The Beta's Arrival

Chapter 11

James’ POV

We raced through the trees. I kept my distance from the front of the line, trying hard to search for her scent my own way. I had yet to shift, but the others had already transformed into their wolf stats. I had ordered them to. However, my father has requested I remain in my human form. He apparently thought my wolf and I would cause trouble. Following his instructions was becoming increasingly difficult the longer I was out here searching for her. I needed to find her soon, but it was proving harder than I had previously thought it would be.

Soon we came up to the border of our land and the Shadowlands Pack. She wouldn’t have crossed over, would she? It would be dangerous. We don’t have a treaty with them and this was the only area that our lands connected without a wall. It had been an attempt at making peace between the two packs, but it had failed, and now it was easy to see that they were beginning to finish the wall that surrounded their packlands. The trackers smelled around the area, trying to see if she had indeed crossed over.

“She crossed over in wolf form,” one of the trackers informed me through our link.

“Then we go as well,” I responded.

The wolves all turned to face me. “You can't be serious,” the same wolf said to me.

“I can be, and I am,” I growled at them. “Now we move across the border, carefully. We will not engage with any Shadowlands wolves. I simply want to know where she is and possibly bring her back today if she is within our grasp.”

“Future Alpha...” he began to try and reason with me, but I didn’t want to hear it.

“You will do as I say, or I’ll make sure you never see the outside world again,” I threatened them. “Am I understood?”

“Yes, Future Alpha,” they all responded in unison.

“Good. Now let’s go,” I ordered. This time, I shifted as well to run with them.

Carefully, we crossed the border. Slowly, we made our way through the packlands. Somehow, we managed to avoid detection while following her scent. She had met someone. I could smell another scent mixing with hers and Diane’s. It was a male. Anger began to swallow me whole. I needed to find her and soon.

The night was soon upon us, and yet we had somehow evaded detection. This was either a miracle or they knew we were here and wanted us to keep progressing toward the middle of their pack. “Stop,” I ordered. We needed to think about this. We need to be more careful. If we get caught, then any assemblance of an alliance would be gone and a war would surely ensue.

“Alpha, what would you have us do?” one of the warriors questioned.

“One wolf is to proceed with caution and then inform the rest of their findings. Who is the best?” I asked as I looked around at the wolves.

One tracker stepped forward. “I’m the best,” they said proudly.

“Then go and send back a positive report,” I ordered.

Without another word, he turned and quickly, but quietly went through a group of trees. Her scent continued toward a trail that seemed to lead to the packhouse. Would they have taken her in? Or is she hiding among them somehow without them knowing she and her sister are there? She could be deceitful enough for either.

We waited merely minutes before I was contacted. “I’ve got eyes on her. She is near the packhouse, but far enough away that we might be able to grab her and go. She is currently alone by a pond,” he informed me.

“Do you think you are capable of doing it on your own or should another be sent to your location?” I questioned. She was alone and ripe for the picking. Who knows if we will have another chance like this?

“I think it would be better for another wolf or two to be sent my way,” he responded.

“Go.” I motioned to two wolves and watched as they took off.

Helen’s POV

He was gone so quickly, it partly made me feel as though he had never been there behind me. Then something felt wrong. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Someone was watching me, and I was sure it couldn’t be Vincent. His presence was gone. The presence I felt was more hostile. Then dark shadows jumped out from the trees. Then there were three wolves standing in front of me while they bore their teeth at me. They could have only come from one place, Silvertooth.

“I don't think you want to do this,” I said to them, but my words didn’t sway them. “Fine. I warned you.”

They slowly circled around me until I had nowhere to go. It was clear they wanted to take me without causing too much harm. Without giving it a second thought, I shifted and leaped at one of the wolves, tearing at his shoulder blade. Jumping back, I spit out the fur and skin I had pulled from the wolf. Then I turned to face the others. They all growled and then began to advance toward me. Then, in the blink of an eye, they attacked. It took everything I had to dodge them. Then one of them connected with my hind leg. I felt their teeth sink in, stopping my ability to move out of the way of another attack. The next wolf grabbed onto one of my front legs. Then another latched onto my side. The last was about to wrap its jaw around my neck when something or someone stopped it. I heard it splash into the pond.

