The Missing Guardian

Chapter 10 - Into the unknown (West)

Ebony

Walking back to my cabin on the edge of the pack, I am consumed with nothing but Conals reaction, which if I am honest with myself is the last thing I should be concentrating on. But my chest tightens involuntarily as I think back to his face when he walked into the room.

The horror of possibly being caught with the dirty Omega that doesn't even belong in the pack. I felt so ashamed, which is new, I always feel hurt, but this is the first time I've felt like I was ashamed of myself.

I wonder if he even wants to come with me, sure we've spoken about leaving together for as long as I can remember but that's all it was....

Talk, maybe he was hoping to leave without everyone knowing he was leaving with the outcast.

His dirty little secret that he keeps hidden away. Everyone believes that the young Alpha is so kind to simply befriend the ousted wolf with no one left.

I know I'm different, I have an olive skin tone with dark hair, and I have become a beacon amongst the crowd. Everyone from the west is pretty fair haired with a bronze beach tan. But I've seen Conal when he hasn't tanned from being in the water because of bad weather that lasted weeks... And that man is pale.

I laugh to myself thinking of the memory, it seems so long ago, but it still makes me smile. Even if I don't want to smile because of him right now.

Ivory growls at my thoughts making her opinion on the matter known. And bringing me back to where I am and what I should be thinking about.

I make my way up the winding pathway out the inner pack toward the beach that lays sprawled out at our feet. I love the ocean, its waves crashing on the shore lull me to sleep every night as I lay in my cabin listening to its rythm wash away my inner turmoil.

The sand and sea come into view as I walk over the slight dune that separates the pack and the ever changing coastline.

The Western Howlers Pack streches up the western coast, and as you look down the beach you can see how dramatically the landscape changes. With the sand dunes that create the valley we live in and curve up to meet the water and now over centuries have turned to stone. becoming cliff faces that stretch down onto magnificent flat beaches with black sand.

Looking down the shoreline, you will see my cabin, tucked between the rock face of the nearest cliff and the start of the trees sprouting from the rocks somehow. The beach was my backyard so it didn't bother me that I was out here by myself.

I enjoy the tranquility and only venture back to the pack for necessities and work.

The cabin belonged to my mother, and I was allowed to come back when I came of age and could look after myself. It has survived some brutal storms over the years. Always my home though, no matter the war going on outside.

But now I was leaving and the thought of leaving it behind makes my heart break a little more as I stroll towards my sanctuary for the last time.

I come up to the steps and look at the pot plants scattered along my porch, I wonder if anyone will come water them while I am away or if they will be left to wilt and die alone. Left to the extremities that lash against the shore. Kind of like I was left to fend for myself.

I push the thought away as I open the front door and head inside.

My cabin is small, quaint and perfect in my eyes. It has two small bedrooms across from each other that connect to a little lounge and kitchenette with a bathroom.

There are so many memories wrapped in this home that its hard to choose what to take, not that there is much stuff.

I run my fingers across the beige couch we found and dragged home one night. I sigh looking around and wish we had more momentos that I could take with me.

Unfortunately we only ever scraped by and there was no extra for luxuries. The shelves stayed fairly bare. Except for a few photo frames that hold pictures of us through the years, scattered around.

I walk around collecting them all before

I turn away from the sitting room and head into my bedroom to start packing.

Everything seems so surreal, and the weight of saying goodbye to this place begins to settle on me.

I sit on my bed and feel the gray comforter and relish in the memories that lay silently in these sheets.

Conal cradling me as I sobbed at the loss of my mother, his gentle kisses when we were young...

My moms face as she tucked me into bed, telling me fairy-tales of the magic in the North, her gentle smile as she watched me until I fell asleep.

I miss her more and more each day, the determination of my mission now renewed.

I will find her and the answers to why she was taken. Ivory purrs her satisfaction at my new thoughts.

I get up and begin packing the small back pack that I have stashed in my cupboard. I don't own very much so it doesn't take me long to finish in my room.

A few changes of clothing and the book of fairy-tales my mom bought for me on my birthday. I don't have much else.

