Chapter 75: Dark Forest

Dwayne's P.O.V
I open my eyes and stare at the sleeping Sarah beside me. She looks so peaceful and I should feel the same way knowing she was my mate now. But why do I feel empty inside? Like something is missing.
I close my eyes once more, the breeze of the cold air brushing my skin made me awake. I brush my eyes feeling confused as I stare at the dark sky above me. Only the light from the moon and stars was giving us light right now. I glance to my arms and found someone sleeping, she had a black hair. Her pale skin illuminates under the moonlight.
Then I notice I was completely naked, only a small cloth is covering us. Then suddenly my heart started beating fast. Where is Sarah? I look around me and I was in the woods right next to the cliff. This is the place where I usually go whenever I wanted to be alone.
I was about to brush her hair out of her face to see her face clearly. But before I could do that she grab my hand and a pair of blue-gray eyes staring back at me. And I suddenly feel like someone knock the air out of my lungs.
I gasp for air and found myself back in my bedroom, I sat down and brush my hair out of frustration, Sarah was sleeping soundly next to me. I brush her red hair that was way too different from the girl I saw in my dream.
Just who the hell are you? Why do I always see those pair of blue-gray eyes yet don't remember anyone who have those kind of eye color.
It was still dark when I decided to get up. I couldn't sleep, so I just decided to get up early. After 2 hours the sun will start to rise anyway.
I went straight to the bathroom and took a shower, then pulled a pair of shirt on my closet and slip in a pair of jeans. Grabbing my sneakers before I head out.
Looks like I need to have a run, just doing nothing is making me see things. I took off my clothes and let my wolf out, the soil beneath our paws feels foreign. It been a while since we took a run. Stretching his legs before he decided to run. I think we will hunt for today. We run towards the inside of the forest, feeling the sensation of the air hitting our fur. We even close our eyes as we jump over the large trunk of tree laying on the ground.
His eyes snaps at the direction of brunches snapping not too far from us. It was a deer, and luckily it didn't seems to notice us. We slowly made our way towards our prey. Once it we were close enough to attack, my wolf hurriedly grabbed its neck using his mouth, killing it in one strike. When it was dead he delightfully ate it. Licking his mouth when he was done devouring almost all of it. I don't know but I never seen my wolf this hungry.
He heard another snap and run towards it's direction this time it was a boar, it wasn't too big but big enough to feed 10 hungry werewolves. He then didn't waste any time and pounce to it. But unlike the deer, he had a bit of a hard time killing this one. And it started running away. Of course, we chase after it and before it could run further. My wolf strike him.
The boar started to screech but my wolf ignored it and indulge himself with his flesh. Biting, chewing every bit of it. Leaving only the skin.
Seriously? Was he really this hungry. When he was done, he look satisfied. Who wouldn't? After finishing those two in one go.
I didn't notice it earlier but we are on the east part of the territory. Looking forward, it was the same route that we encountered before when I was with Sarah. I don't know what's gotten into us but my wolf started walking towards the the direction where the East Mansion is.
The path was still the same but unlike before it was far more better than I expected. The gravel on the floor continues until I reach the old mansion. The marvel around it is still intact in fact it looks like someone fixed it. But you cannot hide the old markings of the explosion during the succession, good thing it didn't reach the main building of the Mansion.
I look up, staring at the veranda on the right side of the mansion. I don't know why but it felt like I've been here a couple of times. I slowly made my way closer then a glimpse of the familiar scent of vanilla caught my nostrils. I shifted to my human form and stop right in front of the front door. I don't know why, but my hands was starting to sweat. Am I getting nervous? Over opening an old door?
The hinges squeaked as the door swung open. Old furnitures welcomes me, they were covered in dust because no one use them anymore. I heard that the Royalties stayed here before. My feet took my upstairs, into a room that leads to the veranda that I saw outside when I walk towards here.
The furnitures are nothing special, the white linen covering the bed was now full of dust. I slowly look around the room, finding something that I had no idea what. But then something caught my eyes, a white lace gown was at the rack of the closet. It was hanging, bits of golden lace was resting right at the bottom part of the dress.
I slowly touch the gown, closing my eyes as I saw some image flashing in my head.
I was staring at the woman wearing this gown just like what I saw before. It was the succession, I still can't see her face clearly like before, her back was facing me. Her Silver-white hair was moving like the wind as it brush it. The rogues are right in front of us. I want to do something but my body had a mind on its own.
