Rendered

Chapter 15

Nuzo’s POV

Fifteen minutes proved insufficient for a thorough inspection of the premises, particularly considering my unfamiliarity with the land. Relying solely on map coordinates, I moved with stealth, avoiding direct line of sight. The landscape was undeniably beautiful, though my circumstances left no room for appreciation. As I approached the southern border, faint murmurs reached my ears, prompting me to halt. Cautiously, I advanced toward the source of the sounds. Upon drawing closer, the conversation between a man and a woman became distinctly audible. "I find myself quite uneasy about this situation. Why not simply flee instead of getting involved? If things go awry, we'll either end up dead or in serious trouble," the woman lamented. Dismissing her concerns, the man retorted, "You women seem to possess a fondness for complaints. Should we execute our task competently, we'll ascend from mere wolves to esteemed pack members."

Boredom prompted the woman to abandon the conversation's tedium. She clothed herself, exchanged parting words with the man, and left. Meanwhile, the man remained reclined, basking in postcoital satisfaction and the sun's caress on his exposed skin. As the woman distanced herself, I, in my lupine form, pounced upon the man, jolting him from his reverie. Swiftly, I drove my right claw into his left shoulder, eliciting cries of agony. Simultaneously, approaching footsteps — presumably the woman's — reached my ears. Reacting instinctively, I swiftly silenced him by slitting his throat. Thereafter, I followed the footsteps which had change direction with respect to their initial direction.

The woman I'd encountered before was the same one I needed to bring with me to the safehouse. "I can smell you; come out of hiding and stop following me," she declared. I had two choices, to reveal myself immediately or bide my time and let her approach. After careful consideration, I opted to wait for her approach. As expected she tried to attack me head-on in her human form with a knife. I dodged her attack and circled her. She kept trying to stab me but she kept missing. She was definitely no soldier. I turned into human form and allowed her to attempt stabbing me. However, this time I grabbed her hand causing the knife to fall leaving her shocked. With one hit on her head she collapsed. I took off with her on my shoulders. Running to the safehouse.

Upon my arrival, Kenny greeted me with a worried expression. "Oh, you're alive. What took you so long? And who is that?" he inquired. "I ran into two people. I had to incapacitate one and bring this one in for questioning," I explained. After setting the woman down, I embraced Kenny. "Charlie, come get your gift," Kenny called out.

After a refreshing shower, I checked my phone and noticed 10 missed calls from Gamma, Msizi, Dean, and my mother. While Dean and Msizi hadn't reached out since I'd left, my parents made a point to call every day. "Kenny," I called out to him, detecting his nearby presence. I found myself in the small walk-in closet (big enough to fix a double bed and double couch while leaving a bit of space to walk freely) that had been converted into a room for Kenny. Given that Kenny and Tony had their own separate space away from the rest of us, the accommodations were arranged accordingly.

"He's occupied at the moment. Also, addressing him as Kenny instead of Alpha sends the wrong message to the others. I suggest you use the appropriate title," someone's voice intervened. I couldn't immediately pinpoint the speaker, but my uncertainty was short-lived as a figure with a commanding presence walked in without a care in the world. It was Alpha Tony. I met his gaze, unsure of what to say. I hadn't interacted with him extensively, only knowing that Kenny had saved his life, and he was willing to put himself on the line for Kenny and his annoying sister.

"Alpha Tony, it's good to see you've recovered. Having you back is certainly a relief," I finally replied, though I couldn't help feeling a bit foolish after those words left my mouth. "We don’t know each other well enough for you to speak to me like we're friends, BOY," Alpha Tony retorted, his annoyance visable. "My sincere apologies, Alpha Tony," I quickly corrected myself. "But the last image I have of you is on your deathbed, with Tiny practically pleading for Kenny to save you," I added with a smirk, knowingly stoking the flames. He seethed with anger, and I could tell he was on the brink of an outburst. "Well, if I were you, I'd think about keeping that temper in check and staying humble. Kenny and I have been in charge while you were incapacitated, and your twin wasn't exactly in any condition to lead either," I continued, pushing his buttons further. In the midst of his smoldering rage, I took the opportunity to introduce myself. "By the way, I'm Nuzo, the beta," I said, extending my hand for a handshake.

Instead of accepting my handshake, Alpha Tony's anger surged, and he forcefully pressed me against the wall. He pinned my hands behind my back and gripped my neck, causing my breath to hitch. His rage was apparent, confirming Kenny's warnings about his temper. I didn't resist, letting him vent his anger physically. "Remove your damn hands from him, Tony. You know how much I despise ungrateful behavior," Kenny's powerful voice reverberated through the small room, and relief flooded over me as I saw him enter. Tony released his hold on me, stepping back and facing the now-angry Kenny. It seemed as though Tony had never witnessed such anger from Kenny before.

Before Tony could speak, he glanced at Kenny, then at me. Taking a deep breath to compose himself, he pushed his hair back and his demeanor shifted from anger to shock. The realization dawned on him – that Kenny and I were mated. His gaze traveled up and down my form twice before he turned back to Kenny, his expression a mixture of shock and concern. "What have you done, Ken?" Tony inquired. Kenny's gaze remained fixed on Tony, his tone unyielding. "You're in no position to interrogate me, not after I saved you and risked my life for you and your pack. Or should I say, your deceitful pack members?" Kenny's response was laced with a mixture of resentment and disappointment.