I walk over to the door and look back at my now empty room, all that is left is the bed, the tiny desk my mom built for me to study at and the bare cupboards.

I sigh deeply, feeling very alone in this moment, wishing with everything in my soul to not have to go, wishing mom was here, by my side and not out there somewhere.

I know everyone believes her long dead but I will not. My mother is a fighter, she carries with her a strength that I only dream of having.

She didn't tell me much of her past, always tearing up and saying that one day she would be able to share it with me but that it was still too fresh.

I stopped asking after a while but I knew it must have been horrendous because she lost her mate, my father.

I was but a baby when our pack was attacked by another pack and destroyed, she did tell me that my father was a warrior and died in the battle, she fled with me on her back. The Alpha of Western Howlers found us on his border and gave us sanctuary.

The sneers and disapproving looks from the pack didn't bother her but she was always there to listen when I came home with tears in my eyes from the nasty comments said at school.

She always told me to ignore the words the kids would spew, but the loneliness I felt when she disappeared was soul crushing, especially since everyone in the pack blamed us for their pack members going missing, all because they thought since we were outsiders we had brought the danger with us. Regardless of the fact that I had lost the last of my family.

I push the thoughts from my mind and slowly cross the sitting room to my mothers bedroom.

I crack the door open, afraid that when I enter her scent will have vanished.

I push the door open only a fraction and sidestep inside.

Her room still looks exactly the same as when she was here, I didn't even make the bed that she was stolen from. Her clothes still drape over the chair that she was planning to wear the next day. Her scent thankfully still faintly lingers in the bedding and her clothes, even after so many years, but the smell is only barely there now and my heart pines to feel the comfort of her scent up close again.

I don't come in here often, mostly for the fear of her scent disappearing quicker. While I was living at the pack house during my teenage years, the house was boarded up as it was and nobody disturbed it again until I was given permission to move back in.

Looking around I can imagine her getting ready in the morning, rushing around and shouting out her bedroom door to mine to make sure I was getting ready myself.

I head over to her dressing table, and look at the little trinkets on it, a perfume bottle and powder pot sit next to each other beside the small mirror.

I grab the perfume and open the drawer revealing my moms most prized possessions.

Her necklace, a simple platinum chain with a snowflake of little clear gems.

Her ring, a ruby set in iron. They were the most expensive things she owned and she kept them hidden from most. Laying beside them was my fathers gold watch.

I take them all, placing the necklace around my neck for safe keeping, ensuring to hide it under my shirt. I put the ring and my fathers watch in my bag and start going through some of her clothes to see what I want to take with me. I need to have some things of hers to keep.

Going through her cupboard I come across an old photo of my mother and father, I've seen this one before, they are outside a glamorous Building, smiling while they hold onto each other. I can't help but notice the similar features between my father and I.

His dark hair and olive skin are the same as mine, while I have my mother's eyes I definitely have his button nose.

They are both dressed in the finest attire, my mom in a beautiful silk looking dress that hugs her figure, her hair done up in curls. My father in full warrior attire, his badges hanging from his lapel. I tuck the picture in my bag and carry on looking through her things.

I find a few tops that were her favorites and as I'm placing them in the bag, I hear the front door open.

I stand there frozen, knowing that the only person who it would be is Conal, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to deal with him yet. His dismay at seeing me has left behind a stinging sensation I can't seem to soothe.

I sigh and take my a final look around the room before begrudgingly opening the door a crack and sneak back into the lounge.

There standing by my couch is an angry looking Conal, his chest puffed out and a scowl on his face.

I take in his disheveled state, his dusty brown hair a mess from what I can only assume is from running his hands through it a hundred times, his usually goofy smile now a tight line as he watches me step from my mothers bedroom.

"Do you care to explain what the hell is going on?"

I hear Ivory begin to growl in my head at his accusation, she accepts Conal as a friend but lets me know at every opportunity she can, that us being anything more than that is wrong.

I ignore her and stare up at him, into his hazel eyes, trying to gauge what he wants to hear.

"Ebony, how could you let me walk in there blind?"

His question catches me off guard, how was I to know the Alpha would send him on this quest.

