DerrickWhen morning came, I had sobered up but Targon didn't release me. I mind-linked him several times but he ignored me. When it was time for breakfast, he came down with the maids who brought my meal."You've got to be kidding me! Don't tell me you want me to eat here!" I was blasted."I am sorry Rick… But it is what it is…""What!?""Yes! I am concerned about everyone's safety… I am not sure that you won't lose your sanity again. Our woes are still constant, Rick… they didn't varnish because you snapped!" He gritted, pointing towards Alpha Joash's room."Alpha Joash is still lying unconscious! Our pack is still in ruins! We lost most of our men in the battle and Alpha King Jason whom we can't win against is still hunting for us. But what did you do? You slashed down the innocent people who are working hard to revive His Highness! I am highly disappointed in you!""... You ain't the only one hurting… we all are hurting!" He yelled and turned back to leave."I am sorry Targon!" I
Vera"Wake up sleeping head," Blake's cold voice broke into my head and that was when I realized that I was fast asleep.Two feeble hands lifted my four limbs and made me lay by my side. I whimpered and grunted in pain as they cleaned my wounds. Which type of tormentor inflicts wounds on his victim and still takes care of them? Blake had gone crazy!Just like he heard me, he walked closer to me, pushing the caregivers out of the way. He stopped in front of me and squatted."I am so sorry Viola… Vera brought this upon you two…" he muttered. His eyes seemed misty. No, they were misty. He bit his lips as if he regretted his actions and ran his fingers over my fur."Take your hands off me! You bastard!" I yelled in his head, whimpering in pain.He grimaced and stopped. I could feel the tension building up in his hand. He began but more aggressively. He ran his palm over my body and gripped my neck. "Good! I will leave you for now. Get your wounds treated, eat some food and get back your
DerrickIt's been two days now and Alpha Joash's seemed to be getting worse. There was no trace of the men who were sent to get the detoxifying herbs. Just like the royal physician had promised, he was ready to set out on his own.I couldn't let him go alone so I decided to go with him. Since my actions were still unstable, it was better that I leave. Possibly, I could regain my sanity by travelling through the wild, but Targon disagreed."Going with the royal physician might be dangerous. You are Alpha Joash's right-hand man. The Alpha King and his men recognised you already. You should stay back here while I go with him. I and a few men will protect him from a distance…" Targon suggested.I saw the wisdom in his words, so I agreed. I stayed behind and he left with the royal physician. We dressed the royal physician like a woman. It was a disguise to avoid easy recognition."I pray you return in time… Do not stay too long, for His Highness'sake," I pleaded."I know what is at stake
VeraI lost consciousness at some point and when I came around, the healers were working on me. Blake was nowhere to be found."She has come around," one of the healers said to the other.I raised my hand slowly to touch the rugged wound on the neck of the healer that was bitten earlier. My heart squeezed in pain, both physical pain and emotional pain."I can't watch any of you die for me… just kill me… When I die… all this will end… I'm doomed to die anyway…" I muttered incoherently."You won't die," the one who Blake bit muttered."Oh… you two… can talk? What a relief" I muttered, choking in pain."Can't you see? Our herbs can't do much…The wounds are too brutal… They won't heal easily and … he wouldn't stop inflicting more wounds on her… if he continues to torture her, he will kill her!" The second healer responded."Thank you for saving us earlier… I had thought we were going to die…""We have to help her get out of here…" "What are your names?" I slurred"I am Tehla and she is T
Vera"It worked! I just spoke to Beta Derrick! It worked" I clattered, holding Tehla and Tirha's hand. They smiled and nodded while they continued to work on me.I could never be more grateful… but I needed to know where we are. Where the heck is this place? … And… what was that? When I linked up with Derrick earlier, he was cryptic about Alpha Joash's condition… Well, all that mattered was to get out of here, when I'm home, I will see for myself. I couldn't wait to fly into his embrace and tell him how I felt. My heart raced as I remembered Blake's words. Why did he believe that Alpha Joash was dead? I'm sure he survived the attack since they escaped with his body. He had survived worst attacks in the past, I consoled myself."If he is hale and hearty, he would have turned the earth upside down to find you," Viola chipped in and I shrank with fear."Do you happen to know where this is? I mean where the goddam hell are we?" I asked, trying to divert myself.The twins looked at each
TargonI was angry with Derrick but I knew he was under tension just like I was. I had no option, he had given the order and I had to obey, he was my superior.I understood why he did not want to send the physician back without me. Men whom we had sent initially were all waylaid and killed. But that doesn't make his decision good either. The physician was stricken with age. Taking him through the rigour of travelling down to the Hollow Woods was unwise. He would slow down our pace and his presence at the scene might also complicate things. We had been on the move for about half a day and the old man was weary already. Since we didn't prepare to travel far, we didn't bring a horse. We also decided against it to avoid attention."Sir, you should wait here. Some of my men will stay with you. We will be back before this time tomorrow… I promise…""Thank you, thank you," the old man said profusely and heaved a sigh.I ordered some of my men to hide him in and protect him while I sprang i
Targon.I stood by the creek in the Hallow woods, looking abroad. It was all still and quiet, I didn't know which way to go. I looked at my men earnestly, trying to figure out my next move. Since I couldn't link up Vera, I had to go through Derrick. But before doing that I decided to make a gamble."We will all spread out, in different directions. We have got just five minutes. Be vigilant and alert as you go. If you find any strange structure or occurrence on your path, link me up immediately," I ordered my men."Yes sir!" The two responded in unison and departed.As for me, I chose the path that went straight ahead of me. I moved swiftly, looking left and right with my senses alert. But nothing came up. I was in the middle of emptiness, surrounded by bushes, trees and animals cluttering here and there. There was no human form in sight. Not even the howling of a wolf.I threw my hands up in frustration and turned to leave, but something fell into my line of vision. It was far away an
TargonThe joy in my heart when I found Her Highness was boundless. Although she was badly battered, she was alive and I found her! Derrick had made it clear that it was paramount that we found her and saved her.When she mentioned that there were two other captives, and we must save them, I almost cussed aloud. I had thought that this was going down without a scuffle but she just shattered my hopes!How can we save two others without a counterattack from their captor?We found the prisoners and I noticed that they were poisoned. I thought that Her Highness would give up on them but when I saw her doggedness to still leave with them, my heart sank. It wasn't logical! We were possibly digging our own grave! We would get caught!We had to get out of here in time and we must be careful not to lead Blake to our secret place. Who knows, he could be watching us.I mind-linked Derrick immediately, telling him to send three horses our way.Luckily, we slipped out of the building with Her High