I intervened, addressing Kenny to reassure him. "Kenny, I'm alright, you know I'm not fragile," I reminded him. He gently brushed my hair back and planted a soft kiss on my forehead. "I'm still adjusting to this whole 'mate' thing, so let me worry," he responded, his attention focused on assessing my well-being. Our conversation shifted, almost disregarding Tony's presence. I leaned in and placed a tender kiss on Kenny's lips, saying, "We need to prepare for the impending war so we can head home."

"We need to head home soon," Kenny responded, his words slipping out without much thought as he continued to gaze in my direction. He fumbled through his pockets and produced his phone. "Ah, damn it, my phone is dead. I forgot to charge it last night. I'm sure my mom is worried sick. What time is it?" Kenny spoke again, his tone laced with concern. I picked up my own phone and glanced at the screen. The time read 8 pm. Time had sped by so quickly that I hadn't even realized how late it had become. The weight of the ongoing war bore heavily on both Kenny and me. Just then, my phone started to ring; Dean's name illuminated the screen. I grabbed it eagerly, as if I had been anticipating the call. "Hey, why haven't you been answering your phone? Your parents are beyond worried. Gamma Msizi even came by earlier, asking if I had any news about you," Dean's voice sounded relieved yet reproachful. "I'm alright, Dean. I was tied up with things. Is that all, or did you have something to tell me?" I inquired, my concern for Kenny still lingering in the back of my mind. Dean hesitated for a moment, his voice taking on a more serious note. "There isn't much to say, but..." he trailed off, leaving a pregnant pause. "Spill it, Dean. I don't have all day," I urged, my impatience getting the better of me.

"Earlier today, I was at headquarters, and Gamma Msizi received a call from the Luna. The Luna was looking for Alpha Kenneth. From what I gathered, it seemed the Luna had urgent news to convey to the Alpha. It turns out that Alpha Lodwig has proposed a marriage between his daughter and Alpha Kenny. Consequently, they're eager for you guys to return as soon as possible," Dean shared the unfolding scenario with me. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the revelation. "Are you absolutely certain about what you're saying?" I questioned Dean, my skepticism apparent. "Yeah, that's what I overheard while Gamma Msizi was discussing it with one of the warriors. I lost interest in their conversation after that and walked away," Dean confirmed.

My worry deepened as I glanced at Kenny. It seemed that Alpha Lodwig was employing a clever tactic to find out if we left the pack. The man was cunning, there was no denying that. "I'll call you back, Dean," I said abruptly, ending the call. Turning to Kenny, I relayed the urgent situation. "Kenny, you need to call your mom right now. Let her know we're on our way back. We've decided to take the car instead of the plane. I'll explain the details after you speak to your mom."

Kenny took the phone from me, his expression a mix of apprehension and determination, as he dialed his mom's number. I silently prayed for her to answer. Within moments, he was speaking to her. The conversation was brief, yet Kenny's reaction after hanging up revealed his concern. He seemed to have appeased his mom, but the unease lingered. With a heavy sigh, he concluded the call and looked at me expectantly. It was time to delve into the unfolding events and figure out our next steps.

"Talk immediately," Kenny directed me. I glanced at Tony, who still seemed to be processing the concept of mating. "Lodwig approached your mother and extended an offer for his daughter's hand in marriage. It seems he wanted to verify our departure and perhaps sway us to his side in case things turn sour with the neighboring pack," I explained to Kenny. "Well, my mother emphasized the urgency of our return. She revealed news that involves marriage and the expansion of our pack. I suspect Lodwig is behind this proposition," Kenny informed us about his conversation with his mother.

"That treacherous old man! He's trying to undermine me even in victory, all because I denied his request to marry my sister. I'll crush him with my bare hands," Tony fumed, his anger rekindling. "Tony, hold on. Acting on impulse won't lead us to victory in this situation. We need a strategic approach. We should catch them off guard, striking when they're least prepared. I propose a surprise attack at 3 am. They won't anticipate it. You know the terrain and the packhouse inside out. We need to devise a plan for infiltrating without raising suspicion. We've got three hours to plot this out. Get Tiny and Charlie down to the basement. Let's get to work," Kenny instructed, his voice resolute. With those words, Kenny exited the room, leaving me alone with Tony, whose anger was still palpable.

"I'll address you later. Right now, go fetch Charlie and instruct him to gather our allies who will stand with us in the fight," Tony ordered, his attempt to assert dominance still evident. "I'm not intimidated by you, Tony. Listen closely: I don't answer to you, and I'm not under your command. So, round up your fighters yourself," I retorted firmly. His grip tightened as he pulled me closer, his voice a low whisper in my ear. "You're not his true mate. When he finds his destined partner, or if his mother persuades him to marry for an heir, I'll be right here, ready to sever your head. Breaking a false mate bond is remarkably straightforward. Keep that in mind, you worthless boy." With that chilling threat, Tony released his grip on my hand and exited the room, leaving Grey and me rattled. The ease with which he mentioned breaking the mate bond haunted me. It was the worst possible time for such thoughts, yet they lingered as I joined the others in the basement.