"I looked like an i***t, and you just stood there."

once again, he makes himself out to be the victim regardless of the situation. I could laugh at his ego but know better.

"How exactly was I meant to warn you, I can't mindlink you nor can I sneak out to let you know, especially when I had no idea he was going to call you?"

I lash out, his clear rejection still burning through me. Maybe this is going to backfire and bite me but I am so tired of making everyone in this pack tolerate me and put up with all of the crap they dish out, especially their precious Alpha pup.

Ivory sniggers at my mental note while I let my anger fuel my bravery. I step toward him, with every ounce of my being wanting to feel the palm of my hand on his cheek for his disrespect to me. Regardless of who I am. But I fight the itch and simply let my anger flow through me.

He is just staring down at me, now irritated with my outburst. His eyebrows knitted together as we both desperately try to internally fight for dominance.

Eventually he slumps his shoulders in defeat and lets out a loud sigh.

"Okay fine, you didn't set me up, but care to explain what is going on, after you left I was told to go pack and then come get you, why are we going to Mystic Grove?"

His features soften into irritated confusion while I can feel myself boiling from the inside out.

"I don't know much more than you do, except that the tiny person in the box was indeed Fae and that we are somehow connected."

I watch his face morph into disbelief as I say this and it takes every bit of willpower not to laugh and tell him I told him so.

I let him process what I'm saying as I start to wonder about the cabin, looking for anything that I may need, I'm staring at the small pantry when he clears his throat. I turn to face him, ready for any other accusations he may have.

"Somehow connected? What does that mean?"

"I don't know yet, hopefully when the Fae wakes up she will be able to tell us what this all means, but while we wait we have to go to Mystic Grove. "

Something in the back of my mind tells me that I shouldn't say anything about the South, I'm not sure why because I've always told him everything before. Has something changed? This all feels different now. I decide to go with my gut and leave out the details about the South that I know for now.

"This is all so sudden, I... We had a plan, but now its been thrown out the water and we are getting dragged into Fae politics, I don't trust this, so I hope you know what your doing. "

I don't miss his slight mistake or his condescending attitude, something has definitely changed, I adore Conal, why do I feel so much resentment towards him now?

I push the bitter taste down and nod at him, this man in front of me was my world and suddenly all I can see are the cracks that rip through our relationship.

"I know, but I'm not far off from my goal, yes this is happening before we expected but it's an opportunity to start finding answers, this is probably safer than going on our own."

He audibly sighs again but relaxes, his ego soothed, the sight of him right now makes my skin crawl. I have no control of the words that spill next.

"At least this way, you will look like you are merely following your Alpha's request and not disappearing with the outcast in the night."

The remark is below the belt but I have no control over my rage right now and I want to hurt him, hurt him like he hurt me. My emotions now coming to the forefront.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Conal sounds shocked, like he wasn't expecting me to retaliate.

"Why don't you explain your face when you walked into that room and saw me?"

I throw my own question back at him, ignoring the building pressure in my chest cavity.

"You know full well why we can't be discovered, especially since we aren't mates."

He almost spits the answer back at me. His own rage now building.

But I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of backing down now, I know I'm using this as a reaction to the sudden change and leaving everything behind. But I don’t care, I need to know where this relationship is going before I set off into the unknown.

"Then what are you doing with me? Am I just a good time until you find someone better somewhere else?"

I am furious and this is going to escalate if I don't reign in my emotions. Ivory doesn't want to help me either, she's merely smirking in my mind, enjoying the show.

"How can you say that? We have been a team since we were no larger than grass hoppers, you know that I care about you and if I could, I would tell the world. "

I can't read his facial expressions as he has plastered his stoic, duty ridden mask on, keeping me at arms length... As usual. I know he must care for me, we have been friends since we were young pups, but maybe not the way I've always wanted him to.

I sigh loudly, exasperated by the situation and my exceptionally messy thoughts and feelings.

He must sense my defeat and walks over to me, throwing his arms around me and picking up me up, making me squeal.

"I'm sorry I acted like an ass, but you know that I care, and yes, this messes with our plans but we will be okay, we have each other and nothing is ever going to change that, okay?"

