his eyes. "Alice? Is that really you?"