Prologue

Two years earlier.......

Unknown POV

I raced through the woods in my wolf form, my paws pounding the ground as I sprinted at full speed. The trees and the rest of the forest passing in a blur all around me.

I needed to catch her

She couldn't get away

She needed to confess

She needed to tell me why she stabbed me in the back so heartlessly despite the fact that we had known each other since we were pups.

All because she had wanted to support her mate.

Their betrayal nearly cost us our pack

Lives were lost, families destroyed and scarred emotionally for life. My poor mother being one of the many victims.

The sharp sting of overwhelming pain pierced my heart again as I remembered how I had held her limp, lifeless body in my arms as my father, the Alpha of our pack howled in anguish.

I couldn't even console him, that kind of loss needed to be approached with great caution. Our grief, mine and his, were very different. I had lost a mother, the one who birthed me and brought me into the world and he, had lost his soulmate, given to him by the Moon Goddess, his other half, his reason for living, his Luna, his wife.

The death of one's mate was a grief I'd never wish upon anybody, not even my mortal enemies. Not even Eliana, who the pain of losing hers was causing her to lash out now.

"Eliana!" I called out to her through our mind-link. The one that allowed us to communicate with each other in the pack.

"Please stop! I don't want to hurt you, I just want to talk!"

She didn't reply, she kept running and I kept chasing. I could hear the sound of the others, the pack warriors getting closer, they were catching up too

I mind-linked them quickly

"Guys, faster! We can't let her get away. We need her to get information about Gideon's plans!"

"Copy that, Greyson. We're right behind you"

Eliana's wolf was fast and she was nearing the huge river that served as a border between our state and the next. We needed to catch her before she crossed the river because we didn't have a treaty with the packs of that state which meant that we couldn't operate on their lands without seeking permission first else we could start a war.

"We can't let her get to the river, if she does it's over!" I screamed at them and doubled my speed but I still couldn't get as close as I wanted to. Eliana was one of the fastest in our pack, running and not getting caught had been her strength during our training days, I had always praised and admired her for it. Now I loathe it.

Before I could catch up, Eliana's wolf reached the river and dived into the water. My wolf skidded to a stop right at the edge of the river, I couldn't risk diving in after her. I didn't want to start a war when we were just recovering from the attack that had cost us many loved ones.

So I stood watching and panting heavily as Eliana's wolf expertly swam across the river and climbed out to the other side. Her wolf shook out it's fur to rid it of some of the water before it looked up and our eyes met.

I activated our mind-link

"Eliana, don't do this. If you turn around and walk away now, your bond with the pack will break and you'll become a lone wolf; a rogue. Is that what you want? I know you're suffering because of Gideon's death but he had it coming, he deserved it for being a traitor"

Eliana's wolf growled loudly, baring it's canines

"He was my mate! You took him from me and I will never forgive you and the Crimson Claw pack for that. Never!"

"Eliana wait!"

But it was too late, Eliana's wolf turned around and dashed into the thick forest on the other side, disappearing from sight completely just as I felt her bond with the pack break.

She was gone.

But not for good, this I knew.