Chapter 6

Gary opens his eyes and is confused. He was sure he had laid down on his bed to sleep, and now he woke up in a room he didn't know. He sits down on the bed and looks around. Everything there was sinister. All the furniture in the room was black and carved with demonic shapes, the ceiling lamp was made of iron and looked like one of those ancient torture instruments, from the era of the human inquisition. On the only bedside table there is a small aquarium containing a huge spider, which makes Gary cringe in disgust. The window had thick metal bars, which, without touching, he identified as silver. He didn't see any door.

How the hell did he get there? Was he dreaming? He pinches himself to make sure and scolds himself for his goofy attitude.

When he removes the thin blanket that covers him, he sees himself completely naked. What the fuck was going on? This certainly wasn't the packhouse. He hadn't gone there by himself, so he could only have been kidnapped. But who in their right mind would go inside a pack and kidnap the alpha? What type of creature, besides doing it, had still been successful. Worse, how come he, being an alpha, was kidnapped and didn't even wake up during the act?

Gary gets up and covers himself with the blanket as best he can. Trying to figure out a way to get out of there, he taps lightly on the walls. The urge to scream and see the coward that kept him there was huge, but as it was night outside, he tried to find a way out and put some distance between him and the one who held him captive. Later he would come back to make him pay.

No way out. He hadn't found anything that looked like a door. He opens the window and when he puts his hands on the bars, he hisses. No doubt thick silver bars. Everything out there was strange to him. The smells, the cold forest, even the sky were different from what he saw at night from his bedroom window. He wasn't close to home; that much he was sure of.

Lost in these thoughts, he doesn't see a portal open, on the wall between the bathroom and a bookcase with books as sinister as the room, so when he turns around, he is startled when he sees a woman who appeared to be around 50 years old, sitting on the bed, looking at him, whit a creepy smile.

- What is this place? Where am I? Who are you?

- So many questions at the same time, young alpha. How rude of you to ask so many questions before greeting your oldest.

Gary feels the rage invading his body, and Pure, his wolf, was about to take control of Gary's body and tear that insolent woman apart.

She reads Gary like a book, and laughs out loud, making a sound like a bat's squeak.

- In response to what place is this, this is my pack land, the pack land of the Rogues's Pack. As for where you are, you are in my packhouse, this is my room. As for who I am… - she is silent and her lips curve in a smile that wanted to be seductive, but which chilled Gary's blood – I am your mate and the Alfa of the rogues.

- What are you? - Gary backs up until his back hits the wall.

That woman must be crazy. How could she think she was his mate? She was more than twice his age and her appearance, while not ugly, was creepy.

- I'm your mate.- she repeats with a crooked smile, as if Gary didn't hear her the first time.

- You're not my mate. I already have a mate. Release me or you will have to deal with the consequences.

The woman changes the color of her hazel eyes to a totally black one with red pupils. Those were the eyes of her demon, and it is with that demon's voice that she speaks.

- You're not going anywhere mortal, and show respect to us.

Gary shivered.

- What are you? - repeat. That thing was not a werewolf.

The woman's eyes return to their usual brown, and she responds.

- I'm more than you'll ever be, my mate, but for now, I'm just the shewolf you'll fall in love with soon. very soon.

Gary shakes his head in disbelief at the whole thing. No, that woman was not a simple shewolf. She had the characteristic scent of witches.

In the meantime, little by little, the members of the Red River Pack began to wake up. It was strange, the night had barely begun and everyone felt they had overslept. It still took some time for them to realize that they had lost 24 hours of their lives.

When looking for the alpha, they discover Gary's bedroom door was open but Gary was nowhere to be found.

The beta didn't need to be a genius to figure out that something very wrong had happened. He runs out into the street and lets out a high-pitched howl that alerts all warriors.

“Look for clues. The Alpha has been kidnapped.” – orders everyone by maidlink and all the warriors and many of the other members run desperately, through the night, in all directions, to look for their leader.

The beta goes to the office and contacts the king of alphas. He was a divine being, he could help them. The beta tells Ryan everything he knows and he said he was going to try to figure out what happened, but unfortunately, what Ryan tells him when he finally calls him back doesn't let him rest.

- I can't feel Gary anywhere in the world. It's like he's been swallowed by the earth. My heart tells me he is in great danger and that some magic hides him from me. I'll send warriors to help you with your searches, but there's little else I can do. I'm so sorry Beta.

The beta nods, even knowing the king can't see him, and hangs up. His alpha must be in such danger, even the mighty king of alphas couldn't help.

When the Darkmoon warriors arrived, they joined the search, and from other packs other warriors arrived too, to join them. There were hundreds of men scattered throughout the forest, but there wasn't a single clue as to which direction Gary had been taken.

Red River Pack saw 2 days go by without any news appearing.

“Beta, please come over here. We are 5 miles from the border, southwest of the pack. We found the remains of a camp.”

The beta wastes no time, shifts to his feral form and runs as fast as he can until he finds his men.

It really was the remains of a camp. There were remains of bonfires and on the ground, it was visible that tents had been set up there. The smell in the air was nauseating.

Rogues had been camped there, and they were a large group. Unfortunately, they couldn't figure out what way they take, as there was no trace. It looked like they had simply disappeared into thin air. The poor beta didn't know that the witch had simply opened a portal, and the men entered, making the entire journey in a few seconds.

- I don't understand how this is possible. - one of the older warriors says to a companion, not realizing that the beta was listening – I consider myself a good tracker. I've never lost a trail in my life, but I can't find anything to indicate which way they went. I don't even know if the alpha was here. This is so frustrating.

- Don't blame yourself. – the beta says, scaring the two companions – Ryan said that magic must have been involved in the alpha's disappearance.

- Beta, if magic is hiding the Alpha from us, what are we going to do? What will become of the Red River Pack? We are vulnerable.

- Let's stay calm and let's not give up. Alpha Gary's young and strong. He will come back to us.

Lucifron was nervous. His heart told him that something was very wrong, but he didn't know what it was.

“Lucifron, I think our fireheart is in danger.” - Zog says, with worry in his voice.

“I think you might be right,” - he replied calmly.

“Don't you think it was time you stopped being so calculating and cold? You are not going to be the next general, it's time to start feeling like a normal person. If our fireheart is in danger, what are you going to do here to save him? Are you waiting for him to die without you doing anything to help him?”

Lucifron feels pure fear for the first time in his life. Can Gary die? And he's on the island having fun instead of helping him? No, he was going to leave immediately for his new home and help Gary through whatever was happening to him.

He informs his supportive friends, asks for their parents' blessing, packs his bags, and after getting his king's permission, he shifts and lets Zog fly toward the Red River Pack, bags clutched in his claws.

“Gary, my fireheart, hold on. I'm coming."