A golden light was emanating around her, she looks so magical at the moment. But then the rogues started screeching and killing each other. My eyes widens as I watch our surroundings turns into the color of crimson.
Then I gasp when she turn around.
"Sleep."
I took my hand away from the gown, like I was burnt or something. And when I glance at it again, the gown was only a cloth hanging in the closet. What the? I check the whole closet once more and found nothing. No white lace gown.
Did I hallucinate again? I brush my eyes making sure I wasn't half asleep or something.
I walk out of the veranda, but as soon as I step outside my heart started pounding. What is wrong with me? This place is giving me a weird feeling.
I jump off the veranda, landing with my four feet as I shift to my wolf. My wolf was also feeling restless while we are here. He was constantly sniffing, I even though I caught some vanilla scent but when I tried to look for it, it was just nothing. All I can smell is the dust, and molds around the mansion.
I glance up once more still feeling, the familiar feeling like I just missed something? Or someone?
The sun was already rising when I reach the packhouse. The pack members are already awake, I can already smell the newly bake bread from where I'm standing.
"You woke up early." Someone muttered behind me. It was Harid, the Alpha of the South Territory. His tattoos was showing because he wasn't wearing any shirt on. He looks like he was just about to go train.
"Yeah, I went for a hunt." I answered bored. Then turn my back on him and head to the kitchen to grab some breakfast.
I just want to eat something, even though my wolf just ate earlier I still feel my stomach grumbling as I smell the bacon that is being cooked in the kitchen. When I open the door, the sound of noise coming from the pack members all became silent. Their laughter was turned into a silent protest, I just ignored them. Even though I can feel their eyes burning at the back of my head.
My mother greeted me with a smile on her face. She also ignored the silence of the room.
"Come here Dwayne and eat with us." She uttered, telling me to take the seat next to her.
"Thanks, but I will just grab something quickly and head to where Father is." She nodded her head and told me that my father was at the borderline. Because they have seen some Rogues rooming around lately.
When I was done tossing some bacon inside my sandwich, I hurriedly walk out.
When I was walking down the hallway while munching my sandwich Sarah appeared out of nowhere.
Her eyes brighten up as soon as she saw me.
"Where did you go? When I woke up you are not there anymore." She muttered, pouting her lips as she tried to smack my chest like a child.
"I just went for a hunt, and now that I remember I need to take a shower because I still smells like blood." I mumbled and excuse myself towards my room.
I did wash in the river before I head back to also clear my head about what I just saw in the East Mansion. But without watching it properly the smell of blood is still stuck within me. No wonder they gave me a dirty look earlier.
I grabbed the handle and open the shower, I let the cold water run to my body. Imagining the look I always receive whenever I step outside. Since when did I lost my authority? Yeah right, I was strip off my title. And to get that back or have the right to at least compete to that title again. All I need to do is prove myself back. But how do I do it?
"You will be the one to take her back." Sarah's voice whispered in my ears. Right! The only way is for me to get that woman back here.
She need to pay for what she did to me and to my pack. I clench my fist, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My complexion was still the same because of the lack of sleep.
When I'm done, I slip into my clothes and started heading towards the Borderline.
I need to gather a lot of information if I was planning on catching her. I passed by Sarah who is talking to someone. I didn't notice who it was but decided to ignore it. It looks like they were talking something serious.
When I reach the borderline my Father was talking to Hunter. And when they both notice me coming they both gave me a nod, telling me to come closer to them.
"What happened here?" I ask, as soon as I notice some pack members being gathered around the area.
"Oh, we were just making sure that rogues won't get close to the border again." Hunter answered, he was old but for his age I can still feel his overwhelming power.
The way he stare at you feels like he know exactly what you are thinking. The pack warriors didn't look surprised to see me but I still get a few glances from them.
"So what brought you here?" My father ask not even looking at me because he was staring at the map on his hands.
"I wanted to help. I heard that sone Rogues are seen rooming around the area. So I decided I want to help catch them." I muttered, Hunter's smile widens at my words. Tapping my shoulders as he smiled.
"Looks like someone has decided to get out of his shell once more." He glance at my father who had a disapproving look in his face.
"He was still unstable." He mumble but Hunter ignored it.
"Dear boy, you will lead the borderline guards later and scout around the area." He pointed towards the dark forest. My father's eyes widens.