Normally with an apology like that I would be butter in his hands, my strong alpha cooing over me and making me feel special. But although my anger has dissipated I'm not placated by his comment.

Something strange is going on... I can definitely feel it, but I need to figure out what before I do something rash.

I nod into his neck and let him take the lead until I can get to the bottom of this.

I breathe in his musky scent, hoping to calm my nerves, but his scent has changed. Only ever so slightly but its caught me off gaurd and I become defensive instead of calm.

I let him nuzzle into me and then gently place me down so I can stand again.

"Do you want to take anything else?"

I dash over to the kitchen as he says this and bend down under the sink, scratching around until I feel the tin in my fingers.

I pull out my savings, that ive kept in a biscuit tin, and shove it into my bag, hoping it gets me far enough to find her.

I can feel him watch me as I look around for anything that I may have missed. I turn to see him standing in the doorway, probably itching to leave, but I have to water the plants, it's the least I can do.

I hand him my bag as I walk out onto the deck and connect the hose.

"I don't think we really have the time Ebs..."

I turn and glare at him, cutting off any idea of arguing.

I then start my process of watering each pot plant, ensuring they will have enough to last at least a few days. I know it's going to take a while but I have to at least do this or my conscience will eat me alive.

Thankfully Conal doesn't say anything and just watches me as I get through my process, his rough exterior falling away, his smile slowly returns and I'm hoping that whatever felt off is now fixed.

Eventually I get to the last plant and give it just a little bit more than the others before turning the water off and putting the hose away.

Conal walks over to me and I can feel his hand on the small of my back, comforting me while I say my goodbyes to my home.

Gently he leads me to the front door and takes the key from me, locking it while I absorb the last of it all in.

I then take a deep breathe in, turn around and start walking away, down the front steps onto the beach sand, leaving Conal to catch up.

We make our way up the beach and over the dune toward the pack village. I have my eyes everywhere, ensuring that no one is around that will stop us and ask questions.

I don't want my absence to be noticed to be honest. And I highly doubt it will, as long as no one notices me walking toward the Alpha's pack house with one his son's.

As much as they all know that we are friends, we have never been seen together after dark or in any intimate way when the pack is around.

And though my heart is swelling because he is walking me back to the pack house himself, breaking all our protocols. I need to keep a low profile.

Luckily no one is walking around this late and we go unseen, even the guards that are normally standing in their positions are absent. I look over to Conal, thinking the worst...

Of course the minute this man decides to show me any attention in public, everyone dissappears. But he looks as if he was expecting this, maybe he was, maybe he told them to go for a walk while he comes inside with me.

I can't help but feel like he has driven a stake through me, of course he made sure no one would see us, probably timed it down to the second.

Why would he suddenly change? I just swallow the feeling down, more determined now than ever that no matter what I couldn't lose focus on my goal. Finding my mother...

She is the only one who truly cares about me, she always told me to not take it too far with Conal, but I didn't listen...

As we are walking through the main entrance I notice the Luna looking down from one of the staircases, her chin held high as she looks down at me through glaring eyes.

The Luna doesn't hide her contempt from me, she was just as rude to my mother when she was here. I just look down at the floor as I always do and carry on behind Conal who now is leading us towards the room where the Fae lays.

"Conal?"

Her shrill voice catching her son off guard as he stops at her words. I can see the hair on the back of he's neck stand up. I know the hostile environment Conal grew up in, his mother constantly jealous of any of her men getting any attention from other females.

She raged for weeks when her eldest son found his mate, crying and shrieking about how she had lost her baby to some heathen.

And Goddess help any she-wolf that even glanced at the Alpha while in her presence...

"Mother..."

Conal puts on his detached voice when dealing with his mom, never giving her any hint of emotion that she will then use to sniff out any woman behind those feelings.

"What, pray tell, is the outcast doing here... With you?"

I can actually feel her scowl burning a hole through me with her eyes. She is going to release her full wrath on me in a moment if we don't come up with an excuse that will extinguish her fury.

"Pack business is all, mother."

Conal acts aloof, he has learned over years to never fuel her crusade.

There is a moment of silence, and I pray that the conflict doesn't get any worse. But knowing the Luna, that is unlikely.