Then the wolves that had clamped their jaws around the different parts of my body, started to release their grasps. It took a moment, but I soon saw that there was another wolf here with me. His scent was familiar, but it was hard to tell who it was with all the chaos ensuing. Instead, I focused on the fight in front of me. Within minutes, the wolves that had attacked me were subdued. Shortly after, warriors from Shadowlands appeared, capturing the four that had tried to trap me. Slowly, the wolves shifted to their human forms, and then we're taken away toward the packhouse.

I was left with the wolf that had aided me. We both stood, staring at one another, unable to link since I was not part of the pack. I watched as the wolf walked toward the trees thinking he was going to depart with the warriors, but then he reappeared moments later in human form wearing pants. He held a set of clothes as he walked toward me. “I've got some clothes for you. You can shift back and change,” he said as he set them down and then turned around.

I shifted and then pulled on the clothes. “Thank you for the clothes and your help,” I said as I watched him turn around.

“You were in trouble, so I helped,” he responded with a shrug.

“It was very helpful.” It felt as though the conversation had ended without really beginning. “I'm going to head back to the packhouse,” I announced, and stepped past him.

He grabbed my hand as I passed him. I felt a shock race through my body. He seemed to be thinking of something he wanted to say and then changed his mind. “I’ll go back with you,” he finally said as he released my hand.

There was something calming about him. Something that was drawing me to him, but I have to ignore it. I need to focus on keeping Diane safe. She is more important now. “Sure,” I responded as I continued to walk toward the packhouse. I could feel him close behind.

Within moments, we were standing outside the doors of the packhouse. I turned to face him. “Again, thank you for your help. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn't come along,” I said, wanting to express my gratitude again.

Before he could respond, I heard the door open followed by Diane’s voice. “What happened?” she questioned as she rushed to me. “You are covered in blood and bite marks.”

“I’m fine,” I tried to reassure her. “Really, I’m fine.”

“There’s so much blood,” she whispered.

“It’s not as bad as it looks.” She wasn’t going to let it go. I knew that, but I also didn’t know how to tell her that we had been found, and they had tried to either take me away or kill me.

“Tell me the truth, please,” she pleaded with me.

I let out a sigh. “They found us, but with the help of Vincent and the other warriors here in the Shadowlands pack, they have been taken into custody,” I finally told her.

“Couldn’t you have just told me?” she asked as she clasped my hands.

“I didn’t want you to worry,” I responded as I took one of my hands from hers and placed it on her cheek.

“I will always worry about you,” she said with a sad smile. “Oh, and thank you, Vincent, for saving my sister.” She turned her attention from me to him.

“It was my pleasure,” he replied with a sweet smile.

She eyed him for another minute before she took my hand and began to pull me up the steps of the packhouse. Vincent was close behind. We all went inside and were met by the Alpha. “I heard what happened. I am glad that you are safe,” Alpha Hudson said with a smile. “I will make sure to tighten security as well as question those who have attempted to harm you personally.”

“Oh, you don’t need to go through so much trouble.” I tried to calm the Alpha. I understood what had happened and who had instigated it all. “James’ did this. All of this. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”

“I understand that you don’t want to impose on this pack, but since you are on our land, we will protect you as one of our own,” he promised.

“If I could just leave Diane here, and you would take care of her, that would be enough for me. I’ll leave. I’ll make them follow me and leave this pack alone. He's not sane. He's extremely dangerous,” I tried to make him understand.

“I am grateful for your concern, but our pack is strong and able to protect not only your sister, but you as well,” he responded, as though he wasn’t talking about certain war, possibly even annihilation.

“I don’t want anyone getting hurt on my account,” I quickly responded.

“Why don’t you get some rest, and we’ll talk more about this in the morning,” he said as he directed me upstairs.

“Fine,” I said with a sigh.

Diane started up the stairs first, but I felt a hand on mine. “Can we talk for a moment?” Vincent asked, a look of desire or possibly something more in his gaze.

“I really shouldn’t leave Diane alone,” I answered him.

“I’m okay alone,” I heard her yell from the staircase.

“She’s okay alone,” he repeated with a small smile.

“Okay, we can talk, but just for a moment,” I relented.

Alpha Hudson smiled and left the room, heading down the hallway toward his office. Vincent gently pulled me toward one of the side rooms with comfy chairs. “We can have tea and maybe something to eat while we talk,” he suggested.

“That would be nice,” I whispered as I took the seat farthest from the window. He sat in the chair next to the window.

A few moments later, tea was brought in along with a few fingerfoods. “What would you like to talk about?” I questioned.