"What? He already went there before." He mumbled, wait I went there before? I don't remember myself even stepping inside the Dark forest.
"I hope you are sure about this. You know what might happened." My father uttered, I don't know why he was acting like this. Because before he would let me fight rogues without even thinking twice as part of my training.
"Relax, he wouldn't do anything reckless." Hunter mumbled then glance at me.
"Right Dwayne?" He added.
"Yes Sir!" I answered firmly. My father just shake his head and gave up.
"He was still an Alpha, just without a pack." I heard Hunter mumbled to my father. He was right about that.
I cannot give orders like before towards my pack members, because technically I wasn't their Alpha yet. But I was determined to get my title back. And the first step to do that was to finish off those rooming rogues.
Because we need to find their hiding place. Some of the Faction already went back to the Central Kingdom to check it again, Cameron was the one who lead them this time. They were looking for any clues that might lead them to the whereabouts of the Royalties.
One thing is for sure the Rogues is working with the Royalties, they told me that the Rogues actually came to their rescues during the time the Faction seize the Central Kingdom.
"Dwayne are you listening?" I look up to find my father with the other warriors gathered in a center form.
My father was at the center with Hunter and they were all staring at me. I didn't even notice that they were already there. My mind was always elsewhere this day.
"Please continue." They ignored me and my father started crossing some part of the map. It was a map of the Dark forest, it was still not complete because the whole area was not yet been scouted, because the once who tried don't usually come back anymore.
As I stare at it somehow the area that my father was talking about looks familiar to me. Like I actually went there myself. I remember the big tree that he was pointing. Then I found myself in that place, I was standing next to that tree that I saw in the map.
It was snowing heavily that time, and I was looking for something, or someone? I can feel my wolf's worrying for someone. My mind was field with thoughts that I have to find someone but I don't know what I'm looking for. Then a white wolf appear next to me.
"She was still not here. Damn where could she be!" I know that voice, it was one of the Royalties. But why am I with him? And who are we looking for?
"Dwayne are you listening?" My father snap me out of my thoughts, when he notice I wasn't listening at all he pulled me to the side.
"Are you sure you could do this? It looks like you are still adapting after you wake up." I couldn't say anything. But I can't just let him to take me out of this mission.
"I am okay Dad, I was just thinking something else." I answered, he stared at me with suspicion.
"Dad I need this, I want to make sure that I will be the one to take them down after everything that they did to me and to our pack." This time it was his turn to look away.
"Just be careful. I almost lost you once and I wouldn't let it happen again." He uttered, I didn't say anything. I know he was afraid that I might end up getting hurt like before.
Our encounter with Rogues always leads for us loosing someone important to us. Sarah's father died because of an attack, he was his closest friend. But he lost his life because of me. He was protecting me when the Rogues came to kill me.
"I know, I promise you this time I will chased them back and catch them before they could even do anything." I said firmly. Just thinking of seeing them made my blood boil of anger.
When they are done telling us what to do. They left, we were told to scout the area where the Rogues was last seen rooming. And we have to try looking for some of the pack members who went after them and never came back. This is the first time I heard about this I thought no one was hurt because of them but I was wrong.
We are about 30 in number when we entered the Dark forest and just like his name it was still broad daylight yet inside was already dark, I couldn't remember all their names but I could recognize their faces. Some of there are with me during my training days while some just came back from their trainings in the south. That is also the reason why I forgot their names.
"Shall we split up?" Someone uttered, I look at him. He was one of the warriors who just arrived from the South.
"What's your name?" He scoff at me. I already don't like his attitude.
"Ryan." He answered, he smirk at me. They were already aware about what happened. Because he wouldn't act like this if I was still his Alpha.
"A name that I don't remember." I mumbled then turn my back in him. The others watching us started snickering.
"What did you just say? You still act so high and mighty yet you aren't even the Alpha anymore." He throw something on me but I caught it before it hits me. It was a glove that he was wearing.
"Now what? You were just gonna stand there? You know I always want to have a fi-" before he could even finish his words.
A pair of glowing eyes was staring at us. Follow by a snarling sound. It wasn't a regular rogue. It's eyes were glowing red. Just like what I always saw in my dreams.
"Move this way slowly." I ordered him and before he could even move. One of the Rogues jump over him and bite his shoulders.
Dragging him to the darker side of the forest.
"Shit!"