"Why would the outcast be brought in by one of the Alpha boys at this time of night, this is incredibly disrespectful. Whatever her grievances are, they can be handled in the morning, I don't want her in my home at night..."

As if dismissing any inclination that it may not be my grievance. She is so self righteous it makes me nauseous.

I turn to walk out, I'm not going to stand here and let her belittle me, I will wait outside and let them figure it out.

But as I begin to walk away, we hear footsteps coming from the Alpha's office, I can hear the loud stomping of the Alpha's shoes and then light footsteps trailing behind.

This is not going to go well, the Luna already mad because she has seen me, now the Alpha is about to walk out with Willow behind him. I cringe waiting for the inevitable.

As predicted, the moment they step out into the open, I hear the Luna gasps audibly.

"Ebony, where are you going? "

The Alpha asks, ignoring his mate and stopping me in my tracks. I am in the red zone here, regardless of what I say I'm going to lose.

Thankfully Conal intervenes.

"Mother asked her to leave, she is merely doing as her Luna asked."

I can hear the Alpha audibly gulp as he realizes his mistake, but he then looks up at his mate with venom in his eyes. I have never seen him look at her this way, he has always turned a blind eye to her jealous rages.

This is unknown territory for all of us, even Conal looks taken aback by his father.

"You, my dear mate, need to go to bed and not worry about pack matters that do not concern you. "

His full Alpha mode now on full display.

But I know better than to think the Luna will back down now after she has found two females in her home that she can't dispel.

"I do believe as Luna, that I have the right to know about all pack matters, especially if they concern other women in my home, with MY MATE."

She shrieks the last bit like a petulant child having a tantrum, I roll my eyes at her, luckily though I'm staring at the ground, so nobody notices my insolence.

But then I hear more people approaching and I can't help myself but to look up to see what's going on.

Two guards are carrying a stretcher, with what I can only presume is the Fae, but she is full size with a sheet covering her from the neck down, I presume to hide her Southern uniform from others.

"Well, you need not worry, they are all about to leave, as their business here has now ended."

Without another word the guards pass by us, out to the front foyer and then through the main entrance. I take this as my cue and follow behind them, I see Willow do the same, neither of us wanting to anger the Luna further.

As I get to the door, I hear the Alpha shout at his mate, not caring that we would overhear.

"I just discovered that you have had dealings with Humans, without telling me!"

He roars at her, and I slow my pace to listen in, but Willow grabs my wrist and pulls me through the door, and his thundering argument disappears. Sound proofing is an amazing thing, especially in the werewolf world.

As we get outside, I see the guards loading the stretcher onto a silver carriage, it's beautiful and reminds me of the stories my mother would tell me. Two huge stallions, ridden by Fae men, with swords are pulling the carriage. I fear to touch it as it glistens in the moon light.

"It's made from an aluminum, so no need to worry, I promise you no harm, but we have alot to discuss and plan."

Willow says behind me, she must have noticed my hesitancy. I nod and slowly walk toward the side door of the carriage.

The horses tower over me and if I'm honest I am a bit overwhelmed. I feel Willow behind me as she places her hand on my back in support.

I push my hesitancy down and climb into the little seating area, the seats are a plush white fabric and look effortlessly comfortable. I scoot to the furthest side, next to the window and watch as the Fae sits in front of me.

Suddenly Conal bursts through the entrance door with my backpack and his own larger one over his back, the guards take the bag from him and start loading them onto the back with the sleeping Fae I found earlier.

His face is furious and I can see his anger clearly written on his face. I need to find out what happened, but I'll wait until we are alone again. He starts climbing into the cabin with us when the Luna bursts through the doors, shrieking at the top of her lungs.

"YOU CANNOT GO!! MY BABY!! YOU CANNOT NOT GO ON ANY MISSION WITH FAE!!!"

But Conal ignores her and climbs in, closing the door, nodding to Willow, to which the horses begin their journey, leaving the Luna on her knees in the courtyard, yelling at us to stop.

I look at Conal, but his true emotions are hidden, his anger truly visible in his body language. He simply ignores his mothers screaming.

This is going to be a long journey...